CHIEF CYPRIAN IBEKWEUDE.. REST IN PEACE

 THE  DEPARTURE  OF A GREAT FATHER AND MAN OF PEACE CHIEF CYPRIAN IBEKWEUDE;  31st November 2019.

 It is naturally painful to miss a figure that has always been present in your life  and memory, but  we  give  the utmost glory  and thanks  to God  for the  blessed time  and life he accorded  to  Pa Ibekwe which he  used to impress positively on  the  community and everyone that came across him.

We in the Chukwubike’s family grew up  knowing his wife(firstly) whom we called ‘Sister Angelina David’. Then we didn’t know the differences  between a Rev Sister and a Nurse because most nurses in our locality  were Rev Sisters  and our Angelina was also a young devoted catholic from a top disciplined family.

She was like  a daughter  to our  father therefore when the young man Cyprian started marrying her we all came to know that ‘Sister was a Nurse’.

Cyprian was a fine and vibrant gentleman and was accepted by her family and MBC also endorsed it.

Pa Ibekwe was was a great father who as a typical Igboman devoted all (without showing it ) his energies to the discipline  and development of  his  family and community.

When he lived  outside Nenwe because of  his business he never missed  to  return regularly  and promptly to attend  to issues in the family  and on every return he never missed to pay homages to MBC. He  relied  so much on my fathers supervision of his  young family and our NURSE was  and is still a fantastic mother.

Pa Ibekwe was  a disciplined person and was lucky to have married  someone  from a strict  disciplined  and educational (catholic) background  no wonder they were blessed  with wonderful children {who one of them is our able and beloved Rev Fr Johnbosco } that  a couple of years ago feasted and honoured  them alive  during their wedding anniversary.We are proud  of these children and  for  setting that pace  for others to follow.

In the community Chief Ibekwe never had  any issues  with anyone in the town. He was always in the midst of all peace movements and committees.

We in the Chukwubike’s  family will always  remember him for  his continuous  closeness to us , especially to our parents  when we  were away and they were sick. We shall always be grateful how  he  and his   wife  continued  to be  their(our parents)  special  family  ‘chief  doctor and nurse’. These priceless friendship and services  will always  be  remembered. As we remember so do others remember him for  his services  to all the families  at home who he continued  to  support in all the ways  he could.

As we say good bye  today  we pray   to the  Good  Lord  to accept your  soul , grant your  wife   and all of  us  the  heart to bear your physical  absence.

Rest in peace

From

Charles O Chukwubike
(for the Chukwubikes family)

SENATOR UBAH COMMENDS AIR PEACE

 SENATOR IFEANYI UBAH COMMENDS AIR PEACE FOR COMING TO THE RESCUE OF DISPLACED NIGERIANS IN SOUTH AFRICA, URGES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUALLY SUPPORT LOCAL INVESTORS.

I am extremely delighted to join every well meaning Nigerian in commending Chief. Allen Onyema and the entire management of Air Peace for the brilliant and exceptional display of patriotism displayed by virtue of his move to airlift stranded Nigerians in South Africa.

It is indeed a thing of profound joy to witness such a selfless and epoch making gesture coming from my brother and constituent who has not only set a new benchmark in the Nigerian aviation sector, but has also actively taken part in humanitarian efforts to aid Nigerians who have been forcibly displaced as a result of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa. The speedy evacuation of these displaced and stranded Nigerians from South Africa has attracted tremendous respect to both the government and citizens of Nigeria on the international scene.  

Chief Allen Onyema is a man who has come so far from his humble beginnings, but has never forgotten what it feels like to struggle, and this memory informs his generosity and dedication to patriotism. 

I am beyond pleased with this show of selflessness which epitomizes the true meaning of patriotism. Once more, I wish to commend Chief Allen Onyema for this timely intervention which has placed him on the pedestal of “Heroes” who will be remembered by posterity for their legacy of sacrifice and patriotism to our nation in the face of devastating crisis. 

When I saw the capacity of Air Peace and fought vigorously for the protection of the company’s interests on the floor of the Senate, a lot of eye brows were raised. Today, Chief Onyema’s action has vindicated my stance and proven to Nigerians the importance of local investors and the protection of their investments like it is done in every other country. 

I am proud of the fact that he deployed one of his best aircrafts; a Boeing 777 to make this remarkable sacrifice for our dear nation out of his fleet of  28 airplanes and 20 brand new firm placed orders. 

It is worthy of note to remind Nigerians and the world that this gesture must have cost Chief Allen Onyema millions of dollars as he did this ”Free of Charge” for our nation. This is also not the first time that Chief Allen Onyema would be placing national interest and patriotism over self interest. The general public would vividly recall that he used his philosophy of Noviolence to fight the incidence of violent militancy in the Niger Delta, training and transforming the militants during the Niger Delta uprising and engaging the restive youths in National reconciliation programmes which eventually led to the proclamation of amnesty to the ex-militants. 

Conclusively, I want to ask; Can any foreign airline operating in Nigeria do this for Nigerians? The answer is; No.

It is imperative that we, as a nation, must not only take note of such persons of rare qualities but should also promote and encourage such citizens with formidable contributions to the nation’s economy. This is why I am using this medium to urge the Federal Government to continually support our indigenous investors and provide critical infrastructure that would make the nation’s environment conducive for private businesses to thrive because they are the ones that donate their personal resources for succor and societal support when critical situations like this arise. The protection of the business interests of these local investors should be a priority to the Government, so that they can be able to do more for the society. 

Senator (Dr.) Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah,

Anambra South Senatorial District

 

ABUJA & YOU

ABUJA AND YOU 

Abuja is probabaly the worst-hit of Nigerian cities by this recession. It is only understandable: Abuja works at nothing but revels in wanton opulence, fed strictly from pens adding zeroes behind a whole number. It's buildings are populated with straw companies gliding on patronage and privilege, not rights, merit and productivity. Most of its inhabitants are currently in what seems a state of disbelief, if not shock. 

My son and I walked lazily to Sheraton two Saturdays ago and from the gate you got a surprise: no line of traffic! The lounge was empty as the car park was vacant. We sat in surprise at the little corners of decay creeping on the lounge, part of which was even poorly lit. Of course, even Maitama and Asokoro are wrapped in thick darkness these days at 8pm if grid power fails. 

I was surprised at the black silence I met in these desolate palaces. Everywhere signs hang on homes and high-rise office buildings begging for tenants. I called a number on one and the voice that answered said it was for sale: 3.6billion, seven-story building with a footprint of about 250sqm. "I see".

There is good hiding in evil and sometimes you don't even have to look too deeply to see it. Too many wealth in Nigeria is strictly in figures without any underlying source or feeder spring. If you got your money through work and creativity; if they put you in a desert, you will still replicate the feat. 

What is called a recession in regular economics is but a dethronement of false money, the overthrow of pretenders and wealth built with the tip of a pen so that reality and productivity can take over. It is an inevitable passage if nature is correctly programmed. 

In a hilarious circle I was told about a typical Abuja moneybag whose fortune has now turned around. He was in money - and you know what I mean. In height of his affluence he collected two more wives to make a total of three. But the noose had been getting tighter and, all streams gone dry, he applied for a loan from a bank. Not so well exposed to the hazard of seeking credit from Nigerian banks, he was exceedingly positive he will soon be credited and so went with gusto to the manager's office on an appointed day to get the final answer on his application. 

When he was told that he had been turned down, he lost control of himself so completely that he pooped on himself right there in the bank. He was helped into the bathroom and offered a ton of tissues and when he had become manageable, they led him into a taxi and gave him a thousand naira to the bank's happy ending of the personal tragedy. 

The story teaches us that wealth without foundation will end in sudden failure. It is not only Abuja or the typical, overweight Nigerian big man, Nigeria itself is a victim of lazy wealth: oil is not a result of hard work or creativity. We don't even as much as have local capacity to drill the oil! If we don't build our economy by adding value through processing and developing our human resources, we won't end up much better than that poor individual you just laughed at."

My view:

It is time to start building real and sustainable wealth, enough of what used to be...The difference between the poor and rich nations  is not the age of the Nation. This can be demonstrated by countries like India and Egypt, which are more than 2000 years old and are still poor countries.

On the other hand, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, which 150 years back were insignificant, today are developed and rich countries.

The difference between the poor and rich nation does not also depend on the available natural resources.

Japan has limited territory, 80%  mountainous, unsuitable for agriculture or farming, but is the second in worlds economy. The country is like an immense floating factory, importing raw material from the whole world and exporting manufactured products.

Second example is Switzerland, it does not grow cocoa but produces the best chocolates in the world. In her small territory she rears animals and cultivates the land only for four month in a year, nevertheless manufactures the best milk products. A small country which is an image of security which has made it the strongest world bank.

Executives from rich countries who interact with their counterparts from poor countries show no significant intellectual differences.

The racial or colour factors also do not evince importance: migrants heavy in laziness in their country of origin are  forcefully productive in rich European countries.

What then is the difference?

The difference is the attitude of the people, moulded for many years by education and culture.
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When we analyse the conduct of the people from the rich and developed countries, it is observed that a majority abide by the following principles of life:

1. Ethics, as basic principles.
2. Integrity.
3. Responsibility.
4. The respect for Laws and Regulations.
5. The respect from majority of citizens by right.
6. The love for work.
7. The effort to save and invest.
8. The will to be productive.
9. Punctuality.

In the poor countries a small minority follow these basic principles in their daily life.

We are not poor because we lack natural resources or because nature was cruel towards us.

We are poor because we lack attitude. We lack the will to follow and teach these principles  of working of rich and developed societies.

WE ARE IN THIS  STATE  BECAUSE
WE WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE  OVER
EVRYTHING AND EVERYONE.

WE ARE IN THIS  STATE  BECAUSE
WE  SEE  SOMETHING  DONE  WRONG
AND SAY  - “LET IT BE”
WE  SHOULD  HAVE  A  SPIRITED MEMORY
AND  ATTITUDE…

ONLY THEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO CHANGE  OUR  PRESENT  STATE.

If you do not share this message, nothing is going to happen to you. Your prized animal is not going to die, you wont be sacked from your job, you wont be having bad luck for seven years, nor are you going to get sick.

But, if you love your COUNTRY, try and circulate this message so that as many people may read and see what our problems are and hopefully move to change themselves to change the country.
(COPIED)

THE WALK TO THE NEW BIAFRA :YES WE CAN . BY CLEM EBERE

 http://igbomade.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-walk-to-biafra.html

Clem Ebere replies  to the link above 👆

Wao!  GBAM!!
This is the Biafra I have always spoken about whenever and wherever I talk about Biafra.. This is the Biafra I believe in. This is the Biafra that will save the Igbo people. This is the Biafra that will fight no war to be. This is the Biafra I belong!

A redefinition of "Biafra" in context and content. That is what I have been advocating and telling those who care to hear.

We should learn from history, and stop the self delusion of openly inviting self destruction, by allowing those that defeated us about 50 years ago, to reduce us again.  To reduce Igboland to a wadteland, to correct their mistake of not wiping the Igbos s out of the surface of the earth 50 years ago. 

The new Biafra should be won through wisdom, the new Biafra should be won without firing guns, the new Biafra should exist without escalating  the experimental  "Python dance or egwu- eke" to all igboland,  the new Biafra should be be won through a deliberate strategy to empower the entire igboland and Igbo people, psychologically,   economically, technologically with sound infrastructure to unleash mass flourishing in Igbo land. 

The new Biafra is the Biafra of the mind. A mindset for Igboland to dominate  Nigeria, and indeed West Africa economically. A mindset and demonstrable industrial prowess that will endue the power and strength unimaginable and indomitable by any political power in Nigeria.  The new Biafra will bemuse other regions to utter awe and profound admiration of the Igbo people.

Why should the new Biafra take that route? :
1) It is safer, no soul will be lost!
2) It is doable! It is our birth right, because we are industrious,. Eastern Nigeria had once won the world rating as the fastest developing region in west Africa, and we can do it again!
3) The Igbos are positioned to do it. They have commerce in their hand, they have investors in their midst, their intelligentsia are everywhere in the world, we are daring and have our people in business and industry, everywhere.
4) We have a waiting and willing population of commercial operators to command the market forces operating in West Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa to depend on a developed market in Igboland.
5) The issue of leadership which will definitely  bedevil a nascent Igbo nation, if ever fought and won, will now be removed, as all efforts and energies for political powers and control will be concentrated to Nigeria as an entity. This will remove the secession curse, as witnessed in Southern Sudan.

My brothers, you would agree with me that majority of us in this forum are nominally Biafran, by sympathy and by default as Igbomen, but very few are card carrying members of IPOB or MASSOB.  You would also agree with me, that as the new Biafra is created or championed, most of us will become part of it as full  and active members.
Come to think of it, how did China emerge as the greatest Political force in the 21st century?  Simply, because they became the largest economy in the world, the factory of the world, the largest trading partner to USA, European Union, Africa, etc. China rules the world economically and are prepared to rule politically.
So, new Biafra or Ndi- Igbo can can rule Nigeria and west Africa economically , and later take rule Nigeria Politically.

Yes. We have started it. Let us replicate the Nnewi industrialization experiment in a grand and strategic scale in entire Igbo Land.  Let us create the enabling environment through the organized private sector, in collaboration with government to do it. Let us reactivate and unleash the latent energies and the inborn  entrepreneurial spirit of Igbo sons and daughters including those in the diaspora to create the largest economic zone in West Africa called Biafra, and not a secessionist Zone in Nigeria called Biafra.
YES, WE CAN DO IT!. LET US DO IT.
By  Clem Ebere

NIGERIA & THE REFUSE DUMP IDIOM

                      The Refuse Dump

So some Nigerians have expressed displeasure at the failure of the country to get an invite to the G7 Summit in France in 2019. Numerous persons expressed open dissatisfaction and almost outright envy that countries like Senegal, Ghana, Egypt, South Africa and Rwanda got invited while Nigeria was ignored! Nigerians were mostly angry... 

But we might need to ask a few questions:

Why was Nigeria not invited? 

The Annual G7 Economic Forum is to discuss economic relations among the top 7 global economies. Oftentimes, invitations are extended to emerging economies or economies that show sustainable promise...but with a caveat: 

The invited countries must posses the following attributes:
1. Demonstrate a high level of political stability
2. Adherence to the Rule of Law
3. Adherence to the Fundamental Human Rights of all
4. Must be internationally responsible! 

Dear Friends, which of the 4 attributes mentioned above does Nigeria have? Of course, we were making some progress as recently as 5 years ago but that seems like an eternity ago. So if Nigeria does not meet any of the listed criteria, why should we be invited? That we call ourselves the Giant of Africa? Lol...we are the Giant Ant of Africa and nothing more! 

The Nigerian economy is in shambles, there's no rule of law here (how would there be when the president owns the courts?), Fundamental Human Rights? Come on, that's just grammar here! And Nigeria is internationally irresponsible! 

So pray, tell why should we be invited? If I were a member of the G7, I'd ensure that Nigeria were not invited! Invited to do what, really? Teach them how to ruin a country? It's time we grew up and quit being emotional! The invited African countries have shown a high level of seriousness; they review their structures, they change their constitutions, they allow people participation, their economies are booming and they're far ahead of us in everything! Nigeria is the most politically embarrassing country in the universe! So why shouldn't they be invited ahead of us? 

I was in stitches when a commentator vented anger and claimed 'Nigeria had been disrespected'! I almost fell off the chair! Pray tell, does Nigeria respect herself as a country? Is the Federal Government self-respecting? Is the National Assembly self-respecting? Or do we want to claim that an enslaved Judiciary should be respected? 

For goodness sake, the government at ALL levels in Nigeria does not even regard the citizens talk less of respecting us! 

Nigeria has not shown the minimum requirements to dignity; the country treats her citizens like animals and treats herself as dirt! Why should anyone respect Nigeria? As a citizen, aren't you ashamed of Nigeria? So why do you show hypocrisy and expect others to treat you with respect? So why should we be angry? 

Once you regard yourself as a refuse dump, others would dump trash on you! The Federal Government of Nigeria treats the country as a refuse dump; the world has obliged by dumping shit on us! And we deserve EVERY trash given us! Yes, we do! We have not shown the minimum requirements for sanity; and we are treated as a pariah country! We asked for it and we deserve it! 

Let's quit being emotional and do the needful! Dump that trash called constitution first then commence the process of building a country! Until then, we are the Giant Refuse Dump of Africa! 

Let's dump the obscenity called 1999 Constitution and revert to the #autonomousRegions. Maybe then, the international community would commence taking us serious and hopefully, accord us some respect! Until 

, let's enjoy our Refuse Dump status! 

ThinkAgain
©Baron Roy

THE TWO POLICE FORCES; NIGERIA & GERMANY

*Law and Development: Citizens protest, German Police and new example for law enforcement in Nigeria-* 

From the Nigerian thinking, the first act of the law following the 'Ekweremadu incident' in Nuremberg, Germany ought to be the raiding of homes by the police, mass arrests, and immediate deportation of the culprits and all their identified sympathisers. Even, false news of swift deportations of 48 Nigerians already made its way to the various media outlets here in some deluded wishful expectations.

Not so at all, and therein lies the lesson, good example and proper precedent for Nigeria police and government. For example, there was no presence of a battle ready column of Police Mopols escorts at that New yam festival in Germany; nor, following the incident, did a unit of a nearby Army Brigade arrive in a chain of Toyota Hilux vehicles to 'shoot at sight' under Operation Flying  Scorpion in aid of the Police, to contain the protesters and teach them a lesson.

The German Police instead came in, evaluated the situation, saw nothing criminal in the incident except to see it as a legitimate political expression of disgust at politicians and government. With the situation brought down, Ekweremadu's exit of the arena, the New yam festival proceeding with all cultural content, the police left the scene just as they came.

Now, there has been visible shock and lamentation in several quarters in Nigeria over the incident and how the German Police let off the opportunity to 'kill and go'. The report on Channels News saw an eager reporter wishing to hear of arrests and on-going investigations, but the German Police spokesman dismissed all.  

For others more reflective, with an eye for paradigm shift, the German Police has left for Nigerians at home and in diapora the first practical example for proper policing. 

The immediate lessons are: 

a. the Police is your friend as a citizen and not for the protection or projection of prestige of political persons and leaders; 

b. the law is not an instrument for the show of force and power by top government officials; 

c. expressions of disgust by citizens are part of the settled democratic behaviours which society, for progress, must hold as integral to citizens oversight rights over aberrant political behaviours of leaders.

d. law in action does not mean a single or joint operation by the Police, Army, DSS, etc of arrests, detention, investigation, prosecution, re-arrest or whatever, it is even better as peace building and enforcement as no Oga-at- the Top who must be obeyed scenario is allowed or exist in Germany.

The truth is that the former DSP found himself treated as the scapegoat for Nigeria's increasing failure of governance. The sense of frustration and alienation made him the easy target. He must see the incident not as a personal attack, but as a representative one and to that extent his grief and trauma over it must be minimal. Once citizens express disgust at political errors, the Germans have taught us that the Police can only come, calm the situation and go away.

 *Tony Odiadi*

 Nigeria Becoming A Strategic Failure and Irrelevant to the World ~ Princeton Lyman

Posted By: Ikokwu Ikembaon: August 03, 2019In: Breaking News, Politics, WorldNo Comments

l

A thought provoking piece!

Princeton N. Lyman, the former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria and South Africa,
delivered a very poignant speech on the panel titled “The Nigerian State and
U.S. Strategic Interests” at the Achebe Colloquium at Brown University, USA.

TRANSCRIPT OF SPEECH (TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE VIDEO SPEECH)

Thank you very much Prof. Keller and thanks to the organizers of this conference. It is such a privilege to be here in a conference in honor of Prof. Achebe, an inspiration and teacher to all of us.

I have a long connection to Nigeria. Not only was I Ambassador there, I
have travelled to and from Nigeria for a number of years and have a deep and abiding vital emotional attachment to the Nigerian people, their magnificence, their courage, artistic brilliance, their irony, sense of humor in the face of challenges etc.

And I hope that we keep that in mind when I say some things that I think are counter to what we normally say about Nigeria. And I say that with all due respect to Eric Silla who is doing a magnificent work at State Department and to our good friend from the legislature, because I have a feeling that we both Nigerians and Americans may be doing Nigeria and Nigerians no favor by stressing Nigeria’s strategic importance.

I know all the arguments: it is a major oil producer, it is the most
populous country in Africa, it has made major contributions to Africa in peacekeeping, and of course negatively if Nigeria were to fall apart the ripple effects would be tremendous, etc.. But I wonder if all this emphasis on Nigeria’s importance creates a tendency of inflate Nigeria’s opinion of its own invulnerability.

Among much of the elite today, I have the feeling that there is a belief that Nigeria is too big to fail, too important to be ignored, and that Nigerians can go on ignoring some of the most fundamental challenges they
have many of which we have talked about: disgraceful lack of
infrastructure, the growing problems of unemployment, the failure to deal with the underlying problems in the Niger-Delta, the failure to consolidate democracy and somehow feel will remain important to everybody because of all those reasons that are strategically important.

And I am not sure that that is helpful.

Let me sort of deconstruct those elements of Nigeria’s importance, and ask whether they are as relevant as they have been.

We often hear that one in five Africans is a Nigerian. What does it mean? Do we ever say one in five Asians is a Chinese? Chinese power comes not just for the fact that it has a lot of people but it has harnessed the entrepreneurial talent and economic capacity and all the other talents of China to make her a major economic force and political force.

What does it mean that one in five Africans is Nigeria? It does not mean anything to a Namibian or a South African. It is a kind of conceit. What makes it important is what is happening to the people of Nigerian. Are their talents being tapped? Are they becoming an economic force? Is all that potential being used?

And the answer is “Not really.”

And oil, yes, Nigeria is a major oil producer, but Brazil is now launching a 10-year program that is going to make it one of the major oil producers in the world. And every other country in Africa is now beginning to produce oil.

And Angola is rivalling Nigeria in oil production, and the United States has just discovered a huge gas reserve which is going to replace some of our dependence on imported energy.

So if you look ahead ten years, is Nigeria really going to be that relevant as a major oil producer, or just another of another of the many oil producers while the world moves on to alternative sources of energy and other sources of supply.

And what about its influence, its contributions to the continent? As our representative from the parliament talked about, there is a great history of those contributions. But that is history.

Is Nigeria really playing a major role today in the crisis in Niger on its border, or in Guinea, or in Darfur, or after many many promises making any contributions to Somalia?

The answer is no, Nigeria is today NOT making a major impact, on its region, or on the African Union or on the big problems of Africa that it was making before.

What about its economic influence?

Well, as we have talked about earlier, there is a de industrialization going on in Nigeria a lack of infrastructure, a lack of power means that with imported goods under globalization, Nigerian factories are closing, more and more people are becoming unemployed. and Nigeria is becoming a kind of
society that imports and exports and lives off the oil, which does not
make it a significant economic entity.

Now, of course, on the negative side, the collapse of Nigeria would be enormous, but is that a point to make Nigeria strategically important?

Years ago, I worked for an Assistant Secretary of State who had the longest tenure in that job in the 1980s and I remember in one meeting a minister from a country not very friendly to the United States came in and was berating the Assistant Secretary on all the evils of the United States and
all its dire plots and in things in Africa and was going on and on and
finally the Assistant Secretary cut him off and said: “You know, the biggest danger for your relationship with the United States is not our oppostion but that we will find you irrelevant.”

The point is that Nigeria can become much less relevant to the United States. We have already seen evidence of it. When President Obama went to Ghana and not to Nigeria, he was sending a message, that Ghana symbolized
more of the significant trends, issues and importance that one wants to put on Africa than Nigeria.

And when I was asked by journalists why President Obama did not go to Nigeria, I said “what would he gain from going? Would Nigeria be a good model for democracy, would it be a model for good governance, would he
obtain new commitments on Darfur or Somalia or strengthen the African Union or in Niger or elsewhere?”

No he would not, so he did not go.

And when Secretary Clinton did go, indeed but she also went to Angola and who would have thought years ago that Angola would be the most stable country in the Gulf of Guinea and establish a binational commission in Angola.

So the handwriting may already be on the wall, and that is a sad commentary.

Because what it means is that Nigeria’s most important strategic importance in the end could be that it has failed.

And that is a sad sad conclusion. It does not have to happen, but I think that we ought to stop talking about what a great country it is, and how terribly important it is to us and talk about what it would take for Nigeria to be that important and great.

And that takes an enormous amount of commitment. And you don’t need saints, you don’t need leaders like Nelson Mandela in every state, because you are not going to get them.

I served in South Korea in the middle of the 1960s and it was time when South Korea was poor and considered hopeless, but it was becoming to turn around, later to become to every person’s amazement then the eleventh
largest economy in the world. And I remember the economist in my mission saying, you know it did not bother him that the leading elites in the government of South Korea were taking 15 – 20 percent off the top of every project, as long as every project was a good one, and that was the difference. The leadership at the time was determined to solve the fundamental economic issues of South Korea economy and turn its economy around.

It has not happened in Nigeria today.

You don’t need saints. It needs
leaders who say “You know we could be becoming irrelevant, and we got to do something about it.”

Thank you!
POSTSCRIPT: The conclusion of Ambassador Princeton N. Lyman’s speech has always been my opinion and position. Nations are never governed by saints but by performers who may be crooked but are straightened out by strong institutions. Nigerians, unfortunately, continue to delude ourselves that there are Angels who will help turn everyone into good guys while ignoring and neglecting the priorities of good governance like solid infrastructure, education, healthcare, rule of law, employment and so on. Monumental tragedy is beckoning, sadly.

SOURCE

AWGU YOUTHS COUNCIL WRITES TO GOV UGWUANYI

CONCERNING THE ORDER BY THE ENUGU STATE GOVERNOR TO DEMOLISH ALL CAVES IN AWGU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN ORDER TO OPTIMIZE SECURITY.

We the youth of Awgu LGA under the umbrella of the National Youth Council of Nigeria Awgu LG Chapter first of all wishes to appreciate the state governor H.E Rt Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his efforts so far in maintaining the peace in Enugu State and for how he has always worked closely with Awgu LGA Chairman Hon Stanley Okeke, Rt Hon Toby Okechukwu and Awgu representatives in the State House of Assembly in responding to overwhelmingly desperate emergency situations facing Awgu LGA from his first term as governor till date. This we so much appreciate.

We also know that desperate situation needs desperate action and that the demolition order must have been in good faith considering the painful insecurity occurrences of the recent weeks which has left all of us in sorrow.

However; our opinion is that:
*"Our heritage--both natural and cultural, ancient and modern--should be protected and preserved"* especially now that we have new universities springing up in Awgu LGA(one by the state government and the other private) with more in view. So we plead with H.E the governor to reconsider this order and the security experts to devise another approach.

While growing up we heard interesting stories about these caves which we can't mention here and it will not be good for the coming generation to hear that these beautiful gifts by nature were demolished because some enemies of the land choose them as hiding places.

According to UNWTO, tourism has grown at an accelerated pace over the last few decades, with more than a billion tourists now travelling to an international destination each year. One of the main motivations of tourism is mankind’s inherent curiosity and desire to explore cultural identities across the world. Natural and cultural heritage sites, including scenic landscapes and revitalized historic towns, are prized tourism assets that distinguish one destination from another.

We urge the state government to consider maximizing the inherent potentials of these cave sites as a revenue generating tourist attraction  at this time the state is faced with dwindling federal revenue. Studies of tour operators and international tourists show that special-interest travel is booming and that the most popular special-interest tours are nature-oriented outdoor activities.

Instead of demolishing these caves, a well equipped Forest Guard/Security Outposts with well trained personnel should be erected close to these sites to forestall any nefarious activities around there.  Access roads should be carved to these sites for easy movement. The government can adopt the tourism model of st kitts & Nevis, Cape Verde e.t.c.

We know we have an educated, clearheaded and listening governor(a fine quality), so we are very optimistic that he will consider the appeal of his people as we continue to support the efforts of H.E. in bringing a final end to insecurity in Awgu LGA.

Thank You.
Comr Chukwuemeka Uche
CORDINATOR

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Italian priest concelebrates his 100th birthday Mass with his 4 sons, also priests

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Matthew Green | Jun 17, 2019

A spiritual son of Padre Pio, Fr. Vaccarini hasn't wasted a minute of his century-long life.

Father, priest, father of priests, centenarian, author, disciple of Padre Pio, Veteran of World War II … Perhaps we could think of Fr. Probo Vaccarini as a sort of spiritual Forrest Gump: someone who has received all 7 sacraments—some from his own children—and conferred most of them as well, and who has seen some of the most significant events and personalities of the 20th and 21st centuries first-hand.

He turned 100 years old on June 4, and he celebrated the occasion by concelebrating a Mass presided over by Bishop Francesco Labiasi, of Rimini, Italy (the diocese where Fr. Vaccarini ministers), and with his four sons who are also priests. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican, sent a message relaying a message of congratulations and a papal blessing from Pope Francis, read aloud during the Eucharistic celebration.

His story has, unsurprisingly, gone viral, with coverage in Vatican News, Vatican Insider, and other news outlets around the world. The information they provide would make for a great movie script.

Vaccarini was born in Italy in 1919. Like many young men of his generation, he was sent to fight in World War II, serving in a campaign in Russia; unlike many, he lived to return to his home and start a career.  One day, he ran into a friend and fellow war veteran, who was “handsome and had everything” but was “always sad … always distressed,” he recounts in an interview on Italian Catholic television station TV2000it.” This time, he was “happy, changed!” Vaccarini asked him what had happened, and his friend told him he had gone to confession with Padre Pio.

He took his friend’s advice and went to meet Padre Pio himself, who became his confessor. During one of Vaccarini’s visits, Padre Pio told him to get married and have a “big and holy family.” He answered, “Big is easy, but holy …?” Vaccarini’s tone in the interview is as if to say, “Easier said than done!” He went back to see Padre Pio again a while later, still single, and the saint told him, “Get a move on!”

Anna Maria Vannucci caught Vaccarini’s attention when he saw her regularly at Mass and around town. They married, and set about fulfilling Padre Pio’s advice about their family being big. They had 7 children—4 boys and 3 girls—and Vaccarini says, “It wasn’t by chance; I wanted all of them!” Sadly, his wife died in 1970, after only 18 years of marriage.

Nonetheless, Vaccarini continued to fulfill the second part of Padre Pio’s advice: making sure his family was holy. All four of his sons entered the priesthood: the first was ordained in 1979, and the last and youngest more than 20 years later (after his father). One of his daughters also entered the lay consecrated life.

In the meantime, Vaccarini himself became a permanent deacon. Assigned to a parish (San Martino in Venti), he was happy to carry out his duties, but “the problem was always finding some priest to come celebrate Mass,” he told his local diocesan newspaper, Il Ponte. It was then that that during a Mass at San Giovanni Rotondo he heard Padre Pio’s voice in his heart telling him, “You’ll become a priest.” Sure enough, in 1988, at the age of 69, he was ordained to the priesthood. He’s celebrated Mass every day since.

This has created a unique relationship between Fr. Vaccarini and his family. In the TV2000it interview, one of his sons explains how Fr. Vaccarini has been, in a way, his father, his son, and his brother: his biological father, by birth; his spiritual son, when (not yet a priest) he went to his own son for confession; and then his brother in the priesthood, when he was also ordained a priest. “In the faith, there are no limits,” his son says.

Fr. Giuseppe, one of his sons, told Il Ponte that even today as a priest, his father always refers back to his wife, saying, “My wife used to tell me …” which, his son says, may have made people who don’t know him yet “give him strange looks.”

Despite his age and many accomplishments—besides what we’ve already mentioned, he’s published more than 15 books, including an autobiography in Italian titled Husband, Widower, Priest—Fr. Vaccarini hasn’t retired. He’s the oldest active priest in the diocese, and possibly in all of Italy, but he says he still feels “like a newly ordained priest.”

“Day by day, I’m waiting for the Lord to take me,” he said during the 2013 TV200it interview. “I’ve had a wife, I’ve had children, and spiritual children too … Now, I’m waiting for the Lord to call me.”

Articles in other editions of Aleteia, and in Acidigital and Alfa y Omegawere also consulted for the preparation of this article.

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THE TRINITY (ALA NENWE)

A time was when The TRINITY in AMOJI Nenwe and the whole of Nenwe was particular and peculiar.
The SONS,The Spirits/MUO (who were in direct contact with and represented the ancestors) mingled together rigorously in a disciplined order during festivities,celebrations and prayers to the SUPREME FATHER CHUKWU OKIKE who was always present but not physically visible.
The harmony and discipline is illustrated in this unique picture I took at Obulorum Amoji Nenwe in 1982