Agba Ebenuwa in grand style celebrate Pa Gbi's legacy of accomplishment

 Ace Anioma Musican, Ogbogu Okonji, performing at the event

 Mr. Silver Oforgu, the master of ceremony, made the day worth the celebration

 Diokpa Ezenei(middle) came to represent the Ebo, in company of other elders and title holders.

 His Royal Majesty, the Obi of Issele-Azagba(on white cap) came too with some palace chiefs, Papa Gbi enjoyed great palace respect at Issele Azagba.

 Agba Ebenuwa's elder brother welcoming invited guests, relatives and well wishers.

 A cross section of invited well wishers, friends and neighbours

 An all women Political group identify with Agba and his family

 More political friends came to felicitate with Agba and his family

 A delegate of Agba's Ijaw in-laws who came to stay with their daughter.

 Thank you kitchen for the great work you are doing, let the feast begin.

 A cross section of other invited friends, guests, relatives and well wishers, Agba is loved by many.

 Osodieli, Mrs. Ebenuwa receiving confirmation from the kitchen that her guests, friends, relatives and well wishers will be adequately taken care of, food-wise, chewable and spoon-wise.

 A cross section of other invited friends, guests, relatives and well wishers.

 Ani-Ahaba amaka, some Agba's political friends confirms

 Western traditional talking drum group also entertained Agba's invited friends.

 Its and endless roll call of political friends, a true grass-root politician like Agba can never lack the warmth of friends and well-wishers.

 Where ever greatness reside abundant talent is evident, check out this budding talent, who will perfect his skills.

 A cross section of PDP Oshimili South, Ward Chairmen and Leaders

 We appreciate what the occasion calls for, hence, we from the household of faith share this great moment with you and your family

 Our one and only great Uncle Fab, doing the dig it down dance.

 Ogbogu Okonji Dancers thrilling Agba's guests as well as providing soothing relieve to their nerves, what a great deal of energetic skilled female dancers, i love you girls.

 Mr. Chuks Okonji, the Omelora 1 of Isu na mbaogu

 Obi Obodo Onwu-afo (on red cap with feathers) with Nzele Okpu Okeibunor Okafor(Ikwele Ibusa) R

 Mr. Dada Okolo-Igwe Omenife-(on red) with Ani-Ahaba Arabian Prince, Mr. Ifeanyi Iyoh-Ala na Azu Nwa (with the tusk)

 From left, Mr. Koko Uti, Mr. Energy Nkwuka, Ogbueshi Adim Ajaka and my old time friend, Edu Gbodo, Una thick oh.

 Agba, Ogbogu Okonji dey call you, na your time to came dance, leave everything come dance, bros.

 Agba, Osodieli and friends dancing to the tunes of Ogbogu Okonji vibes

Ani Ahaba youths say, Agba, na you be our man, carry go. Agba, the youth-friendly, na you we know oh.

Colonialism is better than this independence —Colonel Umar

AS Nigeria marks its 51st independence anniversary today, there have been various reactions from people, especially eminent Nigerians calling for peace and tranquillity.



Col (rtd) Abubakar Umar called on Nigerians to embrace Jonathan’s transformation agenda. “This country is in dire need of transformation, the situation is that 80- percent of the population is living below poverty line. Five percent of the half a million graduate every year cannot get employment, therefore unemployment is high and the level of insecurity is not explainable.

The level of corruption has also gone up, so in this kind of economic social, Nigerian needs a new transformation. The transformation doesn’t require not only the president but every Nigerian to put hands on deck and make sure that this transformation happen. If not sooner than later, Nigeria might become a failed state.

“My opinion is that if there will be any transformation in this country, everybody must be ready. And the elite must be responsible. They are trying to build more various constituencies, they are pushing the country into state politics and which is most irresponsible. The politicians are trying to gain more power to be in control of this country.

“It has always been said that we have not made progress but I think, everything boils down to leadership. The leadership has failed to march on to the success leading to development and what accounts for this is corruption. Some persons in the country have succeeded in acquiring the resources of this country that whatever they do is based on their personal interest.

All this has been contributed to not moving the country forward. There is no opportunity left to the common man to survive which hasn’t contributed to the development of this country. I’m sure even the colonial masters that have felt sorry for this county because things were more organised and functional during the colonial days. The colonial period was said to be more organised and stabilised than now.

Looking at 1960 to this present time, the level of development we have achieved is nothing to right home about. For instance, the Nigerian Railway Corporation established by the colonial masters is not the same we are using today. The expectation was that we were free from colonial exploitation and that we would be able to move our resources to our own benefit but this has not happened. It will appear that the colonial time was better for average Nigerians than the situation we find ourselves in today. ”

The state and African choices

Herbert Ekwe-Ekwe

Last week marked the 125th anniversary of the conclusion of the infamous 1884-1885 European leaders Berlin conference on Africa to formalise the pan-European seizure, planned occupation and exploitation of the legendary riches of the African World. It is arguably germane that this anniversary slipped by with scarce notice but some of the enduring consequences of the curse of Berlin on Africa cannot be ignored. The prevailing grave politics and socioeconomics in particularly Nigeria, the Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Kenya attest to this.


These states of conquest (as well as the rest on the continent) have largely remained what they were since their 1885 terms of reference albeit with some doubtful African configuration since January 1956, beginning in the Sudan. Pointedly, two-thirds of the 15 million Africans murdered by African regimes in genocide and other conflicts on the continent since May 1966, i.e., the beginning of the Igbo genocide, are in Nigeria, the Sudan, DRC and Kenya. Why and How does a state exist to dominate, exploit, and, in such cases as in Nigeria and the Sudan, attempt to destroy some of its constituent nations?


As everyone knows, the states that Europe created in Africa in the aftermath of Berlin cannot lead Africans to the reconstructive changes they deeply yearn for after the tragic history of centuries of occupation. Such change was and never is the mission of these states but instruments to expropriate and despoil Africa by the conquest.

As in Berlin, states are not a gift from the gods but relationships painstakingly formulated and constructed by groups of human beings on planet Earth to pursue aspirations and interests mutually envisioned by these same human beings within a designated historico-geographical environment. The flourishing age of organically articulated African-own states to radically transform depressing African fortunes in the contemporary world has already begun.

Colonialism was better but SNC now needed—Professor Oyebode

Prof. Akin Oyebode, Professor of International Law and Jurisprudence at the University of Lagos, said there is need for Sovereign National Conference. Going down memory lane, the professor said, “I was in form one when Nigeria got her independence in 1960.

“My school made a big feast: slaughtered cow, gave us jollof rice, a bottle of coke and some momentos for Nigeria including the National flag, coins, memorabilia for Nigeria’s nationhood and as young people we had great dreams that we thought we would have gone into eldorado of its independence. So, it was tremendous optimism and lots of razzmatazz in the country.

“And looking back now, 51 years, our reaction is that Nigeria’s dream has been a deferred dream. We have not fulfilled the dreams of our crusaders for our national liberation. And according to a book written by late Sam Epelle, The Promise of Nigeria, and by all indications, Nigeria has under performed and we are said to have tremendous potential which we are yet to actualise. Paradoxical as it might sound, it seems that life under colonialism was seemingly much better than what it is now.

Because at that time, there was peace. There was no Third Mainland bridge but Carter bridge. Marina didn’t have those parking lots, hustling and bustling. There were fewer vehicles on the road, life was saner. I think the serious crisis that we experienced which brought the military into power in 1966 and for the next 30 years caused us tremendous loss in terms of achievement.

The military brought the hands of the clock back. They might have built more roads and few structures but they arrested Nigeria’s political development. Every time we go back to the drawing board after the restored so called civilian rule, there was no sense of continuity.

If we had kept the old political parties including the Action Group, NCNC, NPC, Nigeria’s development would have taken a different turn in terms of continuity, perspective. Economically speaking, I believe the so-called oil boom that we had after civil war became a burden on our economic development because we had growth without development and we acquired consumer risk taste.

We had the impression of an easy life where we were spending and the implication of that production was de-emphasised in favour of consumption and the situation which Nigeria experienced was characterised by my late friend Claude Ake, which the President in his address quoting Claude Ake when he was a student in UniPort.

Claude Ake used to describe the Nigerian economy as a dis- articulate economy and by that he meant an economy that produces what it doesn’t consume and consumes what it doesn’t produce the gap between production and consumption magnifies what economists call under-development.

By the time one bridges the gap between production and consumption, it will no longer be described as a developing economy. What that means is that the economy has taken a bashing because we continue to export primary commodity especially petroleum without any value added. Even cocoa that we export would have been improved upon thereby producing cocoa butter before exporting.

“Our failure to transform the Nigerian economy means that we have occupied and continue to occupy the periphery of international trade. And the laws of international trade in terms of balance of payment, exchange rate, deficit means that the more we sell, the less we can acquire because we trade in foreign currencies. And the relationship between the currency of trade and our own economy is queued, we have a lop-sided international division of labour and skilled balance of payment international trade terms, so we seem to be in a cogma, which means, the more we struggle, the deeper we sink. We are not making progress, we are increasing under-development because of very backward fiscal and monetary policies.

“We have not learnt to put our emphasis where it should belong in terms of creating a self-reliance economy, in terms of generating a self-propelling. We are servicing economy of foreign countries and acquiring pieces of paper in the name of trade. The relationship between our economy and the foreign one is in-equitable because of the exchange rate. Right now, a dollar fetches about one hundred and sixty naira.

“There was a time when the Nigerian naira fetched one dollar twenty cents, it is terrible.

We have massive unemployment the graduates of our various institutions can’t find jobs and there is a lots of distortion, a situation where doctors working in banks lawyers, engineers selling recharge cards and riding okada. The result is therefore instability in terms of social malle, armed robbery, juvenile delinquency, drug trafficking, human trafficking and de-instrialisation. There was some certain things we were supposed to be producing especially after independence but now many of the companies have relocated or folded up including batteries, textile industry. We are just enduring a situation of living everyday at a time.

“There is no enough investment in terms of savings, as foreign investment has taken a flight due to collapse of its capital market, Nigerian economy hasn’t recovered from the effect of the global meltdown. Looking at this scenario with the economy it become problematic.

Tieing that into political instability, to economy like ours epitiomise the restlessness in the Niger Delta and exacerbated by Boko Haram, the whole recipe is on for chaos and imminent failure of the Nigerian State.

“Nigerian State has not completely failed but definitely Nigeria is a failing State. I believe that is what impelled President Jonathan and his government to adopt a low key celebration. Because there is nothing to celebrate. Are we celebrating mass poverty or continued impoverishment of the generality of the Nigerian populace. It is only a few people that are creaming off the goodies available in this political economy. Those who have access to foreign currency. We don’t have basic needs, education for children, no employment, quality health care, the infrastructure is collapsing, we cannot guarantee twenty-four hours power supply in any part of the country.

“Looking at the totality of the Nigerian State is more bad news. And all we need to do to access to our contemporary Nigeria is to take a look at the faces of the people on the street, bus-stop or market places. People who don’t know when and where their next meal is coming.

My conclusion is that aside from keeping the country as one, we are just wasting our time. Even the survival that we might want to celebrate is put in a question by those argue that the solution is taking to one’s heels. That this system can’t go on that if we don’t want a hot African summer, then, there is need for Sovereign National Conference reviewing the modalities of our cohabitation.

Nigerians must take drastic decision to arrest this inexorable drift to exploitation. It is clear in the minds of social observers that Nigeria is facing implosion. Anyone is genuinely patriotic should know that there is fire on the mountain and we have to do something to arrest the drift to chaos.

SACKING OF NON-INDIGENES BY ABIA GOVT. UNPATRIOTIC SAYS IMO GOVT.

Joe Nwachukwu


THE Imo State government has described the sacking of non-indigenes by the Abia State government from its payroll as unpatriotic and callous.

The Imo State Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jerry Okoli, made the statement while addressing newsmen at the end of a Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) with chairmen of the 27 local government areas in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Monday.

According to him, the action of the Abia State government for disengaging those civil servants from other states in Nigeria from their payroll was very embarrassing to the people of the South-East.

He said that Imo State government would not resort to sacking Abia State indigenes in the public service.

Chief Okoli, who was the Imo State chairman of JAAC, explained that the Imo State indigenes who were affected in the said exercise would be reabsorbed into state civil service.

He urged the affected workers not to panic because the Rochas Okorocha-led government would come to thir rescue promptly.

The Nigerian Tribune correspondent, who covered the JAAC meeting in Owerri, reported that  N3.6 billion was shared among the 27 local government areas of the state after deduction for the month of August 2011.

Systematic torture in Afghan detention facilities – UN report

10 October 2011 – A new United Nations report released today cites evidence of the “systematic” torture and mistreatment of detainees in Afghan detention facilities, including of children, and provides recommendations which it hopes will spur the necessary reforms.

The report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is the result of extensive interviews from October 2010 to August 2011 of 379 pre-trial detainees and convicted prisoners at 47 facilities of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) and Afghan National Police (ANP) in 22 provinces.

The mission found “compelling” evidence that 125 detainees, or 46 per cent, of the 273 detainees interviewed who had been in NDS detention experienced interrogation techniques at the hands of NDS officials that constituted torture, and that torture is practiced “systematically” in a number of NDS detention facilities throughout Afghanistan,” states the report.

“Nearly all detainees tortured by NDS officials reported the abuse took place during interrogations and was aimed at obtaining a confession or information. In almost every case, NDS officials stopped the use of torture once detainees confessed to the crime of which they were accused or provided the requested information.

“UNAMA also found that children under the age of 18 years experienced torture by NDS officials,” the report adds.

In addition, more than one third of the 117 conflict-related detainees UNAMA interviewed who had been in ANP detention experienced treatment that constituted torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

In situations where torture occurred, it typically took the form of abusive interrogation practices used to obtain confessions from individuals detained on suspicion of crimes against the State, according to the report.

Detainees described experiencing torture in the form of suspension (being hung by the wrists from chains or other devices attached to the wall, ceiling, iron bars or other fixtures for lengthy periods) and beatings, especially with rubber hoses, electric cables or wires or wooden sticks and most frequently on the soles of the feet.

Electric shock, twisting and wrenching of detainees’ genitals, stress positions including forced standing, removal of toenails and threatened sexual abuse were among other forms of torture that detainees reported.

Routine blindfolding and hooding and denial of access to medical care in some facilities were also reported. UNAMA documented one death in ANP and NDS custody from torture in Kandahar in April 2011.

“UNAMA found compelling evidence that NDS officials at five facilities systematically tortured detainees for the purpose of obtaining confessions and information,” states the report.

It also found that accountability of NDS and ANP officials for torture and abuse is “weak, not transparent and rarely enforced.”

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA pointed out that the report’s findings indicate that mistreatment is not an institutional or Government policy.

“The fact that the NDS and MoI [Ministry of Interior] cooperated with UNAMA’s detention observation programme suggests that reform is both possible and desired, as does the Government’s announced remedial actions to end these abusive practices,” said Staffan de Mistura.

“UNAMA welcomes the Government’s timely attention to this issue and steps taken to put in place corrective and preventive measures,” he added.

The Afghan authorities launched their own investigations and initiated remedial action after the mission presented its initial findings to them. NDS and MoI have stated clearly they have an action plan to address the concerns, started investigations, reassigned personnel in the case of NDS, and have further indicated that responsible individuals will be suspended from their positions and in serious cases, prosecuted.

The report includes a number of recommendations to the NDS, the MoI, the Afghan Government, judicial institutions and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), including calling on the NDS and ANP to take immediate steps to stop and prevent torture and ill-treatment.

In early September, ISAF stopped transferring detainees to 16 installations identified as facilities where UNAMA found compelling evidence of torture and ill-treatment by NDS and ANP officials, and has begun implementing a six-part plan of remedial measures prior to resuming such transfers.

“Torture is one of the most serious human rights violations under international law, a crime under Afghan law, and strictly prohibited under both laws,” said Georgette Gagnon, Director of Human Rights for UNAMA.

“Accountability for torture demands prosecutions and the taking of all necessary measures by Afghan authorities to prevent and end such acts in the future.”

Leaders of Sudan and South Sudan Agree to End Disputes

The president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, has ended a two day visit to Khartoum where he and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir discussed issues that continue to produce tensions between the two countries.

Unresolved since South Sudan became independent in early July are the future of the disputed oil-rich border region of Abyei and how to share oil revenue which is the life-line of both nations.

During a session with reporters on Sunday, the two leaders said committees are being formed in an attempt to end the disputes which have led to fears of a return to civil war. Kiir said his government is ready to discuss solutions "to all outstanding issues." Bashir said deadlines have been established. But he did not provide further details.

South Sudan has most of the oil production but needs Sudan's Red Sea export facilities.

Diplomats say the fact that the two leaders agreed to meet is a positive sign.

Also causing tensions between Sudan and South Sudan is fighting in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan, both regions located within Sudan's borders. Since South Sudan has withdrawn its troops from Abyei the fighting there has ended. But Sudan has refused to pull out its forces until all the 4,200 Ethiopian peacekeepers designated for the region arrive. Only half of them are currently stationed there.

The Maiduguri Revolution in Nigeria

 Seyi Olu Awofeso


A shadowy Islamist insurgency that has haunted northern Nigeria — surviving repeated, bloody efforts to eliminate it — appears to be branching out and collaborating with Al Qaeda’s affiliates, alarming Western officials and analysts who had previously viewed the militants here as a largely isolated, if deadly, menace.


Just two years ago, the Islamist group stalking police officers in this bustling city seemed on the verge of extinction. In a heavy-handed assault, Nigerian soldiers shelled its headquarters and killed its leader, leaving a grisly tableau of charred ruins, hundreds dead and outmatched members of the group, known as Boko Haram, struggling to fight back, sometimes with little more than bows and arrows.

Now, insurgents strike at the Nigerian military, the police and opponents of Islamic law in near-daily assaults and bombings, using improvised explosive devices that can be detonated remotely and bear the hallmarks of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Western officials and analysts say. Beyond the immediate devastation, the fear is that extremists bent on jihad are spreading their reach across the continent and planting roots in a major, Western-allied state that had not been seen as a hotbed of global terrorism.

In the past two years, Boko Haram has met and trained with Qaeda affiliates outside the country, American and Nigerian officials and analysts say, and the group has begun waging a propaganda campaign that includes conference calls with reporters — another sign of its growing sophistication.

“Where are they getting this knowledge of I.E.D.’s?” said Kashim Shettima, the new governor here. “Some of them went as far as Sudan. Why? I believe they are making efforts to reach out to the global terrorism network.”

The Nigerian government appears to have only a shaky grasp of how to confront the threat, responding with such a broad, harsh crackdown that many residents see the military as more of a danger than Boko Haram. Shops are shuttered, vans laden with refugees can be seeing heading out of town and the normally wide, traffic-choked streets lined with neem trees are unexpectedly clear.

About 140 people have died in the violence since January, according to Amnesty International, including dozens of civilians killed by the military. Most of Boko Haram’s attacks have occurred here in this city at the edge of the Sahara, but there have also been blasts farther south in Kaduna and outside the national police headquarters in the capital, Abuja.

Several dozen civilians were killed in June when bombs were hurled into the rudimentary outdoor beer parlors that exist furtively on the Christian-minority fringes here. Shariah law exists in this overwhelmingly Muslim region, but in a relatively loose form. Not all women are veiled, and beer and wine can be obtained — apparently an affront, the authorities here say, to the group’s goal of imposing strict Islamic law in this country’s restive and impoverished north.

Boko Haram’s militants fade into the warrens of sandy alleys, protected, officials say, by supporters in the population and even in the security services. The brutal Nigerian military tactics — shoot first, ask questions later — are creating more sympathizers on the ground, analysts and residents here suggest.

“You are Boko Haram!” said Saude Maman, recounting how soldiers yelled at her husband on July 9 after a patrol vehicle was bombed and the military cordoned off Kaleri, a district of low cement houses and courtyards.

When her husband denied it, “they dragged him to the courtyard and shot him,” said Ms. Maman, sitting with a group of women in front of a scorched house. Four of them said they had lost their husbands that night.

Ms. Maman, dressed in black from head to foot, told of holding her spouse as he died and then having to pay about $20 to recover his body. At least 25 people died in that operation alone, Amnesty says. A week later, the neighborhood still showed the scars of the military’s nocturnal onslaught: burned-out vehicles, charred walls, melted cookware.

GOV. OBI PARLEYS WITH EU AMBASSADOR, DFID BOSS

Gov. Obi has called for the deepening of the relationship between the European Union and Anambra State . He made this call yesterday in Abuja during a parley with the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador David MacRae.



Gov Obi who was accompanied by the State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Prof. Chinyere Okunna, said that Anambra was committed to reforms and must continue to pursue policies that would benefit the people however unpopular.   In his words: This informs my insistence wherever possible that aids to the State should go directly to the beneficiaries,  example being the issue of repair of schools, were I insist that money should go the schools  being repaired as going through different channels  creates unnecessary toll gates.

Speaking on the issue of minimum wage, Obi said that his Government had paid, but submitted that it was wrong for workers to demand to be paid uniformly as the incomes of states differ in the country. 

He said that as a member of the President Economic Monitoring Team, that he would contribute his quota towards the good of the country.  He identified   policy inconsistency, lack of power, and lack of appreciation of saving culture as part of the problem of Nigeria and called on all to assist President Jonathan while he sought to redress the situation.



  Responding, Ambassador MacRae said that Anambra was the first State that he visited while in Nigeria because of kind words he heard about the State under Gov. Obi. He expressed happiness that he was not disappointed.

In another meeting with the head of the Department for International Development (DFID),  Richard Montgomery has expressed the readiness  of the DFID to partner with Anambra State in her efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Top Syrian Cleric Warns of Suicide Bombs if West Attacks

Syria's top Sunni Muslim cleric has warned Western countries against military intervention, threatening to retaliate with suicide bombings in the United States and Europe if his country comes under attack.

Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun gave a speech and told the U.S. and Europe that "we will prepare suicide bombers who are already in your countries if you bomb Syria or Lebanon."

The state-appointed cleric and loyalist of Syria's embattled President Bashar al-Assad spoke to a delegation of Lebanese women who came to offer their condolences for his son's death earlier this month at the hands of unknown gunmen.

Hassoun's comments follow another warning by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, who threatened "tough measures" against any country that recognizes the newly formed opposition Syrian National Council. Moallem called the group "illegitimate."

In Paris Monday, the European Union welcomed the creation of the council, calling it a "positive step forward." French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe met the group's chairman but stopped short of granting the movement formal recognition, saying it was still being formed.

Meanwhile, activists said Syrian troops cracked down on government opponents in the flashpoint city of Homs again Monday after at least 31 people were killed in clashes across the country the day before.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 14 of those killed Sunday were civilians, including seven people shot dead by government security forces in the Homs region.

In Turkey Sunday, protesters held a small demonstration in Ankara against the death of Kurdish opposition leader Mashaal Tammo, who was killed Friday by unidentified gunmen at his home in Syria.

Tammo was a member of the new Syrian opposition council. His funeral in the town of Qamishli Saturday turned into a mass rally against the Syrian government. Syrian troops killed five people when they fired into the crowd.

The United Nations human rights office says more than 2,900 people have died in Syria's anti-government unrest, which is now in its seventh month.

Local Leaders Reject Need For Ground Operations In North Waziristan

 Majeed Babar

Earlier this year, the U.S. pressed Pakistan hard for a ground operation against the Haqqani network in North Waziristan. Six months later, it is still uncertain whether such an operation will take place.

But what is certain is the high level of fear talk of a ground operation generates among residents of the area itself. And their fear is coupled with something surprising -- a widely held opinion that the Haqqanis are not in North Waziristan and that any operation seeking them there is misguided.

That opinion is surprising because it directly contradicts U.S. intelligence reports about the Haqqani network.

In an October report to Congress last year, the White House described North Waziristan as the "epicenter of global terrorism" and "the most dangerous place on earth."

According to the U.S. military, it is a safe haven for Al-Qaeda, the Haqqani network, and many other groups. And the Haqqani organization is a bigger threat to Afghanistan's security than the Taliban.

But talk to local leaders in North Waziristan and a very different picture emerges:

"The Haqqani network is not here," says Nasr Ullah Khan, a prominent malik, or tribal elder, in North Waziristan. "The Haqqanis are in contact with the Americans, so they should know where the Haqqanis are, but they are not in North Waziristan. Previously everybody, the Pakistanis and the Americans, were saying Osama bin Laden is here, too, but he was not in the tribal areas."

Khan lives in the area's capital city, Miram Shah, the same city in which Washington believes the Haqqanis network is based.

Local Disbelief

U.S. officials say the town is the meeting place of the "Miram Shah Shura," the Haqqani network's North Waziristan leadership which consists of a number of Haqqani family members and closely associated commanders.

Malik Khan is not the only tribal elder in the area who says the Haqqanis are nowhere to be seen.

"The Haqqanis were in North Waziristan during Afghan-Russian war," says another prominent tribal elder, Malik Qader Khan Madakhel. "But nowadays I swear that we haven't seen a Haqqani network here...We don't understand why everybody is saying that this-and-that is happening in North Waziristan."

Coupled with local disbelief that the Haqqanis are in North Waziristan is fear that any operation searching for them could wreak havoc on the civilian population.

Previous Pakistani military operations in other tribal areas, including neighboring South Waziristan and Kurram Agency, have sent hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the areas of fighting and many of them today remain scattered in camps for displaced people.

Military Action Would Be 'Senseless'

The ground operations themselves have had mixed success because militants often return soon after Pakistani troops leave. That makes many local people see military action as not only dangerous and disruptive but senseless.

"There is no need for an operation, because there were so many army operations here but no results," says Humayun Khan, a 24-year-old college student from Miram Shah. "Another thing is that there is nothing here. If there were then the government would do the operation definitely."

"We've had an operation in South Waziristan as well as in other areas, and now if the government is reluctant [to conduct an operation in North Waziristan] it means there is nothing here. They are talking about culprits in the area, but I don't see them and life goes on."

Fears of a ground operation in North Waziristan rose sharply in June when now retired U.S. military chief Admiral Mike Mullen said Pakistan had agreed to launch a military offensive. Mullen said "it is a very important fight and a very important operation."

At that time, Islamabad appeared to reverse its policy of refusing U.S pressure to flush out the Haqqani network from its territory.

The Pakistani military for decades has maintained relations with the network's founder, Jalal-ud-Din Haqqani, who took refuge in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) during the 1980's Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and was an important mujahedin leader.

In recent years, Haqqani helped broker the September 2006 truce that has kept the peace in Wazir-dominated areas of the North and South Waziristan region and which today is the only peace agreement still holding between Islamabad and FATA militants.

But if Islamabad appeared to agree this summer to target the Haqqanis in a ground operation, there have been no signs of preparations.

Instead, relations between Washington and Islamabad over the Haqqani question have only deteriorated, reaching a new low point in September.

Calls To Fence And Mine The Border

Last month, Mullen told a U.S. Senate panel before retiring that "the Haqqani network...acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI)."

Specifically, he said that "with ISI support, Haqqani operatives planned and conducted" a truck bomb attack on a base in Wardak, Afghanistan, that wounded 77 U.S. soldiers, as well as an assault on the U.S. Embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul, among other operations.

Pakistan rejected the charges, saying Mullen's comments were "baseless" and hurt the country's cooperation with the United States.

Since then, the prospects for any imminent U.S.-demanded ground operation in North Waziristan have looked ever fainter, though Washington continues to call for one.

In North Waziristan, that is welcome news. Residents say they prefer just about any alternative to military sweeps and some elected legislators even have concrete proposals for what form the alternatives could take.

Kamran Khan, a member of Pakistan's National Assembly from North Waziristan, maintains that the answer lies in fencing and mining Pakistan's border with Afghanistan:

"If North Waziristan is the epicenter of everything, then please seal the Pakistani-Afghan border with North Waziristan or the Tribal Areas, or combine fencing with mining [the border]," he says. "After that, whatever are your complaints, grievances, or accusations, they will be solved automatically."

Fencing the border would not be easy in an area where the terrain is rugged and people on both sides traditionally cross back-and-forth at will to attend relatives' weddings, funerals, and other important events.

The so-called Durand Line demarcating the border, never formally recognized by Afghanistan, was drawn up by the British to divide the region's Pashtun population between what was then British-held India and the kingdom of Afghanistan.

Whether Islamabad would ever agree to fence the border, or is even interested in considering the question, remains to be seen.

But the fact that a leader from North Waziristan is ready to contemplate it has to be taken as a measure of how little residents want a ground operation that might disrupt their lives still more.

Can Nigeria ever function as a country?

 Stella Azie Esq

The Nigerian people will have to decide this all important question. We have to be honest about our union and respond for the best interest of everyone calling themselves Nigerians. We all know how the name Nigeria was coined from Niger area in a very casual way. It appears that there was no proper consideration, indeed, no serious thought was given of the people being grouped together as one country. Since this injustice, it has been a struggle for the numerous people of Nigeria with their different languages, dialects, cultures, religions and beliefs to co-exist. Wars of different kinds have been fought and are being fought on a regular basis. Millions of lives have been lost and continues to be lost in an effort to piece the people together.

The more the powers that be pretend to be working for the unit called Nigeria, the more apparent it is that they are working for a few people who happen to come from the section of the country in which these leaders originated. Their allegiance is generally to their enclave, “their people” to the detriment of the entire country. In recent times, their allegiance has been further limited to their family, extended families, friends and cronies.

Clearly, there is no common agenda, common goal or a firm commitment to the unit called Nigeria as there is for the separate regions, groups and families. When for instance the story of Cecelia Ibru broke, a friend of mine who comes from the same part of the country as Cecelia Ibru told me that he called his brother to discuss his outrage. He got the shock of his life when his brother did not seem to see anything wrong with the bank executive stealing and looting bank proceeds entrusted to her, nor was he outraged that she invested so much of the money outside Nigeria. Despite the fact that Cecelia Ibru did not use the money to advance the life of any one from her part of the country, this young man’s brother said that the Hausa people from the northern part of Nigeria have been doing worse things. As far as he was concerned, it was perfectly alright for someone from the south to steal as it is not just the birth right of people from the north. You can hardly find people from Lucky Igbinedion’s place  or Ibori’s place accusing them of looting the state’s treasury. They will not deny the looting of their treasury but they will defend it as what the northerners have been doing for years. It does not matter that the looters did not provide employment for the youth by investing the proceeds of the loot within the state.

I truly believe that General Gowon did a great disservice to Nigeria after the civil war when he verbally declared “no victor, no vanquished” but never implemented it in any of his policies. The Igbo people that fought were clearly treated as vanquished by giving them a mere twenty pounds each to start their lives anew. While there was free education in the north, there was no free education in the South Eastern part among the Igbo people forcing a lot of young Igbo children to go into trading. In reality, the war never ended for a lot of Igbo people as they had to find a way to survive in a harsh environment that cared little or nothing about them. A lot of the physically wounded individuals were left to fend for themselves and some were not only physically wounded but psychologically damaged as well. Some of the people lost their properties in what their own government called “abandoned” properties. There were those that lost family members, bread winners. There were those that were orphaned and handicapped but the government failed to help them.

Due to the fact that we have had leaders that are clueless about leadership, selfish, greedy and corrupt and a largely selfish, greedy and corrupt masses, the country has failed to launch. Instead of the Nigerian government and leadership to bring people together by emphasizing what unites the people, they are further dividing the Nigerian people by emphasizing their differences. The leadership pattern adopted by ruling party,(PDP) for instance where the leadership is zoned according to geographic locations of candidates is one such divisive mechanism.  In as much as a quota system is not a bad idea, it should be implemented with some common sense and intelligence. At certain levels of authority, positions should be held by merit irrespective of state of origin. Nigeria deserves competent individuals to run its affairs irrespective of their state of origin.

When one sees what is going on in terms of security, Boko Haram, the alleged involvement of  top leaders of the country in the religious unrest,  the Yoruba/Igbo war in the internet, it will not take a rocket scientist to find that there is no unity among the people of Nigeria and that people have not truly identified themselves as true Nigerians when dealing with people of different cultures, religions and languages within Nigeria. Therefore, if Nigeria is ever to function as a country, there has to be targeted policies by the powers that be to bring the people of Nigeria together  because, divided we fall.

U.S. officials redraw Iraq troops training plan

RIA Novosti

U.S. officials are urgently redrawing a 2012 military training plan for Iraqi troops after Iraq’s leaders announced they would not grant immunity to troops who remain after the December 31 deadline for withdrawal, The Washington Post reported on Sunday.

“Since Tuesday, when Iraqi leaders formally requested that U.S. military training continue into next year, military and diplomatic officials in Washington and Baghdad have been sketching alternative proposals that could place training in the hands of private security contractors or NATO, entities that can be legally covered some other way,” the paper said.

Leaders of Iraq’s political blocs on Tuesday admitted the need for trainers but asserted their sovereignty by withholding immunity, which would have exempted the trainers from prosecution in the Iraqi judicial system.

At the same time, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said on Tuesday that any remaining U.S. troops must have immunity, the paper said.

A State Department official said on Saturday that while Iraq was not likely to budge on its resistance to military immunity, there were other ways for continuing the U.S. training mission in the country.

Iraqi experts say that under no circumstances would the Iraqi parliament sanction immunity for U.S. troops.

“Americans misuse immunity. They’ve had it for eight years. They made a lot of violations … Sometimes they killed people, attacked people, captured people, and no one could tell them anything. Iraq doesn’t want a repeat of that,” the paper quoted Iraqi independent lawmaker Mahmoud Othman as saying.

“The U.S. government is working out what our vision of legal status options are that we will live with. The U.S. government has not yet presented that to the Iraqis. They may accept it. They may not,” the paper quoted a U.S. State Department official as saying.

Iraq has ordered nearly $9 billion worth of U.S. military equipment and recently arranged a deal to buy 18 fighter jets worth $3 billion, the paper said.

U.S. forces currently number over 40,000 service members and are withdrawing from Iraq at an average of 500 soldiers per day. Previous talks between the U.S. and Iraq hinted at an ongoing training presence of 3,000 to 5,000 troops, but the number of trainers is likely to be lower now that military immunity is off the table, the paper said.

COMMUNITY LEADER COMMENDS ANAMBRA LABOUR FOR CALLING OF STRIKE

 Mazi Odera

A community leader, Chief Anthony Agidigbo Oguejiofor has commended the workers, led by the Comrade Peter Okafor of the Trade Union Congress for suspending the industrial action in the State.



Speaking to journalist in Awka, Chief Oguejiofor said his selfless action is worthy of emulation as he took a decision that put collective interest of the State above any other consideration, urging other labour leaders to follow his footsteps.



He charged workers to rededicate themselves and double their efforts as they resume duty on Monday to cover the grounds lost during the strike.



The community leader enjoined politicians who for selfish reasons encouraged and fueled the strike to have a rethink for the interest of the State and reminded labour leaders of the need to live above board to sustain the confidence and trust of their members and the larger society.



Chief Oguejiofor noted that the strike was uncalled for as Governor Peter Obi was one of the first Governor to implement the new minimum wage in August. He expressed confidence that with the cooperation of the workers, the Governor will continue to promote their welfare.



It will be recalled that there has been counter accusation among Anambra labour of collecting money from politicians to embark on a strike that is generally seen as unnecessary.

Syrian Foreign Minister Warns Against Recognizing Opposition

Syria's foreign minister on Sunday threatened "tough measures" against any country that recognizes a newly formed opposition council. Meanwhile, government forces killed 13 people as bloodshed continued throughout the country.

Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem warned the international community not to officially recognize the Syrian National Council, calling the group "illegitimate." He spoke alongside a group of left-leaning Latin American ministers visiting Damascus to show support for embattled President Bashar al-Assad.

Al-Moallem's comments came as the council was scheduled to hold two meetings Sunday in Cairo and Stockholm. Mr. Assad's government appears concerned that if the SNC is recognized, it could play the same role as Libya's National Transitional Council that ultimately overthrew longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Sunday that security forces shot seven people to death in the central city of Homs and three more in rural areas around Hama. It said government troops also opened fire at a funeral procession in the Damascus suburb of Dumeir, killing another three people.

In Turkey Sunday, protesters held a small demonstration against the death of Kurdish opposition leader Mashaal Tammo, who was killed last week by unidentified gunmen at his home in Syria.

Tammo was a founding member of the Kurdish Future Party and a member of the Syrian National Council. Syrian troops killed five people Saturday when they fired into a crowd of 50,000 mourners attending his funeral in the town of Qamishli. The event turned into a mass rally.

Witnesses say mourners called on Mr. Assad's government to step down, chanting "leave, leave." At one point, demonstrators toppled a statue of Mr. Assad's father, the late president Hafez al-Assad. Activists say anti-government protesters also rallied in several other towns.

Turkey has condemned what it called Tammo's "heinous assassination" and also criticized the reported assault on another prominent opposition figure, former legislator Riad Seif. Ankara appeared to blame Syrian authorities for both attacks.

The United Nations human rights office says more than 2,900 people have died in Syria's anti-government unrest, which is now in its seventh month.

LABOUR MATTER: ANAMBRA ELDERS HAVE COMPROMISED - OBIAYO

 Mazi Odera

 The leader of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Anambra State, Comrade Patrick Obiayo siad that the organised labour in Anambra State had lost the confidence of the elders of the State. Explaining, he said that the elders, including Church leaders have compromised and are all traders making money in the guise of mediating. Obiayo said this during a radio programme on rhythm yesterday.

Obiayo who could not explain while Anambra State is on strike even when other States in the South -East have either called off their strikes or are not on strike, kept referring to the need for a chart for payment.



In his own reaction, Comrade Peter Okafor, whose faction of labour union, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has called off the strike said that it was in the interest of the State since Labour had derailed from the original idea of the strike because it had been hijacked by politicians. Okafor said that rather than hold the normal meetings to discuss the progress of the strike, that the leader of the NLC, Mr. Patrick Obiayo had been avoiding meetings because he realised that nobody wanted to continue with the strike. In his words, few times he called meetings; he invited strange faces and agberos, rather than actual labour leaders simply because he did not want the strike to be called off. We suspect strongly that somebody is calling the tunes for him somewhere.

On the claim  by Obiayo that Government was not disposed to dialogue, Okafor said it was a lie since he shunned all the invitation to Government House but readily went to Olde English, a hotel owned by a former Governor in the State, for meetings with all manner of groups.

Speaking further, Okafor said that with the payment of the minimum wage when other Governor were yet to pay, that the strike had been justifiably called off to give room for further negations between labour and the government.

Many callers condemned the position of the Obiayo-led NLC, especially in his abuse of the elders of the State as having compromised because they were mediating.

It will be recalled that each time there is disagreement in the State, elders have always intervened. The group are made up of people like Igwe Alfred Achebe, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, Dr. Tim Menakaya, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Senator Ben Obi, Bishops Paulinus Ezeokafor and Alex Ibeziem, Dr. Ajulu Uzodike, Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike, Prof. Elochukwu Amaucheazi, Prof  Ben Osisioma, Igwe Peter Anugwu, among others.

Virus hits U.S. drone control system

 A computer virus was detected in the U.S. drone remote control system, the Wired.com news portal said.

The virus "has infected the cockpits of America's Predator and Reaper drones, logging pilots' every keystroke as they remotely fly missions over Afghanistan and other warzones," it said.

It was first detected two weeks ago but has done no damage to U.S. military operations so far. There has been no confirmation so far that the virus sent classified information to an outside source.

"We keep wiping it off, and it keeps coming back... We think it's benign. But we just don't know," the portal quoted a source familiar with the situation as saying.

It is still unclear whether the virus attack was deliberate or accidental.

"It may be a common piece of malware that just happened to make its way into these sensitive networks," the website said.

The Air Force declined to comment directly on the virus.

"We generally do not discuss specific vulnerabilities, threats, or responses to our computer networks, since that helps people looking to exploit or attack our systems to refine their approach," said Lt. Col. Tadd Sholtis, a spokesman for Air Combat Command, which oversees the drones and all other Air Force tactical aircraft.

Drone systems have been widely used by the U.S. military in Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. According to the Pakistani media, the overall number of U.S. drone missions in the region has been steadily increasing.

The issue of drone U.S. has become an irritant in U.S.-Pakistani relations recently. Pakistani media estimates that at least 115 drone attacks were recorded in the country's northwest last year, in which at least 670 people were killed. In 2009 about 420 people were killed in 45 airstrikes.

Anambra TUC's Suspension Of Strike Gladdens Our Heart-Intersociety, CLO &Human Rights Club

The announcement by the Anambra State leadership of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and its affiliate bodies on Friday, 7th of October, 2011, of the suspension of the three-week long strike action embarked upon by the Anambra State organized labour leaderships, is a welcome development- said the leaderships of Intersociety, CLO & Human Rights Club in their joint statement issued in Onitsha today.

The Peter Okafor-led TUC deserves commendation for seeing reasons with the 5million people of Anambra State on the need to embrace dialogue and save the Anambra children from the hands of the world of crime, propelled by idleness-says Intersociety.

The commendable action of the TUC should be emulated by the Patrick Obianyor-led Anambra NLC. The strike action ab initio is unwarranted and appears to be politically motivated and ill conceived-says CLO. The Anambra TUC clearly saw the hand-writing on the wall and retreated wisely to avoid facing the wrath of the Anambra public opinion, which weighed heavily against the strike action clearly rooted on wrong premise says Human Rights Club.

We have also been vindicated by the unfolding developments. It is becoming clearer day by day that the strike action ought not to have been embarked upon because the minimum wage implementation did not cause it. The State Labour leadership is even more confused by not knowing why it embarked upon the strike action ab initio.

It initially alleged that the strike action was as a result of the refusal of the Government of Anambra State to implement the National Minimum Wage, but when informed opinions ex-rayed both government and labour positions and found the labour stance too hard, it reprobated and re-christened the strike salary relativity or demand for a general review of salaries across board for workers in the senior reaches of civil service.. It also formulated-the demand that salary increases and allowances granted by federal government to its workers before the minimum wage came into force be extended to the State workforce.

Those affected by the former are about 30 permanent secretaries and directors, who were also provided with a lot of incentives including brown new vehicles (permanent secretaries) and retirement gratuities paid two months after retirement.

 It is our firm warning that the Social Contract obligations must never be compromised on the altar of over bloated workers wage bills. Time is running out for the State NLC Leadership to put off its unwarranted and unpopular strike action and embrace constructive dialogue.

Signed:

Emeka Umeagbalasi-Intersociety, Aloysius Attah-CLO, Samuel Njoku-Human Rights Club

Russia relaxed about its security despite missile defense odds with NATO - Lavrov

RIA Novosti



 Russia has its own defense projects that leave the country relaxed about its security despite the controversy with NATO over the European missile defense shield, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday.

In an interview with Russia’s Profil political weekly Lavrov said that Russia had enough defense projects that “allow not to worry about our security under any circumstances” and do not need “additional serious expenses.”

The minister however did not elaborate on the projects.

“Some of our Western partners ask: "Why do you threaten…to engage the world in the arms race?" It’s an ambiguous approach, because it’s the U.S.-designed missile defense scheme that implies an arms race,” Lavrov said, referring to the NATO’s reluctance to provide legally binding guarantees that its missiles would not be directed against Russia.

Russia and NATO agreed to cooperate on European missile defense system at the Lisbon Summit in November 2010. President Dmitry Medvedev proposed a joint system with full-scale interoperability to ensure that NATO's system will not be directed against Moscow. The alliance, however, favors two independent systems which exchange information.

Last week Moscow warned it may stop cooperation with Washington on a missile shield in Europe after the United States and Spain announced an agreement to deploy a number of U.S. Navy cruisers in Spain as part of the nascent missile defense program.

Sarkozy Urges Turkey To Recognize Armenia 'Genocide'

In a move that has irked Ankara, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has urged Turkey to recognize the World War I-era massacres of Armenians within the Ottoman Empire as genocide.

Speaking to reporters in the Armenian capital of Yerevan on the second day of a visit there, Sarkozy said Turkey has had "enough [time] for reflection" since the mass killings began in 1915.

At the same time, Sarkozy said it was "not up to France to give an ultimatum to anyone."

The French president made the remarks on October 7 during a joint press conference with Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian, who responded by publicly thanking Sarkozy.

"We are grateful to France for officially recognizing as genocide and condemning by law the terrible tragedy that struck Armenian people in the beginning of last century," Sarkisian said.

Shortly after arriving in Yerevan on October 6, Sarkozy called upon Turkey to "revisit its history" over the killings of hundreds of thousands of Armenians during the final days of the Ottoman Empire. He said collective denial by the Turkish state and by the people of Turkey was "unacceptable."

"If Turkey revisited its history and looked face-to-face at the shadows and the light, it would be sufficient to recognize the genocide. If Turkey does not do this, then without a doubt it will be necessary to go further," Sarkozy said.

Sarkozy also said that if Turkey does not make a "gesture of peace" and "step towards reconciliation" over the issue, he would consider proposing a law that would make it a crime to deny that the killings constituted genocide.

Genocide Recognition

The French president said that he hopes Turkey would act on the issue before the end of his term in office in May 2012.

Turkey's European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis rejected Sarkozy's call.

Speaking during a visit to Sarajevo, Bagis was quoted by the Anatolia news agency on October 7 as saying that Sarkozy would do better to concern himself with getting France out of its economic crisis than to get involved in historical debates over the Armenian question.

He also said France should confront its own colonial past before giving lessons to others on how to face history.

France, along with countries including Russia and Switzerland, has recognized the killings as genocide.

Sarkozy angered Turkey ahead of his election in 2007 when he supported a bill in France aimed at prosecuting those who refuse to recognize the massacres as genocide.

The French lower house of parliament later rejected the measure -- a move that infuriated the Armenian diaspora in France, which is estimated to include about 500,000 people.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin died as victims of genocide during World War I within the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey rejects the "genocide" label. It contends that 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil strife when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian forces.

Sarkozy is winding up a tour of the former Soviet republics of the Caucasus. He is scheduled to travel to Azerbaijan's capital Baku before traveling on to Tbilisi where he is to deliver a speech alongside Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Christians can prune pilgrimage ills.....Uduaghan

Delta State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has charged the Christian Pilgrim Welfare Board to prayerfully attack the ills plaguing Pilgrimage so that a religious exercise was not turned into a commercial venture.

Dr Emmunel Uduaghan who gave the charge during the inauguration of the State Christians Pilgrim Welfare Board in Asaba urged the members to ensure that only people of good character who are spiritual rich went for pilgrimage.

He observed that the pilgrim exercise has been turned into a jamboree regretting that people of shady characters and under age went for the exercise which is exclusively reserved for Christians.    
He particularly referred to a case where a non Christian who has not embraced Christianity made the pilgrimage list some years back and humorously asked “What kind of pilgrimage will an idol worshiper go for in the holy land when he has not been converted to Christianity”. 

“We are very much against turning pilgrimages into tourism. We expect that the Board will do a good job in ensuring that Christians of good character go for pilgrimage in the holy land”.
Dr. Uduaghan also enjoined them to eschew selfishness and place the people’s interest above all considerations and strive to match their action with the pace already set by the government.
The governor also enjoined them to continue to pray for the success of his administration, explaining that if the state government succeeds the church will be proud to give glory to Almighty God.
He therefore urged the Board to employ decorum and moderation in the discharge of their duties.

He thanked God that the Board was being inaugurated at an auspicious time when this years exercise was about to take place and prayed the Board not to betrayed the confidence placed on it.
The governor stressed the importance of pilgrimage describing it as spiritually nourishing and urged them to make the best of it.

Explaining the determination of his administration to put smile on the faces of Deltans through quality governance the governor enjoined the appointees to hard value to the state government three point agenda.

“My administration is determined to put smile on the faces of Deltans through quality governance. It is my hope that your appointment will add value to the state government three point agenda.
The Chairman of the Board Arch Bishop God-do-well Awomakpa who expressed appreciation to the state government for appointing them and appealed to Deltans not to distract them through undue influence.

Arch Bishop Awomakpa also appealed to Deltans not to do anything that will corrupt members especially through barrage of requests.

Members of the Board are Bishop Justus Mogekwu, Rev. Ralph Itoth, Rev. Clifford Amatesinro and Rev. Fr. Christopher Ekabor.

Others are Rev. Dr. Okonye Cyril Ifechukwude and Ven. Moses Elumerie while Rev. P.F. Anyasi would serve as Secretary.

10 Things to Thank Steve Jobs For

  Steve Jobs died at the age of 56. We look back at his extraordinary life.
   
2.     The Making of a 20-Something Multimillionaire Entrepreneur
Gurbaksh Chahal shares insight on staying competitive and why his $300 million sale to Yahoo wasn't what changed his outlook on business and life.

3.     Why I Decided to Take the Money and Sell My Startup
The founder of 2-year-old startup GiftZip.com decided to sell to gift-card behemoth SVM. He shares his views on the dangers of not doing the math.

4.     'Pursuit of Happyness': Chris Gardner on Reinventing Yourself
The star of a real-life rags-to-riches tale shares advice for people who are struggling through a midlife career transition.

5.     Seven Ways to Avoid Competing On Price
Wal-Mart likes to be considered the low-price leader, but a new study shows customers no longer think it's true. Here are some tips for dodging the low-price trap.

6.     How to Become Your Own Boss
The creators of natural sleep aid Dream Water share how they ditched corporate life and gained national success.

7.     Beyond the Food Truck: Six Ideas for Mobile Food Businesses
If you want to start a food business, but don't have the dough for a full restaurant, check out these mobile options.

8.     10 Movies About Entrepreneurs
Here's a look at some of Hollywood's best films that showcase the real and invented lives of business owners.

9.     A Guide to Generating Leads on LinkedIn
Facebook is for stalking old flames, and LinkedIn is for finding new jobs, right? Wrong. Here's a look at an old social media platform's new lead-gen value.

10.     Why Entrepreneurs Love Steve Jobs
Apple's products didn't make Steve Jobs great. Instead, it was his uncommon affection for rebels and misfits that inspired legions.

UNEP JOINS CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR WORLD OF 7 BILLION

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) today joined the  Billion Actions campaign, an initiative to encourage individuals, governments, businesses and organizations to take positive actions towards creating a more sustainable world with 7 billion inhabitants.

The world’s population is set to hit the 7 billion mark on 31 October, bringing into focus the challenges of ensuring sustainable development and a fair share of the planet’s resources for a growing global population.

Coordinated by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the campaign aims to capitalize on the population milestone by promoting global cooperation on health, environmental sustainability, poverty and inequality, urbanization and other critical issues.

Through an interactive website, social networks and mobile phone projects, 7 Billion Actions encourages people and organizations around the world to submit ideas and commit to actions for creating a fairer, more sustainable global society.

“Whether it’s the impact of climate change on food security, or the growing energy needs of a larger, more urbanized global population, meeting the environmental challenges of the 21st Century is vital to achieving sustainable, economic development for 7 billion people,” said Achim Steiner, the UNEP Executive Director.

“Investing in ‘green economy’ solutions – such as renewable energy, green technology or eco-tourism, for example – can boost employment, improve livelihoods and make more sustainable use of the planet’s finite resources.

“UNEP is delighted to join 7 Billion Actions, which showcases the need for coordinated action by all levels of society, just nine months ahead of the Rio+20 conference, where governments will meet to renew their commitments to meeting precisely these kinds of challenges,” he added.

Using an online tool, or by sending a text message from their mobile phone, participants in the 7 Billion Actions campaign can submit a snapshot of their daily lives and highlight the development issues that matter to them most. The diverse actions pledged by participants are then displayed on a visual mosaic on the website.

Other campaign projects include a smartphone application (7 Billion and Me), film competitions, photo exhibitions and a song, United, which can be re-interpreted by web users worldwide and re-submitted to the campaign website.

In the run-up to ‘7 Billion Day’ on 31 October and the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June next year, UNEP will be participating in the campaign by sharing research, reports and news on the critical role of the environment in a world of 7 billion, via social networks, the media, UNEP’s Tunza youth network and NGO partners.

Turkey Moves to Directly Support Syrian Opposition

The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is increasingly taking the lead in supporting the Syrian opposition. Erdoğan condemned the vetoing of a United Nations resolution against Damascus and has announced it will impose its own sanctions. This week saw the start of military exercises on the Syrian border.

The Turkish military is currently holding a five-day military exercise on the Syrian border. The last time such a major exercise occurred was 13 years ago when Ankara threatened to invade Syria unless it expelled the Turkish Kurdish rebel leader, Abdullah Ocalan. The diplomatic correspondent for the Turkish newspaper Milliyet, Semih Idiz, says the exercises are aimed at sending a message to the Syrians.

"This will represent a kind of muscle flexing on Turkey's part," said Idiz. "But I think we've got a long way for this to translate into a some kind of military confrontation. But I don't think we are at that stage. But its a clear indication the government has given up on Damascus. and its now concerned about protecting its 850-kilometer border with this country."

Protecting that border is important Idiz says, with the expectation in Ankara that an uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will continue to grow along with a risk of more refugees crossing the border. Already thousands have fled to Turkey.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to visit the refugee camps in the near future. Following that visit sanctions are expected to be announced. Mr. Erdogan, during a visit this week to South Africa, condemned the vetoing of a United Nations motion against Syria.

Erdoğan promised that Turkey and the European Union will move to tighten sanctions against Syria.

Details of the moves remain unclear. Turkey already is imposing an arms embargo.
Last month the Turkish navy intercepted a Syrian bound ship from Iran carrying arms.

But chief economist Emre Yigit of the Istanbul financial trading house Global Securities, says any new measures will have a limited effect.

"We don't know the amount held by the Syrian leaders in Turkish bank, if any. It could hurt them that way," said Yigit. "I dont think the Syrian economy would collapse as a result of Turkish sanctions. It would have an impact, it would make life a little difficult. But it would not stop the Syrian government from having the ability to rule the country as it wished."

Ankara is closely coordinating its sanctions' plan with Washington, says Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and visiting scholar of the Carnegie Institute in Europe, says:

"There have been a number very high level phones calls, conversations between the Turkish leaders and the U.S. leadership," said Ulgen. "And now the two sides are really on the same page and Turkish policy regards to Syria does seem to have the full support of the U.S. administration."

Ankara is also allowing the Syrian opposition to meet and organize in Turkey. The leader of a self styled "Syrian Free Army," made up of defectors from Syria's armed forces, is allowed to organize in Turkey.

Soli Ozel, columnist for the daily newspaper Haberturk, says that Ankara wants to avoid intervening in Syria.

"Despite all the bravado in the talk, I think Turkey is fundamentally conservative country, it will not want to go beyond certain limits," said Ozel. "But the real problem whether or not you will be able to control every step of the way, in this unfolding problem. We now hear, and I guess its reasonable to expect the opposition to begin arming and I am sure there are plenty of sources that would like to arm the opposition. Once that starts you are in shifting sands so whatever is your position today, may not hold ground in the future."

With Ankara severing nearly all its ties with Damascus, it seems fully committed to the opposition, whatever consequences that will bring.

US Mulls Additional Pyongyang Nuclear Talks

The United States says it has not decided whether to hold a second bilateral meeting with North Korea to restart long-stalled talks on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

The top U.S. official on East Asian affairs, Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, said President Barack Obama and his South Korean counterpart, Lee Myung-bak, will discuss an "appropriate way forward" on North Korea when they meet next week in Washington.

Campbell made his remarks Friday in Seoul, after holding talks with South Korea's foreign minister.

In July, North Korean and U.S. diplomats held a rare round of bilateral discussions in New York on ways to revive the six-party talks aimed at getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program.

North Korea has been seeking a resumption of the six-party talks, but South Korea and the U.S. have insisted that it first follow through on past promises to disarm.

The U.S., Russia, China, Japan and South Korea have been negotiating with North Korea for eight years to dismantle its nuclear weapons program in exchange for food, energy and aid. The six-party talks have been frozen since Pyongyang quit the negotiations in 2008.

In August, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il expressed a willingness to impose a moratorium on his country's nuclear program if the talks resume.

South Korea marks the second stop on Campbell's Asian tour, after a visit to Japan on Thursday. He will also travel to Hong Kong, Brunei, Thailand and China.

FACES AT THE ASABA 1967 GENOCIDE MEMORIAL SERVICE AT OGBE-OSOWA.