AHANONU KINGSLEY BLOG

In the heels of the recent proscription and branding of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a security consultant, Chigozie Onyeukwu Ubani, has said that IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has reawakened national consciousness on the urgent need to restructure Nigeria on the path on peace and justice. Mr. Ubani who is a security consultant, stated this in an interview with Vanguard, condemned the proscription and branding of IPOB as a terrorist organization and urged the federal government to tread with caution in order to avoid the IPOB crisis producing what he described as ‘unpleasant results.’ He said, “Nnamdi has used the language of the beasts to galvanize Nigerians to a subject which notable Nigerians have unsuccessfully championed in the last 50 years. Don’t forget that the Aburi Accord was mostly about restructuring Nigeria. Let us now take it further for the benefit of posterity. Nnamdi Kanu has done his bit and has his place in history. “In my opinion, the Federal Governme...

The stage is gradually taking shape, especially as regards the politics of 2019. And men would vie for positions. But then, I would want to put up an issue for campaign, one that should regulate how we vote, and one which I suggest we all should vote for. I want to nominate rail lines for economic development. Infrastructures and institutions make the economy. There is no politics without economy. Analysis of consumer price indices shows a bulk commitment on transport cost. There is a variation in the prices of given goods between locations. But then, an effective transport system plays a vital role in price determination. Producers consider demand prior to commencement of production. It is the assurance of ease access to markets that ensures increase production. There are many values of the speed rails. They ensure profitable movement of skills and products. They help bring goods and services to optimal use. More so, rents would reduce as less persons would drag ...

For those who might be concerned more with the legality of the proscription of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), the news is that a Federal High Court has so declared it. Justice Abdu Kafarati of an Abuja High Court had on Wednesday granted an exparted motion brought by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami.  The court declared that the activities of IPOB in Nigeria, particularly in the South-East or South-South regions, henceforth, constituted “an act of terrorism.” The process of the court is seen largely as an attempt by the federal government to give legality to the branding of IPOB as a terrorist group by the Defence Headquarters which has received wide bashing. The prominent being from the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who described it as unconstitutional, having not followed the statutory processes. The minister of information, Lai Mohammed had, in the week, said he would not join the debate over the legality or otherwise of ...

Rome, they say, was not built in a day and desires, we know, don't grow wings without persistence. It takes consistent effort to actualise goals. But for most people, it seems and mostly appear that we desire and continuously do so without the commensurate effort to cause them to be. Our biggest challenge is our inability to transform ideas. It seems we are endowed with orators and strategists, who are good in opining and theorizing. But the dedication needed to commit hard-sought resources to actualisation appears to be what we cannot afford. Zero wonder we have more men at the newspaper stands than at workshops. Another fact is the lack of foresight. We prefer today's gains and bother less about tomorrow. We see no link between today and tomorrow. We prefer temporary structures in a bid to keep the artisan busy than establishing solid ones that beat time. Another of our failings is our perception about some facts of life. We tend to have the wrong notion on charit...

The Nigeria's president, today in a speech delivered at the 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York, condemned the killings in the Rahine region in Myanmar. Pres. Buhari at UNGA President Muhammadu Buhari who affirmed that the killings  are a ethnic and religious offensive backed by state authority and directed against Muslims, likened it to the genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia in 1994 and 1995 respectively.  "The Myanmar crisis is very reminiscent of what happened in Bosnia in 1995 and in Rwanda in 1994," he was quoted as saying.  "The international community cannot remain silent and not condemn the horrendous suffering caused by what, from all indications is a state-backed programme of brutal depopulation of the Rohingya inhabited areas in Myanmar on the bases of ethnicity and religion. We fully endorse the call by the Secretary-General on the Government of Myanmar to order a halt to the ongoing ethnic cleansing and ensure the safe return of ...

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been branded a terror group and outlawed from the South-east in separate statements made by the Military Defence Headquarters and the South East Governors Forum? But is it not rather amazing, I mean to say wrongly amazing, that the organization has been so, and quickly too, described? Does it not stir a wonderment to the effect that within hours and just days of seeming confrontation between the military and the group, the Nigerian state was swift to so classify it? The confrontation, however, yes, the confrontation from all knowledge was one that happened to be reactionary; a case of having to react when been jabbed on the mouth. In citing the reasons for its conclusion, the bulk of the rationale seems to have been gathered within just these few days of the 'confrontation' between members of IPOB and the army in the widely condemned military exercise codenamed Operation Python Dance II. But how reasonable is that quick conc...

The Nigerian Defense Headquarters (DHQ), Friday, declared the separatist movement headed by Nnamdi Kanu, Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) a 'militant terrorist organization'. Citing reasons that ranged from what it said were open confrontations with the army, illegal mounting of road blocks to extort money from innocent citizens, among others the DHQ said it came to the conclusion following analyses and reports which places the group as a violent one. The Defence Director of Information, Major General John Enenche, while making a press statement said that, contrary to the feeling which IPOB has consistently passed, the group has shown to be violent and arms-wielding. Enenche advised all that have anything to do with the group to heed the warning or face the consequences that arise from aligning with a terror group. He also called on parents to dissuade their wards from identifying with the group. He said, “After due professional analysis and recent developments, ...

There is the need, at times like this-with growing momentum of dissents, uneasiness and agitations, to review our journey and reset our perception as a people. Indeed, it is one apt time to recheck what went wrong with us as a nation and speak to latter days. But, very necessary, the issues should neither be tribalised nor treated with kids glove. On a quick note, we should not only express disgust about the gory sight on social media. First, we must look at the impact of idleness on us all. Recession was not solely a product misappropriations. It was fanned by our perchant for easy route. We gather to dream of Eldorado while we refuse the long walk. We lost it to tribalism. Refusing to celebrate neither our unity. I love to see Phino do collabor with Olamide. Tell me if they both don't deserve national honours, say MON or OFR. Our preacher also fail us. Travel  through the villages and see who is evangeling or educating the people . The Orthodox in a few but the modern ...

The 2018 application for the Mandela/Washington Fellowship is open. The Fellowship is a program of the United State's government under the auspices of the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI). The Young African Leadership Initiative is a flagship program set up in 2014 by the immediate past president of the United States, Barack Obama. The key focus of YALI is on the three key leadership sectors of Business, Political and Civic engagement. It is open to young Africans aged between 25-35 years. This year's program seeks to train over 700 young Africans into leaders, who have the capacity of impacting in their African communities in the areas of civic, business and political leadership. The application process which opens on the 13th of September closes on the 11th of October 2017. Interested applicants are expected to visit yali.state.gov or join the Facebook interactive group, YALI Network.

The penchant of the Buhari's administration to sell Kanu at the later's slightest and seeming provocation is its defining weakness. The height of this government diplomatic idiocy is to crave to seek for ants where there are no infested firewoods. The fact which seems to be, and which deeply is, is that Nnamdi Kanu is the ticking time bomb which the Nigerian government led by Muhammad Buhari is seeking to detonate. There are many submissions that seek to adduce to this. They are very obvious to a few yet subtle to many as well. Just like the initial arrest, in 2015, that sold out the Agitator's fame, the Buhari is seeking in rearresting him, an escalation and a justification of Kanu's preeminent posture. That's is to say the recent invasion of the IPOB's leader's house, which seems to be the focus of the recently launched Operation Python Dance II in the South East, is totally uncalled for, misplaced and cheaply inciting to violence. It is one act ve...

Apple Inc rolled out its much-anticipated iPhone X, Tuesday, but not without a hitch. When the company's Chief Executive Tim Cook called it “the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone,” it never anticipated what would be an embarrassing moment for the company when one of the features, the face ID, refused to work. The good news was that that innovation, later worked, on a second attempt.  The iPhone X’s over $1000 price which seems a prospect in raising its earnings still raised eyebrows, and its Nov. 3 ship date prompted questions about possible supply constraints ahead of the holiday season.

Pentagon It was on September 11, 2001 that Osama Bin Laden's terror attack hit the United States, exactly 16 years on. It was an unprecedented terror attack that shook the US and stunned the whole world. Scores, from diverse nationalities, were killed when the hijacked planes simultaneously hit the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Today, the world reflects on the incident that reintensified the war against terrorism. Today, the world remembers the victims of that u wickedness.

Late Fr Onunkwo Fresh evidence has emerged as to how Rev. Fr. CY Onunkwo, the abducted Catholic priest of the Orlu Diocese died. While parading the suspected kidnappers of the priest before newsmen yesterday in Owerri, one of the culprits had confessed to how they committed the crime that led to the painful death of the Catholic priest. According to him, when the priest was stopped, he had told his crime partners that their target was a priest, a suggestion which the others, to which included a police ex-corporal did not heed. He informed that after Fr Onunkwo was seized, he was bundled behind the booth of his car and driven to their destination. At arrival, it was discovered that their cargo had gone bad. The man behind the booth, having obviously battled with breathlessness, suffocated to death. Having discovered how their  'market' had gone bad and business ended, the syndicate dropped the lifeless body of their victim just by the bush and fled with his car. ...

Five suspects have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command in connection with the early morning shooting of a priest, Reverend Father Daniel Nwankwo, at the St Thomas Catholic Church, Onilekere, Ikeja, Lagos. Vanguard gathered that Father Nwankwo, who is currently receiving treatments at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, ‎was attacked by the gunmen around 8.30am immediately after the 6:30am mass. ‎Eyewitnesses disclosed that the gunmen, gained access into the church pretending to be parishioners, while the mass was on and they requested to have an audience with the priest at the end of the mass. It was gathered that as they were received by the priest, one of the gunmen, who heard communicating in Igbo language fluently, pulled out a locally-made gun and shot at the priest,  and they immediately scaled the fence of the church and fled through a canal close to the church. The Lagos State Police Command Spokesperson, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, whil...

Personality development entails building the individual into an acceptable form that's well appreciated. It is the packaging of a person so as to wear an outward form that reflects a huge definition of values. But mostly, personality development has been made to be seen as a response to personality ethic, which itself basically, is a reflection of those efforts that seek to present the individual as happy even when he's deep down eaten up. By personality ethic, it is the bending of outward attitude against the inside values so as to look positive even when negative inside, hopeful even when totally enervated inside and inspiring even when not in the least. It is those effort that seek to make the individual relate to the poor, inferior people, which ordinarily he wouldn't, just to achieve a purpose. But then, personality ethic stands mostly in deference to the more deeply rooted, more engrafted, more strongly founded character ethic. Against character ethnic, person...

According to reports, a Nigerian doctor, Oluh Tochukwu, has returned the N2.7 million that was mistakenly deposited into his bank account. The doctor who is attached to the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, took to his Facebook page to write about how he got an alert in one of his bank accounts which he doesn't use frequently. He reportedly told the bank to reverse the money back to its owner.  "In this austere time and with the long holidays knocking, the sum of #2.7M (Two million seven hundred thousand Naira) was MISTAKENLY credited into one of my "not well used" accounts 3 days ago. I reported officially and have given the required consent and other stuffs necessary to REVERSE it back to where it came from successfully. "There are still HONEST Nigerians. OLUH BEDE TOCHUKWU IS ONE OF THEM. BARKA D SALLAH to all my Muslim friends and happy holidays to all and sundry." Below is the transaction view: Dr Oluh Tochukwu

The new month of September comes bright and fresh, offering us a gift. The gift of Eid Kabir, the Muslim festival of sacrifice, obedience and humility. September marks the beginning of the notorious Embers catchment, the period of the year usually associated with eerie feeling. The Embers, from whatever drawn myth, are such infamous moments when it's claimed that the windows and porches of hell are opened, with every evil flash focused around the human domain. But this September-the September of 2017, is as it's observed, coming with one huge excitement; the excitement from the celebration of the festival that would, to an extent, be seen as assuaging considerably the fears, the apprehensions and all other negative feelings that bestride the coming of the Ember months. The Muslim festival of Eid Kabir is a point to focus on as to how the good moment of joy that comes with a feeling of peace, of relaxation has come to stand in for the restlessness and fears of the Embe...