Nigerian Times

Nigerian Times International hereby declares Dr. Dora Nkem Akunyili as THE NIGERIAN TIMES PERSON OF THE YEAR 2005. DR.DORA NKEM AKUNYILI She's been credited with saving millions of lives and with moving mountains with sheer dedication to duty.She is the most beloved and most popular public official in Nigeria today. WHO IS SHE? Teflon Lady @ NAFDAC: Dr (Mrs.) Dora Nkem Akunyili (OFR) is the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Since taking over this important health sector, she has fought persistently with unsurpassed dedication to sanitize the pushing of fake medications and unclean food items. Nigerians were being poisoned by these fake foods and drugs and someone needed to do something seriously about it. Enter Doctor Dora, as she is now fondly called by her numerous fans and supporters. Through her office as Director-General, she gave teeth to an otherwise moribund institution. She showed with her dedication to duty and...

I am Nigerian and Proud! I will not trade my nationality with even an American or any other alien! I have been flying the Nigerian flag on the Internet since January and in the blogosphere since June and the flag is still flying higher and higher like the Eagle in flying colours. Nigerian Times is the only Nigerian site that flies our national flag boldly and proudly in the virtual world. Because, Nigerian Times is the flagship of Nigerian Citizen Journalism in the Blogosphere. I give God all the glory for taking Nigerian Times to another level of blogging with the most comprehensive coverage of news from Nigeria and the rest of the world with special thanks to AllAfrica.Com, New York Times, Washington Post, CNET and all my link-partners worldwide. You have made Nigerian Times the Press Centre of the blogosphere. Nothing is missing on the side bar of Nigerian Times. Current Affairs, News, Politics, Arts, Sciences, Health and Wellness,etc. Just check out the links. Nigerian Times will b...

Armed gunmen attacked Shell's flow stations across the Opobo Channel, 50 km southwest of the southern Nigerian oil city of Port Harcourt and they also attacked the Nigeria LNG on Bonny Island last Tuesday morning. The gunmen would have blown the main Nigeria LNG Jetty if not for the swift reaction of the mobile police stationed at the jetty. Shell said the explosion may have been caused by a dynamite attack carried out by unidentified persons. Witnesses said that armed youths arrived in the place in four motorized boats and chased away the residents before blowing up the pipeline with dynamite, the official News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported. The insecurity in the Niger Delta is due to the incompetence of the leadership of the Nigerian government. The breaking news from AFX News Limited says Shell declares force majeure in Nigeria as pipeline fire continues 12.22.2005, 04:57 AM http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2005/12/22/afx2409655.html monicca.egoy@afxnews.com mbe/ak I ...

RELOADED:ORIKINLA TAKES ON PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO OF NIGERIA. PDP Has Transformed Nigeria, Says Obasanjo PDP Has Deformed Nigeria, Replies Orikinla. Please, this is not fiction. This is my rejoinder to an address delivered by President Olusegun Obasanjo at the last National Convention of the PDP in Abuja. Please, read it now or copy and save it to read it later. And don’t rush to make any trivial comment if you have not read it. This is a very important political dialogue of utmost importance, relevance and significance to the state of current affairs in Nigeria. God bless you as you read it. PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO OF NIGERIA: Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I could go on reeling out the achievements of the PDP government till tomorrow. There is no aspect of the economy that we have not impacted positively. There is no Nigerian that we have not touched through proactive and positive initiatives. There is no community that has been left out. Even our detractors have become...

India has dumped a billion dollar oil field deal with Nigeria into the Indian Ocean!When I was already jubilating for the success of this venture. But, the latest news report says that the Indian government is suspicious of the deal involving the South Atlantic owned by Theophilus Danjuma, who was previously Nigeria's defense minister and a former army chief. There was another financial deal involving the This Day newspaper of Nigeria in South Africa, but when the foreign investors discovered that the former head of state of Nigeria, Ibrahim Badamasi Babaginda was actually the godfather of the Nigerian company, they withdrew from the venture.Because of the risks involved. Most of the retired Nigerian military leaders and their civilian partners in crime have looted the national treasury and invested the stolen funds in local and foreign ventures in oil and gas, banking, media, import and export and other capitalist ventures which they have been using to procure more lucrative contr...

PRESIDENT OBASANJO OF NIGERIA. Nollywood as the story of Nigeria By Dianam Dakolo That we all should accept and dignify our community of actors and actresses as well as their theatrical output as of equivalent status to America’s motion-picture industry, the hybrid construct ‘Nollywood’ was dreamt up and incorporated into our entertainment lexicon. We should believe without proof of artistic standards and accomplishment that our own entertainers of the movie genre adequately replicate attributes for which America’s Hollywood is distinguished. Unparalleled virtuosity in matters of art, grandeur, stateliness, glitz and fame! Our actors and actresses want us to believe that they have them all. They want us and the rest of the world that are privileged enough to find and enjoy Nigerian movies to accord them adoration, respect and devotion, the type that catapulted Arnold Schwarzenegger to the office of Governor in America’s economic powerhouse and most vibrant State, California. Ingenuity ...

"PDP Has Transformed Nigeria," Says Obasanjo "PDP Has Deformed Nigeria," Replies Orikinla OBJ :I feel very delighted to welcome you all, great men and women of our great Party: the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Since its formation, we have seen our party become stronger, bolder, larger, and steadily institutionalized. ORI : Yes, institutionalized tyranny and kleptocracy. OBJ : When we say that we are the largest political party in Africa, it is not a joke. It is the truth and we must be proud of that fact. ORI : Yes, and also the largest kleptocracy in Africa. OBJ :In addition, we have succeeded in learning from our experiences, strengthened our institutions and structures, built discipline, and mapped out an agenda for progress, prosperity and development. Let me use this opportunity to thank the founding fathers of our great party for their vision, patriotism and sense of nation. I commend them for giving to Africa such a strong and focused political party th...

An American and a French working for aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres were among the dead in the air disaster of last Saturday in Nigeria. PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO "Unless we do something and do it fast, people will lose confidence in the industry," President Olusegun Obasanjo as he visited the crash site yesterday. Mr. President, people have already lost confidence in the Nigerian aviation industry and they have also lost confidence in your incompetent government. And you were boasting that your draconian kleptocratic ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has transformed Nigeria? When the truth is that your ruling party is the worst political party in the history of Nigeria and your government is the worst government in the history of Nigeria. If you doubt me, ask the people on streets of Nigeria. Even the insane hate your government and even morons know that your government is corrupt and only witch-hunting your rivals The BBC reported that President Obasanjo h...

50 students of the famous Loyola Jesuit College were killed in the latest air disaster in Nigeria last Saturday.They were on the ill-fated Sosoliso Airlines DC-9 Flight 1145 from Abuja that crashed in Port Harcourt at exactly 2.08 p.m., yesterday, killing 103 passengers (including the crew)on the spot and four others have also died in the hospital where the wounded survivors were rushed to.The 50 students of Loyola Jesuit College, Karu,Abuja were returning home for the Christmas holidays. Chippla Vandu was the first Nigerian to blog the breaking news yesterday before I posted the bad news of the second catastrophic air disaster in Nigeria this year within 50 days. The bereaved families of the 117 people who lost their lives in the Bellview plane crash on October 22 are still mourning when the horrible news of the latest air crash was reported on the CNN and other foreign news agencies before the Nigerian news media could report it. It is horrifying and terrifying to bear the nightmares...

Nigerian Plane Crashes in Port Harcourt By Nico Colombant Abidjan 10 December 2005 Colombant report - Download 196k Listen to Colombant report Nigerian reports say a domestic airliner has crashed while landing in the southern oil rich city of Port Harcourt, killing most on board. The passenger jet operated by Sosoliso airlines was trying to land in Port Harcourt on a flight from the capital Abuja Saturday when it apparently burst into flames.

I said the bloody battle royale of the Presidential Election of 2007 in Nigeria has already begun. And this has been confirmed by latest press conference of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)to react to the critical situation in the leadership of the ruling party as two new opposition groups have been formed by its erstwhile leaders, the Movement for Defence of Democracy (MDD) and the Movement for Restoration of Democracy (MRD). So,in panic, the PDP sent out a defensive statement in Abuja signed by its National Secretary, Chief Ojo Mad-uekwe.I watched the press conference on the Africa Independent Television(AIT)the CNN of Nigeria. Chief Ojo Mad-uekwe was doing his best as teleguided by the powers behind the Presidency to attack the credibility of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and was calling him and his supporters names. And I enjoyed the whole political drama. The former leaders of the PDP have let the cat out of the bag that they actually rigged the previous elections in order to defeat the...

GODWIN NNAMDI EKE The two days sit at home protest called by Movement for the Actualization of sovereign state of Biafra(MASSOB) to protest the continued detention of its leader, chief Ralph Uwazuruike, by the Federal Government was religiously observed here in Enyimba city Aba, Abia State and its environs. As early as 5am on my way from night duty at Osisioma junction, members of the organization who have been well mobilized started setting up road blocks with born fires of used tyres and early risers were running helter-skelter. About an hour later I noticed a detachment of policemen (police in black and mobile police) removing the materials used as road blocks and bonfires and also confronted the MASSOB members who were later on dispersed with tear gas canisters.

GEORGE W.BUSH, PRESIDENT OF AMERICA Why has America failed to capture Osama bin Laden or Ayman al-Zawahri? Why couldn't the CIA stop the 9/11? Is the Al Qaida more intelligent than the CIA? OSAMA BIN LADEN Is Osama bin Laden more intelligent than George Walker Bush? Because, the leadership of Al Qaida under Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri seems to be more efficient than the leadership of the CIA under George W.Bush and Dick Cheney. AYMAN AL-ZAWAHRI Ayman Al-Zawahri is reputed as the master planner of the Al Qaida. He is a qualified eye-surgeon from a wealthy Egyptian family. So, he is well educated. And his intellect has been very useful to the intelligentsia of the Al Qaida in the military strategies and logistics of their terrorist attacks before and after 9/11. The results of the war on terror so far have shown the failures of the CIA and Pentagon in the prosecution of the war. Because, the Al Qaida has used less men as suicide-bombers to kill more Americans and other peopl...

The volatile political atmosphere in Nigeria as at present should be giving Nigerians enough feast for thought. Because, as we say in Africa, there is no smoke without fire. This atmosphere is smoking hot. The political gas is already circulating in the air. Just light a match and everywhere will go up in flames. Why is President Olusegun Obasanjo harassing his VP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. And he has put Atiku Abubakar on the defensive. Because, the man is now making public statements to refute many negative allegations being circulated against him. And the allegations are being made by loyalists of the President. Who is afraid of Atiku Abubakar? President Olusegun Obasanjo's godfathers in Minna are afraid of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. And they are using the President and his agents to haunt Atiku Abubakar. Why? Because, they are scared of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar becoming the next President of Nigeria. And their fears are as real as the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Because, the "evil genius...

RALPH UWAZURUIKE, LEADER OF MASSOB. Three "Biafrans" have been killed in the latest bloody clashes between the revolutionary separatist activists and the security forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The casualties were reported in Aba and Onitsha. The political situation in the South East of Nigeria needs to be addressed by the United Nations and the G-8, because the on-going separatist protests by the members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra(MASSOB), demanding for the release their leader Chief Ralph Uwazuruike have distrupted business activities as markets, shops, offices and banks have been shut since yesterday. And three protesters have been killed and several others have been wounded in the violent disturbances in Aba and Onitsha just across the Niger Bridge. The UN is always slow to react to such emergencies until the situation becomes worse and then the UN will be running helter-skelter in panic to stop the anarchy and chao...

The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra(MASSOB)has ordered all traders and workers in South Eastern Nigeria to close their shops and offices today. The MASSOB has declared today "NO WORK DAY IN BIAFRA". The news got to me yesterday and I have tried to confirm it from their web site, but there is nothing on such a directive. No Press Release. The news reached Bonny Island by word of mouth from Port Harcourt in Rivers State and the people in Port Harcourt informed me that only the native Ibo speaking states will likely comply with the directive of MASSOB. I have had on line discussions with some leading members of MASSOB and I told them that they are not well organised and having radio station, web sites and other forms of mass media does not mean they are well organised. Because, emotional ratiocination will not be enough to address the goals and objectives of their mission. The majority of Ibos would rather be Nigerians than be Biafrans. Even, most...

DSP ALAMIEYESEIGHA:The Scarlet Pimpernel Governor of the Year. Party expels Nigeria bail-jump governor Friday, December 2, 2005 Posted: 1431 GMT (2231 HKT) ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) -- The ruling party has expelled a Nigeria state governor who was charged in Britain with money laundering. President Olusegun Obasanjo's People's Democratic Party said in a statement that Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha's actions are "an assault on the integrity" of the party. Alamieyeseigha was arrested while on a visit to Britain and charged there on September 15 with laundering £1.8 million ($3.2 million) of stolen Nigerian government funds From the above CNN news report, apparently, the People's Democratic Party(PDP)of Nigeria has fooled the almighty CNN. The CNN should not be deceived by the on-going political drama over the ordeals of Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, the Governor of Bayelsa State in Nigeria. Because, the so called ruling party of Nigeria, the People...

The melodramatic ordeals of Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the "wanted" governor of Bayelsa state of Nigeria will not end with his prosecution in Nigeria and the UK. Because, he is not the only corrupt public official in Nigeria. And we don't have to wait until the Metropolitan Police nabs anyone of them for money laundering before we start screaming all over the place. Recently as I was on the Nigeria LNG Jetty shuttle bus the news was on the local radio that Dr.Peter Odili donated N100 Million to the Stella Maris Catholic Church University Fund and all the other occupants laughed out aloud. That he was squandering the revenue allocation of Rivers State meant for the development of the host communities of the multinational oil companies. The Diepreye Alamieyeseigha scandal has diverted the attention of the media from the scandal of the private jet acquired by Dr.Peter Odili that a news reporter wrote about and was arrested and detained. President Olusegun Obasanjo alias ...

Gen (Dr.) Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s military Head of State for nine years, from 29 July 1966 to 29 July 1975, was born on 19 October 1934 in Pankshin, Plateau state. He was educated at St. Bartholomew School, Wusasa, Zaria from 1939 to 1949; Government College, Zaria (1950-53). He received his military training at Officer Cadet Training School, Teshie Ghana (1954); Eaton Hall, Chester, England (1955); Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, (1955-56); Young Officers’ College, Hythe Warminster (1957;, Staff College, Camberley, England (1962); Joint Services College, Latimer, England, (1965). Dr. Yakubu Gowon is the best head of state Nigeria has ever had since Independence to date. He was only 32 when he took over the reins of power at the most critical period of our history when Nigeria was in crisis and the civil of 1967 -70 wrecked the political and economic stability of Nigeria. But, Yakubu Gowon still succeeded in leading Nigeria with the most brilliant Nigerian personalities of the peri...