Nigerian Times

Happy New Year 2008! I wish you all the best things you need in 2008. I wish you divine protection and divine provision and divine promotion every day by day in 2008. I wish you all round success in 2008. Cheers and God bless you always.

Yes. There were horrible and shocking incidents and events in 2007, as highlighted in the following posts below, but the most shocking of them all was the assassination of Bbenazir Bhutto, the Rose of Pakistan.

It may be hard to imagine, but before 2007 no one knew the significance of a wide stance when it comes to airport bathrooms. No one knew Oprah was going to step off the couch and on to the political stage or that an Arkansan best known for losing 100 lbs would lead the Republican polls heading into Iowa. But not every story in 2007 was a surprise. The Democrats couldn't hold off Bush in Congress and Scooter Libby got a Presidential pass on Plamegate. High hopes dashed on the rocks of cynicism? That's the year in Politics 2007. - Evan

They say that the world is a crazy place, but I say they're wrong. The world is a wild, whacked-out, insane place. In 2007, we went through it all. The big, bloated blimp of self-confidence, Hugo Chavez, was dealt a mighty blow to the ego this year when Venezuelans said "NO!" to his proposed amendments to the Venezuelan constitution. One of the proposed amendments would have removed term limits, allowing Chavez to run for president indefinitely. Yikes. Of course the biggest dictator news of the year was the death of Saddam Hussein by hanging in Iraq. This actually happened at the end of December in 2006, but the backlash from his execution was felt throughout the Muslim world in January. By humiliating and executing Saddam in the way that they did, the Iraqi justice system succeeded in making Saddam a martyr. Great job, guys. But that's not all, our other dictator friend, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had the world on edge for a while in March when Iranian military apprehende...

The Electoral Commission of Kenya said turn-out was the highest since a multi-party political system was reintroduced in 1992. About 14 million voters were eligible, although analysts expect turnout to have been between 8 and 10 million.

"Democracy can neither be attained nor sustained in a state of political illegitimacy." ~ Orikinla Osinachi Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been removed to scuttle the investigation of former president Olusegun Obasanjo's daughter, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, over the alleged N3.5 billion contract scam involving an Austrian firm, M. Schneider GMBH, and the ongoing prosecution of other criminal suspects who were sponsors of the presidential campaign of Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua and were also the employers of the political thugs and other criminals who rigged the last April polls in Nigeria. The cookie is crumbling. Prof. Wole Soyinka's commentary on the sudden removal of Nuhu Ribadu is a must read.

It's a very sad day. I was deeply shocked and saddened by the beautiful and fearless Ms.Bhutto's death. She was the only hope for a truly democratic Pakistan and for Muslim women. This is yet another cowardly act by terrorists. However, when she returned to Pakistan in Oct, I sort of guessed she was going to be killed. It was a very dangerous step. She somehow took that risk. She's a VERY brave woman. RIP Benazir! Keshi, Viva Forever .

Benazir Bhutto 27 Dec 2007 21:38 Bhutto Assassination Must Not Further the Crackdown on Civil Liberties, Says Amnesty International 19:28 Reaction of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt., Chairman, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State Department and Foreign Operations) to the Assassination of Benazir Bhutto 19:12 Statement on the Death of Benazir Bhutto From Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich 18:44 Benazir Bhutto Assassinated, Attempts Made on Sharif as Pakistan Drifts Into Civil War; EIN News Offers Extended News Coverage 17:04 Statement From the American Islamic Congress Regarding the Assassination of Benazir Bhutto 16:11 Statement from the Foreign Secretary on the death of Benazir Bhutto

"The assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto is an absolute tragedy for the Pakistani people and for the world." "Benazir Bhutto was a symbol of hope and democracy for Pakistan." ~ U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, AUGUSTA, Maine—Maine.

Benazir Bhutto Dec. 27 - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has been killed in a bomb attack at an election rally in Rawalpindi, according to party officials. Bhutto was holding the election rally in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi when the attack occurred. Initial reports from local police said fifteen people had been killed and first reports came in that Bhutto has been injured - possibly seriously - before a party offical said she had died. Bhutto's party has the largest support in the country as it heads into a general election that has been beset by violence.

Eighty Things to Watch in 2008 Facebook Suicides, Eco-Fatigue and Intellectual Luxury Included on JWT's Annual List NEW YORK, Dec. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- JWT, the largest advertising agency in the U.S. and the fourth-largest full-service network in the world, today released its list of 80 things to watch in 2008. "These people, products, places, services and shifts will help to define 2008," says Ann Mack, director of trendspotting at JWT. "By examining what will resonate with people or drive their thinking and behavior, we can identify larger patterns that will shape all of our lives in the years to come." "Love it or hate it, technology continues to be a common thread on our list," adds Mack. "It drives the serendipitous randomness that throws up chance connections, groundbreaking discoveries and great business ideas." JWT's list of 80 Things to Watch in 2008, in alphabetical order: 1. Africa (foreign investment and development in) ...

At Least 40 Killed in Christmas Day Blast at Nigerian Pipeline Explosion occurred as villagers were trying to scoop fuel from ruptured pipeline that caught fire Two Foreign Aid Workers Seized in Northern Somalia Women working for Doctors Without Borders international aid group seized in port town of Bossasso, Wednesday by gang armed with machine guns Christmas Lull in Fighting Spurs Aid Workers in Eastern DRC International Rescue Committee hopes to reach Rutshuru District, where many rape victims reported Egypt Reports 16th Human Death From Bird Flu Authorities say 25-year old woman died on the day she was diagnosed with bird flu Campaign Ends Ahead of Kenya’s Election Voters head to polls Thursday, to elect new president Uganda Opposition Leader Denies Rumors of His Own Demise

Merry Christmas from all your friends at Voxant. We hope the holidays bring you and your loved ones only good news. For every other kind of news, don’t forget to check out the latest feeds in the Voxant Newsroom . Evan McMorris-Santoro, Senior Editor

Dear Orikinla, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I'm so grateful to have your friendship and support during this time of year when we all strive to focus on those things that matter most: our family, our friends, and the desire for peace and goodwill. As 2007 draws to a close, I am hopeful about what we can accomplish for America together. There is so much good we can do with a positive vision for change and the will to see it done. My wish for the holidays is that I have the opportunity to make a difference for those Americans who have been invisible for too long. It means so much to know that we share that wish and are working together to change our country. I know you share my gratitude to the members of our armed forces who are serving overseas, separated from their loved ones during the holidays. They and their families continue to make an enormous sacrifice for us all, and I wish them a safe and happy holiday. I hope that you and your family have a joyous holiday season, fu...

Barack in 1990 and Hillary in 1969. (Photo: Steve Liss/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images; Everett Collection) I have said it and more intelligent people have written on the same matter. Senator Barack Obama is a wishful thinker posing and posturing as an intellectual politician and being a mulatto does not mean he would be welcomed in all the countries of the world as an American symbol of a global foreign policy. Most of those giving thumbs up to the political savvy of Barack Hussein Obama should be in 8th grade. Others hype the fact that Barack Obama (HLS ’91) led the Harvard Law Review. If being a professor is the qualification for genius, I wonder what would have happened to all the great inventors who made it possible for us to be online, but who were never professors. Any diligent student can become a professor. You may not even be a genius. For the ignorant ones, Hillary Clinton (YLS ’73) was an Editor of the The Yale Review of Law and Social Action in 1971. Hillary Rodham ar...

The December 31, 2007 - January 7, 2008 issue of Newsweek (on newsstands Monday, December 24), "What's Next: China" explains how China's ascension to a global superpower is no longer a forecast but a reality. In the cover package, a team of correspondents and columnists look at China's dramatic changes, its new place in the world and its hopes for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Plus: the people, ideas, issues and items that will most likely make an impact in 2008. (PRNewsFoto/Newsweek) NEW YORK, NY UNITED STATES 12/23/2007 24 Dec 2007 17:17 Africa/Lagos NEWSWEEK: Cover: What's Next: China The Beijing Olympics and Impressive Growth Ensure That 2008 will be the Year of China China's Rise as a Global Superpower is no Longer a Prediction NEW YORK, Dec. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- China's ascension to a global superpower is no longer a forecast but a reality. Three decades after its emergence from Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution, China has grown from one o...

I asked an American why the National Rifle Association (NRA) is more influential than the former President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush and he said the Second Amendment has made the NRA to be very powerful in America. The NRA is the most powerful lobbying organization in America. The NRA has the support of over 80 million gun owners in America and they can make or break the popularity and electability of any of the presidential candidates. “In each of the last four even-year general elections gun owners have had a massive impact. And the National Rifle Association has proven to everyone that if you want to win the presidency, earning the support of gun owners and Second Amendment defenders might be the deciding factor. The NRA is in a stronger position than ever to influence the 2008 elections.” ~ Kenneth Blackwell of the New York Sun. Many of the American presidential candidates have been courting the NRA for the endorsement of their candidacy, but Chris Cox, the Executi...

From The Bald Eagle Blog For Liberty and for Truth The Worst Misinformation of the Year 2007 Posted 12/22/2007 9:02 AM CST on Des Moines Register I have just read some of the most offensive, degrading and ridiculous commentaries on American Radio and TV in 2007, as quoted on Media Matters for America. They might be the worse examples of obscenity/vulgarity, hate speech and personal attack, but I do not agree that they are "the worst examples of conservative Misinformation of the Year", because the commentaries were the best expressions of free speech, simply calling a spade a spade, without fallacy or hypocrisy. Don Imus, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter , Rush Limbaugh , Bill O'Reilly , Michael Savage , Pat Robertson , Chris Matthews, Glenn Beck , Melanie Morgan and others were just expressing themselves without caring whose ox would be gored. Like what John Gibson said on Jena Six : "What they're worried about is a mirage of 1950s-style American segregation, rac...

The Political Chess of the 2008 US Presidential Election

18 Dec 2007 17:08 Africa/Lagos Voters More Likely to Value Endorsement of the NRA, former President Bill Clinton, and President George W. Bush; Oprah Winfrey and Barbra Streisand Endorsements of Limited Value LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent poll conducted by Zogby International for Associated Television News shows that voters value the endorsements of the National Rifle Association, by former President Clinton and President George W. Bush over influential organizations like the AFL-CIO and the National Council of LaRaza or celebrities Oprah Winfrey and Barbra Streisand. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030425/ATNLOGO) The interactive poll, conducted December 13-17, 2007, surveyed 6,072 likely voters nationwide and has a margin of error of +/- 1.3 percentage points. The poll asked the following question of voters: Q. Considering the presidential election and messages that may be sent to you from the following people or groups, how important are th...

Dear Orikinla, Marvin is a paramedic who worked with Hillary to ensure first responders got the medical care they needed after 9/11. Ira and Cecille are an elderly couple who have a moving story about how Hillary helped them get married. Betsy is Hillary's childhood friend. Their stories are about a Hillary you might not know, the Hillary whose heart and tireless spirit changed their lives. There are a lot of stories like theirs, and we wanted to share some with you. We've compiled over 30 videos from those who know Hillary best: her close friends, those who have worked alongside her, and people who have found in Hillary a source of strength and compassion when they needed help the most. Take a look at their stories on our new website. The Hillary I Know I want to make sure that you see one of the most powerful videos on the site, when Shannon Mallozzi talks about how she turned to Hillary for help. Shannon tells her story best in her own words. Watch it here: The Hillary I...

Re: "Nigeria Trapped in Anomie?" By Paquito Nigeria is not trapped in anomie;which is the absence of social norms and values.no,nigeria is presenting its natural true self one that has come to the fore as a result of decades of mismanagement and debuchery,its called lack of nationhood. No administration since independence has worked to augment all the forces that make up Nigeria into a true nation. Partisan politics has been and contines to be the order of the day. Social norms do exist in our respective communities, so we cannot say anomie. The answer is more sophisticated than that. The implementation is simplistic with the right mindset, but not if political gangsterism is the order of the day, that leaves no room whatsoever for constructive dialogue. To illustrate my point. How on earth do we explain the oxymoron ; the high level supporters of ex-governor James Ibori? Only in Nigeria will an ex felon be lauded with such incredulity. My friends, Nigeria is only great if we...

16 Dec 2007 17:56 Africa/Lagos NEWSWEEK: Cover: The Sleeper John Edwards Believes he can Score Upset win in Iowa; Has Been Visiting Rural Precincts Where Frontrunners Have Paid Less Attention Didn't get Negative Feedback After Being Combative With Clinton 'I Thought it was More Important for People to Understand ... The Substantive Policy Differences Between us, and now I Think we're at a Stage Where it's Time to Focus on why I Want to be President' NEW YORK, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards believes he can still come from behind for an upset win in Iowa, Newsweek reports in the December 24 cover "The Sleeper," (on newsstands Monday, December 17). For months, Edwards has been doggedly working to round up support in the state's rural precincts where the frontrunners have paid less attention. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071216/NYSU007 ) As Correspondent Arian Campo-Flores and Senior Writer Su...

Idumange John has written a thorough critical analysis of the present state of Nigeria in "Nigeria trapped in anomie?" and if you really care about Nigeria, read it now. There is nothing new to blog on Nigeria, because Nigeria is still trapped in the vicious circle of corruption and political gangsterism. The latest news on Nigeria is on the side bar and you can read and send me your informed commentary if you want to have it published on Nigerian Times . The tragedy of the Nigerian crisis is the fact that our corrupt, evil and wicked rulers are unrepentant and their hypocritical Pastors and Imams are as guilty as these devils perpetrating the evils plaguing Nigeria. Until we sack them from the corridors of power, Nigeria will still be trapped in socio-political anomie.

The job requires a president who not only understands the changes needed to move the country forward but also possesses the discipline and skill to navigate the reality of the resistant Washington power structure to get things done.That candidate is New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. ~ The Des Moines Register, Sunday, December 16, 2007 The Des Moines Register’s editorial board has endorsed Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton for the 2008 Iowa caucuses.The Register, Iowa’s statewide newspaper, calls McCain and Clinton the candidates it believes are most competent and ready to lead. Read the endorsements: Democrats: Hillary Clinton Republicans: John McCain Watch the endorsement videos: Democrats: Hillary Clinton Republicans: John McCain When I heard the good news, I thanked God for Hillary Rodham Clinton! I was elated to read it on the Huffington Post and quickly clicked the headline linking to The Des Moines Register for the full report of the breaking new...

Running for president means asking a lot of people to put their faith in you -- and putting your faith in a lot of people. You've never let me down, and my promise to you has always been this: if you put your faith in me, I will fight for you every day when I'm president. When I get to the White House, I'll end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home. I'll stop the cowboy diplomacy and Bush's war on science. I'll reverse the attacks on our Constitution and civil liberties. I'll ask the Congress to send me everything that Bush vetoed, like stem cell research and the Children's Health Insurance Program. From day one, I'll be fighting for you, because America needs a clean and decisive break from seven years of George Bush. Not one of the Republican candidates is capable of making that happen. They're all promising four more years of the same failed policies. They see Bush's failure in Iraq and want to continue it. They see failure of leadersh...

Number of Democrats who See Each Democratic Candidate as Presidential Hillary Clinton 44% Barack Obama 17% John Edwards 14% Bill Richardson 4% Joe Biden 3% Chris Dodd 2% Dennis Kucinich 1% Mike Gravel 1% In the race for the Democratic Presidential Nomination, it’s Hillary Clinton 38%, Barack Obama 27% and John Edwards 14%. Bill Richardson is supported by 4%, Joe Biden and Dennis Kucinich by 3% of Likely Democratic Primary Voters. ( see recent daily numbers ). Iowa: Clinton 29% Obama 26% Edwards 22% Florida: Huckabee 27% Romney 23% Giuliani 19% 47% Say White House Knew About CIA's Torching of Torture Tapes Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 46% Republicans 36% Obama Ties Giuliani 43% to 43%, Leads Romney by Four

Thursday's Democratic debate did little to help voters who have not made up their minds about which candidate to support. If anything, the six Democrats made the job harder for being so darn nice to one another for 90 minutes. The Des Moines Register Must Read: "Hillary's Unprecedented Experience on the World Stage" by Lissa Muscatine and Melanne Verveer on Huffington Post .

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton now leads in Iowa after the last debate among the Democratic presidential candidates, last Thursday, in Johnston, Iowa. The latest Iowa State University poll released Friday, shows: Hillary - 31% Edwards - 24% Obama - 20% Another poll released today also shows Clinton leading Democrats in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. [AP/Pew Research] Nationally, Rudy Giuliani’s lead has slipped from twelve points to only three points higher than Mike Huckabee, while Hillary Clinton still leads Democrats with 37 percent to Obama’s 24. [Rasmussen] Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel did not participate in the last Iowa debate. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Barack Obama of Illinois, Chris Dodd of Connecticut, Joe Biden of Delaware and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards seemed to have allowed the spirit of camaraderie to prevail as they did not attack themselves, but took on the policies of President George W. Bush and ...

The CNN reports that Clinton enters Iowa presidential debate with race wide open , but that does not mean Senator Hillary Clinton will not win the primaries. The CNN Debates are more likely to sway voters than the Polls. The most reliable polls,such as The Des Moines Register still shows Hillary Clinton ahead of Barack Obama. No matter what the CNN reports, the Hillary Clinton Campaign is not losing sleep as the latest e-mail from the Campaign Manager, Patti Solis Doyle confirms that things are still looking up in her favour. Dear Orikinla, I have something very special to show you. Last week Hillary was joined in Iowa by her two favorite women in the world: her mother and daughter. It was Mrs. Rodham and Chelsea's first trip out on the campaign trail, and I wanted to make sure that our online supporters were the very first to see our exclusive video of the trip. Take a look here: Hillary Clinton's mother Mrs. Rodham and her daughter Chelsea join her Campaign I hope you ...

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) (January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945) The First American Coup In 1933, there was a military coup plot to overthrow Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) (January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945). FDR was the thirty-second President of the United States and the only U.S. President who served more than two terms, for he was elected to four terms in office,from 1933 to 1945. The military coup was planned by power brokers of the richest corporations on Wall Street, amongst which were Goodyear, Bethlehem Steel, JP Morgan, and DuPont. One of the richest bankers and brokers on Wall Street, Robert Clark, was willing to contribute half of his $60 million fortune to finance the coup. His deputy, former Commander Gerald Macguire of the American Legion, said: "We need a fascist government in this country to save the nation from the Communists who want to tear it down and wreck everything we have built in America." The 1933 coup would have succeeded, had it not been for...

An Open Letter To America on The Election of a New President What is a hero without love for mankind. ~ Doris Lessing I have been monitoring and evaluating the various news reports on the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates for the presidential election in November, 2008. I have watched their live TV debates and read their interviews in newspapers online and offline. All the presidential candidates are highly recommended and worthy patriots of the United States of America who have served their nation in various capacities as either legislators or governors and as tax payers and are qualified to serve America at the highest level of public office as President of the greatest nation on earth. The presidential election in America is of great interest to the rest of the world, because of the global role of America in the leadership of the nations in politics and human development. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and notable American non-governm...

Arianna Huffington How To Overthrow The Government What is a hero without love for mankind. ~ Doris Lessing Amazon.com "Our government is no longer serving us," declares Arianna Huffington in How to Overthrow the Government. "[It] is slow, unfair, corrupt, and peopled by politicians living on graft and sinecure." While the political class gloats about unprecedented prosperity, Americans are more turned off by their rulers than ever before: the public holds deeply cynical views about Washington, voter turnout continues to drop, and "modern campaigns ... are so thoroughly dominated by pollsters and consultants that there's no oxygen left for ideas that might challenge the status quo." Politicians have turned a blind eye to America's real problems. "Glad-handing lobbyists" (there are roughly 38 per member of Congress, says Huffington) and "the seductive allure of incumbency" have made lawmakers resistant to necessary reforms. ...

I have doubts about the political education of those attacking Hillary Clinton in replies to serious issues. It would be better if readers take time to read and study the political biography of Hillary Clinton, who has been active in the democratic development of America since the 1960s and that was long before she met Bill Clinton. When Oprah Winfrey was name dropping Martin Luther King, Jr., in South Carolina, I laughed at her ignorance of the life history of Hillary Clinton, because Hillary Clinton is more qualified to speak on the Civil Rights Movement than both Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama. It would be really foolish to nominate Barack Obama as the presidential candidate of the Democrats, because he would be a walk over for the Republicans. Look at Obama's record as a senator and compare his performance so far to that of Hillary Clinton. Look at the political facts and not indulging in petty personalities. Barack Obama has a shallow knowledge of foreign policy and making noi...

10 Dec 2007 15:04 Africa/Lagos Americans Welcome the World The U.S. State Department and Business for Diplomatic Action Debut Film for Distribution in American Embassies & Consulates NEW YORK, Dec. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Karen P. Hughes and Keith Reinhard, President of Business for Diplomatic Action, today premiered the film "I am America" at the Foreign Press Center in New York. A gift from the American business community to the U.S. Department of State, the film was produced to create a welcoming impression of the United States for international travelers applying for visas. It will run in the waiting areas of more than 200 American embassies and consulates around the world. "By showing many welcoming American faces and taking visitors on a breath-taking visual tour of our country, this film should help counteract some of the negative stereotypes about America," said Karen Hughes, Under Secretary of State for P...

Kenya needs Barack Obama more than America. Obama should honour the will of his late father by returning to his fatherland and become the President of Kenya. I do not even know why Africans would do anything to deny serving their fatherland to play to the gallery of America. Yes, Oprah Winfrey is bona fide Afrcan American since Kunta Kinte, but this Barack Obama guy is only an African American by default. His father was Kenyan, born and bred and died in Kenya and by our African tradition, the first son must live and carry the heirloom of the Kenyan Father in Kenya and not claiming another fatherland, because he looks down on his own fatherland in Africa. Obama should come back home. All African immigrants should be sent back to Africa to join proud Africans like Orikinla to develop Africa. Barack Husseiin Obama, come back home to Kenya. We need you more than America. Come back and become the chief of your father's village and marry more wives. The only African Americans I recognize...

Justin Taylan, 30, of Hyde Park, New York, awaits trial in anchored detention offshore the Solomon Islands, a tiny Pacific island nation near the east coast of Australia. He has spent 15 years discovering and preserving World War II plane wrecks and more recently has fought Third World corruption in the illegal trafficking of war relics. Held since Nov. 6, 2007 for illegal entry, he's pleaded not guilty. Taylan faces up to three years in prison . 11 Dec 2007 05:31 Africa/Lagos American Tourist Held Captive in Solomon Islands One American's Battle to Save World War II History in the South Pacific SOLOMON ISLANDS, Dec. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- A young American, Justin Taylan, 30, of Hyde Park, New York, has been held captive since November 6, 2007 in the Solomon Islands, a tiny nation off Australia's east coast. Taylan is founder of a non-profit history website detailing World War II stories and Pacific theater airplane wrecks. Traveling by boat from Papua New Guinea, he hoped t...