The Ailoba Ahonkhai Blog Spot

Tinubu                                     Melaye By Douglas Anele The Dino Melaye versus Oluremi Tinubu confrontation in the House of Representatives, allegations of sexual misdemeanour levelled against three members of the House and reactions of Nigerians to these events have raised once again issues of sexuality, gender relations and the hypocritical holier-than-thou attitudes of people towards sex and gender relations in the society. Just like homoerotic relationships to which most Nigerians respond emotionally based on antiquated cultural and religious prejudices devoid of scientific credibility, sex and the justifiable disgust associated with men bullying or oppressing defenceless woman instinctively elicit negative reactions to the extent that rational discussion becomes extremely difficult.  Thus, most times when a man and a woman insult and abuse one another, people,...

By Tonnie Iredia The word, “continuity” seems to be central to the campaigns of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the forthcoming governorship election in Edo state. From the way the word has been severally bandied around of recent by leaders, officials and members of the party, the latter are no doubt convinced that the out-going governor, Adams Oshiomhole who belongs to their party has done well and as such should be succeeded by another APC man. What does not appear to occur to the party is that there are so many things that have happened in the state that many citizens never wished for and never expected.  Oshiomhole As a result, people are not likely to pray for a continuation of such things making it obvious that continuity as a campaign strategy is not full proof. And because negatives stick more easily, there are likely to be many people who are not happy with the party. Therefore, the APC has a big burden to disabuse the minds of voters concerning ce...

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) announced yesterday it had reached an agreement with the federal government on the release of Henry Okah, his younger brother Charles and Obi Nwabueze as well as Nnamdi Kanu and other Biafra agitators, on the condition that they renounce their campaign. The group, in an update on its peace talks with government, said freedom was also on the way for Edmund Ebiware who is currently serving a life sentence. Spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari, Malam Garba Shehu said last night that the Presidency was yet to receive report of the agreement, while Defence Minister Mansur Dan-Alli, on a visit to Bayelsa State, could not rule out force against recalcitrant militants if dialogue fails MEND in an online statement yesterday by its spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, said “Thus far, the deliberations have been fruitful. Various concessions and guarantees have already been secured some of which include, but are not limited ...

Ground forces of the military Joint Task Force yesterday moved into the dreaded enclaves of the notorious pipeline vandals at the Arepo area of Ogun State and parts of Lagos State to mop up any remaining resistance by the militant groups who had been terrorising the areas since the last few weeks. This followed three days of sustained aerial bombing of the militants’ hideouts in the creeks and mangroves, THISDAY has learnt. This was as indications emerged yesterday that the federal government might have concluded preparations for an onslaught against unyielding militants in the Niger Delta. Local militants in the delta have claimed several attacks on critical oil and gas facilities in the area, especially since the beginning of this year, with the federal government accusing them of sabotaging the national economy. As a prelude to what may be one of the biggest military operations in the oil-rich region in recent times, the military authorities have visited the Niger D...

The new Inspector General of Police should get his facts right That the relationship between Ibrahim Idris, the acting Inspector General of Police and his immediate predecessor, Solomon Arase is not cordial is most unfortunate. Idris recently accused his former boss of carting away 24 vehicles, including two bullet-proof BMW cars, belonging to the Nigeria Police. He also alleged that the deputy Inspector Generals who retired alongside Arase left with between seven and eight cars each. However, the former IGP has dismissed the claims, arguing that Idris was up to some mischief. Arase claimed that every information about the vehicles and perhaps on other issues were in his handover notes. “It’s unfortunate that this matter is being made a media issue because my successor has my telephone number and could have called me for any clarification or even sent me a text message rather than addressing the media on an issue well documented in my handover notes,” said Arase. ...

Faced with conflicting court rulings, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) yesterday insisted that it would go ahead with plans for fresh national convention fixed for August 17 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. This posture came just as the party was said to be pursuing underground damage -control measures, trying to quickly notch a peace deal with the aggrieved former national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to avert further disruptive legal actions. While throwing more light on the implications of the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, the Spokesman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said that the court did not validate the continued stay in office by Sheriff. “What was before the Court yesterday was the issue of who is the authentic legal Counsel for the PDP between Ferdinand Orbih, SAN and O.O. Fakunle. The Court in determining the question of Legal representation held that the appointment of O.O. Fakunle, SAN ...

Ben Murray-Bruce Dear women of Nigeria, By the time you read this, Theresa May would have assumed office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. This is even as the United States looks poised to elect another woman, Hilary Clinton, as President of the United States. Already, Angela Merkel has proven to be the de facto leader of Europe and, through the European Union, has used her influence to save other European nations like Greece and Spain, from economic collapse. It is looking as if the three most important nations in the West are going to be led by women. What does this mean for Nigeria and the rest of Africa? It means that women have come of age. No longer should we consign our women to playing second fiddle roles. Women are synonymous with good governance and less corruption. Look at what Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has achieved in Liberia after becoming the first elected female President in Africa. She reduced corruption and paid off...

Nigerians drawn from various civil society groups on Wednesday protested alleged illegal recruitment and nepotism in some government agencies, questioning the anti-corruption effort of President Muhammadu Buhari. The protesters, including popular activists, Aisha Yesufu; author, Chido Onumah; and members of Citizens of Impact, Enough is Enough, Youthup Africa – marched to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, where they submitted their protest letter for onward transfer to Mr. Buhari. “All Nigerians must be given equal opportunity in employment,” one of their placards read. In his address, Daniel Olatunde, convener of Citizens of Impact, said the Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Inland Revenue Service and Nigeria Prisons Service, embarked on illegal recruitment exercises and that some of the recruits paid huge amounts to get the jobs. He recalled that one of the 909 persons recruited by the CBN “through backdoor” was a nephew of Mr. Buha...

All the things we dreaded/ all the things we hated/ and all the things for which we booted out the other fellows/ they are happening to us once again/ the merry still goes round and round/ and now we are dizzy/ we can’t even cry/ there is no tears to cry anymore … Okay, dear reader, this is not a poem, not even a ditty; it is just Hardball experimenting with an intro. One would bet that you can’t even imagine how trying it can get sometimes trying to churn out this stuff daily. Indeed, it just might be interesting to do a how-to-write-a-Hardball someday soon. Task for another day. Back to now: what in heaven has elicited the street corner verse above, you might ask? Well, a few days ago, over five ministers were in London for one week for a jamboree tagged “Nigeria Investment Road show in London” The ministers according to report, are those manning Trade and Industry; Agriculture and Rural Development; Transport and Aviation and Water Resources. Going by reports, ...

Lt.Col. Adekunle Fajuyi The first Military Governor of the defunct Western Region, Lt.-Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, was killed 50 years ago alongside the Head of State, Major-Gen. Johnson Thomas Ummunakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi in the counter-coup of July 29, 1966. He remains an unsung hero in the history of Nigeria. The role Lt.-Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi, the first Military Governor of the old Western Region, played in the history of Nigeria singled him out as a “star”. He did not take part in the January 15, 1966 coup, but he was a victim of the counter-coup of July 29, which was staged to revenge the killings of the first coup. In the process of trying to protect the late Head of State, Major-General Johnson Thomas Ummunakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi, who was his guest on the fateful morning of the coup, he was consumed in the bloody take-over of government, alongside his boss. Aguiyi-Ironsi-Ironsi had arrived Ibadan on July 28, 1966 to address a conference of traditional rulers of Western...

The Federal Government will begin its National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) in September with 5.5 million pupils, said the National Programme Manager, Mrs Abimbola Adesanmi.  Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun  described the NHGSFP as an initiative capable of stimulating the economy and combating unemployment. The governor and Mrs Adesanmi spoke yesterday at a two-day stakeholders’ workshop on the Ogun State Home Grown School Feeding Programme in Abeokuta. “This programme is like using one stone to kill several birds. Feeding primary school pupils in the country has the potential to turn around the economy,” Amosun said. He added: “It’s a well-thought out programme because the unemployed would be engaged. All value chains in the agricultural sector would be involved; poultry producers will sell; the meat sellers will sell their produce and the agriculture sector will generally get a boost. Agricultural produce that often gets spoi...