Say No To Hate!

Lagos Mother Losses Custody Of Twin Boys For Sending Video Of Them Making Love To Estranged Husband!

A mother, identified as Patience Isua, lost custody of her 3-year-old twin boys for reportedly videoing them while making love, Tuesday evening, April, 24, 2018, at number 2, Olugbemiga Ladipo, Ado, Ajah, Lagos, Nigeria.

Twin father: Emmanuel Ikanta (left), Twin mother: Patience Isua (right)

According to The Nations Newspaper, the mother sent the video recording to the twins' father, one Emmanuel Ikanta, who in-turn,  took the clip to the Police.

It was reported that the Lagos State Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal and some officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs upon recipient of the video, swung into action, and took custody of the toddlers.

Mother of the toddlers told authorities she recorded and sent the clip to her estranged husband so that he would take her reports seriously. 

Isua said she told Ikanta the kids behaved strangely whenever they returned from his place, but Ikanta would hang up on her after saying “and so?” .

In her words: “Somebody trained my boys to practice such devilish act. This is an abuse. Before I saw them and videoed it, I had told their father that whenever they came back from his house they usually complained of pain. .

There were signs before it got to this stage. Most times they come back stooling blood or complaining of pains in their anus. I called his attention to it but he didn’t listen. This is what has been killing me silently. .

I told him his children would come back from where he takes them to and they would sit on the chair and start saying mummy, daddy kiss. So, when I saw them that day, I had to video and send to him so that he would see the damage he was causing to our kids. .

I know they picked up the habit where he usually took them to, because in my house, they do not have access to television and they do not go out”.

Isua told Police authorities that Ikanta left her in 2017, that he is co-habiting with a woman, who is corrupting her kids.

Responding to action(s) she took when she noticed this behaviour in her twin boys, Isua said she took the boys for deliverance and also told her pastor, who prayed for them. 

On his part, father of the twin boys, Ikanta, denied the allegations levelled against him his by his ex-wife. 

Lagos state Police Commissioner, Imohimi Edgal said there is going to be a joint investigation between the Police gender unit and the Ministry of Women Affairs, because the authorities will want to know where the twin boys picked up such behaviour from.

Duchess Of Cambridge And Prince William Presents New Born Son to The World!

The Duchess of Cambridge was on Monday, April 23, being St. George's Day, 2018, delivered of a bouncing baby boy at St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London. According to news, the baby weighing 8lbs 7oz, was delivered at about 11:01 am.  

 Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge presents their new born son to the world

The proud parents of three, showed off their new born son, who is 5th in line to the Throne to the world. Name of the new born will be announce soon.

Issues Of Increasing Power supply To Neighbouring Countries!

Despite serious power supply deficit in Nigeria and huge amount of money reportedly owed by customer-countries, the Nigerian Federal Government recently disclosed its plan to increase electricity supplies to neighbouring countries like Niger and Benin Republics.

A 2017 reports disclosed that power supplies to Niger Republics and Benin Republic executed through Federal Government owned agencies, the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, ( NBET), and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) incurred to the tone of $101.46 million and $14.45 million respectively, totalling a whooping $115.91 million debt. 

This situation resulted to inadequate supply of electricity to Nigerians, arising from deprivation of funds for purchase of power from the General Companies (GenCos) by NBET, and shortage of funds for expansion of transmission facilities by TCN. (Guardian Newspaper, August, 11, 2017). 

During a November, 2017 Presentation of 21st Meeting of the Power Sector Stakeholders Conference in Asaba, Delta state capital city, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, in his address stated that the federal government recovered the sum of $64.630.65 million being debts owed, from supplies of electricity to Benin and Niger Republics. 

"Only recently, the federal government received the sum of $64.630.65 million from the republics of Benin and Niger for electricity supplies to these two nations."

He continued..."It is our belief that our efforts at recovering some of these debts owed by our international customers will help towards reducing liquidity challenges we face in the power sector". He stated. (Vanguard Newspaper, November 14, 2017)

More-so, during a paper presentation on "Ibom Power Plant and the future of electricity in Akwa-Ibom state and Nigeria", at a monthly meeting of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Uyo chapter, managing Director of Akwa-Ibom Company limited, Meyen Etikudo revealed that Nigeria's decision to supply electricity to neighbouring countries is economical and political. "Economical because Nigeria receives payment from Niger and Republic of Benin and Togo". He said. 

Economically, the government's recent decision to increase electricity supplies to neighbouring Niger and Benin Republic notwithstanding huge debt owed can be termed reckless. Politically, peharps there might be gains. Be that as it may, the issues with this initiative may out-weigh the gains, it is only a matter of time before the nation begins to reap the insipid results of her rather irrational scheme. 

What more can I state here, one can only give, out of a place of abundance. The only incidents I recall, where an individual (not a nation) is asked to give despite being in a state of need is in the Bible; and such actions were taken in "Faith", in Obedience to Divine instruction, in the Believe that something better will result from such Obedience. Nations on the other hand are advised to generate, gather and save. 

Government's foremost responsibility is to ensure that its citizens are to a large extent, taken care of. These care include provisions of:

• Quality Health Care is provided, 
• Good road net-works across the nation to facilitate movement and trade, 
• Encouraging remuneration(s) for workers
• Qualitative Education at the Elementary, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions
• Constant Electricity supplies 
• Good Drainage planing across states
• Agricultural support system
• Enable favourable Socio-economic environment for entrepreneurship development and foreign investment
• Etc.....

The above listed and more, should be the primary goal of a responsible government. Ensuring constant...2-4-7 electricity to Nigerians, should come before thinking of exporting same to other countries. A situation as currently obtained, where Nigerians wallow in darkness and spend their salaries and business interests purchasing fuel and diesels for electricity supplies, despite electoral campaign promises of "ensuring the provision of constant electricity", while customer-countries enjoy uninterrupted power supplies they didn't even pay for, is unreasonable.

Nigeria's 'Snatched' Mace Brouhaha!

Wednesday morning, 18th April 2018, hoodlums stormed the Nigerian Senate plenary and seized the Senate's symbol of authority, the Mace. Fingers pointed to an embattled Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, representing Delta-Central. 

Reported hoodlums making away with the Senate Mace

According to statement reportedly made by the Nigerian Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Senator Omo-Agege was on Thursday, 12th of April, 2018, suspended over 90 legislative days for taking the Senate to Court. An action the Senate termed "smacks of gross indiscipline..which should not be condoned by the Upper Chamber". 

The Senate had invited Senator Omo-Agege  over his comments on the amendment of Electoral Acts, 2018, but in a bid to prevent his appearance before the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, it was gathered that Senator Omo-Agege sued the Upper Chamber. This acts according to report, prompted his suspension from the Senate.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege seen escorted by the Police

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, despite his suspension, refusal to appear before the committee and based on what he (in a statement signed by Lucky Ajos, identified as a Lawyer) termed "legal advise and understanding of the current position of the Law, resumed work and sitting with his colleagues", instead resumed duty at the Senate.

A statement released by the office of Senator Omo-Agege on Wednesday, 18th April, 2018, described reports suggesting that he personally removed or encouraged anyone to remove the Mace of the Senate as untrue.

Reported hoodlums making away with the Senate Mace

“Senator Omo-Agege today resumed work and sitting with his colleagues,”

.... “a few champions of the unconstitutional, invalid and tyrannical suspension tried to stop him but those who opposed it welcomed and protected him throughout the sitting.” 

The Senator instead offered to help the Police carry-out a proper investigation on the incident. 

“Following media reports on the mace issue, the Police decided to hear from Senator Omo-Agege,” 

... “He has told them his perspective to help them carry out a proper investigation. He has since left the Police. He trusts them to thoroughly investigate this very serious matter". 

Nigerian Senate Mace found under Fly-over Bridge by a passerby: 

The Mace was reported to have been found under a fly-over bridge in Abuja,  Nigeria's Capital city, before the city gate. 

A statement reportedly released by the Nigerian Police stated that Police was alerted by a passer-by, who found the Mace under a bridge. 

Police Statement:

"Sequel to the invasion of the senate chambers of the national assembly, federal republic of Nigeria on the 18th April, 2018 by some suspected thugs who disrupted the senate plenary session and carted away the mace of the red chambers, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris, immediately instituted a high-powered police investigation and intelligence team coordinated by the IGP monitoring unit of the force and further directed a total lock-down of the FCT with intense surveillance patrol and thorough stop and search operations at various police check-points with a view to arresting perpetrators and possible recovery of the stolen mace.

"The police teams engaged in massive raids of identified criminal spots/flashpoints, stop and search operations, visibility and confidence building patrols, intelligence gathering which forced the suspected miscreants to abandon the mace at a point under the flyover before the city gate, where a patriotic passer-by saw it and alerted the police..

"While a discreet investigation into the incident is still ongoing to arrest and bring the perpetrators to justice, the Nigeria police force appreciates the spirited members of the public, most especially motorists within Abuja metropolis for their support, cooperation and timely information during the rigorous stop and search operations for the recovery of the mace.

"The renewed commitment of the Nigeria police force to guarantee protection of lives and property, peace and stability and sustain democracy in the country remains unequivocal and unwavering". 

Nigerian Senate Responds: 

In order to prevent future occurrence and forestall breakdown of law and order, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in the company of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on nation Assembly, Senator Ita Enang, on Wednesday, 18th April 2018, briefed the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of the snatching of the Mace, Wednesday morning by hoodlums.

Ekweremadu stated that since Senate President, Bukola Saraki was not in the country, it is his duty to brief Vice President Osinbajo, since President Muhhamadu Buhari was attending the Common Wealth States meeting in the United Kingdom.

“I came to brief the Vice President to ensure that there is law and order in the country. “When there is this type of development it is important that he is briefed at the earliest opportunity. 

“The Senate President is out of the country, so it is my responsibility to come and brief the vice president. 

“And he has sympathized with us over what happened and he is going to join forces with us to ensure that we get to the root of the matter and make sure this does not happen again,

’’the invasion of the Senate “is a threat to our democracy’’. “

The invasion of the parliament is not acceptable to any person, it is not acceptable to me, it is not acceptable to my colleagues, it is not acceptable to the Vice President and I believe it is not acceptable to the President,’’ 

“I appeal to the media to help us bring an end to this brigandage so that people have to behave in a very responsible manner. 

"But let me assure you that we are on top of the situation, we continued our sitting today and we are going to continue tomorrow,’’

On the Hoodlums: “I believe some of them have been arrested and we will get to the root of the matter,’’ .

Herculean Task Of Getting A National Identification Number And Voters Card In Nigeria!

The buzz to obtain the Nation Identification card is high as eligible Nigerians hustle to get registered and obtain an identification number. On their part, the Federal Government is trying to ensure that as many Nigerians gets to obtain the National ID, as it is pre-requisite to obtaining the International Passport and one of the valid identifications required by banks and other key sectors of the economy. The question however with this initiative is that, like other mandatory requirements, the registration and collection process is herculean. 

Despite efforts to make this process less-stressful with the availability of registration centres in offices, churches and other religious organisations, the challenge is that most of these centres do not have enough laptops for data collation, most times connection to these few-laptops is slow, and there is the routine challenge of "not being able to print-out cards" for already registered individuals.

National Identification Number (NIN) centre area at Ilaje bus-stop, Ajah, Lekki Peninsula

The picture above shows the number of new-registrants and registered individuals waiting to collect their cards under the scourging sun at a registration Centre in one of the banks, at about 11:am, at Ilaje Bus-stop, Ajah, Lekki area of Lagos state, on Wednesday, 4th of April, 2018.

When our correspondence visited the centre, there was crowed at the entrance of the bank. Having collected the slip of some of those who were there for card-collection, NIMC officials asked them to wait down-stairs. After several minutes, an official came down and informed the crowed of the inability of the machine to print-out cards (for those whose slip were already collected), they have to return another day to collect their National Identification cards. Those who were at the venue for fresh-registration were simply asked to return another day. This indicates that only fresh-registrants who arrived the venue before 10:am were registered for the day.

Further enquiry revealed that some of these fresh-registrants and those at the venue for card-collection, came from far places and have to spend about =N=500 or more to and fro the centre. It was equally observed that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) officials assigned to this centre are few compared to the amount of job needed to be done on daily basis.

The challenges of the National Identity Management Commission, is related that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)'s fresh-registrants and those trying to transfer their Voting Centres from one state to another.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) center at Marwa, Lekki- Peninsula, Lagos

For instance, a check on a complaints registration status on INEC's website on Thursday morning, 5th of April, 2018, indicates that despite having dully applied for a transfer of voting centre since January 23rd, 2018, the centre is yet to be transferred from the registration centre (in another State, in 2011) to Lagos state, where this individual currently resides and hopes to perform her civic-duty in the 2019 elections. These and lot more remain the challenges that frustrates most 'well-meaning' initiatives in the country.

With the provision of more hands to assist, perhaps engaging the services of Youth Coppers, and volunteers, provision of more reliable laptops/ connections, well-mapped out daily plan on stage to stage registration procedures, strict adherence to due-process for registrants irrespective of individual status and relationships, might make the difference.

This post is aimed at getting the attention of the Federal Government, key officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and  the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to investigate this situation and seek effective ways to make these registration processes easy for Nigerians.