To every child – I dream of a world where you can laugh, dance, sing, learn, live in peace and be happy’ – Malala Yousafzai Ngozi Onwuanibe is a UK registered social worker with over 15 years operational and strategic experience in the UK public and voluntary sector specialising in safeguarding (Child protection) children and family support. Ngozi also develops and offers safeguarding and leadership training to schools/individuals and organisations. Nigerian youths The season of joy is upon us with Christmas and the New Year round the corner. As ever, Nigerians remain optimistic about the future and what it holds for everyone. Whilst we look forward to this, I would want everyone to consider what it must be like for the average child/young person living in the country. This is a country where we profess to love our children yet have no major plans as a government on ensuring that they have access to basic amenities – consistent electricity/gas/good roads/education/training. The education system we previously had, which although had its own issues, was much better than what we currently have, which is largely private and unregulated. In western societies, there are safeguards put in place to ensure children feel safe and secure in their environments including school and at home. However, due to deprivation and limited job opportunities many parents work long hours and away from home. They mostly have to rely on others to care for their children. How then do they ensure that they provide the necessities for the family whilst keeping their children safe at home with strangers and/or family caring for them or whilst in school boarding or day? There was an unfortunate incident recorded in the papers some weeks ago where a young child, 13 year-old, Ochanya Ogbanje, was repeatedly raped by her charge, Andrew Ogbuja, a lecturer with Benue Polytechnic, Ugboko and his son, Victor. The response by the man’s wife was to send Ochanya back to her parents and only when there was an outcry from the public did the police and authorities take appropriate action. Unfortunately, Ochanya never recovered from the prolonged physical injuries and trauma she sustained and lost her life as a result. As a human being, a woman, what would make a mother and wife treat another woman’s child this way? What would make her accept the actions of her son and husband? What kind of role model was Mr Ogbaja to his son, wife and other children? Why did he and his son think that it was okay to abuse Ochanja, in this way? Father of 11 commits suicide over missing N600,000 church money in Delta We all as a society need to ask ourselves why we knowingly or unknowingly are complicit in fostering an environment in which children are abused by adults responsible for them and why we allow this to happen. There is something inherently wrong in a society that does not protect its young. I would like all of us as citizens of Nigeria to take some time to put ourselves in Ochanja’s shoes and to vow “never again”. This isn’t a case of hoping and praying that it does not happen to you as we like to do. We do have unrealistic expectations of our children sometimes without considering their ages and development and individual ability. I see children under the age of 13 on the streets hawking wares on behalf of their parents/charges with no thought of the danger they face daily from road accidents, kidnapping, and various types of abuse, physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. There was an incident which occurred some years ago where a 9 year-old girl was consistently and systematically sexually and emotionally abused by her half older brother, his friends and the security guard! The father was always away on business leaving the children in the care of the mother. She did not notice anything was wrong with her daughter until a family friend brought it to her attention. The case was reported to the police and the girl’s father removed her from her mother’s care. Other than medical treatment, and removing her from the perpetrator no support was offered to the 9 year-old girl. The boy remained with the mother, however I wonder what support was given to him and action taken to protect other children from him. Sadly these incidents are in no way unique and occur on a regular basis without any real support for the victims and/or the perpetrators who are left to pick up the pieces. Most children who have been abused experience low self-esteem/feel suicidal and blame themselves for what has happened to them. They also find it difficult to trust anyone and if left without support and any treatment, may go on to normalise their abuse and go on to abuse other children. It is very important to ensure that children who suffer abuse are offered treatment which could be in the form of psychotherapy/counselling/cognitive behavioural therapy and specialised counselling for the perpetrators and those involved with supporting them. There are some simple steps/actions we can take which I would outline below and hope that you would find these helpful. If we start from the premise that no parent would knowingly harm their child then there is scope for everyone to learn/re-learn some behaviour. It is imperative to understand your children as individuals and to teach them to also understand the concept of stranger/danger and body safety. As parents there are some steps we can take to help our children navigate the world around them. Over 1.8 billion children breathe toxic air daily – WHO One of the first things to do is spend quality time with your child/children individually and together. To do this you need to spend quality time with your child means and be “fully present”. By this, I mean, not being on the phone and/or watching TV for example. It also doesn’t need to take hours on end. The simple act of putting your phone down or stopping whatever you are doing to concentrate for 10 minutes or more with your child makes a huge difference. It shows your child that you care about what they have to say to you/it shows you are actively listening and that you respect them as individuals and guess what, they respond the same way when you want to talk to them too. Children model what they see and hear around them so it is important that you also let them know when you are busy and agree a time to talk. It is also important that you reassure your child that they can talk to you about anything/nothing is off limits and that you will hear them out without judgement. Now I know this can be challenging especially when we live in a culture that is mostly patriarchal and there are things that are considered an “abomination” to discuss with your children or vice versa. Thankfully with the rise in social media and exposure to different cultures on television some of these issues are no longer as hidden. For example, discussions about boyfriends/period pain are some issues some parents still don’t want to hear about. Hearing about your child telling you about having a boyfriend or finding someone cute helps you to understand some of the pressures/values they have and what other children in their school or friends are preoccupied with. It is the opportunity for you to gently advice your child on what options they have and to encourage them to know that you will be there to guide and support them. Let us also be aware that abuse thrives in an environment of fear and lack of openness and most abusers are familiar faces, people you know, uncles, family friends, religious leaders/aunties/relatives/people in authority, etc. Because these people know that if a child says something to their parents/teachers no one will believe them as they are “Children” “seen and not to be heard” they continue to abuse and maltreat children with impunity. The children themselves are aware that they live in a society where they are marginalised and voiceless then feel scared to say anything. One of the best things anyone can do for their child is to encourage them to have a voice, to have them know that they can have opinions and that these are valued as much as the next persons. Teach your child to know that no topic of discussion is off limits with you. Let them know that they need to trust their instincts and if it does not seem safe then it probably isn’t and they need to leave the environment. Crisis brews over Amapetu succession in Ondo Observe your child’s behaviour when they are around people. Does he or she feel unhappy when that uncle/aunty comes around? Do they make excuses on why they do not want to say hello? For babies, does the baby cry a lot or look distressed when this particular aunty/uncle is around or plays with them. Let your child know that their bodies are sacred and private to them. No one should ask to see or bath their private parts when they are old enough to bath themselves. Does that family member/friend/stranger have an unusual interest in your child which you don’t feel comfortable with? Call it out! A friend spoke of how an uncle, a family friend would ask to carry her on his laps and then start fondling himself and her whilst she was sitting on his laps. She recalls he would do this whilst her parents were present though discreetly and because they would be absorbed in the conversation they would not notice. She was 7 years old at the time! She would recall not wanting to say hello to this man when he visits although at times because he visits bearing gifts, sweets and biscuits she would go to him. It was only when an aunt visited and noticed she was uncomfortable whenever this particular family friend visited and asked her directly why she was fidgeting did she say he was touching her inappropriately. The aunt immediately informed the girl’s parents and they confronted the family friend who denied this happened. They haven’t been friends since then. This young woman is one of the lucky ones with an aunt who noticed what was going on and parents who believed her and made sure the man never came round the house again. Most accounts I have heard and seen have ended with the victim being further traumatised as the parents don’t believe them when they tell them what has occurred. They also continue to have the person visit the home. Catholic church split over abuse scandal gravity It is too painful and embarrassing for parents to hear a child has been abused or is abusing another child, making it a hidden issue and perpetuates the problem. Until we have open and honest conversations about abuse and the impact nothing will change. The impact on our children and society will be huge as they grow up dysfunctional accepting that abuse is normal and okay. It is not normal. There has to be a system leadership change in our country as these things are often left to individual families and at best churches, mosques to deal with in isolation. Most of these are not equipped to address the issue. We need to acknowledge as a society that abuse does not happen in isolation and takes place across all sectors of society in different guises. The change has to start with all of us. We can start having the conversation our homes/school, workplaces and religious institutions as safeguarding should be everyone’s business. Every school/public and religious institution should have safeguarding policies and procedures put in place and which are reviewed periodically. Safeguarding training should be provided to all staff and children taught about safety, who and what to do if they have been abused.
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/safeguarding-young-people-to-adulthood/
To every child – I dream of a world where you can laugh, dance, sing, learn, live in peace and be happy’ – Malala Yousafzai Ngozi Onwuanibe is a UK registered social worker with over 15 years operational and strategic experience in the UK public and voluntary sector specialising in safeguarding (Child protection) children and family support. Ngozi also develops and offers safeguarding and leadership training to schools/individuals and organisations. Nigerian youths The season of joy is upon us with Christmas and the New Year round the corner. As ever, Nigerians remain optimistic about the future and what it holds for everyone. Whilst we look forward to this, I would want everyone to consider what it must be like for the average child/young person living in the country. This is a country where we profess to love our children yet have no major plans as a government on ensuring that they have access to basic amenities – consistent electricity/gas/good roads/education/training. The education system we previously had, which although had its own issues, was much better than what we currently have, which is largely private and unregulated. In western societies, there are safeguards put in place to ensure children feel safe and secure in their environments including school and at home. However, due to deprivation and limited job opportunities many parents work long hours and away from home. They mostly have to rely on others to care for their children. How then do they ensure that they provide the necessities for the family whilst keeping their children safe at home with strangers and/or family caring for them or whilst in school boarding or day? There was an unfortunate incident recorded in the papers some weeks ago where a young child, 13 year-old, Ochanya Ogbanje, was repeatedly raped by her charge, Andrew Ogbuja, a lecturer with Benue Polytechnic, Ugboko and his son, Victor. The response by the man’s wife was to send Ochanya back to her parents and only when there was an outcry from the public did the police and authorities take appropriate action. Unfortunately, Ochanya never recovered from the prolonged physical injuries and trauma she sustained and lost her life as a result. As a human being, a woman, what would make a mother and wife treat another woman’s child this way? What would make her accept the actions of her son and husband? What kind of role model was Mr Ogbaja to his son, wife and other children? Why did he and his son think that it was okay to abuse Ochanja, in this way? Father of 11 commits suicide over missing N600,000 church money in Delta We all as a society need to ask ourselves why we knowingly or unknowingly are complicit in fostering an environment in which children are abused by adults responsible for them and why we allow this to happen. There is something inherently wrong in a society that does not protect its young. I would like all of us as citizens of Nigeria to take some time to put ourselves in Ochanja’s shoes and to vow “never again”. This isn’t a case of hoping and praying that it does not happen to you as we like to do. We do have unrealistic expectations of our children sometimes without considering their ages and development and individual ability. I see children under the age of 13 on the streets hawking wares on behalf of their parents/charges with no thought of the danger they face daily from road accidents, kidnapping, and various types of abuse, physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. There was an incident which occurred some years ago where a 9 year-old girl was consistently and systematically sexually and emotionally abused by her half older brother, his friends and the security guard! The father was always away on business leaving the children in the care of the mother. She did not notice anything was wrong with her daughter until a family friend brought it to her attention. The case was reported to the police and the girl’s father removed her from her mother’s care. Other than medical treatment, and removing her from the perpetrator no support was offered to the 9 year-old girl. The boy remained with the mother, however I wonder what support was given to him and action taken to protect other children from him. Sadly these incidents are in no way unique and occur on a regular basis without any real support for the victims and/or the perpetrators who are left to pick up the pieces. Most children who have been abused experience low self-esteem/feel suicidal and blame themselves for what has happened to them. They also find it difficult to trust anyone and if left without support and any treatment, may go on to normalise their abuse and go on to abuse other children. It is very important to ensure that children who suffer abuse are offered treatment which could be in the form of psychotherapy/counselling/cognitive behavioural therapy and specialised counselling for the perpetrators and those involved with supporting them. There are some simple steps/actions we can take which I would outline below and hope that you would find these helpful. If we start from the premise that no parent would knowingly harm their child then there is scope for everyone to learn/re-learn some behaviour. It is imperative to understand your children as individuals and to teach them to also understand the concept of stranger/danger and body safety. As parents there are some steps we can take to help our children navigate the world around them. Over 1.8 billion children breathe toxic air daily – WHO One of the first things to do is spend quality time with your child/children individually and together. To do this you need to spend quality time with your child means and be “fully present”. By this, I mean, not being on the phone and/or watching TV for example. It also doesn’t need to take hours on end. The simple act of putting your phone down or stopping whatever you are doing to concentrate for 10 minutes or more with your child makes a huge difference. It shows your child that you care about what they have to say to you/it shows you are actively listening and that you respect them as individuals and guess what, they respond the same way when you want to talk to them too. Children model what they see and hear around them so it is important that you also let them know when you are busy and agree a time to talk. It is also important that you reassure your child that they can talk to you about anything/nothing is off limits and that you will hear them out without judgement. Now I know this can be challenging especially when we live in a culture that is mostly patriarchal and there are things that are considered an “abomination” to discuss with your children or vice versa. Thankfully with the rise in social media and exposure to different cultures on television some of these issues are no longer as hidden. For example, discussions about boyfriends/period pain are some issues some parents still don’t want to hear about. Hearing about your child telling you about having a boyfriend or finding someone cute helps you to understand some of the pressures/values they have and what other children in their school or friends are preoccupied with. It is the opportunity for you to gently advice your child on what options they have and to encourage them to know that you will be there to guide and support them. Let us also be aware that abuse thrives in an environment of fear and lack of openness and most abusers are familiar faces, people you know, uncles, family friends, religious leaders/aunties/relatives/people in authority, etc. Because these people know that if a child says something to their parents/teachers no one will believe them as they are “Children” “seen and not to be heard” they continue to abuse and maltreat children with impunity. The children themselves are aware that they live in a society where they are marginalised and voiceless then feel scared to say anything. One of the best things anyone can do for their child is to encourage them to have a voice, to have them know that they can have opinions and that these are valued as much as the next persons. Teach your child to know that no topic of discussion is off limits with you. Let them know that they need to trust their instincts and if it does not seem safe then it probably isn’t and they need to leave the environment. Crisis brews over Amapetu succession in Ondo Observe your child’s behaviour when they are around people. Does he or she feel unhappy when that uncle/aunty comes around? Do they make excuses on why they do not want to say hello? For babies, does the baby cry a lot or look distressed when this particular aunty/uncle is around or plays with them. Let your child know that their bodies are sacred and private to them. No one should ask to see or bath their private parts when they are old enough to bath themselves. Does that family member/friend/stranger have an unusual interest in your child which you don’t feel comfortable with? Call it out! A friend spoke of how an uncle, a family friend would ask to carry her on his laps and then start fondling himself and her whilst she was sitting on his laps. She recalls he would do this whilst her parents were present though discreetly and because they would be absorbed in the conversation they would not notice. She was 7 years old at the time! She would recall not wanting to say hello to this man when he visits although at times because he visits bearing gifts, sweets and biscuits she would go to him. It was only when an aunt visited and noticed she was uncomfortable whenever this particular family friend visited and asked her directly why she was fidgeting did she say he was touching her inappropriately. The aunt immediately informed the girl’s parents and they confronted the family friend who denied this happened. They haven’t been friends since then. This young woman is one of the lucky ones with an aunt who noticed what was going on and parents who believed her and made sure the man never came round the house again. Most accounts I have heard and seen have ended with the victim being further traumatised as the parents don’t believe them when they tell them what has occurred. They also continue to have the person visit the home. Catholic church split over abuse scandal gravity It is too painful and embarrassing for parents to hear a child has been abused or is abusing another child, making it a hidden issue and perpetuates the problem. Until we have open and honest conversations about abuse and the impact nothing will change. The impact on our children and society will be huge as they grow up dysfunctional accepting that abuse is normal and okay. It is not normal. There has to be a system leadership change in our country as these things are often left to individual families and at best churches, mosques to deal with in isolation. Most of these are not equipped to address the issue. We need to acknowledge as a society that abuse does not happen in isolation and takes place across all sectors of society in different guises. The change has to start with all of us. We can start having the conversation our homes/school, workplaces and religious institutions as safeguarding should be everyone’s business. Every school/public and religious institution should have safeguarding policies and procedures put in place and which are reviewed periodically. Safeguarding training should be provided to all staff and children taught about safety, who and what to do if they have been abused.
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/safeguarding-young-people-to-adulthood/
To every child – I dream of a world where you can laugh, dance, sing, learn, live in peace and be happy’ – Malala Yousafzai Ngozi Onwuanibe is a UK registered social worker with over 15 years operational and strategic experience in the UK public and voluntary sector specialising in safeguarding (Child protection) children and family support. Ngozi also develops and offers safeguarding and leadership training to schools/individuals and organisations. Nigerian youths The season of joy is upon us with Christmas and the New Year round the corner. As ever, Nigerians remain optimistic about the future and what it holds for everyone. Whilst we look forward to this, I would want everyone to consider what it must be like for the average child/young person living in the country. This is a country where we profess to love our children yet have no major plans as a government on ensuring that they have access to basic amenities – consistent electricity/gas/good roads/education/training. The education system we previously had, which although had its own issues, was much better than what we currently have, which is largely private and unregulated. In western societies, there are safeguards put in place to ensure children feel safe and secure in their environments including school and at home. However, due to deprivation and limited job opportunities many parents work long hours and away from home. They mostly have to rely on others to care for their children. How then do they ensure that they provide the necessities for the family whilst keeping their children safe at home with strangers and/or family caring for them or whilst in school boarding or day? There was an unfortunate incident recorded in the papers some weeks ago where a young child, 13 year-old, Ochanya Ogbanje, was repeatedly raped by her charge, Andrew Ogbuja, a lecturer with Benue Polytechnic, Ugboko and his son, Victor. The response by the man’s wife was to send Ochanya back to her parents and only when there was an outcry from the public did the police and authorities take appropriate action. Unfortunately, Ochanya never recovered from the prolonged physical injuries and trauma she sustained and lost her life as a result. As a human being, a woman, what would make a mother and wife treat another woman’s child this way? What would make her accept the actions of her son and husband? What kind of role model was Mr Ogbaja to his son, wife and other children? Why did he and his son think that it was okay to abuse Ochanja, in this way? Father of 11 commits suicide over missing N600,000 church money in Delta We all as a society need to ask ourselves why we knowingly or unknowingly are complicit in fostering an environment in which children are abused by adults responsible for them and why we allow this to happen. There is something inherently wrong in a society that does not protect its young. I would like all of us as citizens of Nigeria to take some time to put ourselves in Ochanja’s shoes and to vow “never again”. This isn’t a case of hoping and praying that it does not happen to you as we like to do. We do have unrealistic expectations of our children sometimes without considering their ages and development and individual ability. I see children under the age of 13 on the streets hawking wares on behalf of their parents/charges with no thought of the danger they face daily from road accidents, kidnapping, and various types of abuse, physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. There was an incident which occurred some years ago where a 9 year-old girl was consistently and systematically sexually and emotionally abused by her half older brother, his friends and the security guard! The father was always away on business leaving the children in the care of the mother. She did not notice anything was wrong with her daughter until a family friend brought it to her attention. The case was reported to the police and the girl’s father removed her from her mother’s care. Other than medical treatment, and removing her from the perpetrator no support was offered to the 9 year-old girl. The boy remained with the mother, however I wonder what support was given to him and action taken to protect other children from him. Sadly these incidents are in no way unique and occur on a regular basis without any real support for the victims and/or the perpetrators who are left to pick up the pieces. Most children who have been abused experience low self-esteem/feel suicidal and blame themselves for what has happened to them. They also find it difficult to trust anyone and if left without support and any treatment, may go on to normalise their abuse and go on to abuse other children. It is very important to ensure that children who suffer abuse are offered treatment which could be in the form of psychotherapy/counselling/cognitive behavioural therapy and specialised counselling for the perpetrators and those involved with supporting them. There are some simple steps/actions we can take which I would outline below and hope that you would find these helpful. If we start from the premise that no parent would knowingly harm their child then there is scope for everyone to learn/re-learn some behaviour. It is imperative to understand your children as individuals and to teach them to also understand the concept of stranger/danger and body safety. As parents there are some steps we can take to help our children navigate the world around them. Over 1.8 billion children breathe toxic air daily – WHO One of the first things to do is spend quality time with your child/children individually and together. To do this you need to spend quality time with your child means and be “fully present”. By this, I mean, not being on the phone and/or watching TV for example. It also doesn’t need to take hours on end. The simple act of putting your phone down or stopping whatever you are doing to concentrate for 10 minutes or more with your child makes a huge difference. It shows your child that you care about what they have to say to you/it shows you are actively listening and that you respect them as individuals and guess what, they respond the same way when you want to talk to them too. Children model what they see and hear around them so it is important that you also let them know when you are busy and agree a time to talk. It is also important that you reassure your child that they can talk to you about anything/nothing is off limits and that you will hear them out without judgement. Now I know this can be challenging especially when we live in a culture that is mostly patriarchal and there are things that are considered an “abomination” to discuss with your children or vice versa. Thankfully with the rise in social media and exposure to different cultures on television some of these issues are no longer as hidden. For example, discussions about boyfriends/period pain are some issues some parents still don’t want to hear about. Hearing about your child telling you about having a boyfriend or finding someone cute helps you to understand some of the pressures/values they have and what other children in their school or friends are preoccupied with. It is the opportunity for you to gently advice your child on what options they have and to encourage them to know that you will be there to guide and support them. Let us also be aware that abuse thrives in an environment of fear and lack of openness and most abusers are familiar faces, people you know, uncles, family friends, religious leaders/aunties/relatives/people in authority, etc. Because these people know that if a child says something to their parents/teachers no one will believe them as they are “Children” “seen and not to be heard” they continue to abuse and maltreat children with impunity. The children themselves are aware that they live in a society where they are marginalised and voiceless then feel scared to say anything. One of the best things anyone can do for their child is to encourage them to have a voice, to have them know that they can have opinions and that these are valued as much as the next persons. Teach your child to know that no topic of discussion is off limits with you. Let them know that they need to trust their instincts and if it does not seem safe then it probably isn’t and they need to leave the environment. Crisis brews over Amapetu succession in Ondo Observe your child’s behaviour when they are around people. Does he or she feel unhappy when that uncle/aunty comes around? Do they make excuses on why they do not want to say hello? For babies, does the baby cry a lot or look distressed when this particular aunty/uncle is around or plays with them. Let your child know that their bodies are sacred and private to them. No one should ask to see or bath their private parts when they are old enough to bath themselves. Does that family member/friend/stranger have an unusual interest in your child which you don’t feel comfortable with? Call it out! A friend spoke of how an uncle, a family friend would ask to carry her on his laps and then start fondling himself and her whilst she was sitting on his laps. She recalls he would do this whilst her parents were present though discreetly and because they would be absorbed in the conversation they would not notice. She was 7 years old at the time! She would recall not wanting to say hello to this man when he visits although at times because he visits bearing gifts, sweets and biscuits she would go to him. It was only when an aunt visited and noticed she was uncomfortable whenever this particular family friend visited and asked her directly why she was fidgeting did she say he was touching her inappropriately. The aunt immediately informed the girl’s parents and they confronted the family friend who denied this happened. They haven’t been friends since then. This young woman is one of the lucky ones with an aunt who noticed what was going on and parents who believed her and made sure the man never came round the house again. Most accounts I have heard and seen have ended with the victim being further traumatised as the parents don’t believe them when they tell them what has occurred. They also continue to have the person visit the home. Catholic church split over abuse scandal gravity It is too painful and embarrassing for parents to hear a child has been abused or is abusing another child, making it a hidden issue and perpetuates the problem. Until we have open and honest conversations about abuse and the impact nothing will change. The impact on our children and society will be huge as they grow up dysfunctional accepting that abuse is normal and okay. It is not normal. There has to be a system leadership change in our country as these things are often left to individual families and at best churches, mosques to deal with in isolation. Most of these are not equipped to address the issue. We need to acknowledge as a society that abuse does not happen in isolation and takes place across all sectors of society in different guises. The change has to start with all of us. We can start having the conversation our homes/school, workplaces and religious institutions as safeguarding should be everyone’s business. Every school/public and religious institution should have safeguarding policies and procedures put in place and which are reviewed periodically. Safeguarding training should be provided to all staff and children taught about safety, who and what to do if they have been abused.
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/safeguarding-young-people-to-adulthood/
A lucky survivor of a ghastly accident has narrated how he escaped death
in an accident caused by alleged bribe-seeking police officers in
Nkalagu, Enugu State. Read post by Mazi Ogbonna, a UNN graduate and
linguist: "I came out from this bus today alive. I was sitting behind
the driver. I was the last person to board the vehicle. I was to sit at
the front seat amidst the driver and other man sitting on the
passenger's seat but the driver told me my legs are too long I should
sit behind. I insisted. But went to ease myself, upon returning, someone
else sat there, I sat behind the driver. Getting to Nkalagu, something
happened. My hands are trembling to type right now. But two things I
must talk about: First, Peace driver is not to be blamed but Nigerian
Police Force. They caused the accident. They were chasing tipper to
collect money, which failed brakes and smashed our vehicle on motion and
pushed it to another truck loaded with stones which hit us from front
and tumbled. The stone buried a man called Emmanuel right there in front
of my poor eyes. Shovels were used to pull stones away to save him, no
way. We were helpless in the bus as everywhere was locked up...I saw
blood everywhere. I saw what seemed to be my end. But my prayer every
morning has been "let what God allow in my life happen, I will take
everything, anything I see". I Iooked around and saw people as helpless
as I was. I wanted to help them but I couldn't help myself. I saw a man
trapped by the seatbelt. Those at the front rows are crushed. Driver's
arms are broken. I screamed, out in pain, all windows locked. From the
shattered glasses, I peeped out my head....waving for help but it seemed
not coming. People were running away. Fuel was leaking. It could be set
ablaze. My legs were trapped and my head out...I never knew I was on
top of a man screaming for help, looking for ways to escape
death—untimely death. I could have helped him but my senses weren't
intact. I was to save my life. I was weak and tired. My psychology has
ran to the state of imbalance. I flew out of the vehicle...how that
happened I can't tell but I know that my head is safe. Could it be my
head that landed on the well-tarred road or my leg, or hands? Whichever
way, I ran far away leaving my bag which contained serious documents,
my international passport....my two phones were lost out in the vehicle.
The screaming and cries of the people filled the air. Emmanuel was not
found yet. Emmanuel was untimely buried by the stones heaped on
him. Maazi Ogbonnaya ran far away, his phones weren't there with
him...his bag too. But in all, I have just a little bruise on my leg.
Policemen who caused the accident turned to smokes and disappeared. A
good Samaritan drove me to Enugu. Second: Thank you Jehovah for saving
my life. You are always there for me. What might have been the fate of
the poor widow who hugged her son this morning with smiles and fade him
goodbye? What if...? For now I can't talk more but I am alive. Nothing
happened to me. No bone is broken. I am cool. That is my picture after
the accident. The shattered truck you see here hit us. A doctor is here
to treat me. 
The post Photos:
Survivor narrates how bribe-seeking policemen disappeared after causing
ghastly accident while chasing truck driver in Enugu
A group of Nigerians have petitioned the Federal Internal Revenue Service FIRS, demanding the 2015 and 2016 tax receipts of former Vice President now Presidential candidate of PDP in 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar.In the letter signed by the duo of Nelson Ekujumi and Solomon Sobade, the group said information at their disposal shows that Atiku did not pay his Personal Income Tax for several years and only ran to the FIRS in April this year to pay the back-log of only his 2015 – 2017 taxes to meet up with the requirements of INEC.Atiku's campaign organization is yet to react to this allegation.Read the petition letter below Friday, November 16, 2018The Executive Chairman,Federal Inland Revenue Service,Revenue House,20 Sokode Crescent,Wuse Zone 5,Abuja. Dear Sir,REQUEST MADE UNDER SECTION 1 (1) AND (2) AND SECTION 4(A) OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT:REQUEST FOR THE 2015 AND 2016 TAX RECEIPTS OF ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKARWe are Nigerians committed to enthrone honesty and integrity in public office and the sustenance of true democracy.It is in this regard that we write to you under Section 1 (1) and (2) and Section 4(a) of the Freedom of Information Act to make available to us the 2015 and 2016 Personal Income Tax receipts of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 Presidential elections.Information at our disposal is that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar DID NOT PAY HIS Personal Income Tax for several years and only ran to the FIRS in April this year to pay the back-log of only his 2015 – 2017 taxes to meet up with the requirements of INEC. Hence, in filing his INEC forms, he only produced his receipt for 2017 tax which was paid in April, 2018. Kindly find attached his INEC forms with only his 2017 tax receipt. HE DELIBERATELY OMITTED TO ATTACH HIS 2015 AND 2016 TAX RECEIPTS.As someone who continuously says he is interested in getting Nigeria and its economy working again, it is important Nigerians know whether he has been paying his Personal Income Taxes AS AT WHEN DUE.Consequently, we request for his 2015 and 2016 Tax receipts to ascertain whether he paid his taxes AS AT WHEN DUE.TAKE NOTICE that you are to meet our demands within SEVEN (7) working days of the receipt of this letter.TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that if you fail, refuse and/or neglect to do so, we shall be heading to court to compel you to so do.Thank you.Yours faithfully, _______NELSON EKUJUMINational Coordinator ______SOLOMON SOBADEMember
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The 2018 Soul Train Awards held at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas on Saturday night, with celebrities like Justine Skye, SZA, Tisha Campbell, Tichina Arnold, Erykah Badu, Faith Evans, Stevie J, Normani, Amber Riley, MC Lyte and many others in attendance.Here are some red carpet photos from the event. 
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President Buhari has once again kicked against the opposition party, PDP's plan to return to power come 2019.While speaking to a group of South East leaders who paid him a courtesy visit in the presidential villa Abuja, President Buhari said although the forthcoming elections should not be a do or die affair, he will never support the opposition party to rule the country.“Let anybody lead this country but not the PDP. They (PDP) were so reckless with the resources of the country. The state of infrastructure we inherited was terrible – no roads, the railway was killed and power. They lacked conscience because anybody with a conscience will not do what they did. We will report them to Nigerians.” he saidSpeaking further, President Buhari said“We will not get tired of speaking about the golden opportunity Nigeria lost during 16 years of the PDP. We earned money, which we didn’t use. If you ruin the economy, send your children abroad to get education; won’t they come back? I said it 30 years ago that this is the only country we have. We must stay here and salvage it together''.The post 
Below is a statement from the presidency listing all the remarkable successes President Buhari has made in the power sector.With less than 100 days to the next round of elections, the polity is already charged with so much toxic contents flying back and forth in the media space. People are therefore forgetting to talk about the wonderful things happening in the country. But there should never be a time we should stop talking about where this country was in 2015 and where it is now, in terms of development:~From 2015 till date, the Buhari/Osibanjo-led government of change has succeeded in increasing power generation, transmission and distribution in the country and there are facts to back up these claims.~Power generation was 4000 megawatts in 2015, it has now increased to 7000 megawatts.~Power transmission was 5000 megawatts in 2015, it has now been increased to 7000 megawatts.~Power distribution has increased from 2,690 megawatts in 2015 to 5,222 megawatts in 2018.~The government is in fact in the process of delivering additional generation from Kaduna, 215MW; Afam IV, 240MW; Kashimbilla, 40MW; Gurara 30MW, and Dadinkowa, 29MW.~Nine universities and 15 markets across the country have been lit up by the power distribution drive of the Ministry of Power.~The construction of one big hydro-power plant of 700 megawatts in Zungeru, Niger state has reached advanced stage.~Another mighty hydro power plant in Mambilla, Taraba state with a capacity to generate 3,050 megawatts is under construction.~90 transmission projects are also going on nationwide with Apo, Mayo Belwa, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Odogunyan and Ejigbo being the recently completed ones.~In the area of distribution, 100 injection sub-stations and a distribution expansion programme to be funded by the Federal Government are now in an advanced state of procurement.~The evidence of the progress recorded in the power sector under President Buhari is captured in the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Report for Q2 of 2018, which shows a growth of 7.5 percent.The post 
Singer, Runtown, has gotten himself a pet Lion and he took to Instagram
to show off the animal, but several celebrities including Davido, Phyno,
Simi and others are not having it due to the fact the pet Lion might
become brutal when it grows up.See their reactions and watch video of
the pet Lion and Runtown together below.
View
this post on Instagram Say hi to my pet Lion. What should we
call him? A post shared by Soundgod (@runtown) on Nov 17, 2018 at 2:30pm
PSTThe post 
bukun Awosika who is the first female Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria
Limited and owner of upscale furniture company, The Chair Centre Group,
says she sees nothing wrong in a woman kneeling for her husband, and
that she can kneel before her husband, Abiodun Awosika in the presence
of 10 million people because he is her husband. Her statement comes
amidst social media debates on whether it is right for a woman to kneel
before her husband.Read excepts from Awosika's interview with The Nation
where she spoke on joggling her family, her sprawling career and also
kneeling before husband.Many career women find it difficult coping with
their homes. In all these, how do you juggle between your roles as a
mother, wife and career?In life, you decide on those things that are
important to you, because as a woman I have all my visions and dreams
and I want to achieve them. I want to also be a successful mother to my
children and I want to be a successful wife to my husband; once I am
able to balance it up, it will make a successful home. All we need is
understanding. And we need a balanced home to have the right atmosphere.
I also apply wisdom most of the time because the day my children matter
most to me, I create time for them. The day it is my husband that
matters, I create the time. The same goes for my work. If not,
everything will crumble and that is why I need to measure the percentage
of attention I give to them and that is why I can’t advise another
woman on how to run her family because it is your circumstances that
determine your kind of action; my home is different from any other home.
I am happy to be married to the best man.How has this rubbed on your
success? No matter what you think I am, in my house, my husband, in
spite of my achievement, is the head of the home. Whatever I am today, I
can kneel down before my husband in front of 10 million people and it
would mean nothing to me because he is my husband. The secret of Ibukun
Abiodun Awosika’s perfect marriage is empowering and inspiring her
husband every day. And of course, the mutual support and love must be
presentThe post 
Campaigns for preisdential candidates in all the political parties
will commence today November 18th. A statement from INEC says political
parties that have fielded a candidate for the 2019 election can begin
campaigns for their candidates starting from today. The statement added
that campaigns for governorship candidates and State Houses of Assembly
will commence 1st December 2018.The 2019 Presidential and National
Assembly elections is slated for Saturday, 16th February, while the
Governorship and State Assembly/Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council
elections will hold on Saturday, 2nd March 2019.The post 
Today November 18th, Peter and Paul Okoye of the now disbanded music
act, PSquare, are celebrating their birthday. Putting aside their
differences, their older brother, Jude shared this baby photo of them on
his IG page as he wished them a happy birthday.
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Despite the crisis rocking APC in Imo State, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu arrived
to rousing welcome in Owerri after a successful APC Stakeholders meeting
in Abuja. On ground to welcome him were multitudes of Imo
indigenes. See vidoes and photos below...
View
this post on Instagram Despite APC crisis in Imo State, massive
crowd comes out in support of Ugwumba Uche Nwosu at Sam Mbakwe airport
(Photos)A post shared by The One (@dignoromeristrum) on Nov 18, 2018 at
12:09am PSTThe post 
