Bishop Oyedepo named the world’s richest pastor

Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith World Outreach Ministry, has been named the world’s richest pastor with a net worth of $150 Million.

According to US website, richestlifestyle.com, Bishop Oyedepo is “a prosperous pastor, who owns private jets and homes in the US and the UK.”

In the list also are 4 other Nigerian Pastors, bringing the number to 5 pastors from Nigeria included in the publication.
Below is the list of the top ten richest pastors in descending order:

10. Joseph Prince – Net worth: $5 Million (Singapore)

8. Chris Okotie – Net worth: $10 Million (Nigeria)

8. Matthew Ashimolowo – Net worth: $10 Million (Nigeria)

7. T.B. Joshua – Net worth: $15 Million (Nigeria)

6. T. D. Jakes – Net worth: $18 Million (United States)

5. Billy Graham – Net worth: $25 Million (United States)

4. Creflo Dollar – Net worth: $27 Million (United States)

3. Benny Hinn – Net worth: $42 Million (United States)

2. Chris Oyakhilome – Net worth: $50 Million (Nigeria)

1. David Oyedepo – Net worth: $150 Million (Nigeria).

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Ebola: First US patient is dead

The first Ebola patient diagnosed in United States, Thomas Eric Duncan is dead.

Duncan’s demise was announced by the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on Wednesday.

“It is with profound sadness and heartfelt disappointment that we must inform you of the death of Thomas Eric Duncan this morning at 7:51”, the hospital said in a statement.

“Mr. Duncan succumbed to an insidious disease, Ebola. He fought courageously in this battle. Our professionals, the doctors and nurses in the unit, as well as the entire Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas community, are also grieving his passing”, the statement said.

Duncan, a Liberian man who had traveled to Texas to visit family, was the first person to contract the disease while in the U.S. and became the first person to die of the disease in the U.S.

He had been in isolation at the hospital in Dallas since September 28.

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See List of Richest African Presidents, Pres. Jonathan No. 6

The richestlifestyle.com has come up with a list of the richest African presidents and our dear President Jonathan is No. 6 on the list. Here’s how they reported it on their website.

Africa is the second largest continent in the world. It is also world’s second most populous continent and regarded as the poorest continent. There are 47 nations in Africa, led by different leaders who have been ruling for several decades. Some of these leaders and their families are very rich and their wealth are considered ill-gotten. They make their wealth from natural resources of these nations through the creation of companies under the names of their families. Here is a brief overview of the richest Presidents in Africa. Continue below...

The 9 Richest African Presidents and Kings as of 2014:

9) Robert Mugabe – Net Worth: $10 Million
Country: Zimbabwe, Years in Power: 26

Robert Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. His net worth is estimated to be around $10 million. The dictator’s family is very wealthy. Mugabe has won many elections, although frequently these have been criticized by outsiders for violating various electoral procedures.

8) Idriss Deby – Net Worth: $50 Million

Country: Chad, Years in Power: 23

Idriss Deby has been the President of Chad since 1990. His net worth is estimated to be $50 million. Towards the end of August 2006, he made international news after calling for his nation to have 60 percent stake in its output after receiving crumbs from foreign companies running the industry.

6) Goodluck Jonathan – Net Worth: $100 Million

Country: Nigeria, Years in Power: 4

Goodluck Jonathan is the President of Nigeria. His net worth is estimated to be around $100 million. He launched a “Roadmap for Power Sector Reform”, launched the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria and launched the Transformation Agenda. He is a member of the ruling “People Democratic Party”.

6) King Mswati III – Net Worth: $100 Million

Country: Swaziland, Years in Power: 28

The 15th richest royal in the world, according to Forbes Magazine. Mswati III is the King of Swaziland. He is worth more than $100 million; down $100 million of his 2012 ($200 million) fortune. The King has often been criticized for his lavish spending. In 2009 summer, several of his 13 wives reportedly spent over $6 million in a shopping spree. In the 2014 budget, parliament allocated $61 million for the King’s annual household budget, while 63 percent of Swazis live on less than $1.25 per day. His luxury car collection include a $500,000 Daimler Chrysler’s flagship Maybach 62. And has banned the photography of his cars.

5) Paul Biya – Net Worth: $200 Million

Country: Cameroon, Years in Power: 31

Paul Biya has been the President of Cameroon since November 6 1982. His estimated net worth is around $200 million; this figure was published by the ForeignPolicy.com. Around 48 percent of the citizens of Cameroon live below the poverty line. Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development (CCFD) and several on-and-offline media has placed him in the list of leaders with ill-gotten wealth. In 2009,  French online newspaper, Rue 89, reported the Cameroon President’s vacation was the top most expensive among world leaders. More than that of the American President. He was criticized for spending 30,000 euros ($40,000) per day on renting a villa.

4) Uhuru Kenyatta – Net Worth: $500 Million

Country: Kenya, Years in Power: 1

Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta is the President of Kenya and the son of Kenya’s first President, Jomo Kenyatta. In 2011, Forbes estimated his net worth at $500 million. Most of his wealth comes from property. With his family, the President owns stakes in Kenya’s largest dairy company Brookside Dairies, media company Mediamax, Heritage Hotels, Commercial Bank of Africa and hundreds of thousands of prime Kenyan land. He is regarded as man of the people due to his sociability. During his inaugural speech, he promised economic transformation through Vision 2030, free maternal care and unity among all Kenyans.

3) Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo – $600 Million

Country: Equatorial Guinea, Years in Power: 34

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is the President of Equatorial Guinea. He came to power in August 1979 by ousting his uncle Francisco Macias Nguema in a military coup. He has overseen the emergence of the nation as an important oil producer, beginning in 1990s. This President and his family literally own the economy, his personal fortune exceed $600 million, according to Forbes Magazine. In October 2011, the United States government seized $70 million assets of his son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue. Though Equatorial Guinea is Africa’s second richest nation, majority of the population actually live under the poverty line.

2) Mohammed VI of Morocco – Net Worth: $2.5 Billion

Country: Morocco, Years in Power: 15

Mohammed VI is the current King of Morocco. He is also the country’s leading businessman. He is worth more than $2.5 billion, according to Forbes. The King ascended to the throne following his father’s death in 1999 and he immediately set about improving upon his appalling human rights record and alleviating poverty.

1) Jose Eduardo dos Santos – Net Worth: $20 Billion

Country: Angola, Years in Power: 34

Jose Eduardo dos Santos is the President of Angola. He has held on to this post since 1979. His personal estimated wealth exceed more than $20 billion, according to Cabinda Online. While around 70 percent of Angolans live on less than two dollars a day. His daughter, Isabel dos Santos is among the Forbes Africa’s billionaires with a net worth of $3.8 billion. She’s currently Africa’s richest woman and also the world’s richest black woman.

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APC begins sale of forms to all aspirants; presidential aspirants to pay N27million – See full list

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rolled out guidelines for the 2015 general elections.

The process, which begins with the sale of expression of interest forms, commences today.

The party’s timetable, which was adopted at the last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, stipulated that collection of the forms would close on October 19, while collection of nomination forms would commence the same day and end on November 16

Presidential election-

Those aspiring for the presidential ticket of the party are expected to pay N27 million for both forms (expression and nomination).

Governorship

Incumbent governors, who wish to run for a second term will pay N10.5 million, while fresh aspirants will pay N5.5 million.

Senate

For the upper chamber of the National Assembly, sitting senators will pay N5.3 million; fresh aspirants will cough out N3.3 million.

House of Reps

Members of the House of Representatives who intend to return, will pay N3.2 million, while fresh aspirants will pay N2.2 million.

State Houses of Assembly

In the 36 States, sitting lawmakers of Houses of Assembly are expected to pay N800, 000, while fresh aspirants will pay N550, 000,

“Members shall vote by secret ballot at a special national convention which shall be convened for that purpose, collation of results shall be made and the winner announced accordingly”, the party stated.

For the governorship primaries, those to vote are all members of the ward executive committee from the federal constituency/senatorial zone; all members of the local government executive committee from the local government areas in the state; all members of the state executive committee; and all members of the national executive committee from the state.

The guidelines also showed that screening of presidential aspirants would commence on November 10 and be concluded on November 12.

Hearing of the appeals will hold on November 13 and 14. The national convention where the presidential candidate of the party will emerge has been scheduled for December 2.

The screening of governorship aspirants will commence on November 10 and end on November 12, while appeals will be attended to on November 13 and 14.

The governorship primaries will hold on November 15, with consideration of the appeals slated for November 18 and 22.

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10 Sure Ways of Satisfying A Woman In Bed

10. Give her breasts more attention

Lots of guys pamper a woman’s breasts during foreplay but forget about them during the main event, which is a shame because the extra stimulation can lead to a bigger orgasm for her. Plus, it’s important to pay attention to more than just her nipples, since her entire breast is packed with nerves, especially the underside. When she’s on top, use your fingertips to draw wide, slow circles, starting around the perimeter of one breast and spiraling in until you’re just about at her nipple. Then use your hand to cup and lift the underside of her breast, and lick around her nipple before covering it entirely with your mouth and sucking gently.

9. Give her a G-Spot orgasm

This much-talked-about area is located about 2 inches inside her vaginal canal on the front wall. Some docs say it’s spongy and the size of a dime, but it can be hard to feel, so just stimulate that general area during sex and you may give her a more intense orgasm. To hit it with your penis, try modified doggie-style. Instead of having her keep her arms straight with her palms on the bed, ask her to lower herself onto her elbows. Holding her hips for balance, thrust slowly at first and then up the intensity. With each stroke, your penis will rub against the front wall of her vagina, stimulating that special spot.

8. Surprise her with a quickie

When you jump her out of the blue, it makes her feel like she’s so irresistible that you simply can’t wait to have her. Right when she gets home, pull her in for a deep kiss to get her going. Relieve her of any bags she’s carrying and lead her to the couch, bed, or kitchen table, where you will have already stashed a bottle of lube nearby. Don’t totally undress her; just lift up her skirt or pull down her pants. Then use your lubed fingers to massage her clitoris while whispering how hot she is in her ear. The more aroused you are, the faster she’ll get into it. (Of course, there will be times when she’s not game. If that happens, let it go and try another night.)
7. Gently pull her hair

There are thousands of nerves in the scalp, and when she’s aroused, they’re more sensitive, so pulling on her tresses feels extra stimulating. But there’s a catch: If you do it while you’re having sex with her from behind, it’ll make her feel like you’re treating her like a hooker. Instead, while she’s on top, run your hand through her hair, grab a handful of strands close to her scalp, and give it a little pull. This works especially well when you’re having intense, passionate sex, because grabbing her anywhere, especially somewhere sensitive, adds to the feeling that she’s being ravished.

6. Talk dirty to her

Women are verbal creaturesand our love of words extends to the bedroom. Unfortunately, most of what you may have heard guys say in porn is all wrong (Ask “Who’s your daddy” and you just might get a slap across the face). What your partner does want to hear are phrases that let her know how turned on you are, how much you love her body, and how good you want to make her feel (see this month’s CFG Sex Map for more tips). And even more important than what you say is the way you say it—when she can hear the burning lust in your voice, her thighs pretty much catch on fire.
5. Nibble on her neck

The skin that stretches from underneath her ear to her collarbone is very thin, making it supersensitive to touch. Start out by using your tongue to lick from her ear down to where her neck and shoulders meet. Then blow along the trail you just left. The warmth of your tongue coupled with the coolness of your breath will shoot tingles all over her body. After that, get a little more aggressive, and lightly nip the bottom of her neck (the skin is slightly thicker here and can take more pressure). You should suck on her neck too, but for just a second and not hard enough to leave a markhickeys are so high school.

4. Bring her to climax with oral

A luxurious oral-sex session allows her to kick back and enjoy being spoiled. (Sound familiar?) But different techniques may feel more or less pleasurable to her on different days. To figure out what’s going to work best for her each time, be sure to use a variety of moves. Try licking softly, sucking, and using a firm, pointed tongue and then a wide, soft one, and take note of which she responds to the most enthusiastically. When you sense that she’s about to orgasm—her body will tense up and she’ll start breathing more quickly—go back to the move that elicited the biggest moans, and continue doing it until she climaxes.

3. Touch her hot spot midaction

Most women can’t orgasm during intercourse without clitoral stimulation, which is probably why so many want more of it! Whenever your hand can reach her clitoris (girl-on-top and spooning from behind are two great positions for access), you should rub her hot spot. Your touches should be slow and soft in the beginning, progressing to harder and quicker. When it comes to technique, every woman is different, so you have to experiment: Try one finger pressed directly on her clitoris, three fingers over the entire area, or the heel of your hand on her pubic mound—her moans will tell you when you have it right.

2. Kiss her during sex

If you’re like most guys, once intercourse starts, you probably stop kissing her. That’s a bad move, since kissing makes sex feel more intimate for her, which is crucial to female pleasure. Pick a position that allows you to be face-to-face, like missionary, or have her sit on your lap, then mix up your smooches so they mirror the mood of the sex you’re having. If you’re going at it like gangbusters, pull her in for a deep, tongue-filled kiss—try sucking on her bottom lip and pressing your lips firmly against hers. When things are slow and romantic, go with a more sensual kiss.

1. Be more aggressive

The number one thing women want is for you to be more aggressive in bed. That means handling her body with strength and confidence, which can be insanely erotic for her. And it doesn’t require a lot of work or advanced skills on your part. In fact, doing just one take-charge thing can spike her arousal level. A few to try: In missionary, take her wrists and hold them above her head, pinned to the mattress. When she’s on top, hold her hips and push/pull them back and forth, so her clitoris grinds against your pubic bone. And when you want to change positions, don’t do it slowly or politely—grab her and put her where you want her.

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The Things Nigerian Women Do To Find Husbands

3% of Nigerian women are undisturbed by their lack of a spouse! The other 97% would do just about anything to become Mrs. Somebody”. As we read on, we are going to see some rather unorthodox things Nigerian women will do in their quest to bag a husband! Some are bizarre, some are skanky and some are downright sad but if you are willing to try anything and getting a husband is the only activity left on your bucket list, you might want to try a few! (Men beware).
In no particular order:

1)Snatching a friend or relation’s man.
All is fair in love and war! Rumor has it that women have resorted to locking their phones, hiding their men and coding their gist from so-called friends because it’s a jungle out there.

2)Re-inventing themselves.
Pretence is the order of the day. No man wants to tame the shrew or teach the inexperienced or make an honest woman out of a dishonest one so once marriage is desired, women package themselves in pseudo, ready-made, easy-to-use, highly desirable packages. After marriage, what you see is what you get!

3)Trapping with pregnancy.
This used to be the old school method of getting a man to propose. From skipping the pill to seducing the man or getting him drunk when she was ovulating, a woman usually knew she had the man
where she wanted him once she missed her period even if there was no commitment. Now the guys are saying YES to baby mamas and YES to child support. Are the girls deterred? NO! The girls have
stepped up their game by involving the parents and you know parents don’t like scandals

4)Praying & Fasting.
This would presumably be an honorable means of obtaining a husband but sometimes the prayers are offered up to deities other than God & other times it becomes a song permanently.
Taking his photograph to Cele church for a prophetess to pray over or a powerful Alfa. Heard it works like charm. Taking his sp*rm, hair or personal effects to Babalawo. Guys, disposing of your condoms yourself is not such a bad idea.

5)Outright Jazz!
My friend recently gisted me about how a tied up, live pigeon had been discovered in a friend’s sister-in-law’s box. The woman confessed to using jazz and said she hadn’t been sure if the guy would actually propose so she took the necessary precautions.

6)Putting love potion in his food!
This is classic and timeless but shouldn’t it be called a compelling potion? Because in this case, love na by force!

7)Proposing to a guy!
Yes it does happen (Who wears the engagement ring?) Toasting a man’s family so they make the decision for him! A friend complained that a girl he detested had over the months gotten close to his
family. Lavishing on them, cooking for them and basically being their go-to girl and now his mum had put her foot down that he had to break up with his girlfriend and marry little-miss-went-home-to-
mama depending on how much power the family wields, their word may be final. Asking daddy to get them a husband! If daddy’s a big shot, arranging a husband for you is usually as easy as pie and some men would sell their souls for a large chunk of daddy’s money so both parties are happy.

9)Being the man’s maga!
Some women believe that when you finally get a man to be interested in you, spoiling him and overlooking his every fault would get you into a white gown faster than an okada. Some men don’t mind a woman who houses them, clothes them, feeds them, gives them pocket money, never gets upset with them even when they misbehave and cleans up after them with little or no contribution from them living the dream

10)Giving him unlimited freedom.
Tell me I am number one baby; tell me I am the future mother of your kids and not Amina, Bisi or Ngozi. Women used to want to be the one AND ONLY in their man’s life, now being the number one is
good enough.

11)Polishing up a low class, barely educated brother in exchange for a ring!
The deal is simple, you send your cleaner, gateman or driver to night school, you give him language lessons, you take him to buy some new clothes and deodorant and teach him to call you honey instead of madam and in exchange, he gets to marry you, share an expensive bedroom and never worry about his bills ever again!

12)Revamping you.
Change your wardrobe, lose 20kg, buy a truckload of Brazilian hair, study the karma-sutra, do an angioplasty and change the age on your birth-certificate to read 22. Botox, plastic surgery, a compulsory gym membership and a body magic also indicated!

13)Becoming a worker in church!
Rumour has it that men go to church to marry, the same rumour also reveals that Greeters Ushers and Lead Soloists have the best exposure. Praise the Lord!

14)Moving to a new town or part of town
This always peaks the men’s interest and at the same time you get to run away from your past and the old maid labels!

15)Going for deliverance
Going for deliverance from a spirit husband and sowing a big marriage seed in church! Giving your possessions to the poor, giving a sacrificial offering or just giving one thing to God that would make you weep.

16)Abandoning hopes, dreams and ambitions! I

’ve heard people say that women looking for a prince charming live unrealistic dreams, virgins are old-school, overly educated women are proud, rich women are not submissive, ambitious women are conceited, women with demanding jobs won’t have time for their families, women who want a faithful man are deluded and women who don’t get pregnant before wedlock have something wrong with their plumbing! So forsake the masters, don’t even dream of a PhD, quit your job, give away all your money and surely a husband will come.

17)Outright Desperation
And if all the above fails, they marry a married man!
He could be your friend’s husband, your sister’s husband, your cousin’s husband, your colleague’s husband, even your mother’s husband if possible. Can you blame these women? The average guy has commitment
phobia or is out to play till he is all spent before he settles down or is waiting to make his first 5 million before saying I do. Even a man with no future ambition or class, much less finances still knows he
could have his pick of the best women out there, once he announces he is looking to settle!
”The last census showed a female-dominated demographic with more women per eligible bachelor.
Family and society constantly put the woman in hot water making her personal successes irrelevant till she bags a man”.

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Pastor arrested for giving teenager concoction that lead to his death.

The police in Delta State have arrested a court registrar, Pastor Jonathan Ojigbo in connection with the death of a teenage boy, Evi Samson at Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area.The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the arrest on Saturday, told Punch
”One Samson Uwhemw of Erovie quarters, Ozoro reported at the Police Station Ozoro, that on September 28 he took his son – Evi Samson to one Pastor Jonathan Ojigbo of God Solution Ministry Ozoro, who is also a Registrar in a Magistrate Court in Delta State for prayers.
And that the said Pastor gave his son a black concoction to drink, following which his son developed swollen head and eyes in the night of the same date and later died on September 29.On receipt of the report, detectives swung into action and arrested the said Ojigbo. The suspect claimed that what he gave the deceased was a battle of coke.Items recovered on searching his house include some charms from his shrine behind the church.”

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World First As Baby Is Born From Donated Womb

A mother from Sweden has become the first woman to give birth after receiving a womb transplant.

Her baby boy was born last month according to the Lancet, which describes the delivery as a breakthrough for infertile women.

The 36-year-old woman, who has not been identified, was born with healthy ovaries but no uterus - a condition that affects one woman in every 4,500.
But thanks to the donation of a live womb by a 61-year-old "close family friend", doctors were able to harvest eggs from the recipient's ovaries for fertilisation and cryogenic freezing.

A year after the pioneering transplant, doctors introduced a single early stage embryo in to the womb; a pregnancy test three weeks later was positive.

The baby was delivered by caesarian section at 31 weeks after the woman developed preeclampsia.

But despite the boy's premature birth, he weighed a healthy 3.9 lbs (1.77 kg) and doctors say mother and baby are both fine at home.

Liza Johannesson, gynaecology surgeon at the University of Gothenburg, said: "I think it can have major impact, huge impact, because it actually gives hope. And it gives hope to those women and men also, of course that thought they would never have a child."

Doctors in Britain are among those planning similar operations from next year, potentially helping thousands of British women in the future.

However, Professor Mats Brannstrom, team leader of the Uterus Transplantation Team at the University of Gothenburg, who led the research and delivered the baby, said this won't be a routine surgery "until many years yet".

"It depends on the results of coming research studies on the same subject," he said

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PDP Chieftain Bags Life Imprisonment For Rape Of Pregnant Woman [Read Shocking Story]

Obafemi Kolawole, a political associate to Chief Ganiyu Oladiran, a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain in Ilesa, was on 23 September 2014 convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with whipping for rape, PM News reports.

The said Obafemi was alleged to have on 15th September 2007 raped an Action Congress of Nigeria (now All Progressives Congress) member (Tosin Ajakaye, who was pregnant as at the time of the incident) after the 2007 gubernatorial election in Osun state.

Kolawole was charged before the State High Court sitting at Ilesa, on a two-count charge of rape and indecent assault contrary to Sections 358&360 of the Criminal Code cap 34, Vol II, Laws of Osun respectively in the case of The State Vs Obafemi Kolawole HIL\2c\2009.

At the trial, the prosecutor narrated her ordeal that on 15th September, 2007, the convict and his cohorts, who are not police officers came to arrest her at her house at about 7:30 p.m. for an unknown offence. On sighting them and knowing their antecedent in the vicinity, she took to her heels. The convict pursued, caught up with her and beat her up. Having overpowered her, he stripped her naked and raped her.

“When my cry for help became unbearable, he covered her mouth. Unfortunately, those living in the same compound with me had gone to Mosque because it was the period of the Muslim fast. Thereafter he bundled me into a waiting jeep to join two other men whom I found in the same predicament as mine,” she said.

She later explained that they were driven to the home of Chief Ganiyu Oladiran, a PDP chieftain, and tied to a tree where the trios were mercilessly flogged. She said Kolawole later untied her and plucked out her pubic hair, put it in her mouth to swallow with dry gin, and thereafter went ahead to insert a tin opener into her vagina and as well poured dry gin all over her body. There he raped her again.

Lawal Sikiru who testified as ‘prosecutor witness 2′ corroborated her story. He said he was one of the two naked men in the waiting jeep; the other was one Gbadamosi Lasun. He stated further that he had earlier on received his own share of beating, and bundled naked into the jeep belonging to Chief Ganiyu Oladiran when Ajakaye was brought in naked. He confirmed that the trio were driven to Chief Ganiyu’s house and tied to a tree where they were mercilessly beaten and the content of dry gin was poured all over their body.

According to him, Ajakaye was untied by the accused who plucked out her pubic hair, inserted a tin opener into her vagina, and as well went ahead to pour dry gin in her (vagina) and then sought the consent of the Chief to have sexual intercourse with her.

The chief consented and she was taken to the boot of the jeep from where they heard her shouting for help.

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US send medical experts to study how Nigeria contained Ebola

The United States’ Center for Disease Control and Prevention is impressed by the effective methods Nigeria has employed to contain Ebola.
Following the discovery of the first case of Ebola Virus diagnosed in the United States, the CDC has sent its staff to study how Nigeria contained the deadly disease.
A statement released by CDC Director Tom Frieden stated that Nigeria’s “extensive response to a single case of Ebola shows that control is possible with rapid, focused interventions.” In addition to visiting Nigeria, CDC officials will also visit Senegal to study its containment model.
“The best practices in Nigeria and Senegal suggest the U.S. should monitor all individuals who may have been exposed to Ebola and establish a dedicated management and response system,” Frieden said.

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Anguish, as Apapa gridlock returns

LAGOS—After about a month of relief from the traffic gridllock on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, petrol tankers and container-laden vehicles, that were major culprits, are back in full swing, as motorists and other road users have, in the past three days, been subjected to torture on the road.
Meanwhile, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, yesterday, decried the resurgence of gridlock caused by indiscriminate parking of tankers and other heavy duty trucks on the expressway, inflicting untold hardships to hapless Nigerians.

raffic congestion on the Berger axis of Oshodi-Apapa expressway due to reconstruction of the road
When Vanguard visited the scene, the entire road had fuel tankers parked on both lanes of the dual carriageway, leaving no room for other road users.
Some of the motorists, who spoke to Vanguard, said the traffic was subjecting people to untold suffering as hoodlums take advantage of the situation to rob them.
Narrating his experience, a road user, Amos oyedeji, who said he had been in the traffic for about four hours, lamented that the Apapa situation had gone completely beyond control as previous interventions by Lagos State government had yielded no meaningful result.
He said: “This traffic is all the way from Sanya. I had to find my way to Agboju to make the journey easy. On getting there, I realised that Agboju was also blocked. Now, I have been in this traffic for the past four hours.
“This journey should not take more than one hour. The Apapa traffic right now is beyond anybody. It’s only the Federal Government that can salvage the situation. It is understan-dable that Lagos State government has done its best.
“It is a complicated situation because even if you ask that the tank farms be moved, what about the ports? As a matter of fact, only the Federal Government can decide what should happen on this road.”
Another motorist, who simply identified herself as Juliet, said the pain people go through just to travel a short distance was unimaginable.
‘I might sleep here’
She said: “It is incredible what people pass through here. I have spent more than two hours just to move from Mile 2 to the customs outpost in Otto Wharf and I am going to Apapa later.
“It is obvious I may have to sleep here and then proceed with my journey later tomorrow.”
She further decried government’s failure to address basic challenges confronting the country which, she noted, had snowballed into economic losses for the country.
Juliet said: “As for what can be done, I do not know about the Nigerian government. This government has deep problems. This country is without light or road.
“How can we ever expect foreign investors to ever come here and invest to address the problem of unemployment plaguing this country?
“I do not think there is hope. With this kind of bad management and purposeless leadership, how can we ever hope to get out of our mess?
“This road, for instance leads to Apapa, a place that generates billions of dollars for the government, yet the government cares so much less about its condition.”
Hoodlums on the prowl
On his part, Anthony Alagba, a company driver, lamented that being in the traffic during the day was even bearable.
He said as soon as night falls, hoodlums swoop on hapless motorists and other road users at night.
According to him, “I was here Tuesday last week, around 9:30p.m. Since the traffic was not moving, some thugs approached me and ask me to wind down the louvre. When I refused, they broke the left side door window and collected my purse containing money.
“When they were leaving, one of them broke my vehicle light. When I got to the office, I was asked to pay.”
Maritime workers react
Meanwhile, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, has decried the resurgence of the gridlock on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.
President-General of the union, Mr. Anthony Nted, who spoke in Lagos, lamented that the gridlock had exposed motorists and other road users to attacks, robberies, harassment and intimidation by hoodlums.
He called on the concerned agencies of government, especially security operatives, to live up to their responsibilities to the citizens.
Nted, who spoke during activities marking his 54th birthday on October 1, reminded the government of the agreement it reached with the union over the menace of tanker drivers and other heavy duty trucks on the expressway, the state of access roads to Lagos ports, tank farms, among others.
He urged government to fulfill its part of the agreement to avoid the union’s reaction.
According to him, “we cannot continue to live like this where some people will take law into their hands and violate the rights of others to use the road.
“We cannot continue to pretend that all is well when in actual sense, some people have decided to deliberately inflict pains, suffering and disrupt business operations of others.
“We cannot understand why tankers and other articulated vehicles are parked indiscriminately on the expressway, preventing other motorists and road users from usage of the road, while law enforcement agencies appear helpless.
… on agreement with FG
“We had an agreement with the Federal Government to find a permanent solution to the menace of tankers and other heavy duty vehicles on Apapa/Oshodi Expressway, which leads to tank farms located in Apapa, the ports, among others.
“The government appears to be reluctant in meeting its part of the agreement. We only suspended our planned industrial action and we will not hesitate to renew our ultimatum should government fail to immediately restore sanity on Apapa/Oshodi Expressway.
“Maritime workers and other Nigerians, working in Apapa and its environs, must be allowed to do their legitimate businesses without hindrances.

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Shekau says I’m alive’ in new video; We killed him DHQ insist

Barely two weeks after the military announced that it has  the Boko Haram commander, who had been posing as the sect leader, Abubakar Shekau, the Islamic sect yesterday released a new video of Abubakar Shekau, who claimed he was alive and  challenged the military to produce evidence he was killed.
The Defence Headquarters, in its immediate reaction, however waved aside the purported new video of Abubakar Shekau, insisting that the impostor, Mohammed Bashir, who had been posing as Shekau was killed by Nigerian Soldiers in Konduga on September 17, as corroborated by still photographs, video evidence, as well as terrorists, who were either captured or surrendered

A screengrab taken on October 2, 2014 from a video released by the Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram and obtained by AFP shows the leader of the Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau. Shekau dismissed Nigerian military claims of his death in a new video obtained by AFP on October 2
A screengrab taken on October 2, 2014 from a video released by the Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram and obtained by AFP shows the leader of the Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau. Shekau dismissed Nigerian military claims of his death in a new video obtained by AFP on October 2
Distinct resemblance with previous Shekaus
It is not clear when the footages in the new video were recorded but the man that appeared in the 36 minutes video had all the features of the Shekau that appeared in most of the previous videos released by the sect, including his looks, beard, pattern of dressing and speaking among others.
“I hereby put to lie the claim that I was killed,” Shekau said, amidst thunderous shout of  Allahu Akbar “Allah is great” from his well armed lieutenants.
He claimed that his fighters shot down the  Alpha Jet (NAF 466) belonging to the Nigerian Air Force which was reported missing by the Defence Headquarters.
The aircraft, with two pilots on board, reportedly left Yola at about 10:45am on 12th September 2014 on a routine operational mission  but did not return. One of the pilots was shown in the latest video stating that their aircraft was brought down by “fighters of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah.”  The wreckage of the aircraft with the insignia of the Nigerian Air Force was also shown.
The pilot, who said he does not know the where about of his colleague  was thereafter assaulted with an axe by an executioner who dressed in military fatigue.
In the video, Shekau said he had gone far in ensuring that Sharia Law was strictly observed in his “Islamic Caliphate” and showed footages in which a man “convicted of adultery” was stoned to death.
The right hand of another man accused of “stealing” was chopped off while an unmarried young man and a young lady “convicted of fornication” were given 100 lashes each.
Shekau boastfully said, “I challenge you, I challenge you. You even said I was killed. If you kill me, does that mean you kill (the) religion? You are not honest. You have no proof, you have nothing to say.
“Here I’m, alive. I will only die the day Allah takes my breath. The wish of Obama will not kill me, the wish of Francois Hollande will not kill me, the wish of Benjamin Natanyahu will not kill me, the wish of Ban-ki Moon will not kill me, the wish of Queen Elizabeth will not kill me, the wish of the infidels of the world will not kill me, not to talk of Jonathan, not to talk of Kashim (Shettima), not to talk of Bra-Bra (Yobe State governor Ibrahim Geidam). Nothing will kill me until my days are over. Do whatever you want to do. If you think what I’m doing is not the truth, even if you don’t fight me I will crumble,” he said.
The Defence headquarters however in a statement posted on its website, said, “As far as we are concerned, the individual who was appearing in video and claiming to be the leader of the terrorist group was killed in the Kondunga battle in September.  The resemblance of the corpse and that of the eccentric character was incontrovertible. His identity was equally corroborated by people who knew him before we announced his death.”
The statement titled ‘The Purported Shekau Video in Circulation is as follows; “The Defence Headquarters is studying the claims made in the video purportedly released by the terrorists showing their leader Abubakar Shekau as dismissing his death.
“From immediate observation and what some online news outlets claimed to have seen, the video did not indicate when it was shot neither did it show any proof of life or currency such as screen time or date.  The video also did not make any reference to anything that has happened since the impostor’s reported death.
“It is also noteworthy that the air plane said to be mentioned in the video had been missing before he was killed. It should not surprise anybody if the terrorists decide to manipulate pictures, clone another Shekau or upload a pre-recorded video all in a bid to prove invincible.
“While still conducting thorough investigation into the new claims in the purported video, the military promised that justice will be served to whoever bears that name or designation and whoever engages in act.
Anger in the military
Also, independent investigations by PRNigeria revealed that there is anger within the military hierarchy at the propensity of some news media especially foreign based ones to fall for the antics of Boko Haram propaganda.
“This is because in view of glaring evidences shown in still and video photographs coupled with oral testimonies of surrendering and captured terrorists, some media outfits still help in the spread of propaganda that Bashir Mohammed alias Abubakar Shekau is still alive.
A top source in Abuja however told PRNigeria that the new video purportedly released by “Abubakar Shekau” was still being carefully studied but urged Nigerians to continue to have confidence in the ability of their military to contain terrorism in parts of the country but keep strict vigilance on their environment so as to report suspicious activities to appropriate authorities.
Shekau’s death stalls Chibok girls’ freedom—insider source
Although the nation has celebrated his demise, the death of Shekau will not necessarily end insurgency in the North, a Boko Haram insider source has told Vanguard.
The source, who has been deeply involved in series of negotiations to free the Chibok girls, confirmed to the paper that the killing of Shekau by the military had also stalled negotiations for the release of the 219 Chibok school girls being holed up by the sect.
The source described the botched negotiations between the government and the sect leadership as having broken down irretrievably.
The source said, “I think this particular phase of the negotiations has irretrievably collapsed. It is sad. Boko Haram  had internal challenges that complicated their positions and  negotiations  cannot proceed in such circumstances.
“Shekau or his impostor’s death is a significant blow to the terrorists, but the war is far from over.
Asked to give an idea when the girls would be freed, the source explained that he did not know but quickly warned against the use of force to free them.
“We cannot assume that securing the girls will come through force alone. There must be room for a negotiated release. And so also is the bigger question of ending the insurgency.
“I am confident we can win the battle against terrorist, because if there is one country that can defeat a war against islamic terrorism it is Nigeria and our military can.
“The issue is really how to achieve peace and harmony for the affected communities that Boko Haram  is currently drawing its recruits from. If we do not begin engaging them in time for a negotiated end, then a military victory alone will never restore peace, which is crucial for reconciliation, demobilisation, reconciliation and development.”
But he made it clear that the involvement of northern leaders was crucial in ending the cycle of violence being perpetrated by the sect in the region.
He said: “Only the northern political and religious elite can save Nigeria of this scourge because whether they admit it or not, it was created with the complicity of some amongst them and to serve interests they espoused politically, even if most of them would want to distance themselves from the group today.
The insider admitted that President Jonathan’s refusal to use force to clear the militants was actually disarming the sect which had wanted to use its tactic to plunge the country into a religious war that would have been more disastrous if they had succeeded.
“Ironically, what most people blame President Jonathan for, is indeed what has saved Nigeria from even greater calamity. President Jonathan’s patience, tenacity and slowness to anger, unlike his predecessors, is largely responsible for holding the country together.
“The larger intention of Boko Haram was to draw the entire country into a religious war after growing in strength and intimidating its initial funders, backers and political benefactors who are  muslims and predominantly from the  north .
“Watching Boko Haram’s most deadly terrorist acts, its effective propaganda machine and dealing directly with representatives of the group during recent negotiations for the release of the Chibok girls, I remain steadfast in my conviction that most of the group’s financial and material support comes from within Nigeria, even if channelled through contacts abroad.
It was learnt from another source that the breakdown of the deal on the Chibok girls was responsible for  President Goodluck Jonathan’s silence on the crucial mater during his Independence Day broadcast on Wednesday morning.
The discussion on the girls’ release had broken down two weeks ago when Boko Haram representatives insisted on the release of 18 of its commanders being held in various prisons by the government in exchange for only 30 out of the 219 girls.

Courtsey: Vanguard Newspaper

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