Teen gives birth, walks to hospital
Umbilical cord still attached during the trip — baby is fine
The Associated Press
updated 12:32 p.m. ET, Sun., May. 4, 2008
LONG BEACH, Calif. - A 17-year-old girl gave birth secretly at home, then walked four blocks to a hospital with the baby still attached by its umbilical cord.
"I was just a little nervous" when the labor began, Xochitl Parra said Friday from St. Mary Medical Center as she cradled her 8-pound, 3-ounce son, Alejandro.
The boy was normal and "eating like a champ," said Dr. Jose Perez, director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The teenager said she was alone and taking a shower around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday to get ready for school. Then the contractions took over.
"I felt his head coming, so I sit down and pushed so he could come out," she said.
Couldn't call 911
Parra did not call 911 because the home phone was disconnected, and she did not want to wake the neighbors because it was so early. Instead, she wrapped the baby, got dressed and went to the hospital on foot.
"I started walking and jogging to the hospital," she said.
The teen came into the hospital lobby and asked for help, Perez said.
"She still had the placenta and the baby was still attached, so of course everyone said, 'Don't move!'" he said.
Perez praised the girl for taking quick action.
"They could have bled to death; thank God that didn't happen," the doctor said. "She was very clever. She knew what to do. She wrapped the baby up and walked over here."
Pregnancy kept a secret
Parra, a sophomore at Long Beach Poly High, said she had kept her pregnancy a secret because she was afraid her mother would "kick me out of the house." Her mother has now accepted the situation and is going to help the teen care for the baby so she can continue attending school, Parra said.
Perez called the outcome "heartwarming."
"We hear so much negative with teenagers throwing their babies in the Dumpsters," he said. "This baby is fine, and hopefully there will be a happy ending with the extended family."
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Court rejects Moji Obasanjo’s application to bar journalists [Read Article]
Go and clear your name –CAN challenges Obasanjo [Read Article]
Adeola Balogun
Comments:
Obasasao is a thief definately we all know, immediately he became president all Yoruba's back out because we know his precedence and they never supported him. he's just a bad man right from his days as a soldier. but dudu's comment of him being a yoruba man and yuruba's are thief is quite unfortunate we all know he sorrounded himself with his cronies who are Yoruba's Ibo's and Hausa's to loot the treasury . so tribal issues does not come in here. Dudu you are not suppose to be a public commentor
Posted by: Timmy , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Dudu, i can only say may God guide u to understand what u are doing. I'm not Yoruba but i'm not happy the way took things personal with yorubas. If u are better than yoruba, what have u done to move Nigeria forward? i'm a TROPICAL HAUSA MAN, but i bet u, we have pple like IBB, ABDULSALAM, ATIKU, and lots of others that u know, who steal more than those mention in ur comments. i'm not defending them but i don't want u to focus on one tribe & leave others. Every tribe has thieves.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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CAN, kudos to you for making that call. He proclaim to be your member I believe thats what necessitate that call. If all religious leaders do their work well either in churches or mosques, Nigeria would have gone far beyond where we are now! We've got what it took Dubai to be where they are now. God bless Nigeria.
Posted by: Anza , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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dudu you obviously lack home training or you would not be using the words you sued in public. you are way below the level of debate we are having. I am Yoruba and i don't steal. i have never done a government contract and will never do one. i am proud of my country and have met great minds from all over the country. you are inconsequential in God's great plan for Nigeria. it will happen in your eyes. God bless Nigeria. try finding people on your low level to discuss tribalism with.
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Its time for Nigerians to take up arms against the criminal Yoruba race, who have looted the nation and caused the masses so much suffering and misery.
Posted by: dudu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Iyabo Obasanjo is a typically dirty and ugly Yoruba lady with stinking pussy and thieving criminal habits. EFCC should arrest her and sentence her to death by firing squad.
Posted by: dudu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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i like to see the logic in everyone's reasoning. Osas please can you tell me how dividign into 3 will solve our problems. please tell me how it will end hunger and poverty and lack of jobs. Henry my brother you have a rigth to be bitter. this country has failed us but people make countries and democracy has worked well in many countries so why would we just want to throw it away in less than 10 years of continous democracy. despite how bad OBJ was, our best times were in democracy.
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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If its not dirty Iyabo,it is Kenny martins, or Bode George, or Patricia Etteh, or Tafa Balogun, or Grange, or Bunmi Oni, or Obasanjo himself, or Kupolokun etc etc. These Yoruba's are a bunch of dirty thieving criminals.All they know how to do is steal, steal and steal. Their looting of Nigeria has pushed many poverty stricken Nigerians into crime, and turned others to refugees abroad.
Posted by: dudu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Yoruba's are the biggest thieves in that country. Look at how Obasanjo and his Yoruba gang of criminals have wrecked Nigeria in only 8 years.
Posted by: dudu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I think this is the time to divide Nigeria into 3 parts. Lets be real. It is too diversified for the cowards called leaders to MANAGE
Posted by: Osaretin , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Debo,a stitch in time saves nine.from all indications it is clear that the way we practise democracy in nija is different from the way its being practised by the manufacturer(US).so why dont we quickly make a u turn and try other form of governance b4 it is too late.dont u know that our rulers use democracy to loot with impunity?peopl get killed everyday cos of poverty.must we continue to experiment.will a child that is born 30 years ago into this imbroglio eccept further experiment.
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Gogo, please correct your salutation. Say good morning Naija. LET UNITE AND MAKE NIGERIA GREAT.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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anon, please for the first TIME try and remove this nortion of one tribe is better than another in Nigeria. People make tribes. We all have the same blood group & genotype,same hearts, same brains etc. Or is all the member of your tribe borned with different blood from the other tribe. For every tribe, there must be hypocrates. I'm a Hausa man but i will never in my life support a Hausa man when he is wrong. i believe in person rather than tribe. Please be HORNEST.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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henry, let's be factual. for how long have we practiced democracy? we just have the 1st civilian transfer of power. how can you say it has failed. women and blacks did not get to vote for a long time in America. this system gives us the best chance to win and we can win the battle within the rules. it takes action and not words. we must also address real issues. i don't think democracy is the problem. i think our cowardice and non participation gives them the guts to take us for a ride.
Posted by: debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Confederation is not bout tribalism or ethnic bigotry.the issue is dat we have tried militocracy and democracy.why dont we try another one. are u insinuating that we sld continue to destroy people just bcos we want to remain 1 nija.dont u know that a child that is born in nija and does not have a shelter,food,education,etc can never be proud of nigeria.a lot of nigerians if given the previledge would naturalise as an american or a briton without pondering over it twice.so wats the essence.debol
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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all Yorubas good morning!!!!
Posted by: Gogo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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anon so my being yoruba made you sick. just by my name you have judged me already. what a shame. with people like you we will forever live in chains. those chains are in our minds. which of us chose which tribe or country he was born into? how do you judge this way? this is the evidence that we are far from civilisation. a day will come when people will be jailed for uttering comments such as yours. it is racist for you to judge me by my tribe. shame on you
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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DEBOLA, you are day-dreaming. Stop Pontificating for the YORUBA is Known for their Hypocritical wavering and Dithering.
Posted by: anon , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Henry now we are addressing the issues and that's what we need to do. we have issues and they can be tackled but we can't run away and think going to our respective tribes will solve it. Even in our respective villages there are oppressors. We must begin to address our real issue. We teach our people to know that the power no longer lies with the politicians but us. We don't need guns. Our revolution is of the mind. If get our people thinking right we can win. I believe in Nigeria. We can do it.
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Countries that thrives with democracy as a form of governance do so cos the people who are being governed know the meaning and consequence.how many people know the meaning of democracy in nija.from 1945-2007.we have not produced up to 500 thousand graduates out of 140 million population.majority of the people are ignorant of wat is happening hence they are helpless.yet u are saying we can practise democracy like america.wen u see people selling their vote 4 a spoon of rice.debola think
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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God bless you Bade Regul. here in the US i meet people who are averagely less intelligent than Nigerians yet they can come together and build a great country. God did not make a mistake when he made me a Nigerian. I did not choose to be Yoruba. i am Nigerian first and foremost and i pray we all see that. it is the only way we are ever going to build the country of our dreams. All these divisions send us backward. our parents failed, we can't afford to fail
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Pleaseee NIGERIANS, what have we achieve with tribal sentimens and religious intolerance. SARDONA,AWOLOWO & ZIK try it they couldn't succeed. Why can't we try loving one another base on being NIGERIANS rather than being HAUSA, YORUBA, TIV, IJAW or MUSLEMS, CHRISTIAN or FREE THINKER. God knows why we are call Nigerians. Afterall, nobody choosed which part of Naija he or he could come from, prior to his or her birth. We all found ourself in where we are. Let THINK TWICE & BUILD NIGERIA. GOD BLESS.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Henry i live in the US and yes the younger generation of whites vote for Obama becuase they can see there is no future in the divisions but how about you and me? we are the next generation and you are still seeing me as a yoruba man. where is our progress? Obama does not win uneducated white votes but the new generation is showing they want to move beyond that. when will you and I know that we are one and the same? you hit the nail on the head for me brother. tribalism is backwardness. think sir
Posted by: debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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for the mere fact that america consist of people from all walks of life does not mean they are not 1.a vivid indication of this is in the light of the present political development in the US where u see a black demonstrating support for a white candidate and vice-versa.this is so cos they are civilised enough to know the left from right.education is a vital aspect of civilisation,how many people have access to quality education in ur area.are we going to wait perpetually for god sake.think debol
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Henry i ask again. how tribe is responsible for corruption? we have a police force that is not well equipped and cannot function. The countries we envy have different cultures and if we want to be like them we should study what made them progress. do you think creating a confederation will just wipe out corruption? Which tribe does not steal? which is the innocent tribe in Nigeria? it is a shame on the black man that we cannot tolerate each other based on tribe and yet blame whites for racism
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Henry America is not 1. i live and i know there are many divisions between races and cultures black/white and white/Hispanics and Asians and all. They try to forge ahead to build a country. Why are smaller countries in Africa not better than Nigeria? Please articulate your points and show me how tribe is the problem. Corruption in Nigeria is worse at the local govt level and state level. is that a product of the tribes in the local govt's? Please stop living in the stupidity of our parents time.
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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progress can only be achieved if there is accountability on the part of our leaders,how do we achieve accountability wen they whole system is corrupt.all over,all u hear is corruption.we are only abusing democracy,lets go for confederation and see the eyes of the thieving leaders.most of the leaders hide behind democrasy to plunder the country.immagine the expenses on senators,ministers,house of reps,etc and none is functioning.lets try other form of government 4 d sake of the next generation.
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Debola,americans are 1 yes we all know,can that be your justification for saying nija is 1?.u must be a jester.from ur name i know u are a yoruba man.if this is so, then try and take a trip to a place like kotangora in the north and shout eriwo yah and see the way they would stone u.or go to iboland and say umofia kwenu,b4 u know it u are a goner.let stop deceiving ourselves.we can only be 1 wen all is well.let each region go and develop at thier on pace then we can re unite later.remember USSR.
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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CONFEDERATION has been offered to u lot in 1993; the offer is the only one left on the table b4 OBJ came in to paper over the crack. Like in the other areas of progress in the Country u Northerners are the stumbling block bcos you don’t want to be accountable to your beggar’s you called yr subjects. You want sharia; yet you lot are afraid of SHARIA REPUBLIC bcos of corruption which is your way of life.
Posted by: Mike Ola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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The matter is beyond whether some past leaders have clear or clear not their names but the fact that OBj has had no name to clear on the matters on ground. Obasanjo has been a big time looter ever before he came back as civilian president. Now the EFCC, ICPC and the rest are nothing but a camouflage commission to witch hunt opponent. Now the matter have blown out, OBJ sexed Moji, POwer probe, this probe and that probe all involve the Grand Commander of Nigeria Looters
Posted by: Ibraheem Ibn Yusuf Abdulmaleek , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Dauda be careful of what u wish for yrself and yr ALUMONJIRI NATION.Who is scare of Nigeria breaking up? Not MOSOP or MEND and definitely not YORUBA nation. I dare you DAUDA, ALKALI and MOHAMODU to link up with that slamming-tug Umar the fomer governor of Kaduna state to start discussion on confederation. This has been offered to u lot in 1993; the offer is the only one left on the table b4 OBJ came in to paper over the crack. Like in the other areas of progress in the Country u Northerners are
Posted by: Mike Ola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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This ugly animal called OBJ is the mother of all criminals,and all of you Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani are agents of criminals that're benefiting from defrauding the system one way or the other.U live in the comfort of illicit deals,busy operating ur under world business with ur fellow criminals,but then turn back and criticize those who have the guts to stands up for what's right and just.Who u think u re fooling after all ur dubious lifestyle u come back and sing one Nigeria,damn your one Nigeria!
Posted by: Norman George , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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People named Dauda are know for one thing - are there no more beautiful girls in your area anymore? Get occupied with those for now; we have no place for ethnic lampoon and jingoism. I hail most Yorubas for not tolerating the "ice man" from Otta.
Posted by: S. Njokede , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Punch must you continue to ridicle President Obasanjo? Is there no better picture of him in your achieves? Must you use the worst? Time will tell all things and those out to disgrace the man. Can you try this with any of the Northern past leaders? He tried, if other leaders could have done only one positive thing during their tenure, Nigeria would have been much better.Lets remain polite to one another, its a learning forum.
Posted by: margaret , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Henry how many countries in the world have only a type of people/ I live in the USA and there are divisions here. they don't talk about breaking it up. those who have stolen Nigeria's money are from all tribes or is there a particular state that is run by an outsider. tribe is not our problem. if you preach objectivity then be objective. We need good leaders but how can we get good leaders when the next generation is still soaked in stupidity like tribalism. Tribalism=backwardness=stupidity
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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CAN leaders should shot up and pray for their own delivrance.They are trying to exonorate themselves now,afterall they could not control their greed when OBJ was in power.Did they not go to Jerusalem on government ticket?Where some of them not favoured with contracts and other things?Shot up.You are even worse than OBJ,the deceptive game of religious "raiders" is up.you can't deceive anybody.How many religious raiders criticised OBJ while in office?Only pagans and atheist did.Obj is a saint.
Posted by: Basharumusa , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Am of the view dat majority of contributors in this forum are btw ages 30-50.yet we are defending people dat ve succeded in destroying our generation,wat % of graduates were employed in the last 20 yrs?.presently in US obama treads high in acceptance by people of ages btw 30-50.this demonstrate objectivity,and not an untidy support 4 thieves .if nija cannot be managed as one entity then i think it is better we resort to another way eg confederation.then we wld know watz up.WE ARE NOT 1
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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CAN leaders should shot upand pray for their own delivrance.They are trying to exonorate themselves now,after they could not control their greed when OBJ was in power.Did not go to Jerusalem on government ticket?Where some of them no favoured with contracts and other things?Shot up.You are even worse than OBJ,the deceptive game of religious "raiders" is up.you can't deceive anybody.How many religious raiders criticised OBJ while in office?Only pagans and atheist did.
Posted by: Basharumusa , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I think the very day we see our wrong attitude. That’s when this country will move forward, our problem is, we never in one day tell our brother, sister, son, daughter, uncle, father, mother, that what you did is bad amend your ways, all we can do is for us to defend
Posted by: , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Soon Nigerians will realised how important Obj is/was to them when they have finally get in touch with reality. Nigeria will never get any better leader born of woman like Obj. He is the chosen one. Yaradua could not have better Obj's record. He is the lord and saviour of Nigerians living, unborn and dead.
Posted by: The voice of the people , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Our people bad character, thank God our bad attitude, we don’t even end it here in Nigeria we expose it wherever we go, the other day, I had you guys talking about Nigerians’ in south Africa, a particular man conclude that Nigerians’ in south Africa some of them involve in criminal act , while some where trying to defend, You guys should ride on it has become a household name, with the Names’ our leaders’ label this country, can any of you walk confidently in another man country
Posted by: , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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, even within African continent once you prove your Nigerian mentality they are bound to imprison you, cus you where not borough up the way you should go no fear of God, we don’t have that fear within us even when nobody is there to correct us, and now we want to eradicate corruption sorry is too late devil as imprison us with dubious character, off cures we will always defend our brother when he feel our belle with little piece of bread, do we think about others’ no,
Posted by: no name , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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, by the way, did you guys read the body of what CAN president say or is only the head line,? Before you guys send him to prison, anyway and before I conclude I have to say a very big thank you to punch news paper and also you guys should encourage our youth to follow along with us so that they can see the good and the bad from our past and present leader
Posted by: no name , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Gentlemen, enough with the criticism. If OBJ is actually quilty of all the allegations levied against him as witnessed during the public hearings, then EFCC should invite him for questioning. The good thing about the whole drama is the public awareness it has created which goes to show in a way that our Countries Democracy is on track. The house of Senate & Rep should constitute more committees of inquiries to investigate other parastaters in office since 1999.
Posted by: OSAS , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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the greatest dreamers are those who think Nigeria will break up. we are the most sophisticated black nation on earth and the most progressive. we have made many mistakes but also made many adjustments. When we accused the north of holding power they gave it to the south-west. when the south-south screamed we gave them a VP. Look guys we have a lot of problems but we have a lot to thank God for. the language we speak is not the problem, we are. God bless Nigeria.
Posted by: debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I subscribe to the wise counsel above(name withheld) that we should address Nigeria's problem from a wholistic point of view.If Obasanjo should be probed with the aim of recovering money from him to develop all parts of the country evenly, then that is good.Nobody should talk of killing or imprisoning him,just recover the stolen money and use it evenly.Past leaders like IBB and others should be probed too.They do not need to be killed or jailed, but our stolen money recovered and well utilized.
Posted by: Ify. (Europe) , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Nigerians lets stop all these bickerings and face real facts. Tribalism which breeds corruption is condemnable. Courruption and nepotism are despicable which have contributed to the debased state of Nigeria. The question should be how do we move forward from here to meet up with MDGs. The rest of the world are flying and we are here prickling ourselves. Godbless Nigeria.
Posted by: Emeka V. , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Igbo man, when the time comes, we will see who owns Abuja, whether it is located in Nnewi or Aba, we shall see. Meanwhile, let your people continue building and developing Abuja.
Posted by: Mohammadu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Look here this hausa cows,Dauda and Alkali Abuja is not northern property. It belongs to everyone, just like Lagos. If anything, most of the private businesses and virtually all the hotels in Abuja are owned by Igbos. Even El Rufai confirmed that. So do not fuck with anyobe here. Ok?
Posted by: Igbo Man , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Alkali and Dauda i honestly want to believe you are of a new generation but your comments scare me. what makes a Yoruba different from an Hausa? i have friends from all over Nigeria. Please stop thinking in terms of tribe. it belittles you. it is for the backward. Did you chose to be Hausa and I Yoruba? This is no different from Racism and i think it is about time we have a law that sends people to jail for tribalism. I did my NYSC in Kano and I learnt a lot. Are we all not suffering?
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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If the Yoruba boast with Lagos, then the North will boast with Abuja.
Posted by: Alkali , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Nigerians I cry for you and pray for Africa as a whole.I think people like obasanjo and co should be put to a dungeon for life he is no good to the worlds and his family as a whole should be striped all there possesions.We need sanity;..Phillip
Posted by: phillip chijioke ogboogu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Compare Yoruba states that were not developed like a former capital (Lagos) and tell me what difference there is between Osun and Jigawa, or between Ekiti and Zamfara. If all the Igbos and others pull their businesses out of Lagos, it will turn to another Ibadan-economically dead. Yet Lagos has been described as a run-down city by the UN. Is that the Lagos you are proud of? If Yorubas are smart, they should develop all their states.
Posted by: Dauda , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Dauda, Small minds think in terms of tribalism. people are dicussing Nigeria but in your small world it is a Yoruba issue. I am a nigerian and i live far above your low level of reasoning i therefore cannot reduce this debate to such a low level. i would advise you all to ignore foolish rantings that bother on tribe with people like Dauda. what good has that done for Nigeria? which of our people is not hungry today. which of our towns have ligth. shame on you Dauda. we are all Nigerians period
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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It appears to me that everypne criticising OBJ today had one thing or the other they selfishly wanted and did not get because he was too rigid for them. I am yet to see a detailed analysis of OBJs Performance VS Abacha VS Babangida VS Idiagbon (W/ Buhari as deputy) VS Shagari. At least people could talk during OBj's second coming....i wonder how many had the guts to talk during Abacha's tenure... If we were to apply Rawlings style to clean up Nigeria...Blood will flow in every family...
Posted by: Olorioko , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Which Yorubas developed the west and which west are you talking about? Apart from Lagos which was the former capital and so was essentially developed with oil money from the east of Niger, which other Yoruba town is developed? Ibadan? Ogbomosho? Abeokuta? You are a ridiculous fool. Your people took their thievery to London. Go to Peckham and see how Yorubas have turned it to Oshodi. I hear you want your own Oduduwa country, the earlier you guys are sent packing the better for the rest of us
Posted by: Dauda , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obj is a disgrace to this country,and he will not go free for the evils he done to this Nation.
Posted by: Emeka JS , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obj is a disgrace to this country,and he will not go free for the evils he done to this Nation
Posted by: Emeka JS , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obj is a disgrace to this country,and he will not go free for the evils he done to this Nation
Posted by: Emeka JS , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Less pray not fight pls nigeria, God bless nigeria Amen)
Posted by: Tayo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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If Pam is giving Nigeria to rule, he will not last for one month because he is worst than OBJ. Please Pam don't use our name whenever you want to make comments like this. You are disgracig CAN. Don't mix your polical views with CAN vision. Comments of people like you brougt riots in Jos. If you want to be a politician retire from your position joint PDP. I know, you can only fit in where there is hypocrasy.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I really don't understand people, they say OBJ should defend himself against allegations made by every Obi, Musa, & Ola, when those that committed the various offences are right before them. If there are any concrete allegations against the man himself, it should be made very clear, not all this noise-making by all manner of people most seeking their own pound of flesh!.
Posted by: Okerhe O. , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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When OBJ was picked by d NORTH 2 preside over Nigeria in 1999,,The Yorubas rejected him and we never voted him 2 power but the NORTH did by rigging out Olu Falae,,,I think NIGERIA really need 2 go back to d wisdom in Gideon Orkar coup,,,The western part of Nigeria is over million years ahead of d NORTH,,,,With all d money stolen by d northern leaders,,why can't they use d money 2 develop the norhtern region,,,The YORUBAS re 2 sophisticated 2 be compared with d NORTH,,,
Posted by: David Olu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I wonderful if there ever can be any hope for Nigeria?? How could Dauda be tribalising the issue of OBJ to the point of narrowing it down to YORUBAS,,,The only tribe in Nigeria that other parts of d world re comfortable 2 relate with in Nigeria re d YORUBAS,,,In OBJ 8yrs of rule,,d YORUBAS were and still re d most critical about OBJ.Mr Dauda,U and other elites in d North go and develop d North d way YORUBA elders ve done in d WEST.The problems we re having in nigeria re caused by d NORTH
Posted by: David Olu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Dauda u are an idiot...u seem to have a way of keeping such records in a way that u refuse to metion Abacha,Roger,abdulsalami,turaki,danjuma...in your myopic mind u have seen this as an ethnic problem rather than an idividual problem..I wonder when we would start judging issues based on the people involved rather than on the race,tribe or religion.
Posted by: Banana (Europa) , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Dauda Haba!
Posted by: Abdulkareem , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obj has truly represented the Yoruba well. What he did is what every other Yoruba person will easily do. Remember Tafa Balogun, Ehindero, Bode George, Iyabo, Kenny Martins, Grange, Etteh, Bunmi Oni (cadbury) Rufus Giwa (Lever Brothers), Tunde Lemo, Omowunmi (WEMA bank), Pastor Akanni (INEC) and others too numerous to mention. Corruption and thievery runs in their blood. I urge every other Nigerian to stay away from Yorubas or else they corrupt you with their evil and greed.
Posted by: Dauda , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Which name does the saddist have? If a man can go mad as to be having sexual affairs with his daughther-in-law, what else remmains for him in term of good name? In fact, I can see why the old 'play boy' wanted to stay put at Aso Rock.The man looks very haggard and much aged these days.Can somebody advise him to go for medical check-up? Anyway,I think I know his problem.Despite the billion naira he has,there's no peace for him.Of course,he had murdered his peace during his last term in office
Posted by: kayode ayegboyin , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Pam is not truthful leader. Because OBJ refused to allow him to kill innocent muslem in plateau stat, that is why he is shouting BABA to go and clear himself uninvited. Has Pam clear his name when they accused him of planning and exercuting many evil in the name of CAN. Allow BABA to rest. We expect you to bridge the gaps you created between muslems and christians communities in plateau state. Don't talk on Baba again. Baba has done his best.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Alabi Opeyemi Bamidele:Shagari/Dikko/Ekwueme were not rogues as the left office poorer.Shagari doesn't even own a property in Abuja neither Dikko.Ekwueme sold most of his assets in 1985 to make ends meet.OBJ came in with 20,000 in 1999 and left in 2007 with 200 million shares in transcorp,30 million naira monthly income from his farms,over 20 landed properties in Abuja,a magnificient library,an educational institution from primary level to university level,a mansion in Abeokuta,etc.
Posted by: Odo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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The voice of the people,PLEASE DO NOT USE THE NAME OF THY LORD IN VAIN.DO NOT MOCK GOD. IF YOU SAID THIS IN ISLAM, BY NOW A FATWA MUST HAVE BEEN PLACED ON YOUR TINY HEAD.
Posted by: Odo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obasanjo is synonymous to Jesus Christ. The Jews did not recognised JC when they saw him. Nigerians have failed to recognised their political messiah (Obj) when he is in their mix. They have chosen to crucify him on the cross of EFCC for no just course. B/4 your own very eyes; Nigerians will set forth alters in high places and worship Obj as their Lord and personal saviour in earnest. Obj the deliverer, the lamb of God. Nigerians yet unborn will remember your good work forever and ever Amen.
Posted by: The voice of the people , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obasanjo, like any human beign, may have his weaknesses. For the sake of posterity, he deserve commendation. LET HIM BE !!!
Posted by: Prisca , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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These people wont cease to amaze me - what has IBB done to clear his name? What has the Abacha family who stole billions of dollars done to clear their name - stole and kill hundreds of people, what has Shagari/Dikko and other who plundered our economy into what it is now - what have they done to clear their names? We seem to forget so soon, havent you relaised it is people who lost face with OBJ that regularly call for him to be probed? He denied them and they want a pay back.
Posted by: Alabi Opeyemi Bamidele , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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it is a shameful act for someone to take N300million health money for their personal use. SHAME ON them all. they don't even have the fear of God, not every can afford to go abroad for medicals talkless of some private hospital in nigeria. What we need is GOOD ROAD, ELECTRICITY, HEALTH, ETC. Shame on them all. They don't go by road any more, now it's helicopter. Please, we should not be tribalistic about this issues. Shame on you OBJ, he afford to build refinery for himself. SHAME ON YOU.
Posted by: Tunde Oluwadare , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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All these Yoruba eediots defending Obj on cyber space, I urge you to be ready to defend him in Kotangora prison. Just pack your bags and get ready. All of you sons of thieves.
Posted by: Dudari , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Where are the Yoruba pastors. Some of them benefitted from Obj and where praising him to high heaven then. They have ''fakely'' kept quiet on this OBJ SAGA. Everything about them is fake and pretencious.
Posted by: Odion , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obasanjo sucesfully destroy and set Nigeria ablaze, He is a disgrace to Nigeria. l never see a leader that impose a President, Governor, Chairmen and obas unpo his people, i ve expected him to have commited suicide long-time. Thank you CAN.
Posted by: Felix , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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obasanjo is a loner.he must end up a GONER.a FERAL BEAST hated by his family, hated by his clan, hated by his village, hated by Ota people, hated by YORUBA, hated by Ogun state, hated by AFENIFERE, Hated by ODUDUWA, Hated by Nigeria and Nigerians, hated by OGBONI members, hated by Africa, hated by the WORLD. he is now HATED by CHRISTIANS and MOSLEMS. he MUST be hated by GOD.Obasanjo is a recluse, a loner, with MORBID and RABID MENTALITY. obasanjo is a GONER!! a walking CORPSE, a LEPER!!
Posted by: Anon , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I have always said it time without number that when Nigerians see a good leader they wouldn't recognised him. CAN has no moral jurisdiction to write off Obj's administration as a disappointment. Nigerians are benefiting from the largesse of Obj's administration. If not for Obj's reforms, I wonder what the story would have been. Obj's name is dazzling like a rare diamond so, why are you talking of clearing his name. Has IBB, Umaro Dikko and others cleared their names?
Posted by: Erastus Ogunti , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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personally and sincerely speaking,i thought that if baba still "dey kampe " as he normally claim to be and he sees that he has done everything 'right'he should boldly come out and clear his name from different attrocities that were directly linked to him,afterall he set up everything before he left for checks and balances but i do not see the correlation of CAN in this,or is obasanjo now part of CAN executives, or a memeber of CAN ?
Posted by: ojoade (japan) , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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STOP THE CRITISISM!am really disappoited in the words of the CAN president, and am very sure this are his words and not the christian generally. What he has done in the last 8yrs are all he can do and nothing more.When do you hear the islamic cleric talk evil of all evil doers that have ruled the country. Nigeria problem has not just started and what a complex country to rule.Pls let the man be, you can never do better than what he did.How often did you prayed for him wjile in office.
Posted by: adedayo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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ahaa, ahaa, i use to think when they say CAN, It means organisatn that does not join real issue with sentiments. to say obj 8 yrs is total dissapointment is a fallacy. for all his faults, OBJ is still 100times better than those that leads this country before him. indicies are there to justify. Also CAN shouldknow that running government is totally different from running church, where GOD do100% of the work. enough of this clearing and let do sth worthwhile. let prevent GOVT of today frm stealing
Posted by: tunde , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Rev Pam may have a problem with Obasanjo but he has not said anything bad against him.He said if those things revealed are true then that its unfortunate and really it will be very unfortunate.Those who may find the pleasure to insult an annointed man of God for whatever reason I will advise you to watch your tongue.This is not I know law or freedom of speech.
Posted by: Godwin , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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those criticizing Frank cannot actually see he makes more sense that they do. how can you tell a president to go and defend failed contracts? are there not people in charge of those parastatals. why do we have government structures. it shows how ignorant we are. i am not saying OBJ is clean but please let them bring out concrete evidence and stop beating about the bush. all they want to prove is we are all thieves so they will not be tried. Kalu said it already and u all are falling mugu again
Posted by: debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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The CAN call is clarion and said with a stroke of genius. OBJ should haul himself henceforward to the Panels to clear his name if there is anything left to it. He once said he was ready to die for Nigeria - this is the time he should do that good service to Nigeria. It is our rights to know what he did with our lives and fates for 8-year. Any decent person would have gone to clear their names, that is the best way to put your hands where the public can see and all speculations bygone for once.
Posted by: S. Njokede , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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What do CAN stand for?You are not better than OBJ.Have you people ever tried to protect the intrest of the Christians in this country?Where do we belong to today?
Posted by: Nwafor michael , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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The absurdities and contradictions that characterized the Obasanjo Administration were clear to many objective observers. He ruled, not as an elected president accountable to the people but as an Emperor. His brusque, rude and crude ways knew no bounds; that was why he insulted the Reverend gentleman. What did CAN do? They gave him a certificate of Excellence!!
Posted by: Olu Sanjo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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1year after we are still on OBJ and falling for the trap of these thieves. why can't anyone get concrete evidence on OBJ? i don't want what his minister did. I want to see what he did. i am convinced you will never find. where is the petrol now? you all shouted and they took refinery from Dangote.now we crucify Ribadu & a stupid judge ask Ngozi who redeemed our image to return her salary. what sort of people are we? how can we forget how bad it was in 1999. what have you done for Nigeria?
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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in which civilised country is the president directly for how his miniters and parastals carry out there functions? he may be responsible for what happened during his government but i am yet to see anyone directly link OBJ to any stealing. was he to check the CAC records of the companies? How come the thieves like Atiku and Kalu are the ones championing our cuase? i blame OBJ though becos withouth 3rd term he would have left in glory. why are we supporting the thieves? we are surely blind
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I am wondring why Obasanjo is watching his daughter refusing to appear befor the EFCC he created,I think a leader leads by example.this is unfair to those other thieves Governors been investigated by EFCC.
Posted by: osgo,Amsterdam , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Pam doesn't come across as an objective assessor of OBJ. he has an axe 2 grind with him and is just jumping on d 'crucify OBJ' waggon 2 take back his pound of flesh. and PUNCH also disappointed by equating Pam's voice with that of northern CAN. ur paper is not known 4 sensationalism or u av also joined them 2 beat them. OBJ is now d devil cos he dismantled d northern hold on power. there is more to painting him black than all these; governance is a collective responsibility.
Posted by: abbey sunny , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Mr Otorofani, i didn't know you had to be an expert to comment on issues affecting your country. And on the chance you've been living in space, even ordinary nigerians that have not been "disgraced" by Obj think he is a terrible disappointment.
Posted by: flaky , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Frank, shut up your mouth and go finish reading your law books.
Posted by: chris (New York) , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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It is very amazing that the people criticising OBJ the most are the ones that are seeking thier own pound of flesh. The other day it was Danjuma, today it is the Rev.Pam- this man contrary to what our lord preached about forgiveness has not forgiven OBJ for calling him "total idiot" after the religious riot in Jos. I hope he is not about to prove OBJ right, if he had not done so already.
Posted by: Bosun , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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"Physician heal thyself" look at who is talking.Some of these clergy men would do and say anything to be relevant.Respected and reputable people like Maduka spoke the truth yesterday. Even the clergy are misinforming ordinary Nigerians about OBJ achievements.
Posted by: Bosun , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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Baba ur leadership made nigeria to stand between shame and ridicle
Posted by: kenny , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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FRANK, if you did not have a human name I would have thought you are something from the zoo the way you reason bottom-up. I bet it is worth believing that obasanjo is born again christian as he claimed! A man who gave a way contracts to his daughter inlaw over a plate of sex and sold Ajokuta Steel to his son, and is first to benefit from farmers' agric loan even as president is worth your pride? You are either born stupid or deliberately an idiot.
Posted by: AZU , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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The clergyman just opens his mouth to pass comments on issues he's least knowledgeable in. In civilized climes novices don't just open their mouths and talk anyhow. They leave matters for the experts. In Nigeria the reverse is the case. Everyone is an expert; whether it's aviation, transportation, energy, law, banking, you name it. You defend yourself only when you're directly accused of wrongdoing. You don't go defending yourself b'cos a contractor failed to perform after receiving payments.
Posted by: Franklin Otorofani, Esq. (USA) , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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What do you expect from a clergyman that was disgraced and asked to shut up by OBJ during a peace meeting in Jos over the religious riots? He was whisked away with his tail tucked behind like a dog. Do you expect him to clap for OBJ? Negative comments coming from people like this looking for vengeance mean nothing. I pay greater attention to comments from people like Vincent Maduka who described OBJ as the "best President Nigeria ever had" in yesterday's Tribune, not some vengeful clergyman.
Posted by: Franklin Otorofani, Esq. (USA) , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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I quite don't get it why people don't get it that obj thinks he's above the law. All it takes is for you all to look into the background of the man. In 79, he helped Shagari into the presidency,thereafter, he was declared an inst. so no one can touch him when he left office. He's done the same thing again in 07. You all have to be kidding to think obj wil go and subject himself to ridicule before the senate. He's as dirty and corrupt as the rest of the crew he led...shame on you obj.
Posted by: Oluwole , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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It is better for Obj. to set himself ablaze than to give account of his 8 years of misrule.(Lawlessness) a man that did almost every thing with impunity and recycled all his dubious friends as ministers: special advisers and ended up with the most sophiscated gang of treasuary looters with him at the head. if ever he has the gut to appear in public in defence of his leadership i will conclude for the last time that what is in his brain is rotten saw dust. ur leadersip was as ugly as ur looks.
Posted by: henry , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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Focus on your calling.
Posted by: femi uk , on Friday, May 02, 2008
Adeola Balogun
Comments:
Obasasao is a thief definately we all know, immediately he became president all Yoruba's back out because we know his precedence and they never supported him. he's just a bad man right from his days as a soldier. but dudu's comment of him being a yoruba man and yuruba's are thief is quite unfortunate we all know he sorrounded himself with his cronies who are Yoruba's Ibo's and Hausa's to loot the treasury . so tribal issues does not come in here. Dudu you are not suppose to be a public commentor
Posted by: Timmy , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Dudu, i can only say may God guide u to understand what u are doing. I'm not Yoruba but i'm not happy the way took things personal with yorubas. If u are better than yoruba, what have u done to move Nigeria forward? i'm a TROPICAL HAUSA MAN, but i bet u, we have pple like IBB, ABDULSALAM, ATIKU, and lots of others that u know, who steal more than those mention in ur comments. i'm not defending them but i don't want u to focus on one tribe & leave others. Every tribe has thieves.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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CAN, kudos to you for making that call. He proclaim to be your member I believe thats what necessitate that call. If all religious leaders do their work well either in churches or mosques, Nigeria would have gone far beyond where we are now! We've got what it took Dubai to be where they are now. God bless Nigeria.
Posted by: Anza , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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dudu you obviously lack home training or you would not be using the words you sued in public. you are way below the level of debate we are having. I am Yoruba and i don't steal. i have never done a government contract and will never do one. i am proud of my country and have met great minds from all over the country. you are inconsequential in God's great plan for Nigeria. it will happen in your eyes. God bless Nigeria. try finding people on your low level to discuss tribalism with.
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Its time for Nigerians to take up arms against the criminal Yoruba race, who have looted the nation and caused the masses so much suffering and misery.
Posted by: dudu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Iyabo Obasanjo is a typically dirty and ugly Yoruba lady with stinking pussy and thieving criminal habits. EFCC should arrest her and sentence her to death by firing squad.
Posted by: dudu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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i like to see the logic in everyone's reasoning. Osas please can you tell me how dividign into 3 will solve our problems. please tell me how it will end hunger and poverty and lack of jobs. Henry my brother you have a rigth to be bitter. this country has failed us but people make countries and democracy has worked well in many countries so why would we just want to throw it away in less than 10 years of continous democracy. despite how bad OBJ was, our best times were in democracy.
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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If its not dirty Iyabo,it is Kenny martins, or Bode George, or Patricia Etteh, or Tafa Balogun, or Grange, or Bunmi Oni, or Obasanjo himself, or Kupolokun etc etc. These Yoruba's are a bunch of dirty thieving criminals.All they know how to do is steal, steal and steal. Their looting of Nigeria has pushed many poverty stricken Nigerians into crime, and turned others to refugees abroad.
Posted by: dudu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Yoruba's are the biggest thieves in that country. Look at how Obasanjo and his Yoruba gang of criminals have wrecked Nigeria in only 8 years.
Posted by: dudu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I think this is the time to divide Nigeria into 3 parts. Lets be real. It is too diversified for the cowards called leaders to MANAGE
Posted by: Osaretin , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Debo,a stitch in time saves nine.from all indications it is clear that the way we practise democracy in nija is different from the way its being practised by the manufacturer(US).so why dont we quickly make a u turn and try other form of governance b4 it is too late.dont u know that our rulers use democracy to loot with impunity?peopl get killed everyday cos of poverty.must we continue to experiment.will a child that is born 30 years ago into this imbroglio eccept further experiment.
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Gogo, please correct your salutation. Say good morning Naija. LET UNITE AND MAKE NIGERIA GREAT.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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anon, please for the first TIME try and remove this nortion of one tribe is better than another in Nigeria. People make tribes. We all have the same blood group & genotype,same hearts, same brains etc. Or is all the member of your tribe borned with different blood from the other tribe. For every tribe, there must be hypocrates. I'm a Hausa man but i will never in my life support a Hausa man when he is wrong. i believe in person rather than tribe. Please be HORNEST.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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henry, let's be factual. for how long have we practiced democracy? we just have the 1st civilian transfer of power. how can you say it has failed. women and blacks did not get to vote for a long time in America. this system gives us the best chance to win and we can win the battle within the rules. it takes action and not words. we must also address real issues. i don't think democracy is the problem. i think our cowardice and non participation gives them the guts to take us for a ride.
Posted by: debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Confederation is not bout tribalism or ethnic bigotry.the issue is dat we have tried militocracy and democracy.why dont we try another one. are u insinuating that we sld continue to destroy people just bcos we want to remain 1 nija.dont u know that a child that is born in nija and does not have a shelter,food,education,etc can never be proud of nigeria.a lot of nigerians if given the previledge would naturalise as an american or a briton without pondering over it twice.so wats the essence.debol
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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all Yorubas good morning!!!!
Posted by: Gogo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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anon so my being yoruba made you sick. just by my name you have judged me already. what a shame. with people like you we will forever live in chains. those chains are in our minds. which of us chose which tribe or country he was born into? how do you judge this way? this is the evidence that we are far from civilisation. a day will come when people will be jailed for uttering comments such as yours. it is racist for you to judge me by my tribe. shame on you
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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DEBOLA, you are day-dreaming. Stop Pontificating for the YORUBA is Known for their Hypocritical wavering and Dithering.
Posted by: anon , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Henry now we are addressing the issues and that's what we need to do. we have issues and they can be tackled but we can't run away and think going to our respective tribes will solve it. Even in our respective villages there are oppressors. We must begin to address our real issue. We teach our people to know that the power no longer lies with the politicians but us. We don't need guns. Our revolution is of the mind. If get our people thinking right we can win. I believe in Nigeria. We can do it.
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Countries that thrives with democracy as a form of governance do so cos the people who are being governed know the meaning and consequence.how many people know the meaning of democracy in nija.from 1945-2007.we have not produced up to 500 thousand graduates out of 140 million population.majority of the people are ignorant of wat is happening hence they are helpless.yet u are saying we can practise democracy like america.wen u see people selling their vote 4 a spoon of rice.debola think
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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God bless you Bade Regul. here in the US i meet people who are averagely less intelligent than Nigerians yet they can come together and build a great country. God did not make a mistake when he made me a Nigerian. I did not choose to be Yoruba. i am Nigerian first and foremost and i pray we all see that. it is the only way we are ever going to build the country of our dreams. All these divisions send us backward. our parents failed, we can't afford to fail
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Pleaseee NIGERIANS, what have we achieve with tribal sentimens and religious intolerance. SARDONA,AWOLOWO & ZIK try it they couldn't succeed. Why can't we try loving one another base on being NIGERIANS rather than being HAUSA, YORUBA, TIV, IJAW or MUSLEMS, CHRISTIAN or FREE THINKER. God knows why we are call Nigerians. Afterall, nobody choosed which part of Naija he or he could come from, prior to his or her birth. We all found ourself in where we are. Let THINK TWICE & BUILD NIGERIA. GOD BLESS.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Henry i live in the US and yes the younger generation of whites vote for Obama becuase they can see there is no future in the divisions but how about you and me? we are the next generation and you are still seeing me as a yoruba man. where is our progress? Obama does not win uneducated white votes but the new generation is showing they want to move beyond that. when will you and I know that we are one and the same? you hit the nail on the head for me brother. tribalism is backwardness. think sir
Posted by: debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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for the mere fact that america consist of people from all walks of life does not mean they are not 1.a vivid indication of this is in the light of the present political development in the US where u see a black demonstrating support for a white candidate and vice-versa.this is so cos they are civilised enough to know the left from right.education is a vital aspect of civilisation,how many people have access to quality education in ur area.are we going to wait perpetually for god sake.think debol
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Henry i ask again. how tribe is responsible for corruption? we have a police force that is not well equipped and cannot function. The countries we envy have different cultures and if we want to be like them we should study what made them progress. do you think creating a confederation will just wipe out corruption? Which tribe does not steal? which is the innocent tribe in Nigeria? it is a shame on the black man that we cannot tolerate each other based on tribe and yet blame whites for racism
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Henry America is not 1. i live and i know there are many divisions between races and cultures black/white and white/Hispanics and Asians and all. They try to forge ahead to build a country. Why are smaller countries in Africa not better than Nigeria? Please articulate your points and show me how tribe is the problem. Corruption in Nigeria is worse at the local govt level and state level. is that a product of the tribes in the local govt's? Please stop living in the stupidity of our parents time.
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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progress can only be achieved if there is accountability on the part of our leaders,how do we achieve accountability wen they whole system is corrupt.all over,all u hear is corruption.we are only abusing democracy,lets go for confederation and see the eyes of the thieving leaders.most of the leaders hide behind democrasy to plunder the country.immagine the expenses on senators,ministers,house of reps,etc and none is functioning.lets try other form of government 4 d sake of the next generation.
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Debola,americans are 1 yes we all know,can that be your justification for saying nija is 1?.u must be a jester.from ur name i know u are a yoruba man.if this is so, then try and take a trip to a place like kotangora in the north and shout eriwo yah and see the way they would stone u.or go to iboland and say umofia kwenu,b4 u know it u are a goner.let stop deceiving ourselves.we can only be 1 wen all is well.let each region go and develop at thier on pace then we can re unite later.remember USSR.
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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CONFEDERATION has been offered to u lot in 1993; the offer is the only one left on the table b4 OBJ came in to paper over the crack. Like in the other areas of progress in the Country u Northerners are the stumbling block bcos you don’t want to be accountable to your beggar’s you called yr subjects. You want sharia; yet you lot are afraid of SHARIA REPUBLIC bcos of corruption which is your way of life.
Posted by: Mike Ola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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The matter is beyond whether some past leaders have clear or clear not their names but the fact that OBj has had no name to clear on the matters on ground. Obasanjo has been a big time looter ever before he came back as civilian president. Now the EFCC, ICPC and the rest are nothing but a camouflage commission to witch hunt opponent. Now the matter have blown out, OBJ sexed Moji, POwer probe, this probe and that probe all involve the Grand Commander of Nigeria Looters
Posted by: Ibraheem Ibn Yusuf Abdulmaleek , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Dauda be careful of what u wish for yrself and yr ALUMONJIRI NATION.Who is scare of Nigeria breaking up? Not MOSOP or MEND and definitely not YORUBA nation. I dare you DAUDA, ALKALI and MOHAMODU to link up with that slamming-tug Umar the fomer governor of Kaduna state to start discussion on confederation. This has been offered to u lot in 1993; the offer is the only one left on the table b4 OBJ came in to paper over the crack. Like in the other areas of progress in the Country u Northerners are
Posted by: Mike Ola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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This ugly animal called OBJ is the mother of all criminals,and all of you Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani are agents of criminals that're benefiting from defrauding the system one way or the other.U live in the comfort of illicit deals,busy operating ur under world business with ur fellow criminals,but then turn back and criticize those who have the guts to stands up for what's right and just.Who u think u re fooling after all ur dubious lifestyle u come back and sing one Nigeria,damn your one Nigeria!
Posted by: Norman George , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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People named Dauda are know for one thing - are there no more beautiful girls in your area anymore? Get occupied with those for now; we have no place for ethnic lampoon and jingoism. I hail most Yorubas for not tolerating the "ice man" from Otta.
Posted by: S. Njokede , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Punch must you continue to ridicle President Obasanjo? Is there no better picture of him in your achieves? Must you use the worst? Time will tell all things and those out to disgrace the man. Can you try this with any of the Northern past leaders? He tried, if other leaders could have done only one positive thing during their tenure, Nigeria would have been much better.Lets remain polite to one another, its a learning forum.
Posted by: margaret , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Henry how many countries in the world have only a type of people/ I live in the USA and there are divisions here. they don't talk about breaking it up. those who have stolen Nigeria's money are from all tribes or is there a particular state that is run by an outsider. tribe is not our problem. if you preach objectivity then be objective. We need good leaders but how can we get good leaders when the next generation is still soaked in stupidity like tribalism. Tribalism=backwardness=stupidity
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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CAN leaders should shot up and pray for their own delivrance.They are trying to exonorate themselves now,afterall they could not control their greed when OBJ was in power.Did they not go to Jerusalem on government ticket?Where some of them not favoured with contracts and other things?Shot up.You are even worse than OBJ,the deceptive game of religious "raiders" is up.you can't deceive anybody.How many religious raiders criticised OBJ while in office?Only pagans and atheist did.Obj is a saint.
Posted by: Basharumusa , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Am of the view dat majority of contributors in this forum are btw ages 30-50.yet we are defending people dat ve succeded in destroying our generation,wat % of graduates were employed in the last 20 yrs?.presently in US obama treads high in acceptance by people of ages btw 30-50.this demonstrate objectivity,and not an untidy support 4 thieves .if nija cannot be managed as one entity then i think it is better we resort to another way eg confederation.then we wld know watz up.WE ARE NOT 1
Posted by: henry , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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CAN leaders should shot upand pray for their own delivrance.They are trying to exonorate themselves now,after they could not control their greed when OBJ was in power.Did not go to Jerusalem on government ticket?Where some of them no favoured with contracts and other things?Shot up.You are even worse than OBJ,the deceptive game of religious "raiders" is up.you can't deceive anybody.How many religious raiders criticised OBJ while in office?Only pagans and atheist did.
Posted by: Basharumusa , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I think the very day we see our wrong attitude. That’s when this country will move forward, our problem is, we never in one day tell our brother, sister, son, daughter, uncle, father, mother, that what you did is bad amend your ways, all we can do is for us to defend
Posted by: , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Soon Nigerians will realised how important Obj is/was to them when they have finally get in touch with reality. Nigeria will never get any better leader born of woman like Obj. He is the chosen one. Yaradua could not have better Obj's record. He is the lord and saviour of Nigerians living, unborn and dead.
Posted by: The voice of the people , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Our people bad character, thank God our bad attitude, we don’t even end it here in Nigeria we expose it wherever we go, the other day, I had you guys talking about Nigerians’ in south Africa, a particular man conclude that Nigerians’ in south Africa some of them involve in criminal act , while some where trying to defend, You guys should ride on it has become a household name, with the Names’ our leaders’ label this country, can any of you walk confidently in another man country
Posted by: , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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, even within African continent once you prove your Nigerian mentality they are bound to imprison you, cus you where not borough up the way you should go no fear of God, we don’t have that fear within us even when nobody is there to correct us, and now we want to eradicate corruption sorry is too late devil as imprison us with dubious character, off cures we will always defend our brother when he feel our belle with little piece of bread, do we think about others’ no,
Posted by: no name , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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, by the way, did you guys read the body of what CAN president say or is only the head line,? Before you guys send him to prison, anyway and before I conclude I have to say a very big thank you to punch news paper and also you guys should encourage our youth to follow along with us so that they can see the good and the bad from our past and present leader
Posted by: no name , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Gentlemen, enough with the criticism. If OBJ is actually quilty of all the allegations levied against him as witnessed during the public hearings, then EFCC should invite him for questioning. The good thing about the whole drama is the public awareness it has created which goes to show in a way that our Countries Democracy is on track. The house of Senate & Rep should constitute more committees of inquiries to investigate other parastaters in office since 1999.
Posted by: OSAS , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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the greatest dreamers are those who think Nigeria will break up. we are the most sophisticated black nation on earth and the most progressive. we have made many mistakes but also made many adjustments. When we accused the north of holding power they gave it to the south-west. when the south-south screamed we gave them a VP. Look guys we have a lot of problems but we have a lot to thank God for. the language we speak is not the problem, we are. God bless Nigeria.
Posted by: debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I subscribe to the wise counsel above(name withheld) that we should address Nigeria's problem from a wholistic point of view.If Obasanjo should be probed with the aim of recovering money from him to develop all parts of the country evenly, then that is good.Nobody should talk of killing or imprisoning him,just recover the stolen money and use it evenly.Past leaders like IBB and others should be probed too.They do not need to be killed or jailed, but our stolen money recovered and well utilized.
Posted by: Ify. (Europe) , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Nigerians lets stop all these bickerings and face real facts. Tribalism which breeds corruption is condemnable. Courruption and nepotism are despicable which have contributed to the debased state of Nigeria. The question should be how do we move forward from here to meet up with MDGs. The rest of the world are flying and we are here prickling ourselves. Godbless Nigeria.
Posted by: Emeka V. , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Igbo man, when the time comes, we will see who owns Abuja, whether it is located in Nnewi or Aba, we shall see. Meanwhile, let your people continue building and developing Abuja.
Posted by: Mohammadu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Look here this hausa cows,Dauda and Alkali Abuja is not northern property. It belongs to everyone, just like Lagos. If anything, most of the private businesses and virtually all the hotels in Abuja are owned by Igbos. Even El Rufai confirmed that. So do not fuck with anyobe here. Ok?
Posted by: Igbo Man , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Alkali and Dauda i honestly want to believe you are of a new generation but your comments scare me. what makes a Yoruba different from an Hausa? i have friends from all over Nigeria. Please stop thinking in terms of tribe. it belittles you. it is for the backward. Did you chose to be Hausa and I Yoruba? This is no different from Racism and i think it is about time we have a law that sends people to jail for tribalism. I did my NYSC in Kano and I learnt a lot. Are we all not suffering?
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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If the Yoruba boast with Lagos, then the North will boast with Abuja.
Posted by: Alkali , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Nigerians I cry for you and pray for Africa as a whole.I think people like obasanjo and co should be put to a dungeon for life he is no good to the worlds and his family as a whole should be striped all there possesions.We need sanity;..Phillip
Posted by: phillip chijioke ogboogu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Compare Yoruba states that were not developed like a former capital (Lagos) and tell me what difference there is between Osun and Jigawa, or between Ekiti and Zamfara. If all the Igbos and others pull their businesses out of Lagos, it will turn to another Ibadan-economically dead. Yet Lagos has been described as a run-down city by the UN. Is that the Lagos you are proud of? If Yorubas are smart, they should develop all their states.
Posted by: Dauda , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Dauda, Small minds think in terms of tribalism. people are dicussing Nigeria but in your small world it is a Yoruba issue. I am a nigerian and i live far above your low level of reasoning i therefore cannot reduce this debate to such a low level. i would advise you all to ignore foolish rantings that bother on tribe with people like Dauda. what good has that done for Nigeria? which of our people is not hungry today. which of our towns have ligth. shame on you Dauda. we are all Nigerians period
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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It appears to me that everypne criticising OBJ today had one thing or the other they selfishly wanted and did not get because he was too rigid for them. I am yet to see a detailed analysis of OBJs Performance VS Abacha VS Babangida VS Idiagbon (W/ Buhari as deputy) VS Shagari. At least people could talk during OBj's second coming....i wonder how many had the guts to talk during Abacha's tenure... If we were to apply Rawlings style to clean up Nigeria...Blood will flow in every family...
Posted by: Olorioko , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Which Yorubas developed the west and which west are you talking about? Apart from Lagos which was the former capital and so was essentially developed with oil money from the east of Niger, which other Yoruba town is developed? Ibadan? Ogbomosho? Abeokuta? You are a ridiculous fool. Your people took their thievery to London. Go to Peckham and see how Yorubas have turned it to Oshodi. I hear you want your own Oduduwa country, the earlier you guys are sent packing the better for the rest of us
Posted by: Dauda , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obj is a disgrace to this country,and he will not go free for the evils he done to this Nation.
Posted by: Emeka JS , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obj is a disgrace to this country,and he will not go free for the evils he done to this Nation
Posted by: Emeka JS , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obj is a disgrace to this country,and he will not go free for the evils he done to this Nation
Posted by: Emeka JS , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Less pray not fight pls nigeria, God bless nigeria Amen)
Posted by: Tayo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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If Pam is giving Nigeria to rule, he will not last for one month because he is worst than OBJ. Please Pam don't use our name whenever you want to make comments like this. You are disgracig CAN. Don't mix your polical views with CAN vision. Comments of people like you brougt riots in Jos. If you want to be a politician retire from your position joint PDP. I know, you can only fit in where there is hypocrasy.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I really don't understand people, they say OBJ should defend himself against allegations made by every Obi, Musa, & Ola, when those that committed the various offences are right before them. If there are any concrete allegations against the man himself, it should be made very clear, not all this noise-making by all manner of people most seeking their own pound of flesh!.
Posted by: Okerhe O. , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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When OBJ was picked by d NORTH 2 preside over Nigeria in 1999,,The Yorubas rejected him and we never voted him 2 power but the NORTH did by rigging out Olu Falae,,,I think NIGERIA really need 2 go back to d wisdom in Gideon Orkar coup,,,The western part of Nigeria is over million years ahead of d NORTH,,,,With all d money stolen by d northern leaders,,why can't they use d money 2 develop the norhtern region,,,The YORUBAS re 2 sophisticated 2 be compared with d NORTH,,,
Posted by: David Olu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I wonderful if there ever can be any hope for Nigeria?? How could Dauda be tribalising the issue of OBJ to the point of narrowing it down to YORUBAS,,,The only tribe in Nigeria that other parts of d world re comfortable 2 relate with in Nigeria re d YORUBAS,,,In OBJ 8yrs of rule,,d YORUBAS were and still re d most critical about OBJ.Mr Dauda,U and other elites in d North go and develop d North d way YORUBA elders ve done in d WEST.The problems we re having in nigeria re caused by d NORTH
Posted by: David Olu , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Dauda u are an idiot...u seem to have a way of keeping such records in a way that u refuse to metion Abacha,Roger,abdulsalami,turaki,danjuma...in your myopic mind u have seen this as an ethnic problem rather than an idividual problem..I wonder when we would start judging issues based on the people involved rather than on the race,tribe or religion.
Posted by: Banana (Europa) , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Dauda Haba!
Posted by: Abdulkareem , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obj has truly represented the Yoruba well. What he did is what every other Yoruba person will easily do. Remember Tafa Balogun, Ehindero, Bode George, Iyabo, Kenny Martins, Grange, Etteh, Bunmi Oni (cadbury) Rufus Giwa (Lever Brothers), Tunde Lemo, Omowunmi (WEMA bank), Pastor Akanni (INEC) and others too numerous to mention. Corruption and thievery runs in their blood. I urge every other Nigerian to stay away from Yorubas or else they corrupt you with their evil and greed.
Posted by: Dauda , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Which name does the saddist have? If a man can go mad as to be having sexual affairs with his daughther-in-law, what else remmains for him in term of good name? In fact, I can see why the old 'play boy' wanted to stay put at Aso Rock.The man looks very haggard and much aged these days.Can somebody advise him to go for medical check-up? Anyway,I think I know his problem.Despite the billion naira he has,there's no peace for him.Of course,he had murdered his peace during his last term in office
Posted by: kayode ayegboyin , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Pam is not truthful leader. Because OBJ refused to allow him to kill innocent muslem in plateau stat, that is why he is shouting BABA to go and clear himself uninvited. Has Pam clear his name when they accused him of planning and exercuting many evil in the name of CAN. Allow BABA to rest. We expect you to bridge the gaps you created between muslems and christians communities in plateau state. Don't talk on Baba again. Baba has done his best.
Posted by: Bade Regul , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Alabi Opeyemi Bamidele:Shagari/Dikko/Ekwueme were not rogues as the left office poorer.Shagari doesn't even own a property in Abuja neither Dikko.Ekwueme sold most of his assets in 1985 to make ends meet.OBJ came in with 20,000 in 1999 and left in 2007 with 200 million shares in transcorp,30 million naira monthly income from his farms,over 20 landed properties in Abuja,a magnificient library,an educational institution from primary level to university level,a mansion in Abeokuta,etc.
Posted by: Odo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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The voice of the people,PLEASE DO NOT USE THE NAME OF THY LORD IN VAIN.DO NOT MOCK GOD. IF YOU SAID THIS IN ISLAM, BY NOW A FATWA MUST HAVE BEEN PLACED ON YOUR TINY HEAD.
Posted by: Odo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obasanjo is synonymous to Jesus Christ. The Jews did not recognised JC when they saw him. Nigerians have failed to recognised their political messiah (Obj) when he is in their mix. They have chosen to crucify him on the cross of EFCC for no just course. B/4 your own very eyes; Nigerians will set forth alters in high places and worship Obj as their Lord and personal saviour in earnest. Obj the deliverer, the lamb of God. Nigerians yet unborn will remember your good work forever and ever Amen.
Posted by: The voice of the people , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obasanjo, like any human beign, may have his weaknesses. For the sake of posterity, he deserve commendation. LET HIM BE !!!
Posted by: Prisca , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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These people wont cease to amaze me - what has IBB done to clear his name? What has the Abacha family who stole billions of dollars done to clear their name - stole and kill hundreds of people, what has Shagari/Dikko and other who plundered our economy into what it is now - what have they done to clear their names? We seem to forget so soon, havent you relaised it is people who lost face with OBJ that regularly call for him to be probed? He denied them and they want a pay back.
Posted by: Alabi Opeyemi Bamidele , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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it is a shameful act for someone to take N300million health money for their personal use. SHAME ON them all. they don't even have the fear of God, not every can afford to go abroad for medicals talkless of some private hospital in nigeria. What we need is GOOD ROAD, ELECTRICITY, HEALTH, ETC. Shame on them all. They don't go by road any more, now it's helicopter. Please, we should not be tribalistic about this issues. Shame on you OBJ, he afford to build refinery for himself. SHAME ON YOU.
Posted by: Tunde Oluwadare , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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All these Yoruba eediots defending Obj on cyber space, I urge you to be ready to defend him in Kotangora prison. Just pack your bags and get ready. All of you sons of thieves.
Posted by: Dudari , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Where are the Yoruba pastors. Some of them benefitted from Obj and where praising him to high heaven then. They have ''fakely'' kept quiet on this OBJ SAGA. Everything about them is fake and pretencious.
Posted by: Odion , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Obasanjo sucesfully destroy and set Nigeria ablaze, He is a disgrace to Nigeria. l never see a leader that impose a President, Governor, Chairmen and obas unpo his people, i ve expected him to have commited suicide long-time. Thank you CAN.
Posted by: Felix , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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obasanjo is a loner.he must end up a GONER.a FERAL BEAST hated by his family, hated by his clan, hated by his village, hated by Ota people, hated by YORUBA, hated by Ogun state, hated by AFENIFERE, Hated by ODUDUWA, Hated by Nigeria and Nigerians, hated by OGBONI members, hated by Africa, hated by the WORLD. he is now HATED by CHRISTIANS and MOSLEMS. he MUST be hated by GOD.Obasanjo is a recluse, a loner, with MORBID and RABID MENTALITY. obasanjo is a GONER!! a walking CORPSE, a LEPER!!
Posted by: Anon , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I have always said it time without number that when Nigerians see a good leader they wouldn't recognised him. CAN has no moral jurisdiction to write off Obj's administration as a disappointment. Nigerians are benefiting from the largesse of Obj's administration. If not for Obj's reforms, I wonder what the story would have been. Obj's name is dazzling like a rare diamond so, why are you talking of clearing his name. Has IBB, Umaro Dikko and others cleared their names?
Posted by: Erastus Ogunti , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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personally and sincerely speaking,i thought that if baba still "dey kampe " as he normally claim to be and he sees that he has done everything 'right'he should boldly come out and clear his name from different attrocities that were directly linked to him,afterall he set up everything before he left for checks and balances but i do not see the correlation of CAN in this,or is obasanjo now part of CAN executives, or a memeber of CAN ?
Posted by: ojoade (japan) , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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STOP THE CRITISISM!am really disappoited in the words of the CAN president, and am very sure this are his words and not the christian generally. What he has done in the last 8yrs are all he can do and nothing more.When do you hear the islamic cleric talk evil of all evil doers that have ruled the country. Nigeria problem has not just started and what a complex country to rule.Pls let the man be, you can never do better than what he did.How often did you prayed for him wjile in office.
Posted by: adedayo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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ahaa, ahaa, i use to think when they say CAN, It means organisatn that does not join real issue with sentiments. to say obj 8 yrs is total dissapointment is a fallacy. for all his faults, OBJ is still 100times better than those that leads this country before him. indicies are there to justify. Also CAN shouldknow that running government is totally different from running church, where GOD do100% of the work. enough of this clearing and let do sth worthwhile. let prevent GOVT of today frm stealing
Posted by: tunde , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Rev Pam may have a problem with Obasanjo but he has not said anything bad against him.He said if those things revealed are true then that its unfortunate and really it will be very unfortunate.Those who may find the pleasure to insult an annointed man of God for whatever reason I will advise you to watch your tongue.This is not I know law or freedom of speech.
Posted by: Godwin , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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those criticizing Frank cannot actually see he makes more sense that they do. how can you tell a president to go and defend failed contracts? are there not people in charge of those parastatals. why do we have government structures. it shows how ignorant we are. i am not saying OBJ is clean but please let them bring out concrete evidence and stop beating about the bush. all they want to prove is we are all thieves so they will not be tried. Kalu said it already and u all are falling mugu again
Posted by: debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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The CAN call is clarion and said with a stroke of genius. OBJ should haul himself henceforward to the Panels to clear his name if there is anything left to it. He once said he was ready to die for Nigeria - this is the time he should do that good service to Nigeria. It is our rights to know what he did with our lives and fates for 8-year. Any decent person would have gone to clear their names, that is the best way to put your hands where the public can see and all speculations bygone for once.
Posted by: S. Njokede , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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What do CAN stand for?You are not better than OBJ.Have you people ever tried to protect the intrest of the Christians in this country?Where do we belong to today?
Posted by: Nwafor michael , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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The absurdities and contradictions that characterized the Obasanjo Administration were clear to many objective observers. He ruled, not as an elected president accountable to the people but as an Emperor. His brusque, rude and crude ways knew no bounds; that was why he insulted the Reverend gentleman. What did CAN do? They gave him a certificate of Excellence!!
Posted by: Olu Sanjo , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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1year after we are still on OBJ and falling for the trap of these thieves. why can't anyone get concrete evidence on OBJ? i don't want what his minister did. I want to see what he did. i am convinced you will never find. where is the petrol now? you all shouted and they took refinery from Dangote.now we crucify Ribadu & a stupid judge ask Ngozi who redeemed our image to return her salary. what sort of people are we? how can we forget how bad it was in 1999. what have you done for Nigeria?
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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in which civilised country is the president directly for how his miniters and parastals carry out there functions? he may be responsible for what happened during his government but i am yet to see anyone directly link OBJ to any stealing. was he to check the CAC records of the companies? How come the thieves like Atiku and Kalu are the ones championing our cuase? i blame OBJ though becos withouth 3rd term he would have left in glory. why are we supporting the thieves? we are surely blind
Posted by: Debola , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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I am wondring why Obasanjo is watching his daughter refusing to appear befor the EFCC he created,I think a leader leads by example.this is unfair to those other thieves Governors been investigated by EFCC.
Posted by: osgo,Amsterdam , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Pam doesn't come across as an objective assessor of OBJ. he has an axe 2 grind with him and is just jumping on d 'crucify OBJ' waggon 2 take back his pound of flesh. and PUNCH also disappointed by equating Pam's voice with that of northern CAN. ur paper is not known 4 sensationalism or u av also joined them 2 beat them. OBJ is now d devil cos he dismantled d northern hold on power. there is more to painting him black than all these; governance is a collective responsibility.
Posted by: abbey sunny , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Mr Otorofani, i didn't know you had to be an expert to comment on issues affecting your country. And on the chance you've been living in space, even ordinary nigerians that have not been "disgraced" by Obj think he is a terrible disappointment.
Posted by: flaky , on Saturday, May 03, 2008
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Frank, shut up your mouth and go finish reading your law books.
Posted by: chris (New York) , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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It is very amazing that the people criticising OBJ the most are the ones that are seeking thier own pound of flesh. The other day it was Danjuma, today it is the Rev.Pam- this man contrary to what our lord preached about forgiveness has not forgiven OBJ for calling him "total idiot" after the religious riot in Jos. I hope he is not about to prove OBJ right, if he had not done so already.
Posted by: Bosun , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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"Physician heal thyself" look at who is talking.Some of these clergy men would do and say anything to be relevant.Respected and reputable people like Maduka spoke the truth yesterday. Even the clergy are misinforming ordinary Nigerians about OBJ achievements.
Posted by: Bosun , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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Baba ur leadership made nigeria to stand between shame and ridicle
Posted by: kenny , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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FRANK, if you did not have a human name I would have thought you are something from the zoo the way you reason bottom-up. I bet it is worth believing that obasanjo is born again christian as he claimed! A man who gave a way contracts to his daughter inlaw over a plate of sex and sold Ajokuta Steel to his son, and is first to benefit from farmers' agric loan even as president is worth your pride? You are either born stupid or deliberately an idiot.
Posted by: AZU , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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The clergyman just opens his mouth to pass comments on issues he's least knowledgeable in. In civilized climes novices don't just open their mouths and talk anyhow. They leave matters for the experts. In Nigeria the reverse is the case. Everyone is an expert; whether it's aviation, transportation, energy, law, banking, you name it. You defend yourself only when you're directly accused of wrongdoing. You don't go defending yourself b'cos a contractor failed to perform after receiving payments.
Posted by: Franklin Otorofani, Esq. (USA) , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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What do you expect from a clergyman that was disgraced and asked to shut up by OBJ during a peace meeting in Jos over the religious riots? He was whisked away with his tail tucked behind like a dog. Do you expect him to clap for OBJ? Negative comments coming from people like this looking for vengeance mean nothing. I pay greater attention to comments from people like Vincent Maduka who described OBJ as the "best President Nigeria ever had" in yesterday's Tribune, not some vengeful clergyman.
Posted by: Franklin Otorofani, Esq. (USA) , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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I quite don't get it why people don't get it that obj thinks he's above the law. All it takes is for you all to look into the background of the man. In 79, he helped Shagari into the presidency,thereafter, he was declared an inst. so no one can touch him when he left office. He's done the same thing again in 07. You all have to be kidding to think obj wil go and subject himself to ridicule before the senate. He's as dirty and corrupt as the rest of the crew he led...shame on you obj.
Posted by: Oluwole , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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It is better for Obj. to set himself ablaze than to give account of his 8 years of misrule.(Lawlessness) a man that did almost every thing with impunity and recycled all his dubious friends as ministers: special advisers and ended up with the most sophiscated gang of treasuary looters with him at the head. if ever he has the gut to appear in public in defence of his leadership i will conclude for the last time that what is in his brain is rotten saw dust. ur leadersip was as ugly as ur looks.
Posted by: henry , on Friday, May 02, 2008
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Focus on your calling.
Posted by: femi uk , on Friday, May 02, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
Diaz's gracious regrets; Aston's turn offs
From MSN
Cameron Diaz may have spent the weekend mourning the sudden death of her father, Emilio, but, professional that she is, she still did her part to promote her new movie, "What Happens in Vegas."
The actress was an understandable no-show at a meet-and-greet with the press on Saturday in Los Angeles, but she expressed her regrets in a handwritten note sent through leading man Ashton Kutcher, reports Us.
"First of all I want to thank all of you for your support over the years," she wrote in the missive, which was penned on personalized stationery. "I was really looking forward to this weekend getting to talk to my friends about a film that I am so proud of."
Because of her dad's passing, "I have chosen to be with my family this weekend," said Diaz. "But it was important for me to convey to all of you how much I love this film. We really did have the best time, most fun and laughs making it."
She added that she planned to watch the comedy, in which she and Kutcher play accidental newlyweds battling over a $3 million slots jackpot, with her family.
"It was a unanimous decision that we all needed to share a good laugh," said Diaz. "After all, that's why we make films like these. So people can leave behind their worries for a couple of hours. Have a good laugh."
Kutcher went out of his way to praise his absent co-star to the gathered press, albeit in his trademark doofy way.
He called working with Cameron "horrible," joking, "I mean, showing up to work having to look at a good looking woman who is funny and happy to be alive and joyous and nice to people was a nightmare."
Would you take advice from this man?
Other nightmares for Demi Moore's dewier half: pantsuits, perfume, dripping diamonds and self-absorption.
Like Diaz, Kutcher took pen in hand to stump for the flick, with his musings taking the form of a piece in Harper's Bazaar on the things he finds least appealing in the opposite sex.
"I love women. I like the way they think, the way they care. I like the way they flirt by flipping their hair," he cogitates in verse. "In fact, the only way I can really share what makes a woman attractive is to describe the few things that don't."
So, what's the surest way to turn off the guy who made millions by humiliating his celebrity brethren with childish pranks?
"If I can smell your perfume and we're not making out, you're wearing too much," declares Kutcher. "More of a lot of things in life is better. Perfume does not apply."
He also seems to have some conflicting notions on the feminine sartorial mystique.
"Dress how you want to be treated," the actor suggests. "If you show respect for yourself, you will be respected. I like seeing a female body as much as the next guy, but a midriff on display does not do it for me."
Alas, he then undoes that good advice by opining, "By the same token, sexlessness is just that. I call it the Hillary Clinton look. She would be so much more appealing if she just took off the pantsuit, took a lesson from Jackie Kennedy, and found her own Oleg Cassini."
(A few problems with his theory: Jackie was the First Lady, not a presidential hopeful, and women's clothes -- like women themselves -- have made a few advancements in the last 48 years or so.)
Ashton also has a decidedly narrow notion on who's buying the rocks ladies got, observing to the mag, "Women who wear big blingin' stones don't look like they have a lot of money; they look like they have a lot of someone else's money. I don't want my woman looking like she got bedazzled."
What he does want is a woman (his or otherwise) who can dress up but still accessorize with "a cheap little bracelet. It shows you don't take yourself too seriously."
As for what Kutcher believes is "the most unattractive thing in the world," that would be selfishness.
"Don't worry about what you are getting," he advises, "worry about what you're giving. Always show appreciation. Women who focus on what they don't have are unattractive and attract unattractive people."
Cameron Diaz may have spent the weekend mourning the sudden death of her father, Emilio, but, professional that she is, she still did her part to promote her new movie, "What Happens in Vegas."
The actress was an understandable no-show at a meet-and-greet with the press on Saturday in Los Angeles, but she expressed her regrets in a handwritten note sent through leading man Ashton Kutcher, reports Us.
"First of all I want to thank all of you for your support over the years," she wrote in the missive, which was penned on personalized stationery. "I was really looking forward to this weekend getting to talk to my friends about a film that I am so proud of."
Because of her dad's passing, "I have chosen to be with my family this weekend," said Diaz. "But it was important for me to convey to all of you how much I love this film. We really did have the best time, most fun and laughs making it."
She added that she planned to watch the comedy, in which she and Kutcher play accidental newlyweds battling over a $3 million slots jackpot, with her family.
"It was a unanimous decision that we all needed to share a good laugh," said Diaz. "After all, that's why we make films like these. So people can leave behind their worries for a couple of hours. Have a good laugh."
Kutcher went out of his way to praise his absent co-star to the gathered press, albeit in his trademark doofy way.
He called working with Cameron "horrible," joking, "I mean, showing up to work having to look at a good looking woman who is funny and happy to be alive and joyous and nice to people was a nightmare."
Would you take advice from this man?
Other nightmares for Demi Moore's dewier half: pantsuits, perfume, dripping diamonds and self-absorption.
Like Diaz, Kutcher took pen in hand to stump for the flick, with his musings taking the form of a piece in Harper's Bazaar on the things he finds least appealing in the opposite sex.
"I love women. I like the way they think, the way they care. I like the way they flirt by flipping their hair," he cogitates in verse. "In fact, the only way I can really share what makes a woman attractive is to describe the few things that don't."
So, what's the surest way to turn off the guy who made millions by humiliating his celebrity brethren with childish pranks?
"If I can smell your perfume and we're not making out, you're wearing too much," declares Kutcher. "More of a lot of things in life is better. Perfume does not apply."
He also seems to have some conflicting notions on the feminine sartorial mystique.
"Dress how you want to be treated," the actor suggests. "If you show respect for yourself, you will be respected. I like seeing a female body as much as the next guy, but a midriff on display does not do it for me."
Alas, he then undoes that good advice by opining, "By the same token, sexlessness is just that. I call it the Hillary Clinton look. She would be so much more appealing if she just took off the pantsuit, took a lesson from Jackie Kennedy, and found her own Oleg Cassini."
(A few problems with his theory: Jackie was the First Lady, not a presidential hopeful, and women's clothes -- like women themselves -- have made a few advancements in the last 48 years or so.)
Ashton also has a decidedly narrow notion on who's buying the rocks ladies got, observing to the mag, "Women who wear big blingin' stones don't look like they have a lot of money; they look like they have a lot of someone else's money. I don't want my woman looking like she got bedazzled."
What he does want is a woman (his or otherwise) who can dress up but still accessorize with "a cheap little bracelet. It shows you don't take yourself too seriously."
As for what Kutcher believes is "the most unattractive thing in the world," that would be selfishness.
"Don't worry about what you are getting," he advises, "worry about what you're giving. Always show appreciation. Women who focus on what they don't have are unattractive and attract unattractive people."
Thursday, May 1, 2008
A Strained Wright-Obama Bond Finally Snaps
May 1, 2008
The New York Times
By MICHAEL POWELL and JODI KANTOR
Late Monday night, in the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, N.C., Barack Obama’s long, slow fuse burned to an end. Earlier that day he had thumbed through his BlackBerry, reading accounts of the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.’s latest explosive comments on race and America. But his remarks to the press this day had amounted to a shrug of frustration.
Only in this hotel room, confronted with the televised replay of the combustible pastor, did the candidate realize the full import of the remarks, his aides say. At the same time, aides fielded phone calls and e-mail from uncommitted superdelegates, several demanding that the candidate speak out more forcefully.
As Mr. Obama told close friends after watching the replay, he felt dumbfounded, even betrayed, particularly by Mr. Wright’s implication that Mr. Obama was being hypocritical. He could not tolerate that.
The next afternoon, Mr. Obama held a news conference and denounced his former pastor’s views as “divisive and destructive,” giving “comfort to those who prey on hate.” And so, with those remarks, a tightly knit relationship finally came apart — Mr. Wright had married Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, and baptized their children.
Theirs was a long and painful falling out, marked by a degree of mutual incomprehension, friends and aides say. It began at the moment Mr. Obama declared his candidacy, when he abruptly uninvited his pastor from delivering an invocation, injuring the older man’s pride and fueling his anger.
Mr. Obama’s campaign has been striking for its discipline. This is a candidate who prides himself on his coolness and singleness of purpose, not to mention his ability to take on opponents as formidable as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and her husband, Bill Clinton, the former president. But Mr. Obama discovered one figure who has confounded him, his own pastor.
In recent months, the candidate has tried to distance himself from Mr. Wright and his often radical views, even as he felt compelled to understand and explain his former pastor to a larger, predominantly white political world.
As for Mr. Wright, he saw a cascade of perceived slights coming from the campaign of a bright young follower whose political ambitions were tugging him away from Trinity United Church of Christ. He saw the church he had founded coming under pressure from reporters and critics, forced to hire security guards. And he made no secret of whom he blamed: Mr. Obama’s political adviser, David Axelrod, a white Chicago political operative.
Only a few years ago, the tightness of the bond between Mr. Obama and Mr. Wright was difficult to overstate. Mr. Obama titled his second book, “The Audacity of Hope,” after one of Mr. Wright’s sermons, and his pastor was the first one he thanked when he gained election as a United States senator in 2004. “Let me thank my pastor, Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. of Trinity United Church of Christ,” Mr. Obama said that night, before going on to mention his family and friends.
In this learned and radical pastor, Mr. Obama found a guide who could explain Jesus and faith in terms intellectual no less than emotional, and who helped a man of mixed racial parentage come to understand himself as an African-American. “Our trials and triumphs became at once unique and universal, black and more than black,” Mr. Obama wrote in his autobiography “Dreams From My Father.”
At the same time, as Mr. Obama’s friends and aides now acknowledge, he was aware that, shorn of their South Side Chicago context, the words and cadences of a politically left-wing black minister could have a very problematic echo. So Mr. Obama haltingly distanced himself from his pastor.
Mr. Obama announced in early 2007 that he would be running for president. He invited Mr. Wright to deliver the invocation at the event in Springfield, but the evening before the event, Mr. Wright answered his cellphone and heard an apologetic soon-to-be candidate. Rolling Stone had just published a profile of Mr. Obama that included some colorful snippets from the pastor’s sermons.
“ ‘You can get kind of rough in the sermons,’ ” Mr. Wright said Mr. Obama told him. “ ‘Rather than have you out front, we thought it would be best to not have you do the invocation.’ ”
Mr. Obama then asked whether the Rev. Otis Moss III, who would soon succeed Mr. Wright at Trinity, could speak instead. Mr. Wright agreed, even offering to call the younger preacher. (These quotes are drawn from a year-old interview with Mr. Wright; he shared some of his cellphone messages with a reporter).
“Actually, we’ve already called him,” Mr. Obama told him.
A few minutes later, Mr. Wright got his daughters on the telephone line. “I’m only going to say this once,” he said. “Don’t look at TV tomorrow.”
Mr. Moss declined the invitation, and Mr. Wright still went to Springfield, praying with the Obama family privately before the event. Weeks later, Mr. Wright said the blame belonged not to Mr. Obama but to his advisers. He repeatedly mentioned Mr. Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s chief strategist, saying that while he was expert at promoting black candidates with white voters, he did not know much about relating to the black community.
“They’re spiriting him away from people in the African-American community,” Mr. Wright said, “David doesn’t know the African-American church scene.”
“I don’t like this,” Mr. Wright added. “I’ve been his pastor for 20 years.”
The two men nonetheless remained publicly close. A few weeks after Mr. Obama entered the presidential race, he and his wife swept into a private reception and then a gala in honor of Mr. Wright’s 35th anniversary at the church. They were, to all eyes, the favorite children returning to honor the pastor who had married them, dedicated their house and baptized their children.
The ladies of Trinity United Church of Christ pressed in on Mr. Obama, as others held aloft cameras and cellphones.
Still, the seed of worry had been planted. Blogs, and a few print reporters, kept asking questions about Mr. Wright’s politics, his black liberation theology. Snippets of his fiery, soaring sermons began to appear on cable televisions and in blog posts.
Not all of this surprised Mr. Obama. Trinity was a progressive church, welcoming to gay men and lesbians, embracing of AIDS sufferers at a time when many other black churches shunned them. But the message heard from the pulpit was sometimes unyielding in its radicalism. To be provoked, if not always to agree, was the point. As he wrote in “Dreams From My Father.”
“In his sermons, Mr. Wright spoke of Sharpeville and Hiroshima, the callousness of policy makers in the White House and the statehouse,” Mr. Obama wrote.
Mr. Obama faced practical political considerations as well. He had made Mr. Wright a central figure in his personal narrative. His embrace of Mr. Wright’s church and its congregants, wealthy and working class and impoverished, formed the climax of his book. It was the moment, in his telling, when Mr. Obama finally pulled every disparate strand of his background together and found his faith.
“He had found a truth, a sense of community, people with whom to share the experiences of the day,” said Maya Soetoro Ng, Mr. Obama’s younger half sister, in an interview last year.
Mr. Obama’s candidacy would offer the promise of a conciliatory man fluent in the language of the Bible. Here was a candidate who could lead religious voters back into the fold. “We need to take faith seriously not simply to block the religious right but to engage all persons of faith in the larger project of American renewal,” he wrote.
His grounding in Trinity Church would also bequeath to him a measure of authenticity with the black community.
But by March 2008, Mr. Wright’s most outrageous sermons had nested on cable television, replayed on an endless loop on news channels. The two men rarely, if ever, talked anymore, and Mr. Obama increasingly found himself asked to explain and excuse away Mr. Wright’s most elaborate accusations.
Aides say that they and the candidate came to feel that they had no control over the pastor, no sense of what next he might do or say.
At the church, as well, the presidential campaign had placed a congregation under a microscope. Trinity, of late, took up a collection — the Resurrection Fund — to pay expenses like security guards and public relations. Some reporters began covertly taping services, and others took to calling infirm members whose names are listed each week in the church bulletin, pressing even those in hospice care for details about Mr. Wright.
This infuriated the pastor.
“There was a whole environment of intimidation and threats at the church,” said Dwight Hopkins, a theologian at the University of Chicago Divinity School. “He’s the senior minister; he’s been the pastor for 35 years.”
That month, Mr. Obama gave his speech on race in Philadelphia, a long, pained, nuanced take that purchased distance between himself and his mentor, even as he struggled to explain Mr. Wright’s hurt to the larger world. “As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me,” Mr. Obama said. “He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding and baptized my children. Not once in my conversations with him have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms.”
Mr. Wright was on a long-planned cruise about this time; he returned to find his name a term of opprobrium all across the nation. Mr. Obama and his advisers decline to say if they attempted a reconciliation. Mr. Obama himself has acknowledged talking with Mr. Wright after the Philadelphia speech, and people close to both men tried to caution the pastor to remain silent.
Mr. Wright, however, wanted only to explain himself. His first steps seemed to go well enough, particularly a relatively temperate interview with Bill Moyers on PBS. But at the National Press Club on Monday, Mr. Wright took a few questions, and his scholarly mien fell away.
“His initial statement was fine,” said the Rev. Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Roman Catholic Church in Chicago and a friend of Mr. Wright. “But the questions caused a response from Reverend Wright that I wasn’t expecting.”
Mr. Wright seemed to sense nothing wrong. A friend said he appeared buoyant and relieved afterward. But a couple hundred miles south, Mr. Obama was soon seething.
The cascade of slights and misunderstandings between spiritual mentor and protégé has halted for now. But if Mr. Obama wins the Democratic nomination, Republicans have signaled, unambiguously, that they intend to resurrect his pastor’s most provocative comments.
The question is whether Mr. Wright keeps his peace, or raises his voice.
“Its easy to hurt his feelings,” said Richard Sewell, a Trinity deacon who has known both men for two decades. “He’s extremely sensitive.”
Jeff Zeleny contributed reporting.
The New York Times
By MICHAEL POWELL and JODI KANTOR
Late Monday night, in the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, N.C., Barack Obama’s long, slow fuse burned to an end. Earlier that day he had thumbed through his BlackBerry, reading accounts of the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.’s latest explosive comments on race and America. But his remarks to the press this day had amounted to a shrug of frustration.
Only in this hotel room, confronted with the televised replay of the combustible pastor, did the candidate realize the full import of the remarks, his aides say. At the same time, aides fielded phone calls and e-mail from uncommitted superdelegates, several demanding that the candidate speak out more forcefully.
As Mr. Obama told close friends after watching the replay, he felt dumbfounded, even betrayed, particularly by Mr. Wright’s implication that Mr. Obama was being hypocritical. He could not tolerate that.
The next afternoon, Mr. Obama held a news conference and denounced his former pastor’s views as “divisive and destructive,” giving “comfort to those who prey on hate.” And so, with those remarks, a tightly knit relationship finally came apart — Mr. Wright had married Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, and baptized their children.
Theirs was a long and painful falling out, marked by a degree of mutual incomprehension, friends and aides say. It began at the moment Mr. Obama declared his candidacy, when he abruptly uninvited his pastor from delivering an invocation, injuring the older man’s pride and fueling his anger.
Mr. Obama’s campaign has been striking for its discipline. This is a candidate who prides himself on his coolness and singleness of purpose, not to mention his ability to take on opponents as formidable as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and her husband, Bill Clinton, the former president. But Mr. Obama discovered one figure who has confounded him, his own pastor.
In recent months, the candidate has tried to distance himself from Mr. Wright and his often radical views, even as he felt compelled to understand and explain his former pastor to a larger, predominantly white political world.
As for Mr. Wright, he saw a cascade of perceived slights coming from the campaign of a bright young follower whose political ambitions were tugging him away from Trinity United Church of Christ. He saw the church he had founded coming under pressure from reporters and critics, forced to hire security guards. And he made no secret of whom he blamed: Mr. Obama’s political adviser, David Axelrod, a white Chicago political operative.
Only a few years ago, the tightness of the bond between Mr. Obama and Mr. Wright was difficult to overstate. Mr. Obama titled his second book, “The Audacity of Hope,” after one of Mr. Wright’s sermons, and his pastor was the first one he thanked when he gained election as a United States senator in 2004. “Let me thank my pastor, Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. of Trinity United Church of Christ,” Mr. Obama said that night, before going on to mention his family and friends.
In this learned and radical pastor, Mr. Obama found a guide who could explain Jesus and faith in terms intellectual no less than emotional, and who helped a man of mixed racial parentage come to understand himself as an African-American. “Our trials and triumphs became at once unique and universal, black and more than black,” Mr. Obama wrote in his autobiography “Dreams From My Father.”
At the same time, as Mr. Obama’s friends and aides now acknowledge, he was aware that, shorn of their South Side Chicago context, the words and cadences of a politically left-wing black minister could have a very problematic echo. So Mr. Obama haltingly distanced himself from his pastor.
Mr. Obama announced in early 2007 that he would be running for president. He invited Mr. Wright to deliver the invocation at the event in Springfield, but the evening before the event, Mr. Wright answered his cellphone and heard an apologetic soon-to-be candidate. Rolling Stone had just published a profile of Mr. Obama that included some colorful snippets from the pastor’s sermons.
“ ‘You can get kind of rough in the sermons,’ ” Mr. Wright said Mr. Obama told him. “ ‘Rather than have you out front, we thought it would be best to not have you do the invocation.’ ”
Mr. Obama then asked whether the Rev. Otis Moss III, who would soon succeed Mr. Wright at Trinity, could speak instead. Mr. Wright agreed, even offering to call the younger preacher. (These quotes are drawn from a year-old interview with Mr. Wright; he shared some of his cellphone messages with a reporter).
“Actually, we’ve already called him,” Mr. Obama told him.
A few minutes later, Mr. Wright got his daughters on the telephone line. “I’m only going to say this once,” he said. “Don’t look at TV tomorrow.”
Mr. Moss declined the invitation, and Mr. Wright still went to Springfield, praying with the Obama family privately before the event. Weeks later, Mr. Wright said the blame belonged not to Mr. Obama but to his advisers. He repeatedly mentioned Mr. Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s chief strategist, saying that while he was expert at promoting black candidates with white voters, he did not know much about relating to the black community.
“They’re spiriting him away from people in the African-American community,” Mr. Wright said, “David doesn’t know the African-American church scene.”
“I don’t like this,” Mr. Wright added. “I’ve been his pastor for 20 years.”
The two men nonetheless remained publicly close. A few weeks after Mr. Obama entered the presidential race, he and his wife swept into a private reception and then a gala in honor of Mr. Wright’s 35th anniversary at the church. They were, to all eyes, the favorite children returning to honor the pastor who had married them, dedicated their house and baptized their children.
The ladies of Trinity United Church of Christ pressed in on Mr. Obama, as others held aloft cameras and cellphones.
Still, the seed of worry had been planted. Blogs, and a few print reporters, kept asking questions about Mr. Wright’s politics, his black liberation theology. Snippets of his fiery, soaring sermons began to appear on cable televisions and in blog posts.
Not all of this surprised Mr. Obama. Trinity was a progressive church, welcoming to gay men and lesbians, embracing of AIDS sufferers at a time when many other black churches shunned them. But the message heard from the pulpit was sometimes unyielding in its radicalism. To be provoked, if not always to agree, was the point. As he wrote in “Dreams From My Father.”
“In his sermons, Mr. Wright spoke of Sharpeville and Hiroshima, the callousness of policy makers in the White House and the statehouse,” Mr. Obama wrote.
Mr. Obama faced practical political considerations as well. He had made Mr. Wright a central figure in his personal narrative. His embrace of Mr. Wright’s church and its congregants, wealthy and working class and impoverished, formed the climax of his book. It was the moment, in his telling, when Mr. Obama finally pulled every disparate strand of his background together and found his faith.
“He had found a truth, a sense of community, people with whom to share the experiences of the day,” said Maya Soetoro Ng, Mr. Obama’s younger half sister, in an interview last year.
Mr. Obama’s candidacy would offer the promise of a conciliatory man fluent in the language of the Bible. Here was a candidate who could lead religious voters back into the fold. “We need to take faith seriously not simply to block the religious right but to engage all persons of faith in the larger project of American renewal,” he wrote.
His grounding in Trinity Church would also bequeath to him a measure of authenticity with the black community.
But by March 2008, Mr. Wright’s most outrageous sermons had nested on cable television, replayed on an endless loop on news channels. The two men rarely, if ever, talked anymore, and Mr. Obama increasingly found himself asked to explain and excuse away Mr. Wright’s most elaborate accusations.
Aides say that they and the candidate came to feel that they had no control over the pastor, no sense of what next he might do or say.
At the church, as well, the presidential campaign had placed a congregation under a microscope. Trinity, of late, took up a collection — the Resurrection Fund — to pay expenses like security guards and public relations. Some reporters began covertly taping services, and others took to calling infirm members whose names are listed each week in the church bulletin, pressing even those in hospice care for details about Mr. Wright.
This infuriated the pastor.
“There was a whole environment of intimidation and threats at the church,” said Dwight Hopkins, a theologian at the University of Chicago Divinity School. “He’s the senior minister; he’s been the pastor for 35 years.”
That month, Mr. Obama gave his speech on race in Philadelphia, a long, pained, nuanced take that purchased distance between himself and his mentor, even as he struggled to explain Mr. Wright’s hurt to the larger world. “As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me,” Mr. Obama said. “He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding and baptized my children. Not once in my conversations with him have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms.”
Mr. Wright was on a long-planned cruise about this time; he returned to find his name a term of opprobrium all across the nation. Mr. Obama and his advisers decline to say if they attempted a reconciliation. Mr. Obama himself has acknowledged talking with Mr. Wright after the Philadelphia speech, and people close to both men tried to caution the pastor to remain silent.
Mr. Wright, however, wanted only to explain himself. His first steps seemed to go well enough, particularly a relatively temperate interview with Bill Moyers on PBS. But at the National Press Club on Monday, Mr. Wright took a few questions, and his scholarly mien fell away.
“His initial statement was fine,” said the Rev. Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Roman Catholic Church in Chicago and a friend of Mr. Wright. “But the questions caused a response from Reverend Wright that I wasn’t expecting.”
Mr. Wright seemed to sense nothing wrong. A friend said he appeared buoyant and relieved afterward. But a couple hundred miles south, Mr. Obama was soon seething.
The cascade of slights and misunderstandings between spiritual mentor and protégé has halted for now. But if Mr. Obama wins the Democratic nomination, Republicans have signaled, unambiguously, that they intend to resurrect his pastor’s most provocative comments.
The question is whether Mr. Wright keeps his peace, or raises his voice.
“Its easy to hurt his feelings,” said Richard Sewell, a Trinity deacon who has known both men for two decades. “He’s extremely sensitive.”
Jeff Zeleny contributed reporting.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Paltrow explains why she did ‘Iron Man’
Actress says Downey Jr. convinced her to do film ‘people actually see’
Access Hollywood
updated 10:04 p.m. ET, Mon., April. 28, 2008
LOS ANGELES - They’ve opened the movie around the world and now the stars of “Iron Man” are gearing up for the film’s US release, this Friday.
The summer’s first potential blockbuster stars Robert Downey Jr. as the Iron Man, and drama-film darling Gwyneth Paltrow as his love interest, Christine Everhart. Taking on the role puts Paltrow in some illustrious company – Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Jennifer Garner, Kirsten Dunst and Kate Bosworth, all of whom have played superhero leading ladies.
While the part is something new for Paltrow, she was convinced to take it on after her leading man suggested she break out of the art film market.
”(Robert) was very sweet when he called me, and I think we had both kind of been doing these kind of labor of love art films that had been seen by like 16 people, and he said to me ‘Don’t you wanna be in a movie that people actually see?’” Paltrow recounted. “And I thought ‘I never thought of that!’ So, I’m really, really glad that I did it.”
Thanks to the joys Paltrow experienced making the film and the enthusiasm already surrounding it, she is looking forward to, perhaps, a sequel.
“I [am] so happy people are loving it, and getting so excited about it, but the truth is that the experience was so wonderful, and such a happy, happy time. That’s really why I’m so happy that I did it,” she said. “The idea that there could be another one, and we could get our little family back together — it would be great.”
Another thing Paltrow is excited over is Hollywood employing herself, Liv Tyler and Maggie Gylenhaal in this summer’s biggest action films – “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk” and “Batman: The Dark Knight,” respectively.
“What’s nice is that the three of us are, not to say other people aren’t, but we’re really committed to our work as actors,” Paltrow said. “I think we’ve all come from a lot of independent cinema, we come from a kind of different world. I think it’s very cool that we’re being embraced by mainstream Hollywood in that way because they could easily cast 18-year-old girls, who are more attractive, and had lovelier busts than us. I think it says a lot for the movies that they wanted women who are interesting, and who are from more kind of the more independent world.”
Copyright 2008 by NBC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24359915/
Access Hollywood
updated 10:04 p.m. ET, Mon., April. 28, 2008
LOS ANGELES - They’ve opened the movie around the world and now the stars of “Iron Man” are gearing up for the film’s US release, this Friday.
The summer’s first potential blockbuster stars Robert Downey Jr. as the Iron Man, and drama-film darling Gwyneth Paltrow as his love interest, Christine Everhart. Taking on the role puts Paltrow in some illustrious company – Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Jennifer Garner, Kirsten Dunst and Kate Bosworth, all of whom have played superhero leading ladies.
While the part is something new for Paltrow, she was convinced to take it on after her leading man suggested she break out of the art film market.
”(Robert) was very sweet when he called me, and I think we had both kind of been doing these kind of labor of love art films that had been seen by like 16 people, and he said to me ‘Don’t you wanna be in a movie that people actually see?’” Paltrow recounted. “And I thought ‘I never thought of that!’ So, I’m really, really glad that I did it.”
Thanks to the joys Paltrow experienced making the film and the enthusiasm already surrounding it, she is looking forward to, perhaps, a sequel.
“I [am] so happy people are loving it, and getting so excited about it, but the truth is that the experience was so wonderful, and such a happy, happy time. That’s really why I’m so happy that I did it,” she said. “The idea that there could be another one, and we could get our little family back together — it would be great.”
Another thing Paltrow is excited over is Hollywood employing herself, Liv Tyler and Maggie Gylenhaal in this summer’s biggest action films – “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk” and “Batman: The Dark Knight,” respectively.
“What’s nice is that the three of us are, not to say other people aren’t, but we’re really committed to our work as actors,” Paltrow said. “I think we’ve all come from a lot of independent cinema, we come from a kind of different world. I think it’s very cool that we’re being embraced by mainstream Hollywood in that way because they could easily cast 18-year-old girls, who are more attractive, and had lovelier busts than us. I think it says a lot for the movies that they wanted women who are interesting, and who are from more kind of the more independent world.”
Copyright 2008 by NBC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24359915/
Jadesola Akande, ex-LASU VC, dies at 67
Jadesola Akande, ex-LASU VC, dies at 67
The Punch
By Tony Amokeodo, Segun Olugbile, Chinyere Fred-Adegbulugbe, Mudiaga Affe, Lekan Adetayo.
Published: Wednesday, 30 Apr 2008
A former Vice Chancelor, Lagos State University, Ojo, Prof. Jadesola Akande, is dead.
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Photo file
Late Prof. Jadesola Akande
The deceased, a lawyer, researcher and administrator, was 67.
One of her children, Dayo Debo-Akande, confirmed her passage at her Ikoyi, Lagos residence on Tuesday.
“One of her aides told me that she died in her sleep. We will miss her a lot. Her wealth of experience was second to none, “ Dayo told one of our correspondents on the telephone.
The Akande and Esan families also confirmed the renowned academic’s death in a statement.
“The families of Chief Debo Akande (SAN) and Chief Esan of Ibadanland announce the passing away quietly in her sleep on April 29, 2008 of their daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunty, Prof. Jadesola Olayinka Debo-Akande, OFR,” they said.
A lady, who identified herself as Akande’s personal assistant said her boss “did not complain of any sickness” before she left her (Akande) residence on Monday.
The deceased’s son-in-law, Mr. Tokunbo Coker, told one of our correspondents that Akande visited their house around 5.30pm on Monday and discussed with him and her daughter after which she took mango with them.
“It was unbelievable when I learnt that my mother-in-law died in her sleep this (Tuesday) morning. Her body was still warm when I got to her residence at Ikoyi at 11 am,” he said.
Akande’s last public outing was of at lecture marking the 70th birthday of a human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), in Lagos on Monday.
At the event, Akande, who until her death was an Executive Director with the Women, Law and Development Centre, officiated the cutting of Fawehinmi’s birthday cake and prayed for his quick recovery.
Among those who reacted to her passage were Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), the President, Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba; a former Vice -Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe, and his successor, Prof. Tolu Odugbemi.
Others were the President, Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, the Executive Director, Women Advocate for Research and Documentation Centre, Mrs. Abiola Akiode-Afolabi; and Dr. Keziah Awosika.
The Special Adviser (Media) to Fashola, Mr. Akeem Bello, said in a statement that the governor visited the family house of the former vice-chancellor in company with his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Fashola advised the “family members who were equally shocked by the sudden transition of the respected legal scholar to take solace in the fact that she lived a very fruitful and fulfilled life.”
In the condolence register opened for the deceased, the governor wrote, “Dear Aunty Jade, rest in the bosom of your Creator.”
He described her as a “distinguished Nigerian who built many leaders as well as the nation.”
In the condolence register, Agbakoba (SAN) wrote, “This is a shocking and terrible news. A great loss to the legal profession and Nigeria. A legal icon and an academic giant.”
Agbakoba later issued a statement in which he described Akande as “a legal giant and a woman of substance.”
While Ibidapo-Obe said the deceased was “an unrelenting advocate for women‘s rights and empowerment,” Odugbemi described her as a ”pleasant and brilliant academic,” who would be missed by academics and those in the legal profession.
A Judge of High Court of Lagos, Justice Joseph Oyewole, said Akande lived a fulfilled life.
Awosika, who is Akande’s partner at WLDC, said they both spoke on the telephone between 10.30 and 11pm on Monday night about a meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
“We talked and discussed about the meeting we were supposed to have in the office today (Tuesday),” she said, before breaking down in tears.
Akiode-Afolabi said Akande’s death was a great loss to Nigeria.
”She was a woman of courage, a woman of profound intellect and very resourceful. She was the last woman standing and she had contributed her quota to the struggle for a better society,” she said.
Also, the Pro-National Conference Organisation said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr. Wale Okunniyi, that Akande would be remembered for drafting the people’s constitution launched by PRONACO on May 22, 2007.
“PRONACO and the entire democratic movement will no doubt miss her fearless contributions to the renewed effort at reforming the Nigerian polity, ” he said.
Born on November 15, 1940, Akande, a distinguished jurist, was a law graduate of the University College, London. She was called to the bar at Inner Temple in 1963.
Akande returned to the country in 1965 and worked in the West Regional Civil Service as an administrative officer/state council for a year before she proceeded to the Nigerian Law School.
The Punch
By Tony Amokeodo, Segun Olugbile, Chinyere Fred-Adegbulugbe, Mudiaga Affe, Lekan Adetayo.
Published: Wednesday, 30 Apr 2008
A former Vice Chancelor, Lagos State University, Ojo, Prof. Jadesola Akande, is dead.
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Photo file
Late Prof. Jadesola Akande
The deceased, a lawyer, researcher and administrator, was 67.
One of her children, Dayo Debo-Akande, confirmed her passage at her Ikoyi, Lagos residence on Tuesday.
“One of her aides told me that she died in her sleep. We will miss her a lot. Her wealth of experience was second to none, “ Dayo told one of our correspondents on the telephone.
The Akande and Esan families also confirmed the renowned academic’s death in a statement.
“The families of Chief Debo Akande (SAN) and Chief Esan of Ibadanland announce the passing away quietly in her sleep on April 29, 2008 of their daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunty, Prof. Jadesola Olayinka Debo-Akande, OFR,” they said.
A lady, who identified herself as Akande’s personal assistant said her boss “did not complain of any sickness” before she left her (Akande) residence on Monday.
The deceased’s son-in-law, Mr. Tokunbo Coker, told one of our correspondents that Akande visited their house around 5.30pm on Monday and discussed with him and her daughter after which she took mango with them.
“It was unbelievable when I learnt that my mother-in-law died in her sleep this (Tuesday) morning. Her body was still warm when I got to her residence at Ikoyi at 11 am,” he said.
Akande’s last public outing was of at lecture marking the 70th birthday of a human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), in Lagos on Monday.
At the event, Akande, who until her death was an Executive Director with the Women, Law and Development Centre, officiated the cutting of Fawehinmi’s birthday cake and prayed for his quick recovery.
Among those who reacted to her passage were Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), the President, Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba; a former Vice -Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe, and his successor, Prof. Tolu Odugbemi.
Others were the President, Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, the Executive Director, Women Advocate for Research and Documentation Centre, Mrs. Abiola Akiode-Afolabi; and Dr. Keziah Awosika.
The Special Adviser (Media) to Fashola, Mr. Akeem Bello, said in a statement that the governor visited the family house of the former vice-chancellor in company with his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Fashola advised the “family members who were equally shocked by the sudden transition of the respected legal scholar to take solace in the fact that she lived a very fruitful and fulfilled life.”
In the condolence register opened for the deceased, the governor wrote, “Dear Aunty Jade, rest in the bosom of your Creator.”
He described her as a “distinguished Nigerian who built many leaders as well as the nation.”
In the condolence register, Agbakoba (SAN) wrote, “This is a shocking and terrible news. A great loss to the legal profession and Nigeria. A legal icon and an academic giant.”
Agbakoba later issued a statement in which he described Akande as “a legal giant and a woman of substance.”
While Ibidapo-Obe said the deceased was “an unrelenting advocate for women‘s rights and empowerment,” Odugbemi described her as a ”pleasant and brilliant academic,” who would be missed by academics and those in the legal profession.
A Judge of High Court of Lagos, Justice Joseph Oyewole, said Akande lived a fulfilled life.
Awosika, who is Akande’s partner at WLDC, said they both spoke on the telephone between 10.30 and 11pm on Monday night about a meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
“We talked and discussed about the meeting we were supposed to have in the office today (Tuesday),” she said, before breaking down in tears.
Akiode-Afolabi said Akande’s death was a great loss to Nigeria.
”She was a woman of courage, a woman of profound intellect and very resourceful. She was the last woman standing and she had contributed her quota to the struggle for a better society,” she said.
Also, the Pro-National Conference Organisation said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr. Wale Okunniyi, that Akande would be remembered for drafting the people’s constitution launched by PRONACO on May 22, 2007.
“PRONACO and the entire democratic movement will no doubt miss her fearless contributions to the renewed effort at reforming the Nigerian polity, ” he said.
Born on November 15, 1940, Akande, a distinguished jurist, was a law graduate of the University College, London. She was called to the bar at Inner Temple in 1963.
Akande returned to the country in 1965 and worked in the West Regional Civil Service as an administrative officer/state council for a year before she proceeded to the Nigerian Law School.
Obama Discovers Wright's Unsavory (It Only Took 20 Years!)
Obama Discovers Wright's Unsavory (It Only Took 20 Years!)/
By Michael Goldfarg
It's official – Barack Obama, however belatedly, threw his Meshugenah Minister under the bus at a press conference today. According to Obama's telling, Jeremiah Wright's appearance yesterday at the National Press Club made it clear to Obama that Wright is a crackpot, a lunatic, a nut. (The preceding are my terms, not Obama's.) So, in other words, Wright's oddness managed to elude Obama during 20 years of spiritual mentorship and while the Obamas were sending $40,000 worth of support to Wright, but yesterday Obama had a proverbial Road to Damascus experience. At the risk of being blunt, pull the other leg, Senator – there are bells on it.
Obama's style during the extended presser is worth some commentary. His delivery, as is ever the case when he doesn't have a teleprompter, was weak and halting. He claimed outrage, but instead he showed a low energy level form of sorrow.
I thought of three other political appearances while watching the Obama press conference:
1) Just prior to the Iraq War, President Bush gave a presser where he tried to emphasize his seriousness and not look at all cowboy-ish. The results were disastrous. The press labeled Bush as “slouching off to war” thanks to his grim, low energy efforts. Similarly, Obama should have shown some feistiness and fighting spirit today. Instead he looked like a beaten man. (Perhaps he had seen the latest SUSA Poll for North Carolina that shows Hillary Clinton pulling to within 5 points.)
2) Ted Kennedy's “Mudd Slide” – Ted Kennedy's 1980 presidential ambitions bit the dust when he stumbled over a series of innocuous questions that Roger Mudd asked him. That interview has long been the gold standard for a politician giving a disastrous interview. Like Kennedy during the Mudd Slide, Obama was strikingly inarticulate. Obama always says "um" a lot when speaking extemporaneously, but today's effort was particularly disastrous in that regard. Obama said he was outraged by Wright, but he spoke slowly and laconically, hardly traits that one typically associates with outrage.
3) Bill Clinton in the immediate aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing called the perpetrators cowards and vowed that they would face vengeance. Clinton was visibly angry, and appropriately so. It was the first time in his presidency that he obviously was telling the truth. His tone and his emotions matched the moment perfectly.
Obama needed to forcefcully and perhaps a bit angrily distance himself from Reverend Wright. Reverend Wright's comments would outrage just about every American, and Obama had more reason to be furious than most. And yet he spoke in measured and hesitant tones. Some might think this style evidences a heightened state of thoughtfulness. Regardless, Obama’s tone today did not match the moment.
As such, it will do nothing to put this issue to bed.
Posted by Dean Barnett on April 29, 2008 02:47 PM | Permalink
By Michael Goldfarg
It's official – Barack Obama, however belatedly, threw his Meshugenah Minister under the bus at a press conference today. According to Obama's telling, Jeremiah Wright's appearance yesterday at the National Press Club made it clear to Obama that Wright is a crackpot, a lunatic, a nut. (The preceding are my terms, not Obama's.) So, in other words, Wright's oddness managed to elude Obama during 20 years of spiritual mentorship and while the Obamas were sending $40,000 worth of support to Wright, but yesterday Obama had a proverbial Road to Damascus experience. At the risk of being blunt, pull the other leg, Senator – there are bells on it.
Obama's style during the extended presser is worth some commentary. His delivery, as is ever the case when he doesn't have a teleprompter, was weak and halting. He claimed outrage, but instead he showed a low energy level form of sorrow.
I thought of three other political appearances while watching the Obama press conference:
1) Just prior to the Iraq War, President Bush gave a presser where he tried to emphasize his seriousness and not look at all cowboy-ish. The results were disastrous. The press labeled Bush as “slouching off to war” thanks to his grim, low energy efforts. Similarly, Obama should have shown some feistiness and fighting spirit today. Instead he looked like a beaten man. (Perhaps he had seen the latest SUSA Poll for North Carolina that shows Hillary Clinton pulling to within 5 points.)
2) Ted Kennedy's “Mudd Slide” – Ted Kennedy's 1980 presidential ambitions bit the dust when he stumbled over a series of innocuous questions that Roger Mudd asked him. That interview has long been the gold standard for a politician giving a disastrous interview. Like Kennedy during the Mudd Slide, Obama was strikingly inarticulate. Obama always says "um" a lot when speaking extemporaneously, but today's effort was particularly disastrous in that regard. Obama said he was outraged by Wright, but he spoke slowly and laconically, hardly traits that one typically associates with outrage.
3) Bill Clinton in the immediate aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing called the perpetrators cowards and vowed that they would face vengeance. Clinton was visibly angry, and appropriately so. It was the first time in his presidency that he obviously was telling the truth. His tone and his emotions matched the moment perfectly.
Obama needed to forcefcully and perhaps a bit angrily distance himself from Reverend Wright. Reverend Wright's comments would outrage just about every American, and Obama had more reason to be furious than most. And yet he spoke in measured and hesitant tones. Some might think this style evidences a heightened state of thoughtfulness. Regardless, Obama’s tone today did not match the moment.
As such, it will do nothing to put this issue to bed.
Posted by Dean Barnett on April 29, 2008 02:47 PM | Permalink
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