The first executive president of Nigeria Shehu Shagari, is dead. He died this evening.
He was 93. Shagari was Nigeria’s president in the second Republic that started in 1979. He was reelected in 1983.
Shortly after that, General Muhammadu Buhari, now President of Nigeria overthrew him in a military coup.
Details later:
Freshly-caught rat is at the top of the holiday menu for crowds flocking to a market in northeastern India that specialises in rodents from local fields.
Destined to be boiled, skinned and then cooked in a spicy gravy, rat is more popular than chicken and pork with customers at the Sunday market in the village of Kumarikata in Assam state.
Shoppers buy hundreds of freshly caught and skinned rats that local farmers say are hunted to avoid damage to their fields in the state which borders Bhutan. The ready-roasted kind also goes down well.
Rat has become a valuable source of income for the poor “Adivasi” tribal people who struggle to make ends meet working in Assam’s famed tea gardens.
In the winter months when tea picking slumbers, the Adivasis go to rice paddies to trap rats for the market.
A kilogramme (2.2 pounds) of rat meat, which is considered a delicacy, sells for about 200 rupees ($2.8) — as much as for chicken and pork.
Farmers say the region has seen growing numbers of rats in recent years.
“We put traps in the fields as the rats eat people’s paddy,” Samba Soren, a rat vendor at Kumarikata, told AFP.
The rodents are hunted at night during the harvesting season with traps made from bamboo.
The traps are placed at the entrance of the rat-holes in the evening and the rodents are caught as they come out to scavenge.
The vendors have to work at night to make sure other predators do not get to the dead rats first. Some of the rats weigh more than a kilogramme and the market traders say they get between 10 and 20 kilogrammes a night.
CANNIBALISM- the act and profession of eating human flesh- as disgusting as it sounds, is practiced by some societies today.
While one cannot say with absolute certainty that cannibalism is still being practiced in some parts of Nigeria today, it would be, also, too risky to assume that it is not. Cannibalism strikes the human conscience like few other taboo acts, eliciting mix of dread, disdain and plain old nausea.
The earliest humans in Europe, 32,000 years ago, practiced ritual cannibalism, according to a study published in 2011 in the journal, PLoS One. The oldest evidence of cannibalism suggests that humans ate other humans not for nutritional purposes but rather as a part of funeral rites. Up until the Middle Ages, cannibalism was primarily practiced as a means to supplement nutrition.
Starting around the 12th century, the practice of incorporating human remains into medical remedies was common practice. The deceased, who unwillingly donated their bodies to medical science, were stolen from Egyptian tombs or abducted from Irish burial sites, according to Smithsonian Magazine. The use of “corpse medicine” started to fall out of favor in the 16th century, but remained in use until the late 18th century. In some parts of Africa, a similar but much more severe form of cannibalism still occurs, with albinos in particular murdered and butchered for magical protections and remedies.
In Nigeria, perhaps, that is why the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) recently issued a warning to the public to be wary of some hotspots, where heinous crimes thrive across the country. In a statement, which has gone viral on the social media, the police advised Nigerians, especially travellers, to avoid these areas, especially at night, in order not to fall victim.
The areas include; Ota, Lambe, and Mowe, in Ogun State; Toyota Bus Stop along Apapa/Oshodi Expressway, Ikorodu, bridge linking Abiola Garden with Otedola Estate, and Isheri Olowo-Ira (under bridge), all in Lagos State. Others are waterfront, in the River Niger area of Onitsha, Anambra State; Isiala-Ngwa in Abia State, and Igwurita, Rumuokoro, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The police also listed Oro Road, in Ilorin, Kwara State; Lokoja-Abuja Expressway in Kogi State; Kaduna Eastern By-Pass, Bank of River Kaduna, Kaduna/Abuja Expressway in Kaduna State, and Abuja Motor Park, Kawo Motor Park, and railway tracks in Abuja. The NPF enjoined victims/members of the public to send sms/pre-text message to any of the Police Control Room mobile lines- 07055350249, 07035068242 and RRS Control Room 2, Alausa-08065154338 and 07055462708. Control Room 3, SHQ, – 08079279349, 08063299264 and 767 (toll free line).
The Supreme Court of Nigeria (SCN) on Friday, the 18th day of December, 2009 had reason to hear and decide on this tragedy of eating human flesh. That was in the case of Mbang v The State. The facts of the case are so gory that the current Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, then a Justice on the bench of the Supreme Justices who heard the case said, “The facts of this case is a sad commentary on our level of civilisation with regard to the continued existence of the practice of cannibalism in modern day Nigeria.”
“At first it may sound far-fetched but as the truth of the situation sinks in, one is left with his mouth gaped. That is the reality of our situation despite the practice of Christianity over the years,” he lamented. The case revolves around a curious occurrence: A confession by Mbang Mbang (appellant) that he and his co-accused ate human flesh.
The appellant and three others were arraigned before the High Court of Cross-River State sitting at Ugep for the offence of murder contrary to section 319 (1) of the criminal code. It was alleged that the accused persons on 7/10/89 murdered one Baba Okoi of the Nigerian Army at Nko Village of Cross River State. Each of the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the conclusion of hearing, the trial Judge, Obasse J, in his judgment found each of the four accused guilty of the offence and accordingly sentenced each to death. The three others convicted by the High Court were Obeten Leko Essien, Mbang Efoli Mbang and Fidelis Onen Obeten. The prosecutor said Okoi was murdered and his “human meat” was “butchered” and “shared” by the accused persons.
Although the Supreme Court upturned the murder conviction of the appellant on the basis that cannibalism was the offence he was charged with, Justice George Adesola Oguntade, who read the decision of the court, noted, “the revelation made before the trial Court during the hearing is unnerving". “The accused persons, all from Cross River State of Nigeria as at 1989 were freely eating human flesh as snack,” he lamented.
“Cannibalism in Nigeria in 1989, this was a strange occurrence. It is directed that the proceedings and judgment in this case be sent to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Cross Rivers State to enable them take necessary steps to stop the continuation of this barbaric practice,” he said.
According to Justice Onnoghen, JSC as he then was, “it is unfortunate that in the present century, acts of cannibalism usually associated with our barbaric past, still rears its ugly head in some communities.
However sordid or nauseating the facts of this case are, the point remains that appellant and his co-accused persons were not charged with an offence of cannibalism, which they admitted, but murder.” In fact, according to the book, Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria, by Elphinstone Dayrell, many years ago, before the oldest man alive at the present time can remember, the towns of Ikom, Okuni, Abijon, Insofan, Obokum, and all the other major towns were situated round and near the Insofan Mountain, and the head chief of towns was called Agbor.
The Insofan Mountain is about two days’ march inland from Cross River and agriculture was the biggest industry with yams taking the pride of place. At the end of each year, when it was time to dig the yams, there was a big play held, which was called the New Yam festival. At this festival, there was always a big human sacrifice, 50 slaves being killed in one day.
These slaves were tied up to trees in a row, and many drums were beaten; then a strong man, armed with a sharp machete, went from one slave to another and cut their heads off. This was done to cool the new yams, so that they would not hurt the stomachs of the people. Until this sacrifice was made no one in the villages would eat a new yam, as they knew, if they did so, they would suffer great pain in their insides. When the feast was held, all the towns brought 100 yams each as a present to King Agbor.
When the slaves were all killed, fires were lit, and the dead bodies were placed over the fires to burn the hair off. A number of plantain leaves were then gathered and placed on the ground, and the bodies, having been cut into pieces, were placed on the plantain leaves. When the yams were skinned, they were put into large pots, with water, oil, pepper, and salt. The slaughtered human remains were then put in on top the cut yams, and the pots covered up with other clay pots and left to boil for an hour.
The king, having called all the people together, then declared the New Yam festival had commenced, and singing and dancing were kept up for three days and nights, during which time much palm wine was consumed, and all the human flesh and the yams, which had been provided for them, were eaten by the people. The human heads were given to the king for his share, and, when he had finished eating them, the skulls were placed before the Juju with some new yams, so that there should be good crop the following season.
But although these natives ate the dead bodies of the slaves at the New Yam feast, they did not eat human flesh during the rest of the year. That’s it for this folktale, however plausible or mundane it might sound. The truth is, many Nigerians today don’t believe stories. True, it is not easy to stomach the fact that humans and our ancestors practiced cannibalism for hundreds of thousands of years.
“The cannibal thing is a rumour that missionaries had blamed all Igbo and Ibibio peoples of. The origin of these myths comes from the slurs the neighbouring peoples threw at each other. Till today, Ibibio people say Annang people are cannibals, Annang people probably feel the same, Igbo people used to call Ibibio cannibals, and the Ibibio said the same to the Igbo,” Ezeagu Chinedu, a resident of Abuja said.
He explained the point as being that there has never been any evidence of cannibalism in eastern Nigeria. “It’s just a stupid colonial rumour that’s been used to demonise the people of Isiala Ngwa. People in this day and age still fear going there despite the fact that there has never been any confirmed case of someone being kidnapped to be eaten. Now, being kidnapped for human sacrifice is a different story because probably all groups in southern Nigeria did that,” he noted.
Indeed, in this life, the story of human flesh eaters, in some instances when they are told, may be mere stereotypes and among the dangers of a single story, but the reality of Mbang v The State creates pangs for the doubting mind here. And, no matter the trepidation and how sordidly the story of human cannibals may sound, let us not bury the reality of this gruesomeness in the nauseating appeal of the act.
Carefulness and personal vigilance cannot be overemphasised at this time of the year. Let us be so careful and conscious of our environments.
Kwarans bombarded Saraki with "OLE" "THIEF" "OTOGE" on live radio
Kwara Must Change reported that on the live radio programme held today in Ilorin, the Kwara State Capital, Kwarans in their numbers bombarded Saraki with all derogatory remarks ranging from criminal, ole, thief and otoge.
See some of the screenshots-
The lawmaker representing Ahoada East Constituency one in the Rivers state House of Assembly, Martins Mannah has described the 2019 budget of the State as a scam.
Mannah, who addressed newsmen after the budget presentation, said little or nothing was achieved with the 2018 budget.
He further said the newly presented budget may face the challenge of implementation, adding that there is a misplaced priority in the budget because security is expected to lead.
“The 2019 budget of the Wike Government is another scam. N480bn?
“The Governor is presenting N480billion when the 2018 budget has achieved nothing. All we have been seeing are patching of roads. No major project anywhere in the state.
“A state that claims to be generating employment is giving only 4billion naira to Agriculture.
“Let me tell you, during the budget 2018 defence here, one on the Ministries got 6billion naira in 2017 and we asked them what they did with their allocation, the Commissioner of that Ministry said they did not receive one naira from the Rivers state government. So, this 2019 will be the same.”
Governor Nyesom Wike on Monday presented the 2019 Appropriation Bill of N480.42 billion to the State House of Assembly for consideration.
Governor Rochas Okorocha has declared to run for Presidency in 2023, and according to the Imo State Governor, he is fixed on becoming the first elected civilian president of Igbo extraction in 2023.
Rochas Okorocha who described himself as the rallying point for all Ndigbo and the only one who can bridge unity, understanding and togetherness in order to realize Igbo presidency in 2023, declared to run for Presidency in 2023 as he hosted members of the Orlu Zone Congress of Journalists (OZCOJ) in his office.
The Imo State Governor further maintained that the campaigns of calumny against him, was because his detractors have realised that he is the most eligible and most detribalised Igbo man.
President Buhari has finally reacted to the alleged Cabal and two powerful men controlling his government as alleged by his beautiful wife, Aisha Buhari and others.
Aisha Buhari had on two different occasions talked publicly about cabals controlling her husband, President Buhari's government.
First was in an interview with BBC Hausa, Aisha had alleged that Buhari’s government had been hijacked by only a “few people”, who were behind presidential appointments.
In her words: “The president does not know 45 out of 50 of the people he appointed and I don’t know them either, despite being his wife of 27 years. Some people are sitting down in their homes folding their arms only for them to be called to come and head an agency or a ministerial position,” she said.
Again, recently, Aisha Buhari, the wife of the President, revealed that 2 strong men within the Aso Rock cabal are slowing down President Buhari’s Administration.
Aisha also said some politicians have formed the habit of going to these two powerful men in the night to beg for favours. A situation she described as disappointing.
Aisha Buhari had made the shocking revelations while speaking at a National Women Leadership Summit organised by a political group, Project 4+4 for Buhari & Osinbajo 2019, in Abuja.
Now President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the Cabal allegations and his wife, Aisha Buhari’s outburst.
He did this in an interview with VOA Hausa.
VOA Hausa Interviewer: Are you aware of allegations that a cabal is controlling your government? Even your wife alluded to it.
Buhari: That's her business & it shows I am a true democrat by allowing everybody to have an opinion. I challenge those alleging to show a single evidence.
Watch the video here
See more as Nigerians react.
Reactions Watch the video here |
A yet-to-be identified driver of a Bus Rapid Transit vehicle belonging to Primero Transport Services Limited, who was said to be driving under the influence of alcohol, reportedly knocked down a naval officer’s wife, Bilikisu Adedoyin, at Irawo bus stop, Ajegunle, Ikorodu Road, Lagos State. .
43-year-old Adedoyin, who was on her way home before she was knocked down by the BRT bus with number plate EKY 160 XR, was taken to the emergency unit of the Ikorodu General Hospital, after allegedly being denied care by two private hospitals.
One of the commuters in the bus, Paul Chinedu, who said attempts to caution the driver, who was alleged to be drunk, proved abortive, added that the concerned authorities should caution the drivers of BRT buses in order to prevent the reoccurrence of such accidents. .
He said, “I was one of the passengers on the bus; I had been complaining about the driver’s speed and the fact that he was drunk, but he did not listen. When he spoke to me, I perceived the strong smell of alcohol from his breath. Suddenly, another bus emerged and the woman (Adedoyin) was on the road; the driver could not control the speed of the bus and that was how he knocked down the woman.
“The most annoying part was that when he jumped down from the bus to see what had happened, he took the next available motorcycle and ran away. Those in charge of the BRT buses need to caution their drivers to reduce their speed while driving on the BRT lanes, and to watch the way they live, because the driver was drunk and that was why this accident happened.”
If Jesus Christ wasn't born today as some people claim and using that to justify their decision not to celebrate Christmas, i am now asking them, when was Jesus born and do they celebrate him on that day?
For me, I celebrate Christmas with all our Christian friends all over the world. I'm celebrating Christmas today and i wish everyone happiness during this holiday season.
If you are celebrating Jesus on another day, please notify me to join the celebration also. I celebrate the birth of Jesus everyday.
Christmas is a period of joy and happiness for majority of our people and even if you think Jesus wasn't born today to warrant any celebration, share in the joy and happiness of our people.
Human joy and happiness is worth celebrating. That's what Jesus Christ represents
So, here is to wish you all a Merry Christmas, a blessed season and a prosperous New Year ahead.
Abeg, if you have people who don't celebrate Christmas, please send me the gift on their behave.
I do celebrate Christmas. I do celebrate double Christmas. I also do celebrate multiple Christmas. In other words, for every person who don't celebrate Christmas, i celebrate Christmas on their behave, so let me receive the gift on their behave also.
You see ehnn, the Lord who has seen you through this 2018 will surely perfect your ways in 2019 and beyond.
His blessings shall abide by you all the way.
Happy Christmas
ABDULRAZAQ HAMZAT
Janchine Nigeria Limited - Our client, a flexible Packaging Company located around Oshodi Lagos, is currently recruiting suitably qualified candidates to fill the following positions below:
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Location: Lagos
2.) Mechanical Engineer
Location: Lagos
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Location: Lagos
4.) Production & Planning Officer
Location: Lagos
5.) Pouching and Bag Supervisor
Location: Lagos
6.) Extrusion Supervisor
Location: Lagos
7.) Slitting Supervisor
Location: Lagos
8.) Sales Manager/Head
Location: Lagos
9.) Administrative Secretary
Location: Lagos
10.) Sales Executive & Manager- Corporate Sales (Power Backup Solutions)
Locations: Lagos and Abuja
Application Closing Date
15th January, 2019.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Resume to: flexjobs@janchine.com
