Italy’s First Black Cabinet Minister, Faces Death Threats

But Cecile Kyenge says she’s not afraid and challenged Italians to respond to such intimidation themselves to prove that Italy isn’t racist. Kyenge, a Congolese-born doctor who has lived in Italy since 1983, has been the target of racist diatribes ever since she was named integration minister in April. She has been called “Congolese monkey,” and a member of a “bonga bonga government.” Last week, a local politician from the xenophobic Northern League party was expelled from the party after she suggested on Facebook: “Why doesn’t someone rape her (Kyenge), so she can understand what victims of atrocious crimes feel?” The official, Dolores Valandro, was implying that immigrants were responsible for violent crime in Italy….

Manila Prelate Believes Same-Sex “Marriage” Law in Phillippine is Unlikely

Says Church Will Continue to Fight to Defend Life, Marriage and the Family The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) believes that divorce and gay “marriage” are so hard to pass in the country. Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu, the CBCP President said that not unlike the recently passed Reproductive Health (RH) law, the issue of divorce and same-sex unions is not simple. “While after many years the RH bill was passed, I don’t believe that the other bills would come easy,” Palma said.The CBCP head also claimed that the Church continues to gain ground in its fight against abortion and other measures that attack the sanctity of life, marriage and…

UNITED IN GOD FOR LIFE

A Declaration issued at the end of the Pro-life Conference/ Rally at the Obiri Odenigbo, Villa Assumpta, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, June 3rd – 4th, 2013. As our society is experiencing the dangerous encroachment of the culture of death from without and within, the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri continues its Pro-life Mission by organizing a two-day Pro-life Conference with the theme: “Protecting Human Life from Conception to Natural Death.” Pro-lifers from Nigeria, Europe and America participated in the Conference and Rally. The predominant evils of same-sex union, pornography, abortion, contraception, euthanasia, baby factory, anti-life bills and laws and the negative influence of social networks were the major concerns of this conference. The destructive effects of…

Knights in Nsukka rise in defence of the unborn child

The Knights and Ladies of St. Mulumba, St. Peter’s Sub-Council based at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, took this year’s battle in defence of the unborn child outside Nsukka urban on Sunday, April 21, 2013. In groups of 10 each, their members attended Masses in five different parishes in Orba, Obukpa, Ovoko and Ibagwa-Aka to deliver Pro-life sensitization talks and interact with members of the congregation in the fight against abortion. For all Knights and Ladies of St. Mulumba, this is a yearly exercise nationwide to mark the Day of the Unborn Child.  It is expected that through this means, members will interact with the public and reaffirm the teachings of the church on the…

Editorial: Maintaining our Pro-Life Stand

The news that the House of Representatives, after 18 months of foot-dragging has finally toed the step of the Upper Legislative Chamber in proposing laws banning the practice of gay marriage, homosexuality, lesbianism and other sexual aberrations in the country, has gladdened many hearts. Henceforth, Churches and Mosques are forbidden from conducting same sex marriages while gay and lesbian couples who marry could face up to 14 years each in prison. Witnesses or anyone who helps such couples marry could be sentenced to 10 years behind bars. Anyone taking part in a group advocating for gay rights or caught in ”public show” of gay affection also would face 10 years in prison if convicted by…

Lawmakers Pass Anti-Gay Marriage Bill

The House of Representatives voted Thursday to ban gay marriage and outlaw any groups actively supporting gay rights, endorsing a measure that also calls for 10-year prison sentences for any “public show” of affection by a same-sex couple. Representatives appeared to unanimously approve the proposal in a voice vote, sending it immediately to President Goodluck Jonathan for him to potentially sign into law in Africa’s most populous nation. It wasn’t immediately clear if Jonathan would sign the measure, though gays and lesbians already face public ridicule and possible prison sentences in the Country. While Western diplomats declined to immediately comment, the United Kingdom already has threatened to stop aid to nations that discriminate against gays….

Killing of Ndigbo: Enough is Enough – Ohaneze Ndigbo warns

The apex ethno Igbo organization, Ohaneze Ndigbo has warned that continued killing of innocent Nigerians especially of Igbo extraction in Northern Nigeria might no longer be business as usual for the murderous crusaders hiding under the cloak of Boko Haram. The warning came from the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Imo State Chapter, Hon. Dr. Emeka Sam Ukaegbu who spoke in an interview with THE LEADER in a public function at St. Anthony’s Parish Inyishi Ikeduru, Imo State recently. Dr. Ukaegbu who observed with grief that the way things are happening in Nigeria particularly the way and manner the Igbos are massacred even inside churches without any reprisal, called on Ndigbo to defend themselves in any…

Pack and Go – Anambra First Lady orders baby factories

-Why they’re springing up in Southeast, by Red Cross Anambra State Government on Monday ordered all motherless babies’ homes that could be tagged ‘baby factories’ to pack and leave the state within 48 hours or risk a clampdown. Wife of the Anambra State Governor Mrs. Margaret Peter Obi stated this at the 2013 Children’s Day event at the Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka. She warned motherless babies’ homes in the state and those indulging in any form of illegal adoption of babies and outright selling of babies in any disguise to pack and leave without further delay. Sale of babies in ‘Baby factories’ has become rampant in the Southeast in recent times. Security agents have…

Town Unions and Community Governing Council In Imo State

A town union is an association formed by members of a particular community for the socio-economic development of that community. Accordingly, town union collaborates with traditional administration, government at all levels and sometimes non-governmental agencies to achieve its aim. Town unions existed in communities in Nigeria even before colonialism. Interestingly, when the colonial masters came to the country, they also associated with town unions and made adequate use of them to foster their mission. With the country’s independence and the constitutional provision on Freedom of Association, town unions became stronger institutions. Also, with the promulgation of the Companies and Allied matters Act, town unions are now incorporated as legal persons. Today, many town unions are…

ACHEBE AND THE INVENTION OF AFRICAN LITERATURE (1)

came strong on the world stage with the publication of his first novel, Things Fall Apart. It is a work widely considered to have defined African literature and brought balance to world literature. This is despite the fact that there were other pioneering efforts regarding African prose by African indigenous writers. By 1933 Omenụkọ by Pita Nwana had been published, followed by the Onitsha Market Literature through which Cyprian Ekwensi published pamphlet stories like Ikolo the Wrestler and Other Ibo Tales (1947) and When Love Whispers (1948). These were before Amos Tutuola’s The Palm-Wine Drinkard (1952), which many regard as the pioneer novel form in English language by an indigenous African. However, it is Chinua…

Jonathan imposes emergency rule on Adamawa, Borno, Yobe

President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.  However, the governors of the affected states are to continue in their constitutional roles.  In a nationwide radio/television broadcast on Tuesday, President Jonathan ordered the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, to deploy more troops to the affected states for more effective internal security operations. The soldiers had been given full orders to take necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to end the impunity of insurgents and terrorists. Full texts of the President’s broadcast on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 reads. It has become necessary for me to address you on the recent spate…

Town Unions and Community Governing Council In Imo State

A town union is an association formed by members of a particular community for the socio-economic development of that community. Accordingly, town union collaborates with traditional administration, government at all levels and sometimes non-governmental agencies to achieve its aim. Town unions existed in communities in Nigeria even before colonialism. Interestingly, when the colonial masters came to the country, they also associated with town unions and made adequate use of them to foster their mission. With the country’s independence and the constitutional provision on Freedom of Association, town unions became stronger institutions. Also, with the promulgation of the Companies and Allied matters Act, town unions are now incorporated as legal persons. Today, many town unions are…