‘Corrupt Christians Do Much Harm to the Church’ – Pope

The Holy Father was warned of those who pretend to be Christian while calling on the faithful to recognize themselves as sinners so as not to be corrupt. Drawing from the Gospel from St. Luke, Pope Francis underlined Christ’s example in forgiving a repentant sinner. However, Jesus also gives a word of warning to those who are a cause of scandal. “What is the difference between sinning and scandalizing?” the Holy Father asked. “The difference is that one who sins and repents, asks forgiveness, feels weak, feels like a son of God, humbles himself, and asks for salvation from Jesus. But the other who scandalizes, what is it that scandalizes? That he does not repent….

The proliferation of political parties in Nigeria and its Destructive consequences

It should be clear to all “ENLIGHTENED AND PROGRESSIVE NIGERIANS” that the “MULTIPLICITY OF POLITICAL PARTIES” in our country should not be the way forward for a “PALPABLE DEMOCRACY” to really function in Nigeria. THE STUMBLING BLOCK: The Myriads of ethnic or regional oriented political parties (“Mushroom-Parties”) in Nigeria are to a large extent, making the “Dividends of Democracy illusive and Un-realizable” in our country. A large majority of these political parties, described in some quarters and countries as “Titeres” or “Puppet Parties”, do purport or pretend to challenge the “Dominant Party in Power but the real fact is that they do not in any way pose any tangible or appreciable opposition to the Party…

How corruption is “killing” Nigeria – US Consul General

Corruption is a scourge that undermines virtually everything that could move Nigeria towards a brighter economic future as it hinders economic growth and investment This was the statement of Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins, United States Consul General to Nigeria.  According to the diplomat who bared his mind Wednesday, during an interactive session with the civil society at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), corruption diverts financial resources, as well as from building roads and bridges, curtailing the development of infrastructure that is needed to make the country more competitive. The Consul General said that corruption drains the federal treasury of funds that could do wonders in expanding and improving the education provided to millions of…

Governor’s Overseas Trip paralyses Imo

Imo State appears to have grounded to a halt and nothing seems to be moving since Governor Rochas Okorocha travelled to the United States of America, last month. Our investigations revealed that government activities were paralysed as most of his aides were neither empowered nor have any authority to transact serious business. Last week, the Deputy Governor ordered the contractor handling the Nekede-Ihiagwa Road to return to site immediately. The order was ignored as the contractor is yet to return to site more than a week the order was issued. Observers say the contractors feel the deputy governor doesn’t have a biting power to sanction. The Leader also gathered that a World Bank Project team…

Sub-standard Nigeria

Although the civil war (July 1967 – January 1970), challenged the ingenuity of our local manufacturers to produce alternatives to imported goods, our industrialists and importers for a long time, continued to maintain the high standards inherited from our British colonial masters.  Such was the case till the early 1990s.  Until then, one could go into the market and find quality materials to buy, such as textiles, electronics, hard wares, building materials and car spare parts. Due to the availability of quality products the consumer had the choice of what to spend his money on.  But today, the story has changed as our markets are now flooded with all kinds of fake, counterfeit and substandard…

Nigerian Democracy: The Amaechi Case

When Nigerian’s military dictators handed back power to the political class on May 29, 1999, the expectations worldwide were that our country was ready to practice civil democracy the way it should, having learnt the hard way.  It was a legitimate expectation considering the fact that Nigeria was just emerging from a long period of military rule and suppression of democratic institutions. Ironically and sadly too, our politicians seem to have learnt nothing from Nigeria’s chequered past despite the price paid by patriots especially pro-democracy groups in lives and property in an effort to entrench the rule of law.  They preferred their own brand of democracy, characterized by indiscipline, corruption, high handedness and lack of…

National Assembly may take over Rivers State Assembly …As police seal off chamber

The political crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly persists, House of Representatives, Wednesday, passed a resolution urging the National Assembly to take over the legislative functions of that House of Assembly immediately. The Lower Chamber also asked the Inspector General of Police to re-deploy the State Police Commissioner, Joseph Mbu, accusing him of compromise.  Both the House and the Senate must concur before the House can take over any State Assembly. However, two lawmakers from the embattled state, Hons. Ken Chikere and Kingsley Chinda opposed the decision saying the resolution was hasty and unpopular. RiversState has been engulfed in hydra-headed political crises for the past two months, engineered from within and outside the…

Politics and Public Service: The Most Lucrative Business Enterprises in Nigeria Today (2)

The irony of it all is that all these people who inflict these economic and social pains on their brothers and sisters are front row members of different denominations in the Christian church. They are regularly and religiously seen parading themselves with every sanctimonious approach in the church with bogus, amorphous and appetizing Christian titles that lack salvation and redemption in the door-steps of the characters concerned. In this case, church is therefore a very comfortable camouflage in the hands of these dramatis personae who feel and believe very strongly that the best way to conceal their looting of the treasury and financial misconducts in their official positions is by competing with the common masses…

OGUTA STATE CONSTITUENCY RE-ELECTION: Why I am not excited

On the 29th of June 2013, there will be a re-run election for the representative of Oguta State Constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly. This is as a result of the nullification of the election of Hon. Eugene Dibiagwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the court. The front runners in the election, the PDP and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)/yet-to-be registered All Progressive Congress (APC) have been campaigning and mobilizing in a very big way. The battle line seems to be drawn between both parties. On the side of the PDP are Senator Hope Uzodinma, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha, Senator Author Nzeribe etc. while Governor Rochas is leading the other side…

Politics And Public Service: The Most Lucrative Business Enterprises In Nigeria Today (1)

Politics is a witty stratagem and artifice that are being exercised to establish a human and material platform for the institutionalization of a stable and progressive state with the full credence and tenet of the entrenchment of democracy and enactment of good governance. While Public Service could be categorized as a working contract entrusted to the care and responsibility of a chosen with a stipulated remuneration, recompense or allowance, for the strengthening of the affairs of the state and welfare of the people. Analytically, both politics and public service are for the advancement, growth and upliftment of a state in every facet of her development including direction, conduct, guidance, administration and management. If all these…

Retrospect: Video – Jerry Rawlings flaws African Leaders, mocks Nigerian Leadership

A video recording of the event, where the former leader delivered the speech, has punctured his claim, with footages showing Mr. Rawlings not only repeatedly referring to Nigeria, but at a point mocking its government for hounding corruption fighters, characterizing authorities with the now famous pidgin adaptation for bosses: “Oga at the top.” Watch the video clip and comment on your reactions so far.

Corruption: The 37th State of Nigeria

There is a cloned hydra-headed monster on a tiny-lined white thread seen with the third-eye only making up the 37th State of Nigeria.  It is CORRUPTION.  On May 27, 2012, the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Owerri Diocese, Most Rev. Anthony Obinna celebrated a thanksgiving Mass for the State Government to mark its one year in office at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral Owerri.  In his homily, the Archbishop called for an alternative Nigeria. The alternative Nigeria, he explained would be “Nigeria that is just and fair, a Nigeria where there is rule of law and respect for justice and fairness, a Nigeria where the leaders will shun double standard life and enthrone good governance…

Ojukwu and the discourse of disunity

He came from a wealthy stock. He was educated in the best schools. He was a soldier. He was a radical. He was an adept. Some will describe him as unpatriotic, while others see him as a nationalist. Some see him as a villain and others see him as a hero who fought for justice. In life and in death, Ojukwu appeared to have embodied the paradoxes of life and its extremes. Notwithstanding his rare characteristics represented in a somewhat mystic personality, the name Ojukwu will for a long time remain synonymous with the defunct Biafra. As the ex-warlord of Biafra, Ojukwu was a historic figure upon which the apparent ethnic and tribal disquiet in…

How “Whistleblowing” Can Save Nigeria

Chioma has just discovered that her new employer (a pharmaceutical company licensed by NAFDAC to produce certain drugs in Nigeria) is producing fake drugs for sale in the Nigerian market. She is deeply troubled. On one hand she worries that the fake drugs may hurt unsuspecting Nigerians, if she does not speak out. On the other hand she is worried that she may loose her job, if she speaks out. So, she called again asking: “What should I do?” “Whistleblowing”, as Professor Michelle Cotton of the University of Baltimore has described it, “is the action of bringing to public attention or to the attention of law enforcement an instance of company misbehavior, for the benefit…

Sodom is here – Archbishop

Sodom and Gomorrah, two infamous biblical cities destroyed because of immorality, have found their way back on earth. The Most Rev. Anthony Obinna, Catholic Archbishop of Owerri raised the alarm while preaching a sermon at Maria Assumpta Cathedral Owerri on Sunday, April 7 2013.   The Archbishop Obinna said America is capital of the new Sodom and President Obama is its head of State. He blamed Obama for obeying the commands of his party rather than God’s.   The said that homosexuals are trying to chase away any form of marriage between man and woman in Europe and America, warning that feminism as is being canvassed in that part of the world is all about…