JDPC Seminar: Why Catholic Church is interested in National Confab – Fr. Osuagwu

-As Okonkwo advises priests not to be partisan in politics An erudite cleric,  and former co-ordinator, Justice, Development and Peace Committee JDPC Owerri province, Rev. Fr. Innocent Maduakolam Osuagwu has given reasons why the Catholic Church is interested in the on-going National Conference in Abuja. In a paper he presented at a seminar organized by the JDPC of Owerri Archdiocese prior to the commencement of the Confab, Fr. Osuagwu gave seven reasons why the Church is interested in the conference: -     The Church wants to compassionately associate herself with the destiny of her host nation and member-citizens, and the effort to do everything to correct anomalies and enthrone uprightness (righteousness); recalling the many years of…

National Conference: Look beyond Religion …Archbishop Obinna

Nigerian Christians and Muslims must look beyond religion and focus on the common good, if the country will move forward. They must concentrate on shared values and uphold that which is capable of lifting up the nation. Archbishop Anthony Obinna made this call while addressing communication directors at the Assumpta Pastoral Centre Owerri April. He emphasized  that if the practitioners of both religions should work concertedly on common good issues that would benefit the nation, without forcing Islam or Christianity into dynamics, “we might end up with a humanizing Islam and a humanizing Christianity without thereby evacuating their more spiritual – doctrinal aspects.” The Catholic Archbishop  of Owerri  explained that Muslim – Christian encounter was…

IGBO ISSUES AT THE NATIONAL CONFAB (2)

REPRODUCTION OF DR SAM MADUGBA’S SUBMISSION TO IGBO GOVERNORS/ELDERS FOR GUIDANCE FOR OBASANJO’S CONFAB, FEBRUARY 1, 2005   Identifiable Injustices and Crimes against the Igbos Below is a litany of crimes committed against and injustices meted out to the Igboman by Nigeria since independence. These are listed so that the Igbo delegation must be aware of the enormity of the offences against the Igbo in order to demand appropriate appeasement if they decide to hang on with the Nigeria contraption. 1.         Conspiracy against Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe which made him the only freedom fighter of the renascent African that did not head the land he emancipated. 2.         The unprovoked murder of Aguiyi-Ironsi on July 29, 1966….

Confab divides Christian, Muslim leaders

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the umbrella body of Islamic organizations in Nigeria, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) have drawn a battle line over the composition of the delegates at the ongoing National Conference in Abuja. CAN is infuriated by the claim of JNL, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad III that the process of selecting delegates to the conference was not done with fair representation, saying it would affect the credibility of its outcome. The Christian body has, therefore, threatened to boycott the 2016 population census and subsequent exercises if there is no provision for religion. General Secretary of CAN, Dr. Musa Asake who issued the threat in a statement…

National Confab: Delegates request allowance for their aides, drivers

Some delegates of the newly inaugurated National Conference which had its first session Tuesday  in Abuja have asked for financial allowances to be made available to their aides who they say would help ease the burden of the task before them. Each delegate is to collect N12million as incentive for participating in the confab which is expected to last for  three months..but that money is not enough, they also want their PAs and drivers to be paid “We need to know the number of aides we are to employ,” One of the delegates, Senator Mohammed Jibrin enquired from the leaders. I see! However the secretary of the Conference, Mrs. Valeria Azinge, said there was no…

Tight security as confab begins in Abuja today

• Why we chose NJI venue SUNNEWSONLINE – There has been water tight security in and around Abuja, the federal Capital, where the national conference is scheduled to open today. Personnel of the Army, police, Department of State Security (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, have taken-up strategic positions at the National Judicial Institute (NJI) venue of the three months conference to forestall any breach of security throughout the duration of the conference. Top security operatives told Daily Sun that the NJI located along the bypass of the Abuja airport road was chosen instead of the International Conference Centre (ICC), to curtail activities of Boko Haram and other criminal groups who may want to…

National Conference: Delay is Dangerous

National conference as a political concept in Nigeria has attracted several and varied comments from numerous concerned individuals, scholars, opinion molders, statesmen, organizations and leaders of though at one time or the other ever since the Federal Government made known the intention to convene the Conference. The proposal has generated heated debates on pages of newspapers and magazines, television screens, legislative houses, social and political gatherings and even at village or town assembly meetings in various parts of the country. Some people in their thinking felt that this period is too critical to convene a National Conference considering the volatile nature of our political arrangement and the “not too strong” security arrangement on ground. Others…

Civil War: Ohanaeze Demands N2.4tn Reparation for Massacre of Ndigbo

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday demanded the payment of N2.4 trillion as reparation and restitution from the federal government for the killings, violations, atrocities and injustices against Ndigbo in Nigeria since 1966. Although the zone described as “incalculable,” the price on the death of millions of Ndigbo killed in the civil war and on other occasions, the amount is meant to cushion the sufferings the zone had passed through in the country, stressing that each of the five states of the South-east would receive a token of N400 billion from the money as compensation as well as Delta State for the benefit of Anioma area of the state. Chairman, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Reparation…

Justice Kutigi heads National Confab As Okorocha unveils Imo State delegates

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of the leadership of the National Conference with Justice Idris Kutigi as Chairman. According to a statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, the appointees are to resume in Abuja on Wednesday. Other members are Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Vice Chairman and Dr. Valerie Azinge, Secretary. President Jonathan had during his centenary media chat said that the members would be named while the team would be inaugurated on March 10. In a related development, Governor of the State, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha, has approved and forwarded the names of five delegates of the state for the forthcoming National Conference to be…

ONE NIGERIA? National Conference is the answer

Is Nigeria truly one? The answer to this question is capital No. If we the well- educated Ibos, Hausas, Yorubas and other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria can tell ourselves the gospel truth, the problem of Nigeria would have been eighty percent (80%) solved. What is this problem? The problem is the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorate of Nigeria on January 1, 1914 by Sir (Lord) Fredrick Lugard. This is a forced/false marriage and any marriage contract that is forced cannot last. Equally any house built on false foundation cannot stand. My readers may argue that by January 1, 1914, Nigeria had lasted for 100 years. That is true. Nigeria may also last for…

National Dialogue: Why the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Should Not Represent the Igbo Nation

Recently, the GEJ administration came up with the idea of a national dialogue which in my view is a distraction from the present Civil war he is prosecuting against the Boko Haram rebel group and charges of Corruption against his administration in the backdrop of the cohesive belligerence of the APC. Not many Nigerians are aware of the fact that Nigeria, in the view of the United Nations, the international court of Criminal Justice, The World Bank and the international community is a Nation at War just because, the war has religious connotations. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why we need to have a round table conference with the rest of the Country…

We want proper National Conference not Talkshop – Ndigbo tell Jonathan

As Nigeria gets set for a National Conference scheduled for this year, Igbo leaders have picked holes in some aspects of the report of the 13 member Advisory Committee set-up to advise Government on the agenda, structure, modalities and legal frame work for the National Conference. In a strongly worded letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, NDIGBO noted that, “far from being a conference of ethnic nationalities for the adoption of a new constitution for Nigeria, the conference is conceived by the Committee simply as a means to bring Nigerians together to talk and talk about the multifarious problems facing the country, with no clear specification of the result the talking is intended to achieve.” The…

FG unveils modalities for National Conference

-           492 Delegates to attend -           Nominations end February 20 The Federal Government on Thursday January 30 unveiled the modalities of the National Confab, disclosing that a total of 492 delegates will partake in the dialogue which would be named National Conference. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, gave the modalities to journalists at a press conference in his office in Abuja. Mr. Anyim said the National Conference will last for a total of three months and that nomination of delegates will commence on Thursday, January 30 and end onFebruary 20. Giving a breakdown of the proposed composition of the National Conference, Mr. Anyim said government gave expeditious consideration to the…

NIGERIA: Between National Conference and Good Governance

On October 1, 2010, Nigeria celebrated the Golden Jubilee of her Independence Anniversary.  Three years afterwards, on October 1, 2013, it was another Golden Jubilee anniversary of her status as a Republic. On January 1, 2014, Nigeria was 100 years as a corporate entity. These are celebrations of monumental maturity coming in such an unblinking series, it is splendid, it is terrific.  In this maturity however, how the Nigerian nation has fared in her socio-political, economic and religious affairs has often presented a paradoxical impression which has continued to generate topical issues across the globe. It is very clear that Nigerian peoples of both north and south were not introduced to one another by Lord…