THE IGBO GIANT STRIDES AGAINST ALL ODDS
9 years ago
August 13, 2012 (KellyClinger.com) -
Wednesday is late term abortion day at Orlando Women’s Center (the clinic where I had my abortions 12 years ago). When I first started visiting the sidewalks of abortion clinics to pray and minister, I had no idea that late term abortions were even legal. I remember hearing about the Partial Birth Abortion Ban in 2007 and assumed (like most) that this stopped abortions late in a woman’s pregnancy.
Shock can’t even begin to describe my feeling when I first counseled on late term day. “These girls are so pregnant,” I kept thinking to myself. Of course that’s silly since there’s no such thing as being a “little pregnant”, but I couldn’t get over the size of their beautiful bellies so full of life. These women have felt their babies kick. Many of them even know the sex of the child and this is sometimes the reason for the abortion. These girls have carried these babies for six months. They are more than halfway done!
I just cried and cried. I couldn’t even speak at first. Not only is the size of their bellies overwhelming but the hardness of their hearts is just as shocking. I began to think about family members, friends, and co-workers of these girls who know they are pregnant. Is our society so lacking of accountability that they will return to their lives and no one will think this is a problem?
This past Wednesday my friend John posted a picture of a girl who arrived at OWC to abort her twin baby girls. She already had daughters and didn’t want any more. She was about 20 weeks along, but because she was pregnant with twins, she had a big belly. Within a few hours, the picture went viral. I began to get phone calls and emails from friends who had no idea abortions like these happen. Many offered financial help and many offered to adopt her babies. Thousands of people all of over the world were praying that this girl would change her mind…and thousands were saying the picture was a hoax or that what she was doing was illegal.
I found myself repeating over and over again, “Abortion is legal in America up to the day you give birth.” In fact, in our nation’s capital, there are two doctors who “specialize” in abortions this late in pregnancy. One of those doctors has been working with a suspended license for several years. The Partial Birth Abortion Ban only stopped the use of that procedure late in a woman’s pregnancy. Now, as long as the baby is dismembered before removing him or her from the womb, it’s perfectly legal. Look up the laws in your state. Keep in mind that in any state that has exceptions for the health of the mother, this can mean that if a woman has bad heartburn that’s a threat to her health. A late term abortion starts around $2,000 and can go up to about $15,000 depending on how far along a woman is in her pregnancy.
I’ve been to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. They have piles and piles of hair shaved off of Jews in the concentration camps. They have millions of pairs of shoes belonging to children who were killed simply because they were Jewish. The pictures of thousands of dead bodies piled on top of each other are shocking and appalling. At one point I decided I couldn’t look anymore. I was disgusted that this could happen without a revolution rising to overthrow a government that would accept murder as status quo.
I know it’s controversial to say this, but abortion truly is the holocaust of my generation. What if we had the bodies of 50,000,000 babies piled on top of each other in a museum somewhere? What if we took all of the clothes they will never wear and toys they will never play with and you had to pay to see them? If each of us had to watch a late term abortion, surely there would be a revolution, right?
After the Holocaust ended, German civilians were taken to Buchenwald concentration camp to see the atrocities that happened there. Over and over they were heard saying, “We didn’t know.” Now, because of the internet and social media, we have no excuse for ignorance. The hands of America are covered with blood…perhaps her eyes and ears are covered as well.
The girl I mentioned earlier ended up aborting the twin girls in her womb even though we had every kind of help she would ever need ready for her. She admitted that she didn’t want girls and that she had no compassion for the babies she was carrying. Through a two day process, she actually had to go into labor and deliver her sweet babies into a toilet. Abortions like these happen all over the country every day. I hope that this girl’s picture made many so outraged that they are provoked to do something. When I spend hours on the Planned Parenthood sidewalk alone, I want to cry out “WHERE IS THE CHURCH?”
“America will not reject abortion until America SEES abortion.” - Father Frank Pavone
Reprinted with permission from KellyClinger.com
Click here to Sign An International Petition Seeking To Halt the demolition of Mpape
|
| Bulldozing Mpape |
 |
| Army Checkmating Protesters |
On August 16th, the CDD learned that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) had surprised the residents by starting the demolition two weeks early and in the late morning while everyone was away at work. This video contains some of the few shots which escaped the village. www.cddwestafrica.org
To watch this video, just click on this link: The destruction of Mpape
 |
| Court Order |
From The Author
Era of Crises and
Revolts is a modest contribution geared at arming working class and youth
activists with perspectives at a critical point in history. The book provides
analyses that help shed more light on the roots of the general crisis, rocking
the world economy and political system. The crises cover a broad range of a
social life, and the relations of humankind with nature. Yet it is at the
same time a single crisis i.e. the crisis of the capitalist system.
The book further shows
the interconnectedness of the struggles of the working masses across the world.
This is particularly important for situating the January Revolt in
Nigeria and its ongoing aftermath.
The resistance of the
working class has been impressive. Snapshots of crucial theatres of the unfolding
global rebellion are captured and the possibilities ahead considered. The
socialist idea is presented as the alternative to barbarism which the bosses
and elite politicians are driving humankind towards.
The state of crises that
had preceded the anti-fuel subsidy removal protests in Nigeria at the beginning
of 2012 is given close attention. The dynamics of the January Revolts discussed
and the ultimate way forward in Nigeria is revealed as being tied to the
overthrow of the exploitative and oppressive capitalist system globally. Such system
change, it is noted, will not come about automatically or due to the
benevolence of the bosses. A critical view of the problems and prospects for social change involving the self
emancipation of the working people, in the country and globally is thus noted
as being of the essence for workers and youths in the struggles that we shall
still confront.
Prior to the kick off of the Brazil Vs Mexico Olympic football gold medal match, Richard and I visited the Abutu family (Emmanuel, Nwakaego and Mikel-Father, Mother and Son respectively). Even though we never informed the Abutus prior to our visit, they magnanimously demonstrated the true and remarkably African hospitality. Without mincing words, I am really proud and delighted to have them as friends. Right from the moment we stepped into their apartment there was no dull moment for the next two and half hours we stayed with them.
As Mikel was thrilling us with some Olympics-inspired stunts of gymnastic proportions, Mrs Nwakaego who is "very heavy" dashed into the kitchen to prepare us an extraordinarily delicious pepper soup which Richard latter reffered to as the best pepper soup he has ever tasted. Mr Emmanuel for his part gave us all the attention you can think of and made us feel at home with his issue-based discourses that cuts across politics, social and cultural lines. Lest I forget, Gabriel the guy I call Millito, a brother of Mr Emmanuel was also busy providing logistics and facilitating the services we got. Coach Stagger also a friend of the Abutus was present too.
When the much anticipated match eventually kicked off, Richard who was supporting his Canadian continental neighbours (Mexico) as opposed to my support for the Samba boys was cock sure that the Mexicans will prevail over the dreaded Samba boys. His confidence was so much so that I almost challenged him to a bet but had to change my mind on a second thought, after all nothing was really at stake for me as neither Nigeria nor any of my continental neighbours for that matter was involved.
To sum it all, it was a fun-filled outing for Richard and I thanks to the Abutus. Upon leaving the Abutus, we went to a nearby joint where the fun continued. Here are some pictures of the day for your viewing pleasure.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Culled Vanguard
READ MORE
By KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Abuja
Detectives at the Police headquarters investigating the $620, 000 oil subsidy bribe money collected by erstwhile chairman of the House of Representatives Subsidy Probe Panel, Hon. Farouk Lawan from oil magnate, Mr. Femi Otedola, at the weekend disclosed to Vanguard that the decision of the Police not to stand in the way of the embattled Farouk travelling out of the country on religious grounds, followed his keeping to the terms of his bail conditions.
Detectives at the Police headquarters investigating the $620, 000 oil subsidy bribe money collected by erstwhile chairman of the House of Representatives Subsidy Probe Panel, Hon. Farouk Lawan from oil magnate, Mr. Femi Otedola, at the weekend disclosed to Vanguard that the decision of the Police not to stand in the way of the embattled Farouk travelling out of the country on religious grounds, followed his keeping to the terms of his bail conditions.
Farouk Lawan
Aside reporting to the Police Special Task Force on two times daily basis, or whenever his presence was needed to shed more light on some issues, Farouk Lawan is said to have wept in one instance when it dawned on him that he had been abandoned by his colleagues to swim alone and was neck deep in the bribery allegation and that it will take close to a miracle to escape the consequences.
When the issue of his travelling for pilgrimage ‘Umrah’ came up, the authorities studied his conduct and analyzed his willingness to cooperate with the bribery investigation. In most cases, all the addresses, information needed from him were provided and were found to be true; the only exception being that he regretted that his colleagues in the house, disappointed him when the $620, 000 which he claimed he kept in the house was not forthcoming.
It was gathered however that a specific time frame within which the embattled former chairman would perform his religious obligation and return to the country, was agreed and signed, and failure to keep to the agreement would lead to ‘certain actions’, the source said.
Vanguard was made to understand that up until when the investigation was concluded last week and the report submitted to the Attorney-General’s office for legal advice, Farouk had continued to insist that his colleagues would bring the money to him to hand over to the police.
It would be recalled that Vanguard reported last weekend that authorities of the Special Task Force investigating the $620, 000 bribery scandal concluded the investigation, had written its final report and submitted the case file to the Attorney- General’s office.
Consequently, Hon. Farouk Lawan who has been in the eye of the storm over the bribery allegation, is set to face a 15 count charge of conspiracy, bribery, corruption, and lying under oath among others.
However, contrary to the widely held belief that going by the provisions of the law, the giver and taker of bribe are liable to face criminal charges, Vanguard gathered that Chief Femi Otedola who gave the bribe might be a prosecution witness if the recommendations of the investigation report is approved by the Attorney-General.
While intimating Vanguard of a watertight case file owing to the fact that painstaking steps had been taken to plug any envisaged loophole in the report, sources disclosed that it will be difficult for the defence lawyers to arm-twist both Farouk Lawan and Boniface Emenalo the secretary of the committee from complicity in the allegation.
Vanguard gathered that among new addition to the charges included in the case file, were attachments detailing how Farouk Lawan collected and concealed the bribe monies from both the House Committee on Subsidy probe and the ploy to deceive investigators that he handed over the money to the chairman of the Financial Crimes Committee for safe keeping.
Asked if the non recovery of the hard cash of $620, 000 would not stand in the way of nailing the culprits in the scam, a source said, the Police is very optimistic that even though the $620,000 was not returned to be used as exhibit, there is overwhelming evidence to get conviction for the duo.
Recall that Hon. Lawan claimed in his statement to the Special Task Force (STF) that the $620,000 bribery money was handed over to the chairman House Committee on drugs and financial crimes, Adams Jagaba. Jagaba however rubbished the claim and challenged Lawan to prove how the money was given to him which he (Lawan) has so far failed to do.
 |
| Dancing On Olaitan's Blood |
Give it to Comrade Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole: he won the recent political battle in Edo State from all fronts. His mastery of propaganda, political communication and coupled with the well-liked belief of some people that he worked in the state when compared with the thieving administration of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion did it for him. For him, every weapon was necessary for the battle, which swelled the suffocating political tension in the state a few days before the July 14 election.
The gruesome murder of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, the principal private secretary to Oshiomhole, was one of the “weapons of mass destruction” that was effectively employed by the governor in criminalising his major opponent, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its leaders. With a section of the media acting as willing tools, Oshiomhole succeeded in creating a huge perception among many naive people that leaders of the PDP were behind the killing of his “son” (that is how he calls Olaitan) in order to weaken his fighting spirit for the election. He led a violent protest on the streets of Benin City, to the Benin monarch’s palace and eventually gave the security agencies a two-week ultimatum to fish out the killers of Olaitan. He openly accused the leader of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, of spearheading the murder and went ahead to name Delta Street, where Anenih’s house is located, as Olaitan Oyerinde Street.
As if that was not enough, after that criminal incident, some of Oshiomhole’s aides sustained the propaganda and alleged that Anenih was also targeting them for assassination. While this dirty propaganda went on, the Iyasele of Esanland refused to be sidetracked and goaded. He maintained his cool. For those who know the governor very well, the rationale behind that seemingly half-truths and grubby propaganda that characterised his campaign for the July 14 governorship election was achieved on July 15 when the Independent National Electoral Commission returned him winner of the election.
Now, does Oshiomhole still care about how his son was killed? Does he still think Anenih was behind the killing? Why has he suddenly remained deaf and dumb in the face of conflicting reports by the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Police Force on how Olaitan was brutally killed?
From the SSS, we were told recently that “careless talk” from the security guard of the slain former principal secretary to Oshiomhole gave suspected armed robbers the clue that took them to Oyerinde’s house. Ms. Marilyn Ogar, the spokesperson of the security agency who briefed the press in Abuja while parading the suspects, said Oyerinde’s security guard, Ali Ihade, made known his master’s wealth and influence in the Oshiomhole government during a family meeting.
According to the SSS, the flippant utterance by the security guard was capitalised upon by a member of the family who is also a member of a suspected gang of armed robbers. Six principal suspects - Mohammed Ibrahim Abdullahi, Raymond Onajite Origbo, Chikezie Edeh, Saidu Yakubu a.k.a Iman, Sani Abdullahi Abubakar and Hassan Bashiru - have been paraded as killers of Olaitan. One of the robbers who fielded questions from journalists claimed he shot and killed Olaitan after he ran into his bedroom and attempted to go under his bed.
But from the police’s angle, we are being told that Olaitan was assassinated and the executive director, African Network for Economic and Environmental Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor, is being detained over the alleged murder of the former principal secretary to Oshiomhole. Rev. Ugolor was said to have been arrested and whisked away by police in plain clothes that swooped on ANEEJ corporate headquarters in Benin City recently. Irreconcilable contradictions from two government’s security agencies, you may say. Yes.
In the last few days, some critical segments of the civil society have expressed worry over the way and manner this heinous crime against humanity has been handled and the many unanswered questions these contradictions have generated. But more worrisome is the seemingly criminal silence of our comrade governor over the matter. The governor, who once gave the security agencies, ultimatum and threatened to employ every means to bring the killers of Olaitan to justice, has suddenly turned cool and refused to comment on the controversy. At a time many people are putting pressure on the security agencies to explain whether Olaitan was killed by armed robbers or assassinated for political reason, Oshiomhole’s silence is being given different meanings. Will he speak out now so as not to give the impression that he is no longer interested in the case since he has achieved his political objective - winning the July 14 governorship election? For sure, his silence could be misinterpreted by some members of the public that he knew how Olaitan was brutally murdered.
In the interim, I think the comrade and some members of his party need to publicly apologise to Chief Anenih over their wicked libelous statements against an innocent man who was widely criminalised for mere political reasons.
Some people may not want to hear it: I am one of the few people who do not get carried away by Oshiomhole’s rhetoric when it comes to serious matters that require deeper intellectual reflection. On many occasions, I have been proved right. I have said in this column, when Oshiomhole accused Anenih of having a hand in the killing of Olaitan, that he was just playing dirty and wicked politics. Yesterday I read Oshiomhole’s advertorial in some national dailies celebrating Anenih’s 79th birthday. This is what he said about the Iyasele of Esanland: I wish our respected elder statesman a happy 79th birthday.”
Imagine! Somebody he accused of killing his “son” a few weeks ago is today being celebrated as a “respected elder statesman”. Right-thinking people know that respected elder statesman do not do evil and Oshiomhole has just confirmed the innocence of Anenih over the killing of Olaitan. That is by the way. The comrade governor must take his usual combative posturing to the doorsteps of the SSS and the Nigeria Police Force and ensure that the contradictions being generated on how Olaitan was killed are urgently resolved. This is one case the security agencies must resolve in the interest of justice.
Via Leadership Newspaper
It all started this afternoon, beside the Customs Quarters at the Federal Housing Estate Kubwa, Abuja, where a lady was almost raped by a purported mad man who stormed into her apartment unannounced and pounced on the hapless lady with a knife while trying to force her into having sex with him.
For sometime now, the purported mad man had been seen lurking around the neighbourhood and deceptively portraying himself as a harmless madman thus diverting attention from the danger he portends. So it was really a great shock to residents of the area when it dawned on them this afternoon that the supposed harmless man actually poses a grave danger to them.
 |
| The Victim of the Attack |
The purported mad man incurred further wrath of the crowd when he resisted attempts to hand him of to the police, an action the crowd interpreted as a sign that contrary to their thinking the man was actually sane as he knew quite well the consequences of his action.
 |
| The Purported Man |
After over an hour of trying to get him into the car en route the police station, he was finally subdued when a resident provided a metal handcuff with which he was handcuffed and bungled into the boot of a waiting Honda Baby Boy and driven to the Phase IV Police Station Kubwa.
 |
| Being Forced Into The Car Boot |
 |
| Being Forced Into The Car Boot |
 |
| Finally Booted To The Police Station |
Nigerian official bitter over N2b Olympic money
By Onochie Anibeze
An official from a sport neglected in Nigeria yesterday pleaded with President Goodluck Jonathan to restructure sports in Nigeria and make it more result-oriented.
An official from a sport neglected in Nigeria yesterday pleaded with President Goodluck Jonathan to restructure sports in Nigeria and make it more result-oriented.
The official who begged for anonymity cried out to the President when reports had it that more than N2b had been released for the Olympic Games here in London. He was bitter that the money was released so late that it did not help Nigeria’s preparation for the ongoing London Games.
Nigeria’s flagbearer Sinivie Boltic (C) leads his delegation during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 27, 2012 at the Olympic Stadium in London. AFP PHOTO
“N2b can help our sports and help us win gold medals at the Olympic Games if it is released in time and spread over four years for preparation,” the official said, lamenting that the last minute release of funds only creates room for corruption as the whole money is hardly used for the purpose for which it was meant.
“About N2.3b was said to be the total so far released for the London games but I am sure that they have not spent more than N800m on our preparation and they couldn’t have spent more than N200m here in London because the host is providing accommodation, feeding the athletes and providing some other logistics for all teams,” the official said. He continued:
“From the last Olympics in Beijing till date if we used N2b to develop our athletes, train them, expose them and enter them for competitions I will be telling you how many gold medals we can win here in London.
But we are still running sports according to government lines and all monies approved and allocated each year must be spent that year and when we have the Olympic games we will be waiting for budget approval and implementation to start preparation at the time others would have finished theirs.
The whole thing is wrong. As far as I’m concerned the N2b released for the London Games was more of a waste because the money did not do much for our preparation.
It came late and we could have done better with such an amount. I want our President to restructure our sports so that funds released for sports will be useful to sports because we are not developing sports in Nigeria, we only attend competitions where we spend a lot without spending when it matters most.”
What the official complained of has been the practice in Nigeria for years but appears more pronounced now than ever before. The National Sports Commission was even said to have borrowed money to execute some Olympic qualifying events. But now they could have more than they would need to compete here.
Via Vanguard
