sometimes a word isn’t enough for the wise, so medicos have decided to
give so many words to explain to us how to save us from a lot of medical
disasters. check this out..
1 – DON’T SLEEP WITH WATCH Watches can emit a certain level of
radioactivity. Though small, but if you wear your watchto bed for a long
time, it might have adverse effects on your health.
2 – DON’T SLEEP WITH BRA Scientists in America have discovered those
that wear bras for more than 12 hours have ahigher risk of getting
breast cancer. So go to bed without it.
3 – DON’T SLEEP WITH PHONE Putting the phone beside your bed or anywhere near you is not encouraged. Though some of us will
use phones as alarm clocks, but please put the phone as far as
possible. Scientists have proved that electrical items including mobile
phone and television sets emit magnetic waveswhen used. These waves can
cause disruptions to our nervous system. Therefore if you need to put
your mobilephone near you, switch it off first.
4 – DON’T SLEEP WITH MAKE UP People who sleep with make up might have skinproblems in the long run. Sleeping with make up will cause the skin to have difficulty in breathing and problem in perspiring. You will also need a much longer time to go into deep sleep. Lastly….. & Most Important,
5 – DON’T SLEEP WITH OTHER PEOPLE’S WIFE/ HUSBAND You may never wake upagain.
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
BREAKING NEWS!!! At Least 20 Students Killed By Unknown Gunmen In Fed Poly, Mubi
At least 20 students have been shot dead by unknown gunmen in Mubi, north-eastern Nigeria, a police source has told the BBC.
The attack happened at a student hostel away from the Federal Polytechnic Mubi campus, the source said.
A lecturer told the BBC that more than 40 students had been killed but there has been no official comment.
The reported killing comes days after a major operation against the Boko Haram militant group in the town.
The lecturer, who did not want his name to be used, told the BBC's Hausa service that the students were asked to say their names after lining up.
He says it is not clear why some were killed and others spared - some of those killed were Muslims.
"Everybody is scared and staying indoors now," he said.
He added that students were now leaving the town - they have dmolestd tree branches over their cars, which is a traditional sign of neutrality in Nigeria.
Boko Haram militants fighting to establish Islamic law in Nigeria have killed more than 1,000 people in northern and central areas this year.
Culled from the BBC.
The attack happened at a student hostel away from the Federal Polytechnic Mubi campus, the source said.
A lecturer told the BBC that more than 40 students had been killed but there has been no official comment.
The reported killing comes days after a major operation against the Boko Haram militant group in the town.
The lecturer, who did not want his name to be used, told the BBC's Hausa service that the students were asked to say their names after lining up.
He says it is not clear why some were killed and others spared - some of those killed were Muslims.
"Everybody is scared and staying indoors now," he said.
He added that students were now leaving the town - they have dmolestd tree branches over their cars, which is a traditional sign of neutrality in Nigeria.
Boko Haram militants fighting to establish Islamic law in Nigeria have killed more than 1,000 people in northern and central areas this year.
Culled from the BBC.
8 Easiest Ways To Lose Weight - Health
The easiest exercises to lose weight quickly aren't skills available to
merely very few. They're very common, but they may be disregarded by
most. Many people trying to slim down may think there is some miracle
system or workout which will achieve it.
Would it amaze you to realize that it is likely you have previously been involved in many of these workout routines. The important key is in understanding how to do these workout routines for optimum benefit.
Should you walk or climb up stairways, for example, you're making use of the very best physical exercises to lose weight quickly. You need to simply take full advantage of them simply by upping the regularity and time you actually spend on this type of heart-thumping pursuits.
Until you devote a strenuous 40 to 60 minutes every single day on these types of exercises, you'll not lose weight quickly. You will merely get fatigued. The secret is uniformity and you work your body regularly. Muscle-building workouts are best to lose weight quickly.
Whatever workout program you select, be sure you put all your efforts into it. You need to ensure that your heart rate is up along with your blood pumping through the entire exercise period, having a good cool down soon after.
If you are brisk walking or jogging, for instance, walk gradually for the last couple of minutes to allow your body the opportunity to cool off. Quitting all of a sudden could cause muscle tissue aches and really is detrimental to your heart. Provide time for it to fall back to regular beats while you are reasonably active.
Ensure you drink plenty of water when they are exercising to re-supply your stores and to help alleviate problems with cramping pains.
When you are ready, here's the 10 most effective exercise routines to lose weight quickly. Begin steadily and allow your body to adapt to the workout routines.
1. Squats: This particular exercise is ideal for developing leg and buttock muscle groups. Stand with the feet at shoulder width a part and squat straight down just after which back up 10-20 times or (reps) with 2 or 3 sets.
2. Lunges: You most likely recollect these during your school times. They offer the most effective whole body cardiovascular workouts. Do 4 or 5 set of 20 lunges for the best gains.
3. Walking: If you have made several journeys upstairs whilst moving about or vacuuming, you will recognize how much stamina this activity requires. The rewards are multi-fold: uses up calories, increases heartrate, excellent aerobic exercises, develops leg and buttock muscle groups. You should use your staircases for this. Step-up and straight down 20 times, relaxation and do it again 2 or 3 times.
4. Strolling: Quick strolling is preferable to slower strolling, however both of them are worthwhile. If you would like a physical exercise to lose weight quickly, go walking energetically for 30 minutes and you will burn off upwards of 180 calories.
5. Riding a bike: The out-of-doors is usually more pleasant, however standing indoor cycles or cross trainers can offer an every bit as good physical exercise to lose weight quickly. Actually, should you apply the appropriate level of resistance at the correct speed, it is possible to burn off anywhere between 250 and 500 fat laden calories in 30 minutes.
6. Going swimming: It is a perfect, fun physical exercise for most people. It offers an excellent cardiovascular workout which uses your whole body. Performing the back stroke for just 30 mins will burn up 400 calories from fat.
7. Cross-country Snow skiing: Yet another enjoyable exercise with similar benefits as going swimming.
8. Skipping with Rope: This is not only a kids' game. Grown ups will get a good, complete body work-out through jumping or skipping a rope for as little as 15-20 minutes.
That offers you 8 from the leading workout routines you can attempt. These are simply among the best physical exercises to lose weight quickly.
Ok having said that, you would want to know how you can get a lasting solution to your fat right now, i'll advice that you take this one step... and of course it will be very very helpful indeed and you'll be glad you did...
Would it amaze you to realize that it is likely you have previously been involved in many of these workout routines. The important key is in understanding how to do these workout routines for optimum benefit.
Should you walk or climb up stairways, for example, you're making use of the very best physical exercises to lose weight quickly. You need to simply take full advantage of them simply by upping the regularity and time you actually spend on this type of heart-thumping pursuits.
Until you devote a strenuous 40 to 60 minutes every single day on these types of exercises, you'll not lose weight quickly. You will merely get fatigued. The secret is uniformity and you work your body regularly. Muscle-building workouts are best to lose weight quickly.
Whatever workout program you select, be sure you put all your efforts into it. You need to ensure that your heart rate is up along with your blood pumping through the entire exercise period, having a good cool down soon after.
If you are brisk walking or jogging, for instance, walk gradually for the last couple of minutes to allow your body the opportunity to cool off. Quitting all of a sudden could cause muscle tissue aches and really is detrimental to your heart. Provide time for it to fall back to regular beats while you are reasonably active.
Ensure you drink plenty of water when they are exercising to re-supply your stores and to help alleviate problems with cramping pains.
When you are ready, here's the 10 most effective exercise routines to lose weight quickly. Begin steadily and allow your body to adapt to the workout routines.
1. Squats: This particular exercise is ideal for developing leg and buttock muscle groups. Stand with the feet at shoulder width a part and squat straight down just after which back up 10-20 times or (reps) with 2 or 3 sets.
2. Lunges: You most likely recollect these during your school times. They offer the most effective whole body cardiovascular workouts. Do 4 or 5 set of 20 lunges for the best gains.
3. Walking: If you have made several journeys upstairs whilst moving about or vacuuming, you will recognize how much stamina this activity requires. The rewards are multi-fold: uses up calories, increases heartrate, excellent aerobic exercises, develops leg and buttock muscle groups. You should use your staircases for this. Step-up and straight down 20 times, relaxation and do it again 2 or 3 times.
4. Strolling: Quick strolling is preferable to slower strolling, however both of them are worthwhile. If you would like a physical exercise to lose weight quickly, go walking energetically for 30 minutes and you will burn off upwards of 180 calories.
5. Riding a bike: The out-of-doors is usually more pleasant, however standing indoor cycles or cross trainers can offer an every bit as good physical exercise to lose weight quickly. Actually, should you apply the appropriate level of resistance at the correct speed, it is possible to burn off anywhere between 250 and 500 fat laden calories in 30 minutes.
6. Going swimming: It is a perfect, fun physical exercise for most people. It offers an excellent cardiovascular workout which uses your whole body. Performing the back stroke for just 30 mins will burn up 400 calories from fat.
7. Cross-country Snow skiing: Yet another enjoyable exercise with similar benefits as going swimming.
8. Skipping with Rope: This is not only a kids' game. Grown ups will get a good, complete body work-out through jumping or skipping a rope for as little as 15-20 minutes.
That offers you 8 from the leading workout routines you can attempt. These are simply among the best physical exercises to lose weight quickly.
Ok having said that, you would want to know how you can get a lasting solution to your fat right now, i'll advice that you take this one step... and of course it will be very very helpful indeed and you'll be glad you did...
16 States To Be Flooded In One Week –FG
Federal Ministry of Environment on Tuesday predicted flooding
resulting from heavy rains in Lagos, Kano and 14 other states between
now and October 10.
Other states as Kebbi, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Anambra, Kwara, Jigawa, Katsina, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kogi, Zamfara, Plateau, Taraba and Cross Rivers.
The Deputy Director, Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management of the ministry, Dr. Morohunkeji Oyeleke, said this in a statement to News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday.
Oyeleke identified some areas that could be affected in Kebbi as Argungu, Anka and Bungudu, while residents of Abak, Ikotabasi, Upenekang and Etinan in Akwa Ibom could suffer from flooding.
Other areas are Oyo town and its environs, areas to be affected in Jigawa are Dutse, Gwaram, Hadejia and Miga.
She also listed Aboh and Agbor (Delta), Atani (Anambra), Jebba, New-Bussa, and Kosubosu (Kwara) as well as Katsina Jibia and Kaita (Katsina) as arreas likely to be affected.
The DG predicted flooding in Azare, Darazo, Bajoga, Jamaare, Kirfi, Misau and Tafawa Balewa (Bauchi) and Kaduna Zaria, Jemaa, and Kafinmadaki (Kaduna).
According to her, the flood-prone areas in Kano State include Bebeji, Gwarzo, Karaye, Sumaila and Tudun Wada as well as Gusau, Kaura-Namoda and Maradun ( Zamfara).
Areas which could be affected by the downpour-induced flood include Bida, Kontagora, Mashegu and Sarkinpawa (Niger) with Bokkos, Buruku, Jos, Mangu, Shelleng and Shandam (Plateau) expected to suffer a similar fate.
Oyeleke identified Demsa, Ganye, Jimeta, Mayobelwa, Mubi Numan and Song in Adamawa; also Donga, Lau, Mutumbiyu and Yorro in Taraba and Eti Osa, Ikorodu, Lekki, Surulere in Lagos state.
She appealed to the governments of the 16 states to take measures to avoid flood disasters.
Oyeleke added that similar warnings in the past had saved lives and property.
She said the ministry had been receiving verbal reports from states on how the weather forecasts had been helpful in preventing natural disasters.
Meanwhile, Edo State Government on Tuesday began the distribution of relief materials to victims of last week’s flooding disaster in the state. Floods sacked over 30 communities in three local governments.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Peter Okhiria, in a statement, said the relief materials were distributed in fulfilment of a promise by Goveror Adams Oshiomhole.
Head, State Emergency Relief Agency, Maimuna Momodu, said the materials were to take care of the victim’s immediate needs.
Other states as Kebbi, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Anambra, Kwara, Jigawa, Katsina, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kogi, Zamfara, Plateau, Taraba and Cross Rivers.
The Deputy Director, Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management of the ministry, Dr. Morohunkeji Oyeleke, said this in a statement to News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday.
Oyeleke identified some areas that could be affected in Kebbi as Argungu, Anka and Bungudu, while residents of Abak, Ikotabasi, Upenekang and Etinan in Akwa Ibom could suffer from flooding.
Other areas are Oyo town and its environs, areas to be affected in Jigawa are Dutse, Gwaram, Hadejia and Miga.
She also listed Aboh and Agbor (Delta), Atani (Anambra), Jebba, New-Bussa, and Kosubosu (Kwara) as well as Katsina Jibia and Kaita (Katsina) as arreas likely to be affected.
The DG predicted flooding in Azare, Darazo, Bajoga, Jamaare, Kirfi, Misau and Tafawa Balewa (Bauchi) and Kaduna Zaria, Jemaa, and Kafinmadaki (Kaduna).
According to her, the flood-prone areas in Kano State include Bebeji, Gwarzo, Karaye, Sumaila and Tudun Wada as well as Gusau, Kaura-Namoda and Maradun ( Zamfara).
Areas which could be affected by the downpour-induced flood include Bida, Kontagora, Mashegu and Sarkinpawa (Niger) with Bokkos, Buruku, Jos, Mangu, Shelleng and Shandam (Plateau) expected to suffer a similar fate.
Oyeleke identified Demsa, Ganye, Jimeta, Mayobelwa, Mubi Numan and Song in Adamawa; also Donga, Lau, Mutumbiyu and Yorro in Taraba and Eti Osa, Ikorodu, Lekki, Surulere in Lagos state.
She appealed to the governments of the 16 states to take measures to avoid flood disasters.
Oyeleke added that similar warnings in the past had saved lives and property.
She said the ministry had been receiving verbal reports from states on how the weather forecasts had been helpful in preventing natural disasters.
Meanwhile, Edo State Government on Tuesday began the distribution of relief materials to victims of last week’s flooding disaster in the state. Floods sacked over 30 communities in three local governments.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Peter Okhiria, in a statement, said the relief materials were distributed in fulfilment of a promise by Goveror Adams Oshiomhole.
Head, State Emergency Relief Agency, Maimuna Momodu, said the materials were to take care of the victim’s immediate needs.
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
The truth about Bakassi, Nigeria and Cameroun – Bola Ajibola
Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN), former Nigerian Minister of Justice and Attorney-General
of the Federation, was on the Panel of Judges, at the International
Court of Justice (ICJ), which decided on the issue of Bakassi between
Nigeria and Cameroun.
The former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom took time off his busy schedule, even at 78, to narrate to Saturday Vanguard at his Hilltop GRA home in Abeokuta recently how the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroun actually occurred. Excerpts:
You were not only a serving judge at The Hague when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) gave its verdict ceding Bakassi to Cameroun. What really happened and what do you say about the clamour for appeal that is presently going on?
To start with, there is nothing like appeal in our International Court of Justice (ICJ). There is nothing like that.
You see what I mean? An application can be made to review certain aspects of the judgment but not strictly speaking an appeal. So, an appeal does not lie to our court there.
All they are now doing is belated and overtaken by events. What they ought to have done is to have put their house in order before even independence and immediately after independence.
To be frank, when the situation became virtually what it is today, the Ministry of Justice, in those years in early 60s, sought for legal opinion on this matter and because of what happened in 1913 in the Anglo-German Agreement, it was since then that we have this uphill task because it was Britain that ceded the whole of that Bakassi area, well described in Article 21 and 22 of that agreement, specifically to Germany.
Germany, when it suffered defeat during the Second World War, was deprived of that area and Bakassi went to France and it was France that gave independence to Cameroun and that was how Cameroun got into it.
A lot of people have been saying a lot of things that are not really correct. In most cases, we ourselves as Nigerians bastardized our position because, as far back as 1961, we had written a note to Cameroun telling Cameroun that we Nigerians are aware of the fact that they own Bakassi!
Throughout all these 1960s and 1970s, our map of Nigeria was always indicating the excise of Bakassi out of our own land in Nigeria as part of what belongs to Cameroon. In fact, it has further been stamped by the fact that we agreed that our boundary is in Akwa Yafe as opposed to Rio del Rey. If we own Bakassi, the boundary would have been in Rio del Rey and not Akwa Yafe. We agreed to that! We Nigerians in Nigeria here.
And we even at a time asked Professor Valad in Britain to advise us on the matter and that professor told us clearly that we had an uphill task, that what we thought we owned had already been transferred to Cameroun through that treaty. That is the situation.
But there are still questions to be answered, which had already been ignored or decided against by the ICJ and you can read a lot of that in my 'dissenting opinion'. Your see, the situation is far more than what a lot of people have been talking about.
It is what has happened beyond our time, before our time. We are now raking the misfortune of yesteryears and we are now the victims of the problems that arose before now. That was at the time of our independence.
From what you have said, where and how did General Gowon, General Obasanjo and you came into this controversy because it has been said that Gowon started it, Obasanjo gave it out and you sat on the panel that decided the case against Nigeria?
No. It is wrong. They are not mentioning the names that they ought to mention, which really prejudiced our case before the ICJ. They ought to mention the name of our Minister of Foreign Affairs just immediately after our independence in 1961 that really in his note gave Bakassi to Cameroun. That should be mentioned.
We are just the unfortunate victims of what had happened before our time in Nigeria. And a lot of things happened advertently and inadvertently through our regular mistakes or misfortunes.
Then, how in the first instance, did the matter get to the ICJ?
Cameroun took us to ICJ. And let me say this, that in fact it was during the time of this litigation at the ICJ on the application by Cameroun that we started changing our map to include Bakassi (laughs).
That was the obvious and the judges are human beings. They are there equipped with evidence put in by Cameroun. It's a case of an admission that we have taken on ourselves to cede all this area to Cameroun based even upon the 1913 Anglo-German Treaty and based on what we lawyers call pacta sunt savanda.
It is very, very unfortunate that a kettle is now calling a pot black. It ought not to be at all because the mistake or the problem started right from the beginning of our independence. Those who are now shouting ought to have started shouting at that time if they could get hold of all that we did.
But why do you think the Nigerian side appeared to be complacent over the judgment that they didn't talk about it until now?
Let me say something here. Bakassi is not the beginning and end of the whole issue. What Cameroun took us to ICJ for was not only Bakassi. It had to do with the land in Lake Chad; the land boundary between the two of us, the land boundary between Nigeria and Cameroun from Lake Chad to the Sea as well as Bakassi and the maritime boundary. The maritime limit that they asked for and that is asking for virtually all the sea boundary of our present Nigeria.
Let me say that if they had succeeded in that, we would have been in the misfortune of having no more oil, at least the foreshore oil. We would not be so privileged any longer.
But that is not the most heinous part of the action that was taken by Cameroun. Cameroun took Nigeria to court on what we call 'state responsibility'. It's like a criminal charge against Nigeria. If they had succeeded in that one alone, we would have been thrown into endless debt that must be payable to Cameroun.
We never allowed that to happen because we counterclaimed against them on it, which saved us the internal slavery to Cameroun and being in perpetual penury in which we would have been till today and henceforth. We did not allow that to happen to us. But that wasn't all.
Those who are criticizing should go and look into the judgment again and they will find out that virtually we gained generally rather than losing. Because the entire land that Cameroun had occupied in Nigeria, and we were able to ascertain that belong to Nigeria on the land boundary, far exceeded that which is now claimed in Bakassi. And we were able to claim it back from them.
Could you give a bit of the details of what we gained and what do you advise the agitators for return of Bakassi to Nigeria to do?
In Chad area, we knew that it was the ceding of the water that forced our people out of that place and since the water kept drying up, we got into that situation.
We moved out of that but they also moved out of the Southern part of that Chad which they occupied and which belong to Nigeria. But I think before they start doing anything, I mean those that are now talking, they should not look into Bakassi alone because, Bakassi is not a be-all-and-earn-all of the whole things involved in this dispute.
It is the land and maritime boundary. We gained extensively considering the claim of Cameroun against us on the maritime boundary. We gained extensively in that.
They must not be myopic, they must be objective and they must look into the whole judgment before passing any judgment further on what they may likely go back to the court for.
Again, the whole dispute had three phases, I have to say. It started with the preliminary objection on admissibility and jurisdiction.
We first of all told the court that, that action is misconceived and should not be entertained. We gave eight reasons for this but the whole thing was turned down by the court and the court rejected all those reasons .
Then the case on merit. Also, before that, there was also an application on .....on certain aspects of the case.
These people should go into our archives and be well informed and be well educated on this thing and in fact the antecedents before litigations.
They should look into it. And they should look again into the history of what is Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria and all that moved. Because the Northern Nigeria moved into Nigeria while part of Southern Nigeria went to Cameroun. So, we need to look into all that. We need to check our facts before we start talking.
Just before stop this discussion, let me quickly ask: Why is it that our Constitution still reflects Bakassi as one of the 774 Local Governments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and yet we believe, as a system that Bakassi has been ceded?
Whatever may be the problem with implementing a decision of the court is the internal problem of Nigeria and that, in itself, is strictly domestic. All we need to do is to check the Section 12 of our Constitution and put our house in order.
The international community is not concerned about that. Internationally judgment has been given against us with regard to Bakassi and that, they are aware of.
As a matter of fact there are so many things that one needs not come out with in this matter that could have happened disastrously to what is called Nigeria. And as a matter of fact, if we had done something else, there would be no Nigeria by now and arms conflicts would have taken over and there are so many countries in this world that are so friendly with the position of Cameroun because they are of the view that Cameroun has Bakassi.
Meaning that even if the verdict hasn't favoured Cameroun, it could have declared war against Nigeria believing there are so many world powers that would come to its aid?
They could because so many powerful countries in the world are behind Cameroun on this matter. We have seen that and we have been told about that. We are aware of that and actions are already going on, on that. So, we must be very careful.
And I repeat that we must be very careful. We must think again and we must look into the history. Those who are talking now must first of all go into the history and look at all that happened before independence and immediately after independence.
You see what I mean? And they should look into all the powers exercised by the colonial masters and all the international agreements and treaties. It is worth looking at and, perhaps, they should read my Dissenting Opinion.
The former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom took time off his busy schedule, even at 78, to narrate to Saturday Vanguard at his Hilltop GRA home in Abeokuta recently how the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroun actually occurred. Excerpts:
You were not only a serving judge at The Hague when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) gave its verdict ceding Bakassi to Cameroun. What really happened and what do you say about the clamour for appeal that is presently going on?
To start with, there is nothing like appeal in our International Court of Justice (ICJ). There is nothing like that.
You see what I mean? An application can be made to review certain aspects of the judgment but not strictly speaking an appeal. So, an appeal does not lie to our court there.
All they are now doing is belated and overtaken by events. What they ought to have done is to have put their house in order before even independence and immediately after independence.
To be frank, when the situation became virtually what it is today, the Ministry of Justice, in those years in early 60s, sought for legal opinion on this matter and because of what happened in 1913 in the Anglo-German Agreement, it was since then that we have this uphill task because it was Britain that ceded the whole of that Bakassi area, well described in Article 21 and 22 of that agreement, specifically to Germany.
Germany, when it suffered defeat during the Second World War, was deprived of that area and Bakassi went to France and it was France that gave independence to Cameroun and that was how Cameroun got into it.
A lot of people have been saying a lot of things that are not really correct. In most cases, we ourselves as Nigerians bastardized our position because, as far back as 1961, we had written a note to Cameroun telling Cameroun that we Nigerians are aware of the fact that they own Bakassi!
Throughout all these 1960s and 1970s, our map of Nigeria was always indicating the excise of Bakassi out of our own land in Nigeria as part of what belongs to Cameroon. In fact, it has further been stamped by the fact that we agreed that our boundary is in Akwa Yafe as opposed to Rio del Rey. If we own Bakassi, the boundary would have been in Rio del Rey and not Akwa Yafe. We agreed to that! We Nigerians in Nigeria here.
And we even at a time asked Professor Valad in Britain to advise us on the matter and that professor told us clearly that we had an uphill task, that what we thought we owned had already been transferred to Cameroun through that treaty. That is the situation.
But there are still questions to be answered, which had already been ignored or decided against by the ICJ and you can read a lot of that in my 'dissenting opinion'. Your see, the situation is far more than what a lot of people have been talking about.
It is what has happened beyond our time, before our time. We are now raking the misfortune of yesteryears and we are now the victims of the problems that arose before now. That was at the time of our independence.
From what you have said, where and how did General Gowon, General Obasanjo and you came into this controversy because it has been said that Gowon started it, Obasanjo gave it out and you sat on the panel that decided the case against Nigeria?
No. It is wrong. They are not mentioning the names that they ought to mention, which really prejudiced our case before the ICJ. They ought to mention the name of our Minister of Foreign Affairs just immediately after our independence in 1961 that really in his note gave Bakassi to Cameroun. That should be mentioned.
We are just the unfortunate victims of what had happened before our time in Nigeria. And a lot of things happened advertently and inadvertently through our regular mistakes or misfortunes.
Then, how in the first instance, did the matter get to the ICJ?
Cameroun took us to ICJ. And let me say this, that in fact it was during the time of this litigation at the ICJ on the application by Cameroun that we started changing our map to include Bakassi (laughs).
That was the obvious and the judges are human beings. They are there equipped with evidence put in by Cameroun. It's a case of an admission that we have taken on ourselves to cede all this area to Cameroun based even upon the 1913 Anglo-German Treaty and based on what we lawyers call pacta sunt savanda.
It is very, very unfortunate that a kettle is now calling a pot black. It ought not to be at all because the mistake or the problem started right from the beginning of our independence. Those who are now shouting ought to have started shouting at that time if they could get hold of all that we did.
But why do you think the Nigerian side appeared to be complacent over the judgment that they didn't talk about it until now?
Let me say something here. Bakassi is not the beginning and end of the whole issue. What Cameroun took us to ICJ for was not only Bakassi. It had to do with the land in Lake Chad; the land boundary between the two of us, the land boundary between Nigeria and Cameroun from Lake Chad to the Sea as well as Bakassi and the maritime boundary. The maritime limit that they asked for and that is asking for virtually all the sea boundary of our present Nigeria.
Let me say that if they had succeeded in that, we would have been in the misfortune of having no more oil, at least the foreshore oil. We would not be so privileged any longer.
But that is not the most heinous part of the action that was taken by Cameroun. Cameroun took Nigeria to court on what we call 'state responsibility'. It's like a criminal charge against Nigeria. If they had succeeded in that one alone, we would have been thrown into endless debt that must be payable to Cameroun.
We never allowed that to happen because we counterclaimed against them on it, which saved us the internal slavery to Cameroun and being in perpetual penury in which we would have been till today and henceforth. We did not allow that to happen to us. But that wasn't all.
Those who are criticizing should go and look into the judgment again and they will find out that virtually we gained generally rather than losing. Because the entire land that Cameroun had occupied in Nigeria, and we were able to ascertain that belong to Nigeria on the land boundary, far exceeded that which is now claimed in Bakassi. And we were able to claim it back from them.
Could you give a bit of the details of what we gained and what do you advise the agitators for return of Bakassi to Nigeria to do?
In Chad area, we knew that it was the ceding of the water that forced our people out of that place and since the water kept drying up, we got into that situation.
We moved out of that but they also moved out of the Southern part of that Chad which they occupied and which belong to Nigeria. But I think before they start doing anything, I mean those that are now talking, they should not look into Bakassi alone because, Bakassi is not a be-all-and-earn-all of the whole things involved in this dispute.
It is the land and maritime boundary. We gained extensively considering the claim of Cameroun against us on the maritime boundary. We gained extensively in that.
They must not be myopic, they must be objective and they must look into the whole judgment before passing any judgment further on what they may likely go back to the court for.
Again, the whole dispute had three phases, I have to say. It started with the preliminary objection on admissibility and jurisdiction.
We first of all told the court that, that action is misconceived and should not be entertained. We gave eight reasons for this but the whole thing was turned down by the court and the court rejected all those reasons .
Then the case on merit. Also, before that, there was also an application on .....on certain aspects of the case.
These people should go into our archives and be well informed and be well educated on this thing and in fact the antecedents before litigations.
They should look into it. And they should look again into the history of what is Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria and all that moved. Because the Northern Nigeria moved into Nigeria while part of Southern Nigeria went to Cameroun. So, we need to look into all that. We need to check our facts before we start talking.
Just before stop this discussion, let me quickly ask: Why is it that our Constitution still reflects Bakassi as one of the 774 Local Governments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and yet we believe, as a system that Bakassi has been ceded?
Whatever may be the problem with implementing a decision of the court is the internal problem of Nigeria and that, in itself, is strictly domestic. All we need to do is to check the Section 12 of our Constitution and put our house in order.
The international community is not concerned about that. Internationally judgment has been given against us with regard to Bakassi and that, they are aware of.
As a matter of fact there are so many things that one needs not come out with in this matter that could have happened disastrously to what is called Nigeria. And as a matter of fact, if we had done something else, there would be no Nigeria by now and arms conflicts would have taken over and there are so many countries in this world that are so friendly with the position of Cameroun because they are of the view that Cameroun has Bakassi.
Meaning that even if the verdict hasn't favoured Cameroun, it could have declared war against Nigeria believing there are so many world powers that would come to its aid?
They could because so many powerful countries in the world are behind Cameroun on this matter. We have seen that and we have been told about that. We are aware of that and actions are already going on, on that. So, we must be very careful.
And I repeat that we must be very careful. We must think again and we must look into the history. Those who are talking now must first of all go into the history and look at all that happened before independence and immediately after independence.
You see what I mean? And they should look into all the powers exercised by the colonial masters and all the international agreements and treaties. It is worth looking at and, perhaps, they should read my Dissenting Opinion.
Where is Patience Jonathan?
Once upon a time, Nigerians so loved their 'shoeless' President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, that they were ready to lay down their lives to ensure that he becomes what he should be under the law. A thick cloud of uncertainty had hung over Nigeria.
Once again, the country glided eerily towards the precipice as the then President, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar'Adua, was flown to a Saudi hospital for expert medical care for a debilitating ailment that eventually took his life. In the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, a war of sort raged as a powerful cabal shrouded the dying president's health status in mystery, and tossed Jonathan back and forth like a derelict orphan.
The cabal would neither tell the public the exact situation of their president's health, nor grant his deputy, or anyone for that matter, access to him. The nation's political temperature spiked dangerously. Even though they knew that the ailing president may never have the presence of mind to return to his job, the cabal held tenaciously to the reins of power, ready to crush any challenger, including the then Vice President Jonathan. Yet, many saw him as a political fresh face that shouldn't be denied his ascendancy. But the cabal was hell-bent on doing just that-stop him.
The country groaned and quaked under the uncertainty of the time. An implosion was imminent. That was not to be as some civil society groups, led by the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, rattled the sabre of war against the cabal and their sponsors, insisting that the president's true health condition be made public and the federal executive council do the needful. Rather than doing just that, the president's men continue to spin all kinds of lies. The battle between patriotic Nigerians and the cabal intensified.
Eventually, the National Assembly that had been hitherto ambivalent suddenly capitulated and cast its vote on the side of the people. It dusted up the doctrine of necessity, and did it needed to do. It passed a resolution that Jonathan be sworn in as Acting President in place of his ailing boss, as the constitution stipulates. Jonathan was sworn in, in Aso Rock Villa, as Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 6, 2010. And the love of the people for him waxed stronger.
The love of the people for him never waned. They threw their massive weight behind him even in the 2011 presidential vote, giving him a landslide victory, and an express ticket to begin his first term as substantive president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Let me quickly state that it's not as if Nigerians hated the late President Yar'Adua. On the contrary, they loved him deeply for his transparent and accountable leadership style. Nigerians found no vile in him. Indeed, most Nigerians believed that if he had not had that health challenge, he would have been one of the best presidents Nigeria ever had. But the infirmity and, subsequently, death scuttled that.
The anger of Nigerians was against the cabal in his government who regularly churned out tons of lies to cover his debilitating health condition. By holding the dying president hostage, the cabal turned Yar'Adua, a perfect gentleman, to a villain. Sadly, that is exactly what the spin-doctors in Aso Rock Villa are doing to our First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, and her husband, President Jonathan. For over a month now, a scenario similar to the late Yar'Adua's has been playing out as regards the First Lady's health.
Since she suddenly disappeared from the public's radar in August, the presidency has been spinning all kinds of stories; selling all kinds of dummies to Nigerians over her whereabouts. In the absence of any believable dispatches from government, the rumour mill went to work. It began to speculate. One, they said she had travelled to Dubai to rest. When that didn't fly, they said she was in Germany, to continue her rest, and probably see her doctors for 'routine checks'.
Later, Nigerians were told that the First Lady suffered from appendicitis, an inflammation of the appendix, and she had appendectomy, an emergency surgical operation to cut it off. According to an online medical dictionary, thefreedictionary.com, if appendicitis is not excised as quickly as possible, it may rupture and cause fatal infection. Even if this was all that the First Lady has gone through, she richly deserves our sympathy and prayers.
But those who have resorted to the days of President Yar'Adua by shrouding everything about her in secrecy are inadvertently robbing her of public sympathy and turning the First Family into villains. By refusing to disclose her whereabouts or what's eating her, they have made Mrs. Jonathan look like a super woman who cannot, must not, and will never fall sick. By hoarding information on the First Lady's health status, of course with the explicit approval of her husband, Dr. Jonathan, the gods at Aso Rock have successfully galvanized the rumour mill into action.
They have tickled the rich imagination of the rumour millers; they have stimulated their desire to push all kinds of stories to a supposed gullible public. Although Patience Jonathan is not a federal government official, as wife of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whatever happens to her should be of interest to Nigerians. Nigerians deserve to have correct information about her.
And it would not have been an aberration or out of order if government had been issuing bulletins on her condition since she was admitted to hospital. Had government done so, it would have elicited the sympathy of Nigerians who would have been praying for her. They would also have been showing perfect understanding to whatever gaffe her husband might have been committing.
As a husband and father myself, I know too well that whatever happens to a member of the family impacts on others-father/husband, mother/wife, and children. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, it could also affect the performance of other members of the family on their jobs or vocations. Make no mistake, there is no way Mrs. Jonathan would be groaning in pain in a German hospital and Dr. Jonathan would have maximum concentration on his job.
Even if his heart were made of steel, he cannot achieve 100 percent concentration at his beat. He would need all the prayers and emotional support he can get to achieve that. Yet, whatever mistake he makes on that seat can make or mar our lives forever. That is why it is important for Nigerians to understand his spirit, understand his feelings, feel his pain, and, if possible, adapt to his moods.
That is why it is ever so important for the government to tell Nigerians the truth about the situation around him, particularly concerning his wife, so that they can, at least, pray for her. Another danger in not giving full disclosure about the First Lady's condition, unlike what applies in the civilized world, is that it fuels speculation. It stokes wild rumours. Rumours thrive in the absence of truthful and correct information. In the absence of honest information, people often latch at whatever they could lap from unofficial sources to form their opinions.
As we well know, these so-called sources may not be anywhere near Abuja, the seat of government, let alone have ears or eyes in Aso Rock Villa. Yet, they would speak with authority, and sell outright falsehood or half-truth with magisterial confidence. There lies the danger. In this extant matter, there is no truth-o-metre to gauge the accuracy and fidelity of information from the so-called sources. And opinions flowing from such process may be off the mark.
Should that happen, as it sometimes does, it might minimize the quantum and quality of compassion and understanding that citizens may want to show to the ailing First Lady at this point. Yet, in these trying times, she needs all the goodwill, emotional and prayerful support she could get. They are therapeutic.
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Why Saudi Arabia moved against Nigeria Written by Hassan Ibrahim, Regional Editor Northwest
To many
observers, irrespective of religion or creed, the embarrassment meted on
hundreds of Nigerian female pilgrims in Saudi Arabia who were there for
the 2012 Hajj pilgrimage, is not only a diplomatic breach, but a
challenge to Nigeria's integrity as a sovereign state to them, the
action is.
It is no longer news that even as the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) stood on the defensive and reiterated its position that all the affected pilgrims, who were packed at the Kingdom's airports in prison-like camps before their deportation, had valid visas obtained from the Saudi Consulate in Nigeria before embarking on the fateful trip, the Saudi authorities had denied the pilgrims, especially those within the youthful age, entry into the holy land.
The age-long tradition that each female pilgrim should be accompanied by a male chaperone (Muharram) in accordance to the Islamic provision, was also relegated to the foreground by the Saudi's themselves. What had always been observed during Hajj because of the high pilgrim turn- over, particularly from oil rich states like Nigeria, was that trained indigenous Hajj officials should guard and guide a number of female pilgrims on the holy journey within a prescribed period that covers the Hajj.
All these, for incomprehensible reasons to millions of Nigerians and their friends international community, were not taken into consideration by the Saudi authorities who, without notice, reneged and subjected the unsuspecting Nigerian women to series of trauma, psychological imbalance and worst form of human humiliation rarely seen in the 21st century. Reports had it that some of the affected were still being hunted by the nightmare, while the loss of appetite due to poor feeding and inadequate toilet facilities, kept doctors busy in Kano and other airports where the pilgrims had arrived.
Intensive diplomatic effort and lobby by the Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Bunu and his team, could not soften the heart of the Saudi authorities. They watched helplessly as the women were bundled back to Nigeria, while the aged among them were allowed to proceed after serious search and scrutiny. Sadly, even couple whose names could not tally, were turned back with little or no care about the implication of such action.
For now, the question is: What could have made the Saudis to take such a harsh decision on Nigeria in spite of their cordial relations that span many decades? Looking back to history, the countries, especially in 1960s, were the best of friends, who relied on each other in many ways. The mutually beneficial relationship between the then Premier of Northern Nigeria, late Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna and the Saudi monarch then, led to the influx of many Nigerians into the Kingdom who provided cheap labour and did engaged in menial jobs. With time and as family, hundreds with Nigerian blood were born in the Kingdom, often times of mixed parenthood.
Crime is a universal feature of all human societies, but because of the preference being enjoyed by Nigerians in the holy land, other blacks who found their way into Arabia claimed to be Nigerians subsequently, internal contradictions of life and hardship associated to poverty in some African countries led to criminal tendencies and such Africans, consciously or otherwise, imported these negative behavours into Saudi Arabia. Sadly, anything bad became a Nigerian phenomenon in Arabia, perhaps due to Nigeria's strength, population and super power potentials, which were envied by other countries.
On March 14, 2003 or thereabout, for example, the Saudi authorities deported over 3,000 Nigerians who overstayed in the Kingdom after performing the lesser Hajj, Umrah. It was reported that the deportees, who included 500 women and 255 children, were arrested in Makkah. The Immigration authorities had also imposed fines on companies that brought in the pilgrims at SR3, 000 per person for failing to inform the authorities about their disappearance.
"During the holy month of Ramadan between early November and December, the police arrested about 20,400 foreign nationals for staying illegally in the Kingdom. According to Interior Ministry officials, Saudi Arabia deports more than 700,000 illegal immigrants every year. Illegal foreigners are deported while landlords renting accommodation to them face prison terms and fines," they said.
Although restriction on the movement of these illegal pilgrims is oftentimes, relaxed during Hajj, Saturday Tribune was told that women were not spared as it was a regular feature to see the Askars, Saudi policemen, on a hot chase to arrest black women, Sadly, some were born and bred in the holy land and when eventually deported, they found it extremely hard to reintegrate and would consequently indulge in whatever that was humanly possible to return to the Kingdom. According to Sheik Gumi in an interview he granted in Mecca, these Nigerians or blacks are called Tukar and were not ready to back to their countries because life is good in the Kingdom. Food in varieties are readily available and affordable.
It was not uncommon that such women were always on the move with their precious belongings such as gold and other valuables. This is because if they were eventually arrested and deported, the chance of getting their belongings, which they toiled to keep over the years, was almost zero. They were hardly taken to courts, and as soon as news spread of their arrest, there were always a notorious gang of black boys called the Angula, who, it was alleged, vandalised such abandoned property.For those women with athletic prowess that escaped arrest, they often escape into the mountains and joined several other blacks where they formed a colony.
From Shaharmansur, an area in Mecca with a large population of blacks, one could take a trip to the colony of illegal immigrants in the Kingdom through Goshen Bukar, where second-hand clothes and other items, were sold. In fact, life in that area is just like life in Kano and many pilgrims from West Africa often have a respite on a visit to the area because African dishes of all varieties, including yam and bush meat are available. At twilight, the blacks will disappear one after the other and could only be found on the mountains where there are kingpins who constitute themselves as leaders of the colony and must be obeyed.
According to Ibrahim Tikari, who claimed to be born in Saudi Arabia, the Askars are not good mountain climbers and are afraid of scorpions and other reptiles. So, the blacks capitalise on that to take refuge on the mountains. "The colony has everything one could need and even marriages and naming ceremonies are conducted there. There are petty crimes and women-of-easy virtues who dot not only associate with their fellow blacks but often have links with some powerful sons of the soil, who had devised several ways of reaching them at a fee," he said.
When Hajj is at its peak, disabled children will be sent from the mountains to seek for alms, singing melodies that touch the heart near the Holy Ka'abah, but under the watchful eyes of their mentors who continue to play hide-and-seek with the authorities. Immediately after the Hajj, they often rush back to the mountains with enough food and other provisions that will last for a year. The very few that are lucky will hide in the houses of affluent Arabs for years where they work like jackals, receiving meagre wages that has no equivalence in the Saudi civil service or its military. Anytime such Tukars are tired of solitary life, they often make themselves available for arrest and are deported either by sea or air to their home countries in Africa.
The Nigerian President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan was in far away United States when the current diplomatic row broke out, but the country has since announced that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, will leave for Saudi Arabia to meet with Saudi authorities over the contentious issue. Already, the Speaker had met with the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Khalid Abdrabuh, in Abuja where it was assured that the matter would soon be resolved. It was learnt during the meeting that officials from the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs were deliberating with their counterparts from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj with a view to resolving the impasse.
The matter which to many, was the first of its kind in contemporary Nigeria had really caused upsets in the Presidency and Goodluck Jonathan has approved the constitution of a presidential delegation to interface with the Saudi authorities over the issues. Tambuwal, sources said, would get briefings from the Nigerian officials, who were already in Saudi having talks with the Arabs.
For now, the airlift to the holy land from Nigeria had been suspended and might be resumed depending on how persuasive the Speaker and his team would be with the Kingdom's officials who have a strict adherence to the dictates of the Holy Qur'an, the words and teachings of the Holy Prophet of Islam and the consensus of Islamic clerics in Kingdom.
The spokesman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Uba Mana, had assured that the ongoing discussions would resolve the impasse, even as Sheikh Tijjani Bala Kalarawi urged that Nigeria's offence, if any, should be made clear and not an unwarranted detention of its female pilgrims and subsequent deportation. Sad with the detention of the female pilgrims over Muharram, he said "the issue of Murraham is untenable given the tradition that pilgrims from Nigeria are always under the care of government officials throughout their stay in Saudi Arabia."
The Sultan of Sokoto and National Amirul Hajj, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa'ad had condemned the Saudi action, which he described as an insult to Nigeria and to this country's millions of Muslims."The Saudi action came as a total surprise to Nigeria's hajj authorities because during the numerous meetings held between Nigerian and Saudi officials to prepare for this year's hajj, the issue of muharram for female pilgrims was never raised,"he said.
According to the monarch, "they never raised this issue and never demanded that the female pilgrims must have a muharram. They did not make this a requirement for issuing visas. They issued visas to all these pilgrims, only to embarrass, detain and threaten to deport them when they arrived in the holy land. How can they do this to us? The chairman of the National Hajj Commission assured me that the Saudis never asked for this during all the meetings they held. This is very unfortunate. We have done a lot over the years to improve on our hajj operation and we do not deserve this humiliation."
It is no longer news that even as the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) stood on the defensive and reiterated its position that all the affected pilgrims, who were packed at the Kingdom's airports in prison-like camps before their deportation, had valid visas obtained from the Saudi Consulate in Nigeria before embarking on the fateful trip, the Saudi authorities had denied the pilgrims, especially those within the youthful age, entry into the holy land.
The age-long tradition that each female pilgrim should be accompanied by a male chaperone (Muharram) in accordance to the Islamic provision, was also relegated to the foreground by the Saudi's themselves. What had always been observed during Hajj because of the high pilgrim turn- over, particularly from oil rich states like Nigeria, was that trained indigenous Hajj officials should guard and guide a number of female pilgrims on the holy journey within a prescribed period that covers the Hajj.
All these, for incomprehensible reasons to millions of Nigerians and their friends international community, were not taken into consideration by the Saudi authorities who, without notice, reneged and subjected the unsuspecting Nigerian women to series of trauma, psychological imbalance and worst form of human humiliation rarely seen in the 21st century. Reports had it that some of the affected were still being hunted by the nightmare, while the loss of appetite due to poor feeding and inadequate toilet facilities, kept doctors busy in Kano and other airports where the pilgrims had arrived.
Intensive diplomatic effort and lobby by the Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Bunu and his team, could not soften the heart of the Saudi authorities. They watched helplessly as the women were bundled back to Nigeria, while the aged among them were allowed to proceed after serious search and scrutiny. Sadly, even couple whose names could not tally, were turned back with little or no care about the implication of such action.
For now, the question is: What could have made the Saudis to take such a harsh decision on Nigeria in spite of their cordial relations that span many decades? Looking back to history, the countries, especially in 1960s, were the best of friends, who relied on each other in many ways. The mutually beneficial relationship between the then Premier of Northern Nigeria, late Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna and the Saudi monarch then, led to the influx of many Nigerians into the Kingdom who provided cheap labour and did engaged in menial jobs. With time and as family, hundreds with Nigerian blood were born in the Kingdom, often times of mixed parenthood.
Crime is a universal feature of all human societies, but because of the preference being enjoyed by Nigerians in the holy land, other blacks who found their way into Arabia claimed to be Nigerians subsequently, internal contradictions of life and hardship associated to poverty in some African countries led to criminal tendencies and such Africans, consciously or otherwise, imported these negative behavours into Saudi Arabia. Sadly, anything bad became a Nigerian phenomenon in Arabia, perhaps due to Nigeria's strength, population and super power potentials, which were envied by other countries.
On March 14, 2003 or thereabout, for example, the Saudi authorities deported over 3,000 Nigerians who overstayed in the Kingdom after performing the lesser Hajj, Umrah. It was reported that the deportees, who included 500 women and 255 children, were arrested in Makkah. The Immigration authorities had also imposed fines on companies that brought in the pilgrims at SR3, 000 per person for failing to inform the authorities about their disappearance.
"During the holy month of Ramadan between early November and December, the police arrested about 20,400 foreign nationals for staying illegally in the Kingdom. According to Interior Ministry officials, Saudi Arabia deports more than 700,000 illegal immigrants every year. Illegal foreigners are deported while landlords renting accommodation to them face prison terms and fines," they said.
Although restriction on the movement of these illegal pilgrims is oftentimes, relaxed during Hajj, Saturday Tribune was told that women were not spared as it was a regular feature to see the Askars, Saudi policemen, on a hot chase to arrest black women, Sadly, some were born and bred in the holy land and when eventually deported, they found it extremely hard to reintegrate and would consequently indulge in whatever that was humanly possible to return to the Kingdom. According to Sheik Gumi in an interview he granted in Mecca, these Nigerians or blacks are called Tukar and were not ready to back to their countries because life is good in the Kingdom. Food in varieties are readily available and affordable.
It was not uncommon that such women were always on the move with their precious belongings such as gold and other valuables. This is because if they were eventually arrested and deported, the chance of getting their belongings, which they toiled to keep over the years, was almost zero. They were hardly taken to courts, and as soon as news spread of their arrest, there were always a notorious gang of black boys called the Angula, who, it was alleged, vandalised such abandoned property.For those women with athletic prowess that escaped arrest, they often escape into the mountains and joined several other blacks where they formed a colony.
From Shaharmansur, an area in Mecca with a large population of blacks, one could take a trip to the colony of illegal immigrants in the Kingdom through Goshen Bukar, where second-hand clothes and other items, were sold. In fact, life in that area is just like life in Kano and many pilgrims from West Africa often have a respite on a visit to the area because African dishes of all varieties, including yam and bush meat are available. At twilight, the blacks will disappear one after the other and could only be found on the mountains where there are kingpins who constitute themselves as leaders of the colony and must be obeyed.
According to Ibrahim Tikari, who claimed to be born in Saudi Arabia, the Askars are not good mountain climbers and are afraid of scorpions and other reptiles. So, the blacks capitalise on that to take refuge on the mountains. "The colony has everything one could need and even marriages and naming ceremonies are conducted there. There are petty crimes and women-of-easy virtues who dot not only associate with their fellow blacks but often have links with some powerful sons of the soil, who had devised several ways of reaching them at a fee," he said.
When Hajj is at its peak, disabled children will be sent from the mountains to seek for alms, singing melodies that touch the heart near the Holy Ka'abah, but under the watchful eyes of their mentors who continue to play hide-and-seek with the authorities. Immediately after the Hajj, they often rush back to the mountains with enough food and other provisions that will last for a year. The very few that are lucky will hide in the houses of affluent Arabs for years where they work like jackals, receiving meagre wages that has no equivalence in the Saudi civil service or its military. Anytime such Tukars are tired of solitary life, they often make themselves available for arrest and are deported either by sea or air to their home countries in Africa.
The Nigerian President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan was in far away United States when the current diplomatic row broke out, but the country has since announced that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, will leave for Saudi Arabia to meet with Saudi authorities over the contentious issue. Already, the Speaker had met with the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Khalid Abdrabuh, in Abuja where it was assured that the matter would soon be resolved. It was learnt during the meeting that officials from the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs were deliberating with their counterparts from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj with a view to resolving the impasse.
The matter which to many, was the first of its kind in contemporary Nigeria had really caused upsets in the Presidency and Goodluck Jonathan has approved the constitution of a presidential delegation to interface with the Saudi authorities over the issues. Tambuwal, sources said, would get briefings from the Nigerian officials, who were already in Saudi having talks with the Arabs.
For now, the airlift to the holy land from Nigeria had been suspended and might be resumed depending on how persuasive the Speaker and his team would be with the Kingdom's officials who have a strict adherence to the dictates of the Holy Qur'an, the words and teachings of the Holy Prophet of Islam and the consensus of Islamic clerics in Kingdom.
The spokesman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Uba Mana, had assured that the ongoing discussions would resolve the impasse, even as Sheikh Tijjani Bala Kalarawi urged that Nigeria's offence, if any, should be made clear and not an unwarranted detention of its female pilgrims and subsequent deportation. Sad with the detention of the female pilgrims over Muharram, he said "the issue of Murraham is untenable given the tradition that pilgrims from Nigeria are always under the care of government officials throughout their stay in Saudi Arabia."
The Sultan of Sokoto and National Amirul Hajj, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa'ad had condemned the Saudi action, which he described as an insult to Nigeria and to this country's millions of Muslims."The Saudi action came as a total surprise to Nigeria's hajj authorities because during the numerous meetings held between Nigerian and Saudi officials to prepare for this year's hajj, the issue of muharram for female pilgrims was never raised,"he said.
According to the monarch, "they never raised this issue and never demanded that the female pilgrims must have a muharram. They did not make this a requirement for issuing visas. They issued visas to all these pilgrims, only to embarrass, detain and threaten to deport them when they arrived in the holy land. How can they do this to us? The chairman of the National Hajj Commission assured me that the Saudis never asked for this during all the meetings they held. This is very unfortunate. We have done a lot over the years to improve on our hajj operation and we do not deserve this humiliation."
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