My Trip To My Village, Your Village From The City

market sqaure

By Prince Kelly Udebhulu.

I am a native of Urohi village, Esan West Local Government of Edo State, Nigeria. I left the shore of Nigeria for a better life in Europe some years ago but the zeal, anxiousness and thoughts to visit my village surrounded my daily life before I gained resident permit that enable me to visit home these days. To see my country, my home and my family after years was priceless. Especially there was a place of interest I had in mind to visit when I get back to Nigeria.  It was my birthplace, called Urohi.  Anyone who knows what it means to be close to nature would appreciate the ingredients Urohi is made of.

While in Europe, I remember my mother used to boil concoction whenever I had headache, fever and some other types of health issue. She held me astride and pumped me full of it! She said the concoction of lemon grass and dongoyaro leaves is good for curing malaria fever and general body lassitude. This almost give me in to normal illness often as I feel the oyinbo (white)`s medicine will not heal as ours in the village!
Finally, the trip back to Nigeria emerged from the handiwork of Almighty God.  Nigeria here I come! From Lagos via Ore in Ondo State and Benin by-pass, I arrived at the junction of Urohi road at Ekpoma city ( Headquarter of Esan West LG) towards the evening. 

A Comfortable Villager

The green trees and crops along the road to the village encircled the Jungle, encapsulating its history. The trees and crops for the seven words of the seven patriarchs, each green tree symbolizing a word of a patriarch: Love for others as for yourself, Unity for strength and power, Service to one another, Truth for reliance, Discipline for good nature, Understanding for tolerance, and Obedience for peace and progress. These were the unfaltering principles of existence that were imparted upon the natives of Urohi (of which I am one) that life as a gift is a connection, an extension, a bond, an unstated promise of looking out for one another. To live life to the fullest, you must be kind to one another for whatever affects the native of one world, affects the native of the other world. "Distance is immaterial,".

The bright moon and glinting stars being visible against the pale sky, cast  Urohi village into a luminous play ground and I thought within myself, my birthplace is beautiful.

Ohh! I shuddered to think, what would be anyone's excuse if asked to live in such a calming and serene society. I failed once in my life to realize that wealth has different faces. The wealth that comes from the inside and spread unto the horizon cannot be found in such a place like the hustling and bustling mechanical, fast paced, no-rest cities of the Europe. It is here, my own very birthplace, where people touch, see, feel, taste and hear nature.

Pineapples

I remember when I was young especially my primary school days since the primary school was adjacent to the village market. The market square, a vast area of land situated in the begining of  Eguare (village),  where the monarch palace is found.  As I turned into the footpath that ran straight into the market, I saw rows of bamboo-made stands that market women and men displayed their wares and stuffs with. Farm products like pineapples and yams would be stacked on one another to form small pyramids while sellers called for buyers with such melodic lines as: "come, buy my pineapples. This pineapple is sweet, hurry before the pyramid falls". I quickly recalled how, following mother to this market especially after school hours then, I had seen a lot of people selling and buying, first disagreeing to the point of fighting and then with common understanding, agreed to a price. What a marvelous trading activities in our village market!!!

...to be continued

By Prince Kelly Udebhulu
You can tweet to @princekelly75
Skype: princekellyudebhulu

These Esan Sons qualify as next Governor of Edo State? Professor Oserheimen Osunbor & Arch. Mike Onolememen.

Prof Osunbor

A review of Prince Kelly Udebhulu`s Cultural Heritage Point.

Obhiaba, knowing what you want accomplished may seem clear in your head, but if you try to explain it to someone else and are met with a blank expression, you must know there is a problem.

Professor Oserheimen Osunbor:

Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, nominated as Chairman, Nigeria Law Reform Commission (NLRC). He is a legal practitioner, politician. He was educated at the University of Warwick, England. He was professor of Law at the Lagos State University, LASU; member, Constitution Conference, 1994-1995; elected senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Edo Central Constituency, 1999 and elected governor of Edo State in 2007 before his election was annulled by the Court of Appeal.He was a first class brain who made distinction in all his academic pursuits. He made a first class in law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He was the best Masters and Phd student in his classes overseas. He made a first class at the law school.

Arc Mike Oziegbe Onolememen:

Arch Mike Onolememen

Arc Mike Oziegbe Onolememen,  is presently the Minister: FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WORKS.  He acquired Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture, the Master of science degree in Architecture, and the Master of science degree in Construction management. He is currently rounding up work on his Ph.D dissertation in Public Policy and Administration. He was the Minister of State: Federal Ministry of Defence. Head of Directorate (Project Management): Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). Professional Qualifications. Member: Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA). Member : Association of Consulting Architects in Nigeria (ACAN). Member: Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). Registered Architect: Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON).
I will allow readers to go home and think about these great Esan Sons that shall make the best contender to any opposition political party candidate in the next Gubernatorial election , come 2016, in Edo State.

"We all know the definition of insanity, right? It`s when we take the same actions again and again while hoping for a different and better outcome than we `ve gotten before.  A mentally strong person accepts full responsibility for past behaviour and is willing to learn from mistakes. Research shows that the ability to be self-reflective in an accurate and productive way is one of the greatest strenghts of spectacularly successful personalities".

...to be continued

By Prince Kelly Udebhulu
You can tweet to @princekelly75
skype id: princekellyudebhulu

Orhionmwon & Uhunmwode LGA Chairmen & councillors suspended for abandoning their duties for holiday in Italy.

Hon. Roland Ibierutomwen the chairman of Orhiomwon LGA of Edo State has been suspended fromoffice and all documents in his possession are to be handed to his vice with immediate effect. Hon. Roland Ibierutomwen was suspended along with his vice chairman, secretary of the local government and twelve elected councillors of the local government for abandoning their duties at Abudu for a trip to Italy without following due process.

On wednesday 13th Nov. the angry youths of Oriomwon Youth Congress (OYC) came out to speak and stand up for themselves by preventing the flow of traffic in protest over the corrupt activities of Hon. Roland Ibierutomwen, the L.G Chairman of the Orhiomwon, who travelled to Italy with his wife, daughter, secretary of the local government and 12 elected councillors at the expense of public fund.

The youths protested with inscription like "Probe Ibierutomwen", "Stop looting Orhionmwon" etc. Hon. Rowland took over office in April this year and it was worrisome that the chairman could afford such an expensive trip to Italy to learn how to govern a local government council, whereas those who elected him into office are crying for basic amenities in the local government. 

The names of the councillors are: Efe Mercy, Enabulele Blessing Iyare, Ogbebor Osas Johnbull, Hon. Odigie John Okpoya, Osaigbovo Michael Orobosa, Edughaen Augustine, Ekhator Saturday, Okunkpolor Osaretin, Ogiku Osayamen, Ogbebor Monday, Adozi Napoleon James and Iweriebon Ikem Emmanuel. 

Vice chairman of Orhionmwon LGA - Mr Shola A. Erhatemwonwan

Meanwhile, Roland Alari of  Uhunmwode local government area have been suspended from office. Their removal was approved by the Edo State House of Assembly yesterday. Also suspended are all the elected councillors and the local council executive. 

The House approved the suspension of Ibierutomwen following a letter from the governor while Alari was suspended after a motion was moved by Hon Kabiru Adjoto Oshiomhole sought the suspension of Ibierutomwen and the councilors were removed after youth protested their prolonged absence from duty. Ibierutomwen, his deputy and the councillors travelled to Italy last week under the guise of learning local government administration using local governmen funds. Alari of Uhunmwode was removed for allegedly fighting a councillors inside the legislative chambers. Adjoto in moving the motion described the action of the Alari as bad omen for democracy

This is surely a good thing and i hope it continues like this and it serves as a warning to some other political thieves.

A VIDEO EVIDENCE ON HOW ESAN NE LG ELECTION OF EDO STATE WAS PLANNED AND EXECUTED FOR RIGGING BY APC MEMBERS IN EDO STATE

VIDEO EVIDENCE:  YOU CAN WATCH THE VIDEO BY CLICKING : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06KKumyOgNU&sns=fb&noredirect=1&hd=1

It has been revealed through a video that the last local government held in Esan North East of Edo State was nothing but a hoax. This was revealed in  a video that was recently uploaded on Youtube by Eddy Uwa. 

Few people identify on the video are: Sam Oboh, Barr. Silver Ebare,  others who seem to have been very vital in the success of the rigging. Though the video audio was not too clear,  but at the end, the committee discussed and resolved on a uniform story to be told in case they were arrested by the police, question by the judge or interviewed by the press after rigging the election. 

The Commissioner, Barr. Silver Ebare, who came last commended their efforts on the individual roles they played, and also assured everyone who played part in the success of the rigging that they will all be taken care of. 

In the video, Mr. Sam Oboh, the chairman of Esan North East,  was seen saying that Kogi and Ebonyi was rigged by PDP and there was no way they could have allowed the PDPs to win in their own territory. He said ” I am happy, we are all happy that they (PDP and others) are lamenting, we are crying in Delta, we are crying in Kogi, we are crying in Ebonyi, we are crying in Kwara,  should we cry in our own state again?” 

The declaration of the winner,  according to the people in the video showed that, it was a complete lie as the body that announced and declared the winner does not have the power to do so.

Meanwhile, the PDP, Edo State Chapter has accused Edo Stat Independent Electoral Commission, EDSIEC, of rigging the chairmanship election of Esan North-East local government, which the party claimed it won.

In a statement titled ‘How PDP won the chairmanship and councillorship election in Esan North-East Local Government’, the State PDP chairman, Chief Dan Orbih called on Nigerians to prevail on Governor Adams Oshiomhole and EDSIEC chairman to declare the correct results.

Chief Orbih said the PDP won the councillorship elections in all the eleven wards, while the respective councilors-elects received their certificates of return.

He, however, noted that: “The Local Government Returning Officer absconded from Uromi without announcing the collated chairmanship result only for EDSIEC chairman, Mr Solomon Ogoh to announce a doctored result in Benin in favour of All Progressive Congress, APC, candidate while collation was still going on in Uromi.”

The PDP outlined the ward to ward results which summed up to APC having 6248votes, while PDP had 11332votes.

Orbih said: “We challenge the APC to contradict these figures.”

The election was held recently. A previous election had been inconclusive.

GOV. OSHIOMOLE OF EDO STATE; A MISTAKE AND CURSE TO EDO PEOPLE?

By Opposition PDP IN THE STATE.

• Edo state get: N2.9 billion statutory allocation, N1.7 billion derivation fund plus IGR.

• Between November 12th 2008-December of 2009 Governor Oshiomhole borrowed 14.8 Billion Naira.

• From January 2010 to date, Governor Oshiomhole has borrowed N5billion from Sky Bank, another N5billion from United Bank of Africa (UBA), N2.2billion from Equatorial Trust Bank (ETB) and N2.9billion from First Bank of Nigeria

• Governor Oshiomhole has borrowed from World Bank ($46.92million) till date 1 cent has not been paid or loan serviced.

• Rehabilitation of Idia College, Benin City cost the tax payers N500 million

• 2.7 Billion naira was said to have been spent on Auchi erosion control. As I speak with you now, the money has been fully paid and there is no single work done.

• Adams Oshiomhole gave over 20 million Naira to some traditional rulers in Edo South senatorial district to request for a constitutional position of Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly. This is the taxpayers’ money.

• During the briefing before the State House of Assembly, the then Commissioner for Environment claimed to have spent over N4 Billion Naira on ordinary designing of erosion control in Benin City and its environ. The said design project was never advertised.

• The Commissioner of Environment also told the State House of Assembly that the government had expended over 250 million Naira to remove sand from the gutter and disilting. Yet everywhere you go, no gutter is found disilted.

• Edo state didn’t have local government elected chairmen for our 5years in the 18 local government council.

• Edo state only state university AAU has not had a vice chancellor (VC) since 2008 till date.

• Edo state the heart beat of Nigeria has turn into a nightmare and den of robbers, kidnappers, hooliganism, and cultism is now the order of the day. From the speaker of the Edo state house of assembly to the gatemen at the gate in Anthony Enahoro complex are all cultists. Yet we dread Boko Haram.

• Governor Oshiomhole has gone prodigal, as he want to sell Edo house in Lagos to build a hotel in Benin-City, can you imagine the short sightedness, what is the economic value of a hotel in Benin, compare to a house in Amadu Bello way in Victoria Island in Lagos, that generate over 120million annually to Edo state Government.

• Governor Oshiomhole country home of Iyamho. As it is now widely known, he is building an estate of gargantuan proportion, spread on over 93 acres of land., containing: an amphitheatre, a sixty-five bedroom mansion, sixteen outhouses, three separate man-made caves, a round-the-entire-perimeter artificial lake, an Olympic-size swimming pool, with a king-size fountain and Jacuzzi in the centre. What is the size of Samuel Ogbemudia stadium?

I weep for our dear state, in the hands of an emperor, but I also remember the wind of Ibori must blow.

ESAN PEOPLE: We Must Change Burial Tradition Of Our Married Daughters.

By Prince Kelly Udebhulu.

It is an age-long, well known and established tradition of the Esan people that our married daughters, upon demise are buried in the ancestral homestead.

Culture is constantly being modified and it is not expected to change overnight. The change must be in motion and it should be progressive. Esan culture has in-built flexibilities. Like every culture, Esan's is dynamic and admits refinement. The tradition should be changed. No question of giving out our women to men alive and receiving her corpse at the end. I am imploring my people to change that tradition. Why bring our daughters corpse to us when we gave her to the husband, body and soul?”. “What have we to do with her remains after all? Since the husband took good custody of her when she was alive, enjoyed and brought forth offspring through her during her lifetime, he should equally be able to take custody of her remains when she dies.”

Only a woman not married or properly married to a man should be brought back and buried in her father’s house. Any Esan woman that is truly and properly married according to the laws and tradition of the land should go to the husband and become his property forever. Once they are married, they are married and gone forever to their husband.

...to be continued

By Prince Kelly Udebhulu
You can tweet to @princekelly75
skype id: princekellyudebhulu

Spanish police arrest 25 in 'Nigeria sex-trafficking ring'

MADRID, Spain – Spanish police say they have busted a gang of 25 Nigerians who were engaged in human trafficking for sexual exploitation, Internet fraud and money laundering.

Five women victims of sex slavery also were released during the crackdown on the underground operation in Spain, the police said in a statement Sunday.

The gang was using Spain as a springboard to send Nigerian women to be exploited in other countries, and it laundered profits by buying luxury products that were shipped to Lagos, Nigeria, in vans with darkened windows and welded doors, police said.

The crackdown seized 94 vans near Madrid and 26 loaded ones at Valencia port containing goods with an estimated value of 5 million euros ($6.7 million), the statement said. Police had to use heavy machinery to open the vans, which contained items such as expensive television sets and cases of premium liquor.

The gang was originally formed around 1990 at Nigerian universities and was responsible for sending a large number of “Nigerian letters” that tried to fraudulently extract money from recipients, the statement said.

The gang “captured” women in Nigeria, flew them with false identity papers to airports in Mexico and Brazil, then sent them to Paris, from where they were driven to Spain, police said.

Eight of the 25 suspects were illegal immigrants, and the arrests occurred in Madrid, Toledo, Cantabria and Palma de Mallorca. The statement didn’t say when that happened.

Professor Festus Iyayi Died in a Road Accident

PROF IYAYI

The ongoing strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has claimed its biggest casualty, as the renowned writer, university teacher and activist Dr. Festus Iyayi died in a road accident on his way to the national congress of ASUU in Kano.

The President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Fagge, confirmed his death to the reporters. He said the sad news was broken to the union in the morning of November 12, 2013, Tuesday.

The professor died on a failed portion of a Nigerian highway around Lokoja in Kogi state, according to ASUU.

He was born in 1947, in Ugbegun, Ishan, Edo State.

In 1968, he left the shores of Nigeria to pursue his higher education, obtaining a M.Sc in Industrial Economics from the Kiev Institute of Economics, in the former U.S.S.R., and then his Ph.D from the University of Bradford, England.

In 1980, he went back to Benin and became a lecturer in the Department of Business Administration at the University of Benin.

A well known author, with four books to his credit (Violence, The Contract, Heroes, and Awaiting Court Martial), Dr. Iyayi won the Commonwealth Prize for Literature for his book Heroes in 1988.

In his writing, Dr. Festus Iyayi used to have a tough and even radical stance on social and political issues.

He was the President of ASUU from 1986, but in 1988 the union was briefly banned and Iyayai was detained.

May his soul Rest In Peace.

Bad days ahead for kidnappers: 100 face death penalty in Edo -State

OVER one hundred suspected kidnappers face the death sentence in Edo State following the signing into law of the state kidnapping law by Governor Adams Oshiomhole. Kidnapping in the state became worrisome after  hoodlums descended on the state to a level that even teachers were being kidnapped for ransom. Lagos lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, a Benin High Court Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, a chieftain of the APC, Athanacious Ugbome, were among those who suffered from the kidnappers onslaught along the Auchi-Abuja road, in Edo State.

It was later learnt that most of the evil perpetrated along that road was executed by a gang led by a  kidnap kingpin, Kelvin Oniarah Eziegbe, who is currently  facing trial in Abuja. Ordinarily,  Oshiomhole believes very strongly in the sanctity of life but on 18 October,  shortly after one of the bloody kidnap operations, the governor had no choice than to exercise his constitutional powers as governor, by signing into law the Kidnap Prohibition Law as amended by the state House of Assembly.

On that fateful day, Oshiomhole was in his office attending to state issues, when the news filtered in that those attending Esan Professionals Conference, scheduled for Uromi, were kidnapped while one was killed almost at the spot where Ozekhome was  kidnapped. Sunday Vanguard learnt that the suspected kidnappers, who reportedly wore police uniforms with bullet proof vests, stopped the victims and informed them that they were under arrest. They were said to have ordered Mrs Ekhomu and her children to a vehicle while the chief executive officer of Thomas White Plc. Mr. Emmanuel Obiyan, and Dr Ekhomu, a security expert, were pushed to another vehicle.

The kidnappers headed towards Sapele. Sunday Vanguard learnt however that on realizing that their captors were kidnappers and not policemen after he inquired about the police station they were being taken to, Dr Ekhomu held one of the kidnappers with a gun and there was a fight. In the process, Dr. Ekhomu suffered a gunshot on his hand but he managed to escape through the bush.

*Suspected kidnappers

Apparently angered by the Ekhomu resistance, the kidnappers rained bullets on Obiyan and abandoned his body. The gang that held Mrs. Ekhomu and her children ran into trouble  when men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta intercepted them 

around Sapele and rescued them. The body of Obiyan was deposited at the Irrua Specialist Hospital. The sad incident occurred on Thursday, 17 October.

Oshiomhole, visibly angry, came to office at about 7:30am the following day, and called for the amended kidnap law file. While this was going on, appeal came to the state government to flood the Auchi-Abuja road with soldiers.  Oshiomhole was particularly touched that Esan sons and daughters, who came home from Europe, America and other parts of the world for a meeting, were either kidnapped or shot dead.

At about 11am, the governor signed the kidnap bill into law and urged all those concerned to ensure full implementation. The law prescribed death penalty for kidnappers.Speaking while signing the law, the governor said government would do everything within its powers to ensure the safety of lives and property in the state.

Oshiomhole disagreed with those who argue that kidnapping is a result of unemployment, saying “no one should try to trivialise very complex issues”. He said: “We need coordinated efforts to deal with the problem of crime in Nigeria”, lamenting that the governor does not have the  power to deal with any security officer who might have misbehaved or through whose negligence the people might have been exposed to any criminal act.

“At best, we are able to provide resources and equipment as we have tried to do within our limited resources in spite of the fact that the language, the letter and the spirit of the constitution is clear that security matters are federal issues which is why the federal government continues to have monopoly of the police and of all the armed forces and the state security services.

None of these comes under the control of the state government. I am convinced as a matter of fact that the Federal Government is doing its best to arm and equip the police and the other security agencies. There are no quick-fix solutions to the issue of crime. Criminals are not in limited number that you exterminate and go and sleep”, he said.

Sunday Vanguard learnt however that over one hundred suspected kidnappers have been arrested since the passage of the law.  Meanwhile, fifteen suspected armed robbers and fourteen child defilers were paraded on Thursday by the Edo Police Commissioner, Mr Foluso Adebanjo. He said the parade of the 29 suspected criminals amongst whom was a 24 year-old Ifeanyi Nwongi, who allegedly defiled a  girl of one year and eight months, was part of the efforts by the command to wipe criminals out in the state.

Items recovered from the suspects include five vehicles, one AK47 rifle, three English pump action guns, three cut to size double barrel guns, five locally made pistols, 103 AK 47 rifle live ammunition, 505 live ammunition and other dangerous weapons.  Adebanjo explained that 15 suspected kidnappers were arrested in different parts of the state. He said: “Operatives of the command, on routine patrol/ stop and search, stopped one Nissan Vannette bus for a routine check, search conducted on the occupants of the bus led to the recovery of arms and ammunition and arrest of two suspects.

Investigations however revealed that the suspects are notorious kidnappers who have been terrorising the state and were on a kidnap mission before they were arrested”.He further narrated that a crack team of detectives who acted on “credible intelligence” arrested one Osarumwense Ogbeide and Osahon Uhunamure at Aduwawa for alleged involvement in various kidnapping cases which occurred in the state, adding: “The suspects who have been on the command’s wanted list are notorious criminals who took part in the kidnapping cases reported on the 29/05/2011, 01/02/2012 and 09/02/2012 in the state.

The arrested suspects who confessed to the crime led the operatives to Idun-Ehigie community where a 60-year-old man, Raphael Noruwa, was arrested and cone Jojeff Magnum pump action gun was recovered from him. As you can see kidnapping has reduced in Edo and it was as a result of the strategy we adopted which is working”.

Romancing baby

However, 24-year-old  Nwonga, who allegedly defiled the 20 months old baby girl, told Sunday Vanguard: “I held the baby and was playing with her and had erection and sperm was now released on her body. That was what happened; it is not as if I defiled her”. However, Nwonga later confessed that he defiled the child, attributing it to the work of devil. The mother of the child, who took the matter to the police described the suspect as a liar. “ He is my tenant but I never knew that people could be that wicked. He defiled this baby and that was why I came to the police”.

I commend Nigeria's Golden Eaglets for their well deserved victory at the FIFA Under-17 World Soccer tournament in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, UAE. GEJ

Today, I commend Nigeria's Golden Eaglets for their well deserved victory at the FIFA Under-17 World Soccer tournament in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, UAE. The players played with great skill and projected the Nigerian can do spirit and the end result is that Nigeria is now a four time champion. This could not have come at a better time seeing as Nigeria is on the cusp of celebrating our centenary as a nation. In February this year, the Super Eagles won the African Cup of Nations and now our youths are today the world’s champions. This is no fluke. It is no coincidence. It is a reaffirmation of what I have always known; that excellence is a Nigerian habit. I believe Nigerians are poised to extend this habit to every facet of our national life. May God bless us all and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria...GEJ.

Nigeria win Under-17 World Cup.

Nigeria won the Under-17 World Cup for a record fourth time on Friday with a 3-0 win over champions Mexico.
Erick Aguirre's own goal put the Golden Eaglets in front in Abu Dhabi.
The Nigerians doubled their lead with a tap in from Kelechi Iheanacho before captain Musa Mohamed's free kick sealed the win.
Nigeria also picked up the tournament's fair-play award and Dele Alampasu was awarded the Golden Glove for being the best goalkeeper.
The first goal came after nine minutes from a Nigerian counter-attack moments after the Mexicans had threatened at the other end.
The Golden Eaglets broke quickly to create a three-against-one situation, and as Musa Yahaya was about to pull the trigger, Aguirre's attempted clearance ended up in his own net.
Yahaya nearly doubled the lead in the 39th minute but his shot crashed against the bar.
Moments later, Taiwo Awoniyi tried a spectacular overhead kick but it went straight into the arms Raul Gudino in the Mexican goal.
 Mexico threatened the Nigerian goal a couple of times in the first half but found Alampasu in inspired form.
The Mexicans pressed early in the second half but it was Nigeria who doubled their lead when Gudino parried a long range shot into the path of Kelechi Iheanacho, who tapped in for his sixth goal of the tournament.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, the Mexicans had a great chance to score but Ivan Ochoa headed wide.
The title was sealed when captain Mohamed curled a free kick round the wall from the edge of the area with nine minutes left.
The victory in the United Arab Emirates caps a successful year for Nigeria after the senior team won the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa in January.

Nigeria's record in UAE
Played: 7
Won: 6
Drew: 1
Lost: 0
Goals For: 26
Goals Against: 5

Nigeria record at U17 World Cup
Winners: 1985, 1993, 2007, 2013

Runners-up: 1987, 2001, 2009

MEMORY OF EKPOMA RICE, WILL OFADA RICE SEES AS REPLACEMENT?

By Prince Kelly Udebhulu.

Esan land  is a land blessed by God. Nearly every plant that is plant-able could grow and do well on our soil.  Nevertheless, many questions arise about a people with this kind of blessedness and bountifulness but who still produce food at subsistent level. We must ask ourselves why we are fading out of recognition as people known for rice production in Nigeria and compete with people who do not have our kind of endowment?. Why is this so? Why do we experience high cost of the foods that we produce here? Why must there be scarcity of rice in our communities? Anytime we hear about ofada rice in all fast foods centers or importation of rice from asia ; what comes to our mind? Where is our popular Ekpoma rice?

To import rice to meet the needs of our bludgeoning population is not a bad idea. However, there are certain factors we must consider. One, rice importation dealt the killer blow to the farms in  Ekpoma, and exposes our people to the uncertainties generated from rice importation and consumption.  Presently, there are speculations that the rice imported into this country contains strains and grains suitable only for animal domestication and husbandry. Those who know about this, like Friends of the Earth International, FoEI, a worldwide Non-Governmental Organization has led a consistent crusade against Monsanto and other big corporations involved in genetically modifying the genes of crops for a bumper harvest. In laboratory tests, FoEI claims it has carried out on imported rice in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, FoEI alleges that some of the rice imported to both countries contains SI strains, fit only for animal husbandry.

Ekpoma rice  is relatively easy to produce and is grown for sale  and for home consumption. In some areas there is a long tradition of rice growing, but for many, rice  has been considered a luxury food for special occasions only. With the increased availability of rice, it  has become part of the everyday diet of many in Nigeria.

The criticism of Ekpoma rice falls on the small stones that mix with it often times. After the rice has been parboiled, it is laid out on tarpaulins or tarred roads to dry. It is at this stage that there is a  danger of small stones getting mixed up with the rice grains. Ekpoma rice  faces competition from imported rice which favored for its long white grains. Imported rice, although  widely considered less tasty, demands less preparation as it contains no stones. Removing stones  from Ekpoma rice is to use a destoner or building designated threshing and drying floors among others will allow  Ekpoma rice to compete with Ofada rice and imported rice from asia.

...to be continued
By Prince Kelly Udebhulu

Bright Osemudiamen Kelly and Football Skills.

OSE

A talented top striker, Bright Osemudiamen Kelly,  is another youngster emerging as a potential star in the making. A pacy striker with an eye for goals—aided by an excellent sense of positioning. He plays for Getafe CF, Madrid, Espana. he turned 8 years on the 26th October, 2013.
Fans of the Getafe CF may well be rubbing their hands with glee if this young star continues to fulfill his promising potential over the next few years.

group foto of Ose and team mates

Bright Osemudiamen Kelly, loves football and his parents country Nigeria that at this age, he assure everyone that he will join other young Nigerian young stars in soccer game to lift Nigerian Fifa ranking  in the future.
To God be the Glory.

WEEP NOT FOR OUR TRADITION, OUR ANSWERS MAKE SENSE?

By Prince Kelly Udebhulu.

Our understanding of what we see as evil will facilitate the efforts put in place to combat evil in the society.  Africans in their traditional ethics place some level of emphasis on goodness of character. Goodness of character consist of virtues such as kindness, generosity, hospitality, justice, respect for elders while the elders ensure that they stay off anything that is capable of bringing disrespect; others are obedience to legitimate authorities and humility. Evils to the Africans are vices like killing, stealing, adultery, and disrespect for elders, telling lies, incest, and cruelty or doing harm in any way to other people.

However, a distinction between customary behavior,  taboo and morality, each with its own rule of conduct, is a necessity at this point.  There are some actions that are regarded as customary. Customary actions are justified on the basis that it is the custom of the people to perform such action. That actions are customary because they have been done from time immemorial as enough reason for continuing to do them. Some actions are referred to as taboo. The justification of taboos is always in terms of the adverse consequences that would follow if they were done. If any forbidden act by taboo is performed, adverse consequences are believed to follow with certainty.  For example, that it is a taboo among our people, for a man to have sexual intercourse on a farmland. No scientific explanation is given as to why actions forbidden by taboo are wrong except that the gods hate such things and anybody who gets involved in them would incur the wrath of the gods. Like in the case cited above about  our people, the reason given by the elders is that it affects fertility, the gods of fertility will be offended if sexual intercourse takes place on a farm land. Today, what place do we refer to as farm land? Can we call a garden park where we have fruits, oranges et cetera a farm land? Notably, sexual intercourse take place in these farm lands now, is the taboo still in place or modernized?

Subsequently,  is the step taken to discourage adultery especially among our women.  If any woman is caught in the act of adultery, the eldest woman (wife) in the family stead will be informed. She will in turn bring the information to the knowledge of the eldest man in the family. He will give approval to her to carry out the necessary actions geared towards putting a stop to the ugly act. What are the necessary actions one may ask? Before now, it should be that the woman who commits the act (adultery), will be paraded half naked through the major streets of the village; after which she will provide a sizeable she goat and a chicken to appease the gods. This was the effort made towards putting to an end such disgraceful evil acts. In contemporary times, the idea of getting the woman half naked and walk through the streets in the village in broad day light like that has been stopped. She will only be asked to make provision for a goat for the elders and she will be prayed for.

...to be continued.

By Prince Kelly Udebhulu.
You can tweet to @princekelly75
skype id: princekellyudebhulu

INSIGHT TO THE DEMAND FOR: "CREATION OF ESAN STATE", A STATE LINKING ALL NIGERIANS.

By Prince Kelly Udebhulu.

Agitation for state creation is not a new phenomenon in Nigeria. Since the 1950s, Nigerians have developed an unending crave for new states. The ferocity with which communities demanded for new states after Nigeria’s independence in 1960 led to a repeated division of the country’s internal boundaries - into four regions in 1963, 12 States in 1967, 19 States in 1976, 21 States in 1987, 30 States in 1991 and 36 States in 1996. The agitation will continue as Nigeria nation exists.

Apart from the government of Abubakar Tafawa Belewa (1960-1966), no other civilian administration has been able to create new states despite the numerous requests that they usually receive. One explanation for the inability of civilian regimes to create new states is that the issue requires considerable level of consensus of which most civilian governments are not able to mobilize. Unlike the civilian governments, military regimes do not need national consensus to make important decisions such as state creation.

Don Joshua Richie, a community expert Supported the creation of Esan State  with these facts:

1) Esan people occupy massive economic potentials of Agriculture, The whole of Esan is actually a bulk of arable land.

2) Esan has direct border with river Niger to the East, visable in IIushi, Ugbogha and surrounding communities.

3)  Esan has crude oil in commercial quantity available in parts of Esan S.E, Urohi Kingdom in Esan West, parts of Esan N.E (Uzea), parts of Esan Central (border between Esan Central and Uzea).

Esan is strategically located as home to the major road leading to the federal capital city and more... , States do not succeed by size, it does as a result of the positive impact of the leaders. Population does not remain static, it is dynamic and people migrate every now and then, Esan has the ability to draw a huge population.

According to the Constitution, an Act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new State shall only be passed if :

a)     a request is supported by at least two-thirds majority of members (representing the area demanding the creation of the new state) in federal, state and local legislature,

b)     a proposal is thereafter approved in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of the people of the area where the demand for creation of the State originated,

c)      the result of the referendum is then approved by a simple majority of all the States of the Federation supported by a simple majority of members of the Houses of Assembly,

d)     the proposal is approved by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of members of each House of the National Assembly.

Thus, creation of state is purely play in the political field which Esan indigenes have the might, human resources and influence to turn the Captainship of the Nigerian politics to seeing the creation of Esan State of Nigeria. A state linking all Nigerians.
Esan di fure.

...to be continued

Prince Kelly Udebhulu.
You can tweet to @princekelly75
skype id: princekellyudebhulu