GM Taps Mary Barra Next CEO; Will Be First Woman Car Chief

General Motors  CEO Dan Akerson and the GM board have selected product chief Mary Barra to succeed him, the company said today, and Akerson is retiring in January.

Move up http://i.forbesimg.com t Move down

 

 

The move will make 33-year GM veteran Barra the first woman to lead a global automaker. Arguably, it will make her the highest-profile female CEO in the world.

Edo State Government Release : Governor Oshiomhole Survives Road Accident -Sahara Reporters

Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole survived a motor accident at Ewu Village along the ever-busy Benin-Auchi road in Edo State at about 9.45am Saturday, 28th December 2013 on his way back to Benin City from his Iyamho Village. The incident occurred at about 9.45am at Ewu, in Edo Central Senatorial District, when a Peugeot J5 Bus filled with tomatoes and plantains apparently lost control and rammed into the Governor’s Flag Car from the opposite direction before swerving into a roadside ditch.
Three vehicles in the Governor’s convoy were in front of the Governor’s Flag Car and had passed the Peugeot J5 Bus before it [J5 Bus] had direct impact with the Governor’s car, which had the Governor, his Aide-De-Camp [ADC] and his Driver as occupants. The Governor’s Car was badly affected but both occupants of the Peugeot J5 Bus and that of the Governor’s sustained no injuries.

War of Words: Okonjo-Iweala, Reps Engage In Shouting Match - Channels

Your comments on this please!

 

Gruesome: Mob Sodomizes A Woman over Alleged Stealing of pepper

 

Permit to ask some questions that has been bordering me since I saw this video on youtube

Are we Nigerians Crazy?

Are we under a spell or something?

Politicians loot our resources black and blue daily and nobody is talking and just because the poor lady stole pepper look at what she has to go through? This is totally absurd and unacceptable and we are calling on the security agencies to clamp down on these animals and be brought to book. This is very sad!

 

 

The FG Should Stop ASUU Strike Now! By Femi Falana

Femi Falana

As the President of Nigeria and the Visitor to all the federal universities in Nigeria Dr Goodluck Jonathan should be worried over the prolonged industrial action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities. However, in his  media chat last Sunday the President stunned Nigerians when he did state that "President John Rawlings of Ghana shut tertiary institutions for one year and nothing happened". Does that mean the public universities may be closed for one year?

When a Wife/Partner Succeeds, Men Lose Self-Esteem

Not long ago a friend’s first book was published, so when I arrived at her home for a visit I eagerly voiced my enthusiasm and congratulations for her accomplishment. Moments into the interaction, her husband strode across the living room to a bookcase and returned with a copy of a book he authored 15 years ago. I thought it odd that he turned attention away from her achievement toward his long-past one, but now I understand why.
A new study finds that men feel worse—deep down in the subconscious—when their romantic partners succeed. Published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the research shows this effect even when the pair are not competing in the same line of work . The authors of the study expected that “a man might feel threatened if his girlfriend outperforms him in something they’re doing together, such as trying to lose weight.” But they were surprised to find evidence that the subconscious self-esteem of, say, a male poet, would fall significantly following the success of his wife in a completely different domain, such as investment banking or party hosting.

Kerry portrait of Syria rebels at odds with intelligence reports

By Mark Hosenball and Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State John Kerry's public assertions that moderate Syrian opposition groups are growing in influence appear to be at odds with estimates by U.S. and European intelligence sources and nongovernmental experts,
who say Islamic extremists remain by far the fiercest and best-organized rebel elements. At congressional hearings this week, while making the case for President Barack Obama's plan for limited military action in Syria, Kerry asserted that the armed opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "has increasingly become more defined by its moderation, more defined by the breadth of its membership, and more defined by its adherence to some, you know, democratic process and to an all-inclusive, minority- protecting constitution.
"And the opposition is getting stronger by the day," Kerry told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday.
U.S. and allied intelligence sources and private experts on the Syrian conflict suggest that assessment is optimistic.
While the radical Islamists among the rebels may not be numerically superior to more moderate fighters, they say, Islamist groups like the al Qaeda-aligned Nusra Front are better organized, armed and trained.
Kerry's remarks represented a change in tone by the Obama administration, which for more than two years has been wary of sending U.S. arms to the rebels, citing
fears they could fall into radical Islamists' hands. As recently as late July, at a security conference in Aspen, Colorado, the deputy director of the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency, David Shedd, estimated that there were at least 1,200 different Syrian rebel groups and that Islamic extremists, notably the Nusra
Front, were well-placed to expand their influence. "Left unchecked, I'm very concerned that the most radical elements will take over larger segments" of the
opposition groups, Shedd said. He added that the conflict could drag on anywhere "from many, many months to multiple years" and that a prolonged stalemate could leave open parts of Syria to potential
control by radical fighters. U.S. and allied intelligence sources said that such assessments have not changed. A spokeswoman at the State Department said Kerry's remarks reflect the department's position, adding that the opposition had "taken steps over the past months
to coalesce, including electing leaders."
GREATER NUMBERS, LESS STRENGTH?
Experts agree that the Nusra Front, an offshoot of the group al Qaeda in Iraq, is among the most effective forces in Syria.
In a second hearing on Wednesday, Kerry was challenged by Representative Michael McCaul, Texas Republican. "Who are the rebel forces? Who are they? I ask that in
my briefings all the time," McCaul said. "And every time I get briefed on this it gets worse and worse, because the majority now of these rebel forces - and I say majority now - are radical Islamists pouring in from all
over the world." Kerry replied: "I just don't agree that a majority are al Qaeda and the bad guys. That's not true. There are
about 70,000 to 100,000 oppositionists ... Maybe 15 percent to 25 percent might be in one group or another who are what we would deem to be bad guys. "There is a real moderate opposition that exists. General Idriss is running the military arm of that," Kerry continued, referring to General Salim Idriss, head of the rebel Free Syrian Army. Increasingly, he said, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are funneling assistance
through Idriss. Kerry cited an article by Elizabeth O'Bagy, an analyst with the Institute for the Study of War think tank, in
which she wrote that Islamic extremist factions are not "spearheading the fight against the Syrian government," but rather that the struggle is being led by "moderate opposition forces." Several leading lawmakers, including Senator John
McCain, Arizona Republican, also have said there is a viable moderate opposition in Syria that Washington should support.
U.S. intelligence sources do not dispute that Islamic extremists are in the minority on the battlefield. "Most of the groups battling against Assad are composed of Islamist fighters, but only a small minority could accurately be characterized as extremist," one U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. But a second official, who also asked not to be named, said moderate rebels may have lost strength rather
than gained it in recent months. Due to their relative lack of weapons and organization, they are beginning to make alliances with better-armed Islamic radicals, whom they see pursuing more effective actions
against Assad's forces, the official said.
Paul Pillar, who retired in 2005 as the U.S. intelligence community's top Middle East analyst, said he believed the Obama Administration was walking a fine line,
trying to calculate how to punish Assad's government for allegedly using chemical weapons while not bolstering the strength of religious militant rebels.
"In a hard-fought civil war, especially one without a single well-organized opposition movement, success goes to the most ruthless and dedicated elements, which also tend to be the most extreme in their views.
We are seeing such a process in Syria today," Pillar said. An authorization to use military force approved on Wednesday by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee states that U.S. policy in Syria includes
"upgrading the lethal and non-lethal military capabilities of vetted elements of Syrian opposition forces."
'CHOOSING ONE AMONG MANY SIDES'
Top U.S. intelligence and military officials have recently
offered bleak public evaluations of the relative
strengths of moderate and religious extremist Syrian
rebels.
In an August 19 letter to Representative Eliot Engel,
obtained by Reuters, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, warned: "Syria is not
about choosing between two sides but rather about
choosing one among many sides.
"It is my belief that the side we choose must be ready
to promote their interests and ours when the balance
shifts in their favor," Dempsey wrote. "Today they are
not."
A European security official with experience in the
region said that extremist rebel factions were so strong
and well-organized in the north and west of Syria that
they were setting up their own public services and
trying to create an Islamic ministate along the Iraqi
border.
By contrast, the official said, more moderate rebel
factions predominate in the east of Syria and along its
southern border with Jordan but have largely devolved
into "gangs" whose leaders are more interested in
operating local rackets and enriching themselves than
in forming a larger alliance that could more effectively
oppose Assad's government.
"I've heard that there are moderate groups out there
we could, in theory, support," said Joshua Foust, a
former U.S. intelligence analyst who now writes about
foreign policy.
"But I've heard from those same people and my own
contacts within (U.S. intelligence) that the scary people
are displacing more and more moderate groups.
Basically, the jihadists are setting up governance and
community councils while the moderates exhaust
themselves doing the heavy fighting," Foust said.
As anecdotal evidence, Foust cited a recent report that
on August 22, four out of five commanders of the
moderate Supreme Military Council had threatened to
resign and work "with all forces fighting in Syria."
A video on YouTube shows the rebel commander who
made this announcement. He is seated in front of an
Islamic extremist flag, next to a bearded cleric clad in
the religious dress of a Salafist militant.

(Editing by Warren Strobel and Prudence Crowther
Reuters

CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY????

Face of a Tyrant......

Professor Wole Soyinka blasts Nigeria's First Lady over River's Crises

This is becoming interesting!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=faBgpuT7Ff8

World Bank approves $300m for Nigerian farmers

I Pray the money gets to people that actually needs it. Read the article below
_______________________________________________________________________________


LAGOS — The World Bank, yesterday, said it has approved credit facilities of $300 million for Nigeria to boost farming output and food security.

A $200 million loan will go to small-holder farmers organised in clusters in six of the country’s 36 states for producers of rice, cassava, sorghum and other staples, the World Bank said.

Another $100 million will be used to improve crop yields, promote market access and better management.

June 12 more valuable than Democracy Day –Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has called on Nigerians to attach more importance to the celebration of June 12, saying it is more valuable than even the Democracy Day in the country.
Soyinka said: “We need to remind ourselves what June 12, 1993 represents. It is neither mere date, nor sentiment. It is simply – Human Spirit. What a futile undertaking it is then, when some individuals attempt to deny or crush it. Yet it was the power of this very Spirit that brought such out of relegation or obscurity, even from the jaws of death, and bestowed upon them relevance and prominence.”

Obasanjo’s administration not under probe, says presidency

BARELY 48 hours after former President Olusegun Obasanjo said he was not afraid of being probed, the Presidency Monday said that it was not investigating the administration of the former President and never intended to do so.

Reacting to a statement credited to Obasanjo, which challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to probe him (Obasanjo), the Presidency said there was no time it said it was probing ministers that served under Obasanjo.

Refugees at Peace Time Mosquito Nets and why Malaria is still an issue

Refugees at Peace Time

Mosquito Nets and why Malaria is still an issue

By Nnamdi Okose

 

There is a malaria TV advertisement staring David Beckham. The great footballer soliloquizes about how he never misses a free kick when he is in the ‘zone’. Placing the ball outside the 18 yard, he fires a shot which curves and hits a hapless stadium worker crossing the goal area. At the end of the advert, the words, ‘we need nets appear boldly’. The ball obviously signifies mosquito or malaria and the hapless stadium worker the victim. Or the African.

 

The world Health report presented at Geneva in December 2011 did suggest a 33% drop in mortality in the WHO African Region. This fall in mortality rate was attributed to the use of bed nets. Of course, the report does issue a warning that mortality will increase if funding drops. I did ask a medical doctor whether he felt that there has been a drop in the incidence of malaria since 2000. In his opinion there wasn’t any significant drop in the incidence of malaria since 2000. If the drop had been up to 33% it would have been celebrated. Perhaps there has been a significant drop in mortality but not in the incidence of malaria.

 

As malaria continues being a problem in Africa, the recurring question is not whether we receive enough nets but whether we need nets at all. This would mean challenging conventional wisdom that the best way to prevent mosquito bites and therefore malaria is the use of mosquito nets. Questioning whether the African deserves to be put under tents even at peace time would mean challenging conventional wisdom that the best way to prevent mosquito bites and therefore malaria is through the use of mosquito nets.

 

The use of mosquito nets probably dates back as early as late 69-30 BC, these were the years that the legendary Cleopatra lived. Cleopatra was said to have used a mosquito net. From 30 BC to 1882 AD the use of mosquito nets completely faded into oblivion till an American medical doctor made a spurious suggestion. Albert Freeman Africanus King one of the medical doctors who attended to Abraham Lincoln at his assassination discovered the link between mosquitoes and malaria. The great doctor who won a Nobel Prize some years later after this discovery also suggested that a wire screen, the size of the Washington Monument be erected around Washington for eradication of malaria. Obviously, this would have been the biggest mosquito net ever made or conceived and the idea was laughed away in those days. In 1998, when the Roll Back Malaria programme was launched, more that 116 years after Dr. Africanus King’s spurious suggestion, the use of insecticide treated nets became the pillar of the program.

 

The preceding story about Dr. Aficanus King may serve not only to juggle our minds on the historical facts about malaria but to show that malaria was a big problem in America as at 1882. In an academic article written by Robert Sallares et al, titled The Spread of Malaria to Southern Europe in Antiquity: New Approaches to Old Problems, we are not only regaled with historical perspectives of the existence of malaria in antiquity from the ancient Greeks to the ancient Romans but we are reminded that despite the erroneous belief that “white men” (Europeans) met mosquitoes in Africa for the first time, mosquitoes and malaria have always been a problem in Europe. Sallares did opine that malaria was eradicated in southern Europe between the 1930s to 1940s.

 

In 1948, another Nobel prize for medicine was awarded for malarial reasons to Paul Herman Müller, a Swiss Chemist who discovered dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane commonly known as DDT. This was not surprising since DDT was widely used during the Second World War and after that for the eradication of Malaria in Europe and America. Of course DDT did not work like magic; it had to be carefully and strategically applied. History is replete with how DDT was even dusted on human beings to get rid of typhus and lice.

 

In 1962, an American biologist Rachel Carson published a book that was to change the environmental climate of the world forever. In the book titled Silent Springs, Carson published her findings showing how the use of pesticides damaged wild life, caused animals to become impotent, killed fishes, confused the biological clocks of birds and caused cancer in humans. Among the guilty chemicals, the major receptor of her passionate attack was DDT. Her findings were startling and were rejected for about 6 more years. In 1969, the Global Malaria Eradication Programme which used DDT as its major tool was discontinued. But by that same year, malaria was no longer a problem either in America or Europe. It had been eradicated by DDT.

 

After 1969, DDT was demonized. Every known cancerous ailment was attributed to it including breast cancer. Rachel Carson had opened the eyes of the world to its silent springs but had not proffered any solution to the teeming number of dying people in Africa. It is interesting that many years after Carson published her book, her findings were not seriously challenged. An anonymous essay titled Rachel Carson’s Silent Springs and the Beginning of the Environmental Movement in the United States, recounts the “howl of indignation” that the book was greeted with by the members of the chemical industry. There were accusations that Carson was not qualified to make such statements, that her findings were “passioned up” but without any scientific proof, Rachel Carson was still right.

 

In a commentary in the Lancet medical journal of 2000, A.G Smith brought forward the scientific antithesis to Carson’s Silent Springs. He states that, “The early toxicological information on DDT was very reassuring; it seemed that acute risks to health were small. If the huge amounts of DDT used are taken into account, the safety record for human beings is extremely good. In the 1940s many people were deliberately exposed to high concentrations of DDT through dusting programmes or impregnation of clothes, without any apparent ill effect. There are probably few other chemicals that have been studied in as much depth as has DDT, experimentally or in human beings”. In the same edition of the Lancet, D. R Roberts et al agree that, “When a malaria-endemic country stops using DDT, there is a cessation or great reduction in numbers of houses sprayed with insecticides, and this is accompanied by rapid growth of malaria burden within the country.”

 

This essay does not suggest in anyway that DDT is not harmful. But it is important to contend that other insecticides which normally contain synthethic phyrethroid, allethrin, cyfluthrin, permethrin, tetramethrin etcetera, are also harmful to humans. In essence, a commonsensical way of seeing it is that any thing that would poison an insect would also poison a human. But is the minimal risk to humans enough to give a dog a bad name? Take for example the case of Kraisana Kraisantu one of Thailand’s most foremost pharmacists and the woman who made generic HIV drugs cheap in Thailand. Zidovudine was the substance in the HIV drug , a nucleoside analog reverse-transcriptase inhibitor which was known to be quite dangerous to handle. But Kraisantu knew that with the right precautions, many lives would be saved in the long run. Her colleagues did not share this feeling and she had to work by herself developing this medicine for 6 months. The drop in the death toll of HIV is attributable to her.

 

The fight against malaria can be perhaps viewed as a battle. In this battle the enemy happens to be the mosquito and its bullets malaria. The mosquito nets are trenches, bunkers, and refugee tents where the wounded soldiers or the civilians or perhaps the war shy soldiers hide out. But the irony of this war is that everybody catches the bullet no matter how we dodge the bullets. Just like David Beckham, the mosquitoes never miss when they are in the ‘zone’ and they always happen to be in the ‘zone’. In this battle, instead of hiding out in nets, the best strategy would have been the strategic elimination of mosquitoes. And using DDT may be the only starting point.

 

Carlos Catão Prates Loiola in his research titled The Use of DDT in Malaria Control Programs in Brazil did infer that 99.4% of malaria cases in Brazil was now limited to the Amazon regions of Brazil. This meant that 1/7 Brazilians were still exposed. Knowing the population of Brazil, this is quite a large number. But the fact that malaria has been contained to only the Amazon regions is  testament to the efficacy of fighting the malaria battle with DDT.

 

 

So why would the United Nations and other world donors not endorse and fund the strategic use of DDT in the battle against malaria? Europe for example has been against the use of DDT in Africa despite the willingness of some African governments like Kenya to use the substance. Since the global position against DDT is not backed by empirical evidence one wonders why Africans are still kept as refugees at peace time.

  

Written By Nnamdi Okose

 

Taribo West 'was 40 when he said he was 28', claims former Partizan Belgrade chief

Former Derby County, Plymouth and Inter Milan defender Taribo West has been accused of lying about his age.

Foreign Airlines May Stop Flights into Nigeria

The 24 foreign airlines flying into Nigeria are in dilemma on whether to stop or continue flights into the country as the Federal Government has yet to approve their summer schedule, five days after the commencement of the summer season on March 28, 2013.

It is illegal for any airline to fly into another country without getting approval for its winter and summer seasonal schedules from the host countries, aviation experts familiar with the situation have said.

Jim Iyke Gets an Erection During PhotoShoot....LOL!

Did you see that Guys??? #Lipsaresealed

Match Fixing Scandals: South African Government Given Warning By FIFA - BBC

Fifa, world football's governing body, have written to the South African government warning them against a judicial inquiry into the recent match-fixing scandals, saying the matter should be handled by the country's football association.

University Professor Murdered In Maiduguri

A popular Mass Communication professor of the University of Maiduguri, Murtala Mohammed, has been killed by yet-to-be identified gunmen in Maiduguri today.

Didier Drogba comes off the bench to score on debut for Galatasaray

Didier Drogba scored the opening goal for Galatasaray as a substitute on his debut. Photograph: Stringer/AFP/Getty Images

Didier Drogba wasted no time announcing his arrival in Turkish football as he struck the opening goal in Galatasaray's 2-1 win at Akhisar Belediye on Friday night.

Meteor Strikes Russia While Asteroid Misses Earth

A meteor crashed into a community in Russia’s Ural mountains earlier today, injuring at least 950 people, according to the BBC. The meteor didn’t strike the community directly – it landed in a nearby lake – but the shockwave itself caused damaged to buildings and smashed windows. Most of the people affected suffered only cuts and bruises, though about 46 are still hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

SEAL who shot bin Laden speaks out

The U.S. Navy SEAL who shot and killed Osama bin Laden is speaking out for the first time since the May 1, 2011, raid on the al-Qaida leader's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

In an interview with Esquire, the former SEAL—identified as "The Shooter" due to what the magazine described as "safety" reasons—said he's been largely abandoned by the U.S. government since leaving the military last fall.

Pictures: Farouk Lawan Caught Sleeping During His Court Hearing

 




Convicted Speaker, Hon. Farouk lawan suprised the jury and other members of the court when he fell asleep during the hearing.

Bomb scare paralyses economic activites in Abuja

ABUJA—Bomb scare, Monday, caused a stir and halted all business activities at Area 10, Garki Abuja as the Anti Bomb Squad unit of the Nigeria Police was reported to have detonated two parcels suspected to be bombs at the gate of Nigeria Postal Service, NIPOST office

FCT Police Commissioner, Aderenle Shinaba however dismissed the bomb scare noting that the Police Explosion Ordinance Device Squad of the command, only disarmed a 40 ton object made up of sand and tiles.

Twitter says hackers compromise 250K accounts

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter confirmed Friday that it had become the latest victim in a number of high-profile cyber-attacks against media companies, saying that hackers may have gained access to information on 250,000 of its more than 200 million active users.

The social media giant said in a blog posting that earlier this week it detected attempts to gain access to its user data. It shut down one attack moments after it was detected.

EFCC Re-arrests Pension Thief For False Declaration Of Assets

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today re- arrested Mr. John Yusuf, a former director of the Police Pension fund who had earlier been set free by an Abuja high court for stealing $203 million from the Police pension fund.

A  High Court at the Federal Capital Territory had set Mr. Yesufu free after a controversial plea bargain yesterday leading to a major outrage across the world.

The plea deal saw Yesufu  paying N750,000 ($4,500) fine in lieu of a six year prison sentence for conniving with others to defraud the office and pensioners of N27.2bn.

EFCC spokesperson Mr. Wilson Uwujaren  said Mr. Yesufu is currently being detained at the Abuja office of the the EFCC for false declaration of assets. He stated that the former pension administrator will soon face fresh charges.

Sahara Reporters

Nigeria Secret Police Says Ex-policeman, Ram Traders Kidnapped Nollywood Actress, Nkiruka Sylvanus-PREMIUM TIMES

     Two of the people that kidnapped Nollywood actress, Nkiruka Sylvanus, in Imo State, were former cattle traders from the Northern part of Nigeria, security officials have said.



The leader of the gang that carried out the kidnap is from Imo State and was a police officer with the mobile police unit.

NEMA Advises Lagos Residents In Oil Spill Area Not To Breathe Contaminated Air

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised Nigerians who live in the areas affected by the spilling of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) against inhaling the product.

In a statement by Information Officer Ibrahim Farinloye of NEMA South West in Lagos, the agency said that the spillage is a result of the indiscriminate activities of vandals who left the product to spill into the surrounded areas.

Ay Comedy Skit - A Lonely Night

You cannot afford to miss this. AY is at it again!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=-RD6bR_NvsU

There's No '2015' in Nigeria. Nigeria's Election Will be in 2014 - Pastor Bakare

Do you think this is possible?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PgCHYh3xk3w

Obasanjo: I would have died

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said
yesterday that he would have died in the fire that gutted parts of his Hilltop mansion in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, last week.
Obasanjo, who said he had had the grace of
escaping many near death situations in the past, added that if the fire that gutted his home during the Yuletide had occurred at night, he would have died. Said he: "The fire, which occurred in the office of my private secretary, resulted in a thick smoke that covered my bedroom. If it had happened at
night, I would have been a dead person now." The inferno occurred about 4:30pm and it disrupted an evening merriment as panic- stricken members of the Obasanjo household, including his daughter, Funke, wife, Bola and visitors scampered for safety.
His grandchildren, who had come to spend the Christmas holiday with him, were hurriedly evacuated to a safe place, while calls for water, ladder and fire fighters filled the air. Sympathisers, who were attracted by billowing smokes, rushed to the scene to help, but were prevented from entering the compound, as the fire, helped by the harmattan breeze, spread. It took the security agencies – members of the
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
(NSCDC), Nigeria Police, State Security Service and close friends of the President nearly an hour before they prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of Obasanjo's sprawling estate. Efforts were made to salvage some furniture from
being destroyed by the fire, which started 20
minutes after the former President had left for
another of his residence at Ita-Eko, Abeokuta. At least two persons, including an NSCDC operative identified as Kunle Famakinwa, sustained injuries in the course of putting out the fire.
While Famakinwa suffered a cut in his index
finger and was treated by the doctors attached to the NSCDC Ambulance marked CD 1041 A01, another said to be one of Obasanjo's drivers sustained injury in his foot.
Ogun State Fire Service truck with registration number OG 122 AO9, which arrived the compound an hour after the fire was detected, was joined by another 10 minutes later. Narrating the incident to the executive members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State chapter, who had come to commiserate
with him, the ex-President said the fire, which
occurred inside the office of his private secretary, destroyed many items and resulted in a thick smoke in his bedroom that could suffocate a person.
Obasanjo said he was full of praise to God for sparing his life. He said he had been receiving telephone calls from sympathisers, friends and associates within and outside the country. Said he: "I thank those who have called me on the phone within and outside the country. Let us appreciate the mercy and kindness of God. There are many we started last year together, but they are no more today. We are not mocking them, but
only thanking God. "In fact, that I'm able to stand erect is God's blessing. Many of my age mates cannot stand well again. I'm not mocking them, I'm only thanking God. My hope and prayer is that 2013 will be a glorious year." Obasanjo thanked his guests for their concern. Addressing reporters, Mr. Tunji Shelle, the Chairman of Lagos State PDP, said they were in Abeokuta to commiserate with Chief Obasanjo on
the recent fire that gutted parts of his home.
The Nation
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