LUCKY DUBE (THE LEGEND AND HERO) - HIS BIOGRAPHY

Birth name Lucky Philip Dube Born 3 August 1964 Ermelo, Transvaal (now Mpumalanga), South Africa Died 18 October 2007 (aged 43) Rosettenville, Johannesburg Gauteng, South Africa Genres Reggae, mbaqanga Occupation(s) Musician Instruments Vocals, keyboards Years active 1981–2007 Labels Rykodisc, Gallo Record Company Associated acts The Love Brothers, Remlius Lucky Philip Dube (pronounced doo-beh) (3 August 1964 – 18 October 2007) was a South African reggae musician and Rastafarian. He recorded 22 albums in Zulu, English and Afrikaans in a 25-year period and was South Africa's biggest-selling reggae artist. Dube was murdered in the Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville on the evening of 18 October 2007. Biography Early life Lucky Dube was born in Ermelo, formerly of the Eastern Transvaal, now of Mpumalanga, on 3 August 1964. His parents separated before his birth and he was raised by his mother who named him Lucky because she considered his birth fortunate after a number of failed pregnancies. Along with his two siblings, Thandi and Patrick, Dube spent much of his childhood with his grandmother, Sarah, while his mother relocated to work. In a 1999 interview, he described his grandmother as "his greatest love" who "multiplied many things to bring up this responsible individual that I am today." Beginning of his musical career As a child Dube worked as a gardener but, as he matured, realizing that he wasn't earning enough to feed his family, he began to attend school. There he joined a choir and, with some friends, formed his first musical ensemble, called The Skyway Band. While at school he discovered the Rastafari movement. At the age of 18 Dube joined his cousin's band, The Love Brothers, playing Zulu pop music known as mbaqanga whilst funding his lifestyle by working for Hole and Cooke as a security guard at the car auctions in Midrand. The band signed with Teal Record Company, under Richard Siluma (Teal was later incorporated into Gallo Record Company). Though Dube was still at school, the band recorded material in Johannesburg during his school holidays. The resultant album was released under the name Lucky Dube and the Supersoul. The second album was released soon afterwards, and this time Dube wrote some of the lyrics in addition to singing. It was around this same time when he began to learn English. Moving into reggae On the release of his fifth Mbaqanga album, Dave Segal (who became Dube's sound engineer) encouraged him to drop the "Supersoul" element of the name. All subsequent albums were recorded as Lucky Dube. At this time Dube began to note fans were responding positively to some reggae songs he played during live concerts. Drawing inspiration from Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh, he felt the socio-political messages associated with Jamaican reggae were relevant to a South African audience in an institutionally racist society. He decided to try the new musical genre and in 1984, released the mini album Rastas Never Die. The record sold poorly – around 4000 units – in comparison to the 30,000 units his mbaqanga records would sell. Keen to suppress anti-apartheid activism, the apartheid regime banned the album in 1985, because of its critical lyrics, for instance in the song "War and Crime". However, he was not discouraged and continued to perform the reggae tracks live and wrote and produced a second reggae album. Think About The Children (1985). It achieved platinum sales status and established Dube as a popular reggae artist in South Africa, in addition to attracting attention outside his homeland. Commercial and critical success Dube continued to release commercially successful albums. In 1989 he won four OKTV Awards for Prisoner, won another for Captured Live the following year and yet another two for House of Exile the year after. His 1993 album, Victims sold over one million copies worldwide. In 1995 he earned a worldwide recording contract with Motown. His album Trinity was the first release on Tabu Records after Motown's acquisition of the label. In 1996 he released a compilation album, Serious Reggae Business, which led to him being named the "Best Selling African Recording Artist" at the World Music Awards and the "International Artist of the Year" at the Ghana Music Awards. His next three albums each won South African Music Awards. His most recent album, Respect, earned a European release through a deal with Warner Music. Dube toured internationally, sharing stages with artists such as Sinéad O'Connor, Peter Gabriel and Sting. He appeared at the 1991 Reggae Sunsplash (uniquely that year, was invited back on stage for a 25-minute-long encore) and the 2005 Live 8 event in Johannesburg. In addition to performing music Dube was a sometime actor, appearing in the feature films Voice in the Dark, Getting Lucky and Lucky Strikes Back. Lucky Dube is considered to be especially remarkable as a Dub Artist due to his lack of a diasporic cultural base. This was particularly due to the nature of Reggae and Dub being a platform for expression of displacement from the homeland. In Prisoner, the South African artist makes the genre his own by applying themes of apartheid and internal displacement. In the song and music video, he is found disturbing the bounds of the genre by highlighting the toils of his own homeland. He was revolutionary in so far as he introduced a competing version to Reggae's constant tendency of romanticizing the utopian homeland of Africa. Death On 18 October 2007, Lucky Dube was killed in the Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville shortly after dropping two of his seven children off at their uncle's house. Dube was driving his Chrysler 300C, which the assailants were after. Police reports suggest he was shot dead by carjackers who did not recognize him and believed that he was Nigerian. Five men were arrested in connection with the murder; three were tried and found guilty on 31 March 2009. Two of the men attempted to escape and were caught. The men were sentenced to life in prison. Until his death he was a Christian and refrained from smoking or drinking alcohol in order to set an example for his children and others who looked up to him. Legacy On 21 October 2008, Rykodisc released a compilation album entitled Retrospective, which featured many of Dube's most influential songs as well as previously unreleased tracks in the United States. The album celebrated Dube's music and honored the contributions he made to South Africa. The Roots Reggae Library has taken steps to store digital versions of the Mbaqange albums made in the 80's. Five of the six albums have been retrieved. Ngikwethembe Na has yet to be found. Discography Mbaqanga Lengane Ngeyethu (1981) Kudala Ngikuncenga (1982) Kukuwe (1983) Abathakathi (1984) Ngikwethembe Na? (1985) Umadakeni (1987) Afrikaans Die Kaapse Dans ("Change in Leadership") (1986) – as Oom Hansie Help My Krap ("Help Me Scratch") (1986) EP – as Oom Hansie Reggae Rastas Never Dies (1984) EP Think About the Children (1985) Slave (1987) Together As One (1988) Prisoner (1989) Captured Live (1990) House of Exile (1991) Back to My root . (1993) Victims (1993) Trinity (1995) Taxman (1997) The Way It Is (1999) Soul Taker (2001) The Other Side (2003) Respect (2006) Lucky Dube (2007) Compilation Serious Reggae Business (1996) Live in Jamaica (2000) The Rough Guide To Lucky Dube (2001) Lucky Dube Live in Uganda (2003) Retrospective (2008) The Ultimate Lucky Dube (2011) Lucky Dube meets Uganda's Buka Buka 2003 Lucky Dube meets Rwanda 's souve souve 2004 References ^ Fun Facts, luckydubemusic.com, Retrieved 19 October 2007 ^ a b c Five facts about reggae star Lucky Dube, Reuters, 19 October 2007 ^ a b S.Africa reggae icon shot and killed – radio, Reuters, 19 October 2007. ^ Hijackers gun down Lucky Dube, News24.com, 19 October 2007 ^ S African reggae star shot dead, BBC News, 19 October 2007, ^ Car jacker kills reggae star, CNN, 19 October 2007. ^ a b Luvuyo Kakaza, "Getting Lucky". The Mail & Guardian. 26 August 1999. Retrieved 20 October 2007.[dead link] ^ a b c d Finding reggae, luckydubemusic.com, Retrieved 19 October 2007 ^ a b c d Basildon Petain, South African reggae star shot dead in front of his children, The Independent, 19 October 2007. ^ Condolences pour in for Lucky Dube, SABC, 19 October 2007. ^ a b c Discography, luckydubemusic.com, Retrieved 19 October 2007 ^ Who's Who: Lucky Dube, News24, Retrieved 10 October 2007. ^ Video on YouTube ^ Bobb, Scott (19 October 2007). "S. African Reggae Star Lucky Dube Killed in Attempted Car-Jacking". VOA News (Voice of America). Retrieved 2 January 2009.[dead link] ^ http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/why-lucky-dube-was-killed-1.433296 Why Lucky Dube was killed

Timaya meets Rihanna in Barbados - Photos

The music star who's currently in Barbados for the country's music festival met Rihanna after his performance on stage. Rihanna was earlier seen dancing to Timaya's music. See that after the cut..

Passenger captures moment a 'UFO' overtakes his plane during take-off from JFK airport

This is the moment a passenger aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight captured what he claims is a 'UFO' overtaking his flight during take-off from New York JFK airport. The footage which was shot on July 7th, shows a peculiar object flying past the plane at high speed. The object comes behind from the aeroplane's tail, and moves like a bird but it's not a bird. The passenger and some others think the object may be an extraterrestrial craft aka Alien plane. Some don't believe it. See more photos after the cut and tell us what you think it is..

Senate president in Maiduguri, to visit IDP camps (See photos)

Senate President Bukola Saraki arrived Maiduguri this morning where he will be visiting some IDP camps in the state. More photos after the cut...

Heavily pregnant Stephanie Linus covers Genevieve magazine

Actress, producer and mum-to-be, Stephanie Okereke Linus covers the August issue of Genevieve magazine where she talked about her pregnancy, TV show and her highly acclaimed movie, Dry; a movie that focuses on VVF (Vesicovaginal Fistula) and child marriage. Photography by TY Bello

UNILAG Now Allows Those with 200 to Register for Post UTME

University of Lagos, UNILAG dropped JAMB’s new admission policy. Henceforth, candidates that made UNILAG their institution of choice in the 2015 UTME and scored 200 and above are eligible to apply. Good news to all the future AKOKITES – University of Lagos, UNILAG have announced that their post UTME minimum cut-off marks is 200. Therefore, any candidates that scored 200 and above in the last UTME are free and eligible to apply for the screening exercise.

ASUU STRIKE 2015 UPDATES: ASUU May Embark On An Indefinite Strike Again

Rumour all over has it that The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is planning to embark on another indefinite strike anytime from the month of August. As a result many schools are pushing their academic calendar forward so as not to be caught up with this ocean of academic backwardness. Schools like Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) has a message circulating among the students that the University exam for the Rain Semester have been shifted to 10th August from the previous date stated by the modified academic calendar of 2015/2016 session; so as to beat the date if the intended strike action actually takes place. We hope this don’t come anytime soon as a number of finalist in several schools are just about to write Degree examinations. Drop your reactions on the comment box below as we will publish and tell the government the feeling of students and parents.

Covenant University may reduce tuition soon –VC

The Vice-Chancellor, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Prof. Charles Ayo, has hinted that the school may likely reduce its tuition fees in a bid to accommodate more students who will want to benefit from the quality education it offers. Addressing a news conference on Friday over the school’s recent Webometrics ranking as the first in Nigeria and West Africa and the 15th in Africa, he said even though there is no actual date for the likely review yet, the initiative would make admission into the school more affordable and competitive. He explained that apart from the fact the Chancellor of the school, Dr. David Oyedepo, had already thought about it, the school management also had plans to increase its internally generated revenue so as to augment its income, which would make the review easy. He said, “Going by the thinking of the proprietor and chancellor, the commission is thinking of reducing the fees with a view to allowing more people to be able to benefit from the quality education that we have here, but it’s going to be highly competitive. “This may affect us because we would need to work more on our IGR, but we are up to the task. The beauty of it all is to be able to leave it open to all, however, we are mindful of our carrying capacity, which will only engender stiff competition before anybody would be able to get admission. “By the next academic session, the university will be going into production of certain items and looking at our projection on the adventure, we are going to be raking in billions, which will supplement our income and with that, we can be sure that the fees would be reducing gradually, which also shows that education venture is not necessarily about profit-making but about service to humanity.” The vice-chancellor explained that with the recently released Webometrics Ranking of February 10, 2015, “Covenant University is now the first among all the universities in Nigeria and West Africa and the 15th in Africa. “Last year, we were the second in Nigeria and 25th in Africa, but now we have improved greatly, and this is because we came in with a view to introducing a change, which was a clear departure from what others do, therefore, this feat and many others do not really come as a surprise to us.” Webometrics Ranking is the ranking of about 2,500 institutions in the world based on their web presence, impact, presence, openness and excellence.

Arewa youth leader calls for sack of Defence Minister, NSA, IGP

Alhaji Shettima Yerima, an activist and president of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, in this interview says that peace may continue to be elusive if some ethnic groups are treated as second class citizens in the Nigeria project, adding that justice and fairness can only ensure the much desired peace in the country. Excerpts.The inflammatory statements here and there especially coming from politicians and ex-militants on the general elections are source of worry. You agree? I am worried because this is not what we expected from this country at this time. I am very worried also because we don’t need these inflammatory statements coming here and there at this particular time. It baffles me when I see our democracy turning into something else. People don’t talk as patriotic Nigerians. Politicians don’t talk about what will benefit the people any more and those who are beneffiting from the government shy away from the truth. Most of them believe that they can do anything and go away with it. Many Politicians seem to have forgotten that election will come and go but the country will remain. We have done it in the past and we are going to do it again. Those who are making inflamatory statements are those who have not contributed any thing to the growth of the country, they were not on the trenches when there were problems but they have the opportunity to be there not because they are better than us. Let all politicians be mindful of what they say because if anything goes wrong, they will all be affected. If they think they will run away, they may not be able to escape and if they do, their families will be affected. With some of these war threat, people are apprehensive of possible post election violence, what are you doing to stop it? The post election violence in 2011 is still fresh in my memory. So many people were killed and many families were wiped out in Kano. I saw how people were lynched. It was good that it didn’t escalate to the south. We liaised with various ethnic nationalities and it was controlled. We have worked alongside some international organisations and built a good relationship. But we have been able to manage the situation and those leaders from various organisations that are based in the South have actually seen our efforts and have trusted us. As one of the Northern leaders, I give updates to people and educate them on what to do. Where danger looms, I call the attention of the government and security agencies to avert it and to protect people. Right now, are you doing the same inorder to forestall a repeat of the post-election violence in 2011? We are doing it. As I speak with you, we are in touch with various ethnic national leaders. I have spoken, with Fredrick Fasheun, Gani Adams, Asari Dokubo and the rest of them. We are discussing extensively and we might hold a press briefing very soon on the need for violence-free elections before and after election in all parts of the country. These people are of the view that they are being treated as second class citizens. Yes! I agree with some of their views because we are all the same in this project Nigeria. There is hope if we have equity and fairness. The politicians have to watch their utterances. These days, the campaigns are not based on issues but attack on personalities. It has even extended to generations of a families. I don’t think it is right, people must be called to order. The politicians are too rascal in their approaches. To me, both the ex-militants and TY Danjuma are wrong. The call for war is wrong and also depriving somebody of his freedom of speech is also wrong. If Jonathan loses through normal process, they have no reason to raise any eyebrow; again, there are other channels without war. You can go to court and challenge the verdict. Nigeria must be seen to be bigger than any individual. Again, the call by Danjuma that they should be arrested is uncalled for because similar statements have been made by other people in the past. What happened? Was there any arrest? No. So, anybody talking now is enjoying his liberty under a democratic government. But from the discussion I had with so many of them, nobody wants war. What efforts are the Northern leaders putting in place to ensure that there is no repeat of 2011 post election violence? You can see that I spend most of the time, in the north. I move from one state to another trying to consult with various youth organisations. We are trying to educate them on the consequences of violence. It usually starts when somebody initiates a bad idea and put it on people. These people believe whatever they are told and they start killing people. We try as much as we can to diffuse that mindset, sensitize them and make them realise the effect of their action. Be that as it may, I don’t think that is enough, government must also rise to the challenge that adequate security is provided during and after the elections. The Boko Haram insurgents seem to have defied all government’s strategy to wipe them out, what do you think government should have done? In fairness, I don’t expect President Jonathan to go to Maiduguri and fight. There are people saddled with that responsibility. It shows these people have demonstrated total incompetence. The government then must rise to the occasion to saction them, sack them and bring fresh people who will deal very well with the situation. So, when people tell me Jonathan is behind Boko Haram, I get confused the more. Most of the people involved in security of the country are from the Northern area, so, are they in any way sabotaging the efforts of the government or serving the interest of a particular people? We should ask Minister for Defence, the National Security Adviser, NSA, the Inspector General of Police, Attorney-General of the federation, all of them are from the north. Instead of pointing accusing fingers, these people should tell us about it and we will know where the problem is coming from rather than blaming Jonathan alone. But these people get order and directives from the President… Yes! I am sure there is an order and if there is none, I challenge them to come forward and say it. So, if there is an order and they refuse to carry out the order, or they don’t carry it out well he should sack them. Fire all of them and bring in fresh blood that will tackle this problem and save our nation. What is affecting Maiduguri and other places, is indirectly affecting other parts of the country.

ELECTION SAGA: PDP mounts pressure on Jega to drop Card —Reader Machines

More controversies have followed last Saturday’s rescheduling of the general elections that were originally billed to start today with the Presidential elections. And there are also emerging factors that may play out before the new date of March 28, for the Presidential election.The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, rejected the use of computerised Card Reader Machines by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for accreditation and tracking of information on the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs. According to INEC, the machine could help in checking rigging as it would display information on any person who has voted. But the PDP now fears that the machine may not make for credible elections as it is said to easily malfunction especially when the battery weak. The party also accused INEC of engaging in a lot of manipulations that could favour the opposition, saying that as a ruling party, the PDP was only being diplomatic so as not to be seen as being opposed to the polls. National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu made these observations in Abuja, when a delegation of Africa Union election observers led by AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi visited the national secretariat of the PDP. The Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, also yesterday asked INEC to accept blame for not being ready to conduct a free and fair elections in the country, saying ‘’that the evidences are on the ground to show that the commission was not ready to go ahead with the polls as it claimed.’’ EACH CARD READER WORKS FOR ONLY FIVE HOURS This was even as sources told the Saturday Vanguard that for each card reader to be effective, it has to be charged for about 24 hours prior to the election even as it may not last for long hours before the battery would go down. However, Muazu noted that although the use of card reading machine which forms part of INEC’s Electronic Management Tool, EMT was a welcome development in the nation’s political history, the failure of INEC to meet up with the role expected of it as it had not test-run the machines for Nigerians to see whether the process would be successful or not was a big failure by INEC. According to him, Nigerians cannot be used as guinea pigs over the matter, hence INEC management must get their acts right before introducing the device. REPORT INEC MANIPULATIONS TO THE WORLD The PDP National Chairman urged the delegation to ensure that as observers, they report the manipulations of the distribution of the PVCs by INEC to the whole world. “What is happening today in INEC has been highlighted to them via letters from our party to Jega’s office on so many issues including the fraud of PVC that we anticipated… ‘’We all said this in writing to INEC. It is because we are the ruling party, we don’t want to be unruly. If we were the opposition, we would make a lot of noise and say a lot of things. “In their own sense of judgment, how does Professor (Attahiru) Jega who is the leader of INEC exonerate himself from disenfranchising 23 million Nigerians and telling the world that he was ready for elections? We are saying that he was not ready. 23 out of the 68 million registered voters by his personal submission in the Council of State’s meeting that was held last week to review the preparedness or otherwise of INEC to conduct the election had not been distributed; 23 million PVCs were either produced and not distributed or not produced at all. “This must be highlighted and made known to the world. Your report must be very explicit on what has happened. He is economical with the truth. We must not have 100 as the basis for distribution and collection; But 23 million out of 68 million eligible voters or 34% as the INEC Chairman himself confirmed (are not going to vote) is unacceptable by any standard,” he said. Earlier, the leader of the delegation of observers Dr. Abdullahi had noted that they were impressed not seeing street fighting or protest trailing the postponement of the elections, adding that the development showed the level of maturity of Nigerians and the depth of democratic practice in the country. Abdullahi, a former commissioner in Mu’azu’s cabinet when he was governor for Bauchi State between 1999 to 2007, was accompanied on the visit by five other members of the AU observer mission on the March 28 elections. Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the CLO, Mr Ibuchukwu Ezike who spoke on the INEC’s level of preparedness for the elections yesterday blamed the commission over its alleged preparations for polls. CLO POOH-POOHS INEC FOR ALLEGED POOR PREPARATIONS Ezike, the CLO executive secretary said, ‘’the following lend support for my argument. Printing of PVCs is still in progress. Over 20 million Nigerians are yet to collect their PVCs. None display of voters registers as required by law. ‘’About 700,000 ad-hoc staff still in the process of being recruited and trained. Card readers being used for the first time in the country yet to be test-run or tested. Lopsided distribution of PVCs as well as lack of full complement of ballot boxes for elections among others. ‘’Why is the INEC misleading Nigerians on these issues and people are singing praises for it?’’ APC kicks Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), has frowned at the Presidency’s and PDP’s strident and scurrilous castigation of the use of Card Readers for ensuring the integrity of the forthcoming general elections, as being proposed by INEC, as the PDP’s agenda for the manipulation of the electoral process. The APCPCO in a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu described the action by the ruling PDP and the Presidency as a precursor to the move to stampede the resignation of Professor Attahiru Jega before the appointment of a pliable lackey, who according to him, would do the hatchet job of stopping the use of the Card Readers. Shehu noted that the INEC’s decision to use the Card Readers was borne out of the need to ensure electoral transparency and integrity. “Aside the huge financial investment involved in the procurement of the Card Readers, the PDP’s desire to hoodwink the Nigerian people on this anti-rigging device, is not just subterranean but an affront on the independence of the electoral body. “We are equally aware that this is the latest gambit of the ruling Party in its desire to thwart the electoral wishes of majority of Nigerian electorate. We are aware also of the use of its tested and well-oiled rigging machine of unregistered voters and accentuation of same by the use of soldiers that had been specially trained and reserved for that nefarious purpose. “We have said it that, based on the ruling of the Federal High Court, Sokoto against the use of Soldiers for Election duties, our Party is opposed to the use of soldiers for the Election Days on 28th March and 11th April, 2015. “We insist that the use of Card Readers for authenticating the propriety of the Permanent Voters’ Cards presented and ultimately, accreditation of Voters, as envisioned by INEC. These, in our estimation as a credible Party, remain the irreducible minimum that must form the basis for the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections on 28th March and 11th April, 2015. “We call on all Nigerians to remain vigilant and we, on our part, shall remain alive to our responsibility in galvanizing the citizenry for assuring on the virility of the Nigerian nation. Indeed, eternal vigilance is the price of our liberty.”

Youth Arrested For Buying PVCs From Housewives In Sokoto

Ahead of the February 14 and 28 presidential and governorship elections respectively, politicians, aside campaigning for votes as stipulated by law, have engaged in unwholesome act of buying Permanent Voters Cards from eligible voters in areas where they consider strongholds of their political opponents. This was the case on Wednesday in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State when some young men, believed to be working for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, were arrested over suspicion of buying PVCs. According to PREMIUM TIMES, residents of Tambuwal town apprehended Abdu Dankuturu, Amo Masaurari, Dantonka Maikada, Kabiru Modibbo, Dantani Hulkwui and Danbala Gyarge after they were seen buying PVCs from some housewives. “They were paying N2, 000 for each PVC and about 400 cards were found on them upon arrest”, the online newspaper quoted a source as saying. He also said the arrested youth were handed over to the Divisional Police headquarters in the town, who in turn transferred them to the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, in Sokoto, the state capital for further action. The source said all those arrested were known members of the opposition PDP in the state. When contacted Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer in Sokoto State, El-Mustapha Sani, said he was not aware of the arrest of the youth in Tambuwal. He, however, promised to find out the situation of things from relevant officials but as of the time of publishing this report, he was yet to confirm and get back to PREMIUM TIMES.

Check 2014/2015 Neco Gce Nov/Dec Result

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Election: Southern leaders reiterate call for Jega to resign

ABUJA—SOUTHERN leaders, yesterday, reiterated their call for the resignation of the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, accusing him of acting a script for the northern part of the country to declare the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, rtd, from the north as winner of the yet to be conducted Presidential election. According to the leaders, there were plans to rig the 2015 election hatched by the Northern Elders Forum in collaboration with Professor Jega-led INEC. They said “as a responsible government agency, it is only germane that Nigerians, whose tax monies are used to fund its operations, are properly informed on these critical aspects of INEC’s activities. We make bold to say that Prof. Jega has betrayed public trust, respect and acceptance, sublime attributes that are necessary for an impartial electoral umpire.” The southern leaders on the banner of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNPA, said Jega was promoting an ethnic agenda by favouring the North against the South, with what they termed an unholy conspiracy between INEC and the Northern Elders to install a Northern President through rigging. Present at the briefing were Senator Femi Okurounmu who signed the statement for Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu; former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife signed for former Vice President Alex Ekwueme; Senator Femi Okurounmu signed for Archbishop Ladigbolu, as well as former Minister of Information, Walter Ofonagoro; a former Commissioner in Bayelsa State, Chief Whisky Ayakeme; Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh, among others. Reading an 8- page text for the SNPA, Senator Femi Okurounmu who represented Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu, called for the postponement of this month’s Presidential and general elections to allow the Federal government reposition INEC and make it discharge its responsibility of conducting an impartial election effectively The leaders also called for the immediate arrest of the INEC Chairman over allegation that he has criminally masterminded the procurement of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs for under- aged pupils in contravention of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended and the Electoral Act, 2010. The Southern leaders threatened that should the president fail to sack Jega and refuse to postpone the already fixed elections, they would ensure that the people of the South West, South South and South East do not participate in the February 14 and 28 general elections, adding that if INEC goes ahead with the polls with Jega Presiding, “the consequences may be too grave for Nigeria to bear.” At the briefing, one time Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark displayed some PVCs allegedly owned by under- aged pupils to buttress the group’s call for Jega’s immediate arrest for registering those pupils contrary to the constitution and Electoral Act, just as they accused Jega of stopping the implementation of additional polling units in the south, but gradually using the new units in the north. The leaders said, “Consequent upon the foregoing, the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNPA, wish to make the following unequivocal demands, which if not complied forthwith, would compel us to consider every necessary step to force compliance. “Professor Jega, should and must resign his appointment immediately as the Chairman of INEC because he has lost the requisite moral rectitude to organize a credible election devoid of the shenanigans of the Northern Elders Forum and their cohorts. “There should be immediate postponement of the February 14, 2015 presidential elections to allow for the reconstitution, repositioning and reprocessing of INEC to discharge its responsibility of conducting an impartial election. “We call for the immediate arrest of Prof. Attahiru Jega for criminally masterminding the procurement of PVCs for under-aged pupils in contravention of the provisrons of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) and the Electoral Act, 2010 Where the Federal Government fail to take decisive action on these demands e shall employ and mobilize with all ounce of energy at our disposal to ensure that there is no election in any part of Southern Nigeria. “We wish to remind Mr. President that the Federal Government has the sacrosanct duty to maintain peace and order, and to protect the lives and property of the citizens of this country. Therefore government must not allow itself to be intimidated by any group of persons to conduct the elections under these uncertain circumstances that could culminate in the break down of law and order in the country The consequences may be too grave for Nigeria to bear.” The Southern leaders alleged in their statement, that INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, through one of his National Commissioners “met with select leaders of the Northern Elders Forum led by Prof. Ango Abdullahi on the 16th’’ August, 2014 where strategies and modalities for enthroning a President of Northern extraction through vote rigging were discussed and agreed upon. “As part of the grand design, Prof. Jega agreed in the meeting to create astronomical number of additional polling units in the North, over and above what is desirable to ensure the election of a Northern Presidential candidate, that would emerge from the party primaries, in the general election. We now know that this was responsible for Prof. Jega’s whimsical creation of additional 30,000 polling units with intent to give unearned massive votes to the northern presidential candidate. These additional polling units were agreed to exist only on “sheet of papers” which would be used as votes mill to rig the election. This means therefore that the acclaimed suspension of the implementation of the additional 30,000 polling units by Prof. Jega is a grand deceit as same is reported to have continued in parts of the North under cover”.

DSS invites Asari Dokubo over inflammatory statement

ABUJA – The Department of State Services (DSS), yesterday, said that it had invited the ex-Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo, several times over recent provocative statements credited to him. The Spokeswoman of the DSS, Marilyn Ogar, who stated this while fielding questions from Journalists during a routine security briefing, in Abuja, explained that not all their operational procedures would be public. “First of all, whatever is the operational procedure that we take after we have issued out warnings; we do not make them public. “And I want you to recollect that Asari Dokubo has been brought into the office – DSS, a couple of times. It is not in the position of the office to begin to tell you who has been brought in or who has not been brought in. “We still stand by our words that whoever in any way would want to interfere or interrupt the peace that prevails, he or she would definitely go for it,” Ogar said. The Coordinator of the National Information Centre (NIC), Mr Mike Omeri attributed the recent success recorded in the fight against insurgency in the north east to ‘country-to-country’ bilateral agreement entered into by the Nigerian government with its neighbours. He disclosed that the 7,500 AU-backed multinational force recently announced would come from the four countries; Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Niger mainly affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. According to him, “The 7,500 AU-backed multinational force is to be composed of mainly troops from countries in the Lake Chad Basin Commission areas. “The modalities for the operationalization of this force are being worked out at a tactical summit which started today in the Republic of Cameroun. “In addition, the Chadian Chief of Defence Staff is currently in Nigeria to consolidate discussions on trans-border operations with his Nigerian counterpart.”

APC alerts over use of sponsored protests to force polls shift

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly condemned the reported plan by the advocates of the postponement of next month’s general elections to sponsor protests across the country against INEC as a way of forcing the commission to shift the elections, scheduled for Feb. 14th and 28th.In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said those pushing for the elections to be shifted are also seeking to instigate the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who will serve as part of the ad-hoc staff for INEC during the polls to say they do not feel safe to be part of the elections in certain parts of the country. It said even if the NYSC members refuse to participate in the elections in certain parts of the country, which will be within their right, there will be no shortage of those willing to serve as ad-hoc staff ‘’It has also come to our notice that these election-shift proponents are holding clandestine meetings with various groups, including a section of the media, to recruit them for their dubious campaigns to force a postponement of the election,’’ APC said, adding, however, that all the shenanigans of the election-shift advocates will fail, as Nigerians have seen through them and have stepped up their collection of PVCs in readiness for the elections. ‘’The assurances by INEC, that 65 million PVCs are now ready and that the remaining 3.8 million will be ready in due course have heightened the belief among Nigerians that the electoral umpire is indeed ready, willing and able to conduct the elections as scheduled. ‘’That is why we are surprised that instead of encouraging Nigerians who have not done so to go and collect their PVCs, instead of heeding the advice for the declaration of a three-day public holidays to enable working class people to collect their PVCs, all they are interested in is how to sponsor various dubious individuals and groups to stage protests against INEC. ‘’The PDP has variously said it is ready for the elections as scheduled, but not once has it urged Nigerians to go and collect their PVCs, knowing full well that the problem now is more of collection than anything else. The Presidency has also not made any effort to encourage Nigerians to collect their PVCs. Instead, it has been openly pushing for the elections to be shifted on the basis of inadequate PVC distribution, as shown by the call in London recently by the National Security Adviser. ‘’Undoubtedly, public funds have been deployed to sponsor ‘talking heads’ to make the TV rounds to parrot the lies that over 30 million voters have yet to collect their PVCs, when INEC has said 42.7 million out of 68.8 million PVCs have been collected, and that it will distribute PVCs until the eve of the polls These anti-election antics are too glaring for Nigerians not to notice. The dirty tricks point to one and one thing only: The PDP and the Presidency are mortally terrified of the elections being held as scheduled, because they know they will surely lose,’’ APC said.

Shakira gives birth to second child in Barcelona

Barcelona – Colombian pop star Shakira has given birth in Barcelona to her second child, a boy, Spanish media said on Friday. The singer and her boyfriend, Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique, had their first child, a son named Milan, in 2013. Shakira, 37, and Pique, 27, met in 2010, but only confirmed that they had been in a relationship in March 2011. The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer, one of the best-selling Latin pop idols, gave birth in Barcelona’s Teknon clinic, local media said, though the hospital said it could not confirm the information. Pique is a defender for Spanish La Liga team FC Barcelona. As with the birth of their first child, the couple recently asked fans in an online baby shower to buy gifts such as fresh water kits and vaccines to help needy children. Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. (Reuters/NAN)