Editor’s note: “It looks like President Buhari comes to Nigeria on a working visit,” claims Ubaka Chukwuka Maximus in a contribution to Naij.com, referring to a constantly increasing number of  foreign trips Muhammadu Buhari has been undertaking since he was elected president.
One would probably find it difficult to quarrel with the claim: by making simple calculations Chukwuka Maximus has come to a conclusion that the president has spent as much as one fifth of his days in office abroad. Now when President Buhari is back from another trip to South Africa, Mr Chukwuka urges him to take a break from travelling and direct his energy on tackling the numerous problems Nigeria is faced with.

Is the president on holiday?

From Germany to South Africa, the USA, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Benin, Ghana, again South Africa, India, Iran, Malta and France. Is Buhari trying to be recognized as the most travelling president in the history? It is becoming clear why he has forgotten his promise to sell the aircraft used by his predecessor. All along, during the campaign process Buhari has been itemizing the countries to visit after assuming the office of the president. Thanks God his dream has come true!
Now Buhari seems to be on the retirement holiday having achieved his long-sought goal of becoming a civilian president. He needs to snap pictures with the world leaders for his family library. He has even stopped the weekly FEC meetings to have more time for travelling. Contracts will henceforth be awarded in Buhari’s bedroom; one needn’t ask where has gone the promised transparency.

President Buhari, Nigeria needs your attention!

This is already December, and nothing has been said about the 2016 budget, except that it will account for N7-8 trillion, with no accompanying details on how the money will be raised. Has Buhari forgotten that being the president comes with great responsibilities at home? Does he know the duties of the foreign minister? Buhari possesses no less than 10 jet planes, which he claimed would have been given to the national carrier at the beginning of 2015. The monthly cost of the presidential flights is put at almost N1billion. The president has spent 43 days out of his 183 days in office on the foreign soil. It looks like he comes to Nigeria on a working visit.
In as much as we acknowledge the economic and political merits of such visits, the essence of Buhari’s election should not be lost by him. Some Nigerians voted him to end terrorism in two weeks as it had been promised, others – for economic revival and job creation; the majority chose him over Jonathan because of his self-acclaimed anti-corruption posture. The former president was so heavily criticized on June 25, 2014 for remaining in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, after Abuja bomb blast that he had to terminate his visit. The current ruling party’s media team accused Jonathan of being insensitive to the mood of the nation. Using the same yardstick, has Buhari shown sensitivity to the present mood of the nation with his global throttle endeavour?

The clouds are piling up over Nigeria

There is fear in our hearts over the allegedly missing 105 soldiers; even the trained soldiers can disappear, not to mention the civilians. Boko Haram is becoming more daring, sacking barracks and kidnapping girls close to the chief of army staff village. The APC in Kogi is in disarray, and pro-Biafra activists are unrelenting in their protest. President Buhari is deliberately ignoring negotiations with a peaceful group, begging a terrorist group for dialogue. He should be reminded that Syria crisis had started peacefully until conflict profiteers began arming the protesters. Pro-Biafra group is gradually turning violent, while the president is cruising in South Africa.

Obasanjo’s precedent

It is on record that the former president Olusegun Obasanjo embarked on the foreign trips during his first tenure, and lost touch with the reality on ground. He used the excuse of seeking for foreign investors to make those trips. Obasanjo nearly paid the price for such myopic endeavour during the 2003 PDP primaries. Atiku Abubakar had the party machinery in his palm, and the loyalty of the governors was at his door step; Obasanjo had to practically beg Abubakar not to run against him.
We cannot really evaluate what those visits would cause the former president in the long run, but we know he has not provided us with any reason for leaving Nigeria in such a precarious state. However, it is worthy to note that in the short run Obasanjo’s frequent trips have brought about no anti-corruption treaties, and there was no policy thrust of a documented anti-corruption agenda defining the direction of his government. All we were made to know is that his body language hated it. “Did we vote for body language?” lamented Iyobosa Uwugiaren of Anioma TV.

President Buhari, please visit Nigeria!

One can vividly recall that President Buhari told Nigerians he had signed an arms deal with the US during his first visit to Obama. He intended to make the countrymen believe his travel to America was reasonable. However, up to this moment the new government has not added a single riffle to the country’s arsenal. No country is ready to sell weapons to us; the Russian and Chinese channels Jonathan used are blocked. There is no bilateral trade relationship established during any of these visits, and there is no return visit from any of the presidents Buhari visited.
 Minister Defends Buhari, Says Foreign Trips Not Frivolous
President Buhari should make the best of his foreign affairs minister. A president does not go on foreign trips the way Buhari does when the country is broke. Funds for such trips can help Osun state workers. South East needs Buhari’s visits more. His inability to address the pro-Biafra activists will definitely damage the records of his administration. President Buhari should visit Onitsha personally with his aides, and engage the frustrated youths, who have lost hope in the country, in a dialogue, give them a reason to still believe in Nigeria. If Nigerians could see tomorrow, I am sure they would not have voted for a junketer. Finally, considering the president’s indifference to the demons facing us and his decision to abandon us for numerous foreign trips, I am inclined to re-echo the words of Femi Fani-Kayode: “Does our president really have conscience?”

Chocolate City rapper Ice Prince yesterday, December 13 saw former Nigerian head of state Rtd. General Yakubu Gowon aboard a flight.


Ice Prince and the retired general who were on the same flight had a brief chat where Ice Prince found out that they are from the same tribe in Plateau state.
 Ice Prince Hangs With Bill Gates, Michelle O

A Nigerian, Jude O. Nkama has made Nigeria and the entire Africa proud.
Nkama, on January 6, 2016, became the first African to be appointed as a judge in the 349 year history of the city and State of New Jersey, USA.
Obama Appoints Another Nigerian To Key Position

Hon. Ras Baraka, Mayor of the City of Newark, NJ also appointed Hon. Ugochukwu Nwaokoro as Deputy Mayor; and Evans Anyanwu, Esq. as Chief Prosecutor of the city. See photos from the event below:
         

Fresh findings have revealed that Chibuike Amaechi, the immediate past governor of Rivers state and current minister of transport, allegedly acquired and diverted not less than N40 billion of the state funds into the presidential campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to SIGNAL, an online medium, the minister plunged the huge amount into the campaign which saw the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as president, emerging details are revealing.
Sources informed Rivers State’s treasury was emptied into private concerns of the former governor as well as the APC presidential campaign.
 SEE What Amaechi Was Spotted Doing During Calabar Carnival (PHOTOS)
An inquiry had been set up in October 2015, to investigate the sale of state assets in Rivers state under to demand the immediate prosecution of Amaechi and all his cronies involved in the illegal sale of Rivers state assets, the panel reported that the former governor misappropriated over N97 billion in the sale of the state valued assets.
“The commission recommends that the former governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, along with his former commissioners for Finance and Power, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside and Augustine Nwokocha, respectively, should be held to account for their roles in the sales of the power generation assets of First Independent Power Limited and the disbursement of the proceeds therefrom.
“Government accepts this recommendation and directs the office of the Honorable Attorney-General and commissioner for Justice, to promptly set in motion the appropriate machinery for the recovery of the proceeds of the sale of the gas turbines from the former governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and every other persons implicated in the commission’s report,” Emma Okah, the commissioner of housing in Rivers state, who spoke on behalf of the state government, said.
A source who spoke to SIGNAL said: “The N6 billion largesse Amaechi donated to Buhari just for the primaries alone is what was partly spent settling over 8,000 APC delegates. Buhari outspent Atiku, Kwankwaso and the other aspirants. Delegates were settled in hard currency before and on the grounds of the primaries.
 How I Met And Fell In Love With Rotimi Amaechi – Wife
“Seven bullion vans brought Amaechi’s money into the arena of the APC presidential primaries. How do you think Buhari got the ticket? It was Amaechi’s money that did the job.”
Amaechi, according to the report, also allegedly funneled over N30 billion into the overall presidential campaign of the APC across the thirty-six states of Nigeria.
Another source who pleaded anonymity, said: “Amaechi was the one spending most of the money for media, for the US consultant David Axelrod and most of the private jets and vehicles used by APC during the campaign were provided by him. That’s why he became known even within his party’s circles as the ‘ATM’.”
Another senior Rives state government official, who did not want his name mentioned, informed that, “Amaechi had access to over N3 trillion during his eight years as Rivers State governor, but failed to leave funds for the development of the state. His only ambition was the wastage of Rivers State money like a prodigal son on his political ambitions.”
Meanwhile, the Rivers state government expressed shock 

Still in the spirit of the festive season, Nigeria’s music icon Tuface Idibia decided to brand himself as the officially changes his name to, 2Baba.
In order to get himself ready the year ahead, Tuface on Saturday, January 9, took o his twitter handle few hours ago officially announce the new name he would like to be associated with saying:  “Guys happy every! My handle is still the same but name is now @official2baba one love always.”
 Tuface and Annie Spotted Doing On This Daughter’s Birthday
He also tweeted that: “this is the season of New Year, new name, new song, still me #codedtinz”
See posts below:
This change was not only for his twitter page but the legendary music artist

http://webnova2.ref-r.com/c/i/8711/2987607

  Sylvester Stallone has packed many jobs onto his resume over the years: movie star, screenwriter, director, producer and painter of Kafkaesque portraits, but in a new interview with Variety, he revealed that he briefly considered following his pal Arnold Schwarzenegger into politics.“And five minutes later, I came to my senses,” Stallone told Variety for this week’s cover story on “Creed.” He remembered, on 2006’s “Rocky Balboa,” meeting the mayor of Philadelphia, who told him: “I believe you could be elected.”“I said to my wife, ‘What do you think?’” Stallone recalled. “She said, ‘Are you crazy? He’s just being nice. You’re not going to be elected. You don’t have that insatiable need to be embraced by people.’”Although he’s been called a Republican, for supporting John McCain’s 2008 presidential run, Stallone says he’s not a member of the GOP. “May the best fighter win,” he said. “I don’t think you can be totally one-sided forever. Then you close your mind to all sorts of possibilities. It’s just, ‘Who comes along better at that time for what the planet is going through?’ Right now, it’s pretty confusing on every side.”What does he think of the Republican frontrunner? “I love Donald Trump,” he said. “He’s a great Dickensian character. You know what I mean? There are certain people like Arnold, Babe Ruth, that are bigger than life. But I don’t know how that translates”—he let out a laugh—“to running the world.”To read more from this week’s cover story, click here.

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Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, the wife of the controversial director of Radio Biafra, has revealed why her husband, Nnamdi Kanu, supports the idea of the independence of Biafra states.
Kanu’s wife, who believes her spouse, detained by the Nigerian state security service (DSS) since the middle of October 2015, is a prisoner of conscience, has granted an interview to the IB Times UK.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other pro-Biafran groups call for the independence of territories that formed the Biafran Republic in 1967 which was re-annexed to Nigeria in 1970.

Kanu, who is the leader of the movement, was arrested on charges of criminal conspiracy, intimidation and belonging to an unlawful society. The Biafra leader has pleaded not guilty.
Uchechi Okwu-Kanu says: “It is the British who laid the foundation of Nigeria… And these people [ethnicities and tribes of Nigeria]  are of different culture, different religion, different belief, different understanding of life.
“So we all are different in several ways, in every way. So, we are not actually meant to be together. You must have heard about the Biafran war. My mom was born then, a few years before the war. We sort of defended ourselves. We defended ourselves for over a long period of time,” she added.
Kanu’s wife continued that Biafrans are now suffering, despite supplying resources to other parts of Nigeria.
“We don’t have better schools, we don’t have better roads, we don’t have anything, not even jobs.
“So that is why what they are doing is to leave. So, I would say referendum is not a bad idea, it is not a bad option, but the people need to understand why we want Biafra.
“And that’s what Nnamdi Kanu is doing, sanitising his people, creating awareness. And you can see that a lot of people have woken up from their slumber. Most people who are sleeping have come to realise that this is really what it should be. I mean, if he is released and then he stops, it means he’s been defeated or he doesn’t know what he wanted in the first place.
“But if you know the reason why you are asking for something: you are asking for bread because you are hungry, and then you are thrown into jail. Then you released from the jail, but still didn’t receive your bread, you are still hungry. So he would continue, he will, yes,” Kanu’s wife concluded.
Watch full interview below

Dream team coach Samson Siasia has revealed the processes to be involved when choosing his squad for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
 The coach says he has received numerous calls and messages from players who wish to be included in the squad for the tournament proper despite not featuring in the CAF U-23 Nations Cup which served as qualifiers for the tournament.
The U-23 national team coach revealed he will select players who are willing to bear the cost of travelling to camp, accomodation and add the best legs from the team that won the U-23 Nations Cup in Senegal.
Siasia told thenff.com: “Since we qualified for the football event of the Rio Olympics, a lot of players both at home and abroad have been calling me that they want to play for the country, so myself and my assistants intend to use the first week of camping to see these players who will bear the cost of their trip to the camp and accommodate themselves.

“Any of them selected will now be added to the players who made us proud in Senegal for a full camping. Mind you, no player is yet guaranteed a shirt in the team, as I have always said only the best legs will make it to Rio de Janeiro.
“For now, time is not on our hands and as such, we need to start work in a bid to present a team that will make Nigerians proud in Brazil. For me, after winning silver at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, my next target is to go all out for gold in Rio, and I strongly believe we have the players that can achieve this.”
His also outlined his plans till camp opened later in the year: “For now my plans are to utilize fully all the FIFA windows beginning with the one in March, with the hope of taking players selected to an accessible country in Europe where all the overseas -based players can come with ease, play one or two friendly games and then have them return to their respective clubsides. “

Nigeria’s former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan seem to be getting more recognition for his performance in office since he left the corridors of power.  
 
Jonathan, 58, was named the ‘Person of the Year’ by The African Sun Times, Africa’s number one and largest newspaper in the United States of America (USA).

The former president conceded defeat to incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, via a phone call even before the results of the presidential elections were announced
That singular seem act seem to have elevated the status of the Otuoke-born  to a global citizen and as a reference for African leaders, who are known for holding on to power for too long.
In October 2015, Jonathan was named the chairman of the Commonwealth Observer Group for the presidential election in Tanzania.
In November 2015, Jonathan rounded off a two-week visit to the USA with a meeting with students of the Howard University School of Political Science where he was the special guest at the university event with the theme: “Elections And Constitutions In Africa: A Timely Issue”.
In December 2015, one of Nigeria’s online newspapers, The Trent named Jonathan the Person of the Year 2015.

Credit: Felipe Ramales/Splash News Online Walking in a winter wonderland! Pregnant Anne Hathaway positively beamed while on a stroll with her husband, Adam Shulman, in the brisk NYC weather on Friday, December 18.PHOTOS: Kim Kardashian's 2nd pregnancy style
Hathaway, 33, looked radiant in a black wool coat, a black turtleneck, skinny jeans and patent leather dress shoes. Shulman, 34, was more casual in a blue sweater and light-wash denim. As Us Weekly confirmed on November 27, the Oscar-winning actress is expecting her first child with her husband of three years.
PHOTOS: New celebrity babies in 2015
While Hathaway covered her baby bump on Friday, she gave Us a better glimpse of her growing tummy two weeks earlier in a menswear-inspired outfit.
Hathaway donned a jacket and blouse on Saturday, December 5, while out to dinner in Los Angeles. On that occasion, she paired the look with skinny jeans, a black scarf, and matching ankle booties.
Hathaway has been vocal about wanting to become a mom. In a candid interview with The Hollywood Reporter shortly after saying “I do” to Shulman in 2012, the Les Miserables

Totally 'gram-worthy! Anne Hathaway, who's currently expecting her first child with her husband, Adam Shulman, shared a photo of her pregnant bikini body and her growing baby bump on Monday, January 4.
In the beach snapshot, Hathaway beams on the beach in a red bikini, and adorably cradles her burgeoning bump. "So, posting a bikini pic is a little out of character for me," the Oscar-winning actress, 33, admitted to her 1.8 million followers on Instagram. "But just now while I was at the beach I noticed I was being photographed. I figure if this kind of photo is going to be out in the world it should at least be an image that makes me happy (and be one that was taken with my consent. And with a filter :)"
The Princess Diaries actress concluded her message with a sweet note to fans. "Wishing you love, light and blessings for the year ahead!" the star wrote, signing off in her caption as "Annie."
Us Weekly confirmed in November that Hathaway is expecting her first child with her jeweler husband, a little over three years after they tied the knot.
In November 2012, the then-newlywed Hathaway shared with The Hollywood Reporter that she and Shulman were thinking about growing their family. "I hope to join the ranks soon," the Devil Wears Prada star said of motherhood. “I really want to have a baby.”

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