CANADA-NIGERIA INVESTMENT CONFERENCE 2013

About 13 governors, 12 ministers and over 40 chief executive officers from the Nigerian private sector will be in Toronto in May for the "Canada-Nigeria Investment" Conference with the theme: Canada-Nigeria synergy vision 20:20 20, which will be declared open by Nigeria's vice president Namadi Sambo on the 2nd of May 2013 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel Toronto.

Over four hundred participants will converge on Toronto to network and make room for business opportunities between Canada and Nigeria.

Nigeria's high commissioner, Ojo Maduekwe gave the information at a press conference in collaboration with the Canadian Council on Africa's chief executive officer, Lucien Bradet in Ottawa. This clip is the highlight of the press conference at the Nigeria High Commission.

Watch video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT5qw-J6h1E

PHOTONEWS: Governor Orji, Sanusi Lamido, others at the Abia Youth Empowerment Seminar

 

Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia state welcoming Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor central bank, Nigeria to his office in Umuahia for the first annual Ochendo lecture series as part of activities to mark the Abia youth empowerment program for Umuahia North LGA in Umuahia

 

 Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia state receiving an award for his support to the party from the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisah Metu during the Abia youth empowerment program in Umuahia.

 Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia state presenting key of a Hummer bus to one of the beneficiaries of Abia state Youth Empowerment program Mr. Sonny Nwakodo, Chairman NURTW Abia state. Insert are (A) Gov. Orji presenting laptops to some Abia youth as part of the program. (B) Cross section of vehicles to be distributed to the beneficiaries of empowerment program.

L-R Chief Emeka Wogu, Labur Minister, Chief Adolph Wabara, Chairman of the lecture, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor central bank, Nigeria, Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia state and his wife Lady Mercy Orji during the first annual Ochendo lecture series as part of activities to mark the Abia youth empowerment program in Umuahia.

The Economics Of ShopRite In Abia

The recent foundation laying ceremony of the Abia Mall, at the old Garki area of Umuahia, has led to appreciable excitement among residents of the state; especially as Africa’s biggest retailer, ShopRite, is touted as one of the partners of the project.

The state government entered a strategic partnership with Pall Mall which involves a joint funding of the project to achieve its set objectives. In a recent interview, Governor Theodore Orji confirmed that the state government has paid its own part of the funding. “ShopRite is coming to Abia State,” he said. “We have completed everything, paid our own counterpart funding to them and it is left for them to come onboard.”

This development, according to analysts, is a major significant socio-economic gain for the hitherto under-developed state. In terms of direct and indirect employment, this project when completed stands to significantly depopulate the labour market in Abia State and convince hesitant investors to take the plunge.

Samuel Eke, a financial analyst, commends the state government for proactively engaging the retail giant and fast-tracking talks to get to this stage. “Last year, ShopRite announced that it would be investing N32 billion on property developments in Nigeria to overcome lack of infrastructure and capitalise on rising consumer spending,” he said. “Responsible state governments took note of this and began to put in place incentives to attract the retail giant.

For Abia, it is indeed a coup to have secured this partnership as apart from Enugu, the retail giant is not present in any other South-Eastern state in the country. I must commend Governor Theodore Orji for taking this step and ensuring that speed is of importance. If this tempo is sustained, we may see the mall commissioned soon. The benefits of this development to residents of Umuahia and indeed surrounding towns cannot be over-emphasised.”
ShopRite operates a policy of augmenting dependence on international suppliers by sourcing, promoting and procuring local products. In Abia, local industries thrive and have gained increased visibility in recent times. Some of the entrepreneurs are looking forward to possible partnerships with the retail giant.

Ndidi Achonu operates a small factory inside the Aba Leather Cluster zone where African-themed shoes and handbags are produced. “I relocated to Abia from China with my husband in 2009 to start this and I can sincerely say that there are no regrets,” she said. “Things were tough initially but I am gradually making an impact here and can now boast of seven employees. If ShopRite comes to this state, I will certainly explore ways of taking this business to the next level because I am confident that my products will make their shelves.”

A survey of 700 consumers conducted by Business Day Nigeria during October 2012 found that while price was still crucial to the Nigerian consumer, health considerations were becoming more important. 50% of respondents said that they read the labels of packaged food and beverage products before purchasing them. 39% said that they would like to see more nutritional information, including calorie counts, on restaurant menus.

In an era of more sophisticated Nigerian consumers, the development also comes as a relief to residents of Abia, a state notorious for counterfeiting of high-target brands. “For me, I consider this one of the state government’s recent economic initiatives that has really tricked down to the people,” said Ifeyinwa Obodo, a civil servant in the state. “To be able to go to a shop where you have the peace of mind that everything there is guaranteed and you have the luxury of options is a very welcome development. I urge the state government to hasten work on the site so that this can be opened soon. I thank Governor Theodore Orji for making this dream come true.”

Written byVincent Amolo

SOURCE: CHANNELS TV

PHOTONEWS: ABIA STATE GOVERNMENT - Commissioning of Some Completed Roads in Aba

 Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia state (3^rd left) commissioning the newly completed Geometric Power Station Access road at Osisioma. With him from left are, Hon. Kingsley Mgbeahuru, commissioner for works, Sir Leo Okoye, M/D. Grandstar Construction Company and Sir Emeka Ananaba, deputy governor, Abia state (left).

 Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia state (2^nd left) commissioning the newly completed Brass road in Aba. He is flanked on left by Hon. Kingsley Mgbeahuru, commissioner for works and Sir Emeka Ananaba, deputy governor, Abia state (right).

 Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia state (2^nd left) commissioning the newly completed Milverton road in Aba. With him from left are Hon. Kingsley Mgbeahuru, commissioner for works and Sir Emeka Ananaba, deputy governor, Abia state.

 Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia state (centre) in a group photograph with members of House of Reps. Committee on Public Complaints, when the committee visited him in Umuahia recently.

Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia state (middle) with members of judicial panel of inquiry into the activities of Abia state Universal Basic Education Board, after their inauguration in Umuahia.

Islamic Group Rejects Amnesty For Boko Haram - PM News

Ahead of the inauguration of the committee on amnesty for Boko Haram members by President Goodluck Jonathan, an Islamic group, Muslims Against Terror, has warned that granting such amnesty would plunge the country into more security crises.

It further said it was disturbed that the president could fall for the perpetrators of insecurity in the country by deciding to grant amnesty to Boko Haram despite warnings from the group and other well-meaning Nigerians.

The group, in a statement signed by Brother Isa Ibrahim, recalled that it had early this year sent a message to President Jonathan warning that the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, must be made to face the Shariah judgement for his role in the killing of innocent Nigerians.
It said encouraging amnesty at every given opportunity could turn the country to another Rwanda which had been ravaged by war.

 “The so-called Northern Elders impressed it upon you to offer a so-called amnesty to this cult and you fell for it, Wallahi, you all are misled and can only be doing this for personal gain, to win elections and not for the peace and progress of Nigeria.
“You cannot do another wrong to attempt to repair the series of wrongs of Nigerian governance. A so-called amnesty for Boko Haram cult, JAMBS (Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis-Sudan) or any other terror group or affiliate is another dangerous wrong to compound a history of terrible wrongs and failures by your government and the governments before you that got us here in the first place,” the group warned President Jonathan, describing the mentality of throwing money at every problem to as solution to the problem as hopeless.
Reminding the president that he would be judged by his level of squandermania in the guise of fighting crime, the Muslims Against Terror noted that terrorism across the country was caused by the failure of governance.

The group warned further: “if you and the so-called northern elders continue such grave failure simply to win elections, by the grace of the Almighty, you will be surprised and shocked that, insha Allah, the people will rise against you this time, and no amount of money you pay for votes will allow any of you to remain in leadership, both as elected officials and as traditional leaders, because the blood of innocent Nigerians and your violation of the tenets of God as written in the Torah, the Bible and Quran, to mete out justice on the murderers of us masses, will bring your woe.”
Quoting various verses from the Bible and Quran to back their claim that whoever killed should himself be killed, the group said God’s message on justice for the oppressed was clear as this would help to discourage future perpetration of barbarism among men.
The group declared that the president could not just abandon the victims of the Boko Haram attacks simply because he wanted to gain political favour from the elites hoping also that such elites could help him win the next election.
“We have hunted Boko Haram. We put a reward on the head of Abubakar Shekau. Our brothers have died in the hunt for these cultists and our soldiers have died, innocent people have died.
“It is our right that justice must be meted upon these deviants according to Shariah.

“Boko Haram (members) themselves do not ask for amnesty, because they know that this is haram. So who is asking?” the group wondered, adding that it was sure those asking had a lot to hide just like the president trying to force the amnesty down the throats of the members who have rejected it.
“Who and what holy book gave them the right to shoot at and toss bombs at people playing cards? Is this the law of Shariah that people playing cards or drinking alcohol should be killed?
“Can they show us in Quran where it states that people giving immunization should be killed?” the group asked, warning that giving the terrorists any amnesty would constitute a disastrous precedence, where people believe they simply need to kill innocent people to get cash from the government.
It said that instead of amnesty, the government should consider a social welfare scheme for the people of the north because the entire area would hardly recover from the terrorist experience.

“Establish a social welfare, youth empowerment and employment system starting with the poorest northern extremes of Nigeria and spread this to the entire nation as is with social security in the United States, which cuts crime in these nations,” it said, warning that it would not forgive the president if the amnesty is granted. Amnesty To Boko Haram Is Double Haram.

''It wasn’t MEND, disgruntled ex-militants did it'' – Gov Dickson as 10 bodies of dead policemen where recovered

The body of ten policemen killed in an ambush on Saturday night in Bayelsa state have been recovered.

The bodies were recovered yesterday by the police who brought them to  the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa and refused access to the facility even to journalists milling around the area.

According to Punch Newspaper reports:

Twelve policemen on escort duty were murdered in the attack along the Azuzama waterways of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state which the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta had already claimed responsibility for.

The recovered bodies were brought to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, on Tuesday evening by policemen who barricaded the mortuary area of the hospital. The policemen kept journalists at bay and seized cameras of newsmen who attempted capturing the scene.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Kingsley Omire, was not at the scene to receive the bodies and there were speculations that the bodies had been dismembered with some of them burnt.

A statement by Governor Seriake Dickson said a combined team of security operatives recovered the 10 bodies along the creeks.

The statement, which was signed by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, also quoted Omire as saying that it took the combined efforts of men of the Joint Security Task Force to ensure the recovery of the corpses.

But some of the recovered bodies were reportedly burnt beyond recognition and mutilated by their killers.

The victims were also reportedly stripped of their uniforms and rifles after the attack.

After waiting for a long time at the Governmen Jetty in Yenagoa, some of the bereaved families were denied access to the bodies when they were finally brought ashore at 6:45pm.

Our correspondent observed that the jetty was protected by armed policemen, including the operatives of the state security outfit, codenamed Operation Door Akpo.

The owner of one of the boats used by the attacked policemen said the bodies were not recovered from the river but at a point in the creek where the bodies have been severely mutilated.

The Punch reports continues thus:

He said the bodies were not recovered from the river by divers but at a point in the creek where the gunmen mutilated them.

“That was why it took a long time to see their bodies,” he said.

He also insisted that the uniforms and rifles of the victims were taken away by the bandits.

He countered the statement of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kingsley Omire, that the victims were attacked after their boat developed a fault.

Omire had said that his men succumbed to attack when the boat in which they were travelling became faulty.

But the source who pleaded anonymity said the boat was in motion when the bandits launched the attack.

“The boat was moving at a slow pace because of the capacity of its engine when their occupants were attacked,” he said.

Dickson said on Tuesday that the recovery of the bodies was contrary to media reports that the killers went away with the bodies of the dead policemen.

He also debunked the claim by MEND that it was responsible for the attack.

“The recent development has put paid to the fact that the attack was carried out by a group of disgruntled ex-militants who have issues to settle among themselves, but have clearly overstepped their bounds by their action”, he said.

Restating his administration’s stance on zero tolerance for criminality, the governor assured the bereaved families and the entire people of the state that the security operatives would arrest the perpetrators.

He also told the families of the 12 policemen killed in the attack that their deaths would not be in vain as the government “is determined more than ever before to bring the perpetrators to book.”

MEND on Sunday claimed that its fighters killed the 12 policemen whose boat was ambushed in Azuzama on Saturday and that their deaths were to teach the security forces a lesson for scorning its warning.

The militant group had last week announced that it would resume attacks in the oil rich Niger Delta by Friday to avenge alleged collaboration between the Federal Government and South Africa to jail its former leader, Henry Okah.

Security agencies had dismissed the threat and said they were ready for MEND which tagged its promised resurgence of attacks, “Hurricane Exodus.”

Brain Scans Might Predict Future Criminal Behaviour

 

A new study conducted by The Mind Research Network in Albuquerque, New Mexico, shows that neuro-imaging data can predict the likelihood of whether a criminal will reoffend following release from prison.

The paper, which is to be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, studied impulsive and antisocial behaviour and centred on the anterior cingulate cortex, a portion of the brain that deals with regulating behaviour and impulsivity.

The study demonstrated that inmates with relatively low anterior cingulate activity were twice more likely to reoffend than inmates with high-brain activity in this region.

“These findings have incredibly significant ramifications for the future of how our society deals with criminal justice and offenders,” said Dr. Kent Kiehl, who was senior author on the study and is director of mobile imaging at MRN and an associate professor of psychology at the University of New Mexico.

“Not only does this study give us a tool to predict which criminals may reoffend and which ones will not reoffend, it also provides a path forward for steering offenders into more effective targeted therapies to reduce the risk of future criminal activity.”

The study looked at 96 adult male criminal offenders aged 20-52 who volunteered to participate in research studies. This study population was followed over a period of up to four years after inmates were released from prison.

“These results point the way toward a promising method of neuro-prediction with great practical potential in the legal system,” said Dr. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Stillman Professor of Practical Ethics in the Philosophy Department and the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University, who collaborated on the study. “Much more work needs to be done, but this line of research could help to make our criminal justice system more effective.”

12 shocking facts about Nigeria

Some years ago, a brilliant lecturer of mine (now late) said something about Nigeria that I waved aside as an exaggerated expression of patriotism. He told my class then that he had travelled to many places in the world and had finally come to the conclusion that Nigeria is the most blessed nation on the planet. I knew Nigeria was blessed but I couldn’t understand how he could boldly claim that top position for Nigeria: yes we have oil, gas, landmass–in fact, abundant natural and human resources, but was that enough?

Fast-forward to September, 2011. By this time, my doubt had given rise to a burning desire to know the specific things that make us great as a nation–that make us the most blessed people on earth. I felt if I did find these specific facts, they would need to be shared with Nigerians and the world in spectacular ways. To achieve this aim, I discussed the idea with my friend, George Okewih, and our subsequent brainstorming led to the birth of The Green Heritage page on Facebook to promote our cultural and natural heritage to Nigerians and the world. It’s been eighteen months of rigorous research since, and now I am convinced that my late lecturer was right.

Here are some facts from our common heritage that should make you proud to be called a Nigerian:

1. Nigeria is home to seven percent (7%) of the total languages spoken on earth. Taraba state alone has more languages than 30 African countries. The importance of this fact is appreciated when one understands that language is the “soul of culture” (as Ngugi wa Thiongo famously said). It is language that births the proverbs, riddles, stories and other aspects of culture that give us identity. UNESCO puts forward that the world’s languages represents an extraordinary wealth of creativity. Linguistic diversity correlates with cultural diversity. This means Nigeria can look inwards and drive itself to become the greatest hub for cultural tourism on earth, and consequently empower its citizens tremendously in the process.

2. The Walls of Benin (800-1400AD), in present day Edo State, are the longest ancient earthworks in the world, and probably the largest man-made structure on earth. They enclose 6500 square kilometers of community lands that connected about 500 communities. At over 16000km long, it was thought to be twice the length of the Great Wall of China, until it was announced in 2012 (after five years of meticulous measurement by Chinese surveyors) that the Great Wall is about 21,000km long.

3. The Yoruba tribe has the highest rate of twin births in the world. Igbo-Ora, a little town in Oyo state, has been nicknamed Twin capital of the World because of its unusually high rate of twins that is put as high as 158 twins per 1000 births. In a video I watched last year on YouTube presented by Titi (a white lady who speaks Yoruba), and which was centred on twin births in Igbo-Ora, one of the locals boasted that every family in the town has at least one twin!

4. Sarki Muhammad Kanta The Great of Kebbi, was the only ruler who resisted control by Songhai, West Africa’s greatest empire at that time. He founded and ruled the Hausa city-state of Kebbi around 1600 A.D and built Surame its capital, a planned city which was almost impossible to penetrate during war. In fact UNESCO describes Surame as “one of the wonders of human history, creativity and ingenuity”, and probably the most massive stone-walled constructions in West Africa. He is listed in Robin Walker’s 50 Greatest Africans.

5. Africa’s oldest known boat is The Dufuna canoe which was discovered in Dufuna village, Yobe state, by a Fulani Herdsman in May 1987, while he dug a well. Various radio-carbon tests conducted in laboratories of reputable universities in Europe and America indicate that the canoe is over 8,000 years old, thus making it the oldest in Africa and 3rd oldest in the world. The discovery of the canoe has completely changed accepted theories of the history and sophistication of marine technology in Africa.

6. Sungbo’s Eredo, a 160 km rampart equipped with guard houses and moats, is reputed to be the largest single pre-colonial monument (or ancient fortification if you like) in Africa. It is located in present-day Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State and when it was built a millennium ago, it required more earth to be moved during construction than that used for building the Great Pyramid of Giza (one of the Seven Wonders of The Ancient World). The most astonishing thing is that Sungbo’s Eredo was the biggest city in the world (bigger than Rome and Cairo) during the Middle Ages when it was built!

7. Sarki Abdullah Burja of Kano (ruled 1438-1452 AD), the 18th ruler of Ancient Kano, created the first Golden Age in Northern Nigeria and ushered in a period of great prosperity. During his reign, Hausa became the biggest indigenous language spoken in Africa after Swahili. He is on the list of 50
Greatest Africans in Robin Walker’s wonderful book, “When We Ruled”.

8. The Jos Plateau Indigobird, a small reddish-brown bird, is found nowhere else on the planet but Plateau state, Nigeria.

9. The Anambra waxbill, a small bird of many beautiful colours, is found only in Southern Nigeria and nowhere else on earth.

10. The Niger Delta (which is the second largest delta on the planet), has the highest concentration of monotypic fish families in the world, and is
also home to sixty percent of Nigeria’s mangrove forests. You should know too that Nigeria’s mangrove forests are the largest in Africa and third largest on earth.

11. According to the World Resources Institute, Nigeria is home to 4,715 different types of plant species, and over 550 species of breeding birds and mammals, making it one of the most ecologically vibrant places of the planet.

12. Ile-Ife, in present day Osun State, was paved as early as 1000AD, with decorations that originated from Ancient America suggesting there might have been contact between the Yorubas and the Ancient Americans half a millenium before Columbus ‘discovered’ America.
Now, what if we tell you seventy-five other amazing facts about Nigeria that The Green Heritage has discovered over the past eighteen months? Would you not be thrilled to watch a movie that resurrects and projects, in stunning visuals, the historical, cultural and natural heritage of Nigeria? This is the idea behind the movie project titled, “The Green Heritage 3D: 87 Marvels From Nigeria”. And the ball has begun rolling. A teaser that demonstrates some of the advanced 3D modelling and animation that would be partly employed to recreate parts of our heritage and project it to the world, has been uploaded on our YouTube channel. With a talented team of young Nigerian writers, programmers, artists, architects and producers, all given visual life to a massive amount of research about and for Nigeria, you can rest assured that this might just be the most important movie of our generation, from Nigeria.

Samuel Okopi is the writer/director of The Green Heritage 3D: 87 Marvels
From Nigeria. He can be reached on 08066037453.

Watch the teaser on YouTube: www.youtube.com/TheGreenHeritage

Direct link to teaser: http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=plcp&v=UMzNjVE6aKU

Join The Green Heritage on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheGreenHeritage