President Buhari Receives Rescued Chibok School Girl In Abuja

Rescued Chibok schoolgirl, Amina Ali-Nkeki, on Thursday arrived at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, for audience with President Muhammadu Buhari. The girl, her baby, her mother and her brother, were led to the villa by Borno governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, at about 2.46 p.m. Chibok-7ok The governor and the girl, with her child were quickly taken to the president’s office by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Kyari, for a closed-door interaction with the president. NAN also reports that the girl and her baby were dressed in hijab and were shielded from newsmen by security officials. The Nigerian Army on Wednesday in a statement, confirmed the rescue of Ali-Nkeki, one of the Chibok school girls in Borno, abducted in April, 2014 by Boko Haram insurgents. The statement issued by acting spokesman of the army, Col. Sani Usman, said that the girl was among other persons rescued by troops at Baale community near Damboa in Borno.

Fear, Worries And Gossip As Who Emerge The Next King Of Tiv People (Tor Tiv)

The clamour by Tiv people to have a paramount ruler over them known as Tor Tiv had been on for time immemorial but it was in 1946 that captain Dawnes, the then British administrator in Tiv land granted their hearts desire with the appointment of late Makir Zakpe, a first World war veteran as the pioneering Tor Tiv. Historians say Tiv had one wife called Aliwe and the couple had 2 two children only named ichongo and Ipusu. Ichongo gave birth to Turan, Kyurav, Nongov, Ihyarev, Ugondo and Masev while Ipusu gave birth to Shitile, Ukum,Kparev and Tongov. With Ichongo as the elder son therefore, it was natural that the first Tor Tiv ought to had come from Ichongo. How the Kparev, a descendant of Ipusu, the younger brother produced the first Tor Tiv remains best known to the then colonial authorities in Tivland at the time Makir Zakpe was from Mbaduku, in the present Vandeikya local Government of Benue state. He died in 1956 and was succeed by Gondo Aluor, from Ugondo, one of the descendant of Ichongo. He was from the present Logo local government of Benue state. He gave up his ghost in 1978, And was succeeded by Dr. James Akperan Orshi. A mild drama heralded Orshi ‘s emergence, while late J.S. Tarka was nursing presidential ambition prior to return to civilian rule in 1979,Dr Orshi was going for senate. In those days, there were only 19 states in Nigeria and each state was allowed 5 senatorial seats. Igalas ( now in Kogi state ) were also part of Benue state. The agreement was that Tiv people should produce governor and 2 two senators, Idoma people were to produce 2 two senators and the chairman of the then possible ruling party, the National party of Nigeria, N.P.N presidential primaries in Kaduna. All of a sudden, the northern muslims deserted Tarka, a Christian and teamed up with one of their own, Alhaji Shehu Shagari. The Fulani man from sokoto state overpowered the Tivman from Benue state when it mattered most. After his humiliation in Kaduna, Tarka headed for home and it was decided that though Orshi was already chosen, he should step down for Tarka for a better representation at the senate. Orshi was said to had grudgingly withdrawn and Tarka picked the ticket. Jechira, Jengbagh and Minda fell under J.S. Tarka’s senatorial district while kwande and Sankera composed the other senatorial district with elder suema Chia from Tongov, K/Ala local government as the chosen one. J.S.Tarka was from mbakor. It was said elder Asema Yua from the present Usongo local government was tipped to replace the late Aluor as the next Tor Tiv and was only waiting for endorsement. At the well attended Ijirtamen (Tiv Supreme Assembly) in Gboko, Tarka raised eyebrows, arguing that Mr. Aper Aku was the Governor in waiting and since he and Yua were from the same area, there was no way Yua and Aku would be king and Governor respectively at the same time. Wantaregh Paul Unongo was said to be at the meeting and was said to had countered Tarka’s remarks by saying that the incoming governor of state was Mr. Paul Belabo from Jechira and not Aku. Tarka was sponsoring Aku for the impending Guber election while Unongo put forward Belabo. Most prominent Tiv people at the meeting reportedly agreed with Tarka’s subanission and so elder Yua was schemed out and Orshi, from Tombo Jemgbagh in the present Buruku local Government was crowned the third Tor Tiv, apparently, as compensation for the senatorial seat he relinquished to Tarka. He was also kparev,(Ipusu). On march 30^th 1980, Tarka died in London and the whole of Tiv nation stood still, quite. Orshi and Aku, who was now, the state Governor were shocked beyond words. Aku was said to had wept like a child but the then political top notched from Ikyobo in the present Ushongo local government himself died 7 seven years later in lagos, Nigeria. One of his close associates, senator (Prof) Iyorwuese Hagher was said to had been completely devastated when he heard of Aku’s death. Orshi was yet to come to terms with the realities of the passage of Tarka and Aku when death come knocking at his door in 1990. He was succeeded by Dr. Alfred Akawe Torkula, from Ihyarev (Ichongo), in the present Guma local government area. The Begha U Tiv (lion of the Tiv race) died November at the age of 71 in Abuja, the nations capital city. He ruled for 24 years. After Dr. Alfred Akawe Torkula’s death, Ter Guma, Chief Ivokor Unongo was moved to Gboko to act as the Tor Tiv, pending the selection of a new substantive Tor Tiv. Going by the Tiv culture of ya na angbian (chop and give your brother), it is the turn of Ipusu to produce the next Tor Tiv. To narrow it down, the next Tor Tiv must come from Kwande, Ushongo, K/Ala,Logo or Ukum local government area. Some of the names mentioned as contenders include, Ter Ushongo, Chief Ambrose Iortyer and his subjects, Chief Mike Kase Aondoakaa and Chief Benard Verr. Kwande is said to be offering Chief Terlumun Akputu, Dr. Emmanuel Ayangaor, Bar Vincent Uji, Chief Adaa Maagbe, retired Justice Terna Puusu, Justice M. Ikpambase and Engr. B.I. Ikyanyon. K/Ala is said to be thinking of Dist. Hon. Iannah Jato, a serving member of the Benue state house of assembly, Commodore J.I. Afeah Ambassador Iyorwuese Hagher and Chive Kaave. In logo, Chief Dr. Terkura Suswam. In Ukum local government, senator Daniel Saror, Elder Benjamin Chaha and Chief Shima Ayati are all said to be interested. More to come as Nigeria My Country Blog Site carry out comprehensive research.  

FLASH: Rescued Chibok girl Amina Ali has arrived the Governor's Lodge in Maiduguri under massive military escort, to travel with Gov. to Abuja

4 Nigerian Cities With Worst Air Quality- WHO

A new report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) states that four of the 20 cities with the worst air quality recorded in the world are in Nigeria.

Onitsha, an Anambra State city with over 350,000 inhabitants, was ranked as the world’s worst city in terms of air quality. The WHO measured air quality by examining the annual mean concentration of particulate matter (PM10) in nearly 3000 cities across the world with populations of at least 100,000. Onitsha’s average annual PM10 was recorded to be 594, which is nearly 30 times greater than the WHO-recommended annual PM10 level of 20.

The cities of Kaduna, Aba, and Umuahia are also among the top 20 worst cities measured by PM10, ranking 8th, 9th, and 19th, respectively.

According to the report, low-income cities tend to have the highest levels of air pollution and are more vulnerable to the negative effects of air pollution than wealthier cities. In low- and middle-income countries, 98 percent of cities with at least 100,000 inhabitants do not meet WHO air quality standards. However, that percentage is only 56 in high-income countries.

Poor air quality poses serious risks to public health. The report notes that as air quality declines, the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases increases for inhabitants of the affected cities.

“Air pollution is a major cause of disease and death,” says Dr. Flavia Bustreo, WHO Assistant-Director General of Family, Women and Children’s Health. “When dirty air blankets our cities the most vulnerable urban populations—the youngest, oldest and poorest—are the most impacted.”

According to the WHO, over 3 million people die prematurely every year due to high levels of air pollution, and despite improvements in air quality in some cities, global air pollution levels have increased by 8 percent since 2013.

“Urban air pollution continues to rise at an alarming rate, wreaking havoc on human health,” says Dr. Maria Neira, WHO Director of the Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health.

The report notes that reducing the level of air pollution requires action by urban and national governments. The WHO calls on policymakers to reduce industrial smokestack emissions, promote the use of renewable power sources, and prioritize rapid transit, walking, and cycling networks in cities most affected by air pollution.

“It is crucial for city and national governments to make urban air quality a health and development priority,” says WHO’s Dr. Carlos Dora.

“When air quality improves, health costs from air pollution-related diseases shrink, worker productivity expands and life expectancy grows. Reducing air pollution also brings an added climate bonus, which can become a part of countries’ commitments to the climate treaty.”

A New Communication App Hits The Nigerian Market

A new communication app that enables video conferencing, talk, text and file sharing on an array of devices has hit the Nigerian telecommunications market.
The Nigerian startup BeepTool is surpassing Skype, WhatsApp and Viber in offering affordable services for the African diaspora by offering nearly free, flat-rate VoIP (internet to mobile or landline) calling to Nigeria.
According to John Enoh, Chief Executive Officer of BeepTool, “Nigerians are traveling more than ever before, vacationing and living abroad, from Boston to Berlin to Beijing.
”As a Lagos-based company, we understand our customers need inexpensive, reliable lines of communication back home.”
“That’s why we’re offering flat-rate calling to Nigeria. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, or whether you’re calling a landline or any of Nigeria’s mobile carriers. You’ll always pay just 2.6 cents per minute.”
BeepTool’s rate is lower than any other service provider. Other VoIP calls from BeepTool start from as low as $0.008 per minute, making BeepTool the most affordable communication tool currently on the market.
In addition, BeepTool-to-BeepTool voice and video calling is free, and BeepTool offers low-cost money transfers, letting Nigerians send remittances to loved ones back home or pay bills easily and instantly from anywhere in the world. More than 500,000 people have downloaded the free BeepTool app, available from the Apple and Google app stores.
“With half a million people relying on BeepTool, we’re on track to become Africa’s favorite talk and text app,” Enoh said.

 (PM)

Photo Of Chibok Girl Rescued And Her Baby 

 

Reporters has obtained a photograph of 19-year Amina Ali Mkeki, one of the Chibok girls infamously kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 while she was 17 years old, Amina was rescued near Sambisa Forest, government sources and activists have told Reporters earlier today.

Vigilante Found One Chibok Girl

One of the kidnapped Chibok Girls has been found by members of a vigilante group seven hundred and sixty-four days after they were forcefully kidnapped from their school.
According to BBC reports, one of the missing school girls, Amina Ali Darsha Nkeki from Mbalala was found in Kulakaisa area at the fringes of Sambisa Forest after members of the civilian Joint Task Force clashed with Boko Haram fighters last night.
Tsambido Hosea Abana, a Chibok community leader in Abuja from the BringBackOurGirls pressure group, shared a tweet that the girl has been found.
Yakubu Nkeki, head of the Abducted Chibok Girls Parents’ group, and Ayuba Alamson Chibok, a community leader in the town, also gave the same account to AFP.