Author: Emmanuel Onwubiko

From its inception fifty years ago, the scheme was set out to fundamentally reshape the thinking and modus operandi of youngsters

This was disclosed on Tuesday by Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, NBB of C President, at a press conference to announce GOtv Boxing Night 21, slated for April 12 at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos

But the import of this rejoinder is to make quick points to first and foremost inform this delusional writer that the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria is a reputable civil society organisation set up about 10 years ago as the mouthpiece of the oppressed, disaffected, distressed and abused persons and to partner with corporate individuals and institutions to engage in constructive dialogues on how best to promote the human rights of Nigerians of all ethno religious orientations and even those who profess no religion because we are totally non-religious and non-political

We are aware that over a thousand places of worship for Muslims have been built over the years using legitimate donations from abroad and the heavens hasn’t fallen nor did the Director General of Department of State Services arrested or interrogated any of these Muslim leaders for accepting donations to build their places of worship from their brethren of other nationalities

A pro-democracy and Non-Governmental Organization, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, said the Nigeria Police should not attempt to stop an idea whose time has come

This was disclosed on Tuesday at a media briefing by the National Coordinator of HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko; the Nigerian Human Rights Queen (2017), Miss Chioma Okoli; and other officials

Right from the military junta of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida Nigerians of different Ethno-Religious colouration have had clashes and indeed deadly conflicts that have led to the death of thousands of persons but not a single culprits have been punished. The fact that persons who kill are not punished in accordance with the law it follows therefore that impunity has gradually been institutionalised

Writers Association of Nigeria, to immediately commence the process of dismissing both Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for endangering national security through successive cocktails of spectacular derelictions of duties in defence and electoral sectors

HURIWA also asked the Federal Government to specifically set out a day within the coming year to honour with awards the combatants who excelled as a way of boosting their morale

Onwubiko said Nigeria should look towards countries in the eastern bloc such as China and Russia for effective and comprehensive mutually beneficial defence pact

Nigeria that unfortunately became afflicted with the EVD courtesy of the late Liberian official Mr. Sawyer, battled tooth and nail to control and contain the EVD from spreading among the very large populations.

While engaging in regional advocacy activities in the South Eastern States not too long ago, two major human rights issues confronted us and these are the sudden unprecedented re-emergence of illegal police check-points and the rapidly declining and shrinking democratic space in the run up to next year’s elections which is only few months away.

King of World Beat, King Sunny Ade, last week celebrated one of his wives, Hon. Adejoke Adeniyi Adegeye, a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, who clocked 55 recently.

Reverend father Raymond Arazu, the Anambra state born Catholic Priest is a well known and respected professor of theology who has very deep intellectual views on the scholarly understanding of the concept of exorcism which is regarded widely as one of the most exalted spiritual exercises’ of all times.

The rights group said it has been inundated with considerable volume of calls by concerned insiders who have also fingered officials of the Federal Budget Office and the relevant committees with oversight powers over the NYSC in the National Assembly in the huge swindle, which may have gone on since 2010, costing Nigeria nearly N90 billion

Few weeks after the full implication of that statement dawned on him following the intensity of the ferocious terrorism and violent attacks mounted by the insurgents, the defence chief made a dramatic 360 degree turn around and denied ever giving a time line for the eventual defeat of the terrorists

Because of this harsh reality, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the battle weary Nigerians to give keen attention to other salient developmental strides that are evolved in the body polity and especially from the National Assembly, which over the last few years has also created considerable reasons for most Nigerians to doubt the integrity of the individual members of those so-called hallowed chambers, both green and red

This is because as a one hundred level journalism student, one of the first intellectual encounters you would certainly have is the affirmation by your Professor that news writers are not news makers

This climate of impunity has continued with no immediate hope of ending

The immediate consequence of the abandonment by government of the agricultural sector was that Nigerians in their numbers imbibed the unquenchable and unproductive appetite for foreign products including foreign rice and other essential commodities that could easily be produced in Nigeria should the enabling environment be created and sustained at the highest level of government