The joyful news of the rescue of the miners trapped under the earth in Chile for months should be a good news for everyone everywhere. But not in Nigeria. This great news has turned into a sad fable about failure of the state in Nigeria.
On Thursday, I received an email with these words: “Last night I dreamt that 33 Nigerian miners were trapped underground and the government decided to send a capsule down to rescue them one after the other.
When the miners knew of the rescue plan, they began to argue amongst themselves on who goes first. Zoning was suggested but they could not agree on which zones will go first. Eventually in a struggle to determine who goes first, several of them got injured and MEND issued a threat message warning that they would set off a bomb if any South-south miner was critically injured. Meanwhile, the FEC had awarded the capsule contract to JB and we are still awaiting delivery three months later.
There is a probe going on to unravel this and retrieve the award sum before we get to the issue of what formula to adopt for the rescue and which miner comes out first. In the mean time, traditional rulers from the miners’ town are paying solidarity visits to the president to thank him for his efforts to rescue the miners.
And the first lady had just invited the wives of the Nigerian miners to Abuja for dinner at the Hilton! The first ladies from the 36 states will also be in attendance. All including the wives of the miners will wear the Goodluck for President Ankara.
CNN reported early this morning that after 10 months underground all the 33 Nigerian miners have died and the Nigerian government has declared seven days of mourning during which the Nigerian flag will be flown at half mast to honour the dead. Meanwhile, JB has sued the FGN for the balance of the contract sum”.
I think this is a wicked joke about Nigeria. I was more shocked when I read this fiction on Page Three of THISDAY newspaper of the same day. I found it distasteful that this comprehensive put-down of the capacity of the Nigerian state found its way into a well respected newspaper like the THISDAY. I was horrified about how foreigners would think about us after reading the fiction about the rescue of miners in Nigeria.
But my distress and horror were limited when I realized that going by media reports of how Nigeria has managed disasters in the past, this fable may not be as surreal and unimaginable to foreigners as I initially thought.
But the truth is that this story captures the problem of the last 50 years of Nigerian independence and the challenge of the next 50 years. Nigeria’s major problem is the absence of the sense of citizenship. Modern states are built on the conceptual foundations of citizenship. If there are no citizens there cannot be modern states as we understand them today. Democracy is possible where we have citizens.
Accountability is imaginary if citizens do not exist. It is not a happenstance that Saudi Arabia is not a democracy. There are no citizens there in the proper sense. There are of course nationals, but not citizens.
Only where people have rights that the states are ready to protect even against the leaders and ruling elites can we begin to talk of a modern democratic state.
So, the heroic effort of the Chilean government to dig the depth and rescue the miners quagmired under the earth is a clear demonstration of both the democratic disposition of the government and its capacity to deliver on its commitments. The central issues here are citizens and the capacity of the state. And this is where the sad fable about Nigeria calls for serious attention.
Chile could go this far because it values its citizens. The state exists for the citizens hence it could expend every resource to make sure not one of those miners trapped under the earth remained trapped. Even the United States marveled at the feat accomplished by not so rich Chile.
Now imagine what could have happened if the leaders (sorry, rulers) in Chile cared no hoot about the fate of those dispensable miners. Or like President Obasanjo at the bomb blast in Lagos, the Chilean President had shrugged off the concerns of the citizens and berated them for not being grateful that he managed to visit the tragedy sites.
In these circumstances we would not be talking about a historic and courageous rescue operation. We would have forgotten these miners and wished their widows and children God’s grace.
The real problem in Nigeria is not ethnicity as many people propogate. The problem is that there are no true citizens. No group of Nigerians is treated well as citizens. If the tragedy happened in Sokoto or Kano and all those trapped were Hausa-Fulani, the wheel of rescue would still be clogged. If it happened in Aba or Akure, the result would have been the same.
The problem is not that our leaders care only for people from their ethnic group. The problem is that they care for no one. The state is not for the citizen. The citizens are to sustain the state. Actually, the state is another name for a shifting oligarchy of those who have captured the state.
The lesson from Chile is simple and clear. The state becomes capable as it focuses on the welfare and wellbeing of the citizens. State capability means nothing if the state does not bother whether its citizens live or die.
A country that has won a natural lottery and can open the tap to get oil revenue without the contribution of its citizens may not care much if some of its citizens are trapped under the earth because it does not need the people to produce. Even when the state does not suffer from oil curse, its institutions and directive principles of state policy may dispose its elite to disregard the citizen. Such is the Nigerian case.
When such is the case, the tragedy like the one that happened in Chile will end disastrously. That is the message in the sad fable.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Nigeria's Uti wins Big Brother Africa All Stars
Nigerian musician/model/actor, Uti Nwachukwu has emerged the winner of the Big Brother All Stars after 91 days away from family members, mobile phone, internet and totally cut off from the outside world.
Uti Nwachukwu, carted away the $200,000 cash prize with Munya from Zimbabwe as the 1st runner up.
This is the second consecutive win Nigeria as Kevin Chuwang Pam won Big Brother Revolution in 2009.
The last live eviction show started with host IK sitting in a parachute amidst, fireworks and acrobatic display. IK entered the house to interact with the final five housemates: Uti from Nigeria, Sheila from Kenya, Munya from Zimbabwe, Mwisho from Tanzania and Lerato from South Africa.
The finale featured performances from MI, Jesse Jagz and 2Face as well as Wyre from Kenya musician Maye Hunta.
The five housemates were shown footages of memories of some flashback of events in the house beginning with Lerato. The nine housemates earlier evicted from the show: Sammi B from Ghana, Hannington from Uganda, Meryl from Namibia, Yacob from Ethiopia, Tatiana from Angola, Kaone from Botswana, Code from Malawi, Jen from Mozambique and Paloma from Zambia, all gorgeously dressed up were introduced on stage to grace the final show and also add colour to the event beamed live across Africa and beyond on DSTV.
It was time to get down to serious business and the first house mate to be evicted from the final five (the tenth housemate evicted) was sexy Sheila representing Kenya. The “Bushman” Mwisho representing Tanzania who got engaged to Meryl in the All Stars house was the eleventh housemate to be evicted and the second to leave the final five.
Rapper MI and Jesse Jagz from Nigeria set the stage on fire with the splendid performance. Housemates, viewers and live studio audience were sent down memory lane once again, via the conflicts in the house, the happy moments, the challenging tasks, the time outs, the emotional moment, the parties and pool and so on.
When presenter IK asked final three Lerato, Uti and Munya how they feel for being the final three, they express mixed feelings. Lerato said she had a lot of thing going on in her mind, Munya said he was tensed and the situation was nerve-racking whiles said Uti he doesn’t know what to say.
South African representative Lerato, who was evicted from the house, sent to the barn and voted back into the house, was the twelfth housemate and the last lady to be evicted from the house. At this point the final two contenders for the $200,000 cash prize Munya and Uti were left in the house and Uti jokingly told Munya “Eih mister challenger?” you want to challenge”. They shared a friendly hand shake as they waited for the winner to be announced.
The man who has made every woman on the African continent feel like a queen came on stage and this was none other than 2Face Idibia and shortly after.
Footages of all nine evicted housemates treated to all dinner in the Sky were shown to viewers where the individual housemates expressed their opinion on the Big Brother All Stars game. Meanwhile Munya and Uti were still in the house awaiting their fate while sharing a bottle Champagne.
DJ Black Coffee and Tumalo were on stage to do their own thing my wowing the audience, after which how the various housemates were evicted from the house was shown.
Finally, came the moment of truth when host IK announced that it was time to know the winner of the Big Brother Africa All Stars. The winner was Uti with 8 countries voting for him and 7 countries for Munya who was in shock.
Munya who had survived about nine evictions on the Big Brother All Stars house looked very surprised and disappointed when Uti’s name was mentioned. Munya shed uncontrollable tears as he walked to the stage, whiles Uti kept asking himself how he was able to win the game. Uti also won extra $1000 in addition to his $200,000 ultimate prize because no housemate was able to discover his secret.
Uti Nwachukwu, carted away the $200,000 cash prize with Munya from Zimbabwe as the 1st runner up.
This is the second consecutive win Nigeria as Kevin Chuwang Pam won Big Brother Revolution in 2009.
The last live eviction show started with host IK sitting in a parachute amidst, fireworks and acrobatic display. IK entered the house to interact with the final five housemates: Uti from Nigeria, Sheila from Kenya, Munya from Zimbabwe, Mwisho from Tanzania and Lerato from South Africa.
The finale featured performances from MI, Jesse Jagz and 2Face as well as Wyre from Kenya musician Maye Hunta.
The five housemates were shown footages of memories of some flashback of events in the house beginning with Lerato. The nine housemates earlier evicted from the show: Sammi B from Ghana, Hannington from Uganda, Meryl from Namibia, Yacob from Ethiopia, Tatiana from Angola, Kaone from Botswana, Code from Malawi, Jen from Mozambique and Paloma from Zambia, all gorgeously dressed up were introduced on stage to grace the final show and also add colour to the event beamed live across Africa and beyond on DSTV.
It was time to get down to serious business and the first house mate to be evicted from the final five (the tenth housemate evicted) was sexy Sheila representing Kenya. The “Bushman” Mwisho representing Tanzania who got engaged to Meryl in the All Stars house was the eleventh housemate to be evicted and the second to leave the final five.
Rapper MI and Jesse Jagz from Nigeria set the stage on fire with the splendid performance. Housemates, viewers and live studio audience were sent down memory lane once again, via the conflicts in the house, the happy moments, the challenging tasks, the time outs, the emotional moment, the parties and pool and so on.
When presenter IK asked final three Lerato, Uti and Munya how they feel for being the final three, they express mixed feelings. Lerato said she had a lot of thing going on in her mind, Munya said he was tensed and the situation was nerve-racking whiles said Uti he doesn’t know what to say.
South African representative Lerato, who was evicted from the house, sent to the barn and voted back into the house, was the twelfth housemate and the last lady to be evicted from the house. At this point the final two contenders for the $200,000 cash prize Munya and Uti were left in the house and Uti jokingly told Munya “Eih mister challenger?” you want to challenge”. They shared a friendly hand shake as they waited for the winner to be announced.
The man who has made every woman on the African continent feel like a queen came on stage and this was none other than 2Face Idibia and shortly after.
Footages of all nine evicted housemates treated to all dinner in the Sky were shown to viewers where the individual housemates expressed their opinion on the Big Brother All Stars game. Meanwhile Munya and Uti were still in the house awaiting their fate while sharing a bottle Champagne.
DJ Black Coffee and Tumalo were on stage to do their own thing my wowing the audience, after which how the various housemates were evicted from the house was shown.
Finally, came the moment of truth when host IK announced that it was time to know the winner of the Big Brother Africa All Stars. The winner was Uti with 8 countries voting for him and 7 countries for Munya who was in shock.
Munya who had survived about nine evictions on the Big Brother All Stars house looked very surprised and disappointed when Uti’s name was mentioned. Munya shed uncontrollable tears as he walked to the stage, whiles Uti kept asking himself how he was able to win the game. Uti also won extra $1000 in addition to his $200,000 ultimate prize because no housemate was able to discover his secret.
Three Nigerians shortlisted for CAF awards
Three Nigerians made the shortlist for the 2010 edition of the Glo Confederation of African Football (CAF) Footballer of the Year award.
Dickson Etuhu, Osaze Peter Odemwingie and Kalu Uche were the only Nigerians picked in the nominees for this year’s award.
The provisional list of Caf for the 2010 award is full of surprises, as Nigerians will be shocked to find Etuhu in the list and John Obi Mikel excluded despite the player being touted as having improved his game in recent games for Chelsea.
Explaining the rationale for the shortlist respected Caf instructor, Adegboye Onigbinde, said that every award has it criteria for nominating players.
He opined out that it should be remembered that the likes of Etuhu, Odemwingie and Kalu Uche appeared in several international matches for Nigeria in which Mikel did not.
Onigbinde used the 2010 Fifa World Cup as an example.
“You cannot win awards when you don’t play at the very big stage. Yes no doubt playing for your club is good but every award has its own criteria for picking nominees and the Caf award is no exception.
“So the players nominated for the award must have picked based on certain co-efficient like playing in the Fifa World Cup this year and also other international matches for their countries.
The absence of Mikel might be due to such lack of picking enough co-efficient to be nominated,” the former Nigerian head coach said.
However, Mikel’s Ghanaian teammate, Michael Essien, is also missing from the provisional list of 30 and his case is believed to due to the injury that kept him away from competitive football for a long period, which led to his missing the Mundial in South Africa.
Apart from Etuhu, Odemwingie and Uche in the Caf nominees, it is learnt that Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana produced five players each.
The trio of Cameroon, Egypt and Morocco has three players each like Nigeria while Algeria produced two.
Benin Republic, DR Congo, Mali, Senegal, South Africa and Zambia all have one player apiece in the Caf award’s provisional list.
Perennial nominees such as Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o of Inter Milan and Cameroon are part of those named in the shortlist.
Other top names in the hat are Asamoah Gyan and Andre Ayew of Ghana, the Toure brothers – Kolo and Yaya and their Ivorien teammate, Salomon Kalou.
The 30-man list is expected to be trimmed to 10 by Caf’s three committees of media, technical and football
Dickson Etuhu, Osaze Peter Odemwingie and Kalu Uche were the only Nigerians picked in the nominees for this year’s award.
The provisional list of Caf for the 2010 award is full of surprises, as Nigerians will be shocked to find Etuhu in the list and John Obi Mikel excluded despite the player being touted as having improved his game in recent games for Chelsea.
Explaining the rationale for the shortlist respected Caf instructor, Adegboye Onigbinde, said that every award has it criteria for nominating players.
He opined out that it should be remembered that the likes of Etuhu, Odemwingie and Kalu Uche appeared in several international matches for Nigeria in which Mikel did not.
Onigbinde used the 2010 Fifa World Cup as an example.
“You cannot win awards when you don’t play at the very big stage. Yes no doubt playing for your club is good but every award has its own criteria for picking nominees and the Caf award is no exception.
“So the players nominated for the award must have picked based on certain co-efficient like playing in the Fifa World Cup this year and also other international matches for their countries.
The absence of Mikel might be due to such lack of picking enough co-efficient to be nominated,” the former Nigerian head coach said.
However, Mikel’s Ghanaian teammate, Michael Essien, is also missing from the provisional list of 30 and his case is believed to due to the injury that kept him away from competitive football for a long period, which led to his missing the Mundial in South Africa.
Apart from Etuhu, Odemwingie and Uche in the Caf nominees, it is learnt that Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana produced five players each.
The trio of Cameroon, Egypt and Morocco has three players each like Nigeria while Algeria produced two.
Benin Republic, DR Congo, Mali, Senegal, South Africa and Zambia all have one player apiece in the Caf award’s provisional list.
Perennial nominees such as Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o of Inter Milan and Cameroon are part of those named in the shortlist.
Other top names in the hat are Asamoah Gyan and Andre Ayew of Ghana, the Toure brothers – Kolo and Yaya and their Ivorien teammate, Salomon Kalou.
The 30-man list is expected to be trimmed to 10 by Caf’s three committees of media, technical and football
Friday, October 15, 2010
Abuja carnival 2010
If you intend visiting Nigeria in the month of November, then the Abuja carnival is the place to be.
Nigeria's cultural diversity is phenomenal. An exploration of this diversity will no doubt take an adventurer on a journey into hundreds of cultures with individual uniqueness and peculiarities.
The 2010 Abuja Carnival edition which coincides with Nigeria's Golden Jubilee Anniversary will feature remarkable sights and sounds of Nigeria, showcase the creative spirit of Nigerian people, hospitality and passion for festivity.
Abuja Carnival in its sixth edition is gradually assuming the status of Africa’s most prestigious, colourful and prominent cultural carnival. Events ranging from street parties, Floats, Boat regatta, Durbar, Masquerade displays, Music concerts, Exhibitions, After-parties, and Food fair have been carefully selected.
MAIN CARNIVAL EVENTS
26th November 2010
• Cultural Exhibition - 4.00 pm
27th November 2010
• Main Street carnival at 9.00 am
(Carnival Routes)
• Opening Ceremony at Eagles Square - 5.00pm
28th November 2010
• Youth & Children Event
• Durbar - 3.00pm
• Exhibition of the Traditional Cuisine at OPG - 5.00 pm
• Cultural Night - 7.00 pm
29th November 2010
• Street Show for Masquerade
• Boat Regatta at Jabi Dam at 3.00 pm
• Command Performance at Transcorp Hilton - 7.00 pm
30th November 2010
• Second Street Carnival - 9.00 am
• Closing Ceremony at Eagles Square -
5. 00 pm
27th - 29th November, 2010
• Musical Fiesta at the Eagles Square - 7.00 pm till dawn
Nigeria's cultural diversity is phenomenal. An exploration of this diversity will no doubt take an adventurer on a journey into hundreds of cultures with individual uniqueness and peculiarities.
The 2010 Abuja Carnival edition which coincides with Nigeria's Golden Jubilee Anniversary will feature remarkable sights and sounds of Nigeria, showcase the creative spirit of Nigerian people, hospitality and passion for festivity.
Abuja Carnival in its sixth edition is gradually assuming the status of Africa’s most prestigious, colourful and prominent cultural carnival. Events ranging from street parties, Floats, Boat regatta, Durbar, Masquerade displays, Music concerts, Exhibitions, After-parties, and Food fair have been carefully selected.
MAIN CARNIVAL EVENTS
26th November 2010
• Cultural Exhibition - 4.00 pm
27th November 2010
• Main Street carnival at 9.00 am
(Carnival Routes)
• Opening Ceremony at Eagles Square - 5.00pm
28th November 2010
• Youth & Children Event
• Durbar - 3.00pm
• Exhibition of the Traditional Cuisine at OPG - 5.00 pm
• Cultural Night - 7.00 pm
29th November 2010
• Street Show for Masquerade
• Boat Regatta at Jabi Dam at 3.00 pm
• Command Performance at Transcorp Hilton - 7.00 pm
30th November 2010
• Second Street Carnival - 9.00 am
• Closing Ceremony at Eagles Square -
5. 00 pm
27th - 29th November, 2010
• Musical Fiesta at the Eagles Square - 7.00 pm till dawn
Thursday, October 14, 2010
T B Joshua blacklisted in Cameroon
The Cameroonian government has blacklisted Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, saying that he is an agent of Satan hoodwinking unsuspecting members of the public with “diabolical miracles”
Cameroon Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Henri Eyebe Ayissi, in an official communiqué he issued this week titled “The Devil Is In the House”, described T.B. Joshua as a “son of the devil” pretending to be “a man of God”.
The Minister warned hundreds of Cameroonians trooping to Lagos, South West Nigeria, for miracles in Joshua’s church, to desist from taking the trip or face the consequences as the country will not stand by them.
The communiqué written in French reads in part “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns those who by naivety or deception of Emmanuel TV’s captivating images, or even those who by hopelessness, envisage taking the pilgrimage to Pastor T.B. Joshua’s Synagogue Church Of All Nations in Lagos, that they will do so at their own risk.
“The Cameroonian Government warns these pilgrims that they will face the consequences alone. This is motivated by the painful and shameful fact that Cameroonian men and women, in search of deliverance and blessings, once in that church, find themselves in bestial and pitiable conditions.
“Women are raped; pilgrims dispossessed of their belongings by armed robbers and left to sleep in the streets at the mercy of gangs. Many cases of assassinations have even been recorded. And this is without other cases that are not recorded at the Cameroonian Embassy in Lagos with the victims too ashamed to narrate their infernal odysseys once they are out of Hell,” the Minister said.
The Minister said that while the bible asks us to be discreet with gifts and donations to the poor, T.B. Joshua is seen daily dolling out bags of rice to indigent people.
Cameroonian newspapers which published the communiqué this week tell tales of hundreds of Cameroonians who sold their properties or borrowed money in the hope of getting miracles in T.B. Joshua’s Church, only to be disappointed in Lagos.
The newspapers report that Joshua’s TV station has gained popularity in Cameroon and many people are tempted to take the trip and receive healings and sudden blessings.
It says that Joshua is now in many households in Cameroon and many people believe the flashy images they watch on television.
One newspaper writes in French “witnesses who come back from that pandemonium reveal that to secure an appointment with this Jesus-Christ-reincarnate, they had to spend 150, 000 FCFA (about N50, 000) and the amount keeps going up, depending on the treatment and the case.
“This has led to confusion and disillusionment from Cameroonians, who on their way to Damascus, now find themselves refugees at the Cameroonian Embassy in Lagos.”
The newspaper report says further: “There are many here in Cameroon, convinced of the power and the blessings of this “man of God”. However, they forget that Jesus Christ is in our hearts through faith and with our practice of the Ten Commandments and our relationship with one another. Before the publication of the communiqué by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the bible said over 2000 years ago, ‘And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceives you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many’.”When contacted this morning, T.B. Joshua denied that he has been blacklisted in Cameroon.
He said that Cameroonians who come to his church only heard about him in Cameroon and started trooping to the church in Ikotun, with most of them without accommodation. He said that had he been aware of their presence around his church, he would have provided accommodation for them.
Cameroon Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Henri Eyebe Ayissi, in an official communiqué he issued this week titled “The Devil Is In the House”, described T.B. Joshua as a “son of the devil” pretending to be “a man of God”.
The Minister warned hundreds of Cameroonians trooping to Lagos, South West Nigeria, for miracles in Joshua’s church, to desist from taking the trip or face the consequences as the country will not stand by them.
The communiqué written in French reads in part “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns those who by naivety or deception of Emmanuel TV’s captivating images, or even those who by hopelessness, envisage taking the pilgrimage to Pastor T.B. Joshua’s Synagogue Church Of All Nations in Lagos, that they will do so at their own risk.
“The Cameroonian Government warns these pilgrims that they will face the consequences alone. This is motivated by the painful and shameful fact that Cameroonian men and women, in search of deliverance and blessings, once in that church, find themselves in bestial and pitiable conditions.
“Women are raped; pilgrims dispossessed of their belongings by armed robbers and left to sleep in the streets at the mercy of gangs. Many cases of assassinations have even been recorded. And this is without other cases that are not recorded at the Cameroonian Embassy in Lagos with the victims too ashamed to narrate their infernal odysseys once they are out of Hell,” the Minister said.
The Minister said that while the bible asks us to be discreet with gifts and donations to the poor, T.B. Joshua is seen daily dolling out bags of rice to indigent people.
Cameroonian newspapers which published the communiqué this week tell tales of hundreds of Cameroonians who sold their properties or borrowed money in the hope of getting miracles in T.B. Joshua’s Church, only to be disappointed in Lagos.
The newspapers report that Joshua’s TV station has gained popularity in Cameroon and many people are tempted to take the trip and receive healings and sudden blessings.
It says that Joshua is now in many households in Cameroon and many people believe the flashy images they watch on television.
One newspaper writes in French “witnesses who come back from that pandemonium reveal that to secure an appointment with this Jesus-Christ-reincarnate, they had to spend 150, 000 FCFA (about N50, 000) and the amount keeps going up, depending on the treatment and the case.
“This has led to confusion and disillusionment from Cameroonians, who on their way to Damascus, now find themselves refugees at the Cameroonian Embassy in Lagos.”
The newspaper report says further: “There are many here in Cameroon, convinced of the power and the blessings of this “man of God”. However, they forget that Jesus Christ is in our hearts through faith and with our practice of the Ten Commandments and our relationship with one another. Before the publication of the communiqué by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the bible said over 2000 years ago, ‘And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceives you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many’.”When contacted this morning, T.B. Joshua denied that he has been blacklisted in Cameroon.
He said that Cameroonians who come to his church only heard about him in Cameroon and started trooping to the church in Ikotun, with most of them without accommodation. He said that had he been aware of their presence around his church, he would have provided accommodation for them.
28,000 Nigerians maybe denied passage
Twenty-eight thousand Nigerian pilgrims who were supposed to arrive in Israel in the upcoming months will have to find payer fervently, after the Transportation Ministry’s security department barred El Al from flying to the Abuja for fear of terrorist threats.
According to Rafi Ben Hur, a senior deputy director-general at the Tourism Ministry, the pilgrims were scheduled to fly on El Al chartered planes leased to a local airline in a series of flights between November to January.
The planes, El Al’s Boeing 747-400, were to be leased to Nigeria Airways, but operated by El Al’s crew and cabin staff.
As a safety precaution, the airline’s logo and symbols were to be removed.
“The massive pilgrimage is a state project in Nigeria. They subsidize the Christian’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land, just as they do the Muslims’ pilgrimage to Mecca. We cooperate with the Nigerian government on all tourism related issues and attempt to remove all the obstacles they encounter,” said Ben Hur.
“The Transportation Ministry won’t let any Israeli airline fly to Nigeria, so the solution will probably have to be based on foreign airlines. The biggest looser in this case is El Al, which was forced to give up on a large amount of passengers.”
Ben Hur was optimistic that a solution would be found and that the thousands of tourists would make it to Israel.
“We are meeting with the Nigerian ambassador this evening and with the organizing team on Sunday. I’m sure we will be able to work out a solution. We do not plan to give up on these groups, their visits mean too much for us,” said Ben Hur.
According to Ben Hur, the Nigerian pilgrimages have been taking place since the beginning of the decade and the number of people continuously grows every year.
“We owe a great appreciation to the Nigerians. They were the only tourists that arrived in Israel in our hardest times, during the second intifada. When everyone else stayed away, they continued to arrive and filled up our empty hotels,” said Ben Hur.
“Even today, when tourism numbers are back up, they help us out during the quietest time of the year.
“Twenty-eight thousand people visiting Israel for 10 days contribute a great deal to the tourism industry and the national economy by staying in hotels, dining in restaurants, renting buses and hiring tour guides. They are also the nicest visitors we could ask for,” he said.
Ben Hur added that he hoped the Tourism Ministry could intervene on the pilgrims’ behalf before the Transportation Ministry, but said he honored its position and wouldn’t compromise security.
“It would be a shame if they can’t fly directly to Israel. Any stopover reduces the length of their stay here and too many logistics may reduce the number of arrivals,” said Ben Hur.
In March 2009, Israir brought about 15,000 pilgrims from Nigeria to Israel in an airlift operation involving some 60 flights that lasted more than two months.
Both El Al and the Transportation Ministry declined to comment on the issue.
According to Rafi Ben Hur, a senior deputy director-general at the Tourism Ministry, the pilgrims were scheduled to fly on El Al chartered planes leased to a local airline in a series of flights between November to January.
The planes, El Al’s Boeing 747-400, were to be leased to Nigeria Airways, but operated by El Al’s crew and cabin staff.
As a safety precaution, the airline’s logo and symbols were to be removed.
“The massive pilgrimage is a state project in Nigeria. They subsidize the Christian’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land, just as they do the Muslims’ pilgrimage to Mecca. We cooperate with the Nigerian government on all tourism related issues and attempt to remove all the obstacles they encounter,” said Ben Hur.
“The Transportation Ministry won’t let any Israeli airline fly to Nigeria, so the solution will probably have to be based on foreign airlines. The biggest looser in this case is El Al, which was forced to give up on a large amount of passengers.”
Ben Hur was optimistic that a solution would be found and that the thousands of tourists would make it to Israel.
“We are meeting with the Nigerian ambassador this evening and with the organizing team on Sunday. I’m sure we will be able to work out a solution. We do not plan to give up on these groups, their visits mean too much for us,” said Ben Hur.
According to Ben Hur, the Nigerian pilgrimages have been taking place since the beginning of the decade and the number of people continuously grows every year.
“We owe a great appreciation to the Nigerians. They were the only tourists that arrived in Israel in our hardest times, during the second intifada. When everyone else stayed away, they continued to arrive and filled up our empty hotels,” said Ben Hur.
“Even today, when tourism numbers are back up, they help us out during the quietest time of the year.
“Twenty-eight thousand people visiting Israel for 10 days contribute a great deal to the tourism industry and the national economy by staying in hotels, dining in restaurants, renting buses and hiring tour guides. They are also the nicest visitors we could ask for,” he said.
Ben Hur added that he hoped the Tourism Ministry could intervene on the pilgrims’ behalf before the Transportation Ministry, but said he honored its position and wouldn’t compromise security.
“It would be a shame if they can’t fly directly to Israel. Any stopover reduces the length of their stay here and too many logistics may reduce the number of arrivals,” said Ben Hur.
In March 2009, Israir brought about 15,000 pilgrims from Nigeria to Israel in an airlift operation involving some 60 flights that lasted more than two months.
Both El Al and the Transportation Ministry declined to comment on the issue.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Onyekachi scores brace for Kharaitiyat
KHARAITIYAT rode a brace by Onyekachi Tico Okonkwo to defeat Umm Salal 3-2 in a keenly-contested Qatar Stars League (QSL) match at Qatar Sports Club in Doha on Tuesday.
In another QSL match played on Tuesday at the same venue, Lekhwiya edged tableleader Qatar Sports Club (QSC) by a solitary goal.
This was QSC’s first defeat in five matches.
The lone goal of the match came through a penalty, which was converted by Bakari Kone.
Kharaitiyat first went into a two-goal lead but it was wiped off before scoring the winner.
Players of both the teams played with a lot of intensity to break the deadlock.
Kharaitiyat eventually emerged the winner due to the athleticism of Tico, who had earlier drawn the first blood in the 14th minute.
Kharaitiyat shot into the lead when Mohammad Husain’s hasty clearance rebounded into the Umm Salal box after hitting a rival player.
Both Tico and Alaa Abdul Zahra raced into the box to get hold of it.
Tico was the first to reach it and he made no mistake in shooting it into the net past the hapless goalkeeper.
The pace with which Tico ran for the man caught the Umm Salal goalie off guard too.
Kharaitiyat consolidated the lead in the 39th minute when Abdulla Darwish intercepted a pass from Umm Salal defender Dahi Saad al Naeimi and sent a floater inside the box from the right.
Yiha Kebbi Kebbi first chested down the ball and shot it in a flash into the net.
Stung by two reversals in quick succession, Umm Salal reorganised itself and launched several attacks through coordinated game.
Its efforts were rewarded in the 44th minute when Davi’s cross from the left found the out-stretched foot of Gabriel Francisco and the deflection saw the ball went past the falling goalkeeper.
Umm Salal continued to play in the same vein in the second session and succeeded in gaining parity in the 63rd minute.
Davi on this occasion received a cross at the left edge of the box.
After neatly trapping the ball with his left foot, he beat Daryo Kan before shooting from an acute angle.
Umm Salal grew in confidence and was now pushing for the lead for first time in the match.
But in the process, it left ample space for the Kharaitiyat players to exploit in the 66th minute through Tico.
Kebbi Kebbi headed into the vacant area and Tico outpaced Younes Yaghoob Darwish to reach the ball.
He then drew out the Umm Salal goalie and slotted the ball through the right of the goalkeeper.
Umm Salal squandered a golden opportunity to come back into the match again when a free-kick awarded to it right at edge of box flew past the right post.
In another QSL match played on Tuesday at the same venue, Lekhwiya edged tableleader Qatar Sports Club (QSC) by a solitary goal.
This was QSC’s first defeat in five matches.
The lone goal of the match came through a penalty, which was converted by Bakari Kone.
Kharaitiyat first went into a two-goal lead but it was wiped off before scoring the winner.
Players of both the teams played with a lot of intensity to break the deadlock.
Kharaitiyat eventually emerged the winner due to the athleticism of Tico, who had earlier drawn the first blood in the 14th minute.
Kharaitiyat shot into the lead when Mohammad Husain’s hasty clearance rebounded into the Umm Salal box after hitting a rival player.
Both Tico and Alaa Abdul Zahra raced into the box to get hold of it.
Tico was the first to reach it and he made no mistake in shooting it into the net past the hapless goalkeeper.
The pace with which Tico ran for the man caught the Umm Salal goalie off guard too.
Kharaitiyat consolidated the lead in the 39th minute when Abdulla Darwish intercepted a pass from Umm Salal defender Dahi Saad al Naeimi and sent a floater inside the box from the right.
Yiha Kebbi Kebbi first chested down the ball and shot it in a flash into the net.
Stung by two reversals in quick succession, Umm Salal reorganised itself and launched several attacks through coordinated game.
Its efforts were rewarded in the 44th minute when Davi’s cross from the left found the out-stretched foot of Gabriel Francisco and the deflection saw the ball went past the falling goalkeeper.
Umm Salal continued to play in the same vein in the second session and succeeded in gaining parity in the 63rd minute.
Davi on this occasion received a cross at the left edge of the box.
After neatly trapping the ball with his left foot, he beat Daryo Kan before shooting from an acute angle.
Umm Salal grew in confidence and was now pushing for the lead for first time in the match.
But in the process, it left ample space for the Kharaitiyat players to exploit in the 66th minute through Tico.
Kebbi Kebbi headed into the vacant area and Tico outpaced Younes Yaghoob Darwish to reach the ball.
He then drew out the Umm Salal goalie and slotted the ball through the right of the goalkeeper.
Umm Salal squandered a golden opportunity to come back into the match again when a free-kick awarded to it right at edge of box flew past the right post.
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