#akwa ocha

[okwuid]

The Ekumeku Movement Explained

Igbo Culture

How this Igbo group resisted British domination for 30 years During Britain’s colonisation of Nigeria, one of the most prolonged and drawn-out conflicts was against the Ekumeku. A movement fought by the Anioma, an Igbo subgroup, and their neighbouring Igbo allies. So, what sparked the beginning of the movement?  As the British looked to complete their colonial domination of the people within…

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#30 years ekumeku #a history of delta igbo people #adiele afigbo #akwa ocha #ANIOMA #British native courts #colonialism in nigeria #delta igbo #delta igbo history #EKUMEKU #EKUMEKU WARRIORS #igbo #igbo anime #igbo culture #igbo essays #igbo history #igbo nigerian history #igbo resistance to colonialism #igbo wardfare #Ika Igbo #native courts #nigeria #ogwashi-ukwu #pan igbo #pan-igbo studies

[crimechannels]

By • Olalekan Fagbade How I raised money for my project, final clearance’ female Student opens up Asuspected sex worker had confessed resorting to prostitution business over lack of money to complete her academic studies. The suspect, Esther John from Akwa-Ibom State, was among the 20 suspects arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State by Operatives of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (OCHA) Brigade. She claimed she was in her final year when she was introduced to the business, adding that she planned using the proceeds to complete her school clearance and project work. “I’ve been struggling to complete my studies due to financial constraints. I was looking for money to complete school clearance and project when a friend introduced me to the business,” she said. When asked if she was aware of various government empowerment programmes in the State, she simply replied, “I don’t know. I’ve only spent a few days in the state.” Others who spoke to reporters, also confessed to the crime, saying they were arrested in their places of hustling. One of them who identified herself as Helen Ibeh, from Abia State said she resorted to sex work as a result of hardship and as means of supporting her family. Insedo Inshewuba, a native of Benue state, who identified herself as an orphan, said she fed herself and her younger sister from the job. Parading the suspects at the Brigade headquarters in Awka, Managing Director of OCHA Brigade, Mr Celestine Anere said the suspects were nabbed in Ochanja, Onitsha South Local Government Area of the state. He said the arrest was part of the operation launched against social miscreants, adding that the suspects were being profiled and would be charged after investigations. Reacting, Secretary-General, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone F, Comrade Ifeyinwa Felix expressed shock and disappointment over the activities of the young girls and advised them to engage in legitimate sources of livelihood.

[theindustryng]

Heritage Bank, Delta State rev-up creative sector for economic growth

Heritage Bank, Delta State rev-up creative sector for economic growth

…Omu Anioma unveils local fabrics ‘Akwa Ocha’ Heritage Bank Plc, Nigeria’s Most Innovative Service provider has collaborated with Delta State to make the creative and entertainment industry mainstay of revenue generation that will stimulate sustainable growth to the nation’s economy. This was disclosed when the Omu Anioma and Nneoha, HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu unveiled the Anioma eternal native…

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#Akwa Ocha #delta state #Heritage Bank

[alljace]

Little info about the culture. Travelled to Delta for my dad’s ‘Alor’ title ceremony. His chieftancy title is ‘Ogbuenyi’. Last slide we’re saying ‘Aunty Mary don’t dance oh!’ because they said only red cap chiefs could dance 😂You see a chief come to tell my mum to stop moving her legs to the drums as well, but they invite her to join them later. My dad is the one that they baffed in powder btw 😭 Everyone’s wearing ‘Akwa ocha’ because that’s the traditional attire of Anioma people (Delta Igbo communities). Akwa ocha is mainly white, sometimes with red writings on it; but my mum found some vendors that now make different colors like the green ones we have on. Beautiful stuff fr, but super heavy 😭 I know I promised some people I’d post more about it, but I didn’t get much else so hopefully these suffice. Happy new year ❤️ (at Akwukwu Igbo, Delta, Nigeria) https://www.instagram.com/p/CYbrikdMl9Z/?utm_medium=tumblr

[icechuksblog]

The Asaba Massacre during Nigeria’s Biafran Warculminated on this date in 1967 with a horrific mass execution. Nigeria had attained independence in 1960 but still carried the legacy of its many decades under British control. Notably, the borders bequeathed to Nigeria amalgamate a coastal, Christian population in the south to an inland, Muslim population in the north — a fissure that continues to shape Nigeria down to the present day. The ethnicity of interest for this post is the Igbo, one of those southern and Christian populations, and also a people who had been ethnically cleansed from the north in 1966 after an exchange of Christian and Mulim coups brought Nigeria to the brink of disintegration. Their homeland in southeast Nigeria — historically known as Igboland, and called Eastern Region within Nigeria — would become from May 30, 1967 the breakaway state of Biafra. Biafra’s bid for independence triggered a devastating war with the Nigerian federal government. By the time that it ended in early 1970, perhaps as many as two million Biafrans were dead from mass starvation. Asaba, where our massacre takes place, is a predominantly Igbo city on the western (non-Biafran) shore of the Niger River, opposite the Biafran eastern shore city Onitsha. In the war’s opening weeks, Biafran forces actually struck out from their homeland and into Nigeria proper, crossing the Niger River. They would re-cross it in the opposite direction days before this massacre, taking bridges from Asaba to Onitsha and then cutting those bridges to frustrate the federal troops pursuing them. Federal soldiers reaching Asaba in the first days of October took out that frustration on the city’s Igbo population, whom they robbed and abused as rebel sympathizers. Murders/summary executions for several days together comprise the Asaba Massacre or Massacres … but the single most emblematic and traumatic event took place on Saturday the 7th. On October 4-6, soldiers occupied the town, and some began killing boys and men, accusing them of being Biafran sympathizers. On October 7, Asaba leaders met, and then summoned everyone to gather, dancing and singing to welcome the troops, and offering a pledge to One Nigeria. People were encouraged to wear akwa ocha, the ceremonial white, embroidered clothing that signifies peace, hoping that this strategy would end the violence. Although there was much trepidation, and some refused to participate, hundreds of men, women, and children assembled for the march, walking to the village square of Ogbeosewa, one of the five quarters of Asaba. Ify Uraih, then 13 years old, describes what happened when he joined the parade with his father and three older brothers, Paul, Emmanuel (Emma), and Gabriel: There, they separated the men from the women … I looked around and saw machine-guns being mounted all around us … Some people broke loose and tried to run away. My brother was holding me by the hand; he released me and pushed me further into the crowd … They shot my brother in the back, he fell down, and I saw blood coming out of his body. And then the rest of us … just fell down on top of each other. And they continued shooting, and shooting, and shooting … I lost count of time, I don’t know how long it took … After some time there was silence. I stood up … my body was covered in blood, but I knew that I was safe. My father was lying not far away; his eyes were open but he was dead. Exactly how many died is not clear; between 500 and 800 seems likely, in addition to many who died in the previous days. Most victims were buried in several mass graves, without observing requisite ceremonial practices. Along with his father, Uraih lost Emma and Paul; Gabriel was shot repeatedly, but recovered. The long-term impacts were profound; many extended families lost multiple breadwinners, and the town’s leadership was decimated. ()Source) On this day.. 2004: Ken Bigley, Iraq War hostage - 2019 1415: Lello Capocci, schism victim - 2017 1989: Francis Minah, Vice President of Sierra Leone- 2016 1546: The Fourteen of Meaux - 2015 1998: Jonathan Wayne Nobles - 2014 1536: Sebastiano de Montecuccoli, poisoner of the heir? - 2013 1898: Alfred C. Williams - 2012 Unspecified date: British soldiers by urophagia - 2011 1924: Frank Johnson, the first electrocuted in Florida - 2010 2007: Five women in Hoiryeong Public Stadium - 2009 1943: 98 American civilian contractors on Wake Island - 2008 Possibly related executions: 1942: The village of Lidice, for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich 1945: Sudeten Germans, known but to God 1871: The Paris Commune falls 1987: Seven Suriname Maroons 1941: 3,500 Jews at the Khotyn Fortress … but not Adolph Sternschuss 1941: Babi Yar massacre begins 1944: The Wola Massacre begins, during the Warsaw Uprising Entry Filed under: 20th Century,Borderline "Executions",Disfavored Minorities,Execution,Executions Survived,History,Innocent Bystanders,Mass Executions,Nigeria,No Formal Charge,Public Executions,Racial and Ethnic Minorities,Shot,Summary Executions,Wartime Executions Tags: 1960s, 1967, asaba, biafran war, october 7

http://icechuks2.blogspot.com/2019/10/1967-asaba-massacre.html

#http://icechuks2.blogspot.com/2019/10/1967-asaba-massacre.html 1967: The Asaba Massacre SEO #Local S

[innercitypress]

On Cameroon Staged Q&A in UN of Guterres Who Bans Inner City Press Quest... On Cameroon Staged Q&A in UN of Guterres Who Bans Inner City Press Questions UNansweredBy Matthew Russell Lee, CJR PFT NY Post UNITED NATIONS GATE, November 15 --After Paul Biya who has ruled Cameroon for 36 years lied that Transparency International was observing his re-coronation, and burned village after village in the Anglophone regions while hiring lobbyists to seek and get support from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, on October 22 he claimed to win over 71% of the vote and even that 16% of those eligible voted in the Anglophone North-West and South-West regions. None of this is credible. Nor, in contexts, is Guterres' UN system's hand picked interlocutors and belated expressions of concern after he sold out for more than a yearand most recently has refused through two spokesmen to respond to or even acknowledge Inner City Press' formal written question about Biya's jailing of journalist Mimi Mefo.However, even banned from "his" UN for 128 days and counting for quoting Guterres' own staff on WHY he sold out - for favors in the UN Budget Committee -- we continue to transmit the bogus answers Guterres spokesmen hand out in person, on November 14 to a long time correspondent who previously cackled that "the Anglophones have been doing some shooting." Video of that here.November 14 video here, and here the UN's answer which Guterres' spokesmen didn't even send to Inner City Press despite its many written questions which Guterres' USG Alison Smale promised UNSR David Kaye would be answered, but aren't being: "Yes, Evelyn? UN Correspondents Association seat:  Thank you, Steph.  Oh, Steph.  Sorry.  You aren’t Steph. Deputy Spokesman:  Tomorrow it will be Steph [Dujarric]. Question:  You are Farhan.  Do you have an update on Cameroon?  The Government says 30… they killed 30 in a two-day… of Anglophones in a two-day battle.  Also, mayors in Anglophone regions have been targeted, and maybe a few hundred have been dead since this conflict began. Deputy Spokesman:  Yes.  We've been concerned about the latest reports of violence in Cameroon.  The continuing concerns that we have been saying about the situation in… particularly in the Anglophone part of Cameroon continue, and we would need to get further information on exactly what is happening.  But, of course, as you know, we have asked in the past and continue to ask for restraint on the part of the security forces there. Question:  Is anybody on the scene from the UN? Deputy Spokesman:  As you know, our envoy, François Louncény Fall, has been dealing with this primarily.  But, yes, throughout, the various arms of the UN system, including our human rights bodies, are also watching the situation." Yeah - just watching, as civilians are killed.  The UN's statements of concern, here from UNHCR whose staffer Nadine Njoya called for "harsher repression" of Anglophones by Paul Biya and whose Deputy Volker Turk refused to answer on that, and appeared not to know there ARE any refugees from Cameroon in Nigeria: "The number of Cameroonian refugees fleeing violence and seeking refuge in Nigeria crossed the 30,000 mark this week. Refugees fleeing the South-West and North-West Regions of Cameroon have been arriving since September 2017. Almost 600 arrived in refugee settlements in the last two weeks. Four out of every five of those registered so far are women and children, driven out after last year’s protests turned violent. They are being sheltered in Nigeria’s states of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue and Taraba, most of them being hosted within local communities. Most of the latest arrivals come from the Akwaya and Eyumojock sub-divisions in Cameroon. People are telling us they were ordered to leave their houses due to increasing violence in their home areas. As official border entry points remain closed, UNHCR and its partners are present at the border areas inside Nigeria, around the most used informal access points, to assess the situation and the needs of new arrivals. UNHCR is facilitating the voluntary relocation of refugees from the border points to the settlements of Adagom (Cross River) and Anyake (Benue), which provide better security and shelter as well as access to essential services such as food, health or education. We are working with the Nigerian Government, through its National Commission for Refugees (NCFRMI), and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). This crisis erupted last year after protests turned violent, amid calls for secession. So far this year, some 400 civilians have been killed in escalating attacks between separatist groups and government forces, according to rights groups. Currently, more than 9,000 Cameroonian refugees have been moved to new settlements, where they receive food as well as essential items such as mattresses, mosquito nets, stoves and cooking utensils, as well as equipment to build shelters. With bricks, timber, nails or corrugated iron sheets, they can start to rebuild a place to call home. These settlements allow better access to critical assistance. Our partners on the ground distribute dignity kits for women and girls. These kits include, among other items, buckets, soap and towels. In some instances, cash assistance is provided to enable refugees in the settlements to buy food directly from the markets in host communities, as those settlements are meant to facilitate the integration of those forced to flee and those welcoming them. Despite all our efforts and those of our partners, the needs of the refugees are far from being met. Another 21,000 refugees are currently living with host communities, in over 50 localities spread across an area of some 116,000 square kilometres. The rainy season and harsh road conditions to remote areas makes the assistance to the refugees outside of the newly-developed settlement very difficult, with acute needs for food, shelter, water and sanitation. Education is also one of such essential needs, with 48 per cent of the registered refugees being of school age yet out of school, for more than two years for many of them. Inside Cameroon, access to areas affected in North West and South West is very limited. Humanitarian agencies are discussing with the government the need for improved access to the displaced population. It is estimated that some 436,000 people may be internally displaced. Together with OCHA, which coordinates the UN response in the country, we have started deploying personnel in Buea to help meet the needs of the displaced people." Some of this is dubious - Deputy Turk of UNHCR, when Inner City Press asked, did not even seem to know there ARE Cameroonian refugees in Nigeria, see below. Similarly the stories told to date about the 90 students now released do not add up. The government railed about 79 released, at a video of 11 student circulated. The parents were not allowed into the school, nor told which of their children were kidnapped and which not. Now 90 have been released, with the quiet announcement that 11 had been kidnappeearlier, on October 31. So they were the ones in the video, not the 79? The media which have not covered, or mis-covered, Biya's abuses will move on, like the UN, declaring this a victory. We'll have more on this. On November 4 Biya's forces arrested more people for protesting the fraudulent results, in Bafoussam in the West region of Cameroon denouncing what they call an “electoral hold up” by Biya. This follows arrests in Douala and Yaounde, on all of which Antonio "Traveling Man" Guterres has been characteristically silent. Nor have Guterres' spokesmen being answering Inner City Press' questions on Cameroon including this on November 6: "November 6-1: On Cameroon, first please immediately now five days after ASG Ursula Mueller's Nov 1 presentation (at the Norway Mission) about Cameroon provide a copy or summary of her remarks. Second, what is the SG's knowledge of, comment and action on, the reporting kidnapping of students in Anglophone Cameroon, with the kidnappers caught saying 'tu perds ton temps'?" Dujarric's Deputy emailed banned Inner City Press: "Regarding your first question, we have just issued the following statement: The Secretary-General condemns the reported kidnapping on 5 November of students and staff from a secondary school in Bamenda, North-West region of Cameroon. He calls for their immediate release and return to their homes and families. There can be no justification for these crimes against civilians, particularly minors. The Secretary-General reiterates the need for a peaceful solution to the crisis in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon through an inclusive dialogue process. The United Nations stands ready to assist in this regard. Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General New York, 6 November 2018"  So what about that French? No answer. Now the issue will be pushed behind, with the release of 90 and not the state 79 students. Nor did the UN informInner City Press, despite its questions, that Guterres' Ursula Mueller, who previously visited Cameroon without going to the Anglophone areas (Inner City Press asked her why, before being roughed up and banned), had given a November 1 briefing a Norway's mission to the UN on 50th Street, leaked invitation here. We will ask the UN about this, even amid Guterres' ongoing censorship of Press. Should we expect a UN statement on students kisnapped or taken hostage? Who would draft it? Watch this site. On November 2 Inner City Press asked the deputy of the UN refugee agency UNHCR Volker Turk about the refoulement of AyukTabe and 46 others from Nigeria, the Cameroonian refugees and the UNHCR staffer who previously called online for harsher repression by Biya. Video here.Troublingly, Volker first responded about only the Far North of Cameroon, then implied that displaced Anglophones all remain inside Cameroon and not in deplorable conditions across the border in Nigeria, from which some were illegally returned. He did not answer the question about UNHCR's own staffer, whom will therefore name: Nadine Njoya. How is this acceptable? The UN of Antonio Guterres remains silent, including the the face of multiple questions from the Press (which Guterres has banned) as journalists and peaceful protesters, bystanders and perceived opponents are arrested. On the morning ofOctober 29 Inner City Press in writing asked Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, "October 29-3: On Cameroon, what is the SG's comment and action on the government's arrests of peaceful protesters in Douala, Yaounde and elsewhere over the weekend?" Now on October 30, no answer at all, while Dujarric is tweeting his photos from a ferry to the Upper East Side and blocking the Press. On November 2 when, after questioning UNHCR's Turk Inner City Press asked Dujarric if Guterres has congratulated Biya, Dujarric said "I don't know" and biked away. Video here, looped 6-second Vine here. Guterres has gone for four days on the UN's and public's dime to his real home in Lisbon, for a speech with little to do with the UN and a dubious award. We'll have more on this. Among the journalists outrageously locked up by Biya: ElvisMcCarthy, Thomas Awah Junior, Tsi Conrad and Mancho Bibixy; quickly added to by the detentions of Michel Biem Tong and Mathias Mouenda Ngamo. Then again, Guterres and Dujarric (and others) worked to have Inner City Press which asks them about Cameroon and corruption roughed up, twice, and now banned from the UN for 118 days from noon briefing in which, for days, no one let it ask anything about anything in Africa, much less Cameroon. The UN of Guterres and Dujarric is corrupt. We'll have more on this - and this: here are just some of Inner City Press questions to Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, which USG Alison Smale promised UNSR David A. Kaye would be answered - but not a single one has: "October 22-1: On Cameroon, what is the SG's comment and action on... the surrounding of Kah Walla's house by police, the slowing / shut off of Facebook and WhatsApp, etc? What is his comment on Obiang of Equatorial Guinea having congratulated Biya on re-election 2 days before the results? October 23-1: On Cameroon, does the SG agree that there were “irregularities in the re-election” of Paul Biya? Again, what is his comment on the government's false claim that Transparency International observed the election? Does he think the reported turn-out and results in the Anglophone regions are credible? Where IS Francois Fall? When is the last time he was in Cameroon? October 24-1:  On Cameroon, beyond the unanswered questions below, what is the SG's comment and action on the arrest of journalist Michele Biem Tong? In terms of corruption and the credibility of the Oct 7 election, what is the SG's comment and action on “Cameroon’s government has issued a public tender for the construction of a new residence for the president of the Constitutional Council, the same legal body that just two days ago announced the re-election of long-time President Paul Biya”?   No answers, just a reiterate that Guterres has put Inner City Press on a permanently banned list that the UN will not disclose, under Global Censor Alison Smale. We'll have more on this. Major countries' business with Biya continues, not only from Biya's long time supporter France but also the UK's New Age natural gas deal of which Minister Liam Fox bragged. UK Minister for Africa Harriett Baldwin was asked about her congratulations to Biya and doubled down, calling it a "new" government. After 36 years, what's new about it? Now another journalist has been arrested, according to multiple credible souces: Mathias Mouene Ngamo. And from the UN, where banned Inner City Press asks SG Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, no answer, despite the promises of USG Alison Smale. This while Inner City Press appeal of the FCO's withholding of Cameroon information remains pending with the Information Commissioner's Office and another request, on collusion in censorship, pends. At 11 am on October 22 Inner City Press asked the UN, in writing because banned by SG Antonio Guterres for 110 day and counting, "October 22-1: On Cameroon, what is the SG's comment and action on the claim of Paul Biya to have won over 70% of the vote with an unobserved 16% turn out in the NW and SW regions, the surrounding of Kah Walla's house by police, the slowing / shut off of Facebook and WhatsApp, etc? What is his comment on Obiang of Equatorial Guinea having congratulated Biya on re-election 2 days before the results?"And nearly two hours later, this from Guterres' deputy spokesman: "Regarding question 22-1, we are saying the following: The Secretary-General takes note of today’s official announcement of final results by the Constitutional Council.  All electoral disputes should be handled through established legal channels. He also reiterates his encouragement to all stakeholders to prioritize dialogue as the surest path to social cohesion and national unity." Really. We'll have more on this. Now the US State Department has chimed in, at least noting - while still not providing FOIA documents - irregularities: "The United States congratulates the people of Cameroon for largely peaceful elections on October 7. We urge all parties – including the government – to respect the rule of law, resolve peacefully any disputes through established legal channels, and avoid hate speech. While we welcome the Cameroonian Election Commission’s demonstrable improvement over the 2011 elections, there were a number of irregularities prior to, during, and after the October 7 election. These irregularities may not have affected the outcome but created an impression that the election was not credible or genuinely free and fair. We commend the African Union Election Observation Mission for its preliminary statement, notably that “the current framework needs to be strengthened in order to safeguard the democratic principles of separation of powers, fairness, and independence and impartiality.” With the conclusion of the presidential election, the United States strongly encourages both sides involved in the conflict affecting the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon to focus on resolving differences through peaceful dialogue and to allow unhindered access to humanitarian aid workers." With Cameroon's 36-year ruler Paulimposed a curfew on the Anglophone regions a week before his planned re-election on October 7, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' genocide adviser Adama Dieng in an interview with BBCsaid "things seem to be under control." Here from 2:40, and see below. Now after a canned statement to all sides by Guterres, who has bannedInner City Press from any entry into his UN, on Guterres' banned list with "political activists," the charades of an election in which Biya's spokesman declared victory even before the polling. On October 21, opposition figure Kah Walla's house was surrounded by police, journalists detained - and from Guterres' UN, nothing. Walla said, "Update 18H44-Am still under house arrest totally illegal. Fifteen policemen outside say they don't know what time it ends. They 'got orders' to stay in front of my house all day & "Wait for orders" to leave. My poor country!"  Biya's fellow long time ruler Teodoro Obiang Nguema has already congratulated Biay for re-election, days before the results were to be announced on October 22: ""Sincere and effusive congratulations for your re-election... The people of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and his Government join me in expressing to your Excellency our sincere and heartfelt congratulations on your re-election as President of the Republic of Cameroon in the past presidential election," Obiang's congratulations read. One imagine Antonio Guterres getting his congratulations ready, the subtext being thanks for help as chair of the UN Budget Committee, for covering of which Inner City Press ws roughed up on July 3 and banned for 108 days since. Opposition candidate Maurice Kamto argued that the poll should be canceled in seven out of 10 regions of the country, because his team observed "massive irregularities", "disregard of electoral laws", and in particular "insecurity and fraud in troubled Anglophone regions" during the vote."After examining the nine complaints of Maurice Kamto, the Council declares that the petition lacks evidence, is unfounded and therefore rejected," Clement Atangana, president of the Constitutional Council, said - Biya's man. Biya's forces have shut down a press conference by Maurice Kamto. And now it is concluded that Guterres' "colleagues" statement this week about hate speech in Cameroon was in fact again on behalf of 36 year rule Biya, and directed only at the opposition. From Yaounde: "Yesterday’s hearing was filled with Elecam and government’s reaction to post electoral complains from Maurice Kamto’s legal team. Taking the floor, Gregoire Owona, Cameroon’s Minister of Labor and Social Security, accused Maurice Kamto of being an ungrateful tribalist. Owona wondered why the CRM Presidential candidate brought up the issue of Bamileke and Beti to the court. To him, by using such examples, Maurice Kamto is trying to promote hate among peaceful Cameroonians." So those whose press conferences are shut down by Biya are then accused of hate speech by the UN of Guterres, who had Inner City Press roughed up and banned for 107 days and counting. We'll have more on this. In the first of two days of hearings on objections, Justice Clement Atangana, president of the Constitutional Council, pronouned that "Only the President of the Republic who appoints members of the Council has the jurisdiction to sack or question the neutrality of the Council members," Atangana said, "so the petition is inadmissible." So only incumbent candidate Biya controls this review.  The public be damnded: Rigobert Aminou Gabanmidanha, a voter,  demanded complete cancellation of the vote, citing "irregularities, disregard of electoral code and rigging" observed during the poll. Atangana said the Council rules only on petitions filed by candidates, political parties which took part in the election or any person serving as a representative of the administration for the election. "You were not a candidate. You were not a representative of the administration for the election. Therefore, you have no quality to petition the Council," Atangana said, dismissing the petition as "null and void". Reuters edited by Edward McAllister purported to cover the hearing without mentioning these outrageous rulings and reasoning. Call it a colonial cover up, like Guterres' UN.The final nail is expected to be declared by the Council by Oct. 22.Inner City Press sent questions to Guterres' spokesman day after day; on October 16 lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric at his "noon" briefing read out a statement and his deputy Farhan Haq e-mailed it to Inner City Press after 2 pm, here: "Our colleagues of the UN Country Team in Cameroon are expressing their concern about hate speech focused on ethnicity following the October 7th presidential polls The UN received reports of individuals from opposing communities threatening to attack members of other communities, their properties in Yaoundé, businesses in Douala and other parts of the country, while others have been inciting hatred and violence along ethnic lines, using derogatory language. The United Nations reiterates that all stakeholders must exercise restraint and ensure a peaceful process as Cameroonians await the final elections on October 22nd. The UN condemns all threats of violence or acts of intimidation and urges all actors to prevent risks to the electoral processes. The United Nations continues to follow the situation in Cameroon and expresses concern about increasing violence in the North-West and South-West regions." Compare to this, from Maurice Kamto: "information of the electoral results from the National Vote Counting Commission of the recent presidential election is currently circulating in the social media. According to this information, candidate Paul BIYA has won with an overwhelming victory. In reaction to this falsified victory, CRM and its coalition of political parties and other organisations built in support of the candidacy of Maurice KAMTO have categorically rejected these falsified results. These fake figures are originating from fabricated result shits of some fake observers who claimed to be of Transparency International, but were later on unmasked, as they were trying to convince the national and international public to accept. The coalition in this election continues to insist on the victory of Maurice KAMTO in relation to the original result shits of the polls at the end of the day of October 7, 2018. In addition, the coalition rejects all forms of violence the regime is struggling to attribute on the coalition. It wishes to inform the national and international public of the regime's acts in orchestrating provocation to trigger post-election violence and at the same time blaming it on the coalition. For example: 1) The questioning and hearing of some of our militants in various localities of the country by the security forces; 2) The intimidation of our militants and sympathizers by people who seem to belong to a militia in the neighbourhoods; 3) The incitement of ethnic hatred between communities by the use of tribalistic and ethnic slurs; 4) The spread of hate speech in the public and certain private media; 5) The arbitrary arrest and detention of Mr. Thierry OKALA EBODE, Deputy National Treasurer of the CRM, whose only fault is to have denounced a fraud that involved the usurpation of his identity by another voter; the latter haven been assisted by the president of the polling station is until now surprising protected; 6) The expulsion, manu militari, from polling stations of representatives of CRM in most of the three Northern regions - Adamaoua, North and Far North , as well as in the East and South Regions, and certain divisions in the Centre, West and South West Regions; 7) Permanent harassment of coalition members by the security forces. The coalition urges the people to remain vigilant and not to allow their victory to be stolen. The Coalition for the candidacy of Maurice KAMTO." On October 11 this US State Department statement, attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert: "The United States reiterates its neutrality with respect to Cameroonians’ right to choose their leader and calls for calm and the careful, non-partisan conclusion of the remaining phases of the vote tabulation process.  We appeal to all Cameroonians to exercise patience and avoid hate speech. We encourage Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) and the Constitutional Council to release results polling site by polling site to enhance transparency and citizens' confidence in the outcome.  Any disputes should be resolved peacefully and through established legal channels.  The United States remains a committed partner on electoral, political, economic, and human rights reforms in Cameroon." Biya has a new contract to lobby the US and "multilateral" organizations like the UN, where Guterres offered to help Biya's government and has banned Inner City Press from entering the UN in any capacity at all. Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric has not answered "October 9-1: On Cameroon, describe the UN's support to ELECAM and its communications, which have included the statement the voting went of “without a hitch” amid burning of homes by the government." More than a day later, no answer from Guterres' Spokesman Stephane Dujarric who on October 11 cut off a question as to why and on what basis Guterres banned Inner City Press from entering the UN in any capacity. Meanwhile he has not answered this: "October 11-1: On Cameroon, what is the SG's comment and actin on that at a hearing at the Yaounde Appeals Court today for the fifth time, Sissiku Ayuk Tabe and his fellow defendants -- refouled from Nigeria while the DSG was there -- were not present in court, despite a court order saying they should be there. “We have fears that if they cannot be brought even at the level of the court of appeal, then there is something wrong,” Mr Ndong said The next hearing comes up on 1 November and the lawyer said if the defendants are not physically present, then the government "should present certificates of life to show that they are alive”. Also, what is the SG's comment on Cameroon being set to be elected to the UN Human Rights Council tomorrow on a “clean” slate?" We'll have more on this. Now as Biya's state television has lied that Transparency International observed and approved the electoral process, the UN is silent and refuses to explain whether its support of ELECAM's communications included or encouraged this. Meanwhile, Biya's government has signed a new public relations and lobbying contract, with Glover Park Group for more than $600,000. The one-year contract went into effect Sept. 1. Either party upon receipt of 30 days' notice may terminate the contract. If the termination occurs before Feb. 28, Cameroon's embassy will pay the WPP Group unit all monthly fees and expenses through Feb. 28. The FARA filing says, "Registrant will provide government affairs and communications services and support to the Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon and related agencies with regard to its relations with the United States and relevant multilateral institutions" - more UN lobbying. On October 8, Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesman in writing (since it remains banned from noon "press" briefing, 97 days and counting), "On the Cameroon election, given the low turn out and state violence in the Anglophone areas what is the SG's comment and action?" See below. From the UK's Minister Harriett Baldwin, this: "UK concerned by reports of violence & casualties on polling day in Anglophone regions of #Cameroon & by how difficult it was for citizens to vote there. UK calls on all parties to follow proper procedures for tallying results, exercise restraint & avoid pre-empting the outcome." Call them crocodile tears, as the UK never called a UN Security Council meeting on Biya's slaughter in the area, and its FCO has yet to provide documents in response to Inner City Press' Freedom of Information request about the UK Mission's role in British UN official Alison Smale's ghoulish no due process ban for life of Inner City Press from the UN. See bus stop studio interview of October 8, here. Inside the UN, from which Inner City Press was banned for the 97th day, tor the second time in a week, the retired - from UK Reuters - correspondent, good friend of Guterres' Global Censor Alison Smale, who famously said "the Anglophones have been doing some shooting" asked a softball question in response to which this was read out and then emailed to Inner City Press, which publishes it in full: "Regarding the Cameroon election, we are saying the following: The UN is not mandated to observe the ongoing electoral process. Therefore, the Organization is not in a position to assess the conduct of the election.The UN in Cameroon played a technical advisory role in the electoral process, supporting Cameroon’s electoral management body (ELECAM) in the areas of capacity building, strategic communication, civic and voter education.  The UN has advocated for and promoted the participation of women and youth, internally displaced persons and people with disabilities. It has worked with the National Communication Council (NCC), the media and political parties to prevent hate speech and promote the peaceful coverage of the election.We are concerned about reports of displacements, threats and violence that may have impacted participation in some parts of the North-West and South-West regions. We condemn all forms of incitement or acts of violence and intimidation by any group and reiterates the Secretary-General’s call for an inclusive dialogue process to address grievances and prevent the further escalation of violence. We also encourage the Government of Cameroon to grant unfettered access to human rights and humanitarian actors to all areas affected by violence." So the UN is supporting ELECAM in communcations such as this, from ELECAM's Essosse Erik, "With the exception of certain polling stations which functioned following a security plan in the Northwest and Southwest regions given the prevailing situation, voting operations as a whole were conducted hitch-free within the country and in the diaspoara. It was peaceful." Will Guterres echo this? Essosse Erik added, "Rendez-vous latest 22 October 2018 for the proclamation of the final result." For now the award for most colonial media coverage for now goes to Reuters, whose Edward McAllister blames the victims of Biya's crackdown for "draining the life" out of the areas Biya's army has burned. This is the same Reuters whose Stephen J. Adler was happy with Guterres banning Inner City Press from his "Press Freedom" event in the UN in late September, after his UN bureau chief  urged Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric to oust Inner City Press from the UN then got his leaked complaint removed from Google Search by (mis) using the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act. McAllister, who as Reuters West and Central Africacorrespondent has fewer than 2000 Twitter followers despite being on the platform since 2012 bemoans as he features a photo of a beach the loss for international tourists of the fight back. Biya could not have taken a more blame the victim line, nor even Guterres' Global Communicator and Censor Alison Smale, whose propaganda "UN News Centre" has issued a story about Cameroon which emphasizes Boko Haram and not Biya's killings in the Anglophone zones. Her DPI's most recent or relevant Cameroon stories are about Bakassi - and all the way back to Kofi Annan - who as we've noted, never had roughed up much less banned for 95+ days the media criticized him. Guterres and Biya: birds of a feather. And Issa Chiroma Bakary and Smale... Meanwhile Biya's spokesman Issa Chiroma Bakary has been filmed saying that "President Biya has already won an overwhelming victory" -- before the October 7 voting has even began. Video from Garoua here. What will the distracted, many say bought off UN of Guterres say or do? Bakary's also ghoulish statement follows the one of October 4 from the Deputy Spokesman of Guterres (who remained silent for at least a year on the slaughter of Anglophones, and according to the government offered to help them not be criticized in "Anglo-Saxon" press, one of which he's banned) -- "Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the presidential election in Cameroon As Cameroon prepares for presidential elections on 7 October, the Secretary-General encourages all Cameroonians to exercise their democratic right and calls for a peaceful, credible and inclusive process. The Secretary-General calls on all stakeholders to exercise restraint before, during and after the election. He also urges all candidates to address any complaints related to the electoral process through established legal and constitutional channels. The Secretary-General condemns all threats of violence or acts of intimidation by any group and reiterates that all grievances should be addressed through an inclusive dialogue. The United Nations stands ready to provide support in this regard. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, New York, 4 October 2018." We'll have more on this. How can the UN view Biya's repeatcandidates as under control when as reported "Candidates for the office of President of the Republic... have to show proof of having resided in Cameroon for an uninterrupted period of at least 12 (twelve) months." How many of these months was Biya in Geneva? Meanwhile he returned to give a gift to Japan's outgoing Ambassador to YaoundeKunio Okamura: "a special gift to the Japanese Diplomat – as a symbol of the hospitality of the Cameroonian people, and the win-win relationship existing between Yaounde and Tokyo. H.E. Kunio Okamura will be remembered for fast-tracking the road projects along the Yaounde-Brazzaville corridor and that linking Cameroon to Chad."On Guterres' Dieng, given that what control exists is the product of state violence by 36 year ruler Paul Biya, Inner City Press banned from the UN after asking Guterres about his silence immediately published a story with Guterres adviser Dieng's troubling "under control" quote. And now BBC has edited or disappeared Dieng's "under control" line out from his response in a longer piece for Africa Today. Audio answer here from Minute 7. Why is BBC burying its own news to make the UN of Guterres and Dieng look better? Perhaps relatedly, with Inner City Press' physical ouster from the UN and banning since having been covered by the UK Independent, Fox, the Columbia JounralismReview, then CNN and Politico, BuzzFeed then The Hill, and the New York Post (two-pager), among others, why has not a word about it been on BBC, which previously had Inner City Press on, for example here, as a guest? Too close to the UN? We've asked their correspondent on the sidewalk in front of the UN, to which we are for not confined to ask our questions. We'll have more on this. Dieng'sbelated and some say cynical call for an independent investigation of what he characterizes as "violence on both sides" with an emphasis on what he calls "separatists" is a continuation of a pro-Biya line adopted by Guterres since he took office, or since Cameroon took the chair of the UN Budget Committee. The BBC did not ask Dieng about this, nor about the UK's role including that of Ministers Harriett Baldwin and Alistair Burt and Minister Liam Fox bragged about UK-based New Age's natural gas contract with UK-based New Age. Guterres has had Inner City Press roughed up and banned from the UN as it asked him about this, including photo-journalism on him and Dieng, here, now prevented since 3 July 2018. Continuing its reporting from the sidewalk in front of the UN as it will until these policies and the ban are reversed, Inner City Press questioned Dieng who insisted that "separatists must not be encouraged." Video here. Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric on September 28 insisted the ban is not about Inner City Press' reporting or questions on Cameroon, Guterres' conflicts of interest and corruption, but "behavior" - while claiming to be answered Inner City Press' questions (largely false so far) and that the ban is not for life, while providing no road map to end it and resume UNcensored reporting. Video here. On October 1 in lieu of being able to attend the less than 20 minute noon briefing, Inner City Press asked: "October 1-1: On Cameroon, beyond the unanswered questions below, what is the SG's comment and action on the curfew imposed in Anglophone areas in the run-up to the October 7 elections? Again, what if any is the UN's role in those elections?" Later in the day this arrived from UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply and we publish it in full: "Your question on Cameroon: We remain concerned about the situation in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon and the impact that the violence is having on the civilian population. We urge all parties to fully respect international humanitarian and human rights law, guarantee the protection of civilians and facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access to the North-West and South-West regions. The United Nations remains available to work with the Cameroonian authorities in their efforts to find a peaceful resolution of the crisis." So no role in the elections? And what about the many other specific questions?  As the Cameroon government of 36 year President Paul Biya slaughters civilians in the Anglophone regions as well as in the North, it re-engaged Washington lobbying firm Squire Patton Boggsand Mercury Public Affairs, documents show. The UN belatedly acknowledged to Inner City Press, which UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had roughed up on July 3 right after it spoke to Cameroon's Ambassador Tommo Monthe and on August 17declared banned for life from entering the UN that Guterres met with a Cameroon delegation on July 11. And they discussed, disturbingly, strategies to reduce negative coverage of Biya's killings, see below. Guterres' team is now refusing to answer basic questions from Inner City Press, such as on September 27, a day on which the briefing Inner City Press was banned from put only one question to spokesman Stephane Dujarric, Inner City Press submitted more in writing including "September 27-1: On Cameroon, beyond the unanswered questions below, what is the SG's comment and action on the multiple reports of seven young men just assassinated by the government in Buea?" The question has not been answered, despite Dujarric receiving only one other questions. Inner City Press has also asked: "September 24-1: On Cameroon, many in the country are expressing concern and some asking Inner City Press about UN vehicles recently photographed arriving in the port of Doula. Please immediately state UN's knowledge and explanation of these vehicles. Also, including because Cameroon was not mentioned in SG's AU read-out, please inform Inner City Press if and when the situation in North-West or South-West Cameroon comes up in any of the SG's meeting this week." Two days later, no answer - Guterres' silence and censorship continues. The next day Inner City Press asked this, also UNanswered a day later: "September 25-1: On Cameroon, beyond the UNanswered questions below, please state the UN's role(s) in the October 7 elections, and the SG's comment and action on doubts about voting and counting in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions." Instead Guterres is doubling down on censoring, rebuffing even one of his own Special Representatives who urged him to stop banning Inner City Press - instead, even from an UNGA event on slavery and banks to which Inner City Press' RSVP had been accepted by a Mission and UNU, Guterres banned Inner City Press and his Deputy Amina J. Mohammed, when her office was called and written to, did nothing. Now an event on "UN human rights" - an oxymoron - looms, with no response from elsewhere in Guterres' network of censorship. This is corruption. Now Biya's government is raising the specter of Anglophones, or as the UN of Guterres seems to say, secessionists, in the capital Yaounde. A crackdown is foretold in the neighborhoods of Obili, Biyem-Assi, Etoug-ebe. Photo here. And the UN says nothing, refusing to answer even the simplest of questions from Inner City Press which Guterres had roughed up and banned from the UN for 80 days now, on September 21 to be prevented from questioning Geoffrey Onyeama the foreign minister of Nigeria which engaged in the illegal refoulement Guterres supposedly cared about, for 47 including Ayuk Tabe. For now, here were Inner City Press' questions, and his answers, last UNGA High Level week before Guterres got even worse than he was then. On September 19 in a briefing Inner City Press was prohibited from attending, Guterres' special adviser on the prevention of genocide Adama Dieng said, as to Cameroon, that nothing must be done to encourage secession - a position that while Guterres' goes beyond what is supposed to be Dieng's focus, preventing the killing of people based on ethnicity or, here, language. As luck would have it, Inner City Press while conducting its daily sidewalk interviews at the UN Delegates' Entrance gate on September 20 asked Dieng why he'd done beyond his mandate. He said that he wants to visit the country.Video here. Then, still in the morning, Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who USG Alison Smale said would be answering writting questions, this: "September 20-3: On Cameroon, please confirm that the SG's adviser Dieng is seeking to visit the country and explain both how it is within his mandate to speak, as he did yesterday in the briefing like today's by the SG I am banned from, in opposition to any encouragement of secession and how the SG thinks this position is a legitimate one for the UN and separately how it could play a role if it has already said what the outcome should be." Six hours later, nothing at all. Guterres' UN is corrupt.  Now in North-West Region travel restrictions have been imposed - in fact, one can't leave without saying exactly where one is going. Photo here. It was impossible for Inner City Press to get any comment from the UN of Guterres, since he has banned Inner City Press from the building for 77 days now, and his spokesman Stephane Dujarric has not been answering any written questions, including about sexual abuse by a Cameroon Army "peacekeeper" in the Central African Republic, here.A campaign to gain the release of imprisoned and increasingly sick journalist Thomas Awah is being ignored by the authorities. In Ekonain South-West Region Cameroon's government has engaged in what's become their trademark abuse, the killing at point blank range of civilians, in this case Bezeng Jonas and his sons, one of whom was attending University of Buea. Where are the "positive steps" the UK Mission's Karen Pierce asserted this week to Inner City Press across the street from the UN, from which British USG Alison Smale hasbanned Inner City Press for 66 days with assists?  Things havereportedly reached the point that in Lebialem Division in the South West region officials have de facto separated the country by instituting an ‘Access Card’ from locals fleeing insecurity in the division. Oneneeds to pay FCFA 20, 000 for the 'Laissez passer' to cross over." After Guterres did nothing, in order to try to get Cameroon's support as chair of UN Budget Committee, and after again refusing Inner City Press' questions on August 31, video here, is now in China which is arming Biya. Now with Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric cutting off question and saying Guterres' ban of Inner City Press is "settled" and that it cannot enter to cover the General Assembly high level week where last year Guterres greeted Paul Biya, Guterres is headed to China September 1-4. And here's from China state media: "In March, Cameroonian President Paul Biya was the first African leader to visit China this year. It was the sixth trip to China by the president. Fruitful deals from FOCAC Beijing summit can significantly revamp the country's economy," Mpoche said. "That is why, I think the Belt and Road Initiative is laudable." According to the Cartel of Cameroon Entrepreneurs, known in its French acronym as GICAM, close to 100 Cameroonian businessmen will visit China on the sidelines of the Beijing summit, scheduled for early September. The businessmen traveling to China intend to seize the opportunity and sign deals with Chinese private companies to "boost our cooperation and create more jobs for the youths back home," said Magloire, the rapporteur at Cameroon's Ministry of Economy and Finance."  The article makes no mention of Southern Cameroons and Biya's killings - nor, apparently, will Guterres. We'll have more on this.Here are questions Guterres and his spokesman, contrary to the promise of evicter Alison Smale, has left UNanswered: "August 27-6: August 22-3: On Cameroon, your belated July 11 read out does not answer the questions Inner City Press has asked. Before asking more, there are now broken out by letter for ease of reference and for belated answer today, as well as this: was DSG Mohammed present at the July 11 meeting? And what is the SG's response to what was said about him in the demonstration by Anglophone Cameroonians in Washington yesterday? How does he respond to their charges of corruption? a) Cameroon has hired Mercury Public Affairs for $100,000 a month, even as the UN is paying money to the government. Is UN money being used for the mass killing cover up campaign? Are there any safeguards in place? b) please disclose any and all other meeings the SG has had this year arranged by paid lobbyists. [responded to Aug 22, but see (d) below: c) what is the SG's comment on the recent announcement of seven arrests for summary executions, and the newer video of Cameroon Army executions that has emerged? d) Specifically, how are these videos being incorporated into the supposed vetting of Cameroon's contributions to UN Peacekeeping missions? e) please provide a list and read-out of each of the Secretary General's meetings and communications with Cameroon Ambassador Tommo Monthe during Monthe's time as chair of the Fifth (Budget) Committee. [semi-answered Aug 22 f) In light of statements at the August 8 noon briefing please state whether envoy Fall even requested to meet with President Paul Biya or whether the UN believes that Biya is once again out of the country, in Geneva. Has the UN ever met with Biya in Geneva? ] g) I reiterate August 7-1 and 8-1 and 9-1, on this: was the SG or anyone else in the UN aware that this Biya delegation's lobbying trip was stage managed by the DC-based lobbying firm Patton Boggs? Why was this meeting not disclosed at the time? Why is there no photo, even just UN Photo, of it? Where did it take place? Who attended, on each side? h)Has the Secretariat communicated since with the Biya government? Has it ever communicated with the opposition?"  On August 26, in Nigeria those Anglophones displaced by Biya's killings, covered up and support by Antonio "Mr. Refugees" Guterres simply so he could try to get Cameroon Ambassador Tommo Monthe's support for his power grab reform proposals, are called "invaders." But still when they are interviewed some truth emerges: "one of the refugee, Polycarp Ande who fled from Furawa Sub-division into Fikyu village alleged that Cameroonian soldiers led the ethnic cleansing of their people. According to him, hunger, elusive health care, lack of shelter and idleness were major challenges, which he noted has in turn had ripple effect on their host community, who are predominantly low scale farmers. He explained that the villagers and churches has been feeding them, and expressed worry over their increasing numbers amidst meager resources. “Some of our brothers who went back to see how the situation was in our villages keep running back as the onslaught is still going on. ” As at last Saturday, over 15 of our people came into Kpambo-piri in Ussa and more people keep coming into Nigeria every week. “Our children are the most affected because they can’t go to school and we want the government of Nigeria and the world to come to our aid." Inner City Press is inquiring with legislators in the area and others - watch this site.  On August 22, in response to detailed questions about what Guterres knew - including about Cameroon which receivedthe public's funds through the UN paying Patton Boggs and now Mercury Public Affairs, see below - his spokesman Stephane Dujarricsent Inner City Press, whom he has played his role in banning for life, this which we publish in full: "On Cameroon: On new video released on alleged human rights abuses in Cameroon: We are aware of the new video released on social media concerning alleged human rights violations in the country and remain deeply concerned over the continued violence. We are encouraged that the Government has pledged to carry out a thorough investigation into these incidents and to publish the results. We continue to ask the Government to grant unimpeded access to the UN human rights bodies. We further reiterate the need to lift all restrictions on humanitarian access to the North-West and South-West regions. On SRSG Fall’s visit to Cameroon and upcoming elections: With regard to SRSG Fall’s recent visit to Yaoundé from 4 to 9 August, as mentioned earlier, he met with the Prime Minister, the Minister of External Relations, the Minister for Territorial Administration, the President of the National Commission for the Promotion of Multiculturalism and Bilingualism, and the Director-General of Cameroon’s electoral management body, ELECAM, as well as the Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon, among others. In his meetings with the authorities, he discussed the situation in the country in the lead-up to the 7 October presidential election, as well as humanitarian assistance to those in urgent need. Meanwhile, the UN continues capacity-building activities, as well as voter education targeting the media and civil society in close cooperation with ELECAM ahead of the elections, and will continue to closely monitor the situation." The UN's no due process "investigation" of Inner City Press with the outcome pre-determined puts the first response into context, as does the government memodescribing Guterres that the UN won't respond to. And UN "capacity building" for Biya's latest ghoulish "election"? We aim to have more on this. Watch this site.   Guterres' Global Communicator Alison Smale's August 17 letter banning Inner City Press, on which she took 45 days to try to phrase censorship in terms of "professionalism," states that Inner City Press' questioning broadcasts on Periscope, for then 45 days at the gate outside the UN, are derogatory and even somehow dangerous.Dangerous to the cover up of Biya's killings, perhaps, and those who play a role in it. Relatedly, Google's YouTube de-monetized Inner City Press' video of questioning Guterres' Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq about Cameroon's lobbying contracts, saying the video was not appropriate for all advertisers. While that YouTube phrasing, even if accurate, would not justify a ban on Inner City Press, it is significant that after Inner City Press submitted to YouTube an appeal -- something Guterres' Kafkaesque UN does not allow for journalists -- the demonetization has been reversed: "Hi Inner City Press, Great news! After manually reviewing your video, we’ve determined that it is suitable for all advertisers: "Cameroon Leak Showed UN Guterres Offered Biya Help In Combating Bad Press He Banned No Answers" Thanks, The YouTube team."  So the coverage that UK national Alison Smale unilaterally asserts is so derogatory and dangerous as to be part of her Orwellian justification of a lifetime ban of Inner City Press is found by a party not named, as Smale is, in the video to be "suitable for all adversers." You can see it here. -- it already has 2000 views, more that the entire audience of some of those "professional" correspondents to whom Guterres and Smale give UN offices and full access. Alison Smale, and Guterres, are censors pure and simple, particularly onGuterres' shameful role in Cameroon. In a single sentence, Guterres stayed quiet on and helped cover up Paul Biya's killings of Anglophones in Cameroon because Guterres wanted the bureaucratic support of Cameroon's Ambassador Tommo Monthe, the chair of the UN Budget Committee, for his proposal some of which didn't even get enacted. Shameful, as is the lifetime ban. We'llhave more, much more, on this.

[thisdaynews]

Breaking News: IPOB reacts to Buhari’s claim of Nigeria army being soft on Igbo during Civil War

New Post has been published on https://www.thisdaynews.net/2018/06/07/breaking-news-ipob-reacts-to-buharis-claim-of-nigeria-army-being-soft-on-igbo-during-civil-war/

Breaking News: IPOB reacts to Buhari’s claim of Nigeria army being soft on Igbo during Civil War

The Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, has reacted to the claim by President Muhammadu Buhari where he was quoted as saying that Nigerian Army was soft on Biafra during the 1966 Civil War.

President Buhari had during a meeting with the Red Cross Society at the presidential villa said that the Nigerian Army was soft on Biafrans during the Civil War.

IPOB said the President’s statement was not only lies and strange but ”full of contradictions in the face of quantum evidence to the contrary chronicled by independent observers of the war time atrocities committed by the Nigerian forces against innocent Biafran civilians.”

IPOB’s statement was entitled “Civil War: Why Nigerian Army wasn’t hard on Biafrans. A Rejoinder, by the IPOB Central Command of the Directorate of States, signed and made available to reporters on Tuesday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful .

The statement added, “President Buhari’s comment was not only full of false and strange, but contradictory in the face of quantum evidence to the contrary, chronicled by independent observers of the war time atrocities committed by the Nigerian armed forces against innocent Biafran civilians.

“It is also a self-contradictory statement from what he had told National Youth Corp members in his house in Daura, Katsina State.”

According to the pro-Biafra group, “to better understand the Nigerian Army atrocities during the war against Biafrans, one needs to trace back to 1945 and then 1953 when the Hausa-Fulani political leadership in Northern Nigeria planned and executed two premeditated pogroms on Biafran immigrant populations in Jos and Kano in an unpatriotic and envy-driven opposition to the leading role Biafrans played in the struggle for Nigeria’s independence from Britain.”

IPOB recalled that vast numbers of Easterners, not just Igbos, were murdered on those occasions and their properties looted or destroyed, adding that neither in Kano nor Jos did the colonial regime apprehend or prosecute anyone for these massacres and destruction.

It added that “The perpetrators, who subsequently seized power in 1966 on the blood of their fellow officers of Eastern extraction, continued their bloodletting that directly led to the war. And when the war came, Gowon deceptively labelled it a police action, but what went on underneath was a genocide of epic proportions.

“There were extensive coverage of the genocide in the international media throughout its duration. According to accounts, Buhari committed grave genocidal atrocities of his own in the theatres where he participated or commanded, namely the battles for Nsukka, Abagana and Nkpor Junction, where he had held command positions. This is subject of an ongoing suit filed at the ICC by IPOB.”

IPOB further stated that, “during the battles for these sectors, Buhari’s officers and men torched entire villages and massacred the civilians that could not be evacuated before the enemy arrived. These included children, the sick, infirm and elderly. At the conclusion of the massacres, the soldiers began their macabre dance of jubilation and Buhari was said to have told them that ‘Nnewi is next. Yes-‘next’ -as in the next massacre.

“It was on the heels and ashes of these genocide that the General Gowon had, during the war, boasted publicly that his men had killed three million Biafrans.

“But given that the numerical strength of the entire Biafran armed forces hovered around 50,000 men, one can only concluded that the three million slaughtered were hapless Biafran civilians.

“Such atrocities are the reason why history of the Nigerian Biafra war was hurriedlremoved from school curriculum. “Apart from Buhari, there were other self-confessed butchers of Biafrans.

“One is Benjamin Adekunle, described then as a notoriously gruesome commander of Nigerian forces who had no qualms in boasting about the goal of his horrendous mission to exterminate Biafrans.

“He stated during his August 1968 press conference, attended by journalists including those from the international media that, ‘We shoot at everything that moves, and when our forces march into the center of Igbo territory, we shoot at everything, even at things that do not move.

“True to his e and type, Adekunle duly carried through his threat with clinical precision both on his ‘everything that moves’- targeting, especially Southern Igboland where his forces slaughtered hundreds of thousands, and on the ‘things that do not move’-assault category. Adekunle’s infamous destruction of the famed Biafran economic and social infrastructure was indescribably barbaric.

“In July 1968, the British mission in Nigeria estimated that 200-300 Biafrans were dying every day. However, these estimates were based on numbers reported by the Nigerian government, as the British did not have access to the Biafran enclaves.

“Two months later, during the height of the crisis, the International Committee of the Red Cross, which traversed Biafra during the war estimated 8,000 and 10,000 deaths per day.”

“It obtained these figures based on random samples of death rates in villages, refugee camps and hospitals across Biafra, and it cautioned that the estimates were likely to be conservative.

“According to credible reports, Nigerian troops entered Asaba and began ransacking houses and killing civilians, claiming they were Biafran sympathizers. Reports demonstrates and have it that several hundreds were killed individually and in groups at various locations in the town.

“Later, community leaders summoned the townspeople to assemble on the morning of October 7, 1967 hoping to end the violence through a show of support for ‘One Nigeria.’ Hundreds of men, women, and children, many wearing the ceremonial Akwa ocha (white cloth) attire paraded along the main street, singing, dancing, and chanting “One Nigeria.

“At a junction, men and teenage boys were separated from women and young children, and gathered in an open square at Ogbe-Osowa village. Then Nigerian troops, under the command of Murtala Mohammed and Ibrahim Taiwo, gave orders to machine gun “everybody”.

“It was reliably estimated that more than 700 men and boys were killed, some as young as 12 years old, in addition to many more killed in the preceding days.

“Bodies of some victims were retrieved by family members and buried at home. But most were buried in mass graves without appropriate ceremony.

“Many extended families lost dozens of men and boys. Federal troops occupied Asaba for many months, during which most of the towns were ravaged, many women and girls were raped or forcibly “married,” and large numbers of citizens fled and never returned until the war ended.”

#Army #Biafra #Buhari’s #Civil War #claim #IPOB #reacts #soft

[mayubeku]

Special Report on Delta State Media Tour: Delta State Leather Works and Shoes Factory, Issele-Uku, Aniocha North LGA

Though I am still putting together the comprehensive report of my Media Tour in Delta State, this aspect I carve out of the general report for me is the most interesting finding in my tour because of its direct effect on job creation and benefit to the youths and the unemployed – The Leather Factory, Accelerate Delta Innovations. In September 2012, Jesse Ojobor, a Deltan and International Development Expert working with the United nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) HQ in Vienna Austria, conceptualized and designed the master plan for the establishment of the “Delta State Leather Works and Shoes Factory in line with UNIDO’s mandate and presented it to the then government of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan Government through the then Commissioner of Poverty Alleviation. It was then presented at the Executive Council and decision made in November 2012. Interestingly, the government bought the idea and in collaboration with UNIDO as a specialized UN agency for industrial development, executed the project fully funded by the Delta state government. 25th May, 2015, the leather goods production and training center was commissioned and with over 15 artisans specialized in the production leather goods and footwear earlier trained in one of the prestigious footwear academy in Milan, Italy (in 2014). Though the leather goods production and training center (factory) at one point had some challenges, my visit to the site today as strongly recommended by Jesse Ojobor who was quite worried to know if the project is yielding its expected results proved the factory is still being run by the present government of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and very functional. JUST walk in as an indigene of Delta state and you would be trained on shoe, bags, belts etc manufacturing. The leather goods production and training center is along the Benin-Asaba Express Way, by Issele-Uku Junction which has the potentials to train up to 10,000 prospective individuals in a year. Technical training sessions are being offered in modules and delivered by renowned experts with vast knowledge and competences in footwear and leather goods production. The most interesting discovery is, while you are being trained, you are also being paid some stipend for attending. This is quite impressive. Unfortunately, how many Deltans know such factory exist? How many young people in my village know this place exist? Do you also know that you can be trained on Akwa-Ocha textile production? Do you know that Akwa-Ocha textiles were presented to Giorgio Amani who had shown interests in using the product in as part of their apparels? Now let me say this… Rather than make post on such projects to bring to our attention to programmes that are directly beneficial to our people especially the youths that are mostly online, do you know Governor Okowa SA on New Media, Dantes Odogwu is busy posting awards won by Governor Okowa on his timeline? Go to his TL and see for yourself. Abeg who award(s) epp? Government at various levels spends millions and billions on projects but our poor maintenance culture and underutilization of such projects do not allow these projects to see the light of the day. In conclusion, dear Deltans, take advantage of the leather factory. You can send your children there during long holidays to help them learn some skills and earn money at the same time. If you are unemployed, take advantage of the training as well to acquire some new skills. The other findings of the tour would be published tomorrow. Who do well, I go commend am. Who no do well, I go call am out. God bless Delta State. God bless Nigeria https://mayubeku.com/2018/02/23/special-report-on-delta-media-tour-delta-state-leather-works-and-shoes-factory-issele-uku-aniocha-north-lga/

[musicalng-blog]

Okowa assures local fabric producers of support to meet market demands DELTA State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has assured makers of local fabric popularly called Akwa-Ocha of his administration’s support to enable them meet with market demands.

#LYK

[okwuid]

Commonly Seen Materials Used For Igbo Cultural Attire

Commonly Seen Materials Used For Igbo Cultural Attire

In this article we’re taking a brief look at some materials often used for Igbo cultural attire.  Akwete: Traditional Igbo weaving uses sisal, hemp, raffia, cotton, and other fibres. Akwete in Abia is famous for its use of these fibres to create a fabric called ‘Akwete’ (named after the town it’s produced in). Isi Agu: Isi Agu, which literally translates to “lion head,” is a traditional…

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#akwa ocha #akwete cloth #arochukwu george #bridal george #Igbo cloth #Igbo materials #Igbo traditional materials #Intorica George #isi agu #plain george #ukara cloth

[crimechannels]

By • Olalekan Fagbade How I raised money for my project, final clearance’ female Student opens up Asuspected sex worker had confessed resorting to prostitution business over lack of money to complete her academic studies. The suspect, Esther John from Akwa-Ibom State, was among the 20 suspects arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State by Operatives of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (OCHA) Brigade. She claimed she was in her final year when she was introduced to the business, adding that she planned using the proceeds to complete her school clearance and project work. “I’ve been struggling to complete my studies due to financial constraints. I was looking for money to complete school clearance and project when a friend introduced me to the business,” she said. When asked if she was aware of various government empowerment programmes in the State, she simply replied, “I don’t know. I’ve only spent a few days in the state.” Others who spoke to reporters, also confessed to the crime, saying they were arrested in their places of hustling. One of them who identified herself as Helen Ibeh, from Abia State said she resorted to sex work as a result of hardship and as means of supporting her family. Insedo Inshewuba, a native of Benue state, who identified herself as an orphan, said she fed herself and her younger sister from the job. Parading the suspects at the Brigade headquarters in Awka, Managing Director of OCHA Brigade, Mr Celestine Anere said the suspects were nabbed in Ochanja, Onitsha South Local Government Area of the state. He said the arrest was part of the operation launched against social miscreants, adding that the suspects were being profiled and would be charged after investigations. Reacting, Secretary-General, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone F, Comrade Ifeyinwa Felix expressed shock and disappointment over the activities of the young girls and advised them to engage in legitimate sources of livelihood.

[baykoms-blog]

Okowa assures local fabric producers of support to meet market demands

Okowa assures local fabric producers of support to meet market demands

Okowa assures local fabric producers of support to meet market demands DELTA State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has assured makers of local fabric popularly called Akwa-Ocha of his administration’s support to enable them meet with market demands. The Governor gave the assurance on Tuesday at the graduation ceremony of the 2017 Akwa-Ocha Trainees, at the Delta State Leather Works/Shoe…

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#Ibilenews

[meetiulfata-blog1]

Nigerian Designer Maki Oh

http://www.makioh.com/#“Nigerian Designer Maki Oh, I think however, is the most exemplary of  Culture appreciation and harveing inspiration. The British trained Nigerian born designer is completely and entirely inspired by herhome country. A trait that I personally identify with. In every collection she hand-dyes all of  her fabrics with natural indigo leaves and paints on prints with a cassava plant paste, a traditional Nigerian practiccalled ‘Adire’.  When asked why, she said “We used Adire because we believe in ethical sustainable practices, and more importantly, we believe in keeping our cultural heritage alive," Oh explains. "Adire is a beautiful art, but it is also a dying art.” The designer Maki Oh is one who uses culture and its appreciation as a tool to initiate cross cultural communication allowing for learning and understanding from and about each other, the right way.”

BY  CHISOM OGUNDU

Maki Oh aw 2015

Maki Oh's Autumn Winter 15\16 collection explores the idea of adopted identities as result of West Africa?s long history with cultural appropriation. It is an idea that has spun through all Maki Oh collections. Dutch Wax lends itself as the starting point of this research.

As an advocate for all things truly African, Maki Oh uses true African textiles like Adire, Aso-oke, Akwa Ocha, Oja and more to continue to illustrate to the world (and Africans) that we have desirable, couture quality local textiles. Ankara fabric (Dutch Wax) does not have it's origins in Africa. It is imported from Holland, India, Turkey, China and even England. But the world, and even some Africans think this fabric is African. Holland?s Vlisco?s

Current website proudly states ?Vlisco has been romancing the men and women of Central and West Africa for almost 170 years and has been embraced as the very fabric of life in many societies.

This season, Maki Oh dissects the fascination and perception of these fabrics as African, along with other concepts that have been imported from other continents and have found home in West Africa. The idea of the African mermaid, Mami Wata is of particular interest, as it originated from a photograph of a Samoan snake charmer that appeared on the coasts of Nigeria in 1887. This image of a beautiful, long-haired woman holding a snake captured the imagination of some West African indigenes who then projected meaning and symbolism onto the photograph, forming a powerful cultural myth around it. This is how simply and astonishingly the idea of Mami Wata was formed.

This total adoption of foreign ideas inspires the silhouettes, prints and embellishments in the AW15/16 collection, which is packed with hidden meanings in the same vein as traditional Nigerian attire. A traditional adire print ?Omi?, (water) covers a dress with a fish-like fin, mirrored-fishes swim across dense cotton trousers, an iridescent fin swims down the sleeve of a silk blouse, a floral Guipure lace skirt which symbolizes her beauty, is backed with a mirrored glitter cotton canvas and a silk crepe dress is flanked by ekpaku ubok (an Ibibio arm band used during a traditional fertility dance)

The colour palette - white, blue green, marine blue, mirror silver, sand and black is found in both, the original and adopted imagery and myths.

http://www.makioh.com/

#Culture #culture appreciation #nigerian designer #africanculture

[okwuid]

Who Are the Anioma?

Who Are the Anioma?

A brief look at the Anioma (Western Igbo/Delta Igbo) WHO ARE THE ANIOMA? The Anioma are a diverse group of Igbo speaking communities indigenous to the northern half of Delta State. The name “Anioma” is an acronym derived from the regions that make up the area: Aniocha (A), Ndokwa (N), Ika (I) and Oshimili (O). The last suffix “MA” gives it meaning in the Igbo language, in Igbo ‘ani oma’ means…

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#AKWA OCHA ANIOMA #ANIOMA #ANIOMA FACT FILE #ANIOMA HISTORY #EKUMEKU #FAMOUS ANIOMA PEOPLE #igbo fact file #IKA LANGUAGEUKWUANI LANGUAGE #NDOKWA #NIGERIAN HHISTORY #OMENALA IGBO #OSHIMILI #WESTERN IGBOLAND #WHO ARE THE ANIOMA