People & Culture

T. +234 (0) 80 98616325 E. china@acheru.com

20-year-old girl arranges own kidnap with boyfriend to get money for birthday bash

5/10/2017

Posted by Thandiubani

A young teenage girl and the boyfriend who planned her own kidnap so as to raise money for her birthday bash have been arrested by the police.

Afolabi Ogunremi and Tohebat Adebayo after they were arrested by the police

The Ogun state Police Command has arrested one Tohebat Adebayo for simulating own kidnap in conspiracy with her boyfriend, Afolabi Ogunremi ( 30), according to The Nation.

It was gathered that the 20-year-old girl staged her own abduction to raise N200, 000 and fund her forthcoming birthday bash.

On the day of the planned kidnap, she reportedly left home for Lafenwa market, Abeokuta, but never returned which prompted the parents to go searching for her and later reported the case at the Lafenwa Police Divisional Headquarters.

In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said that an unknown man called the parents to inform them on phone that their daughter has been kidnapped.

Abimbola added that the caller demanded the sum of N200, 000 as Ransom from the girl’s parents to effect release from the kidnappers.

“Based on the report by the parents, the Divisiobal Police Officer, kayode Ayilara, led detectives to an abandoned house inside the Government Reservation Area where the girl was being kept.

“The discovery led to the arrest of Adebayo who happened to be the security man in the house.

“On interrogation, Adebayo claimed to be the boyfriend of the girl and that they both planned to simulate her kidnap in order to raise money for her forthcoming Birthday from the parents,” Abimbola said.

According the Police Image Maker in the state, the commissioner of police, Ahmed iliyasu, has ordered that the case be transferred to the Command’s anti-kidnapping and cultists for further investigation.

Culled from www.tori.ng

Monkey pox virus spreads in Bayelsa: Doctor, 10 others infected

5/10/2017

The residents of Bayelsa State are currently living in fear as a new deadly epidemic known as "monkeypox" broke out in the state.

About 11 persons including a medical doctor, who have been infected with the virus, are said to have been quarantined at the in an isolation center at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri in the Yenagoa.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the epidemiological team are reportedly tracking 49 other persons who were said to have come in contact with the victims.

Confirming the epidemic, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu, said that samples of the virus had been sent to the World Health Organisation laboratory in Dakar, Senegal for confirmation.

Etebu described monkeypox as a viral illness caused by a group of viruses that include chicken pox and small pox.

He said the virus was first noticed in the Democratic Republic of Congo and later started breaking out in the West African region.

The commissioner added that the virus had the Central African and the West African types -"the West African type is milder and has no records of mortality", he said.

"Recently in Bayelsa State, we noticed a suspected outbreak of monkeypox. It has not been confirmed. We have sent samples to the World Health Organisation reference laboratory in Dakar, Senegal.

"When that comes out we will be sure that it is confirmed. But from all indications, it points towards it.

"As the name implies, the virus was first seen in monkey, but can also be found in all bush animals such as rats, squirrels and antelopes.

"The source is usually all animals. It was first seen in monkeys and that is why it is called monkeypox. But every bush animals such as rats, squirrels, antelopes are involved. So, the secretions from particularly dead animals are highly contagious."

He listed the symptoms of monkeypox as severe headache, fever, back pains amongst other symptoms, noting that most worrisome of all the signs were rashes bigger than those caused by chicken pox.

Ebetu said the rashes usually spread to the whole body of an infected person.

On the Bayelsa outbreak, he said, "We noticed the first index case from Agbura where somebody was purported to have killed and eaten a monkey and after that the people who are his neighbours and family members started developing the rashes.

"We have seen cases from as far as Biseni. We invited the NCDC together with our own epidemiological team from the Bayelsa Ministry of Health. We have been able to trace most of the people who have come in contact with the patients.

"So far, we have 10 patients and we have created an isolation centre at the NDUTH and most of them are on admission and we are following up the 49 cases that we are suspecting may come down with the illness. As a state we are taking care of all the expenses of all the isolated cases.

"The disease has an incubation period and it is also self-limiting in the sense that within two to four weeks, you get healed and it confers you with immunity for life.

"We have mobilised virtually every arsenal at our disposal in terms of sensitising the general public and making them aware by radio programmes, jingles and fliers. Also, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has mobilised fully to Bayelsa State. We are on top of the situation.

"The only thing I will tell the general public is to observe hand hygiene and ensure they don’t come in contact with dead animals and their secretions. The disease is airborne too. So, it is very infectious.

"People should wash their hands whenever they go in or come out of their houses. If they touch with animals, they should ensure that they wash their hands. They should be very vigilant. People should report any similar cases to the relevant authorities.

"A lot of people have come down with the symptoms but they are hiding in their houses. If they hide, there is the propensity for the infection to spread."

Etebu urged residents to be calm as personal protective equipment have been distributed to workers.

Nine Men Who Specialize in raping Church Members During Vigil Arrested in Enugu State

18/9/2017

Some suspected rapists have been arrested by policemen in Enugu after they were caught at midnight waiting to rape some female church members.

It is the end of the nine suspected rapists who specialize in targeting female church members in Enugu state after they were arrested by the police.

Speaking on the incident, the Spokesman of the command, Ebere Amaraizu, a Superintendent of Police on Sunday said that the arrest was made possible by a “well-co-ordinated intelligence information’’.

He said that policemen in Ozalla arrested the suspects during a night vigil in a church located at Akpasha community in Nkanu West Local Government Area.

He said that the suspects were rounded up at about 2 a.m. on Saturday.

Amaraizu said that the suspects often pretended to be worshippers in the church and would take advantage of any female worshipper going out to answer nature’s call “and wreck the havoc”

According to him, they forcefully have carnal knowledge of their victims.

“This nefarious act is done while service in the church is going on, and after the rape, they run away,’’ he said.

He said that the suspects were already regretting their actions, and were helping police in the investigation of the matter.

Culled from www.tori.ng

Xolomon Wuche brings free mobile library comes to Port Harcourt

31/7/2017

Xolomon Wuche

From Tuesday, the 2nd day of August until the end of the month, people who live in Port Harcourt will be able to read books without even paying for them.

This initiative called, the free mobile library is the brain child of Xolomon Wuche, who refers to himself as a Tech-preneur, Business Strategist and Development Social Entrepreneur.

In this enterprise, a bus loaded with books will move from one location to another, park and people can come in, pick a book and read. Some can even borrow books if they want to.

But why free mobile library?

Xolomon Wuche told Chinaacheru.com that as a kid growing up he did not have access to books because neither he nor his parents could buy them.

“I couldn’t buy books, my parents could not and there no library around where I grew up to borrow or read so it was hard to get books.

“I would practically go around town looking for adults that I could borrow from and it was difficult,” Wuche told Chinaacheru.com.

“It was also difficult getting text books for school as I could not afford them so I would borrow from friends during school hours and also go to the library to read.

“That is why I decided on this project because I believe there are kids out there who love to read but cannot afford them or even register in a library.”

He cited that he also believes there are families who cannot afford school books and that there are some who are through with school who may want to give out their books.

Has it been all rosy?

For a man who has put together lots of programs for corporate bodies before now, the idea of getting books together to be very difficult for him.

“People hardly wanted to support and funds for me are really low at this time.
“For example, I had planned to use a much bigger vehicle only for the owner to demand eighty percent down payment. I am in financial debt because of this, but I am still happy for what it will serve,” Wuche lamented.

But joy comes in the morning?

In spite of the difficulty, the free mobile library would eventually have books to give and that is down to the strategy employed.

“What I did was ask people to donate their old books they know they won’t be using and if they have no plans on opening a private library.”

And support came from a few organisations like the RISAA who gave permission for free, Digitplus, who printed out fliers and publicity materials for free too and PKO Technologies who gave out a communications phone for free as well.

“I would also love to thank the founder of Naijafoootball247.com and chinaacheru.com, Mr. China Acheru for using his radio contacts to get us on Nigeria Info FM, Garden City Radio and Rhythm FM in Port Harcourt. He was super helpful.

“A lot of friends gave their contributions here and there so it has been good generally,” Wuche said.

The free mobile library for everyone

Wuche and his team basically need three kinds of people which include the book owners to donate their books, the lover of books who has difficulty getting them and kids in school who cannot afford them.

“While the books owners are still expected to come forward and donate books, I want book lovers who don’t know where to get them to come over and see if they will love what we have. Then those like me who attended public schools and have no access to them should come and be part of this train.

“I am from Rivers State, have stayed in Lagos a bit and a constant visitor to Abuja. Now even though Port Harcourt defies market and project predictions, I think the people here will accept it.

“It is not a self-serving project and it not profit making either. I believe it will help change the mind of the people and the reading landscape of port-Harcourt.”

The idea was to start a free mobile library in Port Harcourt and then move over to, say, Bori, Omoku and other towns outside the state capital since the reading culture is presumably much lower outside the center of the state.

“We will even at some point take it outside Rivers State, our first targets being the Niger Delta areas,” he enthused.

“At the end of this one month, we intend to take whatever books that are left to orphanages. Most people who visit orphanages send food items and clothes, hardly books.

“It is great to send food to orphans but their minds need to be fed too and I want to use this opportunity to call on everyone who wants to support this cause to please get to us because we really need your support in any form.”

Xolomon Wuche, a restless idea-smith, as he describes himself runs an online tech company, www.privateschools.com.ng which is the auspices through which he is pushing FreeMobileLibrary.

You can reach Wuche via twitter on @XolomonW, and via telephone at +2348063997649

DELSU alumi pledge to partner with Rivers State

12/7/2017

Henry Orhojoma

Newly elected chairman of the Delta State University Alumni (DELSU), Port Harcourt Branch, Henry Orhojoma says graduates of the University living in Rivers state have contributed immensely to the development of the state.

He made this statement in his acceptance speech after being elected the pioneer chairman of the Port Harcourt branch of DELSU Alumni.

According to Orhojoma, DELSU graduates resident in the state will continue to do more to ensure the socio economic objectives of the Rivers State government are achieved.

The pioneer chairman pledged to run an all-inclusive government where all graduates of the institution resident in Port Harcourt will have a sense of belonging.

According to Orhojoma, “the newly elected executive is open to suggestions and we pledge to run an all-inclusive and transparent administration.”

The 2005 graduate of Physics of DELSU also expressed his gratitude on behalf of the newly elected executive.

“I want to say a big thank you to all for finding us worthy to lead this great association,” he said.

“I will do best with the help of my other executive members to see that this association is propelled to greater heights,” he pledged.

Other members of the Port Harcourt branch of DELSU Alumni include Mr Isaac Emunotor who was elected Vice Chairman; Ufuoma Egbamuno elected General Secretary and Ese Ubuara elected Treasurer.

Others are Akpos Onojete -Financial Secretary; Christopher Ottah – Assistant Secretary; Koyoyo Robinson – Social Director and Emi Japhet – Public Relations Officer.

DELSU Alumni Port Harcourt was formed in March 2017 while it was formally inaugurated on the 20th of May 2017 by the National President of the association Billy Onotue.

Members of Delsu Alumni in Port Harcourt

Philip Obaji Brings Human Rights Education to Vigilantes Fighting Boko Haram

22/12/2016

Obaji (right) stressing a point to members of thee CJTF during an introductory session on HRE in Maiduguri

Leaders and sector commanders of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), a group of loosely organized vigilantes fighting the Islamist group, Boko Haram, have been lectured on Human Rights Education (HRE) by activist, Philip Obaji.

Fifteen top members of the group including acting chairman, Bashehu Abdulganiyu and secretary, Babagana Usman, participated in an introductory session facilitated by Obaji in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria's north-eastern Borno state. A full training program for the same participants will be held in 2017.

“For today, we just wanted them to understand what Human Rights Education is about and the importance of building a culture of human right,” Obaji said. “Next year, there will be a full training program aimed at building their capacity to carryout effective human rights education within their group.”

Next year’s training program which will be facilitated by Obaji, will be based on the Learning Spiral model, which integrates both content and process through the use of a participatory approach. The model will provide participants with the opportunity to practice their skills in the learning context in order to apply them in action.

The emphasis throughout the Program will be on critical analysis, reflection, and practical application leading to the development of strategies for future action.

Obaji, who will be the program facilitator, is an alumnus of the International Centre for Human Rights Education (EQUITAS), Montreal, Canada. He is known for his activism for rights to education for children, especially in north-eastern Nigeria where a 7-year-old insurgency has led to the conscription and abuse of thousands of kids both by Boko Haram and the CJTF.

The 31-year-old author is the winner of the 2014 Future Awards Africa Prize in Education, and the 2015 Future Awards Africa Prize for Young Person of the Year. Early this year he was listed among 100 most influential Nigerians by internet newspaper, YNaija.

Obaji (with a green cap) in a group photograph with leaders and commanders of the CJTF

New device allows cows to text message their farmers that they're sick or pregnant

15/11/2016

WRITTEN BY

Ananya Bhattacharya

Soon, farmers won’t have to wait to take their cows to the cattle crush to see the vet. A text message will tell them what’s wrong.

An Austrian startup, SmaXtec, is placing connected sensors in cows’ stomachs to transmit health data over wifi.

The sensors, each the size of a hot dog, track minute-by-minute data about the temperature of the cow, the pH of her stomach, movement, and activity, and they identify when the animal is in heat.

They can predict whether or not a cow is pregnant with 95% accuracy, therefore letting farmers take advantage of increased milk production prior to calving.

When changes are monitored, the farm staff receives a text update.

The device, which has roughly four years of battery life, is inserted into the first of four stomachs through a cow’s throat using a metal rod and lodges in the rumen, Bloomberg reported.

It can be hard for humans to tell a cow is ill until there are visible signs of sickness, but the sensors can pick up and report changes even before there are physical symptoms.

“It’s easier, after all, to look at the situation from inside the cow than in the lab,” SmaXtec cofounder Stefan Rosenkranz told Bloomberg. The 24/7 monitoring may not be able to pinpoint the exact reason for bodily changes, but it can still help with earlier and more accurate detection of the onset of any illness.

Nearly 350 farms across two dozen countries are reportedly using this technology to monitor livestock.

Over the last six years, the devices have been implanted in 15,000 cows in Britain.
On its website, SmaXtec notes that covert measurement is safer and reduces the chances of losing a measurement device too.

The setup costs—$600 to set up the network and between $75 and $400 per cow—are incurred by the company or distributors, Bloomberg wrote.

Farmers incur a monthly charge of $10 per cow for the service.

SmaXtec sees a big opportunity for its sensors because of the “90 million cattle on dairy farms around the world,” but the opportunity may in fact be even bigger.

The Economist’s global cattle count places the cattle population at 1.4 billion.

www.qz.com

Why ikwerremen do not believe in signing autographs

24/10/2016

John Fashanu at Wimbledon in the 90s

China Acheru

In the early 90s, I was a student at the University of Port Harcourt and I visited Lagos on my own for the first time in my adult life.

I remember one of those long vacation holidays from school between 1991 and 1993… I’m not so sure which it was now, but I was in Lagos again to hang out with my friends from school.

I remember that trip very well as my childhood friend (from secondary school), Charles Campbell invited us over to spend the holidays at his bunk in Yaba.

We made that trip with another friend from secondary school, Tonye Briggs who had spent time in Lagos while in primary school before moving back to Port Harcourt for secondary school and university.

Now this story is funny, but true and I guess that is why Ikwerremen do not do autographs… anymore.

In one of our outings that summer, we visited the Lekki Beach and just hung around enjoying the scenery until we saw something that caught our attention aside the semi naked Lagos girls trying to prove to their mates, “I can get ‘naked-er’ than you”

That was the era of the Lekki Sunsplash musical fiesta that we had heard of from Port Harcourt but never had the chance to attend.

No, we still did not attend it that year but we visited Lekki beach anyway.

Well, we sighted Nigerian born English striker, John Fashanu cooling off after a hectic, though successful season for Wimbledon FC.

I will be very shocked if John Fashanu ever gets to read this story and remember it but it will be good to see the expression on his face when I tell him in person.

It was around the period he had his best ever at goal scoring run Wimbledon, ending with twenty goals to finish 2nd on the goal scorers’ chart in England.

But I digress as I usually do.

He was surrounded by a bevy of girls who committed everything from indecent exposure to “touching body” but we just sat back and waited for the crowd to clear… if it was ever going to clear out.

At some point some of the girls suggested that John Fashanu sign autographs on their body parts, from their butts to their breasts and arms, but we just watched on.

The ink he used to write on their chests, a little above their crotch, arms and cleavage would wash out eventually, but I was so sure those girls knew and wanted more than just the autographs.

When the crowd around him had cleared up a bit, we walked up to Fashanu and exchanged pleasantries with him but he apparently thought we were like the rest of the people around who came to associate with a “fine boy” so we cleared his doubts.

I immediately asked after Vinny Jones, his hard man team mate who got into quite a few fights in the league.

We also asked after Robbie Earle and some other team mates of his.

We didn’t just stop there, but we began to discuss with him some notable moments in the league that season, goals he scored, incidents on and off the pitch and by this time he knew we knew our football.

I remember asking him why Wimbledon FC was called the Crazy Gang, then I asked him why he did not play for Nigeria and I still remember the answer he gave me.

Cable TV was a rarity in Nigeria at the time and anyone who knew so much football must have really been a fan of the league and gone out of their way to follow it.

That was us and I’m sure we impressed Fashanu.

Fashanu soon “abandoned” his bevy of girls and focused on us and we had a nice time chatting with him.

When we were through, we decided to act like we had seen on TV and request for autographs from him.

He asked us where we wanted him to sign and I took out my wallet, got out a photo and he wrote on it, “I love you China, Fash The Bash”

My friends did same and we left the beach that day feeling on top of the world.

I couldn’t wait to get back to school for first semester of the new session and show my friends the autographed photo from John Fashanu.

And that’s why I stopped believing in autographs

I got back to school, The University of Port Harcourt and the first time we gathered, I told some of my friends that I met John Fashanu in Lagos.

“Lies!” one of them retorted. “You think you can just come here and lie to us?” he continued.

I protested that it was true and another one went, “So just because you went to Lagos you want to come and lie to us that you saw Fashanu? Bloody Liar!” he sounded pained.

I quickly brought out my wallet and showed him the picture with Fashanu’s message behind and he looked at me pitifully, not impressed at all that I wanted to scam him.

He took out a piece of paper and wrote on it, “I love you China, Fash the Bash” and showed it to me saying, “Is it not the same thing? How are we sure that you didn’t write this thing yourself and claim it was written by Fashanu? What’s the proof?

Truth be told, I had none. I didn’t bother to take a picture with him even though there were lots of photographers at the Lekki Beach.

I looked at this guy and hated him… but he was right. There is no way I could prove I was with John Fashanu and that was the day I told myself that the idea of superstars signing autographs was rubbish.

Pose for a photograph with the person and no one would doubt you.

Well, I don’t know if every ikwerreman has bought into this philosophy, but after reading this, you should.

The gallery below shows my substitute for autographs. This one is full proof. No one will doubt.

Victor Ezeji testimonial will be an avenue to showcase Rivers Culture

19/10/2016

Chairman of the Main Organising Committee, China Acheru chats with Tonye Briggs-Oniyide as Victor Ezeji looks on

The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Rivers State, Tonye Briggs- Oniyide says the tourism potentials of the state will be showcased during the Victor Ezeji Testimonial.

Nigerian league legend, Victor Ezeji ended his football career just recently after completing twenty years in the top flight league and Briggs- Oniyide described him as a fellow worth celebrating and his upcoming testimonial an event worthy of participation.

She added that the Rivers State cultural troupe would be part of the testimonial festivities scheduled to take place in Port Harcourt in December.

Briggs-Oniyide while receiving members of the Main Organizing Committee of the Victor Ezeji Testimonial in her office, acknowledged that such an event in honor of an athlete who had painted Rivers State in great colors, will attract a host of esteemed guests and would thus present an opportunity for the culture of Rivers people to be exhibited.

“As a ministry, I want to tell you Culture and Tourism is going to be part of this testimonial,” She promised.

“The cultural troupe of Rivers State is going to be part of this event.

“Definitely people are coming from everywhere, so it also a tourist event. We'll be having visitors from outside the country and outside the state, so we ought to showcase what our cultural heritage is all about.

“I don't know what the program is but we need to be in the know. We are going to liaise with you (MOC) so we know in whatever way you would like us to come in and by the grace of God we'll do our own bit.”

The commissioner went on to inform that she was a great lover of football.

She further revealed that not only had she played the sport up until her university days, but that she had been inspired by Victor Ezeji who lived in her neighborhood of whom she happened to have been a big fan and friend.

“I am a lover of football and Victor knows. I played football until my third year at the university. I also played for Larry's Angels under 13 team in Rivers State. Victor inspired me to play football.

“I want to say to Victor that whether I had seen his letter or not, I would have been part of this testimonial. Victor is somebody in Rivers State that we don't just need to wave aside.

And to Ezeji, she said,

“Victor I want to tell you I am proud of you and I'll always be proud of you.”

After twenty years of top flight action, Ezeji has called it quits with professional football.

He has however officially announced of recent, a testimonial match in which he is billed to say a final good bye and show appreciation to his fans.

The Ezeji Testimonial is scheduled for the 10th of December at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt.

South Korea wants citizens to have more sex

29/8/2016

by Evan Bartlett

Faced with an ageing population and one of the world's lowest birth rates, the South Korean government is urging its citizens to make more babies.

Among the "emergency measures" to enthuse its populace into starting, or growing, their family are financial support for couples seeking fertility treatment and extra paternity leave for parents welcoming a second child.

The Korea Herald reports that the measure were announced by the ministry of health and welfare following a 5.3 per cent drop in new born babies in the first five months of the year compared to the same time in 2015.

Health minister Chung Chin-youb said:

The government prepared such emergency measures with a desperate mind that we must exert all possible efforts to block the current low birth rate that continues to decline

But these still fall short of transforming the sense of defeat felt by youths into a sense of hope, or to console the working mums who shed tears during our policy debate.

The BBC reports that South Korea's birth rate has plummeted since the 1960s despite billions of pounds worth of government spending.

The government will spend up to £44m on the new measures, according to the Korea Times, although there are fears that state policy will not be able to over power a corporate culture seen as "family-unfriendly".

Culled from www.independent.co.uk