Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts

Sunday, May 03, 2009

20 Yr Old Naija-Londoner Faces Death Penalty



"Miss Orobator was born in Nigeria but lived in south London from the age of eight. Her father lives in Nigeria and her mother and three sisters live in Ireland."

"A pregnant British woman faces death by firing squad if she is convicted of smuggling drugs at a trial in Laos, campaigners have said.

Prosecutors claim Samantha Orobator, 20, was in possession of 1.5lb (680g) of heroin when she was arrested at Wattay airport in Laos in August."


Click here for the full story

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Chief Forest Whitaker & Chief Danny Glover of Imo State, Nigeria



April 6 was a really beautiful day. The people of Nkwerre village in Imo State, Eastern Nigeria might have thought they were just luckky to have a day as nice as this but the reason that day was all shiny and new was because a lost son had returned.

Forest Steven Whitaker,an Academy Award-, Golden Globe-, and Emmy-winning actor, producer, and director returned home to Nigeria.

I was the only journalist that got luckky to be right there as he was welcomed with fellow star, Danny Glover. Right there before my eyes, they were given prestigious chieftancy titles reserved for nobel and well respected men.

Whitaker, sorry chief Whitaker was given the title-"Nwannedinambe Of Nkwerre" meaning "A Brother in Foreign Land" while Chief Glover received the title- "Enyioma of Nkwerre," this means "A Good Friend."

It took me a while to believe I was actually there with world stars in a small village in Nigeria. I have not fully recovered.

I was really proud to be who I am when Chief Whitaker thanked the King for allowing him to breathe the air and feel the wind in a different way. To feel his blood differently. I was moved to tears and filled with mixed emotions when he said "Now I know where I stand, it is the greatest gift anyone can receive."

Chief GLover was also honoured and said this was home for him. We all moved on to the Ayiam-Osigwe family house to celebrate. I took in slowly, the priviledge of seeing them dance to the beats of Africa and savouring every mouth full of Jollof-rice, semovita and egusi soup, our native dish.

For me, a 24 year old Newswatch magazine senior staff writer in Lagos, I would never forget this day. Since I got back to my desk, I have recounted the stories to my colleagues over and over, now I want to tell the world.

I beleive his visit, his new identity, his title, his words and who he is would inspire Nigerians especially those on the road to shunning corruption and believing in hardwork.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Nigerian Trainee doctor sues college for £300,000

And no be say the young doctor no fine O! So whetin the handsome one go come experience now...



A black medical student is suing her college for £300,000 after claiming it was 'institutionally racist' in failing to stop alleged bullying by fellow medics.

Virginia Jibowu, 25, claims that fellow students at King's College medical school refused to eat or share a shower room with her.

She is suing the college - part of the University of London - for harassment, race discrimination and victimisation.

Miss Jibowu enrolled on a six-year medical degree course for students from disadvantaged backgrounds in 2002.

She said students on her course had to wear a special badge, which led to them being bullied by those on the regular five-year degree.

She shared digs with five others, including Richard Pinder, a leading Young Conservative.

In legal papers submitted to Central London County Court, she said: 'Mr Pinder asked me if black men were less intelligent than other people.

'He also said that he had stopped contacting a mutual friend because he had become 'too black'.

Miss Jibowu claimed three other white flatmates - including one called Emily Bowen - were 'hostile' during her hospital placement in Hastings, East Sussex, in 2006.

She alleged: 'The group refused to share the shower room with me and discussed rotas for the only other shower. Emily stated, 'We should introduce a virus into Africa to wipe out the continent and kill off all the black Africans so that we can move in'.'


Miss Jibowu had passed the first five years of study without failing an assessment and was due to start work last August as a doctor at Gwent Hospital in Wales.


She claims the college deliberately failed her from final exams and, without telling her, told the hospital she would not be taking up her post. It then wrongly insisted she should re-sit the whole of her final year, she added.

In the court papers, she said: 'The college disregarded my complaints and graduated all students complained about.

'All the alleged racists are now practising as doctors in the NHS. This can only ingrain the problem of institutional racism within the medical practice.

'At no point has the college accepted it was at fault for allowing an institutionally racist and hostile studying environment to exist.'

Miss Jibowu, of South Lambeth, South London, is demanding £300,000 for loss of earnings, aggravated damages and injury to health and feelings.

If she fails to qualify from the course, she is expected to sue again for the loss of her career.

The college, Dr Pinder and Dr Bowen all strongly deny her claims.

The case will be heard later this year.

SOURCE: MAIL ONLINE