"All China's support for Africa will come with no political strings attached," Li said, speaking at the World Economic Forum on Africa being held in the Nigerian capital Abuja.
"We will not interfere with Africa's internal affairs or ask something impossible of Africa," he added.
Rachel Canning (left) turned up to Morris County Court, New Jersey, yesterday dressed in her school uniform and pearls for the first hearing in her sensational case against her parents (right) who she claimed 'abandoned' her and owe her money. But her hopes were dampened when Judge Peter Bogaard read an expletive-laden and vicious answerphone message left by Rachel, from Lincoln Park, New Jersey, to her mother, Elizabeth, and said: 'Have you ever in your experience seen such gross disrespect for a parent? I don't see it in my house.'
Former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has said that he believes the Yoruba nation is better positioned now more than ever before to back the emergence of an Igbo as President of Nigeria in 2015. In a press statement signed by his Special Assistant, Mr Emeka Obasi, the former governor, who is fresh from consultations with eminent Nigerians across the south, declared that the Yoruba by nature abhor injustice.
He said having realised that the South-east had suffered pathetic neglect for so long, some strong individuals from that region(South-west) could lead the campaign for change. According to Kalu, “Give it to the South-west. They always raise personalities against injustice.It did not just start with Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi.Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was ready to confront colonialism with bare hands. Prof.Wole Soyinka risked his life and went to jail not really because his friend Christopher Okigbo died in Biafra, he had a soft spot for the Igbo who suffered so much persecution.
The road to 2015 will throw up more such men and women.” He maintained that the perceived cat and mouse game between the two largest groups in the south did not mean they could not come together for more than political convenience, arguing that both understood themselves beyond power sharing. “There is so much between us. During the war, you found some Igbo living in Lagos.Chief Philip Asiodu even served in the Federal Government in spite of the loss of his brother Sidney to the bullets of Nigerian troops. Tony Igwe was busy playing soccer and Obisia Nwankpa sweated out in the gym. At the same time, Prof. Vincent Ike’s wife a Yoruba was part of the Biafran war efforts.
Even the daughter of Lagos Oba Adeyinka Oyekan was married to a Biafran naval officer, Ohiaeri-Duru.To cap it all, one of the gallant Yoruba officers who saw the war, Lt.General Alani Akinrinade had since condemned it as unnecessary. That is why the Yoruba stand out,”said the ex-governor.” Furthermore, Kalu expressed optimism that the long sought after handshake across the Niger would be witnessed in the 2015 Presidential elections since the Yoruba may not have eyes on Aso Villa following Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s unprecedented goodluck.
“Let me point out that the South-west will prove their love for the South-east in 2015.That is the best way to bury all the accumulated suspicion between both groups. For me, I know the Yoruba could stand up and be counted. The war years showed it. There was this Yoruba soldier who applied the brakes of his army truck to save the life of an Igbo pedestrian near Orlu at the end of the war in January 1970.An accompanying officer was so furious that he took control of the vehicle, drove for about 10 kilometres and forced the driver out into the dark.
Time was 1.00a.m.’Ejoo oo,ejoo oo’[please,please] the soldier pleaded. All to no avail. Fortunately, the drop zone was in Isu right in front of the house of the first Igbo Dental-Surgeon who had worked in Ibadan before the crisis.And he took the soldier in.The lesson is that there are more Yoruba out there who cannot kill Igbo dreams in 2015,”Kalu summed up.
Federal Government is planning to give grants to states affected by floods.
Our correspondent learnt that the grants would form part of the support promised the affected states by President Goodluck Jonathan in his 52nd Independence anniversary address on Monday.
Jonathan said, “I have received the interim report of the presidential team that I set up to assess the flooding situation across the country. The Federal Government has taken measures to assist the affected states, while considering long term measures to check reccurrence.”
Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, told our correspondent on Wednesday that the move was aimed at assisting the affected states in rehabilitation the victims.
However, he did not disclose how much the grants would cost the government.
He said, “The speech of the President showed concrete steps being taken by the government on the issue of flooding.
“Although it is a global issue, the government considers it important to assist the affected states.
“The government is going to provide grants to support the states in rehabilitating the victims.
“It will also help in putting in place preventive measures in the states where flood may likely be recorded.
“The Federal Government and the states are already discussing and working out the modalities of the grants being planned.”
A government source told our correspondent that sending a supplementary budget to the National Assembly to cater for the intervention might not be ruled out.
The House of Representatives last week Wednesday passed a resolution asking Jonathan to send a supplementary budget to the National Assembly to address the flooding.
Meanwhile, Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Ewa, has asked scientists and technologists to adopt measures to reduce the impact of climate change in the country, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
Ewa, who was represented by Prof. Comfort Ekpo, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Uyo, made the call on Wednesday in Uyo at the First World Conference on Applied Science and Technology.
He urged scientists and technologists to find out how fossil fuel, said to be the principal cause of ozone layer depletion, could be made more friendly.
He noted that the change in weather conditions which had caused floods in many parts of the world, including Nigeria, was an indication that man’s activities could ruin entire mankind, if not checked.
Ewa said the floods were a wake-up call that climate change could render man’s developmental efforts useless, if concrete steps in research were not taken to alleviate the menace.
He said, “I want to say that recent events of extreme weather conditions and flooding across the world, including Nigeria, are a wake-up call to us.”
