Gunmen Kill Inec Adhoc Staff in Imo

Video screen-grab.

Gunmen attacked an Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) voter registration unit in Ihitte Uboma, Imo State, southeast Nigeria on 14 April 2022 and killed an Inec staff.

The killers stated in the video of the attack they posted on social media that they are angry the people they are "fighting for their freedom" are registering to vote.

The gunmen, from analysis of the video, appear to be affiliated with the armed and violent secessionist group that has killed hundreds over the last few months in Nigeria’s southeast.

The secessionist groups active in the region have been asking for the country to be divided through a referendum.

A referendum is a vote and is only viable when it is conducted through lawful means, which entails people have to be registered to vote to partake.

Inec has in response to the attack suspended voter registration in the LGA the incident occurred and 2 others.

The incident comes a few months before general elections in Nigeria and follows a spate of attacks on Inec offices, security forces and civilians in the region.

Some sentiments in the region support the activities of the armed men. A few months ago, a popular Facebook broadcaster from the region voiced his support for a caller on his programme who called for the killing of Inec officials and NYSC adhoc staff. 

How I Am beating Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes care: Photo credit - Medical Care Today

I was diagnosed with diabetes in late July. At the time of diagnosis, my blood sugar was at 365 ml and my vision was already very bad (I couldn't make out the features of people who are not standing right in front of me. If I know you, I would know you are the one, but I wouldn't be able to describe your features if asked. My fingers were constantly tingling (A symptom of nerve damage caused by the extremely high blood sugar) and I felt like a total wreck.

I knew I was overweight but didn't feel it was that bad (I weighed like 90kg, weigh below 80 now). At least I was hardly ever the biggest person in the room. I do drink, but very passively—once in a long while—mostly while hanging out with friends and at most 2 bottles.

I didn't consider myself a candidate for diabetes as I didn't know of a family member that had it. So getting a diagnosis that read diabetes was a shock.

Selective Outrage: Are we guilty of ignoring human suffering?

Photo credit: Mazi Nwonwu

Years ago, a Dana aircraft travelling from Abuja to Lagos ploughed into a two-storey building in the Iju area of Lagos killing everyone on board and some others on the ground. News of the crash soon spread as social media went abuzz. In the ensuing weeks, the fatal incident hogged the headlines on blogs and websites, while many dedicated status updates to mourn the departed, especially those on board the plane.

As is common with Nigerians, some constituted informal committees to measure how certain people mourned: Did he/she cry enough; or show enough concern by taking one week off work? Was the government’s three-day mourning period too short? Did the officials who lost bosses or subordinates in the crash mourn for a respectable enough period?

Questions were asked and people were called out.

The gang wars no one is talking about

There is an ongoing gang war on the streets of Lagos that the media is ignoring.

I choose to call it a silent war, but this classification – my attempt to stress the media’s seeming disinterest in the matter – is false. The war is by no means silent; it is loud and, as anyone who pays attention to happenings on the streets of Mushin, Bariga, Oshodi and affected parts of Lagos know too well, bloody.

I became aware of this war when I moved from Ajao Estate to Mafoluku, Oshodi, in 2008. Armed robbery and other associated crimes were at that time an issue in Ajao Estate, a town once considered prime real estate by the 419 dons of the ’90s (Eze Ego’s house still stands impressive and imposing opposite the CPM chapel). Ajao Estate later became a magnet for Yahoo-Yahoo boys and the Pentecostal preachers that are ever drawn to owners of easy money.

Linda Ikeji When Not to Call a Spade a Shovel

Photo: Linda Ikeji's blog

As sad as the whole Linda Ikeji saga is, and I admit it is sad on all fronts, we need to look beyond the sentiments and face some very fundamental facts. And one glaring fact is that Ms Linda Ikeji did take materials from people without attribution, and she made good money in the process. Another truth is that we all talking about this because a Linda Ikeji is involved—this story would not have gotten to Google if it was a Mazi Nwonwu complaining about Intellectual Theft.

I must admit that I am a fan of Linda Ikeji. Her story is a testament of what a motivated person can achieve.