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Biafra, reconciliation, and 'fierce urgency of now' By Dr. Uchenna Ekwo   On 13/12/2015 11:28:30 AM   When the late civil rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke at the 1963 March on Washington and elsewhere, he emphasized what he phrased as “the fierce urgency of now,” the need for immediate, “vigorous and positive action” on civil rights. He reminded a divided America that the citizens needed one another, and that the country was stronger when it marched for­ward, together. “We cannot walk alone,” he said. “And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back.” Princeton University historian Julian Zelizer Zelizer recently in­voked King’s words for the title of his new book: The Fierce Ur­gency of Now and suggested that President Lyndon Johnson’s aston­ishing achievements were made possible by embracing King’s clar­ion call for civil rights. In a brief three-year window, 1963-1966, President Johnson accomplished the pass...

•Pass confidence vote on council of elders led by Justice Ozubu   Pro-Biafran movements, including the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Biafra Zion­ists Movement (BZM) yesterday announced fussion into an um­brella body yet to be named. They however said it wa for effective presentation of their grievances. A statement at the end of an emergency meeting in Enugu signed by IPOB-NEC media spokesperson, Comrade Asuzu Chinedu Peters said they have re­solved to continue to press for an independent state for the Biafran people, irrespective of threats and intimidation. The release states in part: “Ev­ery Biafra faction and groups is hereby expected to come under the authority of this government. There is a place for everyone in this National Independent Cam­paign for Biafra. “Any Press release by anyone or faction that is not authorized by the customary government of the indigenous people of Bi­...

The alleged ‘pocket­ing’ of N8 billion by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekwerema­du and other federal law­makers, over four years, to review sections of the 1999 Constitution has been dis­missed as the handiwork of desperate political ele­ments to publish false and defamatory information against the office and per­son of Ike Ekweremadu. An online medium had last week alleged that Ni­gerian federal lawmakers led by incumbent Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu and for­mer Deputy Speaker Eme­ka Ihedioha, withdrew N7.75 billion of public funds in four years to pur­portedly review sections of the 1999 Constitution A press statement yes­terday, obtained by The AUTHORITY and signed by Uche Anichukwu, Spe­cial Adviser (Media) to the deputy senate presi­dent, stated there was no “pocketing” of N8 billion by members of the Com­mittee on Constitution Review in the 7th Senate, chaired by Senator Ekwer­emadu. “The Office wishes to state categorically that there was no “pocketin...

Former National Chairman of the People’s Democrat­ic Party (PDP), Dr. Okwe­silieze Nwodo, has appealed to the Federal Government to negotiate with pro-Biafra agitators to reduce tension in the country.   He specifically asked Pres­ident Muhammadu Buhari to emulate the late President Musa Yar’Adua who saved Nigeria from unnecessary tension by granting amnesty to the Niger Delta mil­itants.   Nwodo also said that the shocking revelations in the on­going probe of arms purchase involving the ex-National Secu­rity Adviser (NSA), Col. Ibra­him Dasuki (rtd) and others had shown the height of impunity and financial rascality in the party.   Nwodo, who stated this in an interview with newsmen at the weekend after he received an Honourary Doctor of Science De­gree at the 7th Convocation of the Michael Okpara University of Ag­riculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, said that the PDP had paid dearly for failing Nigerians.   The ex-PDP boss warned that the use of...

FORMER Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Demcoratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, has denied collecting N100 million from former Minister of Finance (State), Mr Bashir Yuguda, saying it is another blatant falsehood, stripped of any iota of truth. Bode George George, who is also the Atona Oodua of Yorubaland, described the claim as “mischievous and deliberately fraudulent.” The PDP leader, in a statement said: “My attention has been drawn to another mischievous and deliberately fraudulent claim that I collected N100 million from Bashir Yuguda, the former Minister of State for Finance. This is another blatant falsehood, stripped of any iota of truth. This is yet again a depraved continuation of lynch mob journalism orchestrated by an online newspaper.” In an effort to set the records straight, he said: “The salient fact is that very early this year, long before the election period, the party set up Contact and Mobilization Commttee for each zone to reconcile various...

Yvonne Nelson speaks on Mr right. Yvonne Nelson One of the most popular Ghanian actresses, Yvonne Nelson, has said she has finally found her man. The 30-year-old actress disclosed this on the Drive Time show, a programme aired on Joy FM radio station in Ghana as she co-hosted the show with the presenter, Lexis Bill. It will be recalled that Yvonne, on her birthday, November 21, had said she was depressed that at 30, she was still single. However, the actress, responding to Bill on her relationship status, said:  “I have met Mr. Right and am preparing myself to have kids because I love kids.” Speaking on her supposed broken ‘cordial’ relationship with her male colleague, John Dumelo, she said,  “Of course, tongues keep wagging that we are no longer cool together after we had different views on the power crises that had affected our country in three years; the last time I saw John? It has been a while. “He came to my house with Fred but then I called him a...