Rueben Abati Retracts Libelous Invention Linking Buhari With Terror; Compensates General For Damages

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• Presidential spokesman Rueben Abati settled the case Buhari filed against him and “The Guardian newspaper” out of court
• Rueben Abati published a retraction of his libelous claim which accused the ex-president of instigating terror.

Mar. 28, 2014
Buhari Vanguard Replies Olisa Metuh On Libel Against Buhari
We had thought of ignoring Olisa Metus allegation against Muhammadu Buhari since we understand that he is a man without a mind of his own, but a vuvuzela that is used at will by his owner the PDP.
However, in the interest of unsuspecting Nigerians who may be deceived by the gimmicks and deceit of the likes of Olisa Metuh and his party, we wish to put the records straight in this response to the recent libel against the person of Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).
You recall that on Saturday, the 22nd of March 2014, Olisa Metuh, the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP attempted once again to link Gen Muhammadu Buhari to the insurgence in Nigerian its usual “blame game” and in a bid to defend the incompetence, confused and underperforming government of the Peoples Democratic Party.
In his words, “When we accused the APC of being behind insurgency, we did not speak in vain and when we summarised the manifesto of the party as a product of Janjaweed ideology, we have verifiable reasons”. He went further and argued that it was not a coincidence that an unprecedented violence broke out after Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) allegedly beckoned on his supporters to go on lynching spree if he should lose the 2011 presidential election, adding that the Sheik Lemu committee, which investigated the death of hundreds of people in the post-2011 election violence, established Buhari’s culpability.
We were rattled by this dislocated, irrational and weird thinking that is coming from a man who claims to be a lawyer and we wish to set the records straight for discerning Nigerians. First, It would be recalled that Reuben Abati, an aide to President Goodluck Jonathan had on page 51 of the April 22, 2011, edition of The Guardian newspaper, written an article entitled “For the attention of General Buhari,” where he claimed that Buhari made an unguarded statement which stirred the post-election violence that almost tore the nation apart.
The former Military General however, regarded the publication as libelous, aimed at denting his hard earned name and image. Buhari consequently dragged Abati and The Guardian Newspapers to court via suit no. ID/837/2011, demanding N1billion damages from them. The presidency begged the former Head of States General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) to settle out of court the libel suit he filed against the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati.
In a copy of the Terms of Settlement filed before a Lagos High Court in Ikeja, the ‘warring’ parties have agreed to settle the matter out of court. According to the terms of settlement, dated December 2012 and filed before the administrative judge of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Oke, the claimant (Buhari), Mr. Tope Adebayo ( lawyer to Buhari), Abati and Mr. Kunle Sanyaolu (lawyer to The Guardian) signed the terms of settlement.
The terms of settlement reads in part: “The claimant (Buhari) and defendants (Abati and The Guardian) have agreed that the defendants should publish a retraction and an apology to the claimant on the Opinion Page of the newspaper, to be printed in reverse line black (RLB) within seven days of entering the Consent Terms as the judgment of the court in two editions of The Guardian.”
“The claimant and defendants have agreed and resolved that the retraction and apology shall take the following form and contents: ‘Re: For the attention of General Buhari’- On April 22, 2011, The Guardian Newspaper published an article on Page 51 titled ‘For the attention of General Buhari’ where certain allegations were made against General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), GCFR, concerning the 2011 election and General Buhari’s alleged role in the violence emanating from the elections.”
“The publication was based on information which we believed to be reliable at that time. Since the publication, however, we now have reason to believe that certain parts of the story were not verified to be correct before the publication. We assure General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), GCFR, of our highest esteem and regret any distress or embarrassment which the said publication may have caused him.”
“The claimant and defendants agree that on the execution of these Terms of Settlement, the defendants are discharged from all or any liabilities or obligations arising from the said publication.”
In the weird allegation by Olisa Metuh, he erroneously and mischievously quoted the report of the Lemu Panel’s report on the 2011 post election violence and claimed that the panel report indicted Gen Muhammadu Buhari. This is not only wrong and deceitful but mischievous. Metuh forgot that Nigerians are not all illiterates and still have the report of the panel and the exact words of the chairman of the panel.
The Chairman of presidential panel on the pre and post election violence in some parts of the country, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, said on the 11th of October 2011that the committee did not indict former Head of State Gen Muhammadu Buhari in its report.
Sheikh Lemu told the BBC Hausa service that so many politicians called on their supporters to guard their votes just like Buhari did. When asked whether his committee said Buhari’s comments were responsible for the violence, Sheikh Lemu said: “If you take a look at our report, what we said cleared Buhari of any complicity. Because we showed that he was not the only one who asked the people to protect their votes, there were other prominent politicians, who also asked the people to protect their votes. And we said that statement was misconstrued to mean a call to violence, and they did. It was discovered that the Buhari himself was a victim of the violence and of the destruction of his property, the photographs of which were presented to the panel.
On the cause of the crisis, panel said, “The first and probably most important cause is the failure on the part of the previous successive regimes since the military handover of power in 1999 to implement the recommendations of various committees, commissions and panels that had taken place in our nation. That failure facilitated the wide spread sense of impunity in the culprits and perpetrators of crimes and violence in the Nigerian society”.
It said, “The second major cause of the recent electoral violence was the existing widespread desire for change as a result of frustration and disappointment of many members of the general public regarding the inability of the successive past regimes to solve the problems of electricity power failure nationwide, deplorable state of Federal Government roads throughout the nation, bribery and corruption, which have virtually been legitimised in all affairs of our nation. Obviously, the report indicted the PDP government and till date, they have not been able to implement or act on the report.
It is so amazing that an acclaimed learned fellow like Olisa Metuh does not respect court rulings nor has knowledge of them. We also marvel that the spokesperson of a ruling political party does not know the history of post election violence in Nigeria and their remote causes.
Elections have been a source of violent political, ethnic, religious and communal conflicts in Nigeria since the late 1940s when limited elections were introduced. This problem deteriorated in the elections conducted immediately after independence in the 1960s.
In the Western Region, violent political conflicts, popularly referred to as “operation wetie“, were recorded from 1964 to 1965. The national election conducted in 1983 witnessed massive post-election violence following the declared landslide victory of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in Oyo and Ondo states considered to be stronghold of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
There is substantial similarity between the post-election violence recorded in 1983 and the post-election violence recorded after the presidential election on April 16, 2011 in which hundreds of people were reported killed and property worth billions of naira were destroyed or looted.
We may not have the time to tutor Olisa Metuh, but we urge him to study and improve on his limited knowledge to avoid embarrassing himself again.
Olisa Metuh is a man of questionable and indecent character, a bully that has no respect for others and the law of the land. We have not forgotten that February 19, 2011, Olisa Metuh, a lawyer turned politician, allegedly held Pele by the throat and reportedly ordered an aide to put him in his car boot, saying “No police IG or SSS can secure your release.” The Vice-Principal of British Nigerian Academy, Prince & Princess Estate, Abuja, Mr. Kola Pele, 67, has taught in numerous schools and nurtured many pupils. He was going about his duty at the last BNA visiting day when the National Vice-Chairman (South-East), Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, invaded the school with his wife, policemen as well as aides and allegedly assaulted him and other teachers for confiscating his son’s GSM phone.
The affected teachers had filed a lawsuit seeking N250m for general damages, N10m for punitive damages and N350, 000 for medical bills. The writ was issued by Joseph Dauda (SAN), the Nigeria Bar Association President. Pele told PUNCH METRO on Wednesday that he went to the hostels around 6.30pm to check if the parents had dispersed, when a teacher, Ms. Amuche Igbe, informed him that she saw Metuh’s son, Derrick, a former pupil of the school, giving his GSM phone to pupils to use in violation of the school rules. This is just to mention but a few examples of olisa Metus indecent behaviors and character.
On the other hand, Gen Muhammadu Buhari has held the most juicy and highest offices in Nigeria, but has come out clean and remained the rallying point of discipline and virtues. He has remained the purveyor of anticorruption, anti-materialism and disciple.
His achievement as PTF chairman where he procured free school bused for higher institutions, free drugs for all hospitals, lecture halls and learning materials for students among others is unprecedented. His mild stone as the petroleum Minister where he signed the contracts and supervised the building of the existing Nigerian refineries among others is still enviable.
His restoration of discipline as a head of state and refusal to de-value the naira making it more valuable than the dollar cannot be forgotten, not to mention the fact that he led the army at young age to chase the Chaldeans who intruded into the territory of Nigeria and would have caused what would have been more terrorizing than Boko Harram if allowed to stay, this is not to mention the role he played in the Nigerian civil war to restore peace and defend Nigeria.
We condemn the attempt by men like Olisa Metuh to poke their hands into the mouth of a descent, respected and quintessential gentle man like Muhammadu Buhari who has spent all his life fighting for and defending Nigeria.
Jasper Azuatalam, Chairman Buhari Vanguard

NewsRescue

POSITION PAPER ON THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE BY A COMMITTEE OF CONCERNED BENIN ELDERS

MARCH 11th, 2014

BACKGROUND

The Nigerian State as designed in 1914 presupposed that we would live together in harmony as a nation.  Yes, we could have and still can, if those charged with restructuring our political architecture do so with all sincerity and a complete appreciation of why Nigeria still has a myriad of problems 100 years after.

The primary goal for the National Confab appears to be the devolution of the power at the center and a push for strong federalism and not a push for separatism. We believe the goal is to achieve strength in our diversity based on the unity of Nigeria.  We subscribe to the proviso that “the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria” should be kept sacrosanct as long as there is a complete restructuring of the current governmental system so that more power resides in the regions and States of a new Nigeria.

At independence, Nigeria had 3 regions which were the Federating Units.  In 1963, they became four  with the creation of the Midwestern Region after a national plebiscite, the only region so properly and constitutionally created.

 The regions had autonomy,  their own flags, anthems, constitutions, legal structures, local police forces, etc. Only common services, like customs, immigration, Armed Forces, Foreign affairs, and common currency were handled by the Federal government. Other items like Education, Health, Local government, Land, Mineral resources etc were vested in the regional government. The regions were thus competitive, productive and developed progressively,

This paper represents the views of the Committee of concerned Benin Elders on some of the themes of the impending National Confab.

CONFERENCE THEMES

1.     Restructuring of Nigeria into Regions and States

In 1963, the Midwest region was created as the fourth region in Nigeria by a plebiscite and National referendum after prolonged agitation by our fore fathers, including Oba Akenzua II, Chief Dennis Osadebey, Chief Jereton Mariere,  Chief H. Omo Osagie,  Chief  Festus Okotie- Eboh, among others.   The creation of more states by the military and the creation of six (6) geo-political Zones in 1996 eclipsed the Midwest region as a political entity to the detriment and relegation of the people of the Region in the Nigerian body polity. What was added to Midwest Region to form the South-South zone were actually the minorities of the old Eastern Region – Calabar, Ogoja  and Rivers provinces, which were also agitating for independence from the Eastern Region under the Late Eyo Eta, and others, just as the Middle Belt of the North  wanted their own independence.

As already canvassed by other groups and elder statesmen, such as the Edo Forum and Late  Chief Anthony Enahoro among others,  we the Committee of Benin Elders propose 8 federating regions in a new politically restructured Nigeria with 4 regions in the North and 4 in the South. The 2 new regions in the South are to be made up of the old Midwest Region and a new region made up of Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers,  Rivers and Bayelsa states. The 2 new regions in the North should evolve from the splitting of the current North Central Zone into the East and West Middle-Belt Regions. Minor boundary adjustments should be resolved at the National Confab or subsequently.

For effective delivery of political and democratic dividends to the masses, there should be 1 President, 8 Vice Presidents or Premiers for the regions with organs of government, while the regions may choose to create any number of States or Provinces.

2.     System of Government

Since the second republic, the Presidential system has been in operation in Nigeria with concentration of power at the centre with the resultant fratricidal struggle for power and election rigging.

There is a huge expenditure on governmental structures with little or nothing left for actual development.  This system has been fraught with corruption, immunity and impunity. We advocate a return to the parliamentary system with its tenets to be practiced and mastered

by the new leaders. The system should be part-time parliamentary with sitting allowances paid to members. This is definitely cheaper and frees resources for other developments.  We advocate a Federal house of Representatives (Parliament) and an advisory Traditional council of Elders, where in addition to traditional rulers and chiefs,  certain  notable distinguished elders with experience in administrative and governmental issues,  can be appointed to advise government.  Such an arrangement should have constitutional provision and should extend to the regions and states.

3.     Decentralization of Police and military formations

A good policing system requires the use of intelligent personnel from the locality who understand the workings, behavior, conduct and terrain of the various localities.  The current police structure cannot be effective operationally with the charge of policing the very large and complex Nigerian communities.  We therefore advocate the decentralization of the police force. We advocate a small effective federal police to take care of the federal laws and inter-regional crimes across the country. We believe a 2- or 3- tier police force would be required.

 As for military formations and locations, while the citing is usually strategic, we believe and advocate that they can and should be organized on the principle of equity and fairness where no particular region or regions enjoy undue advantage over other regions.

4.     Functions of the Major Tiers of Government.

The Federal/Central government shall be charged with common services, which will mainly comprise the Armed Forces, Foreign affairs, Currency and Central Banking, Aviation, Customs, Immigration among others.

The Regions shall be responsible for Education, Health, Agriculture, Science and Technology, Power, Mining of liquid and solid minerals, Industrial Policy, Transportation and Social welfare/Security.

The concurrent list may comprise Transport, Telecoms, Environment and Higher Education.

5.     Fiscal Federalism

The various ethnicities and nationalities own their land and natural resources. For this and other reasons, the Committee recommends that the regions exploit their resources and pay 25% royalties as tax to the federal or central government while retaining 75% .  The Regions on their own must reserve 25% of their share to the areas in the regions which suffer from mineral extractive activities.

It is advisable that new budgets at all levels of governments emphasize the benefits of capital expenditures over recurrent and this ought to forge the basis for speedy development of all parts of Nigeria. To achieve full fiscal responsibility, it will be necessary to pass a Fiscal Responsibility Act with provisions to protect the Nation’s resources from further plunder.

6.     Independence of the Judiciary

The regions should have their own judicial systems and may establish their own highest, supreme or appellate courts. But ultimately, the Nigerian Supreme Court will be the final arbiter. Hence cases heard in various regional highest courts can be appealed to the Nigerian Supreme Court but only on constitutional matters, The Committee further believes that the courts must be truly independent, and this independence must be an entrenched part of the new constitution.

7.     Strong Institutions

Nigerian institutions have been disadvantaged in favour of strong individuals. The Committee feels that this is counter-productive to true nation building. The projection of individuals at the expense of strong institutions partly explains the failures in our society . The Committee strongly recommends that all regulatory institutions be backed up by provisions in the new constitution, especially in the appointment of the Chairmen and members appointed to run these institutions. It is our view that the members should appoint their own chairmen from among them having been appointed.        

8.     Civil Service and Federal Character

The Committee shares the view with other groups that the Civil service should be restructured to emulate its glorious past before 1988 ( a year which marked the politicization of the civil service in Nigeria with the  implementation of the Dotun Phillips report on Civil Service Reforms. ). Professional standards should be reestablished for our civil service, where merit is stressed above all else. Merit first before federal character. Processes must be in place to wipe out all forms of corruption within the civil service. The new civil service should be small, well equipped and made up of highly trained personnel.

9.     National, Regional and State Electoral Commissions

The Committee is of the view that these commissions should draw their powers primarily from the Nigerian constitution. They must enjoy complete independence in their operations; the chairman of the National Commission shall be selected by their peers once the membership of the commissions has been constituted by the Heads of governments.  

An Election Offences Act should be enshrined in the new Constitution to enable prosecution of election-related offences.

10.                          Immunity Clause in the Constitution

All immunity clauses in respect of criminal cases should be expunged from the Nigerian Constitution, and individuals should be held to the highest standards of governance. Being in office should not be an excuse to avoid prosecution  for crimes committed.

11.                         Funding of pilgrimages and political parties.

We advocate that Nigeria being a secular state, there should be no government funding of pilgrimages and also there should be no funding of political parties.

CONCLUSION

The Committee is unimpressed by the delegate spread where all the ethnicities in Nigeria are to be represented by 90 delegates and the governments (Federal and States) will have 240 nominated delegates. This creates room for huge influence from government at the expense of all the ethnic groups in Nigeria. The Committee recommends, as the first order of business by the Conferees, a review of conference guidelines to ensure full acceptance of their deliberations. We believe that the outcomes of the Conference should be subjected to a national referendum and these should then form parts of a new constitution.

Chief (Professor) Emmanuel U. Emovon, CON, FAS, JP (The Obayagbona of Benin Kingdom)

Chairman

Professor Sam Guobadia

General Secretary

For and On Behalf of Committee of Concerned Benin Elders

1.         Hon. Justice Isaac O. Aluyi                                                                         2.         Hon. Justice Joseph Otabor Olubor, OFR                 

3.        Hon. Justice O. Uwaifo, CON                                                                    4.        Mr. Daniel Aiyanyo Omoigui       

5.        Professor David Awanbor                                                                          6.        General Steve E. Asemota (Rtd)  

7.        Professor Eghosa Osagie                                                                            8.        Professor Denise E. Agbonlahor        

9.        General Charles Osa Omoregie(Rtd), JP 

10.      Professor(Senator) Sunday O. Iyahen   

11.      General Ikponmwen Donatus Idada (Rtd)                                                    12.      Professor Augustine Orhue

 13.     Princess Adesuwa C. Emovon, JP  

Stolen Passports Prompt Terror Concerns in Missing Jet, Officials Say

By Pete Williams, Robert Windrem and Richard Esposito

U.S. officials told NBC News on Saturday they are investigating terrorism concerns after two people listed as passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines jet turned out not to be on the plane and had reported their passports stolen.

The officials said that they had found no clear link to terrorism, and that there are other criminal reasons, for example drug smuggling, that stolen passports might be used to board a plane.

But the revelations, hours after the jet disappeared over the South China Sea without sending a distress signal, significantly changed how U.S. officials looked at the disaster. U.S. officials said they were checking into passenger manifests and going back through intelligence.

“We are aware of the reporting on the two stolen passports,” one senior official said. “We have not determined a nexus to terrorism yet, although it’s still very early, and that’s by no means definitive.”

Both passports were stolen in Thailand, sources told NBC News.

An Italian man who had his passport stolen a year ago was on the passenger manifest for the jet, but his father told NBC News on Saturday that he was safe and on vacation in Thailand.

In Austria, the foreign ministry confirmed to NBC News that police had made contact with a citizen who was also on the passenger list, and who reported his passport stolen two years ago while traveling in Asia.

“We believe that the name and passport were used by an unidentified person to board the plane,” a spokesman for the ministry said.

Desperate wait for families in Beijing after jet vanishes

It is unusual for one person to board a plane with a stolen passport and very rare for two to do it, terrorism analysts say.

The Italian on the passenger list was Luigi Maraldi, 37. His father, Walter Maraldi, told NBC News from Cesena, Italy: “Luigi called us early this morning to reassure us he was fine, but we didn’t know about the accident. Thank God he heard about it before us.”

Malaysia has not seen significant terrorist activity, and airport security there has tended to be exemplary.

Asked earlier whether terrorism was suspected in the disappearance of the jet, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said authorities were “looking at all possibilities,” The Associated Press reported.

Earlier in the day, U.S. officials told NBC News that “all we know is something quick and catastrophic” happened to the plane.

The investigation will probably take some time, partly because authorities would have to find wreckage and perform forensics test. A full day after the plane disappeared, there were no signs of the aircraft, although the Vietnamese air force spotted two oil slicks consistent with jet fuel off the coast of Vietnam.

In the crash of TWA Flight 800, in 1996, it took more than a year to rule out terrorism.

Andy Eckardt, Claudio Lavanga, Erin McClam and Michele Neubert of NBC News contributed to this report.

Dear Son, It Was An Honor To Hold You

Dear Son,
I held you on Friday night for the first and last time ever. It was one of the saddest, proudest, most heartbreaking, and beautiful moments of my life. It was an honor to hold you.
I'm proud of you, son. Even though you only made it halfway through the pregnancy, you have left a mark on our family that will last forever. Because of you, I love my wife more than ever. Because of you, I feel a stronger connection with my kids then ever. When I hug them, I feel your presence.
Sadly, I'll always remember the phone call last week from your mom when she told me that we lost you. I was home with your brother and sister, and I was in shock. Your pregnancy seemed to be the smoothest and most healthy one that your mom had ever had. I did my best to comfort her on the phone, and then we grieved together when you both got home. Our kids didn't let us cry too much, though, because they kept requesting snacks, more snacks, and more snacks after that.
Usually Friday is a day that I look forward to, but not last Friday. I never shave on Fridays, but this time I did. This was the only day that I would ever hold you... I had to look my best. When we checked into the hospital at 8 a.m., it was a dark, dreary, and rainy day, just like the feeling in our hearts.
Your mom took medication to start the labor process, and over the next 10 hours, she showed her love and devotion to you as we neared your birth. By the way, your mom is the most incredible and beautiful person I have ever met. I'm so lucky to be with her and call her my wife.
At 8:35 p.m. on Friday, February 28th, you were born. Even though there was no life in your beautiful body, you were full of love, heart, and courage.
Your mom held you, and then it was my turn. I felt both happy and devastated to be holding my second son in the palm of my hands. We cried. We told you about your brother and sister. We visualized you running through open fields somewhere, free, happy, and full of life. We sang to you. After singing the final line of "Silent Night" to you... "Sleep in heavenly peace..." we knew that it was time to say goodbye.
You were with us for way too short of a time, but you will be remembered forever. We named you Scotland Bansley Riles, and your mom and I will bring your ashes with us someday when we travel to Scotland. Usually we don't travel with our kids (they're a little too crazy), but we want to show you the world.
Our precious Scotty... I miss you more than I've ever missed anything. We love you. We will honor you. We will be better parents and people because of you. Thank you.
Love,
Dad

For anybody that is going through a situation like this, know that you are not alone.

Scotty, that is your older brother, Tommy, blowing out a candle celebrating your life. This piece was originally posted on Life of Dad.

Follow Tom Riles on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LifeofDadShow 

HuffingtonPost 

Malaysian Boeing 777 Airliner With 239 Passengers On Board Still Missing, But Mishap Certain

The Malaysian Airlines plane conveying 239 people has still not been found, but several experts say a tragedy has occurred someway, after an official of the airline confirmed that the plane was carrying 7.5 hours of fuel as at its disappearance before it disappeared 2:40 am on Friday.
It is now 18 hours since the Beijing-bound plane lost touch with the Malaysia air traffic control in Subang two hours into its take-off from Kuala Lumpur, meaning the aircraft must have run out of fuel at about 10:10 am Chinese time, which is more than 10 hours ago.
Relying on Vietnam’s military, Vietnamese and Chinese state media had initially claimed that the plane crashed off the southern coast of Vietnam but acting Malaysian Minister of Transport, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has described the claim has incorrect, saying: “The CA (Civil Aviation Authority) says that is not true, and our foreign office says it is not true”.
Malaysia Airlines Vice President of Operations Control, Fuad Sharuji told CNN last night that the airline has “no idea where this aircraft is right now”.
The breakdown of nationalities on the plane is as follows: China (includes Taiwan) 154, 38 Malaysian, 5 Indians, 7 Indonesians, 6 Australians, 3 Americans, 4 French nationals, 2 from New Zealand, 2 Ukrainian, 2 Canadians, 1 each from Russia and Italy, Netherlands and Austria.
The United States and Chinese contingents include an infant each. In all the Boeing 777 plane was carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members.
China, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia are still conducting search-and-rescue operations south of Tho Chu Island in the South China Sea, using ships, helicopters and military airplanes.
The Boeing 777-200 airliner departed Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 12:41 a.m. and was expected to land in Beijing at 6:30 a.m., a 2,300-mile (3,700km) trip, but it never arrived the mainland before vanishing from the radar.
 Saharareporters

Pride of Africa: Kenya celebrates Lupita Nyong’o's Oscar

by Jason Staziuso and Tom Odula,

Lupita Nyong'o, winner of the award for best actress in a supporting role for "12 Years a Slave", right, and her brother Peter attend the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/A

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• Oscars 2014: Lupita Nyong’o and Jennifer Lawrence playfully wrestle for the Academy Award
• Lupita Nyong’o wins Oscar for supporting actress
• Lupita Nyong’o is Hollywood’s new fixation
• Lupita Nyong’o admits complexion was ‘obstacle’ in youth

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — “You are the pride of Africa,” Kenya’s president exclaimed on Twitter as he celebrated Kenya’s first major Oscar win by actress Lupita Nyong’o.
Nyong’o was the topic of the day on Kenya’s radio and TV stations Monday, the day after her Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress in the movie “12 Years A Slave.”
At a conference at the United Nations headquarters in Nairobi, more than 300 people broke out into applause after Wanjira Maathai — the daughter of the late Kenyan Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai — mentioned her mother and Nyong’o in the same sentence.
“We all had hoped of course that she would win. Everybody feels a sudden attachment to her, she’s a Kenyan woman,” Maathai said in an interview later. “A lot of her work, a lot of her experience in film started in Kenya.”
Nyong’o, 31, was born in Mexico to Kenyan parents but was mostly raised in Kenya. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, Nyong’o had starred in several productions in Kenya before landing her breakout role alongside Brad Pitt.
Nyong’o had been considered a front-runner in a category that included Jennifer Lawrence and Julia Roberts. When her name was called Sunday, she bent over in her seat as the audience erupted.
Just before her win, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a statement saying Nyong’o's accomplishments testify to her talent and the determination to go the extra mile that success demands.
At the end of her Oscar speech, Nyong’o asked that her win remind “every little child that no matter where you’re from your dreams are valid.”
Maathai spoke Monday, which is Wangari Maathai Day in Africa, to honor the Nobel prize winner’s dedication to the environment. She said that like her mother, Nyong’o is another Kenyan who has reached great heights.
“She (Nyong’o) attributes to her success to a lot of other black actresses who made her believe she could be something and that she could make it in film,” Maathai said. “And I think it’s so important to have role models, so important to have people who you can say, ‘Ah, if she made it, maybe I can too.’”
While celebrating the win, Kenyan film critic Ogova Ondego criticized Kenya for not supporting the arts. Nyong’o, whose father is a Kenyan senator, did not get any support from the government while developing her talent, Ondego said.
Kenyatta in Sunday’s statement said the government has made the promotion of arts a key pledge that must be delivered. He said many young Kenyans will have access to funding for artistic projects.
“It is our intention that Lupita becomes the first of an endless line of Oscar nominees and winners from Africa and Kenya,” he said.
David Opondoe, the managing director of Phoenix Players, a Kenya-based theater company where Nyong’o performed earlier in her career, said Nyongo’s success will encourage many in in Kenya to embrace the arts.
“It shows that there is so much talent, only that the opportunities are not there,” he said. “It’s time for parents and government to see that this is not a pastime. It’s something you can do professionally and bring glory.”
More than 1,000 people have auditioned at the Phoenix Players this year, he said, whereas before they had to actively hunt actors for parts. Opondoe said he first saw Nyongo on stage in the play “There Goes The Bride” in 2002, which he also starred in.
“At that time she was viewed as an amateur and she gave us, some of the professionals, a run for our money. She had her lines and was on point and I knew this person is passionate about acting,” he said.
“We are going to celebrate this for a very long time,” Opondoe said.
AP

Look Out, Lupita! Oscar Winner Nyong’o's New Man Is A Former Gang Member With Multiple Past Arrests

 By Melissa Cronin

Lupita Nyong’o was the belle of the ball on Oscar night. But the man who was by her side the morning after — clutching her statuette and comforting her as she prepared to make the rounds of press — isn’t exactly Prince Charming. RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned that the new man by Nyong’o's side, Somali rapper K’Naan, is a former gang member with a history of past arrests!
K’Naan, born Keinan Warsame, was born in Somalia but fled with his family to Canada in the 90s after seeing his young friends killed in the beginning of that country’s civil war. But life in North America would only prove to be more dangerous.
In a tough Toronto neighborhood, K’Naan fell in with a Somali gang.
“We Somalis weren’t treated well because we didn’t know how to dress cool,” he’s explained. “We didn’t have Nike trainers; instead, we had stuff from Walmart and kids would be laughing. There was always conflict there …”
Ultimately, he would be arrested more than a dozen times during his teen years, according to multiple reports, including at least once for violence involving a firearm.
“I learned to fire guns at the age of nine or so,” he’s revealed, “but luckily [I] was not out killing people. We zigzagged the streets to escape those trying to kill us.”
Now a successful rapper — and a devout Muslim who does not drink or smoke — he’s come a long way from the streets of Mogadishu and the ghettoes of Toronto. But he still has sympathy for those back home. K’Naan has drawn criticism in recent years for his stance on Somali pirates like those featured in Captain Phillips: He says they’re “serving a purpose.”
Citing illegal fishing and the dumping of toxic waste off the coast of Somalia, he’s said, “Our pirates were the only deterrent we had from an externally imposed environmental disaster. One man’s pirate is another man’s coast guard.”
Do you think he sounds like a good match for Nyong’o? Let us know in the comments!
Radar