Re: Senate’s bow and go tradition

I just saw the screamer, “Out of 43 ministerial nominees confirmed, 23 were asked to bow and go”.
This got me wondering or for the lack of a better word, I thought it absurd for the names to have gone to the Nigeria senate at the first instance. I will come out to this much later after I have touched on traditions in other climes that we seem to look up to a.k.a the U.S and the U.K.

In the U.K, there are no confirmation hearings. This way, the Prime Minister can appoint absolutely anyone he feels can serve under any portfolio as minister. The parliament cannot question his decision whatsoever. This means that a minister can oversee a ministry without have the prerequisite knowledge of the workings of that ministry.

The civil servants are relied upon with the minister being just a manager. It was in the news a couple of days ago that Mr. Boris Johnson, the new U.K prime minister appointed his brother as minister and heaven did not fall. This system of appointing ministers also affords the P.M the opportunity to reshuffle his cabinet seamlessly from time to time, case in point, a Sajid Javid can be Home Secretary for a year and Chancellor of the Exchequer( a.k.a Finance Minister), the next year.

In the U.S of A on the other hand, there are confirmation hearings for a president's cabinet nominees. Their qualifications, expertise and experience are thoroughly questioned and examined. Their knowledge of the agency or department they are being assigned to lead, is extensively queried. A president's appointee can be rejected by the Senate. 

I put that of the USA in bold letters so that you can immediately see immediately contrast the difference between both obviously tested and trusted systems, which is quite interesting. 

Nigeria seems to be a Pseudo UK/USA system, where some are asked to now and go and some others quizzed, some more intense than others. The “engineers” of this system probably have the best intentions but I am always averse to copying for the sake of it.

How well has Nigeria fared with this system of screening the president’s Cabinet members? Is there a review? Can a better system be enacted? Is there a need for screening at all in terms of the time, energy and resources expended? 

After all said and done, I cannot wait to see how people like Fashola will do this time in whatever capacity and how a “newbie” such as Sunday Dare will fare because I thought most of them were thoroughly brilliant. 

—— Oladele Fameso

British couple jailed conviction for stealing , attempting to smuggle Nigerian baby

Simon Heap

According to the statement, the staff however became suspicious and DNA tests later confirmed that neither adult was related to the child.

It showed that the birth certificate the couple presented was discovered to be fraudulent and they flew back to UK without the baby.

According to the statement, the staff however became suspicious and DNA tests later confirmed that neither adult was related to the child.

It showed that the birth certificate the couple presented was discovered to be fraudulent and they flew back to UK without the baby.

A couple from Oxford has been convicted for attempting to pass off a Nigerian baby as their own to the UK.

This is contained in a statement issued by the British High Commission in Abuja and signed by Rob Fitzpatrick, the Press Secretary and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the conviction was done following a Joint Border Force and Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) investigation after which the couple was arrested and charged with a bridged of immigration law.

The statement said that the couple, who pleaded guilty during a hearing at the Isleworth Crown Court on April 16, was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

It said they were also suspended for 12 months with 250 hours of community service.

It said that couple known as Gladys Effa-Heap, 52, and Simon Heap, 47, both of Wayneflete Road in Headington flew into Nigeria in July 2010 and later went to the British High Commission in Lagos.

It stated that it was at the commission that they applied for a British passport for the baby girl, claiming Mrs Effa-Heap gave birth to the baby within days of arrival.

According to the statement, the staff however became suspicious and DNA tests later confirmed that neither adult was related to the child.

It showed that the birth certificate the couple presented was discovered to be fraudulent and they flew back to UK without the baby.

Ngozi Nwosu recovering nicely!

Last month, ailing actress Ngozi Nwosu of Fuji House of Commotion fame flew to the United Kingdom to have a much needed heart and kidney transplant.

With great relief I can tell you the operation was successful and Ngozi is now out of hospital.I cannot tell how long she'll be in the UK before returning home, however pictures she sent show how dramatically she's transformed from the weak, emaciated Ngozi that left the Muritala Mohammed International airport, Lagos, last month.

Since early last year, the Fuji house of commotion troublesome wife and talented actress who played Peaceful Peace has been a shadow of her old self as she continued to emaciate following her body's on-going battle against undisclosed heart and kidney related ailments. Her friends in the industry panicked and raced the earth to raise money for her treatments but even their efforts were not enough until Governor Fashola stepped in.

The governor donated 4.5 million naira after reportedly reading of her ailment in a publication. Another 2 million was raised by her friends and corporate organisations who donated their widows mite to the distress call.Ngozi had been temporarily delayed as her doctors in Nigeria prepared her referrals to the hospital in UK that would be handling her case forthwith. As soon as it was ready, Ngozi took the next available flight out of the country.Since the story of her medical condition broke, her fans have continued to pour out their hearts to her in prayers and in kind words and with unshaken hope that she will come back to them again ... alive and well!

Thank God we did not lose another star.