"I am an old woman in the play and in real life. I am 73. The society doesn't think older women exist anymore, nobody thinks they feel anything. The people around old women never realize they are going through a turmoil, nobody cares about them. So what I am trying to portray is that it's not over until it is over. That an old woman is still alive in more ways than one, they still have sexual urges, people forget an old woman is human. An old woman enjoys her sexual life more when she no longer thinks about children's school fees, when the children have all gone to their husband's houses or in some cases the boys have married and it remains only the old woman and her husband. It never crosses our mind that these old parents can still get on whenever they like. Do you know that when an old man realizes he is free from child bearing, he becomes promiscuous and they are susceptible to all kinds of diseases. But the old woman is confined to a corner in the house, nobody thinks she is still actually active" she said
"Members of the committee visited the burnt-out structures of Government Secondary School, where the girls were abducted. The receiving party conducted members of the committee round the grounds of the school. The principal, vice principals, matrons of the hostels, as well as security guards and cooks were earlier debriefed by the committee in Maiduguri. The committee later held an interactive session with the Chibok communities on the school premises. At the meeting, Chairman of the Fact-finding Committee, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Sabo (retd.), who spoke with misty eyes, said the committee came, first, to sympathise with the parents and other community members over the havoc of the insurgents. He assured the people of President Goodluck Jonathan’s concern about the fate of the abducted students, saying that the President was having sleepless nights. As we gather here today to see you wailing, by the grace of God, we will also gather here to dance and rejoice with you when the girls regain their freedom" it read
"You talk about mentors. I'm not saying youths cannot do certain jobs. anybody from the age of 25 and above can do any job. I remember when Rivers state was created, I was a Rivers man before Bayelsa state was created. The first Rivers state Military Governor Diete Spiff was about 28years old when he was appointed the military Governor of Rivers state. Gowon when he became Head of State was about 33years old so my Governor and the Head of State were youths but they worked with elders because I remember the cabinet members of Rivers state then were very matured people working with Diete Spiff and that is why I remember one of our elders, Maitama Sule when he was speaking at the University of Port Harcourt, made the statement that young breed without the old breed will breed greed so you must mix. The best person to take care of a child may not be a child so you need somebody with some level of experience to mentor the youths. You cannot leave the teenagers there to get into the youth age before you mentor them. Start from them and the first person to mentor a young person is someone that has made some mistakes. Let us say a young lady, while in secondary school have affairs with a man and gets pregnant and had complications and couldn't graduate when her colleagues graduated. Along the line, she finds her path and goes back to the secondary school, completes her University. She can tell another young girl look this is my experience. Please don't go that way, see this is my experience. So a Minister of Youth development can be a very young person, anybody of 25years and above can manage that but the key thing is that in the cabinet we have only one youth. There is nothing wrong in making a 30-33 years a Minister of Petroleum or Finance if you are competent."
"Ten years ago when I first set my eyes and held this baby in my arms at the Cook County hospital Chicago Illinois USA, I knew my life will never be the same again. Within this wonderful years you have been my friend, confidant and hero...you know me when am happy or down..u encourage and inspire me most..indeed u are a God sent ...Sweetness as you hit this beautiful landmark I pray you grow in wisdom and intelligence ....you will live longer to fulfill Gods purpose in your life...goodness.. long life, good health..joy ..happiness will follow you thru all your days on earth ...have a fab birthday blessed child
"Security vault has a wider implication. If you know what security vault is, it has so many implications. Prayers for instance is a security vault. We have never received any assistance from the Federal Government in the area of security. The only time the FG supported Borno state in the area of security was in 2009 when the insurgency started. Till today, they released only N200m. This same FG released 3bn to security outfits. We have received only N200m, so this Governor (Gov Kashim) is a Governor that has preoccupied himself with Funding security matters. We have spent N10bn on security. We have provided more than 400 vehicles to the security agencies. We pay for the security official's logistics."Asked how much the security vault was, he said
"Let me take you back to the Military. Security vault is a vault that was unaccounted for but since the advent of democracy in 1999, it is inscribed in the constitution that every Governor and even the President should put it in the budget for consideration on the approval of the National Assembly or State Assembly as the case may be. In the case of borno, we had N4bn in 20011, N4bn in 2012 and N4bn in 2013, for the 3years N12bn as proved in the budget as security vault and is generally audited and gives a lead way to the Governor to fund security requirement of the security agencies within Borno state. Security operatives in Borno state would testify to tha fact, whether on the part of the Commissioner of Police, or the Director of the SSS or Customs, Police, Army they are all members of the security councel.and when ever they raise issues on requirements, we never told them to go to the FG or Min. of Defence. We always provided funding for them" he saidThe SSG was asked why the state government did not bother to ask for security details for the state owned schools since according to him, the letter from the Minister wrote requesting for security only for its Unity schools, the SSG said the responsibility of the state Government was to write to the Police Commissioner before the kidnap, which they did.
"The authentic story is the one from the Borno state Governor because the Governor of Borno state personally visited Chibok and also his Wife and Commissioner of Education in the state also visted the school'.He said the girls were initially deceived by the Islamic sect men that they were coming and that they were there to give them protection. He said they were lured into a lorry and taken away. He said the school was thereafter razed down. He said the real version of the story is the one from the state government as they were the ones on ground as Chibok is not in Bayelsa or Lagos state.
"No she was not around. She lives outside the school. They (the principal and the teachers) don't live with the girls.He said they could not do anything about the police not responding to their request as the governor didnthe powers of the Governor to interfere in the affairs of the Police. He was asked why then did the state Government still proceed with conducting examinations in schools since it was said to be unsafe, he said
"It is because it was said to be safe and that security provisions would be made and that all that needs to be done was to be provided by the security officials.He said the constitution as it is today stops Governors from interfering in matters on security even in their own states.
"Yes naturally. I would not be sitting down to see people insinuation things that are not our responsibility".He said the recent declaration by the Chief of Defence staff that the military knows where the Chibok girls are might make the abductors relocate.
"Initially he was not aware but information came to us that Mr President would stop over in Maiduguri to Chibok so the Governor cut short his visit and we came back, waiting to receive the president only for the programme to be shifted to some other agenda. I mentioned to the Governor that Presidential visit is a major event. Normally we get 1 week notice of Presidential visit to prepare where he would stay, the roads he would pass. While we were waiting, we got news that the visit was shifted". He said the Governor went to London to look for investment opportunities for the state.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ proposed new stadium project has ignited national debate after reports revealed that the team is set to receive $1.8...
