Gunmen Attack Gov Kwankwaso's Father

Reports from Kano just now have it that Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso's father; Alhaji Musa Kwankwaso who holds the traditional title of Maji Dadin Kano and Distric Head of Madubi was attacked by unknown gunmen in the outskirts of Kano city. Although the details are still sketchy with sources saying the attack occurred at a mosque while another version has it that the elderly Kwankwaso was attacked at his residence.
Another version has it that the gunmen killed several persons after shooting sporadically on their way to Mr. Kwankwaso's residence while the old man narrowly escaped being killed.
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US College Says It Did Not Award MBA To Stella Oduah As It Has No Masters Programme

Stella Oduah, Nigeria's Minister of Aviation who is embroiled in a scandal of towering proportions in the ministry, faces new integrity questions as her Masters' degree has been challenged by the United States school which supposedly awarded it.
Her resume, which she presented to the Senate as a ministerial nominee in 2011, indicated she obtained a Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) from St. Paul's College Lawrenceville, Virginia, United States.
But SaharaReporters has learned from the President of the college that it has never in its 125-year history had a graduate school or graduate program.
The Provost Vice President of Academic Affairs, and the Vice President of Institutional Development said in response to our inquiries, "We don't offer any graduate programs here."
Similarly, the school's website states: "Saint Paul's College is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate [bachelor's] degrees."  There is no mention of graduate degrees.
 
The Minister's documentation shows she received an undergraduate degree in accounting from the college in 1982, but Dr. Claud Flythe, St. Paul's current president, could neither confirm nor deny this during a phone conversation with SaharaReporters.  Further verification with the Office of Alumni Affairs is also currently impossible, the school said, because the college has been closed since June 2013 to loss of its accreditation.
"[Oduah] realized very early in life the indispensability of a sound education in her growth plans in life and therefore pursued her education with all diligence and sense of purpose," her documents claimed, adding that a determination "to have the best education at the highest level" prompted her stay at the Virginia college in 1983 for the MBA programme.
As her public relations machinery marched on, in December 2012 The Sun newspaper published an article headlined "Stella Oduah: An Amazon of transformation," which lauded her "MBA from St Paul's College, Lawrenceville Virginia USA."  The story also praised her for being an official who brought her "rich educational background to bear on the aviation sector by automating revenue centers in all the agencies and parastatals to boost their revenue profile and enhance transparency and accountability in the system."
In October, SaharaReporters broke the story that Mrs. Oduah, a former campaign manager for President Goodluck Jonathan, purchased two bulletproof BMW cars worth $ 1.6 Million (N255m) through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, for her own use.  
Following an investigation, the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation dismissed the Minister's pleas of innocence and all her rebuttals during her testimony.  The committee's report, which was subsequently adopted by the House, declared that no budgetary appropriation had been made for the purchase of the cars, and that the NCAA proposal for their purchase was rejected.
President Jonathan also set up a three-member administrative panel to investigate the matter, but he immediately travelled out of the country with Mrs. Oduah and Colonel Dasuki, the National Security Adviser who was to serve as a member of the panel.  Not only did the panel submit its report much later than the two weeks it was given for the assignment, Mr. Jonathan has refused to release its report.  
Mrs. Oduah's new certificate questions are certain to feed into national concern about her credibility as an elected official, but also about Mr. Jonathan's credibility, and about the nation's security apparatus which verifies official documents offered to the Senate for official nominations.  
If Mrs. Oduah deliberately deceived the Senate, it remains to be seen if the Upper House will be sufficiently motivated to take up the matter with the Executive.  
Meanwhile, Nigeria's aviation industry continues to face a massive challenge, with struggling airports and airlines, as well as financial and administrative pitfalls that hinder expansion and development.
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OAU ranked 10th in Africa

The 4 International Colleges & Universities (4icu) just rolled out a new list of Top Higher Institutions in Africa.It is good news that Nigeria is getting so close up in the rankings as Obafemi Awolowo University was ranked 10th in Africa  this time around

As usual South African universities are seen at the top, below is the complete list

1 University of South Africa South Africa
2 University of Cape Town South Africa
3 Universiteit Stellenbosch South Africa
4 University of Dar es Salaam Tanzania
5 University of KwaZulu-Natal South Africa
6 University of Pretoria South Africa
7 Cairo University Egypt
8 University of the Witwatersrand South Africa
9 University of the Western Cape South Africa
10 Obafemi Awolowo University Nigeria
11 Makerere University Uganda
12 University of Botswana Botswana
13 Mansoura University Egypt
14 Rhodes University South Africa
15 Alexandria University Egypt
16 The American University in Cairo Egypt
17 Zagazig University Egypt
18 University of Johannesburg South Africa
19 Assiut University Egypt
20 University of Nairobi Kenya
21 Université Cheikh Anta Diop Senegal
22 University of Zambia Zambia
23 North-West University South Africa
24 University of Lagos Nigeria
25 Tanta University Egypt
26 University of Ghana Ghana
27 Université de Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
28 Université Mohammed V – Agdal Morocco
29 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University South Africa
30 Cape Peninsula University of Technology South Africa
31 Université d'Antananarivo Madagascar
32 Ain Shams University Egypt
33 University of Ibadan Nigeria
34 Kenyatta University Kenya
35 University of Namibia Namibia
36 Universiteit van die Vrystaat South Africa
37 University of Nigeria Nigeria
38 The German University in Cairo Egypt
39 University of Limpopo South Africa
40 Université de la Reunion Reunion
41 University of Khartoum Sudan
42 Benha University Egypt
43 Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Mozambique
44 Helwan University Egypt
45 École Nationale d'Architecture Morocco
46 University of Fort Hare South Africa
47 Université Nationale du Rwanda Rwanda
48 Al Akhawayn University Morocco
49 Université Catholique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest Benin
50 Tshwane University of Technology South Africa
51 Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Kenya
52 Minia University Egypt
53 Addis Ababa University Ethiopia
54 Fayoum University Egypt
55 Moi University Kenya
56 University of Ilorin Nigeria
57 October 6 University Egypt
58 South Valley University Egypt
59 Sokoine University of Agriculture Tanzania
60 Université Mouloud Maameri de Tizi Ouzou Algeria
61 Université Mohammed V – Souissi Morocco
62 Al-Azhar University Egypt
63 Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Ghana
64 Misurata University Libya
65 Minoufiya University Egypt
66 Université d'Oran Algeria
67 Université Hassan II Mohammedia – Casablanca Morocco
68 Polytechnic of Namibia Namibia
69 Université d'Alger Algeria
70 University of Zimbabwe Zimbabwe
71 University of Cape Coast Ghana
72 The British University in Egypt Egypt
73 Université de Tunis El Manar Tunisia
74 University of Zululand South Africa
75 University of Agriculture, Abeokuta Nigeria
76 University of Malawi Malawi
77 Université Cadi Ayyad Morocco
78 Université Mentouri de Constantine Algeria
79 Suez Canal University Egypt
80 Université de Yaoundé I Cameroon
81 Egerton University Kenya
82 University of Swaziland Swaziland
83 Kafr el-Sheikh University Egypt
84 Université Ibn Tofail Morocco
85 Université de la Manouba Tunisia
86 Université Hassan II – Casablanca Morocco
87 Covenant University Nigeria
88 University of Benin Nigeria
89 École Nationale Supérieure en Informatique Algeria
90 Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediène Algeria
91 Durban University of Technology South Africa
92 Strathmore University Kenya
93 Ahmadu Bello University Nigeria
94 Université Ibnou Zohr Morocco
95 Universidade de Cabo Verde Cape Verde
96 Sudan University of Science and Technology Sudan
97 University of Mauritius Mauritius
98 Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences Tanzania
99 Gulu University Uganda
100 Vaal University of Technology South Africa
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Another Open Letter, Chief Edwin Clark “Shoots” at Obasanjo

The season of letter writing may not be over in Nigeria yet as elder statesman and former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark joined the fray to excoriate former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his 18-page letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.
In his 10-page delayed response to Obasanjo, titled: 'Let The Truth Be Told Before It Is Too Late,' and made available to P.M.NEWS this morning, Chief Clark described Obasanjo as "a mischief maker" and "an ego maniac who always want to play to the gallery."
Obasanjo wrote his letter to Jonathan on 2 December last year, titled 'Before It Is too Late', triggering a political tremor that is yet to quieten down.The Ijaw pre-eminent chief and political godfather of President Jonathan, condemned Obasanjo for writing what he called a treasonable l

etter to the president, adding that Nigeria does not belong to Obasanjo as pointed out by Iyabo Obasanjo in her open letter to her father.

"Ordinarily, I never intended to join in the affray of accusations and counter accusations between a former president and a sitting president and a daughter in between. But, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in your usual characteristic hatred and use of sarcastic remarks about Ijaw, you have again berated and insulted us the Ijaws in your letter to Mr. President. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has never for once acted nor behaved as an Ijaw man since he took office as President, and we hold no grudge against him for that.

"In addition, I want to butress the assertion that all Nigerians are equal no matter where they come from, that is no one is a second class citizen of this nation. You have no right to plunge Nigeria into crisis as your past actions and recent open letter to the president connotes. The generality of Nigerians think your letter is treasonable," Chief Clark stated.

The former minister goes further to describe Obasanjo as an unrepentant trouble maker, adding that he had in the past embarrassed former Heads of State through his devilish open letters.

"My dear Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, you have become an unrepentant trouble maker, as Nigeria gave you more than you truly deserve. Hence you see yourself as lord of the manor. You have without recourse in the past embarrassed all past Heads of State and Presidents in Nigeria through open letters and unsavory comments. In such letters, you have always alleged maladministration, corruption and incompetence against them," Clark wrote.

While admitting that Obasanjo contributed to Jonathan's emergence as president, the former minister criticised Obasanjo for trying to dictate to Jonathan and when the latter refused to toe his footsteps, started attacking him.

"Nigerians are aware that you set the stage for the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as President of the Federal Republic. But the saying goes that if you present a gift of goat to a friend you must let go of the tether. You are probably different. Right from the inception of the Jonathan presidency, your body language indicated you want to play the role of the piper, that is, dictate how Jonathan runs the government, a phenomenon you did not tolerate from those who put you in office in 1999.
"An incident that played itself out then will suffice.

You masterminded the removal of Chief Tony Anenih, then PDP Chairman, Board of Trustees, and appointed yourself thinking the position will give you powers to control and manipulate the President. The futility of your actions dawned on you when you realised Jonathan is his own man. And in frustration you resigned as PDP Board of Trustee Chairman. You had thought the president will kneel before you begging that you stay on, but he never did. Every Nigerian therefore, knows that you connived, with PDP renegades and opposition parties to ridicule and undo President Jonathan and the government because he refused to be your puppet," he stated.

Citing other instances of Obasanjo's hypocrisy and corruption, Clark reminded him: "My dear OBJ, I was your colleague in the General Yakubu Gowon government in 1975. You were then the Minister of Works. The Head of State directed you to develop the Tincan Island Port. It was widely rumoured then that you carved out a portion of land from the area earmarked for the project for yourself, the area now known as Beachland Estate in Apapa, Lagos. Your clandestine usurpation of the piece of land led to series of litigations with your front man, in which I believe you are still probably embroiled.

"Mr. former President, I will also like to use the language of your daughter, Iyabo to describe you to Nigerians. You are "a liar, manipulator, two face hypocrite" and that "you have egoistic craving for power and live a life only men of low self esteem and intellect thrive."
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