The publication earlier made that the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday declared that women in Nigeria who have clitorises longer than 7.5 centimeters (3 inches) can now be legally considered as men, has been shown to be incorrect.
Investigations conducted by TheNigerialawyer (TNL) shows that there was no such a case before Justice Mary Odili.
Mrs. Amadi, Secretary to Justice Mary Odili also confirmed it to TheNigerialawyer (TNL) that Justice Odili didn’t handle any case of such nature.
Vanguardhad on 31st of October, made a publication with the title, “Nigerian woman with long clitoris legally changes status to male”
Daniel O. Royal the publisher of the story on Vanguard, reported that 36-year old Isioma Adeyemi had requested to change her legal status from female to male due to the length of her clitoris.
He further stated that this request was however granted by a five-member Supreme Court panel, led by Justice Mary Odili who ruled that her request was “perfectly sound and legitimate”, ordering that her legal status be changed immediately.
“Ms. Adeyemi had been said to have been in a legal battle for 7 years. Being a woman with an exceptionally large clitoris, her husband repudiated her, she eagerly wanted to change her legal status which has been granted, so it was reported.
She said: “This is the greatest day of my life! My first husband repudiated me because my clitoris was bigger than his peen, now I finally get some kind of justice.”
Ms. Inna Shevchenko, leader of the radical feminist exhibitionist group Femen, describes the ruling as “a great advancement for African women in general”.
“A small number of women just obtained a great boost in their legal status and are now in a position to help their peers. It’s a great day for women!”
Under Nigerian law, Ms. Adeyemi can now share landed properties with male brothers, have several wives as she wishes.
According to governmental experts, over 600 other Nigerian women have sufficiently big clitorises to apply for a change to their legal status.
World news daily reports that Nigeria is only the second country in the world to offer women with large clitorises the option of being legally considered as men.
“Uganda offers the same choice to all women with clitorises longer than 5 centimeters (2 inches). Only 11 women have legally changed their status to men since the law was passed in 2011,” were part of the report earlier made, Daniel O.Royal reported.
But the investigation conducted by TheNigerialawyer (TNL) reveals that there was no such ruling. This now leaves readers in thoughts as to why the publication was made.
Sunday, 3 November 2019
Herdsmen Demand Cattle Colony
in Exchange for Peace In States
Picture Credit: bbc.com
Recently, Fulani herdsmen under the aegis of Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore Socio-Cultural group issued a strong warning to State Governors in Nigeria through their Natio al President Abdullahi Bodejo.
According to the Sun, the National President was quoted as saying Governors who want to enjoy peace in their States must create a particular area for the Fulani and equip them with moder amenities
The herdsman and farmers clashes is not new in Nigeria. What is worrisome though is the increased spate of mayhem and death resulting from the clashes between the two players in the agricultural food chain in Nigeria. There is no denying that beef is a cheap and important source of protein for many Nigerians however the method of rearing the cattle has become , as many have said, out dated.
The Fulani are pastoralists who move from place to place grazing their cattle. This is their ancient way of living and have continued to follow this ancient way of life even in these modern times. Other countries once had herdsmen moving from place to place with their cattle and faced similar challenges with agrarian farmers. To bring the conflict to an end, most developing and developed countries have chosen to end the open grazing method and adopted the ranching method.
What is Ranching?
According to nationalgeographic.org, ranching is the practice of raising herds of animal in large tracts of land.
As good as ranching might seem to be, it has a flip side. According to globalforestatlas.yale.edu, ranching is the largest driver of deforestation in Amazon countries. According to their studies, because cattle use energy to convert grass in to protein several times the amount of land is needed to produce an equal amount of beef as poultry, and about 10 times the amount of land than needed to produce grain. In Brazil according of the report, pasture land outweighs planted cropland by about 5 times.
The Miyetti Allah leader further stated that the Fulani issue in Nigeria is being used to play politics. Hear him: "We have grazing routes and grazing reserves and if Nigeria wants to solve the herdsmen and farmers clashes once and for all, just create a particular area for the Fulani and equip them with ,modern amenities."
As strong and reasonable as this might sound coming from the leadership of the cattle breeders association, many still insist that it is not the correct approach but only an avenue for land grabbing by a section of people. They argued that the Fulani entered into the entity called Nigeria through conquest of some northern areas via Islamic Jihad. They took over those areas and imposed their way of life, especially their religion on the people while setting up their Sultanate and Emirates along the way. Military conquest and taking over of land by that means is no longer an acceptable practice in our modern society.
Cattle grazing route and reserves.
The British while occupying the territory of Nigeria as Colonialists established the use of grazing routes and reserves. The cattle from the North were moved to the South through these routes especially as the seasons changed. The North is Arid or semi arid with vast grasslands suitable for cattle breeding in open land. But in the dry seasons which is longer in the North, the land becomes dry and not conducive for breeding and rearing of cattle hence the need to move southward where the land is almost always green all year round. This necessitated the routes for the cattle to move. Cattle reserves were created in Kaduna South, Kaduna State and Obudu in Cross River State but despite the infrastructures put in place by governments of the day, mismanagement, lack of maintenance and other factors saw to their abandonment.
Climate change contributed a lot with the shrinking of the Lake Chad and other water bodies in the Country. It also affected the activities of the agrarian farmers who depend on the soil. Population explosion also contribute the skirmishes. Most grazing routes delineated by the colonial authorities and other regimes in Nigeria have turned to built up villages and towns.
The argument for better funding
The Miyetti Allah leader further stated that whereas rice farmers have gotten support running into billions of naira from the government through the Anchor Borrowers Scheme there is no corresponding support scheme for the cattle breeders. But this argument dies not make sense to many Nigerians who believe that cattle breeding like every other business gets incentive from the government in one way or the other. In the past, a Nomadic Education system was established in Nigeria in 1989 by Decree 41 now Nomadic Education Act, N20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. It is a system of education that involves moving the schools with the nomads thereby adapting their schooling with their way of life. Despite the funds set aside for this and the establishment of a Federal Commission to cater for its development, the scheme failed principally because of the inherent challenge in the system. For the scheme to effectively work, the teachers would have to be moving with the herdsmen and their herds. It also means that the school edifice has to be non-permanent structures. Many also argue that the owners of the cattle are quite distinct from the herdsmen who are merely servants to their masters. Their owners can therefore approach a bank for loan including the Bank of Agriculture. But, because of Their frequent movement from place to place, it would be difficult for any Bank commercial or government to lend to them as monitoring via identification is is an essential part of lending. How then will a bank monitor cattle that is perpetually on the move.
Why the popularity of Anti Open Grazing laws
Anti open Grazing laws are popular in several States in Nigeria because the indigenes of such places have been afflicted by the herdsmen for a long time. Stories abound of mayhem, murder and displacing of entire communities by herdsmen. No community would want "foreigners" to take over their land and way of life.
Abdullahi Bodejo also argued that State Government make a lot of revenue from cattle business. Whereas this is true, it is also true that State Governments rake in revenue from many other forms of business including but not limited to public transportation, commodity trading, artisans and others.
Even As the group insist they are peace loving, such statement from them do not come out as from persons with peace in mind. They should therefore desist from making such statements and reign in their members and their servants who indulge in harassment and unlawful grazing in farms. The Federal Government of Nigeria should on its part stop playing the Ostrich when in comes to matters affecting Miyetti Allah just as they rolled out guns in an attempt to silent IPOB. Hereas internationally, Miyetti Allah group has been listed as a terrorist group IPOB has not been described as terrorists except by the Nigerian Government. Perhaps that is the reason for the audacious statement ascribed to their leader.
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SUPREME COURT ON 30TH OCTOBER 2019 IS A FARCE, NOT A VALID HEARING AND DETERMINATION OF THE APPEAL LODGED BY FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT ATIKU AGAINST THE VICTORY OF PRESIDENT BUHARI IN THE 2019 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AS DECLARED BY INEC
by
Professor Ben Nwabueze
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, was reported in the Vanguard newspaper of October 31st 2019 to have said as follows:
“We have examined all the briefs of argument and the exhibits for over two weeks and we have all agreed that there is no merit in this appeal. The appeal is hereby dismissed. Reasons to be given on a date to be announced.”
The important point to emphasise about the above-quoted statement by the CJN is that the decision dismissing the appeal as lacking merits was not taken at the sitting of the Supreme Court on 30 October, 2019; the decision had been taken during an examination of “all the briefs of argument and exhibits for over two weeks” before the sitting on 30th October, 2019. The question arising is as to whom the word “WE” in the CJN’s statement refers. Can the “We” be a reference to the Supreme Court? Can the Supreme Court function as regards the hearing of the appeal before the seven man panel to hear the appeal was appointed and the names of the members announced to the public? When exactly was the appointment of members made? The Vanguard newspaper report of October 31st 2019 contained the further statement to the effect that “the CJN announced a brief stand-down to reconstitute the panel.” This further statement introduces an element of mystery as to when the panel was appointed. It may be taken that the panel was appointed on the 30th of October when it was reconstituted according to the CJN. The issues before us are governed by section 36 of the Constitution, which provides in subsection (1), as follows:
“In the determination of his civil rights and obligations, a person shall be entitled to a FAIR HEARING within a reasonable time by a court or other tribunal established by law and constituted in such manner as to secure its independence and impartiality.”
Is the “examination” referred to by the CJN in the statement quoted above “the fair hearing” required by section 36(i) of the Constitution. Fair hearing requires among other things that it must be done in the presence of the parties. The “examination” referred to in the CJN’s statement was certainly not done in the presence of the parties. The examination “of all the briefs of argument and the exhibits for over two weeks” before 30th October, as announced by the CJN, could not be the fair hearing required by section 36 of the Constitution. No “examination” of all the briefs of argument and exhibits as announced by the CJN in the statement quoted above can constitute a fair hearing required by section 36 of the Constitution in the absence of the parties.
Furthermore, not only is the hearing required to be conducted in the presence of the parties in order to be a fair hearing, section 36(3) requires it to be held in “public”. Section 36(3) is quite clear and unequivocal on this point. It says:
“The proceedings of a court or the proceedings of any tribunal relating to the matters mentioned in subsection (1) of this section (including the announcement of the decisions of the court or tribunal) shall be held in public.”
As the examination referred to in the statement by the CJN was not held in public, it is not the hearing required by section 36(3) of the Constitution. Secret hearings and trials are abhorrent to democracy. What happened in the Supreme Court on 30th October, 2019 is therefore a farce, not a valid hearing and determination of the appeal lodged by former Vice-President Atiku against the victory of President Buhari in the 2019 Presidential election as declared by INEC.
Finally, the decision of the Supreme Court dismissing the appeal for lacking merits is a law within the meaning of section 1 of the Constitution and, being inconsistent with section 36 of the Constitution, it is, by the self-executing declaration in section 1(3), null and void. Section 1(3) is a self executing declaration and does not require anything else to bring it into effect. In other words, the decision dismissing the appeal is null and void without further ado.
Whether or not the decision of the Supreme Court dismissing the appeal is a law within the meaning of section 1(3) of the Constitution, the Supreme Court is under and subject to Constitution as the “supreme law of the land binding on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, including the Supreme Court.
Professor Ben Nwabueze
Jamie Foxx Sparks Romance Rumors With Model Dana Caprio
Culled from online.com
written by Mike Vulpo for E News| Fri., Nov. 1, 2019 11:45 AM
Getty Images/Instagram
This possible romance is SURe to get pop culture fans talking!
As Jamie Foxx continues to enjoy the single life after his private split from Katie Holmes, the actor appears to be sparking romance rumors with a new girl.
Earlier this week, the Oscar winner was spotted enjoying a dinner at Mr. Chow with Dana Caprio. Later in the week, the duo appeared together on Instagram Stories while visiting Poppy nightclub.
So what's going on with these two?
"They are hanging out. Mutual friends introduced them because he thought she was attractive," a source shared with E! News. "He's spending time with different people and not focusing on any one woman."
Another insider said Jamie reached out to Dana on Instagram. The model and SUR employee was "definitely intrigued and excited." Since then, Jamie has been pursuing her and clicking the "like" button on more than a few of her Instagram posts.
Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Maxim
"Jamie is definitely into her and they have a connection," one insider shared. "They have plans to see each other again."
Another source, however, said Jamie is "not looking for anything serious" at this time. Instead, he's keeping busy and "having a good time."
While pop culture fans know Jamie as a talented actor, singer, comedian and producer, Dana has a few Hollywood connections.
In addition to being a working model signed to Wilhelmina, we're told Dana is an employee at Lisa Vanderpump's popular restaurant SUR. And yes, there are rumors she could be featured on the upcoming season of Vanderpump Rules.
"You never meet the right people at the wrong time because the right people are timeless," Dana cryptically posted earlier this month.
As Reported in https://www.thisdaylive.com by Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Emmanuel Addeh in YenagoaNovember 2, 2019 5:31 am
Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu
Thugs already mobilised from within and outside the states to disrupt process IG Adamu pledges 64,241 policemen
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned of impending violence ahead of the Kogi and Bayelsa states governorship elections.
INEC’s Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who gave the warning at the inter-agency security meeting between the Commission and security agencies yesterday, said there were indications that thugs had been mobilised from within and outside the states with the aim of either influencing the elections or disrupting the process on behalf of partisan sponsors.
But in a swift response, the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed gave firm assurances to the commission that the Nigeria Police Force was equal to its mandate of maintaining law and order, stating that he would deploy a combine team of 64,241 police personnel to provide security during the election.
According to the INEC chairman, “There are already warning signals in the two states. Both are politically volatile. Elections have been severally disrupted by violence in the past. Our own risk assessment, which will be shared with the security agencies at this meeting, has identified some flash points.
“We are also concerned that thugs have been mobilised from within and outside the states with the aim of either influencing the elections or disrupting the process on behalf of partisan sponsors. This calls for a robust response before the elections, on election day, and during the process of collation and declaration of results.
“Nigerians expect that by now, we have learnt enough lessons from previous elections to ensure a swift security response to the increasing desperation by political actors to disrupt elections and subvert the will of the electorate.
“If that happens, many Nigerians will blame the electoral umpire and the security agencies. We must continue to rise to this challenge.”
The INEC chair noted that despite the security threats, the commission was committed to the integrity of the process.
He added: “Over the last seven months, we have been working assiduously to ensure that we conduct credible elections. We cannot undermine the processes we have so laboriously established.
“We are equally confident in the assurances we have received from the security agencies of civil and professional conduct by their personnel deployed for the elections. We have been re-assured by the security agencies that election day activities at polling units and collation centres would not be disrupted by the activities of hoodlums, neither will thugs be allowed to cart away results sheets or compel our Returning Officers to make declarations under duress.
“We are equally re-assured that security personnel will adhere strictly to the standard operational guidelines and deal decisively with misconduct by their personnel on election duty. We are equally confident that with the sheer number of personnel the security agencies are deploying in the two states, there can be no excuse for the processes to be undermined by anti-democratic elements.”
Yakubu further stated that he was glad that yesterday’s meeting was attended by the Resident Electoral Commissioners for Bayelsa and Kogi States, as well as the Commissioners of Police of the two states, adding, “they will brief us on the level of electoral and security preparations in the two States.
“We will also discuss and finalise the security deployment plan for the two elections in line with provision of Section 29 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) so that the security agencies are not perceived to be running parallel arrangement with INEC. Rather, it should be INEC’s plan for the election that we should all be implementing.”
According to him, INEC would meet with stakeholders to ensure peaceful and credible polls: “On Thursday November 7, 2019, the Commission is organising another meeting with stakeholders in Bayelsa State to be followed by another meeting on Monday 11th November 2019 in Kogi State. We will be joined by the Inspector-General of Police, the Director General of NYSC and representatives of all the security agencies to listen to the concerns of stakeholders and fine-tune our plans in full consultation with the stakeholders.”
The Inspector General of Police pledged that adequate police protection would be provided during the polls, adding that the police high command would deploy 35,200 and 32,041 police rank and file to Kogi and Bayelsa states, respectively.
The IGP promised that the police would cover every nook and cranny of the two states and nobody, no matter how highly placed would be allowed to disrupt the elections.
The Police Chief vowed: “The security of the two elections is highly guaranteed and no thug would be allowed to cause any security breach. INEC officers and offices and the Central Bank of Nigeria, where the sensitive materials are kept, would be protected and the elections would be peaceful.
“Polling centres and coalition centres would equally be protected. We have taken care of the security breaches of the 2019 general elections. The police officers will have name tags and their telephone numbers displayed for ease of identification. Vote buying will not be tolerated. They would be arrested and prosecuted according to the laws of the land.
A representative of the National Security Adviser, Sanusi Galadimma also pledged adequate security, adding that they were monitoring the security challenges and assured that everything was under control.
Arms Build-Up Allegation Rocks Bayelsa Towns
Meanwhile, the volatile Brass and Nembe Local Government Councils of Bayelsa State were yesterday embroiled in allegations and counter-allegations of arms stockpile ahead of the November 16 governorship election.
Chairman of Brass, Victor Isaiah said he had information that “Otita Force”, led by the younger brother of a popular politician in Nembe, who recently defected to the APC was bringing in cult-related activities to the Island.
He added that “Otita Force” poses grave danger to the security of Brass people, especially vulnerable youths, because its operations were largely characterised by mindless thuggery, violence, cultism and extremist dispositions.
But reacting, the APC party chairman in the area, Baribote Baribote, described the allegation as ludicrous, warning the local government chief not to disrupt the relative peace of the area.
Speaking in Twon-Brass, headquarters of Brass, Isaiah alleged that the group, which he said was working for the APC, was embarking on the recruitment of youths to cause mayhem during the November 16 governorship election in the area.
He said the antecedents of the Otita Force and its members were well known as a mutation from the Isongu Furo cult group which, according to him, brought pains and sorrow to the people of Nembe.
The PDP chief, who also called for the ban of the group, noted that if their activities were not checked, Brass would be thrown into another crisis as it was witnessed some years ago, when the Isongu Furo cult allegedly held sway in Nembe and Brass.
“Brass LGA will not tolerate any form of activity from the Otita Force group or any of its proxy groups or individuals in the council Area.
“No right thinking persons or organisations with genuine intentions to attract real development to an area will name its group Otita Force,” Isaiah said.
He called on security agencies to beam their searchlight on the Otita Force and its activities in the interest of peaceful coexistence of the Brass people.
Baribote said Isaiah’s utterance on stockpiling of dangerous weapons was false. “I humbly urge the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Police Force and other conscientious law enforcement agencies to keep a close eye on the council chairman and his aides,” the APC chief said.
APC Cannot Win in Free, Fair Poll, Dickson Insists
In a related development, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State yesterday maintained that the opposition APC could not garner substantial votes to win the November 16 governorship election, given a free and fair contest.
Dickson boasted that with the developmental strides made by the state in the last eight years, the people were now fully informed that the PDP remained the party of choice for Bayelsa State.
Speaking when he led the campaign trail of the PDP to Sagbama, Bayelsa West, the governor noted that the party was not in the area to campaign because he was convinced that the party had already won the election.
On the trail with the governor to Agbere, Ebedebiri and Sagbama towns were party chieftains, state cabinet members, as well as the standard bearer of the party, Senator Douye Diri and his running mate, Senator Lawrence Ewhrujakpor.
He said: “With all your leaders, who have spoken, all of them who are here, have we not won already? I am not here because of campaign, but here to say thank you for all the support these constituencies have been giving to me and PDP from 1999 until date.
“The candidates that you have, who are your sons are 100 times better than the candidate on the other side. What we have done in eight years, those on the other side when they had the opportunity for five years they couldn’t even do 10 per cent of what we have done.”
He urged the teeming crowd not to be frightened by rumours that the APC had concluded arrangements to deploy security forces to rig the election, noting that only votes and not guns will count on November 16.
“Don’t worry; they too know that we are not with them. They would talk about using soldiers, don’t worry yourselves, they would talk about using police to harass you, don’t worry.
“They will talk of SSS or DSS to harass you, don’t worry. Election is with PVC, those security agencies don’t have PVC to vote, you are the ones with PVC to vote in that community. So, on that day, no fight, no violence; come with your PVC and line up, refuse to be intimidated by anybody.”
Dickson stressed that all those who were “misled” to leave the party were returning and asked them to take everybody back even at the ward level.
He said that others that hadn’t returned to the party were regretting leaving the PDP because the APC has no place in the state.
“They are already crying for getting involved in a matter that is bigger than them. They are aware that they have failed already, so don’t listen to their 419 talk.
“APC is not on ground in this state, in any ward to win; in all our communities, they cannot win in a free and fair election,” he maintained.
In his comments, the PDP candidate for the election, Diri, promised to consolidate on the achievements of the PDP government in the last eight years.
Have rows and stressful conversations at noon to avoid heart attacks and sleepless nights, biologist says
Couples should have arguments at midday and bosses should resist sacking employees until lunchtime, because stressful situations should be avoided first thing and later in the day, a circadian rhythm expert has suggested.
Dr Greg Porter, a chronobiologist expert who has worked with the US Navy in optimising performance, and a former researcher at the University of Leeds, said it was important to delay stress until later in the day because heart attacks are more likely first thing.
He also recommends resisting exercise for an hour after waking up for the same reasons and advises keeping strength building to the afternoon when systems are operating most efficiently and the body is warmer.
Likewise, stressful events later in the day interfere with sleep and should also be avoided.
pinterest.com
weight lifter_5 WOMAN
Speaking at the Biohacker Summit in Helsinki, Dr Porter said: “I think makes sense to schedule stressful events during the middle of biological day. Obviously you can’t always influence when these are going to occur, but if you can then that’s probably optimum.
“If you leave them till late at night that will probably interfere with your sleep, and too early in the morning, then the cardiovascular system is the most responsive and reactive to stress at this time of day and that reactivity is one of the reasons that events such as heart attacks tend to cluster in the morning, and this is amplified by cognitive load.
“This is one reason to avoid very strenuous exercise around the time of waking each day.”
Strength and power workouts should be carried out in the afternoon when the core body temperature is higher, spinal fluid is less viscous and the nerves are operating at a faster speed.
He also suggests putting the most difficult work early in the day when the brain is most responsive, and the brain is better at focusing and writing a ‘to-do’ list two hours before bed time to avoid worrying about tasks the following day.
Keeping a notebook by the side of the bed will also aid sleep, as ideas can be jotted down quickly before they interfere with sleep.
Taking a shower 10 minutes before bed at a temperature of 40C, also helps sleep as it allows the boy to start cooling before bed, which triggers sleep.
But he said a lunchtime dip in energy was inevitable and probably a biological remnant of evolving near the equator when it was too hot to be active around midday.
“It’s not only what you do that matters, but when you do it that’s crucial,” he added.
“The time at which you eat also seems to effect medication. And for some drugs the time your take them has substantial effects - it can double effectiveness and improve tolerance by five times.
“So time you get prescribed something ask what time it’s best to pop your pills.”
Indonesia religious body staffer falls foul of own laws
Culled from afp.com
An Indonesian man working for an organisation which helped draft strict religious laws ordering adulterers to be flogged was himself publicly whipped Thursday October 30, 2019 after he was caught having an affair with a married woman.
Flogging is a common punishment for a range of offences in the deeply conservative Aceh region on Sumatra island, including adultery, drinking alcohol, and having gay or pre-marital sex.
Aceh is the only region in the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation that imposes Islamic law, part of a 2005 autonomy deal with the central government that ended a decades-long separatist insurgency.
On Thursday, a masked religious officer rained down 28 lashes on the back of Aceh Ulema Council (MPU) member Mukhlis after he was caught canoodling with a married woman last month.
Mukhlis, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, grimaced and flinched during the punishment in the provincial capital Banda Aceh, before his married companion was flogged with a rattan cane some 23 times.
The organisation that Mukhlis works for advised the local government and legislature on drafting and implementing Aceh's religious law, including public flogging.
It was not immediately clear what he did for the agency. The council made headlines this summer when it hit out at plans to form a national women's football league because Aceh did not have a special stadium where only women players, match officials and spectators would be present.