Why air crash reports are never released, by Fani-Kayode, ex-Aviation Minister

Femi Fani-Kayode was drafted from the Ministry of Culture to the Ministry of Aviation in late 2006.  As expected, he got there and stormed.  Usefully, Fani-Kayode’s tenure experienced what has been described as a turn around because just within a year preceding his posting, five air disasters had occurred.  And once he left the ministry, either by a mix of ill-fate or coincidence or negligence, things began another turn around for the worse.  Last Sunday’s Dana Air crash in Lagos forced Sunday Vanguard to seek Fani-Kayode out.
In this revealing session, he insists that government should demonstrate more willingness to safe-guard the skies.  And whereas he says the current aviation minister is trying her best, things could still be better.
Excerpts:
For about 6 years now we had no cases of air crashes in the country and now we have this. What does it say about air safety in Nigeria?
What it tells you is that our skies are no longer safe and that we have gone back to the pre-2006 level of degeneration and rot when it comes to aviation and air safety in Nigeria. It tells you that since 2007 something has gone very wrong and there has been a slow but systemic dismantling of all the standards, reforms and measures that we put in place to save the lives of our fellow Nigerians and to improve the quality of aviation and flying in our country when we were there. It tells you that someone is not doing his or her job in the way that it should be done or with the firmness, discipline and commitment that is needed for Nigerian aviation.
It also tells you that things will get far worse unless there is an attitudinal change from those that are charged to run aviation and protect our skies and our air travelers. It tells you that that change has to come at all levels of the sector from the top to the bottom and that the whole place needs to be overhauled. It tells you that the mafia and the cartel that had controlled aviation for many years before and that always cut corners and cover up evil and wrongdoing in the sector have crept back in, have been given a free hand again and are operating with impunity behind the scenes.
It tells you that the airline operators themselves have not been adequately kept on their toes and they, once again, are putting profit before safety. It tells you that we need to rededicate the sector to the Living God, to work hard and to pray hard. It tells you that we need to ensure that every single person in that sector, including the Minister, the parastatal chiefs, the regulators, the aviation officials and the airline operators themselves do their job properly.

Obodo: Police comb Effurun, Warri for kidnappers

The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, yesterday, confirmed the abduction of Christian Obodo, when contacted by Sunday Vanguard, saying the police were combing for his kidnappers.
The commissioner, however, noted, “The police are surprised at his abduction as Obodo did not inform us about his presence for adequate security to be provided for him”.

Scores feared dead in suicide bomb attack on church in Jos

Add captionThe church after the blast.

(AFP) – Scores of people were feared dead on Sunday after a bomb attack on a church in Jos, the Plateau state capital during Sunday service, the government said.
Government spokesman Pam Ayuba said a bomb exploded near the church, adding that government sources feared “scores” of people had been killed and injured after the church collapsed with the force of the explosion.
Ayuba said the bombing of the God Chosen Church could be a “sustained war of attrition on our people by enemies of the state,” which he said “has been going on for a while now.”
 The local coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhassan Danjuma Aliyu, told AFP that the wounded had been taken to the Jos University hospital. He did not give any numbers.

9ice Ex-Manager, Dehinde Fajana Now Eldee's Manager: Gets Official Apartment And a Car

Eldee

Dehinde Fajana, former manager of Alapomeji Records boss, 9ice, as he has been slapped with a juicy deal.

Dehinde, who was sacked by 9ice few months ago has now been signed by Eldee to become Trybe Records artistes manager.

This deal was announced yesterday on twitter by Eldee. He tweeted, ”please give a warm shout out and special welcome to Dehinde Fajana, new Trybe Records A&R executive.”

9ice With Dehinde Fajana

The deal, as we gathered, would make Dehinde get an official apartment in Lekki with an official car also. Eldee recently moved into a Lekki duplex but Dehinde would be getting a different one.

Dehinde was initially known with Lord of Ajasa while Ajasa was a popular artiste. He reportedly dumped Lord of Ajasa to pitch tent with 9ice when 9ice burst into limelight.

After seven years being with 9ice as his manager, he was reportedly sacked earlier this year over some sketchy issues. He is graduate of English Language. He also graduated from Moshood Abiola Universiy, Akoka, Lagos.

Timothy Brown, The First Man To be Cured Of AIDS: AIDS Is No More Incurable

The fact that Timothy Brown is a reasonably healthy 46-year-old is no small thing. Only a few years ago, he had AIDS. “I feel good,” Brown told ABC News. “I haven’t had any major illnesses, just occasional colds like normal people.”

Brown is the only person in the world to be cured of AIDS, the result of a transplant of blood stem cells he received to treat leukemia.

“My case is the proof in concept that HIV can be cured”, he said.

Karen Igho, Big Brother Africa Amplified Winner, Joins Naija FM

Karen Igho, Big Brother Africa Amplified winner has joined Naija FM. Naija FM is one of the Nigeria’s “pigin” speaking radio stations.

She was employed by Megaletrics limited, owners of Naija FM, Beat FM and Classic FM as one of its On Air Personalities (OAPs), and expected to resume duties on Monday, June 11, 2012.

Karen will co-present a night show on the indigenous radio station with one of the in-house presenters, Ifektive Baba on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

She confirmed this on her twitter page hours ago. She tweeted, “Got news for my fans. I will be working with beatfm, will have my on show on naijafm.na warri things shoo I no fit shout.☺”.

A very big Congratulations to Ms. Karen Igho...

Lagos plane crash: Chinese men who cheated us on queue made fun of me —Daughter

Ihezuo, narrated that she initially went to the Arik airlines stand, but their plane was fully booked, so she headed for Dana Air where she joined a queue for the ticket.

“We were on the queue and it was my turn to buy the ticket. I was rummaging my bag to bring out money to pay for the ticket when two Chinese men who were behind me gave money to the cashier and paid for the remaining seats. I was very angry and their action generated a verbal exchange between my husband and the cashier.

“The Chinese men were not even sorry for their action, instead they and their girlfriends made jest of us, waving the tickets in the air and making fun of us; we were so annoyed and we decided to postpone the trip.”

She added that she had yet to reach the house when she got reports that the Dana plane had crashed. 

The mother of four said that family members that were waiting for them at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos cried when they heard about the incident. They thought that both mother and daughter had perished in the crash.

She stated that her church members in Abuja also thought she had died until they were notified that she did not board the aircraft.

Ihezuo said, “Since the incident, I have just been thanking God because He was the one that kept us. I have been rolling on my knees in thanksgiving since last Sunday and my knees are sore,” she said as she lifted up her skirt to show her bruised knees.

She stated that since she started flying about a year ago, the Dana flight was the first she would see that was fully booked, “I am familiar with most of the crew members because I have been patronising the airline for some time; I feel so bad for the crew and passengers.”

Ihezuo added she had purchased a luxury bus ticket for her mother who was going to stay with her eldest daughter at Festac, Lagos following her refusal to board a flight.

PUNCH NEWSPAPER