LAURETTA ONOCHIE

Nigerians are angry but not yet very angry, yet. How many times do we have to go through this vicious cycle of lies, manipulations, intimidations and distractions? I am very upset because this crop of rulers in Nigeria thinks and believes that they would keep using the same tactics to keep Nigerians under subjection by manipulating what we should major on at any given time. They are not smart enough to see that times are changing; they have not woken up to the clear reality that Nigerians are coming of age; it has not dawned on them that Nigerians are no longer babies who are easily distracted and enticed away from a dangerous object when they are given a safer toy. When will they learn? When will they realise that while they are satisfying their drunken urges and despicable sexual orgies in Government guest houses all over Abuja and our state capitals that we are busy at work? Yes, we are busy educating Nigerians; We are busy exposing the corrupt practices of this administrati

My ticket No. 10 A relative of mine called last night to say he just saw me on BBC prime time news and as the conversation progressed, he asked, “Now sis, what drives you?” I was taken aback as I realised I did not know the answer but I said, “Whenever I find a man not being treated fairly by a wife whose loyalty lies with the family she came from instead of the one she should be building with her husband, I want to take him home and look after him; When I find a woman who is battered by her spouse and being treated as less than a human, I want to take her home and just protect her and when I find a child not receiving the nurturing love and care s/he deserves, I just want to take the child home and just love him/her. I guess that whatever it is that drives me must have driven me to start speaking up for and become protective towards Deltans and Nigerians generally, from the fraudulent Nigerians that have seized our common wealth. The same force drove me and a few other Nige

When Politics and Power are involved, a massive degree of Responsibility should, in principle, be involved. History and current events are full of examples where a lethal combination of the former is divorced from the latter. But Lauretta Onochie, of Nigeria, is the classy cornucopia of all the three elements, and a standing example of a stable face in the world of politics. Via Email, Lauretta spoke to DeltaWomen's  Kirthi Gita Jayakumar . 1. What inspired you to take to politics and political studies? I must say my going into politics was not planned. Although I have always been interested in politics, I never ever dreamed of being involved. I guess coming from a culture such ours, women do not naturally dream or aspire to political prominence. I actively got involved in politics in the local area where I live in the UK when we could not find Africans to run along side other ethni

1. Conspiracy to commit money laundering: Between the 1st day of  May 1999 and the 24th day of March 2003, conspired together with Christine Omatie Ibori-Ibie, Theresa Nkoyo Ibori and others to a) Conceal or disguise property which was, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, represented his proceeds of criminal conduct, namely his defrauding of Delta State Nigeria; or b) Convert or transfer the property or remove it from the jurisdiction, for the purposes of avoiding prosecution for an offence. 2. Money Laundering: between 24th day of March 2003 and the 30th day of May 2007 together with Udoamaka Onuigbo (also known as Okoronkwo), Christine Omati Ibori-Ibie and others, concealed, disguided, converted and or transferred his criminal property, which constituted his benefit from defrauding Delta State, Nigeria. 3. Obtaining property transfer by deception: On or about the 14th day of February 1999 dishonestly obtained for himself or another a money transfer from SunBank M

This is a puzzle to me but might be an ‘easy peasy’ for someone else. I am not a complicated person you see, so I like the easy side of life. I love any kitchen gadget that would help enhance my culinary skills especially those kitchen gadgets that make life easier in the kitchen like the onion chopper, apple corer, egg and tomato slicers etc. I couldn’t manage without my food processor too. Some of you would be thinking, “At last, she is showing that she is a woman, she’s going to talk about food”, Far from it. Its about my favourite topic at the moment; Its about President Goodluck Jonathan. Jonathan is believed to have been voted for by majority of registered Nigerian voters to emerge the president of Nigeria in the last presidential election, against my advice; fair enough. Nigerians, especially those who felt he was not fairly treated on his journey from vice presidency to the presidency, after the death of his predecessor and those who thought he represented

It’s a new dawn•*¨*•♫♪, it’s a new day •*¨*•♫♪ it’s a new life•*¨*•♫♪, for Ndi Anioma •*¨*•♫♪ and we’re feeling gooooood! •*¨*•♫♪•*¨*•♫♪ We would like to welcome everyone to this group, Ndi Anioma. A few days ago, as we searched for an encompassing name for this group, Ndi Anioma was the one that came to mind as we believe that, although we have ancestral and cultural links with the Binis, Ibos, Igalas, Yorubas etc, we are now a distinct people, having evolved over time with a unique language and way of life. Emeka Esogbue, Gloria Adagbon and I got to work and the Facebook page was born. We agreed it was an appropriate and an inclusive expression, literally meaning the “Anioma People” or “Anioma Nation”. We were excited. The rest as they say, is history. We want to thank everyone who has called, or emailed to enquire about the seeming lull in our activities with Anioma people. We particularly would rise for Emmanuel Nwokolo who had the audacity to call an erring leadership to ord

I am not usually given to responding to myopic, self-serving and sectional bigots but I thought a line ought to be drawn between those who are casting aspersions on the bold and decisive steps Nigerians are taking to recover their nation from the grips of a bunch of corrupt, insensitive and clueless ‘lootocrats’, headed by our ‘ceremonial’ president, Goodluck Jonathan on one hand and those bold and courageous Nigerians under the umbrella of OccupyNigeria on the other. I would like to draw our attention to the fact that the situation in Nigeria; the poverty, the neglect and the suffering of a people in a nation that boasts so much wealth, cuts across ethnic, religious and sectional divide. Nigerians had hopes that President Jonathan would deliver on his campaign promises of a breath of fresh air. What, and all can bear witness, we have had so far is a stagnant, more pungent and massively polluted air. Nigerians are choking, Nigerians are suffocating, Nigerians are dying daily in