Unongu Shares Mind

It can be reliably reported that the National Merit Awards Committee has compiled a list of 364 recipients for the 2011 National Merit Award. Top on the list is Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Business Mogul par Excellence and foremost richest man in Africa. Dangote is to be honoured with the title of Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON). The recipients included 41 persons for the award of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR); 66 persons for the award of the Commander of the Niger (CON) and 80 persons for the award of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR). There are 102 recipients of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON); 68 recipients for the Member of the Federal Republic (MFR); 27 recipients of the Member of the Niger (MON) and 4 others in the remaining categories. Other notable Nigerians on the list for MFR, MON, and OON awards are: 1.         Lt. Gen. S. Ibrahim, former Chief of Army Staff (CON) 2.  ...

LUCKY, THE UNLUCKY ONE. A Trafficking Story Written By Moses A. Unongu My name is Lucky Omoregie. I am eighteen years of age and the last child in the family of four. My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Omoregie got divorced while I was still in my mother’s womb, so, I hardly know the man that calls himself my father. I was brought up single handedly by my mother who hardly talks about issues concerning my father. At some point, mum insinuated that dad might have died since he has not bothered to pay us a visit and at least see how I have grown to become. And honestly, I believed her. What on earth would make a man turn his back on his family for over seventeen years? A family with a mother so loving and caring, and four poverty stricken but promising children? It beats my imagination till this day. Mama Rebecca, as my mother is fondly called in our Uli community of Imo State, squeezed water out of stone to see us through school, though partially. Rebecca my...

TWENTY-SEVEN EXCLUSIVE FACTS ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING Simply put , human trafficking is the illegal trade in human beings for the purposes of exploitation; a modern-day form of slavery . It is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, and has overtaken the illegal arms industry as the second largest, after the drug trade. Below are twenty-seven (27) facts (exclusive but not exhaustive) about human trafficking; 1.       Human trafficking is Modern Day Slavery. 2.       There are more slaves in the world today than has ever been in history. (B. E. Skinner, 2008) 3.       Nigeria serves as a source, transit and destination country for Human Trafficking and indentured labour. 4.       There are more Nigerian girls, who are involved in exploitative sex trade, in Italy than any other place abroad. 5.       The Illela an...