The controversy about Stalin – a “basket” of preliminary considerations

When introducing Jimmie Moglia’s video series about Stalin I promised to share with you my own take on this most controversial personality.  Let me immediately say that what I will write below is most definitely not some seminal analysis of the life and personality of Stalin, but rather few more or less disjointed thoughts on a topic which I still feel that I do not understand.

The figure of Stalin has always been a controversial one.  Some thought of him as the “leader of all times and all nations” (“вождь всех времен и народов”) while other saw him like the epitome of evil, a genocidal maniac who killed more people than any other individual in history.  In reality, that kind of polarization is probably a strong indication of the fact that this issue is a very complex one and that a simple black and white answer is unlikely to correctly evaluate the person of Stalin and his legacy.  The fact that there really was a “personality cult” during Stalin’s life and that it was followed by a emotional denunciation by Khrushchev only made things worse.  Stalin is most definitely a polarizing figure and I myself have been submitted to that polarization from my early childhood.

FG Releases 7,000 Outstanding Petrol Loading Tickets Of Independent Marketers

The federal government has begun to release to members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) trucks of petrol to offset about 7,000 of their loading tickets which they said had been outstanding at products depots in the country. IPMAN said in a statement from the Secretary of their Reconciliation/Interim Management Committee, Mr. Lawson Ngoa in Abuja that some of their have started loading products from some depots in Lagos.

Dauda Adamu Kahutu "Rarara" Kidnapped By Gunmen In Kano

Ever wondered why President Jonathan had so much bad blood in the north Despite building 9 of the 11 federal universities there and empowering millions of almajiri with formal education by building over 400 fully equipped almajiri schools ?

Then look no further as this man Dauda Adamu Kahuta popularly known as Rarara contributed immensely.

He sang a song that painted Buhari in glowing fashion while using very derogatory words for Jonathan and it became the northern national anthem and he bacame an instant millionaire as his CDs sold in millions the consequences is today all history .

Teenage ‘cultist’ arrested for robbery in Lagos

Operatives of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS) today arrested 13-year-old Opeyemi Johnson who is believed to be a suspected member of the notorious Awawa cult group for robbery. Opeyemi, a Junior Secondary School (JSS) student, was arrested around Fagba in Agege this morning after he, alongside 20 others attacked some road users and dispossessed them of their belongings.‎ Other gang members fled as RRS men on patrol tried to catch them.


Luck however ran out on Opeyemi who was caught and later led the police to arrest another suspect, Mohammed Korede, 19.

Photos: 11 persons perish in a road accident on the Benin-Ore road

11 people (9 males, 2 females) died and 6 others (4 males, 2 females) in a road crash that occurred after Owena bridge, about 18km from Ore on the Benin-Ore road. The accident that occured in the early hours of today, April 10 involved a truck and a Toyota Hiace bus. According to FRSC, "the crash was an head on collision resulted as a result of driving against traffic on the dual carriageway by the driver of the truck.

FG imposing more hardships on Nigeria with VAT increment - Fayose

Read the press statement below...
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has said that the Federal Government was planning to impose more hardships on Nigerians by increasing Value Added Tax (VAT) from the current five per cent to 10 per cent, describing the move as insensitive to the plight of Nigerians who are suffering from the bad economic policies of the President Mohammadu Buhari led All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

Filling Stations In Awka Sell Petrol For N250 Per Litre

Petrol pump price has risen to between N200 and N250 in Awka, capital of Anambra state, east of Nigeria.

The price rose as the product became scarce in the city .

NAN reports that most stations were under lock and key as a result of unavailability of the product; while few stations that opened were selling for between N200 and N250 per liter.

According to NAN, the only petrol station selling at the official pump price of N86.70 kobo in the city was NNPC mega station with long queue.

Abdulrahman Ajiya Wins Abaji LG Chairmanship Poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the chairmanship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdulrahman Ajiya, as winner of the election in Abaji Area Council.

The INEC returning officer in the area, Mr. Bayo Emmanuel, who declared the results at the commission’s office at about 9:12 am on Sunday amidst tight security, said the APC candidate polled 12, 793 votes against his opponent, the incumbent chairman of the council, Alhaji Yahaya Garba Gawu of the PDP, who got 10, 076 votes.

FCT Polls: APGA Protest As INEC Declares Gwagwalada Area Council Inconclusive

Members of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) took to the street to protest the pronouncement of the returning officer Mr. Adamu Tanimu, in the just concluded area council election in Gwagwalada. Tanimu had stated that the election is inconclusive even when the APGA candidate scored the highest number of votes in the concluded election. Alhaji Mustapha Adamu Denze scored a total of 15,272 to defeat his closest rival the incumbent chairman of the council Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri, who scored 14,546 votes. The election in Gwagwalada area council was generally peaceful, while the candidate of APGA, Denze is to address a press conference any moment from now. Meanwhile, the result of chairmanship election of Kwali area council is yet to be called as election is still going on in Bako.

Change Slogan Is Losing Melody – Vangaurd NewsPaper

VangaurdNgr: The change mantra and Sai Buhari that ushered in the new administration are losing their allure in the federal capital. Why?

By Favour Nnabugwu,Vivian Yiye & Samuel Chia

A good campaign slogan is like a good fortune: concise, clever and crisp. The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, found one in the slogan Change, which was to drive home the party’s campaign for the change of what was considered as the difficult situations Nigerians believed they were living under in the years before the historic May 29, 2015, handover from the former ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the APC.
President Muhammadu BuhariPresident Muhammadu Buhari

Soldiers Conveying Goods Step On Mine At Nigeria/cameroon Border. Graphic Photos

Nigerian soldiers who were on a journey from the boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria to Maiduguri, Borno state -were hit by an explosive after accidentally stepping on a mine.. Though a military truck was destroyed along with some of the goods (mainly foodstuff) being transported ... thankfully, no soldier died in the incident.....

Results From The FCT Area Council Election (Yet To Be Confirmed By INEC)

all the results coming in from the FCT Area Council Elections :
Result for Gwarinpa:
Chairmanship
PDP 2342
APC 2718
councillor
PDP 2237
APC 2755.
Dei-dei Mopol baracks PU
Chairmanship
PDP 28
APC28
Councillor
PDP 25
APC 32.

Why Did God Create The Tree Of Good and evil If He Didn't Want Man To Sin

I keep wondering why did God even create the tree of life in the garden of Eden in the first place if He didn't want man to sin..

Some say its intentional... if it is, why was He so displeased to the extent of placing a curse on them...

He created us as man.. not as gods or heavenly creatures.. so of course he was easy and prone to falling for temptation.. so I assumed He knew from the start while creating him, that man would fall by eating the forbidden fruit...

so why bother creating it and then cursing man when it is believed He knew he would fall.. (that's the part that makes it look unfair) .. its similar to setting a concealed trap right in front of us..


I'm confused honestly ..

contributions are welcome

Where Were Niger-Delta Senators & Reps When Lagos Calabar Rail Was Removed?

It is very pathetic and annoying that we have senators from Niger Delta and they allowed this injustice to be done to our region by thier Saraki loving senators.

We all know that almost all the senators from Niger Delta are PDP and are those who voted Saraki to be Senate president.

Yet this same senators could not fight for thier people to ensure a rail dat will benefit thier region is retained. They were asleep in the senate when Kano Senators ensured Lagos Kano rail is retained.

DSS Takes Over Abia Forest With 55 Shallow Graves

The Department of State Services has taken over Umuanyi Forest near Aba in Abia State, where it said unidentified 55 shallow graves were discovered recently.

Not less than 55 identified persons were said to have been allegedly buried in the graves by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra.

The DSS on Saturday accused the members IPOB of engaging in kidnapping and extrajudicial killings.

IPOB is being led by the Director of guerilla Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, who is being prosecuted by the Federal Government for alleged treasonable felony.

Pendulum: Another desperate memo to President Buhari - by Dele Momodu

As culled from his newspaper The Boss Newspaper. Read below...

Your Excellency, Assalam Alaikum. It has been over six months since you graciously invited me to your office in Abuja. I must note once again that I was truly honoured and humbled by our one-on-one meeting. We spoke and interacted like two old buddies. What was more, I was all alone with you without a third party in the room. We spoke candidly and cracked jokes freely.

Trader Swallow 144 Wraps Of Cocaine, Arrested At The MMA En-route Dubai

Two men are currently in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency after being nabbed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos over 252 wraps of cocaine weighing 4.3kgs

The NDLEA put the street value of the drugs at about N39m.

According to NDLEA spokesperson, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, the suspects – 54-year-old Chinweuba Echezona, who is a driver and 44-year-old Ekwueme Louis, a trader – had ingested some of the drugs and concealed part of it in their luggage.

Nigerians have not entered One Chance - President Buhari Begs the masses

President Muhammdu Buhari on Friday called for patience with his administration, stating that he feels the pains of Nigerians and that he was working towards turning the hardship around.
Buahari made the appeal in Lagos during the Vanguard Personality Award ceremony where he was jointly honoured with his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan as Personality of the Year, 2015.

Represented by the Minister of information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Buhari said, “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, let me use this opportunity to tell our compatriots that this administration is keenly aware of the difficulties they are facing at this time, resulting mostly from the fuel scarcity, poor power supply, inflation etc.

Gunmen In Military Camouflage Attack Palace Of A Prominent Monarch In Bayelsa

Gunmen on Saturday attacked the country home of King AmalateTurner at Opume in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa destroying household furniture and electronics.


Prominent Bayelsa Monarch, King Amalate Turner of Opume in Ogbia Local Government Area, has been reportedly attacked by unknown gunmen at his country home on Saturday, destroying household furniture and electronics.

The gunmen, about 20 of them who wore military camouflage for the attack, were said to have stormed the community in two speed boats at about 12.55 a.m. on Saturday.

President Buhari leaves for China tomorrow

Read the press statement from the presidency
President Muhammadu Buhari will leave Abuja tomorrow for a working visit to China aimed at securing greater support from Beijing for the development of Nigeria's infrastructure, especially in the power, roads, railways, aviation, water supply and housing sectors.

Protesters in London Demand Cameron's Resignation Over Offshore Tax Scheme

Protesters have gathered in front of the UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s 10 Downing Street residence in London to call for his resignation, starting on Saturday. The demonstration has been called as a consequence of Panama Papers leak, which involves Cameron's family and earnings. On Thursday night the prime minister admitted that he and his wife sold shares for more than £30,000 in a fund set up in Panama by his father, who passed away in 2010. The protest will end only after he resigns, according to organisers.

A Pastor In Ghana Arrested For Posting Nood Pictures Of Wife On Facebook (Photo)

A heartless pastor who was in a marital quarrel with the wife leading to divorce has gone on Facebook to publish many of her n*ked photos.

A pastor in Ghana has found himself in trouble after he posted n*ked pictures of his former wife on Facebook.

It was alleged that the pastor last year ordered a photographer to take a n*de picture of his ex-lover, Mame Kesewah in their bedroom.

The pastor who had two kids with the ex-lover, then posted the n*de pictures on social media which caught the attention of many in the town.

There is a lot the west can learn from Africa – Obasanjo

Nigeria’s Former President and Co-Chair of the Commonwealth Africa Initiative (CAFI) Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former UN Scribe Dr. Kofi Anan, and Africa Regional Director for GLEEHD Foundation/Commonwealth Africa Initiative Africa Engagement Director Ambassador Dayo Israel, were among the Key Guest at the recently concluded Commonwealth Day Service & Commonwealth Africa Summit activities in London in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

They Raped Us Every Day In Sambisa - Boko Haram S3x Slaves Narrate Bitter Ordeal

Some of the women rescued by the Nigerian Army from the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist group have narrated their shocking ordeal in the hands of their kidnappers.
For months, they were kept in tiny thatched huts in the middle of the forest, waiting with dread each evening for their rapists to return. During the almost intolerable violence, the young women’s minds drifted to escape or death. The victims were as young as 8.

At the heart of Boko Haram’s self-proclaimed caliphate in northeastern Nigeria was a savage campaign of rape and sexual slavery that has only recently been uncovered. Thousands of girls and women were held against their will, subject to forced marriages and relentless indoctrination. Those who resisted were often shot.

Shocking way Boko Haram trains kidnapped women and girls to be suicide bombers

In a New York Times article, a woman who escaped the clutches of Boko Haram gives a chilling account of how the terrorists train women and girls to become suicide bombers.

"Hold the bomb under your armpit to keep it steady", the women and girls were taught.

Sever your enemy’s head from behind, to minimize struggling.

“If you cut from the back of the neck, they die faster,” said Rahila Amos, a Nigerian grandmother describing the meticulous instruction she received from Boko Haram to become a suicide bomber.

Of all the many horrors of Boko Haram’s rampage across West Africa — the attacks on mosques, churches and schools; the mass killings of civilians; the entire villages left in ashes after militants tear through — one of the most baffling has been its ability to turn captured women and girls into killers.