Gist Arena

T he small Nigerian town of Nnewi has more naira billionaires per capita than anywhere else in the country. Shortly before Nigeria’s independence in 1960, Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, reportedly Nigeria’s first black billionaire, and founding president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. The royal honor came after he helped the British during World War II with his fleet of trucks. He was so wealthy that during the Queen’s visit in 1956, she was chauffeured around in his Rolls-Royce – apparently the only one in the country at the time – on the request of the colonial administration. Profiled in September 1965 by TIME magazine, Ojukwu made his money by importing dried fish for resale, and diversifying into textiles, cement and transport. When he died a year later, his wealth was an estimated $4 billion in today’s economic value. His son, Chukwuemeka, who also ended up a billionaire, returned from Oxford University at 22 with a master’s degree ...

N namdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has said he's not afraid of getting re-arrested by the Federal government saying it would quicken the actualization of the Republic of Biafra dream. Kanu who spoke in Umahia yesterday said, 'If you arrest me, Biafra will come even quicker than we anticipate. I am not afraid of being arrested. I have been there before and if need be, I will also be there again. I will be very happy if they re-arrest me. If we are hoping for 90% compliance with the boycott of Anambra State Governorship election, my arrest will make the compliance 100%'. Then he continued to say, 'but why will I be re-arrested and nobody is going to arrest Tanko Yakassai or Ango Abdulahi because of what they have been saying? Is it because they are Fulani? They own Nigeria? They are immuned to arrest? Is arrest only meant for Biafrans and not for Fulani? Who will arrest Lawal Daura of DSS for flouting court order to release Bright Ch...