Yar'Adua's presidential inauguration to gulp N820m

By Umoru Henry
Posted to the Web: Tuesday, May 22, 2007

ABUJA — THE May 29 inauguration of Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua as Nigeria’s next president will cost N820,306,727.10k, according to Information Minister, Mr. Frank Nweke (Jnr).

Mr. Nweke at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, on the events lined up for the change of baton at the federal level listed the inaugural lecture as top of the events.

The lecture will be delivered by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Mr. Meles Zenawi.
Dignitaries are expected from Africa andother parts of the world.

Nweke who doubles as the Chairman, Publicity Sub-Committee of the inauguration committee, explained that Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Total, Mobil Producing, Diamond Bank, Dangote Groups would pick part of the bills.

To kick-start the inauguration is a Jumat Service on Friday, May 25 where the president-elect would join and pray with other Muslim faithful at the National Mosque.
Other activities include a documentary on Nigeria’s political development on Wednesday, May 23 to be aired on all public and private television stations; exhibition of Nigeria’s historical and political artefacts at the International Conference Centre; musical performance on Thursday, May 24 at Eagle Square and National Youth Leaders’ valedictory congress for the President at the State Banquet Hall, State House.

According to the minister, there will be a football match on Saturday, May 26 at the National Stadium; Children’s march past on Sunday, May 27 at Eagle Square; inauguration and thanksgiving farewell service on Sunday, May 27 at the National Christian Worship Centre, Abuja and other churches nationwide; Children’s Parliament same day at the ECOWAS Secretariat; the inaugural lecture on Monday, May 28 at ECOWAS Secretariat and cultural festival and fireworks same day at the Millennium Park.
Nweke said the swearing-in would be followed by an inaugural banquet same day at the State Banquet Hall, State House.

Reminds me of Festac '77 , complete senseless spending while the masses go hungry

Shameful waste of tax payers money~ASUU is on strike,Labor furious with unnecessary retrenchments,pensions and gratuities outstanding!
Power,roads,healthcare unavailable!Well lets all herald in Yar'adua with monumental over-inflated,grandiose celebration of dishonesty ,graft and banditry

Naija we hail thee

who is organising this thing?

They have to celebrate the monumental rigging of the elections.Let the looting begin!

God in heaven will fight for us!!!

Me i believe so, They will all pay for their deeds sooner or later, but surely someday,

I think that sum of money if they don't know what they can do with it,could have help to construct roads in the Niger Delta thereby reducing this kidnapping of oil workers

Or better still use it to reconstruct the Port harcourt OIl reffinary instead of selling it to Dangote and his guys

it shows how foolish we Nigerian are. Not even American swearing in took that much.
We do actually love to down look the masses and gulp just for our stomach.
What is the esence of that kind of spending? That money is more than just enough to let the nation have steady LIGHT and WATER supply if we spend it on such Facility.
Jarad should be one for the masses and remember he can't be like the others.
A word is enough for the Wise, so if he is wise then he should prevent himself not being blackmailed as an unwise man.