Emilio Sanchez is one of the most interesting and important abolitionists you've never heard of. He was an anti-slave trade spy in #NewYorkCity in the 1850s and 1860s //THREAD

On Thomas Paine's bones and what happened in Mahad (Maharashtra) in 1927. Thread.

The most reviled man in early 19th century America (because he wrote The Age of Reason) died a pauper in the worst kind of squalor, his body covered in cankers. Denied burial at the Quaker burying ground, he was buried in the orchard of his home in New Rochelle, New York State.

Only six mourners showed up for his funeral. No eulogies were offered. Marguerite Bonneville, a woman he had rescued from France, who became his caretaker in his final years, recalled his interment in this manner:

I, placing myself at the east end of the grave said to my son Benjamin, “stand you there, at the other end, as a witness for a grateful America.” Looking around me and beholding the small group of spectators, I exclaimed as the earth was tumbled into the grave:

“Oh! Mr. Paine! My son stands here as the testimony for the gratitude of America, and I, for France!”

Brilliant women are almost without fail maligned, diminished and erased in life and death. Glad to see this writing-in for Kamla Chowdhry, a pioneer in so many

I loathed Khushwant Singh for his sexism (that I could spot in his writings even as a teen).

The harm he did to SO many women as he pushed his sexist bile thinly disguised as wit is incalculable

I think he was the first writer I encountered that I read first, quite liked the work, then slowly recognised the issues.

By the time I met him in Delhi, I had zero tolerance for sexist, predatoey men who thought they could make and break women’s careers and lives with impunity

I met him around the time my book came out at a literary do. He was holding court, surrounded by lots of women, men leering at the women while snarking enviously. One of the publishing folk introduced me. He immediately checked me out and told me to ‘drop in for a visit’

I made appropriate noises and walked away. Then someone else at the party told me that I should visit him because ‘if he likes you, he can make your career.’

The implication of what the visit would entail was clear.

I first met her in Coimbatore,when she was doing the film , ஆயிரத்தில் ஒருவன் with the late MGR. She had come down for a dance recital , & was put up in hotel Alankar which was supposedly the best , those times ; the meeting was brief and as I grew up the charm changed to others

2. she was on her way up as Star; it must've been nearly 4 to 5 years, the editor of our college magazine wanted me to do an article on her, (by that time she was known as s gutsy person, no holds barred); I was rather taken aback when she recollected our earlier meet and then

4. All went smooth. I was in touch with her on and off and I was never into the movies , as I disliked their debauchery and multi faceted life style , however I was in touch with late Nagesh, JaiShankar, and a couple of others. It was fun being with them and I was elevated from

3. my favourite E stand at chepauk to pavilion terrace as Nagesh was a member and one ticket was for me always. She went into politics and our contact was lesser, except when she took a daring stand on the subject of Lord Rama: quote " சிலரை போல், நான் இல்லை. எனக்கு ராமர் கடவுள்

5. அவர் எனக்கு எப்போதும் வேண்டும் ". This was a dig at BJP who had at that period were playing low key on RJB. I was just out of the leftist clutches and this took me by surprise. She was a member of the RS, by then. I wrote a letter , appreciating her and it was responded to

THE GLORIA OKON STORY

In 1984, the Muhammadu Buhari-led military government issued Decree 20 which stated that:

"any person who, without lawful authority deals in...cocaine...shall be guilty...and liable on conviction to suffer death sentence by firing squad."

#Thread

Therefore, on April 22, 1985, a certain Gloria Okon, whose real name was Chinyere, was about to board a Nigeria Airways flight at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano when she was apprehended and arrested with substances suspected to be heroin which weighed about...

...57 grammes and other drugs as well as local and foreign currencies.

Gloria Okon was said to be a drug courier for Babangida and his wife. In an exclusive interview with Sahara Reporters published on June 8, 2009, Dr. Taiyemiwo Ogunade described the event thus...

“Gloria Okon is actually Chinyere, that’s her real name. She married Charles "Jeff" Chandler, the fellow who killed Nzeogwu and was killed a day later. Chinyere, Maryam, and Princess Atta were young friends who hung out together.

"They all married into the military because the military was a proud and respectable profession then. Charles Chandler, who was Tiv, married Chinyere who I think is from Imo State.

"IBB married Maryam from Asaba and Mamman Vatsa married Princess.

When billionaire Femi Otedola in a telephone interview, was asked by the radio presenter, "Sir what can you remember made you a happiest man in life?" Femi said: "I have gone through four stages of happiness in life and finally I understood #RightMorals

the meaning of true happiness."
The first stage was to accumulate wealth and means. But at this stage I did not get the happiness I wanted. Then came the second stage of collecting valuables and items. But I realized that the effect of this thing

is also temporary and the lustre of valuable things does not last long. Then came the third stage of getting big projects. That was when I was holding 95% of diesel supply in Nigeria and Africa. I was also the largest vessel owner in Africa and Asia. #RightMorals

But even here I did not get the happiness I had imagined. The fourth stage was the time a friend of mine asked me to buy wheelchair for some disabled children. Just about 200 kids. At the friend's request, I immediately bought the wheelchairs.

But the friend insisted that I go with him and hand over the wheelchairs to the children. I got ready and went with him. There I gave these wheel chairs to these children with my own hands. I saw the strange glow of happiness on the faces of these children.