03082019 - Worsening Insecurity: Suspected herdsmen kill Catholic priest in Enugu

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2 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 3, 2019

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 3, 2019 — 3 

Omo-Agege is a principled political 

leader — Senate President 

•As Lawan felicitates with his deputy at 56 

By Henry Umoru 

PRESIDENT of the 

Senate, Senator 

Ahmad Lawan, has 

described his deputy, 

Senator Ovie Omo- 

Agege, as someone who 

has demonstrated courage 

of conviction and 

distinguished him as a 

principled political leader 

and a beacon of hope. 

Lawan who felicitated 

with the family, friends and 

political associates of the 

Deputy Senate President, 

as he marks his 56th 

birthday today, 

commended him for his 

zeal and uncompromising 

commitment to the 

principles of participatory 

democracy, justice and 

equity. 

In a statement yesterday 

by his Special Adviser, 

Media, Ola Awoniyi, the 

President of the Senate on 

behalf of himself and the 

entire Senate congratulated 

Senator Omo-Agege on 

the auspicious occasion and 

wished him many more 

years of meritorious service 

to Nigerians at the Senate 

and in other capacities that 

the Almighty God may take 

him in the future. 

According to the 

statement, “Omo-Agege 

has consistently 

demonstrated his family 

heritage of trustworthiness 

in service and leadership 

in his professional and 

public service career as a 

legal practitioner, 

commissioner, Secretary to 

the Government of Delta 

State and Senator. He has 

also demonstrated courage 

of conviction and 

distinguished himself as a 

principled political leader 

and a beacon of hope, 

especially in this epoch 

when Nigerians are 

patiently laying the 

building blocks of a 

democratic, peaceful and 

prosperous nation. 

“Lawan looks forward to 

a lasting warm and fruitful 

working relationship with 

Omo-Agege in the 

leadership of the Senate 

and the National Assembly. 

Kogi 2019: Aspirant seeks collective battle 

to oust Gov Bello 

By Boluwaji Obahopo 

A 

renowned economist 

and governorship 

aspirant on the platform of 

the People’s Democratic 

Party (PDP), in Kogi state, 

Dr. Victor Adoji has vowed 

to give his support to 

whoever emerges the 

party’s flagbearer in the 

event that he fails in his 

ambition to pick the ticket 

of the party for the 

November 16 guber 

election. 

Adoji, formerly Executive 

Director, Public Affairs with 

Zenith Bank, PLC affirmed 

that the woeful 

administration of the ruling 

All Progressives Congress 

(APC) under the 

leadership of the 

incumbent governor, 

Yahaya Bello deserves a 

joint struggle to flush him 

Tallen’s nomination tears Plateau 

APC apart 

By Marie-Therese 

Nanlong 

Mixed 

reactions 

have trailed the 

nomination of one time 

Minister of State, Science 

and Technology and 

former Deputy Governor 

of Plateau State, Dame 

Pauline Tallen as minister 

by 

President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

Immediately her 

nomination was made 

public, a section of 

Plateau residents, mostly 

women from different 

groups went into 

celebration and sending 

congratulatory messages. 

Those who were opposed 

to the nomination were 

said to have made 

preparation to ferry some 

youths for a protest in 

Abuja. 

Among those 

mentioned as sponsors 

for the proposed protest 

was the State Chairman 

of the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, Mr. 

Letep Dabang who was 

interested in being 

out of Lugard House. 

Addressing journalists in 

Lokoja yesterday at a 

Media Parley organized by 

the Kogi NUJ, Adoji 

expressed worry over the 

maladministration of 

Governor Bello saying that 

his ambition has nothing to 

do with desperation but a 

collective fight to push him 

out irrespective of political 

and ethnic affiliations. 

He however said if he 

emerged candidate and 

eventually win the poll, he 

will give priority to 

agriculture, food security, 

employment generation as 

well as change the state 

from civil service state to an 

industrialized one. 

Adoji admonished 

political gladiators in the 

state not to see politics as a 

do or die affair but as a 

game that should be 

centred on making their 

appointed a Minister. 

Dabang had since 

denounced the allegation 

saying he knew nothing 

about it. Dr. Jophia 

Gupar, a coordinator of a 

women group, (W4W, 

he4she) had raised an 

alarm saying, “Our 

attention has been drawn 

to a shameful plan by 

some individuals to hire 

our young people to come 

to Abuja to protest against 

the nomination of Dame 

Pauline Tallen as a 

ministerial nominee for 

Plateau State. What a 

shameful act, what a 

disgrace to Plateau state. 

Plateau is a state known 

for peace, love, unity and 

hospitality. 

“I am sending this piece 

of information because 

people’s children are 

going to be used to cause 

unrest in Plateau state 

while their own children 

are secured somewhere. 

Please mothers arise and 

do something because 

this is our future, this is 

our state that holds 

immediate community a 

better place for citizens and 

even generations yet 

unborn. 

According to him, “I 

decided to pick my 

nomination form on the 

closing date. If I had picked 

my form earlier, others 

would have backed out. I 

am the biggest 

masquerade of them all 

and cannot be intimidated” 

Speaking further he said 

“my political aspiration is 

driven by sheer passion for 

service and the need to 

provide credible and 

people oriented leadership 

which has eluded our state 

and people since our return 

to democracy. I am not in 

the race for personal gains, 

but to offer myself as an 

instrument for community 

service. Our goal is to 

improve the living 

condition of our people 

through innovative and 

pragrammatic governance. 

Nigeria together. My 

heart bleeds with pains 

this morning”. 

In a swift reaction, 

Mulak Wesley, the 

Personal Assistant to 

Dabang however said, 

“the attention of the 

Plateau State Chairman 


Congress (APC), Hon 

Chief Letep Dabang has 

been drawn to a false and 

malicious online 

publication purportedly 

linking a faceless group 

and a so-called planned 

protest to his person. To 

the APC Chairman, this 

is the highest level of 

mischief aimed at 

tarnishing the image of 

the Party in the State and 

not only his person. For 

the avoidance of doubt the 

APC Chairman is one 

who absolutely believes in 

destiny as planned by 

God, as such a ministerial 

position cannot be what 

will draw him into enmity 

with any human talk more 

of a personality he has 

had a very cordial 

relationship with.”

4 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 3, 2019 

Worsening Insecurity: Suspected herdsmen 

kill Catholic priest in Enugu 

*Abduct RCCG pastor, four others in Ogun 

* Priests protest, Adeboye calls for prayers 

By Sam Eyoboka & 

Dennis Agbo 

BARELY 

three 

weeks after Mrs 

Olakunrin, daughter of 

Afenifere chairman, Pa 

Reuben Fasoranti was 

killed by suspected gunmen, 

a catholic priest in 

Enugu, Rev Fr Paul Offu 

is now the newest addition 

to the growing number 

of citizens who have 

lost their lives to the 

worsening security situation 

in the country. 

Fr. Offu, the Parish 

Priest of Ugbuakwa was 

allegedly shot dead by 

suspected Fulani herdsmen 

along Agwu road, 

Enugu. He was said to 

be travelling for a visit 

to one of his family 

friends when the incident 

happened. 

Just when the nation 

was grappling with the 

sad news, five persons 

including one pastor of 

the Redeemed Christian 

Church of God, RCCG, 

were reportedly abducted 

at Ijebu-Ode, Ogun 

State. 

The General Overseer 

of the RCCG, Pastor 

Enoch Adeboye announced 

the abduction 

on Friday morning while 

giving a talk at the Redeemed 

Camp along the 

Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. 

Pastor Adeboye said 

the abduction took place 

on Thursday along the 

Ijebu-Ode axis. He 

charged the congregation 

to pray for the release 

of the abductees. 

Irked by the death of 

their colleague, Catholic 

Priests in Enugu yesterday 

staged a protest demanding 

that criminal 

Fulani herdsmen must 

leave the state with immediate 

effect. 

The over 400 Catholic 

priests said they took 

the decision after their 

emergency meeting on 

Friday at Holy Ghost 

Cathedral Ogui-Enugu. 

They subsequently embarked 

on street protest 

from the cathedral to 

Enugu government 

house. 

The priests, who 

marched peacefully, 

passed through major 

roads within Enugu metropolis 

on their white official 

cassock to government 

house where they 

registered their grievances 

and made their 

position known to 

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. 

They held placards 

with various inscriptions; 

“Enough is 

Enough”, “Catholic 

Priests are Targets of 

Hoodlums”, “We Cannot 

be Living in Fear”, 

``Government Must 

Address Security Challenge 

in Enugu”, “Bad 

Herdsmen must be 

ejected in our state, 

“We’re dying, life is sacred,” 

etc. 

Addressing newsmen 

on the development, the 

Catholic Bishop of Enugu 

Diocese, Most Rev. 

Dr. Callistus Onaga, 

said that the protest 

came to register the displeasure 

of the diocese 

over the incessant attacks 

on Catholic priests 

by hoodlums in the state, 

which he noted have 

lasted for seven years. 

Onaga said that the 

Catholic priests were simply 

demanding for better 

security beef up in the 

state; adding that “If there 

are crop of bad herdsmen 

in the state, they should 

be fished out and we will 

continue to live in peace 

with the good ones.” 

The bishop however noted 

that the attack had become 

unbearable as the 

diocese lost a priest in 

March this year, who was 

also killed by suspected 

armed herdsmen. He also 

disclosed that another 

priest shot about two 

weeks ago in the state, is 

still receiving intensive 

medical attention in an 

undisclosed hospital. 

Speaking with Saturday 

Vanguard on how the incident 

occurred, the Director 

of catholic communications, 

Enugu Dioceses, 

Rev Fr Ben Achi said 

“what happened was that 

after our meeting in 

Emene, yesterday 

(Thursday), we came out 

to hear a news that one 

of us, Rev Fr James Offu 

was shot dead by some 

Fulani herdsmen who 

took him into the bush 

around 2pm at Agwu 

road. He was travelling 

for a visit to one of his family 

friends when he was 

accosted by these men 

who shot him dead. 

“They were shooting 

and he kept moving even 

as they were shooting 

and because they had 

shot and deflated the tyres 

of his car, he and the 

boy that accompanied him 

ran into the bush but they 

cut up with them and 

eventually killed him. 

“They left the boy that 

accompanied him but 

they killed the priest because 

they said the 

From left Mr Peter Obi, former Governor, Anambra State; Mr Valentine Ozigbo, 

President, Transcorp; Chief Allen Onyema, Chairman, Air Peace Airline and son of 

Late Chief Michael Onyema and His Royal Highness, Igwe E. Nnabuife during the 

Service of songs for Late Chief Michael Onyema at Mbosi, Anambra State, Photo 

Lamidi Bamidele 

priest was the one driving 

and that he refused 

to stop by the time they 

were shooting at him. 

According to the young 

man who came to speak 

with us this morning, he 

said that one of them 

suggested that they take 

him and ask for ransom 

but the others said because 

he had given them 

troubles, they were going 

to kill him. 

“He said that one of 

them said that even if 

they take him, the ransom 

may not be paid. So 

out of anger they decided 

to kill him, his body 

was raided with bullets. 

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi 

upon receiving 

the unfortunate news of 

the incident summoned 

an emergency security 

meeting at the Government 

House, Enugu, 

which was attended by 

all the security agencies 

in the state, Archbishop 

Emmanuel Chukwuma 

of Enugu Ecclesiastical 

Province (Anglican Communion), 

representative 

of the Catholic Bishop of 

Enugu Diocese, Rev. 

Fr. Dr. Nnamdi Nwankwo, 

among others. 

Briefing journalists on 

the outcome of the meeting, 

the State Commissioner 

of Police, Suleiman 

Balarabe, stated that they 

“condemned in totality 

the dastardly act and we 

all prayed that his soul 

rest in peace”, adding 

that the governor mandated 

the security agencies 

to fish out the perpetrators 

of the heinous act. 

Balarabe disclosed that 

the state government resolved 

to have air surveillance 

in all the flashpoint 

areas, stressing that the 

exercise will commence 

on Monday, August 5. 

The police commissioner 

added that the meeting 

resolved that the security 

architecture of the 

affected areas will be reviewed 

with immediate 

effect. 

He said that the meeting 

observed with deep 

concern the proliferation 

of dangerous arms in the 

state, stating that those 

in possession of illegal 

weapons have been given 

three days to submit 

them to the police “and 

after which anybody 

found with illegal weapons 

will be dealt with in 

accordance with the law”. 

Balarabe revealed that 

in keeping with the outcome 

of the recent meeting 

of the South East 

Governors Forum, the 

Enugu State Government 

resolved at the 

emergency meeting to 

employ the services of 

Forest Guards and equally 

strengthen the services 

of the Neighborhood 

Watch groups in the state. 

Meanwhile abductors 

of RCCG pastor and four 

others are yet to make 

any contact with their 

families after their kidnap. 

A statement by the 

church’s head of Publicity, 

Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi 

last night confirmed 

the development, assuring 

that church was making 

frantic efforts to get 

further details before a 

detailed response. 

Asked if the abductors 

have gotten in touch, the 

church spokesman said 

as far the church was 

concerned there has 

been no word. “I cannot 

say if they had reached 

out to their family 

members, but we are 

making frantic efforts as 

a corporate organisation 

to get more facts,” he 

stated, adding “Daddy 

just mentioned during 

ministration in the morning 

and we are yet get 

more details. 

“The pastor belongs to 

one of our youth churches 

coming in from the 

Ogun state axis for the 

Ministers Conference. 

We do not have further details 

yet. Whether the abductors 

have gotten in 

touch with their families 

I cannot tell but we urge 

all Nigerians to intercede 

for the victims.” 

"We're on top of the 

situation,"Governor 

Ugwuanyi said last 

night, adding "we have 

another emergency 

meeting tomorrow and 

security men will begin 

to comb everywhere to 

sustain peace in Enugu 

State which has been 

very peaceful". 

FG holds induction for 43 

Ministers-Designate 

FOLLOWING confir 

mation by the Senate, 

the federal government has 

concluded arrangements 

for an induction retreat for 

its 43 Ministers Designate 

with a view to preparing 

them for the task ahead. 

Secretary to the Government 

of the Federation SGF, 

Boss Mustapha who disclosed 

this in a statement 

Friday in Abuja added that 

relevant documents for their 

study and guidance, preparatory 

to the inauguration of 

the cabinet shall be available 

for collection at the Office 

of the Secretary to the 

Government of the Federation 

(OSGF) (Cabinet Affairs 

Office) next Tuesday. 

“Ministers Designate are 

also requested to please 

Don’t blame 

every 

problem on 

herdsmen 

— Kukah 

By Lawani Mikairu 

THE Bishop of Sokoto 

Diocese, Bishop Hassan 

Kukah yesterday said 

the diversity of Nigeria 

should be seen as a 

strength instead of a divisive 

factor. He also said 

blaming every problem on 

Herdsmen and Fulani will 

not help the country. 

Kukah said this at the 

burial ceremony of Air 

Peace airline chairman, 

Barrister Allen Onyema’s 

father, Chief Micheal Onyema 

in Mbosi, Anambra 

state. 

According to him criminal 

elements are perpetuating 

evil and Nigerians 

are blaming herdsmen. He 

said that banditry, armed 

robbery cases and killings 

currently going on in some 

part of the country should 

be tackled holistically, instead 

of taking the easy 

path of blaming every 

crime on herdsmen. 

He said : “ We are all 

herdsmen. We are all nomads. 

I have a couple of 

goats I got as gift that I am 

currently rearing. So. I am 

also a herdsman. We 

should always look beyond 

the surface and tackle every 

problem head-on. The 

country’s problem is much 

more complex”. 

Bishop Kukah who delivered 

an address at the 

burial officiated by four 

bishops and many Catholic 

priests, traced his relationship 

with the Air Peace 

airline chairman, Allen 

Onyema saying that he 

has been overwhelmed by 

the detribalised nature of 

Onyema who has friends 

across the country. 

“ Onyema is ready to 

render assistance to anybody 

irrespective of where 

he or she comes from. I 

have had personal experience 

with him and he 

has not ceased to surprise 

me. Nigerians should take 

a cue from him.” 

bring along and submit to 

the OSGF, their updated 

CV in soft and hard copies 

as well as any valid 

identification document. 

“Finally, I am pleased to 

inform you that, in view of 

the need to allow Ministers 

Designate enough 

time to study the documents 

(Status Report on 

Policies, Programmes and 

Projects; the 2019-2023 

Road Map, FEC Handbook, 

etc) and considering 

the upcoming Sallah 

break, His Excellency, Mr. 

President has approved 

an Induction Retreat for 

Ministers Designate to be 

held at the State House 

Banquet Hall, Abuja from 

August 15-16, 2019”, the 

statement added.


Your emotional appeal a gambit doomed to 

fail, presidency tells Atiku 

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

T hePresidency 

yesterday described 

as laughable efforts by the 

presidential candidate of 

the People’s Democratic 

Party, PDP, in the February 

23 elections, Alhaji Atiku 

Abubakar, to appeal to the 

emotions of Nigerians, 

particularly members of the 

judiciary, thinking it would 

in any way influence 

decision in the ongoing 

legal tussle over the result 

of the presidential poll. 

Special Adviser to the 

President on Media and 

Publicity, Chief Femi 

Adesina in Abuja, stated 

that “first, it was laughable, 

now it gets progressively 

pitiable,” to see and hear 

Alhaji Abubakar making 

such emotional appeal. 

Adesina said when the 

nation’s apex court, the 

Supreme Court recently 

pronounced the All 

Progressives Congress 

(APC) candidate as due 

winner of Osun State 

gubernatorial contest, Alhaji 

Abubakar, a former Vice 

President, had chided the 

court, saying it should have 

considered “the pulse of the 

nation,” and reflected it in 

the judgment. 

According to him, that 

was when the jigsaw puzzle 

began to fall in place. 

He stated: “Were most of 

the challenges in the 

country being orchestrated 

by hidden hostile hands, 

who think such would 

influence the judiciary, 

which would consider the 

so-called “pulse of the 

nation” in arriving at 

judgment on the 

presidential poll? 

“Before and after the 

Osun State judgement, the 

PDP candidate had always 

been quick to play up 

negative developments in 

the country, the latest of 

which is the tendentious 

story by Wall Street Journal, 

alleging that about one 

thousand Nigerian soldiers 

had been recently killed by 

Boko Haram and Islamic 

State of West Africa 

terrorists, and secretly 

buried by Nigerian military 

authorities. 

“The military has duly 

countered the story, 

educating the Wall Street 

Journal on the hollowness 

of its publication. But Alhaji 

Abubakar has quickly 

weighed in on the matter, 

as part of his gambit to whip 

up emotions, and perhaps 

get the judiciary to reflect 

the “pulse of the nation” in 

its judgment. 

“According to the PDP 

candidate, who lost the last 

February poll by nearly four 

million votes, as released by 

the electoral umpire, he 

could “not fathom that in 

the space of a year, scores 

of great patriots were killed 

and buried secretly without 

their families being told.” 

“In an apparent 

afterthought and 

doublespeak, he added that 

he was hesitant to believe 

that “such grand scale of 

deceit is even possible 

under a democracy, such as 

Nigeria is expected to be.” 

“The above, rather than 

mitigate Alhaji Abubakar’s 

position, gives him out as 

someone who denigrates 

the country’s democracy, 

which he was part of 

building, in his heyday, 

before unbridled ambition 

blinded him. 

“Yes, soldiers fighting 

insurgency and terrorism 

are great patriots. But the 

same can’t be said of anyone 

quick to believe any 

negative story about his 

country, however fictive and 

lacking in verity as the story 

could be. Well, except such 

person had the motive of 

whipping up negative 

sentiments, so that the 

judiciary could respond to 

the “pulse of the nation and 

reflect it.” 

“We have told Alhaji 

Abubakar and his fellowtravellers 

that the judiciary 

would always come to 

conclusions, drawing from 

matters of the law placed 

before it, and not sentiments 

or so-called “pulse of the 

nation.” 

“Therefore, in vain does 

anybody labour to devalue 

the government and its 

military, thinking it would 

fall into a grand plan to get 

into office through artifice. 

The campaigns and 

elections for 2019, are long 

over. The country has 

moved on. And those who 

know it actually know it.” 

I‘ll commit suicide if the case is 

settled out of court — Rape victim 

By Shina Abubakar, 

Osogbo 

Asixteen year-old girl 

who was allegedly 

raped by an Islamic cleric 

in Ede, Osun State has 

threatened to take her life 

should the case instituted 

against the cleric was 

settled out of court. 

The victim was said to be 

a student in the cleric’s 

Arabic school. 

The cleric was arrested by 

the Osun State police 

command in June after 

which attempt was made to 

settle the matter within 

family circle. 

The cleric, it was gathered 

was arraigned at the 

magistrate's court sitting in 

Ede and had till yesterday, 

August 2, 2019 to report to 

the Magistrate A. A 

Olowolagba to explain 

whether the case has been 

settled. 

However, as both parties 

did not reach an agreement 

when the case came up 

yesterday, the magistrate 

further adjourned the 

matter till August 24, for 

report of settlement or 

commencement of definite 

hearing. 

The victim, however, 

insisted that all she needed 

was for justice to take its 

course. 

“I am not interested in any 

settlement. I want him to be 

punished for what he did. 

This can’t repair the 

damages he has done to 

me. I will kill myself if the 

case is eventually settled out 

of court. All I want is justice, 

that is all I want,"the 

distraught teenager said. 

The complainant in the 

matter, Muyideen Oloyede 

said concerned members of 

the family were yet to be 

contacted for settlement, 

adding that even if they did, 

they were not ready for 

settlement. 

He said, “ We are aware 

that he (the accused 

person) has met with elders 

in the family who have 

been pushing for the case 

to be settled out of court. 

They even held a meeting 

of recent where not even 

myself as the complainant 

or the victim was invited. 

His brother who attended 

was not allowed to say a 

word. Those of us who are 

directly involved want 

justice, though there have 

been pressures from 

community leaders and 

some well respected clerics. 

If we must shift ground, he 

must admit he committed 

the crime and clear all the 

falsehood he has been 

peddling about the innocent 

young girl.“ 

The counsel to the 

complainant, Rasheed 

Maisolati who spoke after 

the hearing said that the 

accused family had reached 

out to the victim’s family 

before arraignment and 

they were given terms of 

settlement which they were 

yet to agree to. He added 

that the accused’s family met 

with the elders in the family 

in a bid to encourage 

members to agree to their 

own terms. 

Pix: From left: Mrs. Angela Emesomi Okotie-Eboh, widow. Dr. Mrs. Clara 

Roli Akele,nee Okotie-Eboh;Paulette Okotie; Dr. Mrs. Dere Awosika, elder 

sister and Dr. O. O. Awosika, during the funeral service for Late Chief Joseph 

Adolo Okotie-Eboh, at Ikoyi Baptist Church, Ikoyi, Lagos,yesterday. 

Photo: Bunmi Azeez. 

From left: Chief Brown Mene, Chief Kofi Kartey and Paul Okotie, during 

the funeral service for Late Chief Joseph Adolo Okotie-Eboh, at Ikoyi Baptist 

Church, Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday. 

Shi’ite protest: Buhari sends delegation to family of 

killed DCP 


PRESIDENT Muhammadu 

Buhari 

yesterday sent a threeman 

delegation from the 

Presidency to pay 

condolence visit to the 

family of Deputy 

Commissioner of Police, 

Usman Umar, who was 

killed during the protest by 

members of the Islamic 

Movement of Nigeria 

(IMN) popularly known 

as Shi’ites. 

The shi'ites were 

Amnesty Int’l vows to continue campaign against 

rights violations 

By Michael Eboh with 

Agency Report 

Amnesty 

International, 

yesterday, 

said it would not be cowed 

by sponsored protests 

against its activities in 

Nigeria, and vowed to 

continue to highlight 

human rights violations in 

the country. 

The international 

human 

rights 

organisation stated this in 

protesting to compel the 

Federal Government to 

free their leader, Sheikh 

Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, who 

has been in detention since 

December 2015. 

The delegation included 

State Chief of Protocol to 

the President, Ambassador 

Abdullahi Lawal Kazuare, 

the Senior Special 

Assistant to the President 

on Media and Publicity, 

Mallam Garba Shehu and 

Special Assistant on 

Domestic Affairs to the 

President, Seriki Abba. 

The delegation was 

reaction to a protest staged 

in its office in Abuja, with 

protesters calling on the 

organization to leave the 

country immediately. 

In a statement by its 

spokesperson, Isa Sanusi, 

Amnesty International, 

AI; dismissed claims by 

the protesters that it was 

seeking to destabilise the 

country and was working 

with individuals and 

groups opposed to the 

present administration. 

Sanusi insisted that AI 

received by Usman Belel, 

elder brother of the late 

Cop, who is also a 

commissioner of police. 

The widow of late Umar, 

Busrah was also on hand 

to receive the delegation. 

Besides Umar, Precious 

Owolabi, a Corp member 

serving with Channels 

Television in Abuja, was hit 

by stray bullet, which 

eventually led to his death. 

DCP Umar, was in 

charge of Operations at the 

Federal Capital Territory 

Police Command. 

is a human rights 

organisation and not 

affiliated to any political, 

religious or commercial 

interests. 

He said, “We have been 

working on Nigeria since 

1967—our role is to hold 

governments to their 

obligations to respect and 

protect human rights, and 

to ensure that anyone 

whose rights are violated 

has an effective remedy. 

“For this reason, the 

organisation continues to 

call on the Nigerian 

government to use its 

authority and resources to 

investigate all allegations 

of human rights violations 

and abuses, including 

rape, torture, arbitrary 

detentions and unlawful 

killings, to ensure 

reparation for the victims, 

to hold the perpetrators 

accountable, and to 

ensure non-repetition of 

the violations.” 

Sanusi said the 

protesters staged the 

demonstration outside its 

Abuja office, around noon 

and demanded its 

immediate exit from 

Nigeria.

6— SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 3, 2019 

Proscription: IMN drags FG to court, 

alleges breach of fair hearing 

*Says we’re friendly Muslim society being provoked with violence 

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri 

THE Islamic Move 

ment of Nigeria, 

IMN, on Friday, approached 

the Abuja Division 

of the Federal High 

Court, asking it to set-aside 

the exparte order it granted 

the Federal Government 

to proscribe it as a 

terrorist organization. 

The IMN otherwise 

known as the Shi’ite sect, 

in the suit it filed through 

its lead counsel and human 

rights activist, Mr. Femi 

Falana, SAN, insisted that 

the order FG obtained 

against it on July 26, was 

illegal, unconstitutional 

and in abuse of the judicial 

procedure. 

It will be recalled that 

Justice Evelyn Maha of 

the High Court had on the 

strength of an application 

that was filed with the office 

of the Attorney General 

of the Federation, declared 

activities of the IMN 

in any part of Nigeria illegal, 

branding operations of 

the group as “acts of terrorism 

and illegality.” 

The court restrained any 

person or group of persons 

from participating in any 

form of activities involving 

or concerning the group 

“under any name or platform”, 

in Nigeria. 

It directed the Attorney- 

General of the Federation 

who was represented by 

the Solicitor General of the 

Federation, Mr. Dayo Apata, 

to gazette the proscription 

order, a directive FG 

had since complied with. 

However, in the suit 

marked FHC/ABJ/CS/876/ 

2019, the IMN, contended 

that Justice Maha who 

is sitting as the vacation 

judge, made the orders 

without jurisdiction, saying 

it was made against “a 

non juristic body”. 

In the suit it predicated 

on Order 26 Rules 6(1), 9 

and 10 of the Federal High 

Court Rules 2019, section 

6(6) (1) (4), sections 36, 39 

and 40 of the 1999 Constitution, 

as amended, the 

IMN, said it was denied 

fair hearing by the court. 

It maintained that the 

proscription order was “anchored 

on misrepresentation 

of material facts and 

based on suppression of 

material facts”, by the government. 

“The said order of the 

Honorable Court breached 

the fundamental right of all 

members of the Respondent/Applicant, 

the Islamic 

Movement in Nigeria to 

fair hearing guaranteed by 

Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution 

(as amended) and 

Article 7 of the African 

Charter on Human and 

Peoples Rights (Ratification 

and Enforcement) Act, 

Laws of the Federation, 

2004 in that no fair hearing 

was granted the applicant/respondent 

before the 

order was made. 

“The order ex parte 

granted by this Honourable 

Court has violated the 

fundamental right of members 

of the Respondent to 

freedom of thought, conscience 

and religion guaranteed 

by Section 38 of the 

Constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria, 

Military overstretched, fatigued 

with policing duties — Ekhomu 

*Urges FG to adopt risk management strategy to address 

insecurity in Nigeria 

By Evelyn Usman 

PRESIDENT of Asso 

ciation of Industrial 

Security and Safety Operators 

of Nigeria, AISSON 

Dr. Ona Ekhomu, said yesterday 

in Lagos, that the 

Military had been overstretched 

and fatigued 

with policing duties in Nigeria, 

since the emergence 

of Boko Haram in the 

North East. 

To this effect, he has 

therefore called on the Federal 

Government to adopt 

what he termed risk management 

strategies and 

self help remedy in order 

to tackle insurgency, militancy 

and other forms of security 

threats in the country. 

He said this in a statement 

issued and signed 

by his Media Assistant, 

Mrs Tope Adesuyi, on the 

10th Anniversary of the 

death of leader of Boko 

Haram sect, Sheikh Mohammed 

Yusuf and some 

of his members, in Maiduguri, 

Borno State. 

He stated that the burial 

anniversary should among 

other things, teach Nigerians 

that it was easier to 

start armed conflict than to 

end it, cautioning the Federal 

Government not to 

make the same mistake he 

alleged it made at the initial 

stage of Boko Haram, 

in the Shiites case. 

He said: “Boko Haram 

insurgency was a result of 

the absence of responsible 

governance in July 2009. 

The history of Boko Haram 

insurgency should teach 

governments at the Federal, 

State and Local Government 

level, to avoid arrogance 

when dealing with 

groups that could result to 

armed struggle. 

“Shiites crisis is not being 

properly handled. The 

court-ordered release of 

Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zak 

Zaki issued in December 

2016 ought to be obeyed by 

the Federal Government to 

douse tensions in the country. 

Federal Government 

must avoid giving the impression 

that it is persecuting 

the leader of an important 

religious sect in Nigeria. 

The Military is overstretched 

with policing duties 

in 34 states of the country. 

It is also battle-fatigued 

after 10 years of armed conflict 

with Boko Haram in the 

Northeast. 

“Federal Government 

and the Borno State government 

officials all wrongly 

thought that the Boko 

Haram problem had been 

solved as at July 31,2009. 

Unfortunately, the crisis had 

just started. To date, the crisis 

has claimed over 35,000 

lives including 65 mourners 

this week in Badu, 

Borno State. The insurgency 

has created 2.1million 

Internally Displaced Persons 

in the North East. The 

nation cannot afford another 

insurgency” he said. 

1999 as Amended. 

“The order ex parte 

granted by this Honourable 

Court has breached 

the fundamental right of 

the members of the Respondent 

to freedom of 

assembly and association 

guaranteed by Section of 

the Constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria, 

1999 as Amended. 

“There was no urgency 

warranting the grant of the 

order ex parte. No Motionon-Notice 

was filed together 

with the Motion Ex 

Parte. 

“The Ex Parte order made 

by the Honorable Court 

has determined the fundamental 

right of the Respondent/Applicant 

without affording 

it fair hearing. 

From left: Mrs. Anuli Onyema-Ejiogu; Clementina Ukunze; Barr. Allen Onyema, 

children; Mrs. Alice Onyema and Mrs. Caroline Onyema, widow during the service 

of songs for Late Chief Michael Onyema at Mbosi, Anambra State. Photo Lamidi 

Bamidele 

CANCER: Death of 72,000 

Nigerians annually worrisome 

— Osinbajo 

By Luminous Jannamike 

VICE President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has decried Nige 

ria’s record of 102,000 new cases of cancer annually, 

with 72,000 deaths from the number. 

According to him, the lack of adequate equipment and facilities 

for the treatment of the disease in the country is worrisome 

considering the scarcity of government resources. 

Osinbajo spoke at the inauguration of the second Linear 

Accelerator Radiotherapy machine at National Hospital, 

Abuja, on Friday. 

The machine was donated by the Nigerian National Petroleum 

Corporation(NNPC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and 

Production Company (SNEPCo). 

The Vice President, who urged Nigerians to adopt healthy 

lifestyles to reduce the country’s burden of the disease through 

prevention, noted that early detection of cancer would increase 

chances for successful treatment. 

Osinbajo said the newly inaugurated facilities will not only 

bridge the gap in cancer detection and treatment but also curb 

the spate of medical tourism by Nigerians. 

He called on other corporate bodies to come to the succour 

of Nigerians suffering from cancer, saying: “We cannot leave 

it all to the government. Government resources are scarce. So, 

we need well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies to 

see it as part of their responsibility to come to the aid of the 

government in the health sector.” 

One shot dead as rival cult 

groups clash in Nsukka 

By: Chinenyeh Ozor 

THERE was tension weekend at the university town of 

Nsukka in Enugu state as rival cult groups clashed living 

one suspected cult member dead. 

The alleged deceased member of a rival cult group identified 

as Attah Ifeanyi was said to have closed from his barbing 

saloon shop and returned home. But he told his parents that he 

was going back to his shop to collect an item he left behind 

around 8.00 pm but was shot dead around 8.30 pm along the 

busy Aku road by unknown persons suspected to be members 

of a rival cult group on reprisal attack. 

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the attack and counter 

attack by the rival cultists started when an alleged Hausa 

member of one of the cult groups was attacked and was badly 

wounded along the cooled room axis of Nsukka metropolis. 

Investigations revealed that as soon as members of the other 

cult group noticed that one of their members had been attacked 

and wounded, they mobilized for a show down with the 

other group. They then combed the entire cooled room quarters 

close to Nsukka main market in their effort to fish out the 

attackers of one of their members. 

Residents of the area allegedly deserted the area when there 

was sporadic gun fire while police at Nsukka urban division 

and the Area Command mobilized to halt the violence. 

Contacted for comment, a senior police officer said Attah 

Ifeanyi was shot dead in reprisal cult attack along Aku road in 

Nsukka metropolis, explaining that one suspect has been arrested 

in connection with the killing. 

The senior police officer said that the matter has been transferred 

to the anti cult police unit Enugu for further investigation.

Probe alleged secret burial of soldiers, 

PDP tells NASS 

…Berates Presidency for politicizing security issues 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

The Peoples Democrat 

ic Party, PDP, Friday, 

called on the National Assembly 

to immediately 

open an inquest into the 

shocking report by the Wall 

Street Journal, WSJ, asserting 

the secret burial of 

1,000 Nigerian soldiers, allegedly 

killed in the antiinsurgency 

war in the 

Northeast. 

The party called o the 

National Assembly to respond 

to the apprehensions 

of Nigerians by immediately 

setting up a special 

security committee to 

conduct a forensic investigation 

into the truth or otherwise 

of the report, with 

the tenor and mode as prescribed 

for security issues 

in the 1999 Constitution (as 

Amended.) 

In a statement issued by 

its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, 

the party noted 

that its “demand is 

predicated on the brazen 

attempt by the Buhari 

Presidency to politicize 

such huge security issue 

and making uncomplimentary 

allusions to the plight 

of our troops, in yet another 

unpatriotic and insensitive 

press release on the 

state of our nation. 

“It is unfortunate that at 

this time when patriotic 

Nigerians are distressed 

about the well-being of our 

gallant soldiers and seeking 

solutions to the challenges 

they face in the 

front, the Buhari Presidency 

is rather issuing press 

statements, just like the one 

it released on Friday, August 

2, 2019, wherein it leveraged 

on the plight of 

our soldiers to boast on how 

to retain a stolen presidential 

mandate. 

“Instead of showing concern 

over the fate of our 

troops, taking concrete 

steps on the issue at stake 

and reassuring an anxious 

nation, the Buhari 

Presidency is rather seeking 

to draw political capital 

from our security challenges 

by flaunting a despicable 

self-confidence on 

the Presidential election 

Disquiet as heavy flood sweeps FCT High 

Court Director of Finance 

From the left, President Muhammadu Buhari; Permanent Secretary of the Federal 

Capital Territory (FCT) Ministry, Mr. Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa; Chief of Defence 

Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai 

as the president arrived for the graduation ceremony for the course 27 participants 

at the National Defence College, CBD, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

Whereabouts of the 

Director of Finance 

at the Federal Capital Territory 

High Court, Mr. Tony 

Okecheme, remained unknown, 

after he was swept 

away by heavy flood on Friday. 

Okecheme, was carried 

by the flood at Galadimawa 

roundabout in Abuja 

while he was on his way to 

the Nnamdi Azikiwe International 

Airport. 

He was being conveyed 

to the airport with his official 

car, a 2017 Toyota Camry, 

when the calamity struck. 

The roundabout has been 

under construction for over 

one year, with heavy traffic 

witnessed around the area 

during rush hours. 

While the roundabout has 

a stationed police team, officials 

of the Federal Road 

Safety Corps, FRSC, often 

stand to ease the flow of traffic 

within the axis. 

Meanwhile, the FCT 

High Court Director was 

said to have encountered 

the rampaging flood that 

was aftermath of early morning 

heavy downpour in 

Abuja on Friday morning. 

While his driver whose 

identify could not be ascertained, 

was subsequently 

rescued by some young 

boys within the area, there 

has been no trace of his 

boss. 

An eyewitness account 

claimed officials of the National 

Emergency Management 

Agency, 

NEMA, that arrived the 

scene not too long after the 

incident, were unable to 

rescue Okecheme who 

was said to have been 

trapped in the flood for 

about an hour before it 

eventually swept him 

away. 

Meanwhile, his mudfilled 

car was later pulled 

out by the youths who 

were livid with anger over 

the inability of NEMA to 

save Okecheme. 

Speaking to Vanguard, 

a man who identified himself 

as Mr. Adewale 

Sampson, insisted that he 

could have been saved 

assuming NEMA officials 

came to the scene prepared. 

“They just stood there 

pointing up and down. In 

fact if not for some boys 

petition pending in the 

Court of Appeal, and how, 

in its own words, ‘the judiciary 

would always 

come to conclusions.” 

The statement further 

read: “It is imperative to 

state that such comments 

send very wrong signal 

against our judiciary and 

we urge the judiciary arm 

to insulate herself from 

the nocturnal shenanigans 


Congress, APC, and 

the cabal at the Presidency, 

which have gone into 

frenzy following the apparent 

collapse of their 

defence at the Presidential 

Election Petition Tribunal. 

“While the Buhari Presidency, 

has with its latest 

stance on such grave security 

issue, further exhibited 

that it has come short 

of appropriate solutions to 

the security challenges 

facing our nation, the PDP 

states that waving off of 

such without the least effort 

to unravel the issues 

and reassure Nigerians, 

shows total failure of leadership. 

“The PDP holds that 

President Buhari has 

again failed to demonstrate 

that he has the capacity 

and commitment to 

ensure the security of our 

nation.” 

and touts that usually 

sleep at the garage close 

to the roundabout, that 

driver would have died”. 

Another eyewitness, 

Mrs. Nkechi Okere, told 

Vanguard that the flood 

was so heavy that it was 

practically impossible for 

any small car to pass 

through to the other side 

of the roundabout. 

“It had always been like 

that, especially since they 

started this roundabout 

they don’t want to finish. 

I was heading to the motor 

park to take a bus to 

Enugu this morning, but 

when we got this place 

and saw the situation, the 

driver of the car I entered 

from Kabusa said he 

would not go again. That 

was how we ran into the 

garage and stayed before 

someone came to raise 

the alarm that the flood 

has trapped some people”. 

One of the garage boys 

who simply identified 

himself as Dangar, said he 

was among the people that 

helped to rescue 

Okecheme’s driver who he 

said had managed to pull 

himself out of the vehicle. 


Obaseki suspends Oshiomhole’s 

local govert area chairman 

By Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu 

THE crisis rocking Edo State All Progressives Con 

gress, APC may have assumed a new dimension 

as Godwin Obaseki yesterday suspended the Chairman, 

Etsako West Local government area, Hon Yakson 

Musa over an alleged N48m salary being paid to ghost 

workers Oshiomhole is from Etsako West local government 

area. 

As at the time of filling this report, no official statement 

has been released by the state government, but it 

was gathered that the letter of suspension for two months 

has been handed over to him. 

He is to step down for two months for investigation 

into the matter. But some observers are already reading 

political meaning to the action as it was gathered that it 

was the Chairman that discovered the fraud and reported 

it to the Information Communication Technology 

of the state for proper action. 

Soldiers nab suspected robbery 

kingpin in Aba 

By Ugochukwu Alaribe 

Soldiers attached to 144 Battalion, Asa, in Ukwa 

West council area of Abia State, have arrested a 

suspected kidnap kingpin, identified as ‘Phyno’, whose 

gang has been terrorizing residents of Aba and its 

environs. 

The suspect, whose real name was yet to be ascertained 

as at the time of filling this report, is said to be 

on the wanted list of the security agencies in the state. 

Military sources told Saturday Vanguard that ‘Phyno’ 

was arrested on a tip off at a hotel on the outskirts of 

Aba where he had taken refuge after a robbery operation. 

“He snatched a motorbike from its owner at Uratta 

junction before he was apprehended by soldiers. We 

got information that he lodged in a hotel. On getting 

the information, we traced him to the said hotel where 

he was arrested.” 

The sources stated that the suspect would be handed 

over to the police for further investigation as efforts 

are ongoing to track other fleeing members of the gang. 

Strike: NASU, SSANU give FG 

14-Day ultimatum over earned 

allowances, staff schools 

*Resume nationwide Protest on August 6 


NON Academic Staff unions in the universities 

have given the Federal Government a 14-Day 

Ultimatum to address the issue of Earned Allowances 

and sacked workers of Staff Schools or they will shutdown 

the universities. 

Already, the non teaching staff under the umbrella 

of Joint Action Committee, JAC, comprising the Non 

Academic Staff Union of Univerties and Educational 

Institutions, NASU and the Senior Staff Association of 

Nigerian Universities, SSANU, have directed all the 

branches to resume nationwide protest in all the universities 

from Tuesday August 6,2019. 

The two unions in a circular to all the branches after 

the JAC meeting on Thursday, in Abuja, said that at 

the expiration of the 14-days ultimatum, if the federal 

government failed to address all their grievances, they 

would be left with no other option than withdrawing 

their services and shutting down the universities. 

In the circular to all their branches sighted by our 

correspondent, with the title “Notice of Industrial Action”, 

which was signed by the Chairman of JAC and 

President of SSANU, Comrade Samson Ugwoke and 

the General Secretary of NASU, Comrade Peters 

Adeyemi, the two unions lamented the non challant 

attitude of the Federal Government towards addressing 

their grievances and obeying court judgment. 

The circular read, “This is to inform you that the 

Joint Action Committee, JAC of NASU and SSANU 

met today, Thursday 1st August, 2019, to consider the 

issues which led to the Nationwide protest in our various 

branches, viz, Payment of Earned Allowances, 

University Staff Schools matter, Renegotiation of 2009 

FGN/Unions Agreement among others. 

“After extensive deliberations, JAC further observed 

that: 

“No date has been rescheduled by the President of 

the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Ahmed Lawan 

for the meeting with the leadership of JAC national. 

“The meeting earlier scheduled by the Federal Ministry 

of Education with the leadership of JAC national 

has been rescheduled for Wednesday, August 7, 2019 

with no reason(s) stated. 

“From the foregoing,JAC national has resolved as 

follows:


SHAME OF LAGOS 

Vanguard Newspaper staff filling some portholes that 

add to the menace of gridlock on Kirikiri Road. 

The bad spots have been ignored by the state 

authorities for more than a year, causing damage to 

cars and leading to unbelievable traffic especially 

when trucks get stuck there. PHOTOS: AKEEM SALAU 

Sanwo-Olu kicks off free healthcare for children 

LAGOS State Gover 

nor, Mr Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, 

flagged off a free healthcare 

programme aimed at 

combating organ impairment 

and life-threatening 

ailments in children. 

The initiative tagged 

“Healthy Bee Project” is a 

component of the Governor’s 

development agenda 

to reposition healthcare 

and give disadvantaged 

children access to quality 

medical care. 

The free medical mission 

is organised in collaboration 

with Babajide Olusola 

Sanwo-Olu Kadiri 

Obafemi Hamzat (BOSK- 

OH) Healthcare Mission 

International, a non-governmental 

organisation 

(NGO). 

The four-week programme 

will commence 

with a six-day screening in 

seven Primary Healthcare 

Centres (PHCs) across the 

state, after which those 

whose conditions require 

higher medical examinations 

and surgeries will be 

taken to the tertiary healthcare 

facilities for the exercise 

free of charge. 

Flagging off the healthcare 

project at a ceremony 

held at LTV Blue Roof in 

Agidingbi, Governor Sanwo-Olu, 

represented by 

his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi 

Hamzat, said the programme 

was purposely 

designed to keep children 

fit for their study and activities 

that would make 

them attain their potential. 

He encouraged parents 

to utilise the opportunity to 

take their children for 

screening and treatment 

for medical conditions that 

can limit their mental and 

physical development. 

He said: “If children lack 

access to good health facilities 

and quality medical 

attention, they might 

lose their ability and functionality. 

We want to help 

them fight ailments that 

can put them at disadvantage. 

This is the reason the 

programme is essential to 

make sure our children 

live a good and fulfilling 

life. 

“On behalf of the people 

of Lagos State and for the 

benefit of our children in 

Lagos and on behalf of the 

Governor of Lagos State, I 

flag off this programme for 

the benefit of our children.” 

The First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke 

Sanwo-Olu, noted 

that the intention of the 

medical mission was borne 

out of the commitment of 

the Lagos Government to 

bring down the rate of 

childhood diseases and 

disabilities. 

She said children whose 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

& Monsuru Olowoopejo 


nor Babajide Sanwo- 

Olu, yesterday, disclosed 

plans to pull down illegal 

structures sited along 

pipelines within the community 

and other parts of 

the state. 

Barely a month at least 

12 persons died from 

pipeline explosion in Ijegun 

axis, of Ikotun- Igando 

Local Council Development 

Area, LCDA, old 

Alimosho, Lagos, as a result 

of activities of vandals 

who burst pipeline to 

siphon petroleum product. 

Sanwo-Olu added that 

the move has become necessary 

following several 

investigations into the 

upsurge in pipeline vandalisation 

in the state. 

conditions required advanced 

care would be examined 

by a team of children 

health experts and 

surgeons from the United 

States, Europe and Nigeria 

who are volunteers in 

the mission. 

She said: “As a mother 

and Medical Doctor, I understand 

the momentous 

mileage we stand to gain 

from this strategic intervention 

championed by the 

State Government in partnership 

with BOSKOH 

Lagos Healthcare Mission 

International, and I must 

say I fully align myself 

with this all-important 

medical mission. 

“Anything we do for our 

children today will definitely 

play a key role in the 

adults they grow to become 

in future, and this 

Healthy Bee Project is specially 

targeted at building 

a critical mass of healthy 

children and adults in the 

State.” 

The First Lady said there 

would also be free screening 

for tuberculosis, hepatitis 

and HIV/AIDS for 

adults. 

Executive Director of the 

NGO, Mrs. Nike Osai, 

praised the Lagos government 

for approving the 

medical intervention, 

stressing that it was an investment 

the state would 

not regret. 

She said part of the objectives 

of the partnership 

was to enable Lagos government 

meet the Item 

Three of the Sustainable 

Development Goals 

IJEGUN EXPLOSION: We’ll demolish illegal 

structures along pipelines — LASG 

•Assures 24hrs waterways patrol to forestall kidnapping 

The governor made the 

remarks, while briefing 

newsmen after the 

monthly security meeting, 

held at the State 

House, Alausa, Ikeja, 

which had in attendance 

security chiefs in the 

state. 

According to Sanwo- 

Olu, “Security reports 

showed that the structures 

have continued to 

aid vandals in destruction 

of Nigerian National Petroleum 

Corporation, 

NNPC, pipeline within 

the state.” 

While stressing that the 

exercise was targeted at 

restoring the original 

master plan, he said that 

the state government 

would be working with all 

security agencies including 

Nigeria Security and 

Civil Defence Corps, 

NSCDC, to remove illegal 

structures. 

“During the meeting, 

we discussed the incident 

around pipeline 

vandalism which brought 

us down last month. We 

have resolved among ourselves 

that we will stop at 

nothing, including engaging 

the communities 

where these facilities, to 

give our people assurance. 

“The government is 

coming to remove those 

structures and destroy 

those facilities. In their 

own interest, they should 

start removing them before 

we come. We have 

mapped out the layout of 

the places where the 

property are. And we 

have decided to collaborate 

with NSCDC and 

NNPC to achieve the desired 

goal,” the governor 

added. 

(SDGs), which is to realise 

universal health coverage 

for children and reduce 

poverty. 

She said: “The Government 

of Lagos recognises 

the prime place of children 

in the survival of humanity. 

This is the reason the Sanwo-Olu 

government 

graciously offered to collaborate 

with Healthcare 

Mission International to 

make our children healthier. 

The programme will involve 

screening children for 

visual and hearing impairments, 

and other ailments 

that can negatively impede 

their capacity to study. 

“Those found to have visual 

or hearing impairments 

will be provided with glasses 

and hearing aids to help 

them overcome the condition. 

Even though children 

are the prime targets of this 

programme, vulnerable 

adults will also be given 

health counselling and 


nor Babajide Sanwo- 

Olu has urged the government 

house correspondents 

to be professional 

in the discharge of 

their duty, while calling 

for a “fair reportage” of 

his administration’s activities. 

screening for tuberculosis 

and HIV. Those found to be 

positive will be managed 

using the established 

channel of treatment of 

these illnesses.” 

Permanent Secretary, 

Ministry of Health, Mrs. 

Titilayo Goncalves said the 

programme signalled the 

implementation phase of 

Sanwo-Olu’s healthcare 

initiative. 

She said the medical 

outreach was targeted at 

children between ages 0 to 

12, stressing that the choice 

of the demographic was 

strategic, because of the 

need to protect the children 

from sickness that may 

impede their potential. 

The healthcare programme 

will be carried out 

at Ajara PHC in Badagry, 

Akerele PHC in Surulere, 

Ikotun PHC in Alimosho, Iga 

Iduganran PHC on Lagos 

Island, Epe PHC in Epe, Onigbongo 

PHC in Ikeja, and 

Ita-Elewa PHC in Ikorodu. 

Excitement as Sanwo-Olu visits 

Govt House correspondents 

Sanwo-Olu spoke 

when he led senior government 

officials, including 

his deputy, Dr. 

Obafemi Hamzat; Head 

of Service, Mr Hakeem 

Muri-Okunola; and Secretary 

to the State Government, 

Mrs. Folashade 

Jaji, on a courtesy visit to 

the State House correspondents 

at Bagauda 

Kaltho Press Centre on 

Tuesday. 

The Press Centre is the 

operation base of all reporters, 

under the aegis 

of Lagos Governor’s Office 

Correspondents 

(LAGOCO), who are covering 

activities of the Lagos 

government. 

The Governor’s entourage 

included the Chief 

of Staff, Mr. Tayo Ayinde, 

his deputy, Mr. Gboyega 

Soyannwo, and Permanent 

Secretary of the 

Ministry of Information, 

Mr. Fola Adeyemi. 

The Deputy Chief Press 

Secretary to the Governor, 

Mr. Gboyega Akosile, 

said Sanwo-Olu’s 

visit to the Press Centre 

was a move by the Governor 

to familiarise himself 

with the people who 

are having day-to-day interface 

with the activities 

of his government.

Four men plead guilty to illegal 

possession of N1.1bn gold, • 112, 

800 cash 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

THE Economic and Fi 

nancial Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, yesterday, 

arraigned four men before 

the Federal High Court in 

Abuja for illegal possession 

of gold valued above 

N1billion. 

The quartet, who were 

charged alongside three 

companies, pleaded guilty 

to a two-counts amended 

charge the anti-graft agency 

preferred against them. 

Those on trial for the 

crime that was allegedly 

committed in 2018, are 

Abba Ali Yahaya, Ali Abdullahi, 

Aminu Mahmud 

Adam, Alyu Mohammed, 

while the affected companies 

are, Indo Nigeria 

Mining Company Limited, 

A. A. Mai Zinari Ltd and 

Al-Izzat Trading & Investment 

Ltd. 

EFCC also alleged that 

the defendants attempted 

to transport a cash sum of 

•112,800 without making a 

declaration of the same to 

the Nigeria Customs Service 

(NCS) as required by 

law. 

They were further accused 

of acting in breach 

of both the Money Laundering 

(Prohibition) Act, 

2011, and the Nigerian 

Minerals and Mining Act, 

2007. 

Meanwhile, all the defendants 

pleaded guilty to 

the charge marked FHC/ 

ABJ/CR/80/2019, even as 

trial Justice Evelyn Maha 

stood down the case to determine 

their sentence. 

Aliyu Mohammed, who 

was described as the Director 

of Indo Nigeria Mining 

Company Limited and A. 

A. Mai Zinari Ltd, pleaded 

on their behalf; while 

Aminu Mohammed Adam, 

described as a director of 

Al-Izzat Trading and Investment 

Ltd, equally 

pleaded for the company. 

Another firm, Sino Minmetals 

Company Limited, 

which was originally cited 

as the 4th defendant, was 

de-listed from the charge 

following an oral application 

by the prosecuting lawyer, 

Mohammed Abubakar. 

EFCC said its investigations 

revealed that the 8th 

defendant, Mohammed, 

ceased to be the Director 

of the firm from August 18, 

2016, while the alleged offence 

was committed on 

August 10, 2018, about two 

years after. 

“My lord in the light of 

this, we apply that the 

name of the 4th defendant 

be struck out from the 

amended charge filed on 

July 17, 2019”, EFCC lawyer 

added. 

The application was not 

opposed by the defendants 

who were represented by 

Mr. C. A. Ejugo and Abdulhameed 

Mohammed. 

Consequently, trial Justice 

Evelyn Maha struck 

out the 4th defendant from 

the charge which the other 

defendants pleaded 

guilty to. 

EFCC disclosed that the 

1st defendant, Yahaya, was 

arrested at the Nnamdi 

Azikiwe International Airport 

in Abuja while he was 

on board an Ethiopian Airline 

flight to Dubai. 

He allegedly under-declared 

the cash with him 

by only declaring $26,000 

in the NCS form instead 

of the actual •112,800 that 

was in his possession. 

NEMA braces up for emergencies, builds 

staff capacity 

By Gabriel Ewepu 

THE National Emer 

gency Management 

Agency, NEMA, yesterday, 

disclosed that it has braced 

up for emergencies across 

the country by building staff 

capacity on professionalism 

and proactive emergency 

response. 

Speaking at the 2019 

NEMA Staff Retreat held in 

Keffi, Nasarawa State, with 

theme, ‘Re-engineering 

the Agency for Effective and 

Proactive Disaster Management’, 

North-Central Zonal 

Director, NEMA, Bitrus 

Samuel, assured residents 

in the Federal Capital Territory, 

FCT, and other states 

in the zone that the agency 

is prepared and ready to respond 

proactively and rapidly 

to any emergency situation. 

Representatives from 

Benue, Nasarawa, Niger 

and FCT attended the twoday 

retreat. 

He said: “It is a re-engineering 

effort of the present 

administration under the 

From left: Kevin Owoamanam, Risk Group officer, Interswitch, Uche Nebolisa, 

Senior Accountant, NLRC, Emeka Awagu, Group Head, Commerce and Digital, 

Interswitch and Onifade Abedeen, Account officer II, FCCPC at the raffle draw for 

the One Music Africa Fest held at Interswitch Head office, Lagos recently 

leadership of Engr Mustapha 

Maihaja. His key priority 

since he came is to reposition 

and re-engineer 

the organisation to be a 

standard emergency management 

outfit. 

“His priority has been to 

increase the capacity of the 

staff through training and 

retreats like this to share experiences 

to see how all of 

us can together take disaster 

management to the next 

level. 

“We want to be a more 

professional outfit and the 

whole idea is to boost our 

capacity to do more and elevate 

our current level of 

expertise. We cannot but 

continue to develop because 

techniques used to 

address and tackle disasters 

in the global arena has also 

evolved. 

“This retreat would afford 

the staff the platform to understand 

the direction 

which the organization is 

going so everyone would be 

able to fit in and key into a 

proactive disaster management 

organization.” 

He also maintained that 

the agency is not overwhelmed 

by the recent 

burning of its fire truck and 

ambulance by Shi’ite protesters 

in Abuja, but rather 

is more prepared to respond 

to emergencies in 

FCT and other neighbouring 

states under the zone. 

Also speaking at the 

event, consultant, Adekunle 

Oni tasked the federal government 

to improve the 

welfare of workers in the 

public service and those 

who are retirees in order to 

effectively tackle corruption. 

“Before the Gen Mohammed 

Murtala purge of 

1975, public servant don’t 

own house or businesses, 

they relied on government 

job and were living in government 

quarters. When 

they were pushed out of 

government quarters, they 

had nowhere to go meaning 

they were not corrupt. 


NUPENG suspends planned nationwide strike as 

NNPC wades in 

By Victor Ahiuma- 

Young 

NIGERIA Union of Pe 

troleum and Natural 

Gad Workers, NUPENG, has 

suspended its planned nationwide 

strike following intervention 

by the Nigerian 

National Petroleum Corporation, 

NNPC. 

NUPENG had planned to 

down tools and begin a nationwide 

strike to compel 

Chevron Nigeria Limited, 

CNL, honour agreement it 

reached with the union on 

June 20. 

But announcing the suspension 

of the planned 

strike in a statement yesterday, 

President and General 

Secretary of the union, Prince 

Williams Akporeha and 

Afolabi Olawale, respectively, 

directed members to demobilize 

and go about their 

normal duties. 

NUPENG assured the 

public that there would be no 

disruption of fuel supply, and 

therefore no need to panic. 

MultiChoice Talent Factory 

to host Masterclass in 

Cinematography 

MULTICHOICE Nigeria has announced that its 

flagship corporate shared value (CSV) initiative, 

MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), will hold another Masterclass. 

The Mastercalss, which holds in Lagos on 13 

August, will be in Cinematography. 

In the upcoming edition of the Masterclass, MultiChoice 

will be bringing international award-winning film expert, 

Christian Epps as a resource person to teach cinematography 

and help upskill Directors of Photography in the 

film and television industry to help them take their craft 

to the next level. 

Speaking the one-day Masterclass, Femi Odugbemi, 

MTF (West Africa) Academy Director said: “We recognize 

the importance of continuous improvement in visually 

telling our stories and Cinematography is a key pillar 

of that objective.” 

Epps is the founder/CEO Of Lights, Camera, Diaspora!, 

a Los Angeles-based social enterprise non-profit that 

bridges the gap between the African and African-Diaspora 

entertainment industries. 

His career as a lighting designer has spanned more 

than three decades across major motion pictures, broadcast 

television, commercials, live theatre, dance, music 

videos and special events. He supervised the critically 

acclaimed award-winning film, Selma, featuring Oprah 

Winfrey, and has also worked with many renowned filmmakers, 

including Spike Lee. 

In 2006, Epps was hired to design the THISDAY! Festival, 

which led to multiple concert and television projects 

every year in Nigeria. Among his many achievements in 

Nigeria, Epps in 2017 received Africa Diaspora Awards’ 

Creative Person of The Year Award. 

Mbata Foundation doles out 

N100m for empowerment program 

A 

Lagos based philanthropist cum businessman, Prince 

Alex Mbata has doled out N100m to empower Nigerians 

under the aegis of his humanitarian foundation. 

The Prince Alex Mbata Foundation at an event held Thursday 

in Lagos splashed N100,000 each on some of the beneficiaries 

of the program. 

The promoter of the Foundation, Prince Alex Mbata said 

he is only doing the will of God with the charity work. 

Quoting from the scripture, Mbata noted that Jesus Christ 

charged his followers to go about doing good as he also did. 

“I m doing the will of my father (God) with this Foundation. 

It was through a divine order that I set up the Prince 

Alex Mbata Foundation. We are giving out N100m to empower 

Nigerians. I am using it to bless people as God commanded 

us to do in the scriptures. What God would be 

asking us on the last day is this: I was hungry, did you feed 

me? I was thirsty did you give me water to drink? I was 

naked, did you cloth me? With this Foundation, I want to 

cloth those who are naked, feed those who have nothing to 

eat. And my prayers is that the seed I have sowed into their 

lives would blossom and become like the mustard see. I 

want to see poverty eradicated through the seed that I m 

sowing,” Mbata said. 

Umute community gets new 

monarch 

HIS Royal Highest, Oseyenim Fidelis Chukwuji 

has been coronated as the new traditional ruler 

of Umute community in Aniocha South Local Government 

of Delta state. 

The colourful ceremony was attended by royal fathers 

from other neigbouring commnities and representatives 

of the state government. Top politicians 

in the state also attended the ceremony. 

Prayers were offered for the peace of the community 

and the state during the ceremony. 

The statement reads in part: 

“The National leadership of 

Nigeria Union of Petroleum 

and Natural Gas Workers 

(NUPENG) wishes to inform 

the rank and file members of 

the Union and the general 

public that following the intervention 

of Mallam Mele 

Kyari, the Group Managing 

Director and his management 

team to avert the proposed industrial 

action of NUPENG 

over the blatant breach of 

agreement reached with the 

Union by Chevron Nigeria 

and its contractor and considering 

the fact that appreciable 

progress is being made as 

discussions continue, that 

the Union hereby suspends 

with immediate effect the 

planned industrial action 

slated for next week. 

“It should be put on 

records that this abrupt suspension 

became inevitable 

due largely to the timely intervention 

of Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation 

(NNPC) having engaged 

NUPENG and all 

concerned stakeholders at 

two separate meetings on 

Thursday 1st and Friday 

August 2, 2019, to correct the 

anomalies and ensure that 

the agreement is respected.

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 3, 2019 

Shi’ites, Shia or IMN, 

what is in a name? 

When members can go into temporal marriages! 

While Sunni Muslims view the mut’ah as a cover for prostitution or a way of legitimizing 

illicit sex, the Shi’ites see it as achieving the direct opposite of that accusation 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

Recent altercations between security 

forces and Shia group, the Islamic 

Movement in Nigeria IMN, especially 

in the nation’s capital, Abuja have 

brought renewed focus on the IMN and 

the entire Shia population. Their activities have even 

been banned after they were tagged terrorists by 

government. So, who are they really? 

Globally, Sunni Muslims regard themselves as the 

orthodox and traditionalist branch of Islam. Coined 

from Ahl-Al Sunna, the concept implies, “the people 

of the tradition”, so called because they follow the 

precedents or actions of Prophet Muhammad and his 

close companions. 

On the other hand, Shi’ite or Shia were a “political 

faction” derived from the term “Shiat Ali” or the 

“Party of Ali”. Being the son in law to the prophet, 

the Shi’ites anchor their belief on the fact that Ali ibn 

Abi Talib should have been a natural successor to the 

prophet, having allegedly been so designated by the 

prophet at the event of Ghadir Khumm. 

Since the focus is on Shia, it might interest the 

reader to understand that there are two main 

branches of Shia Islam. 

The first, which is now more dominant is called 

“The Twelver” or “Imamiyyah” or Athn‘ashariyyah 

or Ithn‘ashariyyah. 

The second is “Ismaili”, so called because of their 

acceptance of Ismail ibn Jafar as the appointed 

spiritual successor or Imam to Jafar al-Sadiq, the 6th 

Shia Imam. Note that The Twelvers only accepted 

Musa al-Kadhim, younger brother of Ismail as the 

true Imam. Now, this is the point of divergence among 

Shi’ites. 

As for Nigeria, the activities of the Islamic Movement in 

Nigeria IMN have made many to believe that the group 

represents all Shi’ites in Nigeria. This is actually untrue as 

Shi’ites were already in existence before the coming of 

Sheikh Ibraheem Elzakzaky. 

Elzakzaky, began more as an activist in his early days 

until 1994 when he made open his Shia convictions. 

Many of his followers were therefore taken aback and 

consequently broke away to found a new association called 

Jama’at Tajdid al-Islam, meaning Movement for the Revival 

of Islam, headed by Abubakar Mujahid with its headquarters 

in Yakassai Quarters, Kano. This is the group that was alleged 

to have killed an Igbo trader, Gideon Akaluka back in the 

days. 

Later, there came the Rasulul Azam Foundation 

RAAF founded by Muhammad Nur Dass. 

RAFF is a branch of Shia which 

pledges its allegiance to the 

Nigerian state. 

The implication of this is that 

while all IMN or 

Elzakzaky’s followers are 

Shi’ites, not all Shi’ites 

are members of the 

IMN. 

Kaduna state 

Governor, Nasir el- 

Rufai himself 

buttressed this point 

recently when he 

said some of 

Continues on Page 11 

•El Zakyzak

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 3, 2019—11 

Shi’ites, Shia or IMN, what is in a name? 

Continues from pg 10 

Elzakzaky’s followers are Shi’ites and 

some are not. He said there are two 

other factions of Shi’ites who 

recognize the government of Nigeria 

and himself as Kaduna state Governor 

while also not pledging allegiance to 

any foreign government. These, he 

said are contrary to the beliefs of the 

IMN and hence his reason to outlaw 

the movement. 

Shisms 

Apart from theological contestations 

between the Shi’ites and Nigeria’s 

mainly Sunni Muslims, the 

Elzakzaky’s IMN have often been 

accused of running a parallel 

government. In fact, in each state, 

they have been accused of having a 

“Coordinator”, who they see as the 

Governor of that state. 

This was what el-Rufai 

meant when he said the 

IMN do not recognize 

him as governor, nor do 

they recognize 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari as Nigeria’s 

sovereign. 

Mut’ah 

Then there is the 

concept of fixed or 

temporary marriage, 

often called Nikah 

Mut’ah, different from 

the two other common 

forms of marriages in 

Islam, that is, Nikah 

Halala and Nikah 

Misyar. Mut’ah is an 

Arabic word meaning 

pleasure. In Nigeria, 

the temporary marriage 

is often referred to as 

“Auren Mut’ah” among those who 

practise it. 

While Sunni Muslims view the 

mut’ah as a cover for prostitution 

or a way of legitimizing illicit sex, 

the Shi’ites see it as achieving the 

direct opposite of that accusation. 

In an interview with the BBC, 

Omar Farooq Khan, president of the 

Ahlul Bayt Islamic Society (a Shiabased 

society) at Bradford 

In Nigeria, this task 

of spreading the Shia 

philosophy was 

carried out by 

Ibrahim Yakub 

Elzakzaky. The man 

Elzakzaky devised 

several strategies to 

achieve his mission 

University, said the practice is on 

the increase among Shia students. 

“Definitely Nikah Mut’ah is on the 

rise now due to students becoming 

more aware about it. Students are 

educated people so obviously they 

look around for a solution to their 

problems from an Islamic 

perspective,” said Mr Khan. 

“What else are they going to do? 

They can’t just have a cold shower 

because it doesn’t work and 

otherwise they just end up doing the 

haram thing and having a girlfriend 

or boyfriend. Many people won’t 

talk about it though, because it is 

still a taboo subject,” he added. 

An anthropologist at Boston 

University in the United States, 

Shahla Haeri defines mut’ah 

marriage in her authoritative work, 

Law of Desire: Temporary Marriage 

in Shi’i Iran, “as a contract between 

a man and an 

unmarried woman, be 

she a virgin, divorced, 

or widowed, in which 

both the period the 

marriage shall last and 

the amount of money to 

be exchanged must be 

specified”. 

The mut’ah can last 

from just a few minutes 

to as long as 99 years 

and can also be 

renewed when the time 

elapses. 

Critics of the mut’ah 

marriage have said 

there is no difference 

between it and 

prostitution, especially 

because there is a time 

limit on that type of 

marriage, and the 

mahr given as a gift 

from the man to the 

woman is the equivalent of whatever 

payment a man makes to a 

prostitute. 

The nikah mut’ah entails a 

contract, verbal or written, in which 

the man and the woman agree the 

length of time and conditions for the 

marriage. 

Usually, there are no witnesses 

required for mut’ah and a cleric 

does not have to solemnize it. Either 

of the couple can conduct it. 

According to Haeri, the woman, for 

instance, can say, “I [name], marry 

(or mut’a) thee, for the amount of 

[money] and for such and such 

period.” The man says, “I accept.” 

At the end of the marriage, the 

woman will then observe sexual 

abstinence for the length of two 

menstruation cycles in order to 

identify a child’s legitimate father in 

case she is pregnant, the reason 

being that children born of 

temporary marriages enjoy the same 

status and rights as their siblings 

born of a permanent marriage. 

“Here lies the legal uniqueness of 

mut’a, that which distinguishes it 

ideologically from prostitution, 

despite their striking resemblance,” 

Haeri writes. 

Curiously, while a man can enter 

into several temporary marriages at 

the same time, women are not 

allowed to do so and while a man 

can have temporary marriages with 

people of other faiths, the women 

can only do that with fellow Shia 

Muslims. 

For the IMN or the entire Shia 

population in Nigeria, there appears 

to be no data on the number of such 

marriages ever contracted or still 

subsisting. 

The Origin and 

philosophy of Shiites 

By Shola Balogun 

The split between the Sunni and 

Shia sect is almost as old as Islam 

itself. 

Soon after the death of the Prophet 

Muhammad (s.a.w), in the year 632, 

there was a dispute in the community 

of Muslims in present-day Saudi 

Arabia over the question of 

succession. 

Most of the Prophet Muhammad’s 

companions wanted the community of 

Muslims to determine who would 

succeed him. A smaller group thought 

differently and felt that someone from 

his family should take up the mantle 

of leadership. The small group 

favored Ali, who was married to 

Muhammad’s daughter, Fatimah. The 

Sunnis prevailed and chose a 

successor Abu Bakr to be the first 

caliph. 

Abu Bakr became the Caliph that 

most people agreed on. He was then 

succeeded by Umar upon his death, 

with Uthman after him. According to 

the Muslims who believed these 

men were the legitimate caliphs, Ali, 

then became the fourth Caliph to 

lead the Muslims. The Sunnis 

believed that leadership should fall 

on the person who was deemed by 

the elite of the community to be best 

able to lead the community. 

The second and third caliph eras 

were greeted with violence because 

of the dissenting voice on the 

leadership particularly from the Shia 

group. Two of the earliest caliphs 

before Ali were murdered. War 

erupted when Ali became caliph, 

and he too was killed in fighting in 

the year 661 near the town of Kufa, 

now in present-day Iraq. 

The development split the Muslim 

community into two branches that 

had remained disunited till today. 

The war continued with Ali’s son, 

Hussein, leading the Shiites. 

Hussein rejected the rule of the 

caliph and the Sunni. He and 72 

members of his family and 

companions fought against a very 

large Arab army of the caliph. They 

were all massacred. 

Hussein was killed on the 

battlefield at Karbala and buried 

there. Hussein symbolises the 

spiritual power to members of the 

Shiites; and members commemorate 

his death yearly usually in a public 

ritual. 

The Shiites are concentrated in 

Iran, southern Iraq and southern 

Lebanon. But there are significant 

Shiite communities in Saudi Arabia 

and Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan 

and India as well. The government 

of Iran set an agenda to spread Shia 

to other countries including Nigeria. 

In Nigeria, this task of spreading 

the Shia philosophy was carried out 

by Ibrahim Yakub Elzakzaky. The 

man Elzakzaky devised several 

strategies to achieve his mission. 

Many believed he took advantage of 

the gullibility of some Muslim youth 

who were not informed to buy into 

the idea of ‘Islamic revolution’, 

‘establishment of Islamic state’, 

‘total change’, etc. They initially 

tagged themselves Muslim brothers. 

They organized lectures and several 

demonstrations in their first phase. 

Shia 

philosophy 

Those who followed Ali were having 

none of this fourth Caliph. To the 

Shia, Ali was the only legitimate 

caliph from the beginning. Members 

believed they were the followers of 

Muhammad’s ordained successor. In 

fact, they believe that Ali was divinely 

appointed to succeed Prophet 

Muhammad (s.a.w) and they consider 

other earlier Caliphs as usurpers. 

Therefore, to them, all the hadiths, or 

Islamic religious rulings and 

teachings, from these intervening 

caliphs, do not apply. Shia Muslims 

believe that the only real leaders 

would have to come from Ali, and 

from those who were to follow after 

him. The Sunni sect vehemently 

disagrees. This divide was political 

and deeply contentious and has 

remained so to this day.


Why Yoruba 

don’t speak 

with one voice 

Afenifere scribe, Basorun Sehinde Arogbofa bemoans 

•Tells Nigerians to watch out for a united tribe 

•Traces division to Awolowo’s exit 

•Frowns at Yoruba leaders who have turned beggars 

•Asserts that ‘We’ll rise against them at the appropriate time’ 

•Recalls what Obasanjo did to Bola Ige 

•Restructuring will save Nigeria 

By Dayo Johnson Akure 

NATIONAL Secretary of the Pan- Yoruba socio- political 

group, Afenifere, Basorun Sehinde Arogbofa recently 

turned 80. He spoke with Saturday Vanguard on a 

number of national issues. He gave an insight into what 

led to the crisis in Afenifere and the allegations and 

counter allegations of those who destroyed the group, 

spate of insecurity in the south west, the vexed RUGA 

Programme and appointment of new ministers 

amongst other issues of national interest. 

Excerpts-: 

There are allegations and counter allegations 

of those who destroyed Afenifere. Can you give 

us an insight as to what led to the crisis. 

l will say ego was one of the reasons, 

inordinate ambition of some, indiscipline and 

what we now call the youths’ idea of trying to 

be on the fast lane. These are the main reasons. 

During the time of Pa Obafemi Awolowo, 

there was discipline even though, there were 

already signs of inordinate ambition that 

could cause a lot of havoc. After his 

(Awolowo) death, it became 

more manifest. You would 

recollect the story of some 

people claiming that his shoes 

were rather too large for them. 

The struggle was already there. 

After that episode outsiders 

penetrated the Afenifere and 

the situation became worse. 

For example, when President 

Olusegun Obasanjo wanted a 

second term, they had to play 

the governors against one 

another to such an extent that 

only one of the governors, the 

late Chief Adebayo Adefarati 

stood with the Awolowo’s 

philosophy. All the other 

governors went the way of 

Obasanjo. You know Obasanjo 

is a military man, and people 

said he lured them by 

promising to assist them to 

have a second term. And in that 

kind of situation, you could 

remember his relationship with 

Bola Ige. They were very close 

and for reasons best known to 

Bola Ige, he went to Obasanjo. 

And when he got to him, what 

Obasanjo did to him is now 

history. He was said not to be fair to 

him. 

Again, Chief Falae and Bola Ige 

contested for the presidential candidacy of 

AD. That was said to have really annoyed 

Bola Ige to such an extent that he found it 

difficult to cooperate with the leadership 

of Afenifere. So from there, a lot of things 

started happening with different factions 

coming up. 

One house was not handed over to Baba 

Fasoranti then because it was already a 

divided house and that is what we have 

been trying to manage ever since. 

As at the time Chief Adesanya was 

leaving office 

apparently because of 

ill-health and Chief 

Fasoranti was made 

the leader jealousy 

crept in on the 

leadership and we 

can’t rule out Tinubu’s 

role in this kind of 

situation. I’m aware 

that Afenifere literally 

begged him to come in 

and let us know what 

he had in mind so that 

we could come 

together. I wouldn’t 

know why he refused 

that opportunity and 

the gap became wider 

and wider. 

Only those who see 

Afenifere as a 

philosophy are the 

authentic. We are the 

authentic Afenifere. We 

are the ones who have 

the inheritance from 

Awolowo to Baba 

Ajasin to Abraham 

Adesanya and now to Chief Fasoranti. It 

has never been in history where all the 

Yoruba people come together and speak 

with one voice. When Awolowo was there, 

Yoruba people did not speak with one 

voice, but majority of the people were with 

Awolowo and he was able to bring them 

together. While he was fighting for true 

federalism not all of the members were in 

support. He wanted Yoruba to have a 

voice, not just follow, follow voice. This is 

what has been happening in Afenifere for 

a long time. It is not that coming together 

is not possible, but everything is being 

monitized as some are lured away with 

During the time of Pa 

Obafemi Awolowo, 

there was discipline 

even though, there 

were already signs of 

inordinate ambition 

that could cause a lot 

of havoc. After his 

(Awolowo) death, it 

became more 

manifest 

•Basorun Sehinde 

Arogbofa 

money. That is why I said, our own 

Afenifere has an ideology, it has a 

philosophy, it is about welfarism and if 

you preach welfarism, you can’t be 

popular, the leadership can’t be popular. 

What we do know will happen is this, at a 

point in time, when we suffer, all of us will 

see reason to be united. It happened 

during the time of Abacha. We were 

exceptional. We fought Abacha to a 

standstill without firing a gun. Yoruba 

people will come together. A Yoruba man 

doesn’t want an insult but he will fight for 

what belongs to him. Not everybody will 

come under Afenifere, it is not possible, 

when it started, it had never been like that. 

But all I know is that circumstances will 

bring us together. 

Why is it difficult for Yoruba leaders to 

speak with one voice 

The Yoruba man that I know is highly 

cultured, highly exposed, cerebral. He 

wants to develop a new idea and follow 

his mind, all these things make it difficult 

for anybody to just tailor the thinking or 

the mind of an average Yoruba man. From 

time immemorial, except in time of crisis, 

Yoruba people have always found it 

difficult to come together, they rationalize 

on issues. If you look at Yoruba history, 

you will discover, even though very late, 

that Yoruba warlords were able to rally 

their people in the Oke Mesi war when 

they were able to bail themselves out and 

put an end to the Fulani menace. Even 

during the time of Awolowo, despite all he 

did, the Yoruba people did not speak with 

one voice, but the majority were on the 

side of Awolowo. Not everybody was with 

him and the reason is clear from what I 

have said that Yoruba man doesn’t want to 

be a “follow, follow man” at all. But at the 

right time, maybe when Yoruba people 

discover that they are being enslaved or 

conquered or tortured, they will forget 

their differences and come together from 

different groups to fight their cause. What 

is happening now is not far from what 

happened in the past about various 

divisions among Yoruba groups and 

leaders. Apart from materialism that has 

crept into our politics which has 

accentuated the situation, I am not 

surprised at what is happening. The word 

‘Afenifere’ is generic, anybody can say he’s 

Afenifere, no problem about that because 

Afenifere means “you like me and I like 

you” and Yoruba people like one another 

when they are in groups or in their homes. 

The issue of religion doesn’t separate or 

divide them , anybody can claim to be 

Afenifere at any time. But in our own 

Afenifere, the one headed by Pa Rueben 

Fasonranti, members of the group see 

Afenifere as a philosophy, far away from 

the generic terms, to us Afenifere is a 

philosophy. That was what we inherited 

from the founder, Chief Obafemi 

Awolowo, Chief Ajasin, Papa Adesanya 

down to Fasoranti. The Afenifere we 

inherited from these people is Afenifere 

that has a philosophy and what is this 

philosophy? Welfarism, service to the 

people and this is espoused in the welfare 

philosophy of education for all, that’s how 

we show our love to the people, that once 

you have education you will be a better 

somebody. Then job creation for 

everybody, if you look at what is 

happening in the country now, 

unemployment is becoming the bane of 

the country. So our philosophy is that able 

bodied people should be gainfully 

employed. Then, another philosophy is 

that healthcare should be accessible to 

Continues on Page 13


Frowns at Yoruba leaders who have turned beggars 

Continues from Page 12 

everybody and not just a few, that is, you 

have a right to live and be catered for 

when you’re sick. Also, we have vast land 

here and there, farming and rural 

integration. Some of our governors have 

abandoned that aspect, whereas it was 

from agriculture that Awolowo made 

western region what it was then. We 

codified all these things into our own 

philosophy and that is why we are 

different from those who called 

themselves Afenifere or those who came 

to be Afenifere sometime but disappeared 

for a long time and had to go and take 

the toga from where they put it after a 

long time and claiming to be Afenifere. 

You should know that it can’t fit because 

they have abandoned the philosophy for a 

long time. But we noticed that the Nigeria 

situation doesn’t favour us, it favors those 

who are more concerned about what they 

can get from the government or the 

people, unlike the philosophy of Afenifere 

where we will make sacrifices for the 

people and not the leaders getting from 

the people or government. But nowadays, 

they will take from the less privileged and 

stab one another to get rich quick and 

follow the fast lane, get to the government 

to make money and not to serve the 

people, all these are strange to Afenifere 

philosophy. Yes, we may be divided now, 

but at the appropriate time we will come 

together, although some of our people 

may be deceiving themselves but when 

the chips are down, surely we will come 

together. We, Yoruba are great people and 

that’s why they have respect for us, we 

must retain that pride, proud but not to be 

arrogant, not to be subservient and 

should not be slaves to other people. We 

should always ask for our right and fight 

for our rights. What we are doing now in 

Yoruba land is asking and fighting for our 

right, it is not the best for people to come 

and take what belongs to us by force but 

we can negotiate. I’m sure that at a point 

when we have to save our people from 

penury, all these leaders who are thinking 

of themselves alone will be abandoned, 

when the common people realize and 

understand the real people fighting for 

them, they will follow those fighting for 

them, it has happened before and can still 

happen. A typical example was what 

happened during the NADECO days 

when people joined the NADECO leaders 

when they saw that they were fighting a 

good cause. So, I am sure that all will be 

well but before things get worst we will 

appeal to our brothers that they have to 

re-assess their position on very many 

things and we have to live together to 

make a success of our existence 

No doubt the inability 

of the people of the 

region to speak with one 

voice must have deprived 

the states of some 

benefits 

This is exactly what I’ve 

been saying that it will 

rob us of some things, it 

will rob us the respect as a 

people and this is the most 

painful aspect because the 

Yoruba man is a very 

proud man, but if he starts 

behaving in a stupid way 

and starts crawling and 

behaving like a slave, 

people will stop having 

respect for us. As to other 

material things, we can’t 

gain material things by 

being crawlers or beggars 

but by asking for our right 

and following our right. 

What we have at the 

federal level belong to all 

Nigerians but some 

people are just going there 

to beg and a time will 

come when those from 

whom they go to beg will 

start making fun of them, 

and that won’t be good. Again, if you look 

into the past, some of our leaders have 

always talked about being in the 

mainstream, I don’t know which 

mainstream had benefitted us. During 

Abacha regime, we were talking of being 

in the mainstream, but what did we gain? 

During Obasanjo too, they were talking of 

mainstream, we gained nothing, our 

roads are the worst, the ports were not 

developed, hospitals and education were 

nothing to write home about, so what’s 

the big deal about mainstream. 

Honestly, I think our leaders should wake 

up, Yoruba still parades a lot of strong 

Yes, we may be 

divided now, but at 

the appropriate 

time we will come 

together, although 

some of our people 

may be deceiving 

themselves but 

when the chips are 

down, surely we 

will come together 

people, people of character but they 

should just wake up, look back and know 

where they are coming from and try to let 

us come together and save us from 

disgrace. We are not beggars, no, a 

Yoruba man had never been a beggar, 

except for now that we are seeing some 

begging in actions and this is very 

pathetic, we should rise to stop that kind 

of situations. I don’t know what our 

leaders in Yoruba land are doing, they are 

respected people and if they come out to 

meet the Federal Government without 

being subservient, without disparaging 

one another, they will respect us. Other 

people respect us in this nation. The 

Yoruba man is a key factor in anything 

that is happening in this country and 

they should not allow us to lose it. We 

respect other people too, we are very 

homely and respect one another but we 

need to be very careful, we should just 

not lose our respect over material thing. 

Nigeria is no doubt going through 

trying and turbulent times going by the 

submissions of leaders of thoughts 

across the country. What is the way out 

of these challenges. 

The way out is for us to find the 

solution to the imbalance in the 

country. In other word, we want to 

restructure the country to give way for 

federalism that respects our diversities. 

A federalism that respects what each of 

the people stands for, a federalism 

where nepotism will be a thing of the 

past, a federalism where human dignity 

and human life will count, not the type 

of skewed federalism we have now, and 

until we wake up and know that what 

we are having now will not help us, we 

won’t go ahead because things have 

gone so bad that the country has to be 

restructured. That’s the only way out, we 

have to respect one another, religious 

intolerance has to go. 

What are these challenges that this 

administration is battling with and 

they seem difficult to resolve.. 

Take for example, the issue of killings 

and raping in the land. The government 

must be seen to have arrested some of 

these criminals and prosecuted them 

and not to pretend as if nothing is 

happening. The situation in the country 

is not the best for now, people are 

suffering, people are hungry, angry, 

jobless and whatever the government 

claimed to be doing are not being seen, 

the results are not positive and we will 

like the President during his second 

term to make life better for Nigerians. 

The situation as it is now, is not best. 

The federalism we expect is the one 

Latin scholars would refer to as the 

Head of state being 

primus inter-pares, in 

other words, the Head of 

state should be first 

among equal. By this I 

mean that all the state 

governors should see 

themselves as being very 

important just as the 

president is. Since the 

President is not a military 

President, and has not 

seized power through force, 

but through the will of the 

people, he should see 

himself as first among all 

these governors. Secondly, 

the President should not see 

himself as being the 

President of just a political 

party that has brought him 

to power, no. Once he 

becomes the President he 

should see himself as the 

President of everybody. It 

would have been a thing of 

joy if what President Buhari 

said on assumption of 

office had been followed 

when he said “I belong to 

nobody, I belong to all”. 

But unfortunately there are certain things 

that have been giving us worries about 

the sincerity of that statement. For 

example, how does one agree with his 

appointments, especially appointment of 

important office being limited to his 

household or people of his ethnic area. 

That doesn’t show that he’s following that 

maxim. We know that politics brought 

him in but why showing favour to 

governors from his own party, through his 

actions, this won’t help. Like in America 

and some more civilized countries, once 

you’re the Head of State, you belong to 

everybody and same applies to the state 

governors. Once they assume office they 

should see themselves as belonging to 

everybody and try to canvass for votes 

and prepare for the election through what 

they are able to do for the people and 

deliver in terms of welfarism, good 

education, transportation, healthcare 

delivery, job creation, industrialization 

and many others. These are the things 

they should focus upon to attract people 

so that they can say that really, they are 

leaders and not what is happening now. 

Recently the governors in the south 

west region held a Security meeting to 

halt the spate of insecurity in the zone. 

Do you think this will put an end to this 

menace? 

The summit is a welcome 

development and a sign of 

better things to come, that 

they were able to come 

together 

irrespective of 

their political 

differences. 

That they 

came 

together 

was 

something 

we 

should 

appreciate 

them 

for but 

whatever 

they 

want 

to do, they should do it with sincerity of 

purpose. Dialogue is part of governance 

and having said we should come and 

dialogue on how to proffer solutions to 

our problem is commendable. But we 

don’t want them to be teleguided and they 

have to realize that first and foremost it is 

those that are living in Yoruba land that 

elected them into office and it is those 

that elected they should be afraid of and 

not any outside power, not the federal 

government, not the President because the 

President is primus inter pares, and that is 

how it should be. Let them be bold 

enough and learn to win the heart of the 

people they govern. It is then they can 

enjoy the cooperation of their people . It 

was a good thing that they came 

together and they should tackle all 

these security challenges more 

forcefully, let them come out and speak 

out, our governors should speak out and 

let them decide if their people want this 

RUGA they are talking about. There 

should be no hide and seek game about 

this, no, they should speak out. I think 

their coming together is a good thing 

for Yoruba people but they have to work 

harder and make sure that everybody is 

carried along in the struggle because 

they had been elected and they are our 

leaders and the Chief Security Officers. 

I think what the governors did recently 

is a right step in the right direction. 

New ministers have been nominated 

and screened by the senate, what is 

your assessment of the new 

appointees, can they change the 

people’s perspective about this 

administration. 

I would have expected the President to 

go extra mile in his appointment 

because of the present situation in the 

country. He has been too political in his 

appointments and that is not what 

Nigeria needs now, he should have 

made use of all the various 

professionals who could really help him 

to make a better change. The President 

should have picked people from various 

fields to energise and give more life into 

his administration. Concentrating 

solely on those who helped to bring him 

back to power is not the best. Like in a 

very big house there are so many rooms, 

he should have first of all compensated 

those who assisted him in putting him 

in office with some political 

appointments which are equally juicy 

but just appointing them ministers just 

because they helped in putting him in 

office, I don’t think is the best. I am not 

saying all the nominees are bad but there 

are people in various fields, brilliant 

people who could make things better, 

whether in the academic, medicine, 

business, law and other areas where 

people make things move. Like I said 

earlier since the major criteria has been 

political, they will be limited, even the 

initiative, the newness, the ability to 

deliver to make the country better without 

political consideration will be limited. 

They will be more concerned about 

political consideration , so that is the 

problem. 

•Arogbofa 

About the suspended RUGA by the 

Federal government, do you see this 

programme ending the incessant 

clashes between farmers and the 

herders across the country? 

If we want to do the right thing, let them 

go back to the 2014 CONFAB report. I 

heard Garba Shehu talking about 

ranching, we recommended ranching 

there, and he was saying RUGA is 

ranching, why are they equating 

ranching with RUGA, this is wrong. 

Even after his explanation we suddenly 

heard that the President had suspended 

RUGA, but I saw this as a kind of divide 

and rule. This was why I said earlier 

that for us to have the best in this 

country the President must treat 

everybody equally, if he had that feeling 

that Nigerians should be treated 

equally, I am not sure his lieutenants 

have the same feelings. The offer of 

assistance to implement RUGA is like a 

deceit to the people, people had been 

deceived, because those who don’t want 

it had been deceived and we should not 

allow ourselves to be deceived. And 

looking at the South West, do we have 

the land? Take Ondo state for example I 

listened to a programme where a 

Fulani man was saying that the 

reserved area in Ose local government 

area of the state and other places 

should be cleared for RUGA, this is 

unfortunate, in this area where we have 

cash trees where we make money and 

they want us to destroy all those things 

for some people to make personal 

money, and some of these people we are 

told are not even the Fulani we know, 

they are people from Libya, and other 

areas. What is then going to be the fate 

of our people? I think the type of RUGA 

they are talking about is not the type we 

want. Let our people buy their own cows 

and do their own cattle ranching in 

Akunnu Akoko and other places in the 

state. 

These ranches should not be given out 

because we are going to suffer. This 

RUGA is going to create more tension 

amongst our people, the RUGA hasn’t 

taken root here but there are cries about 

the Fulani herdsmen maiming our 

people, killing our people, raping our 

women, harassing them, kidnapping 

them and so many other things, especially 

those who are said to be coming from 

other parts of west Africa, through our 

porous borders. The few we knew we are 

told are not the one doing it but we have 

become suspicious because we can hardly 

differentiate them now, unlike in the past. 

So, all we are saying is that we don’t want 

this scheme, it is alien to us, we are not 

used to it and you can’t take our land and 

use it to for personal gains.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


EDO: How our trouble 

started – Speaker 

Political solution being 

foreclosed for court solution 

‘My colleagues said they would 

only do what Oshiomhole wanted' 

Rt. Hon Frank Okiye, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly speaks on the crisis in the 

state legislature, the threat of take over by the Senate and the role of the All Progressives Congress 

(APC) National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in the crisis, among others. 

•Rt. Hon 

Frank 

Okiye 

You’re the speaker of a house that is the 

source of controversy now. How did the 

problem in Edo State Assembly start? Let’s 

have the details from you. 

Before the elections, the 24 APC 

lawmakers who were candidates as at then 

were already interacting and some of them 

even as candidates were already seeing me 

as their possible speaker because of the way 

I emerged as candidate. So, the relationship 

was cordial as candidates then and even 

when we won the elections. So, going into 

the election that took place on March 9, we 

all did campaigns together and we 

congratulated ourselves upon our victory. 

In fact, when all the 24 were declared 

winners, they started calling me their 

speaker, even before we got sworn in. About 

eight of them gathered and met with me, 

two of them were even negotiating what 

offices they could hold and what committee 

they could be assigned. Everything was going 

on smoothly within our fold until the body, 

Edo Peoples Movement, emerged and then 

trouble started. 

What did the Edo Peoples Movement do? 

I just noticed that these same persons that 

we were speaking cordially as brothers and 

soon-to-be colleagues started foot-dragging 

and some were not even answering my calls 

any longer, then I knew that there was a 

problem. At the end of the 

day, everything snowballed 

into whether the lawmakerelects 

were willing to be 

inaugurated. They now 

started saying that they were 

waiting for the green light 

from Oshiomhole and his 

stance on the house 

leadership; that if he asked 

them to vote otherwise, they 

would do so, but if he asked 

them not to vote otherwise 

then I could be sure of their 

votes. That was how the 

whole problem started with 

the horsetrading and 

lobbying. 

What was the position of 

the Edo state chapter of the 

APC when the horsetrading 

commenced since all 24 are 

from the same party? 

The party actually stood up 

to be counted and one must 

commend the effort of the 

party in the state. The party 

made its stance known as to the sharing of 

offices for the Assembly based on the 

principle of equity to ensure that no zone or 

constituency in the state was left out. They 

carried everyone along including those who 

refused to come for their inauguration. That 

was why its irritating and unfair when 

people said Governor Obaseki was the one 

who handpicked principal members of the 

house. In fairness to him, he was not involved 

in the process. It was the party that devised 

The section of the 

constitution which 

empowered National 

Assembly to take 

over the functions of 

a State House of 

Assembly is clearly 

and unambiguously 

stated in sections 

11(4) and 11(5) of the 

Constitution 

the framework on the emergence of the 

leadership of the House based on the 

principle of equal representation. Go and 

check it, the constituted leadership in the 

house is balanced and every constituency 

has something to show. The party actually 

came out clearly with its stand as to who are 

the people that should occupy each of the 

offices and our names were declared in the 

presence of stakeholders of the party, all 24 

members-elect were present at the meeting. 

Why didn’t they align with the decision 

of the party? 

They were saying all sorts of things and it 

was at that point we started having all the 

problems that we are now having. They said 

Comrade Oshiomhole, the National 

Chairman of our party, must tell them this 

and tell them that. They said he was the only 

one that could talk to them and eventually 

they told me that Comrade had ordered that 

they should go the other way. Later, they 

came and said they wanted money. I told 

them that I had not been inaugurated and 

they could not be making a demand for 

money. They said no, that they knew that 

Governor Obaseki wouldn’t give them 

money because some of them knew the 

governor very well and that if he didn’t give 

them money at that time, he would not give 

them again. They also said 

that they figured the 

governor was in support of 

my candidacy and they 

would not agree because 

they didn’t want anyone 

who had the support of the 

governor as the speaker. So, 

until the party met with us 

and rolled out the list of the 

people they wanted in the 

office, we all thought it 

would be easy and over. 

What eventually 

culminated at the 

inauguration day of the 

elected members? 

It was clear that they had 

other ideas than the wish of 

the party. On the Monday 

morning that we were 

supposed to be 

inaugurated, they acted 

strangely. You would call 

Mr A, he wouldn’t answer; 

same went for Mr. B. Some 

said they were in Abuja, 

some said they were in 

Sapele, some said that they had not heard 

from the Comrade and all kinds of stories 

but we didn’t know that they went to address 

a press conference. But before that day, we 

were all like brothers, we were all meeting 

like a team, we were all together in the Code 

of Conduct Bureau. So, the idea of saying 

some persons had to be invited from a 

distance was not there. So, for them to say 

that they were not invited or the invitation 

wasn’t published in newspapers was just an 

•Obaseki 

excuse to invalidate what was legally and 

logically done. On the inauguration day, 

about five of us were there at the Assembly 

at about 2:30pm and we waited for the rest 

of them. Before we knew it, some others 

joined us. When we got to about nine, that 

was around 4pm or thereabout, we told the 

Clerk that the law does not say everyone 

must be complete and that since we had 

formed a quorum, we could then go ahead 

and get inaugurated. It was after this that 

the Clerk commenced the business of 

inauguration and someone nominated me 

and the nomination was seconded by 

another and the Clerk asked for a further 

nomination but there was none. That was 

how I became the Speaker of the Edo State 

House of Assembly ditto for the Deputy 

Speaker and other principal officers. So, we 

rose that day, adjourned sitting and since 

then we have been sitting. 

Are you saying that the Edo State House 

of Assembly has been sitting and 

conducting parliamentary activities? 

We have been sitting as a parliament. I 

just drove out of office after the plenary 

session. Lawmakers are going about their 

committee work. We just invited the 

Commissioner for Works to appear before 

the House over a matter of public 

importance. 

Senator Rochas Okorocha cautioned his 

colleagues against the swift takeover of 

the Edo State Assembly. Why do you think 

the National Assembly plans to take over 

the Assembly which you preside? 

I have said it before on several occasions 

that we know who is beating the drum for 

them in the National Assembly. They have 

found themselves in position of a stooge to 

make it look like they cannot think outside 

the box, it’s unfortunate. It wasn’t only 

Okorocha that spoke against the 

undemocratic tendency of the Senate, 

another lawmaker who is a lawyer from 

Benue also asked them where the decision 

they are taking on Edo Assembly is supported 

in the constitution, asking them where the 

time and venue of taking over a state 

Assembly are spelled out. 

The truth is that the Edo State Assembly 

and my office as the speaker are not the real 

targets of this crisis. In fact, I can’t find 

myself anywhere in the whole scheme. The 

plot is actually aimed at Governor Obaseki 

and stopping him from getting a return 

•Oshiomole 

ticket as governor next year. Comrade 

Oshiomhole is actually after Obaseki, the 

state Assembly was only a smokescreen to 

his plans. The idea now is to take over the 

house, destabilize the state and possibly 

impeach the governor. The Edo Peoples 

Movement that originated this crisis have 

boasted that they will ensure that the 

governor does not come back for a second 

tenure. But I said to people that that is not 

the decision for them to make for our state. 

We don’t know what Oshiomhole wants. 

Oshiomhole is the one behind Edo Assembly 

crisis and he is simply after Obaseki. 

However, the door is open for the remaining 

lawmaker-elect, they should come to the 

Assembly, complete and regularize their 

documentation and they will be sworn in. 

What is the way out of the crisis? 

I guess a political solution to the matter is 

getting foreclosed by the day and the courts 

may have to be the solution provider now. 

The National Assembly should know that 

the lawmakers that they are purportedly 

fighting for are already in the court of law. 

The senate cannot be seen to be going 

against its own rule of interfering in any 

matter that is already before the court. 

They should not allow themselves to be 

tossed around. We are a law-abiding people 

and we are waiting for the verdict of the 

court on this issue. The National Assembly 

must take note that they are to act as agents 

of peace and not merchants of crisis. Edo 

State has always been peaceful and any 

attempt for them to carry out this order 

will certainly disrupt the peace that is 

currently being enjoyed in the state. The 

section of the constitution which 

empowered National Assembly to take 

over the functions of a State House of 

Assembly is clearly and unambiguously 

stated in sections 11(4) and 11(5) of the 

Constitution. These conditions do not 

apply here in Edo Assembly as the House 

has been performing legislative 

businesses in a peaceful atmosphere with 

me presiding as the Speaker. Since 

inauguration, the House has adopted the 

business calendar, constituted statutory 

committees, cleared commissioners and 

passed several resolutions. This is why I 

advised my colleagues who have refused to 

be inaugurated to present themselves for 

documentation and inauguration in other 

for them to give quality representation to 

the people who elected them.


Ayiri to E.K. Clark on Edo crisis: 

You cannot 

undermine 

NASS powers 

•Jabs Obaseki, speaks on 2023 elections in Delta 

Chief Ayiri Emami is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this 

interview with Saturday Vanguard he spoke on President Muhammadu Buhari’s 

meeting with Itsekiri leaders at Aso villa during the week. He also reacted to the 

crisis rocking the Edo State APC. He faulted Chief EK Clark over his comment on the 

Edo state House of Assembly, saying that his argument that the National Assembly had 

no right to take over the Assembly was wrong. Excerpts: 

Itsekiri leaders visited President Muhammadu Buhari today, how was 

it? 

It was a very good visit. Mr President welcomed the Itsekiri people and he appreciated 

the votes he got from the Itsekiris. The Olu of Warri made several demands, particularly 

bordering on insecurity issues along the Benin-Ore road. He made some request that 

security agents should be deployed along that road to check the activities of 

kidnappers and armed robbers. We also discussed the issue of the Warri Port and 

Koko Port. We also discussed the EPZ project, the Ogidigbaen gas processing 

project. The foundation was laid by former President Goodluck Jonathan 

in 2014, he pleaded with the President to kick start the project. We also 

made request for some appointments and also thanked the President 

for the appointment of Barrister Festus Keyamo, who is from 

Delta Central. It is a well-deserved appointment. The president 

assured us that he will look into our demands and he 

expressed joy that we came to pay the visit. We seriously 

appealed to the Federal Government to work on the 

Ports in the Niger Delta so as to de-congest the Lagos 

Port where Nigerians are finding things extremely 

difficult. And we have Warri, Koko and Onne ports 

lying fallow. And we looked at the water ways 

security, we believe that the President has tried. 

It is just for us to do one or two things to further 

boost security in the water ways. And as 

regards illegal bunkering the contractor 

handling the job in Delta state, OMS I think 

they are doing very well. So we commended 

Mr President for that too, the contractor is doing 

very well. 

APC victory 

For me, the party under the leadership of Comrade 

Adams Oshiomhole has recorded a lot of success 

particularly after the emergence of Mr 

President. That victory is 

overwhelming. As if that was not 

enough, Oshiomhole led NWC 

ensured the emergence of a 

leadership of the National 

Assembly anointed by the party. 

He worked doggedly for that 

and he succeeded and today 

the entire nation is 

enjoying it. There is 

nothing as good as having 

an entire house intact and 

working in unison, that 

will facilitate progress for 

Nigerians. So far, the party 

leadership has done very 

well and we are very happy that for the first 

time in the South South, we are having the 

Deputy senate President coming from Delta 

state. 

I read sometimes in the media people 

trying to criticize Oshiomhole over the loss 

we suffered in some states like Zamfara. I 

know that criticism is part of democracy 

but in this case we all knew the role of some 

political leaders in these states that led to 

the problem we had. It was not 

Oshiomhole’s fault. The man has been 

doing his best since he came on board. In 

fact some of us believed that if not that 

somebody like him with strong character 

came at this stage, our party would have 

collapsed before the 2019 general elections. 

But despite the challenges Oshiomhole held 

the party strong like his baby and today he 

has instilled discipline in the party. But you 

know everybody cannot like Oshiomhole. 

But I can tell you that majority of our party 

members are happy with his leadership. And 

in every situation, majority will always have 

their way while minority will have the 

opportunity to equally air their views. You 

can never satisfy everybody but I am glad 

Oshiomhole is capable of facing criticisms, 

he has taken the bull by the horns and the 

•Chief EK Clark 

party is moving forward. So I want to 

commend the Oshiomhole led NWC 

because they have made us proud. 

Do you think the current NWC will 

provide victory for the party come 

2023? 

Definitely, I don’t see any opposition to 

APC come 2023, in fact before then PDP 

could disintegrate and many will move to 

APC. People will always complain and you 

will think heaven will fall. You recall that 

before 2019, some said this will be the last 

election in Nigeria, some said APC would 

be defeated due to the propaganda machine 

of the PDP. But what happened at the end of 

the day? We went into the election and 

emerged victorious. 

But what was the problem with Delta 

APC? Some people thought that the APC 

would make impact in the state in the last 

governorship election but it failed woefully! 

Yes, I am aware we had serious issues in 

the party but even with that we did very well 

than in 2015. We won some seats in the 

Central districts, both senate and some seats 

in the House of Assembly. I believe that by 

the next election majority of Deltans will 

know that they have to work with APC. With 

the kind of votes we got in the last election 

in Delta state, I am very optimistic that by 

2023, we are going to take Delta state. Now 

that we have the Deputy Senate President, 

and a vibrant Minister, we are going to 

work harder and the sky will be our limit. 

Recently Ijaw leader, Chief EK 

Clark urged the National Assembly 

not to attempt to take over the 

running of the Edo state House of 

Assembly, what is your take on 

that as a chieftain of the APC? 

When I read that I felt very 

disappointed because he is an 

elder statesman and he should 

know the laws more than 

many of us. I recall that Chief 

Clark never supported 

Governor Obaseki before 

he became governor, so if 

Obaseki is trying to be very 

ungrateful to people that 

brought him to power, I think, as a father, 

Chief Clark should have advised him better, 

not to cause chaos in Edo state because Edo 

and Delta are still the same. I expected him 

to call Obaseki and advise him as a father 

but he did not do that, rather he took side 

immediately. Let me tell you, there is 

nothing about Edo state that we don’t know. 

The National Assembly has it as a duty to 

intervene in any state Assembly that has 

crisis. So for anybody to fault that move is 

unfortunate and that Is why I am shocked 

with the comment made by Chief EK Clark. 

All of us knew how Obaseki became 

governor of Edo state. He was never a 

politician. It was Oshiomhole who made 

him governor against all odds. Oshiomhole 

offended many people loyal to him just 

because he wanted to make Obaseki 

governor. So it is unfortunate that today 

the governor sees himself as a thin god, 

exhibiting so much disrespect for the man 

that made him governor. That is ingratitude 

of the highest order and it is not good for 

him as a governor. To me, he's an ingrate. 

There is an adage in Itsekiri which says you 

must remember the good of yesterday. 

Whatever Obaseki is doing he must sleep 

and reflect the good time he had with 

Comrade. A couple of times I had an 

•Chief 

Ayiri Emami 

opportunity to sit with Comrade and he kept 

saying ‘Ayiri, you know how I labored to 

bring Obaseki so I cannot support pulling 

that house down. So I don’t see Comrade 

fighting Obaseki but Obaseki is just fighting 

himself. . So Chief EK Clark should 

concentrate on Delta state where he caused 

some problems for people and leave Edo alone 

because he does not know how Obaseki 

became governor. 

Buhari’s policies in the Niger Delta 

I will appreciate Mr President and his Vice 

for the dialogue they initiated in the Niger 

Delta and that is why we are experiencing 

peace there today. Without peace there will 

not be any meaningful development in the 

region. But President Buhari has continued 

to dialogue with the stake holders in the 

region and we are enjoying peace. We told 

our people to embrace the peace process 

because we had opportunity of producing 

a president six years ago in the Person of 

Goodluck Jonathan, but we did not make 

good use of that opportunity. So let us give 

peace a chance so that in future other regions 

will consider us for the presidency. We must 

have learnt our lessons as a people, we will 

learn not to fight ourselves due to politics. I 

believe we must learn how to play politics from 

the Northerners or the South West so we can 

achieve our aims in this country. 

. 

But there is this impression that it 

will be difficult for APC to win in 

Delta state without the support of the 

former governor James Ibori, what 

is your take on that? 

Let me tell you, in 2023, Ibori will neither 

be the one contesting for election nor 

Okowa. APC will field a formidable 

candidate and that person will win the 

election for us. And not just in Delta state but 

other South South states will come under APC 

because if you see the appointments made by 

Mr President now, you will observe that he is 

bringing in more politicians unlike in 2015 

when he had a lot of technocrats in his cabinet. 

He has laid solid foundation for 2023 with 

the recent appointment of more politicians 

into his cabinet. So come 2023, APC will win 

more states in the South South and the South 

East.


ONDO HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY SNAKE SAGA: 

The true story 

By Dayo Johnson, 

Regional Editor, South West. 

THE battle line has been drawn and if 

nothing is done urgently, the peace of 

the graveyard in the Ondo State 

chapter of the All Progressive Congress may 

further be ruptured. 

The 26 legislators in the State House of 

Assembly are at dagger drawn with the head 

of the executive arm of government, Rotimi 

Akeredolu a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who 

seems to be a cat with many lives. 

As he battles with some forces within and 

outside the state to retain his seat ahead of 

2020 governorship election, he is again 

confronted with another in-house tango, this 

time with a vital arm of government, the 

legislature. However, the governor may win 

this fight with the lawmakers because the 

members of the assembly don’t have the 

courage to fully take on the governor headlong. 

Many of them have capitulated without the 

knowledge of their ring leaders. 

Why lawmakers hatched the plan 

The leadership of the assembly believed the 

plan was fool proof but unknown to many, there 

are fifth columnists amongst them who are 

the eyes of the executive. The plan was to arm 

twist the governor who they have concluded 

was frugal in spending money and has refused 

to release funds to them for 

the renovation of their 

deplorable chambers 

constructed in 1976. 

Some members of the think 

tank in the leadership of the 

assembly reportedly met and 

decided that the only way to 

make the governor release 

funds for the renovation was 

to cook up the story of snake 

invasion of the chambers and 

the collapse of the ceiling 

during plenary. 

When the plan was tabled 

before other members, they 

embraced it and few of them 

who were still nursing the 

grudge on the alleged 

imposition of the speaker, Hon 

Bamidele Oloyelogun by the 

governor saw this as an 

opportunity to embarrass the 

governor and the state hence 

they encouraged the leaders to 

go ahead with the plan. 

Reports had it that the 

governor was informed that 

the snake story was a ruse and 

a calculated attempt to arm 

twist him to release funds. 

Vanguard however gathered that N2m was 

allocated to the assembly every year for the 

past ten years for fumigation of the complex 

while N57m allocation was given to the 

legislators on monthly basis. 

The leadership of 

the assembly 

believed the plan 

was fool proof 

but unknown to 

many, there are 

fifth columnists 

amongst them 

who are the eyes 

of the executive 

Snake invasion, ceiling collapse 

The leadership of the assembly who believed 

that they were on the same page with other 

members called a media briefing and relayed 

the stories of the snake invasion and the 

collapse of the termite infested ceiling that 

almost fell on the head of the speaker during 

plenary. 

Journalists were conducted round the 

chambers and showed the ceiling where the 

snake dropped and landed almost where the 

maze, the authority of the house was usually 

placed. 

The collapsed ceiling close to the seat of the 

speaker was equally showed to the journalists. 

Chairman, House committee on 

information Hon Gbenga Omole who was 

mandated to address newsmen on the 

members’ ordeal said, “When we were about 

to enter into plenary on Wednesday, a big snake 

just ran out of the chamber which disrupted 

our sitting and we had to hurriedly leave the 

chamber. 

“We were about to sit again today ( Thursday) 

when the ceiling caved in directly where Mr 

Speaker was sitting, the whole house was 

agitated and when we looked around we saw 

the damage the termite had done to most of 

the woodwork in the ceiling. At that point, we 

had to adjourn the sitting. That chamber is no 

longer safe for legislative business and because 

of that, we decided to adjourn indefinitely. The 

house will be going on an indefinite 

recess.” 

As usual, the report went viral, 

even the CNN reported that snake 

chased out legislators during 

plenary which forced them to 

adjourn indefinitely. It was the 

headlines in major newspapers. 

The legislators threw banters and 

were happy after the reports hit the 

headlines that they had achieved 

their purpose and that the governor 

would have no choice now that the 

matter had gone viral than to play 

ball. But they got it wrong as the 

fake snake story had been leaked 

to him by some of his trusted allies 

in the assembly. However, while the 

plan was being hatched, Governor 

Akeredolu was away in Abuja to 

show solidarity with the ministerial 

nominee, Tayo Alasoadura who 

appeared before the Senate. 

Governor Akeredolu fumes 

The embarrassing reports hit 

him hard that instead of heading 

to the Government House on 

arrival on Friday, Akeredolu 

stormed the assembly complex 

fuming and expressed displeasure over the lies 

by the members to embarrass him and his 

government. Like a school teacher scolding 

his pupils, Akeredolu lambasted the legislators 

for lying about the invasion of the chambers 

by snake. 

He accused the lawmakers of blackmailing 

him and his administration and an attempt to 

hoodwink the unsuspecting members of the 

public about the happenings in the Assembly. 

Akeredolu said “Did you see any green snake 

here? You said snake chased you out of this 

place and that you adjourned sine-die. How 

did you combine what happened here 

yesterday with your snake if it is not a grand 

connivance by yourselves? How did you come 

about snake yesterday and day before 

yesterday? How did you combine it and you 

said snake fell on your head? The media took 

your point and said snake fell on you and you 

all kept quiet. This House has stayed here for 

several years. If termites go into this place and 

eat it, no doubt unless you treat this place for 

termite, it will fall down. 

“What I have come to do is to verify what has 

happened. I have seen that what has happened 

is that there is an attempt to blackmail the 

state and I think the government will not take 

it. I was given the facts and I want to be sure 

that the Speaker and that most of the officers 

are here. 

“No snake fell here yesterday or day before 

yesterday, they were not sitting when the ceiling 

came down. They only met the ceiling that it 

came down. It was not that they were sitting. 

And all the pictures that were put up there are 

fake. There was no sitting; the ceiling did not 

collapse while they were sitting. How did you 

come about that story? How did you come 

about one giant snake or python; it does not 

exist here. How did you come about it? 

“There is an attempt to blackmail the 

government and I don’t believe that is the best 

approach. This is an arm of government and 

they have their vote and what they are entitled 

to is the one we give them. This place is termite 

invested and certainly, the termites have been 

dwelling here for several years. We have just 

come for two years; there is no way termites’ 

infestation in two years would cause such 

destruction. Something is wrong, this place 

has not been maintained and members of the 

House have always been here, what have they 

done about the maintenance of this place? If 

they have not been concerned about it, we have 

to sit down at the table and work things out. 

After the governor’s outburst that Friday, the 

spokesperson for the assembly, Gbenga Omole 

vowed that the legislators would not be 

intimidated by the governor and threatened 

that the N30b loan request of the governor 

would be put in abeyance until their demand 

for a better and conducive environment to 

carry out their legislative duties was put in 

place by the governor. 

Lawmakers threaten not to approve N30b 

loan 

Omole who was responding to the governor’s 

allegation that the members of the assembly 

were out to blackmail him and his 

administration denied that they were out to 

blackmail the governor as he alleged. 

According to him “They want to borrow 

money now. I am a member of the 

Appropriation Committee. 

“They want to borrow N30 billion, but if they 

fail to do what we want, we will not allow that 

to happen. Out of the money, they said they 

want to repair the Accountant General’s office, 

but they don’t want to repair the independent 

arm of government. It is not going to happen. 

The worst is that they will not give us second 

term but we will do what the people of Ondo 

State like. 

“The truth of the matter is that, that place 

needs attention. The way they merged the issue 

of snake with the collapsed part of the building 

is the issue. The termites have eaten the roof of 

the building. The governor accused us of 

blackmail, why is it that the past leadership of 

the House has not done anything about it. Every 

year they put renovation of the Assembly in the 

budget and it was not implemented. The 

executive brings in budget and you passed it. 

The place where the budget is passed is termite 

infested. 

“It is not going to be business as usual. That 

is my own stand as the spokesperson of the 

House. Do they not repair their own offices? 

There was a snake on Wednesday. On Thursday 

when we were about to sit, we discovered 

termites have eaten the roof. The question is 

that, termite did not start eating in the last two 

years. It has been the failure of the leadership 

of the House in the past Assembly. 

“The truth is that they will give them small 

money and they will pass the budget, the one 

that concern them will not be addressed. We 

are not going to take that this time around. 

“We cannot, because we are friends to the 

governor, not say the truth, they repair their 

offices. Let us expose the leadership of the 

House, the Speaker said money is voted for 

the renovation every year, but it is not backed 

with cash. They did not release money for repair, 

yet you pass their budgets. 

Rather than abate, the legislators fired again 

at an urgent parliamentary meeting held at 

the Speaker’s Lodge declaring that they 

“would not waiver in their responsibility as 

the representatives of the people of the state” 

and “insisting on “total autonomy of the 

legislative arm of government for proper 

functioning. 

The Speaker of the Assembly, Hon Bamidele 

Oloyeloogun presided over the meeting, while 

the communique was read by Hon Success 

Torukerijo. The legislators lamented that the 

Assembly complex was in a state of 

dilapidation and needed urged renovation. It 

is pitiable that the Ondo State House of 

Assembly is the worst in terms of infrastructure 

in the whole country. It will also interest the 

public to know that the office of the speaker 

and the deputy speaker have no official cars. 

We reiterate the constitutional status of the 

legislature as an independent arm of 

government which therefore deserve to be 

accorded as such. 

“We want to state without any equivocation 

that no fund has been released to the Assembly 

for the capital projects in the last five years, in 

spite of the yearly budgetary provision and 

there has not been any cash-backing for the 

renovation of the Assembly for the past 10 years. 

They lamented that “the previous 

administrations in the state had failed to 

release money for the renovation of the 

complex. 

Not done the legislators accused the 

government of doctoring the video tape of the 

event that happened when the governor 

inspected the Assembly complex after the snake 

appearance to ridicule them. 

PDP reacts 

Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples 

Democratic Party in the state in a statement 

signed by its Director of Publicity, Zadok 

Akintoye criticised the governor for portraying 

the lawmakers as his “cowardly, ineffectual 

and mindless errand boys. 

Akintoye said “Mr Governor, you were way 

out of line. You were completely out of order. 

You carried your authority too far and abused 

what should be the member’s natural 

inclination to respect you as a leader. You 

abused your authority. Perhaps you do not 

realize it: You and these 26 members are the 

only ones who truly carry the mandate of the 

People. The people, it was, who trooped out to 

elect them as they did you too. To speak to 

them so condescendingly and so demeaningly 

portrays you as a dictatorial individual.The 

Legislature is an arm of government deserving 

of respect and honour. 

“Granted that the manner of the emergence 

of some of those who are there now may have 

been undemocratic and that you may have 

had to pay good money to buy votes for most 

of them, the truth is that ultimately the people 

voted for them all in much the same way that 

they voted for you. 

“You poured expletives on them, asking them 

questions like a mean headmaster telling off 

an errant pupil. They came out looking that 

little. Your action has done incalculable 

damage to the integrity of that institution. You 

showed your contempt and utter disdain for 

the leadership and members of the House 

when you charged in there like a bull telling 

the whole world that they lied and were only 

trying to blackmail your government. Akintoye 

noted that “statesmanship demands that the 

Governor does not conduct himself in such a 

way to bring the institution into such disrepute 

with the public as you did. 

With the governorship election coming up 

next year, political observers argued that the 

legislators may be dancing to the tunes of some 

powerful forces within and outside the state 

who were desperate to deprive Akeredolu a 

second term in office. The question on the lips 

of the people of the state is who blinks first, 

Akeredolu or the 26 legislators?. Time will tell.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 3, 2019 — 17


‘I haven’t discovered myself’ 

*Continues on page 18 

" There will always be conflict and there 

will also be resolutions. As a celebrity, I am 

not less of a human being. I have issues with 

my wife from time to time. We also have our 

resolutions but I can't go out in public to 

say that we are fighting and we have 

resolved our differences. I just decided to 

keep everything away from the public eye 

and face my marriage." 

Away from his controversies, Ogbonna, 

who is known for his romantic roles in 

movies recalled how he started as a model, 

before veering into acting. "I started off as a 

model and I did that for many years. But 

now, IK Ogbonna is a brand and anything I 

am doing with another brand is a marriage. 

I wouldn't come out as a model any more 

or modelling as a brand and getting paid 

as a model. I would rather come out as a 

brand ambassador, influencing your brand. 

So, I had to slow down on my modelling 

career. Any corporate organization that 

feels my brand can work hand in hand with 

its brand , then I can sign endorsement deals 

with that organization." 

IK also admitted that modelling paid him 

off for a while but that the need to go into 

partnership with whoever wants to engage his 

brand, inspired his decision to slow down on 

his modelling career. " Back then, you can do a 

TV commercial or bill board for about 

N200,000. But today, if anyone is coming up to 

sign me, we will be talking in millions. You 

can't as a brand keep yourself in that level 

where you take up any job because when you 

work for one brand, you will be pushed into a 

box where you are not able to work with other 

competing brands. If I used to have two 

thousand followers on Instagram then, I have 

about one million now," he said. 

Speaking further, he said, "IK Ogbonna is a 

brand and anything I am doing with another 

brand is a marriage. I wouldn't come out as a 

model any more. I would rather become a 

brand ambassador, influencing your brand . 

That was why I had to slow down on modelling. 

Any corporate organization that feels my brand 

Film directors, stars shutdown Isoko nation 

... as Niger Delta big boy, Omoyibo splashes N50m on Nollywood, becomes DGN patron 

By BENJAMIN NJOKU 

The calmness and serenity 

pervading the Isoko nation, in 

Delta State were eternally 

disrupted last Sunday, when movie 

directors, and stars stormed the oil-rich 

area amid tight security. 

The event, held at Dantinajo Gold Resort, 

Oleh, Isoko, was supposed to be the 

conferment ceremony of Engr. Dan 

Omoyibo as the patron of the Directors 

Guild of Nigeria,DGN. But it turned out to 

be a carnival of sorts as the natives and 

onlookers thronged the streets in their great 

numbers to catch a glimpse of their screen 

idols who were having a field day in the 

Isoko kingdom. 

Indeed, it was a moment of intense 

excitement for the people as the stars paid 

courtesy visits to some of the high profile 

traditional rulers in the region. 

However, one of the royal fathers who 

made the stars feel welcomed in Isoko 

nation was Odio- Ologbo of Oleh 

kingdom, HRM Anthony Williams 

Onovughe Ovrawah. He instantly 

honoured the incumbent president of 

DGN, Mr. Fred Amata, with a chieftaincy 

title, alongside veteran actress, Hilda 

Dokubo at his palace in Oleh as a way of 

expressing his excitement. The honor 

came, as members of the DGN stormed 

his palace, led by Engineer Daniel 

Omoyibo, who was later made patron of 

the Guild. 

In his acceptance speech, Fred , an actor 

and producer said: “I’m happy and 

grateful to God for this. I also thank the 

Odio- Ologbo of Oleh kingdom. It came 

as a surprise but I give God the glory. I 

can work hand in hand with its brand , then I 

can sign an endorsement deal with that 

organization.” 

Ogbonna also talked about being 

stereotyped in the movie industry at a time, 

noting that he had to break from it to showcase 

his strength in playing other roles. "Back then, 

I used to be stereotyped. But about two years 

now, I have played a lot of roles outside the 

box. I have played the role of a doctor, a 

reverend father, village man, local boy etc. At 

the last Africa Movie Viewers Choice Awards, 

AMVCA, I got a nomination for playing a local 

boy. In fact, most calls I get from producers 

presently is to play a local character. I am even 

trying to run away from playing the role. In 

Nollywood, when the producers discover that 

you enjoy playing a particular character, they 

try to put you in that box. I try to break myself 

out of being stereotyped.” 

Asked about the number of kisses he has 

had, while playing romantic roles in movies, 

he said, “I am a professional, and I am never 

drawn into the character. For me, I am thinking 

of delivering my character, how to make it 

believable. It's not about being paired with a 

woman. I enjoy being paired with the person 

that I genuinely like.” 

On the number of movies he has featured in 

so far, he said, “ I have lost count of them. In 

fact, I was trying to count the movies about 

two months ago. But I have forgotten most of 

them. But from the once I can remember, I have 

done over 150 movies.” 

Ogbonna described himself as a 

businessman adding that he loves the art of 

making money and bringing stories to life. 

“Most times, I throw my funds into producing 

movies, not just because I am trying to make 

money which is also very key. But I am 

passionate about stories and bringing those 

stories to life, “ he said. 

On how he handles his female admirers, 

Ogbonna revealed that he has always been a 

guy that gets attention from the opposite sex 

even before became famous. “All my life, even 

as a baby, I have those aunties I called my 

wives. It's something I am used to. As far as 

you don't come at me offensively, I appreciate 

everyone that appreciates me,” he enthused. 

Interestingly, the actor who is also known as 

the lover boy of the Nigerian movie industry 

said he is yet to discover himself. Asked who 

IK Ogbonna outside the movie set is, he 

replied: “Honestly speaking, I always tell 

people that I don't know myself. I wish I can 

sit down and say this is who IK Ogbonna is. 

Since I have known adulthood, my life has 

revolved around hustling. I have been 

constantly working, jumping one movie set to 

the other. And where I am not working, I am 

attending to other businesses. So, my life is 

•IK Ogbonna 

basically about work. The little time I have, I 

give it to my family. I think I will give myself 

some time off, in the near future to discover 

my true self.” 

“I have other independent businesses that 

are surviving on their own without being 

associated with the IK Ogbonna brand. These 

are businesses I feel can do well without being 

associated with my brand. We are in an industry 

where jealousy is everywhere. Some people 

do not want your growth and they wouldn't 

support you just because they know that it will 

enhance your growth. It's a normal Nigerian 

mentality. People do not want you to do better 

than them unconsciously,” he stated. 

*(m)Engr. Dan Omoyibo and the leadership of DGN 

*HRM Anthony Williams Onovughe Ovrawah conferring 

Chieftaincy title on Fred Amata. 

was made a Chief in the name of Jesus in addition to donating N10 million to described as one man with magnanimous 

Christ our Lord and that makes me carry it support the celebration of DGN at 20. The heart for youth and infrastructural 

loudly.” 

celebration, which logo was also unveiled development. He's said to have 

“The title I’ve been given is Okugbe, at the event is billed to hold later this month empowered many youths and widows on 

which means ‘The Gatherer’; one who in Delta State. 

skills acquisitions and always committed 

causes unity, the one that gathers people Speaking on the endorsement funds, the to peace and security of Isoko land. For the 

together which is very close to the name philanthropist cum entrepreneur urged the respect he has for his motherland, the 

that my father gave me.” 

leadership of DGN to fashion out billionaire businessman temporarily 

Interestingly, the likes of Chinwetalu modalities for the disbursement of the moved Nollywood to Isoko as who's who 

Agu, Patience Ozokwor a.ka Mama G, and funds, which he said would be managed in the industry was in attendance at the 

Chinedu Ikedieze popularly called Aki set by an independent entity. 

event. Among them were Francis Duru, 

the ancient town agog, as the residents ran Omoyibo, however, encouraged the film Yinka Alabi, Ricardo Agbor, Teco Benson, 

after them, screaming, hugging and makers and directors to take advantage of Zeb Ejiro, Fidelis Duker, Ejike Asiegbu, 

posing for shots with the screen idols. the huge resources and serene atmosphere Chinedu ikedieze (Aki),Eucharia Anunobi, 

Meanwhile, after his installation as the that pervades the Isoko nation to shoot their IK Ogbonna. Others were Kanayo .O. 

patron of DGN, Engr Omoyibo, pledged epic films. 

Kanayo, Alex Osifo, Rachael Oniga, 

to invest heavily in Nollywood. He The new DGN patron is Chief Executive Francis Onwochei, Chico Ejiro, Andy 

announced the huge sum of N50 million Officer of Danmotech Limited and Amenechi, Hilda Dokubo, Tony Akposheri, 

as an endorsement funds for the industry, Dantinajo Gold Resort Limited. He’s Matthias Obaiagbon among others.


By AYO ONIKOYI 08052201215 

onikoyi68@gmail.com 

•Venita 

Unveiling media status of 5 

new BBNaija housemates 

Fans of Africa’s biggest reality TV show, BBNaija, were 

on Tuesday night introduced to two brand new 

housemates, Venita and Elozanam! The introduction of 

the new housemates follows an announcement made by show 

host Ebuka, during Sunday’s eviction show, regarding a “twist” 

in the coming week. While we were still grappling with the 

first twist, Biggie sprung another one on Wednesday by 

introducing two more housemates. 

The new housemates’ entrance into the house 

brings the present number of housemates to 

19 after eviction of 7 of the original 21 

housemates 

The five new housemates are Venita, 

Elozonam, Enkay , Joe and Cindy who came 

in Thursday night. 

The four new housemates will now compete 

with the remaining contestants for the grand 

cumulative prize worth 60 million naira. Fans 

of the show were thrown into a frenzy as social 

media was set abuzz by the news. 

Interestingly, contrarily to popular opinion 

that the four new housemates will constitute 

great threat to the original housemates 

because of their celebrity status 

there's nothing in their social 

media credentials to show they 

wield bigger social media 

influence. Elozanam is 

coming to the house with 

30.9 followers on 

Instagram, far below what 

more than 5 of the originals 

came with. Venita too, 

coming with 72.4 followers 

is a long way off from Tacha 

and Kimoprah who had 351 

thousand and 108 thousand 

followers at the beginning of 

the show. For Enkay and Joe, 

they came into the house with 21.2 

thousand and 6.2 thousand 

followers on Instagram 

respectively, far below most of the 

original housemates. Cindy, in 

her own case came in with paltry 

2,858 followers 

•Cindy 

•Enkay 

•Elozanam 

•Joe 

Dakore Egbuson, Tobi Bakre for 'Lion King,' Jungle Festival experience 

t was all joy and excitement at the 

Iground premiere of the Amstel 

Malta-sponsored Lion King and 

Jungle Festival as guests from within 

and outside Lagos State converged 

on the popular Palms Shopping 

Mall to witness one movie that 

dominated the entertainment scene 

for days. 

It was in the spirit of the Disney’s 

original animated feature of 1994 

that birthed the remake of the movie 

that hit cinemas across the country 

in style, topping movie charts and 

making history as one of the most 

viewed for weeks. 

The film starred the voices of Donald 

Glover (Childish Gambino) who is 

popularly known for his songs, 

played the lead role of Simba. It also 

paraded all-time people’s favourite, 

Beyoncé playing the role of Nala. 

The inclusion piqued the interest of 

younger generation, who might not 

have had the privilege of watching 

the animation earlier released, and 

then adults can satisfy their 

nostalgia. 

Over the weekend, at least a thousand 

guests partook in the 

groundbreaking of Jungle festival 

event that was created to bring home 

the verisimilitude of the story, so 

guests can experience in entirety the 

fierce mood at the pride rock. 

Speaking on what the movie would 

bring to the people in terms of fun 

and value for money and time, 

Managing Director, Blue Pictures 

Entertainment, Joy Odiete, said 

Disney's Lion King and Jungle 

Festival was a family gathering of 

lovers of the animated title. 

The Jungle themed family festival 

treated the guests to an evening of 

free flow of Amstel Malta drink, face 

painting session, Jenga, foosball, VR 

(Virtual Reality), bouncing castle for 

kids and lots more. 

After the indulgence at the jungle, 

people were ushered in to the cinema 

to see the “live-action” remake of the 

•Omotola with Yetunde Babaeko and son 

LION KING. 

The event hosted a retinue of celebrities, who came 

with their families to grace the event. 

•Tobi Bakre and Dakore Egbuson 

Chika Lann stars Ramsey Noauh, AY 

in her debut movie, “The Millions” 

Coming off the internet rave of claiming to 

make her hair with 40 million naira, Chika 

Lann has released the official poster to her 

film titled: The Millions. 

The film which was shot across Nigeria in 

various locations including Kaduna, Abuja and 

Lagos has the top billed Nollywood heavy lifters 

like Ramsey, Noauh, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Ali 

Nuhu, Toyin Abraham and Nancy Isime. 

Written by Tunde Apalowo, 'The Millions' is 

about Bem Kator (Ramsey Noauh) a charismatic 

con man, who in the bid to carry out the biggest 

money heist in history enlist the services of three 

other con men (Blossom Chukwujekwu, Ayo 

Makun and Ali Nuhu) to carry out the act. But 

things didn’t go as planned as they all have 

ulterior motives for being on a job that is "winners 

take it all" and the losers might find themselves 

fighting for their lives. 

A grand premiere for the film is slated for the 

25th of August while the film hits the cinema on 

the 30th of same month. 

•Steve Babaeko and family 

Omotola, Yetunde 

Babaeko, Praiz, DJ, 

others celebrate Steve 

Babaeko’s ADWeek 

recognition in Lagos 

eading actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde, Media 

LEntrepreneur, Fade Ogunro, Singer, Praiz, DJ Spinall, 

On-Air Personality, Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi, Media 

Personality ,Lamide Akintobi, Comedian and MC, Tee A and 

other friends, family and close associates of Steve Babaeko, 

the CEO/CCO of Nigeria’s leading advertising and media 

production company, X3M Ideas, gathered together on 

Sunday 21st July at The George Lagos Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos 

to celebrate Steve Babaeko’s recent recognition by Adweek 

as one of the top 100 creatives in 2019. 

Other guests included; publisher YES Magazine, Azuh 

Arinze, CEO Red Media, Debola Williams, publisher, Brand 

Crunch, Lekan Babatunde, Chief Strategy Officer, EbonyLife 

Films, Eunice Omole, CEO Plaqad, Gbenga Sogbaike, 

Creative Director, STB McCann Lagos, Samson Adeoye, 

Assistant General Manager, Operations, Channels 

Television, Kingsley Uranta, CEO ID Africa, Femi Falodun, 

CEO Smooth Promotions, Ayo Animashaun, Ace Producer 

& Director, Femi Odugbemi, Supervising Producer, CNN 

Africa, Stephanie Busari and CEO Daria Media Ltd, Kadaria 

Ahmed amongst others. 

The annual honorary list was created by Adweek to 

celebrate trendsetters and innovators in creative industries 

across the globe whose ideas are advancing advertising 

worldwide. 

Steve’s wife and ace photographer, Yetunde Babaeko, their 

three sons and other members of his family also graced the 

occasion to honour Steve for his distinctive contribution to 

the Nigerian advertising and creative industry. 

Other international accomplishments by Steve Babaeko 

include being on the jury of the New York Advertising 

Festival in 2016, 2017 and 2018; serving as a judge at The 

Loerie Awards in 2017; and recently sitting on a panel at the 

Cannes Lion International Festival this June. 

Steve Babaeko is the Vice President of the Association of 

Advertising Agencies in Nigeria (AAAN), and an associate 

member of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria 

(APCON). His company, X3M Ideas, has also won numerous 

awards including the Marketing World Awards, Cristal 

Awards, and Lagos Advertising and Festival Awards. Steve 

founded X3M Ideas, a digital advertising agency, in 2012 

after an amazing advertising career that spanned over 15 

years. The agency, today, is present in over four African 

countries, catering to some of Africa’s biggest brands like 

Globacom, Dangote and Multichoice.


43 years after, 

Celestine 

Ukwu’s guitarist 

opens up on him 

Says: The highlife maestro was set for 

International tour before his tragic death 

Since his death in 1976 in an auto crash, the mystery behind the 

personality and character of one of Nigeria’s most popular highlife 

music singers and song writers Celestine Ukwu has remained 

underground and untold. An encounter with his guitarist 

Emma Ikediashi, leader of popular Black Tops highlife 

music band puts paid to all that. Ikediashi discloses that 

Ukwu neither smoked cigarette or weed nor drank alcohol. 

He also spoke on the final days of the extremely talented 

artiste and more. Do enjoy this. 

How and when did you meet Celestine 

Ukwu? 

I met Celestine Ukwu in Onitsha about 

1973 or there about. I had come to join the 

live music scene in the Niger City straight 

from my village of Ogwashi Ukwu. I had 

just dropped out of St Michael’s 

secondary school after my father’s death. 

I had started picking up the guitar. I was 

reading up about bands and their 

history. When I moved to Onitsha, 

I was about 23 years and 

joined Sunny Nwamama 

and his highlife music 

group. I started picking up 

rudiments of highlife guitar 

play really fast that in about 

two months, Celestine 

Ukwu sent for me. He said 

he had been hearing about 

me and later watched me 

play. When I joined him, he 

made me live with him and 

we would engage in daily 

private rehearsals in his 

apartment after breakfast. 

We lived on one of the 

flats at the expansive 

Agbakoba family 

compound in 

Onitsha. I was the 

youngest and 

smallest member of 

his band which was 

made up of many 

Cameroonians and 

Congolese. He 

must have felt that 

he could make 

the best out of 

me by keeping 

me closer. I 

also made the 

most of that 

period. I was 

part of his 

tracks Omeife 

jideofo and Imago nke chi ga ekwu etc. 

We regularly played at Phoenix Hotel, 

Onitsha. 

Before then….. 

I can say that playing the guitar and 

indeed talents for music is hereditary for 

me. My father had brought home a guitar 

from his times during World War 11. He 

said he learnt to play in India during that 

war. But he warned me never to get close 

to the guitar not to talk of touching it. But 

I would steal it and play away without his 

knowledge. That was how I learnt to play 

the guitar. 

•Ukwu 

playing the 

guitar 

Where were you when Celestine died? 

Celestine Ukwu had left home in 

company of a friend of his named 

Nwobodo who just bought a new car. I 

suppose it was a social outing. They were 

hit by a trailer somewhere around Ogidi 

and they both died on the spot. It was a 

sad day for all. He had already processed 

travel papers to travel abroad for a big 

show. I was already hoping that I would 

make the trip with him but he died. He 

must have been aged between 34 and 36 

years I guess as he started music early. 

Again he had done a traditional wedding 

but never lived fully with his new wife 

before his death. I am happy to note that 

•Celestine 

Ukwu 

his daughter born after his death is now a 

lawyer. 

You also played with Osadebe? 

I first spent a year with Celestine and 

later joined Osadebe who was then 

playing at Central Hotel Onitsha in 1974. 

I returned to Celestine Ukwu again sooner 

than I expected later that same year. I 

remained with Celestine Ukwu until his 

death in 1976. 

Could you compare the two 

musicians as their close 

associate? 

They 

were 

both 

in a 

class 

o f 

their 

own. 

Osadebe 

was 

older 

than 

Celestine. 

Leave 

everything 

philosophical 

to Celestine (his 

band was the 

Philosophers National) while Osadebe 

may be melancholic and hedonistic and 

may sing about anything that came to his 

mind. Osadebe could easily create a scene 

anywhere but never Celestine who was a 

gentleman to the core and avoided 

anything that could attract attention to 

himself. Note that he never smoked or 

drank alcohol. But women flocked around. 

He spoke perfect central Igbo as well as 

his native Abor, Udi Enugu dialect. 

I believe that in the heat of the 

competition that later engulfed the 

highlife music scene between top 

musicians later, Celestine would have 

found away to shy away from it. 

Then the Philosophical National band 

he left behind also died….? 

We tried to be together but since the 

driving force of the group had died 

nothing happened much after. We 

recorded as Celestine Ukwu memorial 

but… 

I traveled to Enugu to join the then 

famous EC Arinze whose band was 

one of the biggest in eastern 

Nigeria. This was after the 

Celestine Ukwu memorial band 

died. With EC Arinze, we had 

a big contract at Premier 

Garden of Presidential Hotel 

Enugu which ran for years. 

Every weekend was hot 

that the hotel became a 

place to be for all lovers of 

good music. 

After the many years 

contract with EC Arinze 

ended, I started thinking of 

setting up a studio and 

forming a band of my own. 

That was when I started 

acquiring equipment and 

other musical instruments. 

I acquired a Sharp double 

cassette recorder to start 

recording and producing other 

artistes That was when I 

produced Nelly Uchendu album 

Ezigbo dim. Her sister Biddy 

Uchendu also started work with 

me and we released Onye bu 

nwannem. 

Could you trace the origin of 

your unadulterated highlife 

music band .How did the 

name Black Tops come 

about? 

It was my elder sister who 

worked with the federal 

ministry of Trades and 

Commerce that helped me 

register the band many years 

ago. I reasoned that I needed a registered 

outfit if I must function officially and 

reached out to her. I had given her Black 

Toppers Band but she forgot the piece of 

paper where I wrote it and registered 

Black Tops. I also gathered some of the 

musicians I had played with and we 

formed a quartet. The original Black Tops 

were Christian Akalonu alias Brusher on 

drums, Alex Ejemike on bass, Joseph 

Okeke alias Samanque on vocals and my 

humble self on Guitar and vocals. Our first 

contract was when the Premier Garden of 

the Hotel Presidential Enugu was revived 

by Silk Ugwu. After some time, some 

people were not happy with the success 

and killed his contract and killed the 

show. But my production studio continued 

running producing several artistes. 

Do you think that experience with 

Celestine Ukwu has helped you in any 

way? 

Yes. I learnt plenty from Celestine. He 

never joked with rehearsals. He always 

regarded himself as the least in the band. 

That’s what I also did. There was also 

frustrating moments when I felt like 

quitting and disbanding the band but 

held on. Later, Brusher and Alex left to 

start something on their own. Then my 

sons who were born in the studio had 

become graduates and eagerly joined me. 

We have performance contracts which we 

execute every Sunday. But they also do 

their individual musical things. One of 

them Fireboy is set to unleash himself 

with hiplife music soon. 

How did you get the children to tow 

same lane with you? 

I just see us as a family tree from my 

father to my children. I did not influence 

any of my children to join me in music. 

All of them are boys, no girl. I had wished 

for a girl for my last child but God gave 

his choice again. However I gave them 

the latitude to do whatever they wished. 

They literally grew up in the studio so 

toyed with any instruments of their choice 

as kids. 

Again, my wife, their mum was taking 

them to the choir so they had all round 

music background despite that they are 

all graduates in other courses. When the 

other musicians had gone, we had no 

choice than to continue with our lives. So 

Black Tops is today a family band 

rendering unadulterated highlife music. 

We have several albums to our credit with 

the boys plotting their own solo career.


By Tolulope Abereoje 

08134730794 (sms only) 

tolulopeomotayo3179@gmail.com 

President of a 

country once 

asked me out 

– Juliet Ibrahim 

Sensational Ghanaian actress, Juliet 

Ibrahim recently revealed some 

interesting details about her life and 

career, one of which is that she was once 

asked out by the president of a country. 

The screen goddess in an interview with 

BBC Pidgin’s ‘Question Till Mouth Pain You’ 

show talked about some ‘behind the scene’ 

acting moments, her love life, growing up in 

different countries and some of the weirdest 

moments she had experienced in her life. 

But one topic that was most interesting was 

about a president of a country asking her 

out. 

According to Ibrahim, she is not a ‘sugar 

mummy’ and is currently not in a 

relationship and not searching either but 

wouldn’t mind if ‘Mr. Right’ comes now. She 

also noted that the strangest rumor she has 

heard about herself was that she was in a 

relationship with Chris Brown. 

Juliet revealed she can speak French, 

Spanish, English, a little bit of Pidgin and a 

local Ghanaian language, adding that her 

childhood was filled up with civil war 

memories in the counties she grew up in. 

My most rewarding 

investment is my 

daughter’s education 

– Kenny Saint Best 

A 

c e 

Nigerian 

musician, 

Kenny Saint 

Best recently 

took to her 

Instagram 

page to 

celebrate her 

daughter’s 

graduation as 

she scored five 

distinctions in 

the just 

released 2019 

WAEC result. 

The proud mum 

revealed that •Kenny Saint 

she had to take 

a break from 

luxurious 

lifestyle, doing new videos and 

promotions, going on holidays or buying 

automobiles in order to focus on her 

daughter’s education which according to her 

has paid off. 

“My most rewarding investment is my daughter’s 

education. While many individuals derive joy in 

investing in properties, the latest automobiles, a holiday 

in the most exotic holiday spots of the world, investing in 

gold and precious stones, my joy comes from investing 

in the best education money can buy for my kids. My 

daughter has brought me ultimate joy by getting 5 A1s, 

3Bs and a C in the 2019 WASSCE exam. All these high 

grades accompanied with an impressive JAMB score have 

landed her an admission into Pan Atlantic University, an 

arm of LBS (Lagos business school). This required me to 

take a break from a luxurious lifestyle, doing new videos 

and promotions, going on holidays or buying automobiles 

and this had paid off with a great result and a wholesome 

and well grounded education,” she said. 

•Juliet 

Ibrahim 

Popular rapper and 

activist, Folarin 

Falana known as Falz 

The Bahd Guy has reacted 

to reports that ‘slapping 

senator’, Senator Elisha 

Abbo has been honoured 

with Icon of Democracy 

award, saying it is 

shamelessness at the 

highest level. 

Falz said, “What kind of 

joke is this man? This is the 

senator that was caught on 

tape assaulting a woman in 

BB Naija 2019: Toke Makinwa speaks 

on Gedoni and Khafi’s relationship 

Media personality, Toke 

Makinwa recently shared her 

thoughts on Gedoni and 

Khafi’s relationship in a thread she 

posted on her Twitter page. 

According to Toke, Khafi needs to leave 

Gedoni alone as he is only taking 

advantage of her, adding that Khafi 

(who is a police officer) comes across as 

someone with unresolved issues of 

wanting to be accepted and that makes 

her seems desperate for love. 

While some viewers are enjoying the 

‘bedmatics’ sessions between Khafi and 

Gedoni, others are showing concern 

that she is sticking her neck out for the 

wrong person especially because he 

doesn’t like her that much. 

“I caught Khafi’s diary session with 

Biggie and I just wanted to give her a 

hug. I only just started watching and I 

might be late to the party and all but 

she needs to speak to a professional 

counselor. No one likes feeling rejected 

or excluded but baby, the world is a 

hard place. Khafi needs to toughen up. 

She seems like such a sweet girl, she 

really needs to focus on her strategy 

and leave that boy alone. The man is 

only taking advantage of how she 

comes across,” she said. 

Her statement comes as no surprise as 

Gedoni recently told other housemates 

that Khafi always wants sex every night. 

You should be awarded the ‘biggest disgrace 

of the year’ – Falz tells Senator Abbo 

•Yolanda 

•Toke 

Makinwa 

an adult store. “Icon of 

democracy” award? 

Shamelessness at the highest 

level. It’s actually disgusting. 

He should be holding a plaque 

that says “Biggest disgrace of 

the year”. To the Nigerian 

Police, I thought this man had 

been charged to court, what is 

the status of the case? To the 

National Assembly, what 

disciplinary action was taken 

against him? We need 

answers. This man cannot 

remain in the Senate.” 

Recall that Elisha Abbo was 

seen in a viral video assaulting 

a woman at an adult toy shop 

in Abuja and many celebrities 

and human rights activists rose 

and asked that disciplinary 

actions be taken against him. 

OAP Yolanda addresses those getting 

loans to go for summer holidays 

It no longer comes as news that 

Nigerians are good at spending 

money on holiday trips and while 

some can comfortably afford it, 

others tend to borrow just to keep 

up with the Joneses. 

Nigerian OAP and humanitarian, 

Yolanda George-David has 

decided to share some 

interesting advice about taking 

loans for summer holiday. 

Pointing out that tomorrow isn’t 

guaranteed and that being rich is 

not a look, the neurosurgeon 

fondly called “Aunty Landa” 

stated that rather than collect 

loans to go on exotic holiday trips 

when rent and school fees are 

still being owed, people should 

use such money to open 

businesses. She also advised that 

insurance policies should be put 

in place to prepare for the future. 

“Apparently a lot of you are 

taking loans to take your family 

•Falz 

for Summer Holidays. Seriously? You 

owe house rent, school fees et al and 

you are not getting a loan for business 

but for summer. You all know that I love 

you so much and I am not too scared to 

tell you the truth. Lagos is 24/7 summer, 

why borrow to leave the heat to go 

enjoy the heat .Instead of borrowing 

money to go for that family holiday 

because everyone in your compound 

claims to be going abroad for summer, 

open a trust fund for your child. 

Tomorrow is not guaranteed; for some, 

the odds are lower than others because 

the end is also part of the Journey. It’s 

okay to plan ahead without being all 

sanctimonious. You are not too young to 

have your will drawn up. Your response 

to life insurance offer shouldn’t be 

blood of Jesus; it should be at what 

premium. Remember that I said don’t go 

poor trying to look rich. To be rich is not 

a look, don’t let me go to Mushin to buy 

a cane to spank some sense into you,” 

she said.


ROTIMI AGBANA 

07054964685 

rotimiagbana@gmail.com 

I played football a lot 

during childhood 

— Banky W 

U 

Bankole Wellington, a.k.a Banky W, is known to be a a 

musician of great repute. But not many are also 

aware that beside singing, the RnB singer is also a 

football enthusiast. 

However, in a chat with Showtime, the ‘Lagos 

Party’ crooner recalled that he played football 

a lot during his childhood days. 

“Of cause I played football a lot while 

growing up and I still play football now. I play football twice a week. In fact, I’m a striker. We have a league called 

‘Empire FC’, we play football twice in a week. MI, Falz, and others likethat are in the league too. In my mind I’m a 

striker for Arsenal (Laughs), but you know there’s a difference between your imagination and your reality. I really enjoy 

playing football with my teammates week in week out. I didn’t know I have the talent level to play at the premiership or 

Super Eagles kind of level. But that’s the beautiful thing about football, it’s for everybody. You don’t have to be a 

professional football player, especially in Nigeria. We love playing football on the streets”, he said. 

Speaking further, he explained why he got involved in the recent partnership between foreign lager beer brand, 

Budweiser, the English Premier League, EPL and La Liga. 

“My involvement with the brand is as an agency. EME serves as one of the agencies for the Budweiser portfolio and 

a few of the other brands under the umbrella. For us, it’s exciting because we know what the brand represents, we know 

just to think that these are the things they are associated with and the things they are trying to do. So for football, it’s more 

than just the same old sponsorship about the game. The game is beautiful and we all love it. But can we take things a step 

deeper; it’s not just about watching the game and seeing a logo on TV. Can we uncover stories that will inspire the 

Nigerian audience, inspire young people? Uncover stories about footballers who came from nothing to become something; 

who stood up against all odds and obstacles to become kings in their craft and use that to inspire our audience to do same. 

Can we bring the audience closer to the players; give them experiences that they can never get from the same average 

football sponsorship. For me, this represents a powerful thing because I’m always trying to inspire young people to reach 

for greater heights; to do better, to make their dreams come true. I think that’s the angle for me that is most interesting 

about this whole thing”, he said. 

COZA RAPE SAGA: 

Evidence on ground not 

favourable to Pastor 

Fatoyinbo—-Pretty Mike 

Lagos socialite and nightlife mogul, Mike 

Nwalie, popularly known as Pretty Mike 

has predicted how the alleged rape saga between 

singer, Timi Dakolo’s wife, Busola Dakolo and the 

senior pastor of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, 

COZA, Biodun Fatoyinbo may end. 

According to him, the evidences on ground are not 

favourable to Pastor Fatoyinbo. “It is a very sensitive issue 

and I’ll tell you why. A lot of people are on the church’s 

side and a lot on Busola’s side. I’m sure there is nobody 

in their right sense that will say they stand for rape but 

for me I think women in general have over the decades 

been prone to this abuse. If she’s not being sexually 

harassed by her biological father, then it’s her step father, 

or biological brothers or step brothers, cousins, family 

friends, uncles, neighbors, domestic staff, teachers, 

professors, pastors and so on”, he said. 

He added; “There are two people every lady 

should trust in terms of their sexuality. One is their 

Pastor, and believe he can never lead them astray. 

Unfortunately that trust is being broken now. If 

your pastor should say ‘take your clothes off’ it 

should be because he has no ulterior motive. 

The second person is her doctor, because you 

believe he won’t look at you in a funny way 

simply because that’s his job. We’re yet to 

hear of doctors breaking our trust but we’ve 

heard of pastors doing so. I’m not saying 

anybody is guilty or not guilty but the law 

still has to take its course. With the evidence 

on ground, it’s dicey and a lot of strong women have spoken and you know what, it’s not in the 

favor of COZA. If we’re to call a panel of judges to speak, that’s pretty much the direction it’ll 

take, but we are yet to see how it unfolds”, he submitted. 

Making good music not a criteria for success— Joeboy 

Fast rising Afro-pop musician, Joseph Akinfenwa Donnus, a.k.a Joeboy 

may be a newcomer to the Nigerian music scene. Yet, he’s like a 

lamb performing the feast of a lion, having learnt a few trade secrets to 

sustain his flourishing craft. 

According to the singer whose hit single, ‘Baby’ continues to top music 

charts on radio and TV stations, making good music is not enough to 

sustain a musician in Nigeria. 

“I discovered that having good music is not enough; you need people to 

hear it. You could have the luck of just dropping a song without any form 

of promo and it will just pick up and people accept it though but it’s not so 

common. Secondly, you need to know people, the industry players 

particularly. There are some people that have to mention your name to 

get to some places. Your name has to be on their lip, that’s like a standard. 

Many songs now 

lack content 

—-Barry Jhay 

rban Afro-pop music singer, 

Oluwakayode Balogun Junior, a.k.a 

Barry Jhay has expressed his 

dissatisfaction following the quality of 

songs that Nigerian artistes currently 

introduce into the market. 

In a chat with Showtime, the ‘Normal 

Level’ singer stated that songs of today no 

longer have meaningful content. “Most of 

the songs out there these days don’t have 

content. Most people want loud music, like 

the Shepeteri, Shaku Shaku, Zanku, 

Gbese and the rest. But sometimes, you 

need to call them back, to remind them that this world we are in nothing 

lasts forever except God. Do what you have to do when you have the time to 

do it”, he said. 

The singer who has been heavily criticized for sharing photos of himself 

smoking indian hemp on social media explained why he sees nothing wrong 

about it. 

“The thing is my personal life is different from my music life; nobody is 

perfect. So many of these artistes take crack and stuffs behind your back but 

you don’t know and you listen to their songs. The only thing you can hold me 

for is smoking. But you can’t hold me because I’m not the first person to 

smoke, I don’t drink. I have drunk before but I stopped. No negative experience, 

I just stopped”, he said. 

Speaking further, the singer who claims to be highly spiritual said he neither 

believes in going to church or mosque, but communicates regularly with 

God. 

“I’m too spiritual; I’m spiritual to the point that I neither believe in church 

nor mosque, I just believe in God. I used to go to church but I don’t anymore. 

I just pray to my God. My church is the water side. I was trained by an old 

person so I know a lot of things about life. Some people discriminate but I 

don’t because that is not how to serve God. Discriminating another person is 

like saying God does not exist or that God is on one side and is not on the 

other. The truth is everyone worships the same God, so why the Muslim and 

Christian discrimination? If they can’t come together then that’s their problem. 

I know the God that I serve and I call Him anytime I want to call Him. People 

are surprised most times because I smoke a lot but I believe in God and I 

always talk about Him.” 

G-Worlwide has made me a 

better musician—-Ajura 

When G-Worldwide Entertainment music act, Daniel Ojamomi, a.k.a 

Ajura signed on to the label shortly after Kizz Daniel’s exit, he was 

uncertain of his ability to measure up with the legacy his predecessor, Kizz 

Daniel left behind. 

However, in a chat with Showtime, the ‘Overtake’ hit-maker asserted that 

since he signed on to the record company, he has become better at his music 

craft. 

“It feels awesome to be signed to a reputable label like G-Worldwide 

entertainment that has an exclusive structure amongst other label or recording 

companies, it is unarguably one of the best in Africa. Being a part of this label 

has granted me the opportunity to become better in my music and for the world 

to hear about not just my voice but my message that cannot be expressed through 

words”, he said. The singer whose music gained massive traction faster than 

expected told Showtime what was responsible for his fast acceptance on the 

Nigerian music scene. 

“To be candid, it been God’s grace and I really cannot give a specific reason but 

something we should all know is that talent cannot be buried and light cannot be 

hidden. When I put everything into my music with the help of a great label, the rest is icing on a cake. 

Great music brings great audience.” 

Speaking further, he noted that though his management spent a fortune to 

promote 

his music, his talent and the quality of his music played a large role in the 

success of 

his music so far. 

“Not every artiste that their labels invested millions on their talent made it. Yes, G- 

Worldwide put in a lot of money into the making of my music but my music 

played its 

part too. So you think G-Worldwide paid everyone who listens to my song to 

actually listen to it? No! My management played their part, I played my part and 

now my music is doing its own thing which is pushing itself to the world.” 

Also, consistency is important; the fact that you dropped one good song now doesn’t 

mean you’ll be topping forever, you have to keep going. Humility and attitude 

also plays a vital role. You have to be calm and not feed your ego; don’t feel 

you’re the best because nobody is the best. We all just have our own 

time. Its attitude and character I believe will keep you going in the 

long run.” 

He added that his experiences while growing up on the streets 

of Lagos have been helpful to his music craft. “I’ve been to a lot of 

places but I discovered that Lagos is always in a hurry, very fast. 

Growing in Lagos helped me a lot and the environment makes you a 

natural hustler. It has helped me in my career too because I don’t think I 

will do music if I was in a calmer place. Lagos gave me that hustling 

spirit.”


Lagos housewives speak out: 

Family planning is our life saver... 

By Chioma Obinna and Gabriel Olawale 

Each year in Nigeria, according to the Guttmacher 

report 2017, 61,000 women die from complications 

of birth and abortion or miscarriage. The report also notes 

that out of 1.3 million abortions in 2018, 85 percent are 

estimated to occur under unsafe conditions. Several 

reports have shown that most of these deaths and 

complications can be prevented through safe sex. 

Saturday Vanguard health crew writes that women in 

some parts of Lagos are now adopting safer sex through 

contraception for a healthy family. 

At the premises of the Ita-Elewa Primary Healthcare 

Centre in Ikorodu was large number of women waiting 

at the family planning clinic. For these women it is safer 

sex or no sex. These women who were carrying their 

babies of different ages were waiting patiently for the 

family planning provider who attends to not less than 50 

women a day. 

It was interesting interacting with some of the women 

numbering over 100 at the clinic as they took turns to 

narrate their stories to Saturday Vanguard. Majority of 

the women confessed that their decision to take up family 

planning was to prevent unintended pregnancy. 

Unwanted pregnancy forced me to take up family 

planning – Basirat For Basirat Bakare, 34, the decision 

to take the family planning was not 

easy but an experience she 

described as heartbroken recorded 

her to change her decision. She 

recounted how her reluctant to take 

up family planning leads to 

unplanned pregnancy which she 

eventually aborted. 

“Six months after my first child, I 

became pregnant. I was not happy 

because any time we had sex and I 

ask my husband whether he 

released on me, he will say no. But 

when I became pregnant, we were 

both unhappy and we can’t tell 

anybody so we later terminated the 

pregnancy. 

“Three years later, we had our 

second child and my husband was 

using a condom as a means of 

prevention. But after our third born, 

my husband said he was not that too 

comfortable with condom as it did 

not enable him to enjoy sex very 

well. 

“My mother-in-law used to talk 

about family planning, so I 

discoursed with my husband to take 

up the family planning method that 

will enable him to enjoy me very 

well because he loves skin to skin 

intercourse. 

•Basirat Bakare 

“So immediately after I had my 

third child, I opted for Jadelle year. What is the essence of the child 

implants which are five years you give birth to that they don’t have 

because my husband said he didn’t sound education? 

want child again. 

I gave birth to 5 children out of 

Basirat, however, encouraged ignorance—Medinat 

mothers to have the number of Medinat Ajomagberin, 47, mother of 

children they can cater for, “I was six, said the fear of side effects 

born into a polygamous family informed her delaying to take up 

where nobody was interested in my family planning. She had five children 

career so I didn’t go to school. I as a result. 

suffer for my lack of education and I “Our plan was to have three children, 

don’t want such to happen to my but due to negative information about 

children. 

family planning, I was scared, but 

“The school my children are going when I had my fifth children I couldn’t 

now cost us about N370, 000 per imagine myself getting pregnant 

term and they have three terms in a again. 

“So I came to the family planning 

clinic to take up a method, and ever 

since I took up a method two years 

ago, I haven’t experienced any 

challenge. I regretted not visiting the 

clinic earlier; maybe I wouldn’t have 

had up to five children. 

I don’t listen to negative 

information about family planning— 

Shitu 

Basirat is not alone, Mrs Shitu 

Imole-Ayo, 29, a fashion designer and 

mother of three was on withdrawal 

method before, but due to its 

unreliability, she had a discussion 

with her husband about family 

planning and the method that would 

make them enjoy 

sex better. 

“So I opted for 

Jadelle to space my 

children but 

recently I removed 

it and I am now on 

injection. 

“Before I 

embraced family 

planning, I heard 

n e g a t i v e 

information about 

it, but I didn’t let 

that distract me. I 

carried out the 

entire test I was 

Family 

planning 

advocate 

My mother-in-law 

used to talk about 

family planning, so I 

discoursed with my 

husband to take up 

the family planning 

method that 

asked to do before they gave me the 

one that is suitable for me. They also 

told me that in case I have any 

complaints I should feel free to come 

back and am impressed with their 

friendly service. 

“I embrace family planning to give 

my children a better life and I now 

enjoy sex better without fear. The 

service at Ita Elewa PHC was free. 

Unplanned pregnancy almost took 

my life - Comfort 

For Comfort Usman 30, a mother of 

two, who gave birth through 

Caesarean Section, CS recounted how 

she nearly lost her life due to 

inadequate spacing, “I got pregnant 

six weeks after my first child, I didn’t 

expect it because the doctor warned 

me that I need to stay for at least two 

years before getting pregnant as my 

first child was through CS. 

“But thank God I was able to deliver 

the second child through CS as well 

which nearly took my life. After that 

experience, the doctor said I should 

embrace family planning if I want to 

live a healthy life. 

“I discussed with my husband and 

he was in support of it. I am using 

the tablet and comfortable with it for 

now. To make sure I keep up with the 

drugs, I set alarm on every gadget at 

home to wake up at 10 pm. When am 

through with childbearing I will go 

for a longer lasting method. 

Speaking about her experience in 

providing service to women of 

reproductive age at Ita Elewa PHC, 

during an activity organised by the 

Media Advocacy Working Group, 

MAWG, a family planning Manager, 

Mrs Adeyanju Rotimi with a decade 

experience said that the majority of 

their clients are always in a hurry to 

access service and go. 

“We run a daily family planning 

clinic from Monday to Friday, and our 

major challenge is lack of space 

because our clinic is not conducive. 

We want our counselling room to be 

separated from the procedure and 

toilet. 

“We don’t usually experience stock 

out, NGO used to complement the 

Ministry of health in the area of 

consumables and commodities. In 

area attendance, on a 

monthly basis, we use to 

have 150 to 200 clients and 

on some occasion, we record 

a higher number than that. 

“I started providing family 

programme service in 2008, 

it’s something I enjoy doing 

and we have mobilisers that 

makes our work easier. They 

do outreach on a monthly 

basis. Our clients are always 

in a hurry, but what I do is 

to first calm them down 

before counselling and later 

send them for investigation. 

“Few of our clients use to complain of 

fatness while some complained of 

spotting but during my initial 

counselling, I use to tell them that 

about little changes they are likely to 

experience but in case of any contrary 

they should come back to the clinic. 

“Family planning can only make you 

gain little weight while the fatness was 

as a result of the peace of mind they 

have with their husband. I do advise 

my client to try and eat balance diet.

24—SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST3, 2019 

Betrayal! 

Employee masterminds 

robbery attack on boss, 

molests wife 

·I posed as a visiting S/A musician- gang leader 


He bowed his head in shame, 

unable to look into this 

reporter’s eyes when 

approached. By the time he managed to 

lift up his head after much persuasion, it 

revealed a tear- filled eyes. He quickly 

dabbed the tears rolling down his 

cheeks with his index fingers and in an 

emotional laden tone, he said, “ I wish to 

have a one-on-one session with my boss, 

at least, to apologize to him because he 

does not deserve this betrayal”. 

McDonald Simeon, is a graduate of 

Computer Engineering from the 

University of Lagos, UNILAG . After 

graduation in 2017, he took some 

online courses on Computer Soft Ware 

development , hacking and E- 

commerce. 

After much toiling for a job, he got a 

manageable one with one Mr Michael, 

who owns a studio in Lekki phase 1, 

Lagos, in 2017. All was going smoothly 

between him and his employer, until April 

4, 2019, when the employee introduced 

some visitors to his boss as musicians 

from South Africa who turned out to be 

robbers! 

Crime Guard gathered that the 

employer, his wife and eight-year-old 

daughter were brutalized by the 

robbers, who visited the studio to 

shoot a music video. They compelled him 

to transfer over N300,000, at gun point. 

Thereafter, they made away with 

valuables which included some hard 

drives, a camera worth N800,000, 

laptops, jewelries among others. As if 

that was not enough, the hoodlums were 

said to have striped the woman and 

taunted her while the operation lasted. 

I did it to raise 

money—Simeon 

On why he masterminded the robbery, 

Simeon, bowed his head again and 

said, “I did it because I had plenty issues 

confronting me. Last year, I raised 

some money to travel out of the country 

but I was duped. I had to move out of my 

place and rented an apartment at a 

ghetto settlement in Jakande, Ajah, where 

I met Akeem Musa, one of my 

neighbors. 

Knowing he was a street boy, I 

approached him and told him about my 

boss. He said I shoud call him (his boss) 

and tell him that I was bringing some 

South African musicians to come and 

shoot a music video in his studio. 

After fixing the appointment with my 

boss, we went to his house on April 4, 

2019. While others stayed outside, I called 

my boss on the phone to instruct the gate 

man to open the gate of the house. I then 

ushered the gang of nine in. At that 

point, I could not look into the face of 

my boss because I felt I had betrayed him. 

I also could not turn back the hand of the 

clock. I just watched as they went about 

the operation. After the operation, we 

drove to Awoyaya, lodged in a hotel 

where we spent four hours to share the 

loot . 

“Unfortunately, I did not get as much as 

I had anticipated. I got only N40,000 

from the entire deal. During the 

operation, my boss was forced to transfer 

N350,000 into Godwin’s account. But he 

(Godwin) came back with only N100,000 

saying that was what he found in his 

account. I got N9,000 from N100,000 

that was shared among nine of us. I was 

given an apple laptop, as my loot for 

giving them the information which I 

sold for N80,000. I got extra N30,000 

•Other suspects (From right: Musa Akeem, 

Ikechukwu Collins, Uche okafor and Uche John 

from the sale of other equipment we 

made away with” 

I acted as body guard 

—Ikechukwu 

On his part, Ikechukwu Collins, 21, 

from Imo State, said the part he played 

in the robbery operation was to act as a 

body guard to the supposed South African 

musician, Musa Akeem. He further stated 

that he stood by the door of their 

victim’s wife, while one of their fleeing 

gang members whose identity he gave as 

Terry ‘G’ stayed with the woman inside the 

room. 

He said, “This is my first time of joining 

the gang. I had approached Terry ‘G’ that 

I needed money and he asked me to 

accompany him for a job. He gave me a 

gun and was also holding another gun. 

At the end of the deal, I got only 

N45,000". 

How we prepared for 

the operation —Musa 

For 24-year-old Musa Akeem, who led 

the gang and also posed as the visiting 

South African musician, he said, “in 

order to make it look real, I had to work 

on this dread hair ( pointing to his head). 

The night before we went for the 

operation, nine of us met at club 9, 

Alpha Beach, between 11pm and 12 

midnight to finalise the plan. 

Thereafter, we moved to Uche’s place 

at Bale street, around Alpha beach, 

from where we woke up next day and 

headed straight for Lekki phase 1, in two 

cars. 

“ The guns we used for the operation 

were kept inside a bag. Before we 

alighted, we shared the guns among 

three of us; myself, Terry ‘G’ and Godwin 

otherwise known as ‘IG’. When we got 

inside, we saw the man . He greeted us 

and said he would show us round 

his studio so as to know the beat we 

would need . As he stood up, we pointed a 

gun at him and told him to kneel down. 

IG tied him and ordered him to transfer 

money into an account . 

“But when we got to the hotel he, 

(IG) went to withdraw the money but said 

it was N100,000 the man transferred . 

Everybody started complaining because 

MC Donald told us we would get up to 

N12 million there. We suspect he kept the 

rest to himself. We had to sell other 

things we stole at the studio and I got 

N43,000 as my share”. 

My regrets 

At a point, the Kwara state-born 

father of one, expressed regrets over his 

action. He said he was particularly moved by his seven 

year-old daughter’s tears when she came visiting , 

accompanied by his wife. He said, “ My wife didn’t 

know I was a robber. I used to play football but it did n 

favour me. I went into sale of steel, yet it did not 

favour me. 

Denial 

Benjamin Okafor , 33 and Uche John, 25, however 

claimed they did not participate in the robbery 

operation. While Okafor, an Uber driver, said he was 

hired to take the gang to its destination, John said his 

offence was that he organized the vehicles the gang use 

for the operation, insisting that they did not know th 

mission of the gang. 

Okafor said , “ I am a taxi driver. Uche called me t 

come and pick a musician to a studio . When I brought 

the car in the morning, I noticed they were not musicia 

but I was scared to leave, in order not to be killed. I 

waited in the car while they went into the house and 

came out with some equiptment. Thereafter, I took 

them to the hotel and I was paid N5,000 at the end”. 

Arrest 

The suspects , were arrested by operatives of the 

Special Anti robbery Squad, SARS while investigating 

separate robbery gang involving Musa Akeem. H 

was arrested for allegedly snatching a vehicle from its 

owner around Ajah axis , three weeks ago. But during 

investigation, he opened up on other crimes he had bee 

involved in, which included the operation at the studio 

where he posed as a South African musician. 

We drug taxi drivers, steal their cabs—suspec 

By Ifeanyi Okolie 

Two suspects, who specialized in 

drugging taxi drivers operating 

at the Federal Capital Territory, 

FCT, Abuja, before stealing their 

vehicles, have been arrested by 

operatives of the Inspector General of 

Police Special Intelligence Response 

Team, IRT. 

Vanguard gathered that the suspects 

who were identified as Sanusi Balla 

and Nurudeen Ibrahim, ran into 

trouble recently when they drugged 

and killed a serving soldier with the 

Nigeria Army, Sergeant Richard 

Akaeze, and made away with his 

Peugeot 406 saloon car. 

Police sources told Vanguard that the 

suspects who normally tricked their 

victims to drinking joints around the 

FCT, where they would drug their 

drinks or food before stealing their 

victims’ vehicles, gave Sergeant Akaeze 

an overdose of the drug that killed him. 

The suspects were said to have buried his 

corpse hurriedly in a yet to be disclosed 

site and took away his mobile phones and 

his car which he was using for taxi.A 

source explained that the Inspector 

General of Police, Adamu Mohammed 

was alerted about Akaeze’s 

disappearance by his colleagues in the 

army, few days after he failed to return 

home from his business and operatives of 

the IRT, headed by Abba Kyari, were 

directed to investigate and unravel the 

circumstances surrounding his 

disappearance. It was gathered that when 

the operatives commenced investigations, 

Akaeze’s stolen mobile phone was 

tracked and the operatives discovered 

that the phone was being used by one of 

the suspects, Balla, who owned a car 

stand in Kaura Local Government Area of 

Zamfara State and was equally a staff of 

•Suspect Macdonald 

the Local Government. Balla was said to have 

confessed after his arrest that his friend, Ibrahim, who 

was based in Abuja gave him the mobile phone when h 

brought a Peugeot 406 for him to buy but that he said 

he didn’t buy the vehicle because he had no money at 

that time. Balla explained further that aside his car 

selling business and his job as a clerk at the local 

government, he had joined Ibrahim in several 

operations at the FCT where they drugged their victim 

before stealing their vehicles. He however denied 

taking part in the operation where Ibrahim drugged 

and killed the late soldier, before stealing his vehicle 

and his mobile phone that was found on him. Police 

sources added that Balla assisted the police in arrestin 

Ibrahim in Abuja, but he denied meeting, drugging or 

killing Sergeant Akaeze, when he was interrogated, 

while admitting that he was in the business of drugging 

and stealing from unsuspecting taxi drivers operating 

in the FCT and his targets were mainly greedy taxi 

drivers who had uncontrollable appetite for free drinks 

Our modus operandi—Balla 

When the suspects were interviewed, 37-year-old

ot 

d 

e 

ns 

a 

e 

n 

e 

s 

. 

ts 

I joined robber 

obbery y gang 

at 19—suspect 

•Reveals how gang snatched vehicle from 

Uber operator, gave it out for Uber 


rom his lanky body shape to his calm 

Flooks coupled with a soft spoken voice that 

would command any listening ear, nothing, 

would give 21-year-old Bolanle Olamide , out as a 

member of a notorious robbery gang that has 

been terrorizing Ajah and its environs for years. 

But he was arrested alongside a suspected 

member of his gang, Musa Akeem , by operatives 

of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS , with the 

recovery of a 2017 model Toyota Corrolla ,with 

plate number AKD 385 FR which was snatched at 

gun point from its owner, around Abijo estate , 

Lekki-Ajah, three weeks ago. 

In this interview with Crime Guard, Olamide, 

revealed that he joined the gang at the age of 

19, while his mates elsewhere had either 

graduated from the university or were at the verge 

of rounding up. 

He gave a blow-by-blow account of how he 

started and progressed to where he is today and the 

gang’s modus oparandi. 

Do you always alight from your car when hit 

from behind, or stop to challenge any motorist who 

attempts to hit you? Then , the confession of this 

suspect should be a warning to you as you could be 

risking your life with robbers who are either on 

their way for an operation , or looking for your type 

of car to rob. 

From bus conductor to ‘one chance’ 

robbery 

The Edo State- born suspect who is the fifth 

child in seven children, said he dropped out from 

primary school , owing to the death of his father, at 

the age of 10. 

Thereafter, he said, he began to work with one 

Godwin , a member of the gang , as a bus 

conductor, while he( Godwin) was the driver. 

During that period, he said he made between 

N2,000 and N3,000, depending on the number of 

trips made per day. 

He said he was introduced to a new phase of 

life after the bus owner withdrew it from Godwin, 

owing to the ceaseless complaints of arrests by 

security agents. 

Hear him: “ After staying at home for some days 

without food, one of Godwin’s friends gave him a 

gun He asked him to use it to rob people and 

Godwin invited me to join him . We started 

going out for operations in 2017, while I was 19 . 

We started with keke Marwa and we operated 

along Ajah expressway. 

Modus Oparandi 

“We would board keke marwa, one of us would 

sit with the driver in front while the other would sit 

behind with two other genuine passengers. On 

getting close to our destination, Godwin would 

point the gun at the operator and order him to 

stop. We would collect his phone and the money 

he realized for that day. We would also collect 

from the passengers before alighting . At the end 

of each operation, I got between N6,000 and 

N10,0000. As for the stolen phones, we sold some 

and kept some for personal use. He said that they 

did that for a while and decided to progress into 

another method of robbery .This time around, their 

target were Uber operators. 

Attack on Uber drivers 

According to him, “ Godwin said we should start 

collecting vehicles from motorists so as to have 

more money. Our targets were Uber drivers. 

The first day, we collected a Toyota Corrolla. We 

intended to sell it but we did not get any buyer. We 

had to abandon it at the middle of the road. 

We operated along Ajah and Eleko . We 

would pose as passengers and order for Uber. Mid 

way into the journey , we would point a gun at the 

Sanusi Balla, who is married with eight children, said; 

“I am a civil servant and I work at the Finance 

Department of my Local Government as a clerk in that 

department. I have a friend Nurudeen Ibrahim who 

called me that he had a car to sell, a Golf 3 saloon car 

which I bought for N220,000. Three months later he 

called again and asked me to buy a Honda Civic car, 

for N230,000. Five months after that, he called again 

and sold a Peugeot 206 to me. But last year he called 

me to join him in stealing cars since I was just enjoying 

the sales. I joined him and when we got to Abuja, we 

bought a drug known as Tributan. We would then pick 

a cab and engaged the cab operator in a conversation. 

We would make him our friend and offer to give him a 

drink in a bar. While drinking in the bar, we would ask 

him to get us something we left behind in his car and 

before he came back we would have put drug in his 

drink or food and as he slept off, we would take him in 

his car and dump him on the outskirts of the town and 

we would make away with his vehicle. 

My first operation”The first operation we did 

together was to steal a Peugeot 406 wagon. We picked 

the cab from Nyanyan and took the driver to a popular 

Garden in Gariki area of Abuja, where we got him 

•Uber Victims ( 

Bolanle Olamide (r) 

and Musa Akeem 

driver and order him to get out of the car after 

collecting his phones and cash. 

Since we started, we had collected nothing 

less than eight cars from Uber drivers. But we 

only sold three for N300,000 each. We sold 

the vehicles at Alaba and Okokomaiko areas 

of Lagos. We abandoned the rest when we 

did not get buyers. We shared the money 

equally but the owner of the gun usually got 

N10,000 extra”. 

Arrested 

Like everything that has an end, Olamide, 

met his waterloo , as he was arrested the first 

time his gang snatched a private car from its 

owner around Abijo estate, Lekki- Ajah axis. 

On that day, the gang of three went out as 

usual and ordered for an Uber. Like in other 

cases, they pointed a gun at the driver of the 

Toyota Camry car and ordered him to drive 

them to a convenient place, where they planned 

to push him out and zoom off with the car. 

He said , “But as we were driving, we 

discovered that the Camry car had a fault. Just 

then, we saw another Toyota Corolla in front of 

us. Godwin ordered us to hit the car from 

behind . When the person stopped to check 

the damage, we pointed our gun at him, 

collected his two iphones and car keys and 

zoomed off in his car”. 

Stolen car given out as Uber 

At this point, his partner in crime, Musa 

Akeem , 24, continued from where Olamide 

stopped. He said that the snatched Toyota 

Corolla car was parked at his place with an 

instruction for him to look for a buyer. He 

said that a man who initially showed interest 

in it, backed out when he could not provide the 

original documents of the car. 

He said, “ I met one Sunny at a smoking 

joint who said I should give it to one Segun 

who was looking for a car to operate as Uber. I 

declined at first but when I did not get any 

buyer, I gave it out to Segun to operate as Uber 

, with a weekly remittance of N25,000. He 

also made part payment of N100,000”. 

The operator had only paid for two weeks 

when the suspects were arrested via the Iphones 

stolen from the owner of the Totoya Corolla. As 

at the time the vehicle was recovered , it still 

retained the original plate number . 

Recovered from the suspects, were a face 

mask, spinner, an axe and a knife. 

Crime Guard gathered that they would be 

charged to court at the end of investigation. 

drugged and made away with his vehicle. I sold the 

car for N320,000 gave my friend N160,000. The 

second operation was at Duse Alhaji, where we 

picked a Golf 2 saloon cab. After we have 

negotiated with the driver, we took him to a bar, 

where we bought him drinks and drugged his 

pepper soup. We left him sedated in the bar and 

made away with his car which I sold for N160,000 

and I gave N80,000 to Ibrahim”. 

How I got into trouble Three weeks later, 

Ibrahim did an operation alone but he didn’t carry 

me along when he stole a Peugeot 406 Saloon Car 

and brought it to me in Zamfara and he asked me 

to buy but I told him that I wasn’t interested and he 

took the vehicle away and sold it to someone else in 

Zamfara State. But before he left with the car to 

Zamfara, I searched the car and found a small 

phone in it and I told him that I needed the phone. 

When he gave me the phone, I took it to Kano and 

gave it to one of my friends known as Lawan. Two 

weeks later, Lawan called and told me that he was 

in Zamfara to see me. I didn’t know that he came 

with the police and I was arrested. 


SARS foils suspect’s 

attempt to sell stolen 

car from Edo in Lagos 

I joined robbery to establish a 

barbing salon — suspect 


Asuspected member of a nine-man robbery gang that 

specialized in stealing vehicles from Edo State and 

bringing same to Lagos to sell at give away prices to 

ready buyers, have been arrested by operatives of the 

Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Lagos State Police 

Command. 

The suspect, Richard Eboiyehi, 22, was arrested in Ajah, 

while trying to sell a Lexus jeep that was stolen two weeks 

ago, from a building at Benin By-Pass, Edo State. 

Eboiyehi, a Senior Secondary School Certificate 

Examination holder, revealed that he and eight other 

members of his gang invaded the building and carted away 

the family’s valuables, including a Lexus Jeep. 

He said , “ We did not go with a gun. We were only armed 

with cutlasses. We scaled through the fence. One of us who 

knew the family brought the deal. He said owner of the 

house swindled his friend and that he wanted to pay him 

back. 

After the operation, Nathaniel and Timothy took the car to 

Onitsha to sell but nobody bought it as they kept requesting 

for the original documents. We only collected photo copy of 

the vehicle’s documents and forgot its original because we 

were in a hurry to leave the house that day. 

“Determined to sell the car and share the money, Timothy 

and I brought it to Lagos to sell last week Monday. He told 

me the next day that he was taking the car to the market. 

When I called again, he told me he was at Mega chicken , 

that he was still looking for buyer. 

The next time my phone rang, the caller said Timothy was 

involved in an accident and had been rushed to the hospital. 

I rushed to the hospital , somewhere at Ajah, only to be 

arrested”. 

Asked why he joined robbery, Eboiyehi,said, “ One Ahmed, 

whom I met at Naija Bet shop at Ipoba hill, introduced 

me to the gang. I joined because I needed money to set up 

a barbing salon. I am an artist. But since last year, there had 

been no job. When I complained 

to Ahmed, he 

asked me to join him and 

other gang 

members to the operation 

that led to 

my arrested. 

“ I was informed that the jeep would 

be sold for N1.5 million at 

the initial 

stage and by the time I 

calculated 

my share, I was hoping to 

get at least 

150,000. That would have been 

enough for me to set up a 

barbing 

saloon. 

Unfortunately, I am the only 

one that was 

arrested while Timothy who 

brought me 

to Lagos , escaped. 

I have contacted 

relatives in 

Benin but 

none of them 

believed me. 

They 

thought I 

was trying 

to collect 

money from 

them 

because I 

used to lie 

with such 

matter in 

the past. 

I 

regret my 

action”, 

he said. 

Police 

sources 

hinted 

that 

SARS 

operatives 

• Richard 

Eboiyehi 

my


Lagos destitute home turns den of thieves 

By Victor Arjiromanus 

From a distance, one perceives an 

acrid stench oozing from the 

building that serves as 

accomodation for a crowd of men and 

women. An inscription, ‘Welcome to 

Oko Baba Destitute Home’, quickly 

brings one in touch with the lowest ebb 

of humanity. 

The Destitute home, popularly known 

as Beggars colony, is situated in the 

Ebute Ero area of Lagos. It was 

established in 1988 during the 

administration of Buba Marwa, to 

accomodate the less privileged. It is a 

dynasty for the destitutes. The beggars 

were in regiments,with some looking 

hungry and pale, women moved up 

and down the lane, holding their 

malnourished and weak infants close 

to their chests. 

The men on the other hand, looked 

very lean with the youths, both boys and 

girls looking ravenous, each holding 

and puffing weeds to the air. Sadly, the 

complex which was established for the 

singular purpose of housing the poor, 

has been turned into a den of criminals 

of various categories , who unleash 

mayhem on innocent people, including 

their benefactors. 

Information revealed that 

perpetrators of the heinous crimes there 

, might not be those living inside the 

Oko Baba destitute home as some 

social miscreants and rogues have 

made the place an abode. Whenever 

they committed a crime, they would run 

to the destitute home, masquerading as 

beggars. This colony , also shares 

an entrance with another compound 

which according to residents, 

accommodates irredeemable 

miscreants who most times make life 

unbearable for residents, especially 

guests who visited beggars with gifts. 

Task Force blamed 

Residents also blamed activities of 

these hoodlums on the Lagos State Task 

Force. They accused the Task Force of 

using the destitute home as a dumpsite 

for criminals and beggars picked from 

the streets. On arrival at their new 

homes, these dumped individuals would 

become hardened and resort to 

dispossessing residents of their 

valuables, all in a bid to eke a living. 

Vanguard Reporter’s ordeal 

This reporter didn’t find it difficult 

to establish the rumored notoriety of 

the area, as he was a ready-made 

victim of their criminality. 

He had gone to cover the visit of Little 

Miss Nigeria Pet Project to feed the less 

privileged. Barely had he approached 

the colony and was taking shots of it, 

The beggers( eating during a visit by 

little Miss Nigeria, Masoma Ikuagwu) 

than he was surrounded by fierce 

looking miscreants who ordered him to 

give them money and other valuables 

he came with. An attempt to resist them 

almost resulted in him being gang 

beaten. At the end, he was forced to part 

with every kobo he had, including his 

mobile phone and wristwatch. 

One of the visitors who was going to 

get something from his car also got a 

fair share of the criminals traits. They 

hauled insults on him when he insisted 

he would not part with any of his 

valuables. 

The destitute home 

Residents lament 

Residents of the area lamented that 

they had been living in fear since these 

criminals started operating. Some of 

them have long stopped relatives and 

friends from visiting them, owing to the 

harassment and intimidation they went 

thorugh in the hands of the miscreants. 

One of the residents who simply gave 

his name as Josiah, said, “ Both boys 

and girls are rouges here. They indulge 

in occultism and make life unbearable 

for people. Several times they 

robbed people, including those who 

came to make donations to the 

beggars. 

Another resident (name withheld), 

said , “ sometimes, they broke into our 

shops and carted away our goods”. 

Election thugs 

The miscreants were also alleged to 

be used as thugs during elections. A 

resident said “perhaps, that is why 

despite their notoriety in the area, 

security agents have not done 

anything to check their excesses. They 

were always used by some politicians to 

carry out nefarious activities”. 

Some residents in the area have 

therefore called on the state 

government to carry out renovation 

work on the home , as well as provide 

basic amenities , including security that 

would ensure their safety. 

Save our teenagers from rapists- Ogun community cries out 


Ibafo –Ishefun community in 

Obafemi Owode Local Government 

Area of Ogun State, is gradually losing 

its vibrancy, owing to what residents 

described as rape of their girls, 

particularly teenagers by some 

hoodlums. 

At the moment, girls in the area are 

prevented from walking alone, 

particularly at night, as they might end 

up falling victims of rape. 

So far, more than 10 girls were said to 

have been gang raped by these 

hoodlums, in two weeks. A recent 

incident occurred on July 16, 2019, 

after a 17-year-old girl identified 

simply as Toyin, was gang raped. 

Toyin, was sent on an errand but on 

He did it and threathened to kill me- defiled 8yr old girl tells police 


An eight-year-old girl has 

narrated how she was defiled by 

a 34-year-old man, Saheed 

Bolarinwa in Somolu area of Lagos 

State. 

The unsuspecting girl, was allegedly 

lured by the suspect to his apartment on 

the pretext to go and watch television, 

only to take advantage of her. 

However, her mother who returned 

from a journey, noticed that her 

daughter was walking with difficulty. 

On enquiry, she told her how she was 

defiled. Her confession led to the arrest 

of the suspect by policemen at Somolu 

division. 

At the station, the girl, said , “ uncle 

Saheed put it inside ( pointing to her 

private part) I shouted. He told me not 

to tell anybody. He said if I did he 

would kill me”. She repeated the 

her way back home by 9p.m, five rough 

looking muscular men accosted and 

dragged her into an uncompleted 

building, where they took turns to rape 

her. 

A week earlier, another teenager 

(names withheld) was reportedly raped. 

Residents said that she was sexually 

abused right in front of her defenseless 

parents at Shote Street in the 

community. This happened few days 

after two girls were reportedly raped in 

the community. 

A resident, Mrs Dupe Shotayo, alleged 

that the crime was committed by some 

hoodlums who called themselves 

Ishefun boys. 

Explaining how she witnessed the rape 

of a 16-year-old girl, she said, “On the 

fateful day,I was in my room with my 

statement about four times without mincing 

words. 

Coordinator of Advocate for Children and 

Vulnerable Persons Network of Nigeria, 

Somolu Local Government Area, Comrade 

Toyin Okanlawon, who reported the matter 

to the Police, said that the suspect fled at 

the initial stage. 

He said, “He was arrested when he came 

into the community on Monday to pick his 

motorbike. When the suspect was arrested 

by the policemen, the victim was called in 

to identify him and she was able to point at 

him as the person who abused her. The 

victim was later taken to Women at Risk 

International foundation (WARIF), where 

she was medically tested and confirmed to 

have been abused by the suspect. I want to 

appreciate the DPO of Alade police station 

for his fatherly role in the arrest of the 

suspect. The suspect has been transferred to 

Gender Section of the state Command 

headquarter for further investigation.” 

husband when we heard the girl 

shouting for help. But nobody could go 

out because the incident occurred in an 

isolated area. Surprisingly, those 

behind this atrocity are teenagers 

between ages of 16 and 18. Some of 

them were brought to the community 

from Lagos by their parents to hide, in 

order to evade arrest after committing 

crimes there”. 

Another resident who simply gave his 

name as Seun, said, “Everyone knows 

who these hoodlums are and who their 

leader is. They usually assembled 

between 10pm and 11 pm. During such 

gathering, they would be smoking 

Indian hemp and nobody would dare 

confront them. 

“One of the girls that turned down 

their advances, was gang raped right in 

the presence of her parents. Aside the 

•Saheed Bolarinwa 

rape, they also loot people’s shops. 

Anytime they commit crime, they would 

disappear and come back after the dust 

has settled. Three girls who were 

sexually abused have relocated from the 

community”, she said. 

Victim’s account 

A lady who claimed to be a victim of 

rape stated that she was accosted while 

returning from work by three hoodlums. 

She said, “When I got to Ishefun 

Junction, two of the hoodlums ordered 

me to stop but because I had no 

business with them, I kept on walking. 

But they dragged me into the bush. I 

couldn’t scream as I was gagged. When 

they were done, they abandoned me in 

the bush until a motorcyclist who was a 

member of the Oodua Peoples Congress, 

OPC passed by and took me to my 

house from where I was rushed to the 

hospital”. As at Thursday, the hoodlums 

were said to have fled the community, 

after news of their recent act spread 

round. 

When asked if the case had been 

reported to the Police, one of the 

residents, Mr Ogunbodede Adebisi, said 

yes. He however, said, “ Whenever we 

report to the Police at Ibafo division, 

arrest would be effected. But these 

hoodlums would be seen on the street 

again, doing what they know how to do 

best. 

When the Ogun State Police Public 

Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola 

Oyeyemi, was contacted, he said, “I 

don’t believe that the case was reported 

to the Police because the Divisional 

Police Officer in Ibafo is a no nonsense 

policeman. He has arrested several 

hoodlums, majority of whom have been 

prosecuted He is one of the most 

upright DPO’s . Besides, rape offence is 

not a matter that is treated at the 

divisional level, such case is transferred 

to the state command”.


08116759759 

Beauty blogger’s naked body ‘shoved 

in suitcase’ after er throat oat was as slashed 

when Ekaterina stopped answering 

their phone calls and 

asked her landlord to check up 

on her. It is then her naked body 

was found ‘packed in a suitcase’, 

in the flat she rented in 

Moscow’s Pyryeva Street. The 

popular Instagrammer, who has 

80,000 followers, also suffered a 

number of stab wounds. Fans said 

she had a likeness to British actress 

and fashion icon Audrey 

Hepburn. While leading a glamorous 

Instagram lifestyle the 

beauty blogger also worked as a 

medic in a hospital in the city. 

She was trained as a dermatologist 

and sexual health practitioner 

and qualified from the 

prestigious Pirogov Russian National 

Research Medical University, 

according to reports. Her 

Instagram showed her posing in 

in studios and on trips, as well as 

occasional pictures from her dayto-day 

life. One showed her 

graduation as a as a doctor specialising 

in dermatology and 

sexually transmitted diseases. 

Her final post was about a trip to 

Corfu on 22 July. Her body was 

found five days later. No arrests 

have been reported so far. 

The love life of a Russian 

model is being investi 

gated after her body was 

discovered shoved inside a suitcase. 

Beauty blogger Ekaterina 

K was found dead with her throat 

slit at her Moscow flat on July 27. 

Police are now looking into 

whether jealousy may be a motive 

for her death. She had romantic 

links to two older men 

and was intending to take a trip 

to the Netherlands with a lover, 

52. Police are looking into her 

love life for clues about her killer, 

according to reports citing law 

enforcement sources. It is understood 

she had broken up with a 

man, 32, and started a relationship 

with an older man. 

Her parents became concerned 

Albinos 'hunted like animals' by y witchdoct 

hdoctor 

ors s who believe their 

body parts bring luck 

lbinos in Tanzania are be 

Aing "hunted" for their body 

parts as it is believed limbs will 

bring a person wealth and luck. 

The sick trade is allegedly 

fuelled by some of the country’s 

most powerful people as greed 

for money and influence drives 

families to turn on their own 

loved ones. 

People are willing to pay as 

much as $3,000 or $4,000 for a 

limb, or as much as $75,000 for a 

whole body. 

Albinism, a hereditary genetic 

condition causing a total absence 

of pigmentation in the skin, hair 

and eyes, affects one in 1,400 in 

Tanzania. 

Experts say the condition is as 

a result of inbreeding in remote 

and rural countries in the West, 

and it affects one in 20,000. 

In Tanzania, people with the 

condition are regularly attacked 

by people who chop their limbs 

off, leaving them severely mutilated, 

or dead. 

Last year, a four-year-old with 

albinism was tragically abducted 

from her home. 

Despite swift action from local 

police, Pendo Emmanuelle 

Nundi has never been found, 

and those working with the family 

do not hold out much hope of 

her being returned safely. 

It is understood Pendo's father 

took half an hour to report her 

abduction and he, along with her 

uncle, were both arrested in connection 

with the disappearance. 

In 2013, a 38-year-old woman 

with the condition was held 

down and attacked with machetes 

by her husband and a 

group of four men. 

The pair's daughter watched 

her eight-year-old daughter 

leave the family bedroom carrying 

her mother's arm. 

Josephat Torner, a Tanzanian 

Albino campaigner: "Now we can 

see the parents who are involved 

in planning the attacks. What 

kind of war are we fighting if 

parents and family do this? Who 

can we trust? 

"You do not know who is your 

enemy. 

"People with albinism are being 

hutned and killed for our 

body parts. It is because people 

want to become right. 

"We are still living in danger. 

It is because people, they have 

different ideas. Some people, 

they are thinking they should 

geet our body parts and sell to 

different places. 

"The question is, why? Why 

now? And who is behind the killings?" 

Exactly who is behind the killings 

remains unknown but 

Josephat has an idea. 

He said: "The big fishes are 

behind the issue. It has been really 

a big discussion. If I say big 

fish, or big people, it is those who 

have enough resources, enough 

money. 

"People sell the body parts for 

high prices. So it is not really 

small fish behind it. 

"It could be politicians. It could 

be those people." 

Man accused of raping own mother after 

party to celebrate release from prison 

A 

man allegedly raped his own mother just hours after she threw 

him a party to welcome him home from prison. 

The 42-year-old suspect, named in his Ukrainian village as Vitaliy, 

is said to have broken into 62-year-old Nadiya's bedroom and viciously 

attacked her as she screamed for help. 

Vitaliy had just been released after serving five years for battering 

a man to death. 

His mother was so pleased to see him when he arrived home to the 

village of Abramivka in central Ukraine’s Poltava Oblast region that 

she arranged a party to celebrate. 

She told local media: "Some of his friends came to the party. We 

had some drink. Everything seemed to be okay. 

"But in the evening, after the guests left, he attacked me." 

After saying goodbye to her guests, Nadiya went to bed and fell 

asleep. A few hours later Vitaliy broke into her bedroom and abused 

her. 

Nadiya tried to resist but Vitaliy allegedly beat her. 

According to the victim, whose house is on the outskirts of the 

village, she called for help but nobody heard her screams. 

After the disgusting attack, Nadiya reported her son to the police. 

She said: ''I was afraid for my life and decided not to be silent. I do 

not want to be regularly raped at my own home. 

''I cannot treat him as my son anymore.'' 

Vitaliy, who fled the scene, was found hiding in a field nearby and 

arrested. 

Police spokesman Yury Sulaev said: ''The suspect was charged with 

rape and taken into custody. He faces up to five years in prison if 

found guilty. The investigation is ongoing.'' 

Residents of the village, which is home to 240 people, were terrified 

after learning about the incident. 

Local Svitlana Grechka said: ''We cannot believe that such a wild 

incident occurred in our calm small village.''


Sophia Group of Schools holds 34th 

valedict 

aledictor 

ory y service 

THE 34 th valedictory service of Sophia Group of Schools held in Lagos recently. The event, which 

had many parents of the graduating students in attendance also doubled as a ‘prize giving day’ with 

many students smiling home with various types of gifts for their academic excellence. Photos by 

Akeem Salau 

Gbajabiamila 

appoints 

Agbona 

gbonayinma SA A Political 

for south-south 

HON. E.J. Agbonayinma has been appointed by the 

Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi 

Gbajabiamila as his Special Assistant , Political, 

south-south. 

The SS3 Graduating students presenting a gift 

to proprietress, Mrs kofoworola Adenike Lawani- 

Onitiri. 

Cross section of graduating students 

L-R: Mr Olushola Ogunleye, Internal Auditor, Vanguard 

Media Limited; Toluwalase Ogunleye, 

graduating student and Mrs kofoworola Adenike 

Lawani-Onitiri (JP), proprietress, Sophia Group of 

Schools 

LAC(NCRIB) 

workshop 

mid-year 

THE Lagos Area Committee of the Nigerian 

Council of Registered Insurance Brokers( NCRIB) 

had its mid-year workshop last Tuesday. 

L-R:Chris Ifode, Hajia Talatu Umar and Hajia 

Olatunji Monsurat 

Krisbethel 

College’s 

valedict 

aledictor 

ory service 

KRISBETHEL College, Ipaja, Lagos recently 

organised a valedictory service for the graduating 

students of the school. One of the graduating 

students was Habeeb Hassan, son of Hassan 

Balogun, Admin Manager, Vanguard Media Limited, 

publishers of Vanguard newspaper. 

L-R: Hon. E.J. Agbonayinma with the Speaker, 

House of Reps, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. 

Obasa holds victor 

ory party in 

Agege 

AGEGE ‘victory party’ organised by Speaker, Lagos 

State House of Assembly, Hon. Obasa for party 

members held last Sunday in Agege, Lagos. Gov 

Sanwo-Olu was the special guest of honour 

Photos by JOE AKINTOLA, Photo Editor. 

L-R:Chairman, APC, Lagos State, Mr Babatunde 

Balogun; Lagos State Speaker and wife, the 

Obasas; Gov Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State 

and Deputy, Obafemi Hamzat 

L-R: NCRIB Deputy President, Dr. (MRS.) Bola 

Onigbogi; LAC Chairman, Mrs. Bukola Ifemade; 

Lead Speaker and Executive Director, First City 

Monument Bank, Mrs. Bukola Smith and NCRIB 

Executive Secretary, Mr. Fatai Adegbenro. 

Habeeb, flanked by parents, Mr and Mrs Hassan 

Balogun, Admin Manager, Vanguard newspaper, 

and AbdulLateef. 

L-R: Hon. Johnson Sunday Babatunde, Chairman, 

Orile Agege, LCDA and Gov Babajide Sanwo- 

Olu. 

L-R: Elder Omotayo Dada, Mrs. Ifemade, Elder 

Bode Adebayo and Mr. Dogunduro. 

Mr Hassan Balogun Hassan (R) with Chief D. A 

Phone (JP) Chairman, Krisbethel College, Ipaja. 

L-R: Alhaji Isa Rilwan, Mrs. Omobolanle Agboola, 

Alahji .A. Suabu, Mr. Ojumoola Adeniyi and Mr. 

Oluwole Beyioku


By Soni Daniel, 

Shunyi District, China 

Skyscrapers 

everywhere 

The spectacle is ubiquitous! The 

beauty charming! And, as the big bus 

screeds to a halt, more than ten Android 

phones are desperately jostling to get 

the whole frame of the sprawling 

edifice, which houses one of the most 

iconic companies in China, Alibaba, the 

online business leader in China, which 

has brought fortune and fame to the 

country and its owners. Skyscrapers 

constitute one of the single most 

domineering structures which define the 

Chinese landscape and skyline. 

As they take prominence, they also 

unconsciously add boundless beauty 

and elegance to the country’s 

picturesque. Skyscrapers are 

everywhere in China and they come in 

different shapes, styles, height, colours 

and occupy varying spaces. Like human 

beings who are everywhere in the 

country, skyscrapers welcome visitors 

and citizens anywhere they turn to in 

the world’s most populous nation. 

The tall structures, which have 

become an integral part of the Chinese 

culture and daily living, stretch from 

town to town, district level to 

municipalities and dominate physical 

state of the country. Although Wikipedia 

puts the total number of skyscrapers in 

China at 1400, it is doubtful if the 

number of the towers can easily be 

counted. This number outclasses the 

figure in the United State, which is put 

at 700 plus and that of Japan at 230 

plus. 

Topping the list as the tallest building 

in China is the Shanghai Tower with 

128 floors hitting a height of 2037 feet 

or 632 metres, which was completed in 

2015. The Ping An Finance Centre in 

the city of Shenzhen with 115 floors and 

599 metres or 1965 feet which birthed 

in 2016, comes second followed by the 

Guangzhou Finance Centre in the city 

of Guangzhou taking the third place 

with 111 floors with a height of 530 

metres or 1740 feet. This was also 

completed in year 2016. 

These amazing structures can 

sometimes blur one’s vision as many of 

them stretch from street to street. In 

some cases, the rows of skyscrapers can 

stretch for up to two kilometres with 

same colours, designs, height and 

width. As one moves on or goes about 

China, the towers appear as if they are 

coming towards them or fading away 

from their sight depending on whether 

they are in a car, in a train or flying. 

From the moderate towers of about 10 

floors which appear to be average 

height, one comes across the very tall 

ones of 100 plus floors kissing the skies 

and looking heaven-bound. One thing 

defines all of them: class and elegance 

and they bear the marks of modernity. 

No decrepit buildings are in sight 

anyway in Beijing and they are well 

spaced. None of the towers is built 

haphazardly or made to obstruct a 

road, water line or electricity facilities. 

Spectacle with plants 

and flowers.. 

One clear feature around each tower 

is that there are expansive woodlots that 

effectively compete for space with the 

high-rise buildings for the use of the 

community. The woodlots provide 

natural spots for relaxation, sports and 

endless engagements with nature and 

escape from searing temperatures. 

Even more beautiful is how the 

trees are planted on a measured 

straight line and flowers of different 

colours are used to design attractive 

patterns around some major highways, 

streets and public squares. The 

ornamental decorations around the 

Beijing Olympics Square, which can 

aptly be described as one of the world’s 

most beautiful sites, speak eloquently 

about what the Chinese can use trees 

and flowers to accomplish. 

The men and women who tend the 

flowers work with such level of 

commitment and dedication to the job 

as if all their lives begin and end with 

flower. They just don’t seem to be tired 

removing weeds, planting new trees, 

pouring water, or trimming flowers all 

day. And without mincing words, they 

have successfully made a spectacle with 

plants and flowers on every roadside, 

public square and institution. The 

resultant effect of this aggressive 

grooming of flowery plants and trees is 

that China has consciously been 

transformed into a country with vast 

swath of woodland anywhere one goes. 

Thus, our visit to the Chinese 

Agricultural Museum brought us face 

to face with the story of the country’s 

long standing quest for food sufficiency, 

the pioneers of its agricultural 

revolution and the avalanche of its rich 

In warm 

embrace of 

Chinese 

skyscrapers, 

noodles, 

hospitality 

food and plant stock as well as its value 

chain. 

Work over religion 

even on religious days 

in China… 

A typical Chinese pays more 

attention to their work than religion. It 

was on Sunday that we were taken to 

both the Beijing Olympics Square and 

the Great Wall and nobody talked about 

any religion or even mentioned any of 

the temples that abound in the 

country throughout our visit to the two 

sites that were brimming with tourists 

from all parts of the world. The workers 

at the two sites were actively attending 

to visitors, selling their wares, including 

alcohol, artefacts and Chinese 

delicacies as if there would be no 

tomorrow. All through our visit to many 

cities in Beijing and other districts, we 

did not come across anyone preaching 

on the street or any religious sect or 

group mobilising their faithful for any 

form of activity as is the case in our 

dear country, Nigeria. 

Effective technologydriven 

security 

system… 

Security is tight and working in 

China. The system is technology-driven 

and for that reason hardly does a 

policeman come out with gun to the 

street. After my stay in China for the 

first ten days, I was only fortunate to see 

a neatly-dressed policeman in his 

immaculate blue and white uniform 

standing at attention at the Tencent 

Headquarters in the city centre where 

we visited on Thursday. He looked 

smart and stern but eager to act in case 

of any threat even though he was not 

wielding any weapon as a Nigerian 

policeman. Then, I came across some 

junior police officers at the Pearl 

Market, a huge arcade for cheap silk 

goods the previous day. Again, they 

were unarmed but made effective use of 

their walkie talkies and could be seen 

moving spiritedly from point to point 

checking the output from their 

ubiquitous Close Circuit television sets 

to determine if there was anything to 

worry about or not. 

Noodles eaten with 

passion, communal 

spirit 

The Chinese love and consume 

noodles with unbridled passion. In 

every hotel and restaurant in the city of 

Beijing and the other districts, the food 

serves as a staple, the equivalent of 

foofoo and vegetable soup, amala and 

ewedu, tuwo etc in Nigeria. It is a 

delight to watch a Chines family eat 

noodles. They come in groups to enjoy 

themselves. It is rare to see a Chinese 

enter a restaurant alone to eat or drink. 

As if it is a rule, they prefer to come as 

family members or as a group of friends 

or social category to enjoy themselves. 

They eat very fast with the chop stick 

which we found very difficult to master 

despite many of them trying to assist us 

to use the device. And they eat good 

portions of food, taking a long time to 

do so. The other day, we watched with 

admiration and awe how a family of 

four relaxed and effortlessly 

‘demolished’ a large pot of shrimps 

pepper soup, which goes for 110 Yuan 

plus other side meals including noodles 

and assorted vegetables in a typical 

Chinese restaurant. 

When that pot had been cleared, they 

ordered for another set of food and 

drinks and we had to leave them behind 

as their discussion continued just as the 

food kept coming for them. But we 

really loved the way they ate and 

discussed various issues even though we 

did not understand the topic of their 

discussion. 

The following day, two Nigerian and 

one Sudanese journalists, who were 

thrilled by the way the Chinese family 

enjoyed their meal, opted to eat the 

same portion of meal but we could 

neither finish the delicious pot of 

shrimps nor were we able to ‘deploy’ the 

chop stick instrument effectively despite 

the previous day’s lesson the family had 

taught us. 

Warm embrace of 

Chinese people 

The Chinese love visitors, especially, 

people of colour unlike what obtains in 

other climes, where blacks are held in 

contempt and disdain. As we walked along 

the streets or visited public institutions, the 

Chinese showed enthusiasm in welcoming 

us and posing with us to our greatest delight 

and surprise. One woman actually tapped 

us at the Olympic Square and asked his 

Kung-fu-loving son to take pictures with us. 

And as we made to leave, she requested us to 

take pictures with her; and we did. This was 

the trend all over the other places we visited 


All we could muster to the Chines was: 

Xiexie, which is translated: Thank you!


By Victoria Ojeme 

We had a terrifying and 

beautiful and 

spectacular surprise baby. She 

was our third daughter. She 

was born with a smile, and that 

smile rarely leaves her face. 

She changed our life and all 

of our plans. We hired a nanny 

to help us with our daughters 

while we ran our businesses. 

We were out of town training 

other advisors and we left our 

innocent and precious 

children with the nanny. We 

were gone for four days. When 

I got back to my kids, I knew 

right away something was 

wrong. Our youngest, Ebbe 

was three months old and her 

head was swollen on one side. 

I immediately ran to hold her 

and asked what had 

happened. 

The nanny dismissed my 

concern as nothing. She 

added maybe Nkem hit her 

with a book. 

I knew that wasn’t what 

happened. 

Sweet Ebbe was lethargic. 

She wasn’t herself, and I was 

desperate to figure out what 

was wrong. I called our doctor, 

she assured me that if she 

wasn’t vomiting or screaming 

she was probably fine. Her 

sisters, Olive and Nkem were 

quiet and different, too. I kept 

asking if something had 

happened, and neither would 

answer. 

It was Sunday night. It had 

been two days since we got 

back, and the older kids had 

started to return to normal. 

We were eating dinner, and 

I was holding Ebbe while 

Olive started sharing stories. 

She told us a story about Ebbe 

sitting on the counter and 

being pushed off by T-Rex 

(she’s a huge fan of 

dinosaurs and dragons). In 

her story, Ebbe fell off the 

counter and landed on her 

head. When I started to ask 

more questions, Olive 

clammed up. My husband 

and I exchanged looks of 

terror. He called the doctor, 

and she again assured us that 

if she was not vomiting and 

screaming she was probably 

okay, there was no need to 

bring her in. 

The next morning Olive 

woke me, she had to tell me. 

On Wednesday, while we 

were gone, Ebbe had 

vomited and screamed all 

night. That’s when it all 

clicked. The nanny had said 

the kids were busy playing 

Wednesday night. 

I drove Ebbe and Nkem to 

the doctor and my husband 

dropped Olive at camp and 

met me there. As soon as the 

doctor saw Ebbe, our lives 

changed dramatically. They 

rushed Ebbe in for X-rays 

and it all became an out of 

body experience. Ebbe had 

suffered a full cranial fracture. 

Her brain was swelling and 

there was no way to know the 

full extent of the damage. 

As our world crumbled, we 

What I learned after my daughter was 

abused by her nanny – Founder, ZFTF 

worked to rebuild our life. We 

decided we wanted to raise 

our kids, we wanted to be 

present for these fleeting, 

precious years. As a family, we 

decided to change our 

schedules. My husband and I 

cut back our hours to part time. 

We each spent a half day with 

the kids. We were there for 

firsts, we got to experience the 

good days, the bad days, the 

highs and lows. My kids got 

to know their parents and we 

got to know them. We had park 

days and crafts and daily 

walks. We had laughs and 

games and hugs and tears. In 

the end, Ebbe was okay. 

The story of Mrs Ifeoma in 

Umuahia, Abia State narrated 

above gives a peep into why 

the founder of Zoe’s Flower 

The Foundation (ZFTF) Mrs 

Uchenna Duru-Nwaotule 

came up her foundation. 

According to Uchenna, ZFTF 

was founded in the wake of 

incessant news of extreme 

cases of child abuse, especially 

by care-givers and relatives of 

those child victims. 

“I started relating on a 

personal level with those 

stories when the experience 

came right to my door step, 

when I learnt that the nanny I 

employed to take care of my 

3-month old daughter had 

become extremely abusive 

toward her, to the point that I 

almost lost my daughter.” 

“It was an eye opener 

because it caused me to delve 

into researching other 

peoples’ experiences with 

nannies and other care givers 

to children and to my horror, I 

found out that child abuse had 

become almost endemic in our 

society. It was then I made a 

decision to throw myself into 

the ring of this fight against 

the scourge,” she said. 

So ZFTF was birthed to focus 

on developmental issues of the 

Nigerian child and the youth, 

with special inclination 

towards the girl child. 

It also has as part of its thrust 

of work, gender issues, 

advocating for main-streaming 

gender balance into diverse 

sectors of our polity. However, 

ZFTF’s programmes also 

revolve round empowering the 

women, who are currently at 

the short end of the stick in 

terms having opportunities 

financially, economically and 

politically. 

Currently, ZFTF’s 

programmes are financially 

driven by the measure of 

commitment the founder and 

the team of volunteer workers 

have in the its strategic goals 

and objectives. The team 

members’ personal efforts, 

both in kind and finances, are 

what currently sponsor their 

programmes. 

“We have reached out to 

possible collaborators and 

stakeholders with like goals 

and objectives, 

both at the local 

a n d 

international 

platforms and 

we are positive 

that in no 

distant time, we 

shall engage 

with local and 

international 

agencies to fasttrack 

the 

implementation 

of our annual 

w o r k 

programmes,” 

The NGO 

recently 

donated some 

school items to 

some schools in 

Abuja suburbs, 

which they 

christened the 

‘Adopt a School’ 

programme of 

the ZFTF. 

The project 

It goes a long 

way in making 

teaching and 

learning a good 

experience for 

the pupils and the 

teachers as well. 

This also 

encourages 

school enrollment 

and retention, 

leading to higher 

literacy amongst 

pupils and 

helping to push 

forward the 

federal 

government’s 

universal basic 

education 

agenda. 

sees that public schools, 

starting from the FCT, are 

identified for adoption so that 

their deficiencies in terms of 

educational materials and 

learning environment are 

evaluated by the Foundation, 

with the aim of standardising 

these. 

“It goes a long way in 

making teaching and 

learning a good experience 

for the pupils and the 

teachers as well. This also 

encourages school 

enrollment and retention, 

leading to higher literacy 

amongst pupils and helping 

to push forward the federal 

government’s universal basic 

education agenda. So we are 

at the 1st phase of that 

programme, where ZFTF 

adopted L.E.A Primary 

School, Durumi 1,’ Uchenna 

said. 

The first outreach the 

Foundation had at one of the 

schools was 

where it 

identified 

children from 

the IDP camps 

enrolled in the 

school as well 

as indigent 

pupils, to help 

out with their 

study materials. 

It also made 

donations to 

educationally 

excellent 

pupils, the first 

three in each 

class, as a way 

of encouraging 

them to 

maintain their 

current trend 

and get the 

others to aspire 

to that position 

in the future. 

Currently, 

ZFTF has a 

formal office located at Abuja 

but has volunteers working to 

advance its programmes on its 

behalf, across the country. 

“We has plans to expand as 

much as its resources would 

permit but in this day and age 

of technology, no office has to 

be physically located in all 

places at all times. It may not 

make for economic sense; so 

long as your programmes are 

well spread and implemented 

across the geographical space 

targeted, that should suffix. 

And that is the foundation’s 

ultimate dream in terms of 

expansion,” Mrs Uchenna 

said. 

Recently, ZFTF, in 

conjunction with Junior 

Chamber International, 

Nigeria, embarked on an 

advocacy outreach in 

commemoration of the World 

Sickle Cell-Anaemia Awareness 

Day. The advocacy programme 

was bundled with a bit of a 

medical outreach to organize 

vision tests for the pupils so as 

to identify the ones that needed 

the intervention by the 

Ophthalmologist. 

It was a diagnosis outreach 

and was inculcated into our 

Sickle Cell Anaemia 

programme just within days to 

the day of the commemoration 

and so we did not have the time 

and resources to ensure that after 

diagnosis, they would be 

treated with medications and 

possibly, glasses for sight aid 

and possible correction. 

At the event, the Programs 

Manager of ZFTF, Duru Rafael, 

stressed that it is important to 

promote awareness on sickle 

cell and basic understanding of 

sickle cell, as statistics have 

shown high number of sickle 

cell births in Nigeria due to lack 

of awareness. 

He noted that information is 

key which it is important for the 

public to know their genotype 

before marriage.

By Chris Onuoha 

Against the backdrop of 

stories of suicide in 

Nigeria, caused by economic 

depression, poor school results, 

emotional heartbreaks and 

others, a book titled 

“Neglected” written to create 

awareness and educate families 

about an unsuspecting symptom 

called ‘Bipolar Disorder’ has 

launched. 

Lucy Chiamaka Okwuma, a 

medical expert by profession 

and a debutant in the creative 

writer’s industry has written a 

psychological thriller that is 

meant to address the issue of 

mental illness, lack of awareness 

and the misconception 

surrounding the scourge. 

Unveiling the book in Lagos 

recently, Chiamaka Okwuma 

reiterates that most families in 

Nigeria usually take mental 

disorder for granted. “The 

book ‘Neglected’ talks about 

among other things, the state of 

mental health disorders 

experienced in several parts of 

the world and in Nigeria and 

how the disease is highly 

ignored,” she said. 

Do you know 

Bipola Disorder 

— asks Chiamaka Okwuma 

According to her, “In 2006, 

World Health Organisation 

WHO Aims’ report on mental 

health system in Nigeria made 

a telling revelation about a 

considerable neglect of mental 

health issues among families in 

the country.” 

Explaining the book she said, 

“The book revolves around the 

struggles of a young girl with 

Bipolar Disorder; a mental 

illness not uncommon but 

completely foreign to her and 

her family. It starts to manifest 

as attention seeking, hate and 

resentment towards her parents, 

but underneath the surface, all 

her actions are a cry for help as 

her atypical parents, crazy in 

love even after several years of 

marriage, fail to comprehend.” 

Continuing, “The book trails 

the struggles of this young girl 

who seems to be leading a 

typical teenage fashion of 

rebellion and rudeness. She 

however, is not being this 

way for the heck of it but for 

the fact that she has Bipolar 

disorder, which causes her 

mood swings, from elation 

to severe depression 

where she would 

constantly contemplate 

suicide.” 

Chiamaka disclosed that she 

chose to center her story on a 

wealthy family, saying that 

despite their class in the society 

and exposure in life, they too, 

are unconscious of this mental 

health disorder and almost 

ignorant about it. 


treatment and rehabilitation. 

However, upon research there’s 

no formal conduction to assess 

how much of this policy has 

been implemented. Also upon 

research, it has been discovered 

that no desk exists in the 

ministries at any level for 

mental health issues and only 

4percent of government 

expenditure on health is 

earmarked for mental health. 

“In this country there is a 

severe lack of awareness to 

mental health disorders. 

Society at large knows little to 

nothing about it. It would 

be right to actually 

have policies in 

place advocating 

mental health to 

be added to 

s c h o o l 

curriculums as a 

h e a l t h 

education,” 

Chiamaka 

reiterated. 

She however, 

said that 

•Bipola 

seeking 

medical 

attention must 

be a priority in mental health 

Citing an impediment very disorders. According to her, a 

inherent from the government, society like ours where religion 

Chiamaka noted, “There is an is the ultimate core, people 

existing mental health policy would rather seek God through 

document in Nigeria, Pastors for counseling than 

formulated in 1991, its going to a medical expert for 

components include Advocacy, proper and adequate health 

promotion, prevention, care. 

I am driven by passion to see our children live, not die 

— Dr Gbemisola Boyede. Founder, Ask ThePaediatricians 

By Chioma Obinna 

What inspired you to set up 

the ATP Foundation? 

As a Paediatrician, a 

specialist doctor who takes care 

of the health of children, I am 

passionate about the good 

health and survival of children 

generally and especially those 

living in Sub- 

Saharan Africa 

with high 

mortality 

statistics. As 

a 

Paediatrician, 

I am sad 

about the 

fact that our 

c h i l d 

mortality 

statistics 

•Dr. Gbemisola 

Dr Gbemisola Boyede is a Consultant Neurodevelopmental Paediatrician and the founder 

and Chief Executive Officer of a nonprofit organisation, Ask ThePaediatricians 

Foundation. The Foundation started as a Facebook community concerned with bringing 

medical care to children, especially those without access to proper medical care. It now has 

over 545,000 members on Facebook and more than 2,000 volunteers. 

Recently, Gbemisola who is known for her passion for good health and welfare of all 

children, particularly, the indigent and vulnerable children in under-served areas through 

her Foundation held a nationwide medical outreach across Nigeria. She spoke to Chioma 

Obinna on the nationwide programme, why she is bent on fighting child mortality, 

partnership with Facebook, and other sundry issues. Excerpts: 

in Nigeria is high and most 

of these deaths are highly 

preventable often due to 

easily treatable diseases 

through already 

available and costeffective 

interventions. I 

realised the gap is 

ignorance. I decided 

to contribute my 

quota by providing 

evidence-based 

health information to 

mothers and other 

caregivers of our 

children by 

starting ‘Ask 

ThePaediatricians’ 

Facebook group 

in July 2015. 

Though ATP 

was successful 

i n 

reaching 

t h o s e 

online; I 

realized 

again 

that the 

majority 

o f 

those 

needing the information is poor 

and are not online. Most do not 

have access to smartphones 

and the internet. So, we need 

to go and meet them where 

they are. That is why we started 

doing community medical 

outreaches targeted to indigent 

children in underserved 

communities in Nigeria. After 

our first outreach to Makoko in 

October 2016, we realised to be 

able to do this in the long run, 

we need to become a formal 

entity. Ask ThePaediatricians 

Foundation was then officially 

registered with the Nigerian 

Corporate Affairs Commission 

in July 2017 as non-profits 

incorporated trustees. So, in a 

nutshell, I am driven by the 

passion to see our children live 

and not die from unnecessary 

and preventable deaths. 

How did you get the vision 

to set up the ATP Foundation? 

In the course of my practice, 

I have seen mothers make 

decisions that have had a 

negative impact on the health 

of their children due to either 

lack of information or 

misinformation. I know many 

if not all, mums love their 

children and want the very best 

for them at all times. 

Unfortunately, many times 

mothers go to fellow mothers 

to ask for advice and 

information about the health of 

their children. Some of these 

experienced mums are at times 

also not very well-informed and 

sincerely give advice which at 

times is wrong with serious 

consequences. My burden and 

concern for the mothers and 

fathers also who are seeking 

sincere advice births the idea 

of ‘Ask ThePaediatricians’ 

providing online health 

education for mothers and 

caregivers of our children. 

While the paediatricians may 

not know it all, we are still the 

authorities when it comes to the 

health of children aged 0-18 

years. 

Many paediatricians are too 

busy especially in developing 

countries like Nigeria where 

we have less than a thousand 

of paediatrician for over 40 

million children to educate 

mothers one- on -one or answer 

the unending questions. Ask 

ThePaediatricians helps 

bridge this gap by addressing 

the common child health 

issues mums must know 

about and also address their 

questions and concerns from 

a child health professional 

viewpoint. 

With time, Ask The 

Paediatricians grew and I 

realised we need to reach other 

parents who are not on social 

media and who cannot even 

see a Paediatrician on a regular 

day...those in the remote and 

indigent communities and that 

is what gave birth to our Ask 

The Paediatricians community 

medical outreach under the 

auspices of Ask The 

Paediatricians Foundation 

registered as a charity in 

Nigeria. 

It started as a Facebook 

group, what was the 

progression like? 

I have alluded to how we 

moved from a Facebook group 

to a Foundation as a way to 

reach more people. ATP, as we 

are fondly called actually grew 

really quickly on her own and 

I found myself always trying to 

catch up. We recently had our 

social impact analysis done 

and this is attached for more 

information. We currently have 

over 545,000 members on our 

Facebook group and more than 

2000 volunteers (Outreach and 

Moderators). We now have 

State Chapters and are 

currently present in 33 states 

and the FCT Abuja. 

Nationwide Children’s Day 

Community Medical Outreach 

Ask Continues ThePaediatricians on page 32


I am driven by passion to see our children live, not die 

Continues from page 31 

Foundation has been having 

Community medical 

outreaches since October 2016 

when we had our first outreach 

in Makoko, Lagos as part of 

our contribution to reducing 

child mortality in Nigeria 

especially among indigent 

children in under-served 

communities in Nigeria. In the 

last three years, we have 

progressively increased the 

coverage of our outreaches 

beyond Lagos to five other 

south-western states and FCT, 

Abuja in October 2018. This 

year May/June 2019, we were 

able to fulfil our dream of going 

nationwide for the first time as 

part of our 2019 Children’s 

Day Celebrations which held 

in 35 communities in 33 states 

of the country and the Federal 

Capital Territory, Abuja. The 

feedback from the communities 

reached and their community 

leaders were quite amazing. At 

these outreaches, we had 1,450 

ATP volunteers and reached 

17,096 children nationwide. 

This was done in the local 

language some times in some 

communities. We conducted 

health talk on child health 

promotion including talks on 

nutrition and dental care. 

Opportunities were provided 

for questions and answers. In 

our outreaches, we offer a 

nutritional status assessment of 

New ways to present 

typical Nigerian foods 

Thinking of keeping your hubby intact, you do not have 

cause alarm. You can make your man’s head swell by 

presenting his food in a fascinating way. 

Here are some of the ways you keep present your typical 

Nigerian foods raging from eba and okro, moi-moi and 

pap, amala and gbegiri and ewedu soup among others. 

•chicken soup 

•eba and egusi 

•semo and okro soup 

•cow leg sauce 

•fisherman soup 

•moi-moi and eko 

the children and mass 

deworming. The children also 

see the paediatricians and 

other medical doctors and the 

dentists for free consultations. 

We also had outreach 

laboratory service doing rapid 

malaria tests and in some 

States HIV and Hepatitis B 

screen. We also give out free 

drugs from the Pharmacy team 

where they received free drugs, 

mostly essential drugs. 

Children with conditions that 

could not be handled on the 

field were given referral letters 

to the closest hospitals. 

We are currently doing a pilot 

project of monthly ATP Mobile 

Clinics in four communities; 

Makoko, Epe, Ijegun and 

•akara elepo 

•dudu and dodo 

•vegetable soup 

Oworo which started in March 

2019. We go to these 

communities monthly and run 

free mobile clinics. We are 

trying to work out if it is feasible 

and sustainable. We also want 

to know if that will bring more 

impact on the health statistics 

and quality of life of children 

in those communities than our 

current model which is just 

one-point visit with no followup. 

Apart from our offline 

community outreaches, we also 

do a lot of online programmes 

including ATP LIVE every 

Saturday which is a video live 

stream programme on topical 

child health issues with 

opportunity for parents to ask 

•amala and ewedu 

•dudu and efo 

•gbegiri and amala 

and get answers live and 

direct from our Paediatricians. 

We do weekly group 

discussions as well which is 

more of a webinar as well on 

our Facebook group. We 

answer health questions daily 

on our Facebook group on 

diverse health questions by 

professionals. We have also 

recently created an ATP 

Mobile app to serve the same 

purpose which will be 

officially launched during our 

4th Anniversary next week. 

Apart from health issues, we 

are also concerned about the 

welfare of children generally. 

So we renovated a block of two 

classrooms including the 

provision of furniture and 

stationeries for a Primary 

School in Mancha, Edu Local 

Government Area of Kwara 

State which was commissioned 

in January 2018. This was after 

we came across the viral picture 

of children in that school sitting 

and sleeping on a dirty muddy 

floor under a tree to learn. This 

was posted by Youth Corps 

member serving in the school 

on Facebook. We were moved 

to make a difference for those 

children. We also raised N500, 

000 for the Annual Christmas 

Lunch organised by Community 

of Sant’Egidio Lagos for the 

indigent children of Makoko. 

This was to make sure the 

children had a wonderful meal 

and fun on Christmas day. We 

also pay school fees of some 

children at Goshen Home 

Orphanage, Akute which is our 

adopted orphanage. We are 

fully committed not only to 

health but the welfare of 

indigent children. 

Are there further plans for 

expansion? 

Definitely, we plan to reach 

more communities in Nigeria 

and outside Nigeria. We have 

a lot of members in other 

countries like Ghana, Kenya, 

UK, US etc. We specially want 

to reach more children 

especially in Sub-Saharan 

Africa where the majority of 

preventable deaths of children 

occur. 

How does Facebook’s FCLP 

Grant aid your work? 

Facebook via the Facebook 

Community Leadership 

Programme has been a great 

blessing to us. We were able to 

reach more communities and 

children nation-wide largely 

due to the funding we got from 

FCLP. Our ATP Outreach bus 

which has been very useful for 

our mobile clinics was also 

purchased from the FCLP funds. 

We have also developed the 

ATP Mobile App which is 

already being tested to be 

launched soon. In other words, 

FCLP has accelerated our 

progress and impact. 

Do you have a standing 

partnership with Facebook? 

Facebook is the platform that 

has brought ATP to the 

limelight. We started as a 

Facebook group and almost all 

members and volunteers who 

became offline volunteers and 

support first came as Facebook 

group members. We have also 

accelerated with the FCLP 

support. So I will like to say yes 

Facebook is a very worthy 

partner.

SATURDAY Vanguard,AUGUST 3, , 2019—33 

GROWN-UPs seldom think 

of their parents making 

love. They know they love each 

other and that love has given 

the family stability—but being 

passionate in their old age? 

Perish the thought! Pauline, a 

24-year-old final year medical 

student recalls her recent 

experience when she happened 

on her parents not only having 

sex, but having a torrid one at 

that! According to her, “One 

Saturday afternoon, I 

brought my new boyfriend 

home to meet my parents. 

The house seemed quiet so 

I went to their bedroom to 

check if they had gone out; 

hoping that we’d have the 

apartment to ourselves. 

“I opened the door, with 

my boyfriend close on my 

heels when I saw to my 

horror that they had beaten 

us to anything we could 

have wanted to do that day. 

There was my mom, 

bouncing up and down on 

dad’s lap, and he was looking 

really ecstatic. They were 

having full sex! Completely 

freaked out, I rushed with 

my boyfriend to my 

bedroom. A while later, after 

they had apparently finished 

their business, they came in to 

meet my boyfriend. They were 

so embarrassed they 

immediately informed us that 

they were going to dinner and 

would not be back for many 

hours. So my boyfriend and I 

actually ended up getting the 

place to ourselves for the 

night!” 

GROWN-UPs seldom think of 

their parents making love. 

They know they love each other 

and that love has given the 

family stability—but being 

passionate in their old age? 

Perish the thought! Pauline, a 

24-year-old final year medical 

student recalls her recent 

experience when she happened 

on her parents not only having 

sex, but having a torrid one at 

that! According to her, “One 

Saturday afternoon, I brought 

my new boyfriend home to 

meet my parents. The house 

seemed quiet so I went to their 

bedroom to check if they had 

gone out; hoping that we’d 

have the apartment to 

ourselves. 

“I opened the door, with my 

boyfriend close on my heels 

when I saw to my horror that 

Marie had 

bragged so 

much about her 

parents’ bed that 

she dreamt one 

day of making 

love on it with 

her boyfriend 

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 

Embarrassed parents can 

still be passionate 

they had beaten us to 

anything we could have 

wanted to do that day. 

There was my mom, 

bouncing up and down on 

dad’s lap, and he was 

looking really ecstatic. 

They were having full sex! 

Completely freaked out, I 

rushed with my boyfriend 

to my bedroom. A while 

later, after they had 

apparently finished their 

business, they came in to 

meet my boyfriend. They 

were so embarrassed they 

immediately informed us 

that they were going to 

dinner and would not be 

back for many hours. So my 

boyfriend and I actually 

ended up getting the place to 

ourselves for the night!” 

Marie had bragged so much 

about her parents’ bed that 

she dreamt one day of making 

love on it with her boyfriend. 

“The opportunity came when 

my parents went out of town 

to attend a relation’s 

wedding” recalls Marie. ‘We 

sneaked into their room with 

the impressive king-size bed 

and my boyfriend threw me 

down on it. We were about to 

let rip when I heard my 

parents’ voices. We hid in the 

en-suite bathroom hoping 

they would just drop a few 

things and leave. We kept the 

door slightly open so we could 

bolt as soon as the coast was 

clear. But my parents came in 

and began hastily undressing 

each other, I was numbed and 

prayed that they would 

quickly get it over with. 

They’re old people and I 

reckon they wouldn’t last 

long. But they did! We stood 

transfixed for a while before 

discreetly exiting through the 

unlocked bedroom door— 

which thankfully was very 

close to the bathroom!” 

“For Christmas, all children 

make it a duty to come home,” 

said Aminat, 30. “One 

What the mirror tells you about your health! 

1. Shrinking eyebrows: If you’re losing 

the outer ends of your eye-brows and your 

face is puffy, particularly around the eyes, 

it would be the first sign of an under-active 

thyroid gland. Dr. Parijat De, a consultant 

endocrinologist says: ‘An under-active 

thyroid is common, especially among 

women in middle age, but other tell tale signs 

such as tiredness, weight gain, and dry skin 

and nails, can come on so slowly that you 

don’t realise they’re a problem. 

What, to do: See your doctor for a blood 

test. If an under-active thyroid is confirmed, 

a synthetic version of the hormone thyroxin 

will probably be prescribed to get your 

metabolism back on tract. Most people feel 

much better after about two weeks but you’ll 

have to stay on the pills for life. 

2. Gaunt Face: A thin anxious—looking 

face—some times with bulging eyes—is a 

sing of an over-active thyroid. This means 

you’re producing too much thyroxin. Dr. De 

says: “Other signs are losing weight despite 

eating a lot, excessive shaking and sweating, 

a rapid heart bit that keeps you awake at 

night, loose bowels, and constant anxiety 

and fidgetiness.’ 

What to do: See your doctor for a blood 

test. Anti-thyroid medication can keep the 

thyroxin production in check. 

3.Facial Hair: Some of us are naturally 

hairier than others, but the most common 

medical reason for facial hair is polycystic 

ovary syndrome (PCDS). Dr. De says: “In 

that case, you’d also expect to be gaining 

weight and suffering with spotty skin and 

period problems. “Very sudden hair growth 

needs urgent medical advice as it could be a 

sign of a tumour on your adrenal glands or 

ovaries, or a condition called Cushing’s 

syndrome.” 

What to do: If you have any new facial 

hair growth needing regular shaving or 

waxing, see your doctor for a diagnosis. 

PCOS is best treated with weight loss, 

although sometimes the diabetes drug 

Metformin may be prescribed. If your 

doctor suspects a tumour, you will need to 

see a specialist for further tests and scan. 

4.Shiny spot that won’t go away: This 

could be basal cell carcinoma—the most 

common of skin cancer —especially if 

you’ve had a lot of sun exposure in your 

life. Paul Banwell, Head of the Melanoma 

and Sin Cancer unit at Queen Victoria 

Hospital, West Sussex says: “Left untreated, 

the spot can get bigger, then start to itch 

and bleed, eventually —though rarely — 

eroding parts of the face. It is a very slowgrowing 

cancer, but does not need to be 

surgically removed. 

What to do: See your doctor for a referral 

to a specialist. If it is cancer, you will need 

an operation. 

5.An ugly mole: A mole that changes 

shape, size or colour could be a malignat 

melanoma. “This is the most notorious type 

of cancer. 

What to do: See your doctor for an urgent 

referral—and be sure to protect your face 

well in the future by regularly applying high- 

SPF sun cream. 

6.Spots on your eyelids: These are 

called xanthelasma and are caused by a 

build-up of fats in the blood. “Xanthelasma 

are a sign that you could have high 

cholesterol,” says the expert. 

What to do: Ask your doctor for a blood 

test. If your cholesterol levels are high, you 

may need medication. 

7.The whites of your eyes look 

yellow: This is a sign of jaundice caused by 

a build-up of bilirubin in the blood and body 

tissue. It is often due to conditions affecting 

the liver, such as gallstones, hepatitis or 

cirrhosis. 

morning, I went with my sister 

to see what we could get to 

replace dwindle supply of 

foodstuffs but the local store 

was closed when we got there, 

so we went right back home. 

My sister was parking the car 

when I opened the front door 

and saw the most repulsive 

sight I’d ever witnessed. 

“My dad was lying on top of 

mum on the couch—her 

nightgown was pushed up to 

her shoulders and his naked 

butt was sticking in the air! I 

rushed back outside and 

screamed to my sister, ‘Don’t 

come in! We got back in the car, 

took off and didn’t return until 

late that night when we were 

sure they’d be asleep’—we just 

couldn’t face them after what 

we just saw! The next day, my 

parents simply carried on as if 

nothing had happen. 

Marie had bragged so much 

about her parents’ bed that she 

dreamt one day of making love 

on it with her boyfriend. “The 

opportunity came when my 

parents went out of town to 

attend a relation’s wedding” 

recalls Marie. ‘We sneaked into 

their room with the impressive 

king-size bed and my 

boyfriend threw me down on 

it. We were about to let rip 

when I heard my parents’ 

voices. We hid in the en-suite 

bathroom hoping they would 

just drop a few things and 

leave. We kept the door 

slightly open so we could bolt 

as soon as the coast was clear. 

But my parents came in and 

began hastily undressing each 

other, I was numbed and 

prayed that they would 

quickly get it over with. 

They’re old people and I 

reckon they wouldn’t last long. 

But they did! We stood 

transfixed for a while before 

discreetly exiting through the 

unlocked bedroom door— 

which thankfully was very 

close to the bathroom!” 

“For Christmas, all children 

make it a duty to come home,” 

said Aminat, 30. “One 

morning, I went with my sister 

to see what we could get to 

replace dwindle supply of 

foodstuffs but the local store 

was closed when we got there, 

so we went right back home. 

My sister was parking the car 

when I opened the front door 

and saw the most repulsive 

sight I’d ever witnessed. 

“My dad was lying on top of 

mum on the couch—her 

nightgown was pushed up to 

her shoulders and his naked 

butt was sticking in the air! I 

rushed back outside and 

screamed to my sister, ‘Don’t 

come in! We got back in the car, 

took off and didn’t return until 

late that night when we were 

sure they’d be asleep’—we just 

couldn’t face them after what 

we just saw! The next day, my 

parents simply carried on as if 

nothing had happen.

34—Vanguard, SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2019 

Yetunde Arebi 

Twitter: @yetundearebi 

yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk 

08054700825 

Hi! 

“At what point does a 

man decide to risk it 

all, his marriage, children and the love 

and respect of all those who depend 

on him, to embark on a mission that 

may turn his world upside down? The 

man you are about to read his story 

travelled this lane when he found 

himself captivated by the lure of young 

flesh. It turned out to be an adventure 

he would forever regret. Three years 

later, Uncle D is yet to get over what 

he described as his shameful 

experience in the hands of a little girl. 

He shares his story with us in this two 

part edition. Cheers! 

Let me share an experience that 

forced me into reviewing my position 

about these little girls prancing about 

the streets in search of older men to 

prey on. I now consider it sheer waste 

of time and useful resources. It is 

something I doubt I want to ever 

engage in again. Even if the girl were 

to offer herself for free, I will not fall 

for it. Not because I am now born 

again as they say oh! I am not one to 

hide under such guise, besides, I still 

date them. However, I have reached 

a level where having tested the waters 

so many times, it has become too easy 

to predict how deep the river runs 

merely by watching the flow. Most of 

these young girls are only good for 

the fun of it. Do not take them too 

seriously. 

I met Bimbola, a 23 year old young 

undergraduate about three years 

ago. I started dating her almost as 

soon as I set my eyes on her. She 

was a very pretty sight to look at. As 

for the sexual part of it, she fared well, 

because I have had better 

experienced young lovers than she 

was at the time. But I found her 

somewhat different, a mixture of 

innocence and naughtiness. If you 

understand the psychology of men, 

you will know that the sexual part of 

a relationship is not really the 

defining factor. A few other things go 

into it. I enjoyed her company very 

much as she was never short of 

words. She was very intelligent, witty 

and very calculating too. I always 

found our discussions very 

stimulating. She did not really come 

from a regular average family. 

Though her father owns the house 

they lived in, he is a polygamist and 

it was evident that he did not really 

invest in his children. Her mother 

took care of Bimbola and her other 

children from the meagre proceeds 

from her little shop in front of their 

house. It was evident that her hopes 

of a better future were on her first 

child, Bimbola and she was happy 

about our relationship. It did not 

really take me a long time to fall in 

love with. I wanted to be her saviour, 

the one to turn things around for 

them for the better. I don’t know how 

she did it, but she really got into my 

head. I was ready to risk everything 

for their sake. I knew it would not be 

easy, but my wife would have no 

other choice but to accept the 

situation. After all, I would not be 

bringing her to our matrimonial 

home. 

My wife and I had been married 

for about 18 years and she had 

become more like a sister to me. Not 

that we did not make love any more, 

but it had become more like a routine, 

not much excitement. Mind you, this 

has nothing to do with love. I love 

my wife and children and service year, 

I could not bear the thought of her 

Food for the 

elders (1) 

If she was 

cheating on me, 

there was 

virtually nothing I 

could do about it, 

unless she was 

caught in the act 

leaving Lagos. Besides, all my 

investments might go to waste. So, I 

got a friend in Abuja to help influence 

her posting to a neighbouring State 

where she could shuttle with 

minimum difficulty. Though she was 

posted to Ogun, then, we got one of 

the guys over there to take care of 

things for half of her allowance. I 

rented an apartment for Bimbola so 

that she would not have to return 

home. It was tastily furnished to my 

standards because it was also 

somewhere I could be proud to invite 

my friends over to visit. The way she 

lapped up the attention and care 

I showered on her and her level of 

response assured me that I was not 

wasting my time. She was very 

caring and loving too. Always 

confessing how much she loved and 

desired me. What she 

would do if I ever left her. 

How I was just perfect for 

her. Such that at some 

point, I also concluded 

that it would be callous of 

me to leave her when she 

had become so dependent 

on me. 

Initially, I had assumed 

that her parents would 

object to the relationship 

as I was closer to their age 

than hers. But they did not 

really mind. All they 

wanted from me was a 

promise that I would 

always take care of her 

and by extension, them. 

Still, there was bound 

to be some moments of 

doubt. A friend whom I 

had confided in about my 

intentions to marry 

Bimbola was against it 

and would not allow me 

rest. Of our group of 

friends, he is the most 

reserved. He does 

everything with 

moderation, so his 

reaction to my plan was 

not surprising. He would 

always tell me I was 

wasting my time and 

money. That Bimola was 

never going to be faithful 

to me. He was sure that 

she had some hidden 

agenda and was merely 

prodding me on for what 

she could get out of the 

relationship. He even 

expressed surprise at my 

intense feelings for her, 

suggesting that I had 

been laced with juju. But 

if she had, I wouldn’t 

know, would I? And in my 

stupidity, I told him it 

could only mean that she 

loved me and was prepared to preserve 

that love at all cost. However, my 

friend’s constant bickering forced me 

to accept the possibilities that the 

relationship could still hit the rock 

despite all I’d invested to secure it. 

If she was cheating on me, there was 

virtually nothing I could do about it, 

unless she was caught in the act. I 

could only let her know my feelings. 

So I called her for a serious discussion. 

I told her I was not unaware of her 

youthfulness and that she would have 

friends of her age group. However, I 

would not like to visit her and meet 

any of them in the apartment. That any 

day it happened, would mean the end 

of the relationship. Initially she tried 

to stage a fickle protest, accusing me 

of trying to cage her and run her life. 

But when she saw that I was 

unrelenting, she piped down. I got 

her a job at a bank with the help of 

another friend. The job was as good 

as a permanent one. I believe it was 

here that she made up her mind that 

she could make it through on her 

own, from then on. When I look back, 

it seemed that Bimbola had planned 

out all she would do long in 

advance. No sooner had the 

service year ended and her 

appointment confirmed at the bank, 

Bimbola began to display strange 

traits like someone under great 

pressure. Though she still attended 

to me perfectly whenever I was at 

the apartment, she was becoming less 

responsive when it came to intimacy. 

She never used to turn me down. Sex 

was always served when I visited, 

unless I said no, which might even 

be impossible as she would whine 

and complain that it was the only 

thing she held on to in the night 

when I would have gone home to my 

wife. 

Bimbola’s seeming withdrawal 

towards intimacy was a bit strange 

as we had agreed to start planning 

for a baby after her service year, but 

when I brought up the subject, she 

told me she needed more time at the 

bank before she could get pregnant. 

That the bank had made her sign an 

agreement that she would not have 

a child in the first two years. She had 

not informed me of this before signing 

the letter. I knew if she had, I would 

have found a way around it with the 

help of my friend who got her the 

job. However, she said it did not 

matter as two years would soon be 

over. It was here that I first suspected 

something terrible might be going 

on. So, I shouldn’t have been 

surprised when she told me about a 

certain young man that had been 

troubling her for a date at the office. 

Jokingly, I had asked her to tell the 

guy that she was no food for restless 

young lads and that she had been 

given over to the elders. Though we 

both laughed over it, my suspicion 

had somehow been aroused. I only 

reminded her of my warning that she 

should not bring anyone to the apartment. 

But not too long after that again, she told 

me that some people at her office had 

been calling her the wife of the guy she 

had once discussed with me. I realised 

then that the whole thing was more 

serious than I had earlier imagined”. 

So, how did Uncle D cut his loses? 

What happened to Busola and her 

family? Let’s meet here again next 

Saturday for the concluding part of 

this story. Do have a wonderful 

weekend!!


1966 counter-coup 

issues in the air again 

– Wale Oshun, Arg President 

•How feud between Bola Ige and Ijebu mafias divided Afenifere 

•Denies lobbying to be Osoba’s running mate 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

R. Wale Oshun is National President of 

Mthe Afenifere Renewal Group, ARG, a 

splinter group of Afenifere. 

Oshun, Chief Whip in the botched Third 

Republic, in this interview highlights the factors 

responsible for the crisis that led to polarization 

of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, 

Afenifere, in 2003. 

He, however, insisted that the feud between 

the late Bola Ige and those he described Ijebu 

mafias led to the crisis in Afenifere and the 

eventual break-up of the group. 

He also denied lobbying to be running mate 

to the former governor of Ogun State, Chief 

Olusegun Osoba during the botched Third 

Republic. Excerpts: 

Many believe that the issues that led 

to the July 29, 1966 counter-coup are 

still here with us? 

Yes, if you recall, the counter-coup came on 

the heels of the unitary constitution which 

Aguiyi Ironsi brought about. I think it is decree 

No. 34. When he introduced the decree, the 

whole of North was up in arms that the unitary 

degree should be reversed immediately, 

because they would have preferred the federal 

constitution to be the guarding constitution 

for them. And it must have been one of the 

remote causes of that counter-coup. 

In a way the agitation which they did not 

spearhead, asking Nigeria to return to a real 

federation both in the constitution and in 

practice, that agitation, which is still what we 

have today. Now the constitution we have is 

only federal in name, but unitary in nature 

and for a country that is as diverse both in 

culture, religion and language; the only 

constitution that will work is a federation 

constitution. 

What we have now is a unitary constitution 

which was what Aguiyi Ironsi introduced by 

decree in 1966. Now we are up in arms against 

the 1999 unitary constitution that is used to 

govern the country as at today. 

Agitations have been made that the 

2014 National Conference 

report will address the 

problems facing the 

country, do you subscribe 

to it? 

Incidentally, I was a member 

of the 2014 conference. If you 

take a look at the members, 

whether it is a cursory look or a 

deep contextual analysis of the 

composition, you will find that 

it was fully Nigeria that was 

fully represented. I am saying 

this not because I was a member. 

The outcome of such a 

conference should never be 

dismissed. If you take a look 

back, the recommendations 

were all based on consensual 

agreement. Because at all stage, 

there was a decision, and the 

basic understanding that the 

decision should be based on 

consensus, and the chairman of 

the conference, Justice Kutigi, 

was very meticulous. Even when 

there were several uproars, he 

set up mechanisms that calmed 

the uproar. What we arrived at were decisions 

that will benefit the country. 

Even for the very delicate issue of derivation 

when the oil-producing states were insisting 

on total derivation, the decision was ultimately 

taken that it should be increased to 19 percent 

if I can remember correctly and that there 

should be a spaced increment process, so that 

while this is ongoing, deliberate efforts will be 

made to pay attention by making certain 

allocation to support the mining of mineral 

which many of the states have in abundance, 

but cannot be exploited, so that every part of 

the country could become self-sustaining. So, 

those who are opposing the implementation 

of that conference decision are not helping the 

country. If they have taken pains to study the 

recommendations, they would know it is at 

the best interest of the country. 

Let’s assume that they are opposing it because 

The outcome of 

such a conference 

should never be 

dismissed. If you 

take a look back, 

the 

recommendations 

were all based on 

consensual 

agreement 

they do not like the messenger, then let us have 

another conference because until we have a 

constitution that is acceptable to all, we do not 

have a country. The tension that we have now, 

that is what will continue. 

How do you see the state of insecurity 

in the country and what should be done? 

Incidentally, the insecurity is also a 

consequence of the dogmatic adherence to the 

unitary values of the constitution wherein all 

the responsibility for security, financing, and 

modern governors are put in center that cannot 

work. 

That is why, for instance, we are having all 

these security collapses, because the policing 

system which is for civil security is largely 

inadequate and it is bound to fail because it 

did not address the differences and diversity of 

the nation. Unity can only be built where there 

are confidence and trust, and because unity is 

not there, security lapses can exist. 

Should the South West resort to selfdefence 

as being proposed by some 

Yoruba leaders? 

One thing that I know is that there is 

increasing complexity in the security situation 

in the southwest. The complexity arises from 

the fact that a lot of attacks take place by 

bandits. The first thing must be the 

determination to bring out the criminals from 

where they are in the forest. I think that is 

fundamental. 

There must be a basic admission that only 

animals live in the forest. 

These attacks come from the forest, so the 

mode of policing must now take that new 

method of criminal banditry into focus. 

Some Yoruba leaders argued that they 

were not carried along when the South 

West Security summit was held. Do you 

agree? 

The Yoruba, from all works of life, were 

invited, and the issue is even this, how much of 

a discussion can take place in the summit? 

The responsibility of maintaining security is 

that of the people and the government. 

What led to the AD crisis and 

the polarisation of Afenifere 

which gave birth to the 

Afenifere Renewal Group of 

which you are the National 

Chairman? 

I have written a whole book 

about Afenifere. This crisis 

about Afenifere, I will say, 

started just about the time that 

the Presidential primary of AD 

was to hold. The leadership 

created its platform for 

contestation. It was meant to be 

a democracy, primaries were to 

be held and they were held and 

somebody emerged as the 

Presidential candidate for AD. 

But then, in every political 

setting, I think the issue of 

precedence, the argument 

which late Chief Bola Ige and 

most of his supporters had was 

that there was a kind of seniority 

placement within the group, 

and ordinarily Olu Falae 

should not have contested for 

that position which late Chief 

Bola Ige, or that the leadership should have opted 

for Chief Bola Ige in preference to Falae. 

But those who would oppose that would also 

argue that Chief Bola Ige contested against a 

much more senior member of the group in the 

person of Pa Ayalande, in the 1979 governorship 

election. 

But whichever way, both positions were right 

in the sense that there has been a pattern. There is 

a leadership structure which allows for seniority 

in the emergence of aspirants and candidates, 

but this also has been tested. With Chief Bola Ige, 

it was tested with Pa Ayalande, with C.O Adebayo, 

it was tested with Olawoyin in Kwara State. 

What happened in 1999 regarding Chief Bola 

Ige, was that there were several miscalculations 

to my mind, and Chief Bola Ige, assumed that 

his colleague leaders would support him much 

more than they would support another person, 

and as a result, he entered into the race and 

•Wale 

Oshun 

traveled out of the country. Believing that the 

normal trajectory of Afenifere and Yoruba politics 

will take over, there were changes. Olu Falae 

must have gone round to campaign. In a way, 

the preponderate went to Olu Falae and he (Ige), 

with his supporters, felt that he was edged out 

because of a conspiracy by what I called the 

controlling leadership. Unfortunately, the 

controlling leadership was seen to be much like 

the Ijebu mafias including Adesanya, Adebanjo, 

Olaniyun Ajayi, Papa Onasanya and all that. 

So, you then had the organization almost 

polarizing into two camps. For me, that was the 

beginning of that major crisis and once you had 

a split war, this would be the result. As soon as 

that polarization took place, it was easy for Chief 

Bola Ige to make up his mind with his colleagues 

(Adesanya, Adebanjo, Olaniwun Ajayi, Papa 

Onasanya) by accepting to work with Obasanjo. 

While his co-leaders were against him, he was 

working with Obasanjo. 

The argument with some of them (Afenifere 

leaders) was that, if Obasanjo would offer a seat 

to AD, it should be to AD and AD would present 

somebody, not to just one of them. They were 

opposed to him accepting, but because there was 

this polarization, it was easier for Chief Bola Ige 

and his supporters to accept Obasanjo precision. 

Once you have a situation like that, in a political 

setting, and it is not amended early enough, you 

will have people now lining up depending on 

what they perceived to be the situation. 

When you have that polarization, you had Bola 

Ige one side, the other leaders on the other side. 

Unfortunately, Bola Ige was murdered in 

December 2001, but because at the point of the 

division there were already two camps. Chief 

Bisi Akande, Lam Adeshina, the governor of Ondo 

State, Adefarati. After sometime, it got to a point 

where only Adefarati remained with the elders. 

Many times, there was a lot of throwing stones 

across. But some of us who were much younger 

then, the young Yoruba professional, we started 

talking to each other and we all decided to hold 

series of consultations. After that, we convened a 

meeting at IITA, in Ibadan in December 2007. 

We convened a meeting at IITA, Ibadan that 

lasted for three days, and we had various Yoruba 

leaders coming to talk with us on the need for 

unity because the Yoruba was beginning to lose 

its economic strides. But essentially, the issue of 

reconciliation was at the heart of it. 

Unfortunately, at that time, Chief Ayo Adebanjo 

was preparing for his 80th birthday and he 

granted an interview to the Guardian newspaper 

where he lambasted all the governors. 

Those who were almost reconciling now started 

replying, throwing stones, which affected the unity 

that already existed. It was after that debacle 

that we now got together. 

We decided that it was necessary to extricate 

ourselves from this continuous melee of the 

governors and the elders. That it will not make 

sense for any one of us to be drawn one way or the 

other, whereas, if we remain, we will be drawn 

into it, because people had already been drawn 

into it. 

Not all the governors and leaders were into it, 

but they had been drawn into it. We started 

meeting, we had a series of meeting held in 

Kayode Fayemi’s house in Lagos and another at 

Bisi Adegbuyi’s house also in Lagos. We started 

consultations and at the end of the day, we agreed 

that, rather than allow ourselves to be dragged 

into the problems or crisis that we were not part 

of and we could not help to solve, since our attempt 

to resolve it failed, it was better we established 

our group. That was what led to the Afenifere 

Renewal Group. 

But it was alleged that former Lagos 

governor, Bola Tinubu had a hand in the 

ARG? 

None of the former governors had a hand in 

ARG. If you ask, Yinka Odumakin, who is one of 

the most viral critics of Bola Tinubu, he will 

confirm what I’ve just told you. 

Former governor of Ogun State, Chief 

Segun Osoba said you moved against 

him over his refusal to pick you as his 

running mate in 1992. How true is this? 

In my life as a politician, all the contestations 

I have had, I have always had an open mind. 

Speaking about the deputy governorship 

slot, it is true that, when he was aspiring to be 

governor, those who were working with him, 

particularly from my own ancestral home 

(Ijebu), in fact Ogun East as a whole at that 

time had already taken a position that if the 

governor goes to Ogun Central, the deputy 

will come from Ogun East. It was the political 

leadership that requested me to throw my heart 

into the ring and I did. 

People like Otunba Igbodimpe, late Chief 

Odulano and quite a number of them that 

asked me to step in for contestation, but 

everybody knows that at the end of the day, 

it is the prerogative for the governor to 

pick his running mate. Nobody in his right 

sense should be nursing anger because he/ 

she was not selected. In fact, in my 

particular case, those who invited me from 

Lagos to come also insisted that when 

Chief Osoba was intent on picking another 

person also insisted that I must go to the 

House of Rep. Because, at that time, the 

decision-making process, is that of a 

party. 

Incidentally, his deputy governor at that 

time imported another person to come and 

contest that same seat with me (HOR), but 

because it is a democracy, nobody had any 

objection. But his deputy would not have done 

that if he did not have a hand in it, but I still 

went into it because it is an open contest. 

I have also read where he said it was him 

that enabled my election as the Chief Whip in 

the House of Reps, which also is false. These 

governors are afraid of their shadows.


Makinde: 

What APC should 

have done 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

“We’re fidelity; we keep our word”- 

Fidelity Bank Plc advert jingle 

Since the return to democratic 

mode of governance in 1999, 

Nigerians have been treated to 

a litany of electioneering promises by 

politicians across sundry levels of 

government. From councillorship to 

the Office of the President, candidates 

at every electioneering period have 

pledged to make life better for their 

people, if elected; a promise that have 

been observed more in the breach. 

For the past 20 years, Nigerians 

have seen their hope of improved 

livelihood vanish into thin air 

despite increased revenue 

generation both at the state and 

federal levels. In the midst of 

increased earnings and poor 

service delivery, politicians’ 

lots have taken a turn for the 

better, as many of them in 

questionable circumstances, 

boast of personal assets, 

including houses in many cities 

across the world. 

With calls for openness in the 

manner these acquisitions were 

made, getting louder by the day, 

not 7 few public office holders 

prefer to keep mute, 

preferring instead to ask 

those wailing about 

their wealth to feel 

free to 

approach 

t h e 

courts 

w i t h 

evidence 

t o 

boot. 

The 

story 

i s 

often told of a former President who 

prior to his involvement in partisan 

politics had a paltry bank balance of 

N20, 000 only but ended up a multimillionaire 

with choice business 

interest after a few years in office. 

In 2007 following his victory at the 

polls, President Umaru Yar’Adua (of 

blessed memory) walked a new path 

when in fidelity with his 

electioneering pledge, made public 

photocopies of his duly assets 

declaration forms; the first 

time by an elected 

office holder since 

the attainment 

o 

f 

independence 

in 1960. 

Humble to 

a fault 

despite 

h i s 

aristocratic 

background, 

the then 

President 

declared 

a total 

assets 

•Gov Makinde 

worth over N856 million, with 

liabilities including loan facilities of 

about N89 million. 

According to his then media aide, 

Segun Adeniyi, “The President 

notified the Code of Conduct Bureau 

of his intention to make the form 

available to the public in fulfillment 

of his campaign pledge, which was 

borne out of his conviction that the 

war against corruption cannot have 

meaning until those at the helms of 

affairs begin to live by example. The 

Bureau, while appreciating the noble 

intention of the President, counseled 

against the move on the grounds that 

such an action from the number one 

citizen would put pressure on other 

categories of public officers to do same, 

even when the constitution makes the 

exercise a confidential matter. ” 

“The dilemma of the President in the 

last four weeks has 

therefore been 

where to strike a 

balance between 

the well-meaning 

concerns of the 

Bureau, and 

following his 

conviction that his 

campaign pledge 

to Nigerians is a 

s o l e m n 

commitment. 

Having weighed 

the two sides, the 

President has come 

to the conclusion 

that since he will 

not be breaking 

any law, he cannot 

go back on his 

promise to the 

nation.” 

For the past 20 

years, Nigerians 

have seen their 

hope of improved 

livelihood vanish 

into thin air despite 

increased revenue 

generation both at 

the state and 

federal levels 

In what 

appeared an 

offshoot of that 

e x e m p l a r y 

leadership, 

Governor Kayode 

Fayemi in 2010 treaded same path to 

make a public declaration of his assets, 

including houses in United Kingdom, 

United States of America and Ghana. 

In all, Fayemi’s assets were worth N750 

million. 

The duo of Yar’ Adua and Fayemi 

were the only leaders courageous 

enough to redeem their pledge until 

billionaire businessman and governor 

of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde 

joined the guild a few weeks ago. 

Makinde, seeking the Holy 

Graile on the platform of the 

Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, had pledged 

to declare his assets in 

the event of a victory 

in the 2019 

governorship 

elections. A 

few weeks ago, 

he delivered 

on this 

promise 

following his 

N48 billion 

a s s e t s 

declaration; 

a 

development 

that is 

still the 

focus of 

television 

a n d 

Newspapers’ 

commentaries 

in the 

country 

today. 

A s 

expected, 

Makinde’s 

gestures 

have 

been 

w e l l 

received 

by the 

apolitical 

public even as members of the ruling 

All Progressives Congress, APC, 

appear not interested in the least. In its 

response to the development, the party 

challenged the governor to reveal how he 

made his monies, in order to be taken 

seriously. Incisive as that point is, the party 

quickly forgot or rather chose to ignore 

the fact that the duo of President 

Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi 

Osinbajo as well as governors elected on 

its platform ought to be the leading 

champions of this noble initiative, if only 

to boost the fight against corruption. 

In an exclusive chat with Saturday 

Vanguard on the issue, former Nigeria’s 

Ambassador to the Republic of Germany 

and Acting National Chairman of the 

Social Democratic Party, SDP, Professor 

Tunde Adeniran said rather than 

question the governor’s bold step, the 

APC ought to encourage governors 

elected on its platform to follow suit 

without delay. Adeniran 

who lamented that 

Nigerians’ waiting for 

altruistic leaders who 

mean well for the 

people, is fast waning 

by the day, wondered 

why it has become 

difficult for elected 

leaders to declare their 

wealth before the public. 

He said: “Governor 

Seyi Makinde is a 

symbol of hope for the 

future of this country. He 

has done what is 

constitutionally and 

morally required of him. 

He has long been 

identified as a wealthy 

young and seasoned 

professional who 

wanted to serve the 

public selflessly. Not 

only should he be 

commended for doing 

the right thing, 

Nigerians should rise 

up to their responsibility 

and compel all public office holders 

from the local government to the state 

and national levels to follow the 

Makinde’s example.” 

On her part, foremost activist and cofounder, 

Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG, 

Aisha Yesufu said failure of the 

President to declare his assets before 

the Nigerian public calls to question his 

claim to integrity. 

“First of all,” she began, “I will like to 

say that the so called integrity attached 

to President Buhari is non-existent. He 

has neither showed it in his actions nor in 

his words. He says one thing and goes 

ahead to do the opposite. 

“I really do not understand what the 

ruling party means by asking someone to 

explain the source of his wealth. The only 

organization that should have a say is the 

Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, 

which is at liberty to say if you have this 

amount, have you been paying your taxes? 

Then the Economic and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, can do the needful if 

financial crimes have been committed.” 

She continued: “Does it mean that if 

someone has N48 billion, he or she is 

automatically a criminal? The ruling 

party should be ashamed of itself for this 

is the same party which in 2014 while in 

opposition, protested against the killings 

of Nigerians. Now killings are in full swing 

and no longer restricted to the fringes. 

Rather than focus on this, they are 

dwelling on non-issues. 

“The ruling party should focus on 

ensuring that their candidate in the 

2019 election who today is the 

President of Nigeria has failed 

woefully. The primary duty of any 

government is the protection of lives 

and properties of the people.” 

As Nigerians wait patiently for their 

leaders to turn over a new leaf, it is 

their collective wish that this well 

endowed but poorly-run nation would 

become a haven of prosperity and 

civilized values in the years ahead.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

They came out in good numbers 

to pay a befitting tribute to a 

man who had devoted more than half 

of his working life which spanned 

four and a half decades to active 

journalism. Even the other half in 

government, was either as a Press 

Secretary—to three Military 

Governors—or as the Director of 

Press in the Presidency. So in 

essence, Chief Eric Teniola, 

otherwise known as Ericoco, has 

spent his entire working life in the 

realm of the pen profession.His 

professional colleagues led by Uncle 

Sam, our boss when we were all at 

the Punch,did him proud on the 

day.The attendance was also a fair 

representation of his many 

constituencies. Club 86, his agegrade 

club in Idanre his home town, 

which has virtually become my own 

club due to my long association with 

its members, came out almost to a 

man. Members of the Ikoyi Club 

which is also my club, came to 

honour one of their own. Members 

of his church society at Archbishop 

Vining Memorial Church many of 

whom are again, well known to me, 

were in copious attendance. My face 

is also familiar to many of his close 

family members due to my 

attendance at his family occasions 

over the years. So, I was almost as 

at home at the book launch and 

reception that marked the 70 th 

birthday of Chief Eric Teniola as the 

celebrant. The point I am making if 

you haven’t noticed, is that Eric and 

I have come a very long way. 

Our paths first crossed in the 70s 

in the early days of the Daily Punch. 

We were young, and at the risk of 

being immodest, we were good. Our 

numerous by lines across the paper 

bore testimonies to that. So it was 

inevitable that we would notice 

ourselves. It was only natural that 

we would eventually start hanging 

out together. Those were the days. 

We worked hard and played hard. It 

didn’t help that we had ‘happening’ 

Directors who alternated the hosting 

of parties virtually every week! 

Often, the lines between work and 

play were blurred. Our work was our 

Undoubtedly, one of the low 

points for your correspondent 

during the just concluded screening 

or better, serenading of ministerial 

nominees, was the point when 

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu intervened 

to cover the oral delivery deficiencies 

of the nominee from Taraba State, 

Saleh Mohammed. 

Mohammed’s curriculum vitae had 

portrayed him as a very experienced 

engineer. However, when it came to 

talking, the engineer muttered to an 

embarrassment that brought Senator 

Kalu to his feet. 

While praise-singing the nominee, 

he said the nominee was not one 

given to much talking. He added as 

a clincher that the nominee had been 

a very loyal supporter of President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s politics over 

the years. According to him, anyone 

that had followed Buhari for that long 

must be a good man! 

“He has been a very good person, 

even when I was in PDP, he used to 

preach to me about President Buhari. 

He has been a very good supporter 

of President Buhari,” Kalu, the 

Senate’s chief whip added. 

The right of entitlement flowing 

from supporting Buhari was further 

canvassed by the Deputy President 

of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo- 

Agege. 

“This is one very loyal supporter 

of President Muhammadu Buhari 

and that support did not begin today. 

“President Muhammadu Buhari is 

entitled to work with the people of 

his choice,” Senator Omo-Agege 

said. 

That support for President Buhari 

has turned into a platitude for 

ministerial competence is one of the 

revelations that has emerged from 

the recent screening exercise. 

The president had indeed, told the 

A reporter’s er’s reporter er turns 70 

play. Often, our personal relationships 

or romantic dalliances, were the 

casualties. There is the story of one of 

us who went to the airport to meet a 

girlfriend coming in from Benin. 

While waiting for the plane to come 

in, a prominent political figure came 

out. They greeted. It turned out that a 

major political meeting was about to 

take place. He asked if he could go 

with the man. The man first hesitated 

and eventually agreed. In the 

excitement of a possible news coup, 

my colleague ‘forgot’ the reason he 

was 

You need to 

understand the 

pattern of the 

pieces before 

you can notice 

when a piece is 

out of sync 

SATURDAY Vanguard, , AUGUST 3, 2019—37 

at the airport. Not only was that the 

end of a romantic weekend, it was also 

the end of a promising 

relationship.That kind of situation was 

par for the course for many of us. Our 

work was our life. But we made lifelong 

friends across board in the 

process. 

I have watched Eric evolve from a 

carefree bachelor of that almost wanton 

era into a loving husband, a 

responsible father and a doting 

grandfather. I have watched Eric give 

up things I never thought he could 

give up. I have heard him talk of 

giving up even more things that were 

inconceivable some ten years ago. 

Much of that is due to his attitude to 

life, his contentment at home and of 

his station in life. Eric in our youthful 

days, was a lover of good music; 

especially contemporary jazz music 

and most of his close friends benefited 

from his generosity as he constantly 

dubbed tapes for us. It was the era of 

cassette. He was also a fountain of 

inside information. He could hold a 

group enthralled with background 

information to the many things that 

happen in the public space. Or, the 

probable reasons behind some policy 

announcements. No wonder our boss, 

Uncle Sam calls him ‘Inside Story.’ 

Our regular breakfast meetings with 

Uncle Sam were never the same if Eric 

was absent. 

Eric is a reporter’s reporter. Let me 

break that down. Journalism has a 

wide field like most professions. No 

single individual that I know is 

Will this Senate destroy Buhari? 

nation that he was going to choose 

only those familiar with him as his 

ministers, and that has been done. 

The subjugation of this Senate to the 

executive is indeed revealing. Indeed, 

as the screening exercise progressed, 

former legislators on the ministerial 

list were repeatedly told to go and 

serve as emissaries of the National 

Assembly in the presidency. 

To wit, they were told to “lobby” for 

legislative proposals to get favourable 

response from the president! The 

Nigerian Senate must be the only 

legislative chamber in the world that 

would tell ministers to go and BEG 

the president to pay heed to its 

resolutions! In other climes, it is the 

legislature that is lobbied! 

Indeed, this Senate is not in any way 

making any pretence of its willingness 

to act as a rubber-stamp of the 

executive. 

As the legislators concluded the 

screening exercise and given the 

waka pass treatment given to many 

former corruption suspects and others 

who deserved to be queried on their 

last experiences in the public space, 

a major question troubled your 

correspondent. 

Was it this same chamber that once 

housed the likes of Senator Chuba 

Okadigbo, Senator Idris Abubakar, 

Senator Saidu Dansadau, Senator Joy 

Emodi, Senator Sule Yari Gandi 

among other sterling champions of 

democratic expression? 

It is not as if the senators of yore were 

not subjected to the foibles of the 

presidency? Your correspondent 

remembers sometime in 2001, when 

the late Senator Idris Abubakar (the 

cicero of the Senate) as chairman of 

the Senate Committee on Public 

Accounts took on the task of 

investigating the sums expended in 

constructing the Abuja National 

Stadium. 

Senator Abubakar was to confide in 

your correspondent how Senator 

Anyim Pius Anyim, the president of 

the Senate at that time tried to play 

down the issue for some time in order 

not to stir up trouble with President 

Olusegun Obasanjo. 

But willy-nilly, it was only for a while 

as the Senate still tactically found a 

way to look into the issue. 

The desperate attempt by the Ninth 

Senate to subordinate its 

independence even to the personal 

peccadilloes of a human being in the 

person of President Buhari is 

understandable. 

A substantial proportion of the 

proficient in all the fields. And unlike 

what most people outside the profession 

think, writing good grammar does not 

necessarily make you a good journalist. 

In fact, there are sections where your 

grammar matters little. A good columnist 

might not be a good news reporter and 

vice versa. Both of them might not have 

the skill sets to be a good Editor. Just as 

a good Editor might not have what it takes 

to be a good columnist or news 

reporter.Most of us come into journalism 

with a natural gift in an area and train 

ourselves to be above average in the 

other areas. Eric’s natural gift is in news 

reporting. He has what is called, a ‘nose 

for news’ in the profession. A sweeping 

definition of news is that it is anything 

out of the usual. But to spot the unusual, 

you must understand the usual. That is 

the rub. You need to understand the 

pattern of the pieces before you can notice 

when a piece is out of sync. A good 

example was an experience with Eric 

during the Second Republic. The two of 

us had gone to see a prominent politician. 

We spent about two lively hours drinking 

and chatting. When we got up to go and 

headed for the car, Eric said excitedly that 

we had a lead story for the following day. 

I was taken aback. We did not interview 

the man. And to the best of my 

knowledge, there was no typical question 

and answer format. But it was when Eric 

pointed out that ‘the man said so and so 

when the policy of the party on the matter 

is so and so’ that I began to understand 

the news value of what we had. You don’t 

learn that in any journalism school. It is 

a natural talent that is honed by 

knowledge and alertness; an instinct that 

is developed over time. 

His book is aptly titled: ‘On the Spot.’ 

It is a collection of articles that speaks to 

the Nigerian situation across time zones. 

Many of the people featured were 

prominent actors in Nigeria’s unfolding 

drama. Eric was at his reportorial best 

during the Shagari era when he knew 

and was known by many people in 

government. His subsequent work with 

State and Federal Governments gives 

him an uncanny insight into the workings 

and fault lines of Nigeria. You could say 

Eric has truly been ‘On the Spot.’Enjoy 

your new age my friend and remember 

to take things easy. 

By its indiscretion, the Senate has stepped down 

the competitive drive that would have enabled 

the president to aim higher towards putting his 

name and legacy in gold 

senators are former governors who have 

turned the institution into a place of 

refuge. It is a place of shelter from the 

torrents that could come from the security 

agencies on their stewardship in office. 

The popular example of the former 

Senate President aspirant who disavowed 

his aspiration after a visit to the 

presidency last May and subsequently 

had his case withdrawn from the courts 

is an example for many senators. 

But the cost to the polity is enormous. 

Indeed, what the Senate has done is not 

just pernicious to the nation’s democracy, 

but a threat to the very survival of the 

country. If the Senate on account of 

pleasing the president decides not to 

interrogate the stewards of the nation’s 

commonwealth as to their possible 

competence, it only will lead to 

enthroning mediocrity. 

By enthroning mediocre in government, 

the Senate is not helping Buhari to 

enthrone the kind of legacy that would 

make him a Nigerian statesman. 

By its indiscretion, the Senate has 

stepped down the competitive drive that 

would have enabled the president to aim 

higher towards putting his name and 

legacy in gold. A legislative house that 

puts the executive in watch only helps to 

bring out the best in the government. By 

doing otherwise, this Senate has not just 

devalued the president; it has also 

devalued Nigeria.


The Trump administration imposed 

economic sanctions on Chinese 

state-owned oil trading company for 

buying Iranian oil in violation of 

American ban. US Secretary of State, 

Mike Pompeo said that the 

company, Zhuhai Zhenrong, and its 

chief executive, Li Youmin, were 

violating U.S. restrictions on Iran’s oil 

sector. For the first time the Trump 

administration penalized a Chinese 

company for defying recent United 

States sanctions on Iranian oil exports. 

They are barred from engaging in 

foreign exchange, banking or property 

transactions under US jurisdiction. 

China’s foreign ministry responded by 

opposing the sanctions of China’s 

enterprises and individuals based on 

American domestic laws. China 

strongly condemned and firmly 

opposed sanctions on related Chinese 

companies by the US. 

Many had wondered whether the US 

could punish Chinese companies over 

sanctions breaches of Iranian oil 

purchase as both countries are locked 

on issues of trade war. China is the 

world’s number one oil importer and 

major buyer of Iranian oil. Zhuhai 

Zhenrong until recently was the only 

importer of Iranian crude to China 

since it was set up 25 years ago. On 

November 4, 2018, the United States 

slammed new sanctions on Iran, as 

President Trump withdrew from the 

Iran Nuclear deal agreed in 2015 

between Iran and five permanent 

members of the Security Council; 

Britain, China, France, Russia, United 

States, plus Germany, P5+1 that aimed 

to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Iran 

exports about 1.1 million barrels of 

crude oil a day, was down from around 

2.5 million barrels before the United 

States imposed sanctions in November. 

Washington’s decision was to bring 

rom the outset I need to stress that I 

Fhave nothing against the idea of a 

national or state title of the “First Lady.” 

But when early last month President 

Buhari’s wife, Aisha, announced that she 

had decided to dump the title of the “Wife 

of the President” to assume that of the 

nation’s First Lady, she triggered an alarm. 

Sincerely, she could be called anything, 

really, as she became the First Lady simply 

owing to the fact that her husband became 

Nigeria’s first citizen once he was 

inaugurated President of the Federal 

Republic. 

Yet, there is something terrible about that 

announcement. First, Aisha Buhari and her 

handlers and by extension, her husband’s 

administration, once again, betrayed a total 

lack of respect for Nigeria’s constitutional 

federalism. Second, her explanation that 

her title was causing confusion in the 

states— whether the governor’s wives 

were to be addressed as wives of the 

governors or First Ladies—was totally out 

of place even as it is an affront on the 

constitution as the states reserve the right 

to term the Governors’ wives whatever title 

they choose. The matter at hand here is 

not Abuja’s to decree but each state’s to 

treat as they choose. It depends on each 

state to call the wife of the governor The 

First Lady or the Mother or Aunt or Angel 

of that state. 

Under a federal constitution, the nonconstitutional 

office of the First Lady has 

no power to tell any state how to treat the 

wife of a governor or local government 

chairman. 

For those who may not like the office of 

the first lady, they should train their anger 

at former President Olusegun Obasanjo 

and his late wife, Stella, for they had the 

opportunity to reverse the first lady policy 

which the rather comely late Miriam 

Babangida brought to a new height, (or 

notoriety to some), but failed. 

How? Well, let me explain: To chart a new 

direction, Obasanjo first set up a highpowered 

committee, the Presidential Policy 

Advisory Committee (PPAC) headed by Lt. 

General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd). 

Characteristically, Obasanjo, a fanfareenchanted 

President, received the report 

amidst great ceremonies in April 1999, at 

the International Conference Centre, 

Abuja, a month before his inauguration. 

He announced that day that a new dawn 

was just over the horizon, waiting for him 

to be sworn into office. Then he vowed he 

would run a lean government, have no First 

Sanctions backlash:Iranian oil in 

Chinese bonded storage 

Iranian oil exports to zero. The U.S. 

sanctions are meant to deny the 

regime its principal source of 

revenue by putting maximum 

pressure on Iran to withdraw its 

alleged destabilizing activities in the 

Middle East. 

The trade war between the 

two economic superpowers 

may indeed, last longer and 

could jointly drive global 

economic growth a lot lower 

When it announced these sanctions 

in November, the United States 

granted the Significant Reduction 

Exceptions waivers to China, Greece, 

India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, 

Taiwan and Turkey that allowed them 

to continue their purchases of crude 

from Iran. The waivers allowed them 

more time to make up for the loss 

of supplies from Iran by finding 

new markets in major oil-producing 

countries in the Middle East, West 

Africa and Russia. China which is 

the largest importer of Iranian oil 

buys about a third of Iran’s crude 

exports. China opposed the 

sanctions on the basis of 

unilateralism and long-arm 

jurisdiction. China which may have 

been put in situation of not having 

easy access to crude imports for its 

slowing economy defiantly went 

against the United States sanctions 

by not cutting off oil supplies from 

Iran. Iran is hoping on Chinese 

purchases to help its economy 

withstand US pressure. 

Iranian tankers appear to have 

loaded oil after the U.S. waivers 

ended with reports that Iranian oil 

cargo was first delivered to China 

in June. From Tanker trackers some 

Very Large Crude Carriers, VLCC 

discharged at Tianjin in early July 

after sailing from the Middle East. 

Iran-owned tankers including 

VLCC Stream discharged at 

Tianjin on June 19, while 

Amber, Salina and C. Infinity 

offloaded crude at the ports of 

First t Lady? I feel like screaming 

Lady but just a wife, who was barred from 

going with a convoy of cars and using 

sirens. Same too for his ministers, he said. 

That the Office of the First Lady existed 

under Yar’Adua and Jonathan as it did 

under Obasanjo, whose late wife, Stella, 

actually issued orders to the state 

governors’ wives to desist forthwith from 

going to the airports to personally 

welcome the Vice President’s wife, but 

must send the Deputy Governors’ wives 

instead, may not have had any direct 

effect on the economy but merely served 

as an example of pettiness on a grand 

scale. Yet, Stella Obasanjo did not explain 

the reason behind the order, but if she 

felt that it was against protocol for First 

Ladies in the States to extend the honours 

meant for her as the national First Lady 

to her deputy (?) who by all means and 

purposes was the Second Lady because 

she and her husband as well as their 

children made up the Second Family, she 

forgot that even the State Governors 

always went to the Airport to welcome a 

visiting Vice-President. If Stella’s 

supposed but ridiculous logic were to be 

extended even further, it would have 

meant that only the wife of a Speaker of 

a House of Assembly would be right in 

the perking order to welcome a visiting 

spouse of the Senate-President. But pray, 

who would then have needed to welcome 

the wife of the Speaker of the House of 

Representatives? This is because while 

the centre has a bi-cameral legislature, 

the states have a uni-cameral one, and 

so while the Speaker was the Federal 

Government’s Fourth Citizen, the States’ 

Speakers real equivalent in Abuja is the 

Senate President and not the Speaker! 

But the states MUST NOT have offices 

equivalent to Abuja’s! 

The real point here is that though 

Nigeria operates a federal system 

whereby the states are the component 

parts, and elect their own governors 

independent of the president, all the 

states’ First Ladies’ obeyed Mrs. 

Obasanjo’s vanity-inspired and totally 

whimsical order. Yet, why did they not 

ignore her, especially as both hers and 

their offices were unknown to the 

Nigerian constitution? The answer is 

simply this: Nigeria neither practiced 

a true federalism nor true democracy; 

so any governor whose wife disdained 

the former President Obasanjo’s wife, 

disdained Obasanjo, and any who 

disdained the President, was inviting 

the wrath of the President on himself— 

and on Obasanjo rested the decision 

about who would continue in office, 

aspire to another office or simply end 

up in jail. Or he appropriated 

(misappropriated really) that emperor’s 

role. 

Also, on the President, especially 

under Obasanjo, rested the decision 

about who would be impeached, and 

the person would be impeached, even 

when the majority members of a given 

State House of Assembly fully backed 

their chief executive, he would be 

impeached nevertheless, as the 

impeachments effected in Plateau state 

(against the then Governor Joshua 

Dariye) and in Bayelsa (against then 

Governor D. S Peter Alamieyesiegha) 

showed. Now, this ill-thought out order 

could have raised a war whose genesis 

would never have been known to one 

of the belligerent sides. Any illdisposed 

wife of a state governor could 

have raised hostilities between the 

President and her own spouse if she, 

for cogent reasons, asked the wife of 

Huangdao, Jianzhou and Ningbo. Salina, 

which can carry more than a million barrels 

of crude oil, docked at Jianzhou Bay and 

unloaded on June 20. Since the ban on 

the purchase of Iranian oil by the United 

States in May, it was reported that millions 

of barrels of Iranian oil continued to flow 

into bonded storage tanks in Chinese ports 

for possible future use. The logic behind 

what is referred to as bonded storage is 

that such supplies do not cross Chinese 

customs or show up in the nation’s data of 

imports meaning that it is still owned by 

Iran since it is still in transit and in 

speculative contemplation. The 

interpretation is that it is not a breach of 

sanctions. But the bonded storage 

encourages Iran to produce more to build 

up supplies near the number one global 

oil buyer in the belief that one day 

sanctions would be over. 

Analysts believe that the store of oil has 

the potential to push down global prices 

if Chinese refiners decide to draw on it, 

even as the Organization of the Petroleum 

Exporting Countries and allies in OPEC+ 

curb production as growth slows in major 

economic hubs. It also allows Iran to keep 

pumping and move oil nearer to potential 

buyers. Iranian crude in bonded storage 

tanks in China also means Iran can avoid 

having to tie up part of its tanker fleet by 

storing the oil at sea for months at a time. 

The Iranians used floating storage from 

2012 to 2016 and again in 2018 when 

buyers shunned its crude due to U.S.- 

imposed trade restrictions. The overall oil 

market remains relatively well supplied, 

with some traders saying prices could fall 

sharply if China steps up purchases of 

Iranian crude. Last week data showed that 

China imported 855,638 tons in June, the 

equivalent of about 209,000 barrels a day. 

The US-China relationship is indeed 

complicated. The trade war between the 

two economic superpowers may indeed, 

last longer and could jointly drive global 

economic growth a lot lower. 

In December 2014, Muhammadu Buhari 

went on the record to say he would 

abolish, scrap or ban the office of the 

First Lady if he was elected as President, 

saying that it was unconstitutional 

the deputy-governor to represent her at the 

Airport ceremonies for a visiting First Lady 

Stella Obasanjo. 

Mrs. Stella Obasanjo was generally seen as 

unassuming, as opposed to over-bearing, as a 

First Lady, owing to this, she did not attract 

bad press as much as her two immediate 

successors did. Not even the report by human 

rights organisations that Mr. Orobosa Omo- 

Ojo, the publisher of the inconsequential Lagosbased 

Nigerian Midwest Herald newspaper, 

was arrested on Stella Obasanjo’s orders on 

May 2, 2005 and taken to Akure prison and 

that his arrest was prompted by an article the 

previous week about her, headlined “Greedy 

Stella,” made a dent on her genteel image. 

Now, why would the title Mrs Aisha Buhari, 

(of the other room’s fame) favoured in June 

2019 make news? Answer: In December 2014, 

Muhammadu Buhari went on the record to 

say he would abolish, scrap or ban the office of 

the First Lady if he was elected as President, 

saying that it was unconstitutional. 

The Movement for the Emancipation of the 

Niger Delta (MEND), which endorsed Buhari 

for the 2015 general elections, commended 

Buhari for his plans, when elected as President, 

to scrap the so-called ‘Office of the First Lady.’ 

MEND went on to say that the office of the 

first lady is obviously an irrelevant, fraudulent 

and unconstitutional office, whose only purpose 

is to further plunder the resources of the 

country. 

Poor MEND. Supporting Buhari’s policies 

come with the risk of what happens when 

Buhari does a policy somersault as he usually 

does. This is not just an example of a campaign 

promise not kept but touches on how deeply 

the Buharis think things through before 

pronouncing on them. Put differently; how 

much is their word their bond? Or has the 

Office of the First Lady become constitutional 

now? Next time, Mrs Aisha Buhari should 

respect Nigeria’s federalism and leave the 

governors’ wives out of what to call herself.


Setting agenda for the new Aviation Minister 

Stories by Lawani Mikairu 

s the nation waits anxiously for President 

AMuammadu Buhari to assign portfolio 

to his new ministers designates, there is urgent 

need to point out ongoing projects and projects 

that need immediate attention for the incoming 

Aviation Minister to concentrate on if the 

current efforts to reposition Nigeria aviation 

will yield positive results. 

The last Minister of State for Aviation, 

Senator Hadi Sirika identified some airports 

that needed urgent repair work and 

rehabilitation. One of those airports is Akanu 

Ibiam International Airport, Enugu. The new 

minister needs to immediately commence 

repair work on the airport because of its 

strategic importance to the South East 

geopolitical zone of the country. Enugu is seen 

as the economic gateway to the abundant 

economic opportunities in that zone of the 

country. 

Last Saturday, no commercial plane could 

land at the airport as the vital areas, including 

the runway, were flooded. It was 24 hours later 

that one of the two airlines currently flying to 

the airport, Air Peace, was able to conduct 

flight out of the airport. The other airline, 

Ethiopia Airline, did not operate any flight into 

and out of the airport. 

The Enugu Airport has been in state of 

disrepair with very bumpy runway that is 

hazardous to smooth takeoff and landing of 

aircraft. This has posed operational risk, with 

many airlines, especially the foreign airlines 

refusing to use the airport except Ethiopian 

Airline that does few trips a week to the airport. 

This problem came to the fore when Sirika 

threatened in May this year to downgrade the 

airport and even shut it down. 

He said while addressing his 6th Aviation 

Stakeholders forum in Lagos that the present 

condition of the airport cannot be allowed to 

continue. According to him, the runway needs 

to be completely rehabilitated and not the 

current weekly remedial job being done 

there.”Like Abuja Airport, we need to close 

down the Enugu Airport and overhaul the 

runway. What we have been doing there is 

monthly maintenance of the runway which 

goes bad immediately a week later. We cannot 

continue wasting money there. So we will close 

down the airport for a period of time and 

overhaul the runway”, he said. 

Sirika further said foreign airlines were 

reluctant to go to Enugu because the runway 

ermit me to drag President 

PMuhammadu Buhari into soccer 

once again. I trust that his top aide, 

Femi Adesina, will draw PMB’s 

attention to this and do the needful 

since the NFF may not be willing to 

invite Emmanuel Amuneke. 

Gernot Rohr has won his own World 

Cup with the Eagles, a bronze, at the 

Egypt 2019 Africa Nations Cup and 

should be encouraged to wander across 

our borders to continue his trade. 

Definitely, this man’s best is not good 

enough for Nigerian football. 

Amuneke should be invited as Rohr’s 

replacement. This prophet must be 

honoured in his own home. And it can 

only take a Presidential directive to 

realize this. Sure, in times of crisis, Mr. 

President can call the NFF to order. 

We must applaud Amuneke for 

taking the Taifa Stars to a second 

Nations Cup appearance after 39 

years. And the former Eagles winger 

and African Footballer of the year must 

not be judged by Tanzania’s Egypt 2019 

outing. 

Critics must not overlook the fact that 

Tanzania played alongside Algeria, 

Senegal and Kenya in Group C. The 

Desert Foxes and Teranga Lions 

advanced to the grand finale. The 

import is that Amuneke found his team 

in a very tough group. 

The same Algeria, conquerors of the 

Super Eagles in the semi finals, 

defeated Tanzania 3-0. Senegal had 

earlier beaten the Nigerians in a tuneup 

just before the Nations Cup. 

My take is that Amuneke has what it 

takes to lead the Eagles. If Didier 

Deschamps, who won the Russia 2019 

World Cup with France, had taken the 

Tanzanians to Egypt, he would not have 

achieved a better result. 

The Taifa Stars have no big names 

playing anywhere outside Africa and 

they were on their way out of the 

qualifiers until Amuneke joined them 

very late in 2017. They made it, beating 

already qualified Uganda 3-0 at home. 

was not very safe for flight operations. 

According to him, “there is a market at the end 

of the airport runway. There is also a 

telecommunication mast there and on the other 

end of the runway, there is a free trade zone. An 

abattoir is also located within the airport 

vicinity which attracts birds. The airport is 

currently not safe for flight operations .” 

“We are going to downgrade the airport to a 

local or domestic airport from its present 

international status. Our huge investment in 

the new terminal there is not yielding the 

desired returns in terms of patronage. We have 

engaged the Enugu State government several 

times and they promised to bring down the 

mast and remove all other identified obstacles, 

but this has not been done. I have visited the 

airport in recent times more than five times. 

We cannot continue to do remedial work there. 

We need to take drastic decisions and drastic 

measures,” Sirika added. 

Some of the conditions the then minister 

listed for the State government to meet before 

the commencement of rehabilitation work by 

the federal government have been met by the 

current Enugu State governor. The new 

aviation minister therefore needs to commence 

the facelift of the airport. 

There is also an urgent need to commence 

the reconstruction of the Muritala 

Muhammed International Airport, Lagos 

terminal building as the airport is the most 

viable among all the airports in the country. 

According to the last aviation minister, “the 

proposed reconstruction was a fall-out of a 

comprehensive study carried out by 

construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria 

Limited. Besides the comprehensive study, 

airlines and other users of the terminal have 

over the years canvassed the overhaul and 

expansion of the facility.” 

The minister further said that the Lagos 

airport which was inaugurated in “ 1979 for 

300,000 passengers capacity now process 

about Eight million passengers. Such 

mismatch does not portray Nigeria as a 

country planning for the growth of its aviation 

industry.” 

“The airport generates most of the income, 

so it is only right we give it a facelift it requires. 

It is incumbent on government to give attention 

to MMIA as the busiest airport in the country, 

which should be developed as a regional hub 

within Africa and other parts of the world. It is 

part of government plan to develop an 

aerotropolis, where airports play key roles as 

enablers of economic development”, he added 

Similarly, the new minister has to identify 

and complete the rest of the 157 projects which 

Sirika said were embarked upon in the last 

Four years. Sirika explained that 134 of the 

157 projects were 100% completed. He also 

NCAT commences OND, HND courses 

igerian College of Aviation 

NTechnology,NCAT, Zaria has 

commenced courses leading to the award of 

Ordinary National Diploma (OND), Higher 

National Diploma (HND) and Post Graduate 

Diploma into various fields of academy. 

Admission is currently ongoing into the 

various courses. 

Capt. Abdulsalami Mohammed, the Rector 

of the college who disclosed this while 

addressing journalists in Lagos said that the 

essence of the programmes was to improve 

the academic knowledge of professionals in 

the sector. 

According to Mohammed, NCAT had 

sought and received accreditation from the 

National Board for Technical Education 

(NBTE) for the legitimate awards of the 

programmes, before the commencement of 

sale of forms for the programme. 

For OND, he explained that the college was 

running courses on Electrical/Electronics 

Engineering Technology, Aircraft 

Maintenance Engineering Technology, while 

for HND, admissions were available for 

Aviation Management, Aircraft Maintenance 

Engineering Technology (Avionics option) and 

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering 

Technology (Airframe/Power Plant Option). 

Besides, he stated that the college was also 

offering PGD in Aviation Management (full 

time), which would be held in Zaria, Kaduna 

State, while the part-time of the programme 

would hold in Lagos. 

He said: “We are introducing the OND, HND 

and PDG programmes to interested 

candidates, especially those already in 

aviation in order to increase their knowledge 

Buhari: Fire Rohr 

ohr, , hire Amuneke! 

e! 

And we must realize that the 

Tanzanians have the funny luck of 

being put in a very tough group at the 

Nations Cup. During their debut in 

1980, they were in Lagos Group A with 

eventual winners, Green Eagles of 

Nigeria. 

Amuneke is looking up and one must 

not wash away his pedigree. He is the 

second Nigerian to take another 

country to the Nations Cup. Stephen 

Keshi did it with Togo and later with 

Mali. Big boss capped it all when he 

took the Eagles to cup glory in 2013. 

Without taking anything away from 

the great Keshi, I think he was better 

placed than Amuneke . Togo and Mali 

are miles ahead of Tanzania in soccer. 

And their records speak volumes. 

Togo produced Emmanuel Adebayor, 

one time African Footballer of the Year. 

When an Africa Selected side took part 

in a championship in Latin America in 

1972, the team had a Togolese, Mathis 

, as Coach. And one of the players, 

Sylvester, was his compatriot. 

As far back as 1968, Etoile Filante of 

Togo lost in the finals of the CAF 

Champions League [then known as the 

Africa Cup of Champion clubs], to TP 

Englebert of Congo Democratic 

Republic. 

That was also the year Nigeria 

debuted through Stationery Stores 

Lagos who could not go beyond the 

quarter finals. They lost to Moroccan 

army team, FAR. 

Mali boast of a bunch of superstars. 

Frederic Kounate, became the first 

player born outside the continent to win 

the African Footballer of the year 

award, in 2007. He also played for one 

of the big teams in Spain, Seville. 

Seydou Keita was part of the Malian 

Under -20 squad that won bronze at 

the Nigeria ’99 FIFA Under-20 

championships. The Flying Eagles got 

nothing. Keita later won the UEFA 

Champions League with Barcelona. 

His uncle, Salif Keita, remains one 

of the first set of Africans to play 

professional soccer in Europe. The 

younger Keita did better than his uncle 

in France, gaining prominence with 

Marseille and Lorient before joining 

Seville, Spain. 

Malian clubs went continental before 

Nigeria. In the first CAF Champions 

League final, 1965,Stade Malien, lost 

2-1 to Oryx Douala. In 1966, Real 

Bamako, fell to Stade Abidjan. 

The Malian national team, Eagles, 

won an Afcon medal before Nigeria. 

In 1972, Mali lost 3-2 in the grand 

finale to Congo after gaining a 1-0 

advantage in the first half. 

Ever before the Eagles picked their 

only All Africa Games in 1973, Mali 

had played in the grand finale of the 

First All Africa Games, Brazzaville ’65. 

The match with Congo ended goalless 

before the hosts won 7-2 penalties. 

Presently, the Malian Under-20 boys 

are African champions. And the lads 

revealed that of the “remaining projects, 14% 

were above 50% completion while 13% are 

below 50% complete giving an 80% delivery 

rate of the projects set about” . 

The cry by domestic airline operators that 

the Federal Government should stop granting 

multiple destinations to foreign airlines 

operating in Nigeria should be urgently looked 

into by the new minister as that has been 

identified as one of the factors militating 

against the growth of domestic airlines in the 

country. Local airlines market has almost been 

taken over by these foreign airlines. 

Aviation stakeholders and experts were 

unanimous in their view that the Nigeria 

aviation was yet to attain international 

standard, not because solutions to the problem 

were not known but the will to implement the 

solutions by those at the helms of affairs in the 

aviation ministry and parastatals was lacking. 

What the new minister should avoid is setting 

up panels and committees to identify the 

aviation sector problems . Numerous panels 

and committees have done this in the past with 

multiple findings and solutions not 

implemented. 

The new minister should simply call for the 

reports of the various committees set up under 

different aviation ministers and implement 

those that can fasten the growth of Nigeria 

aviation sector. 

and exposure. Just as you are aware, education 

is the bedrock of any society. 

“All the courses will take place in Zaria, 

except the PDG, which has both full time and 

part time. We decided to bring the part time 

programme to Lagos in order to attract 

aviation professionals more. We discovered 

that most of them were working and their tight 

schedules may not permit them to run such a 

programme in Zaria. So, we brought it closer 

to them in Lagos. 

“The only difference in it and the full time is 

just a semester. For the full time, a student will 

complete the programme in two semesters, 

while for the part time, it is just in three 

semesters. We hope that this programme will 

further increase the knowledge of aviation 

professionals in the industry and will enhance 

professionalism.” 

gave a good account of themselves 

by defeating Argentina at the world 

championships. The Flying Eagles 

could not go beyond the opening 

round. 

So in comparing Keshi with 

Amuneke, if we really have to do 

that, one must agree that the teams 

they handled differ in so many 

ways, with Tanzania falling short 

of any achievement whatsoever. 

Even in East Africa, the 

Tanzanians are no giants. Although 

like Nigeria, their CAF Champions 

League debut was in 1968 [through 

Cosmopolitan], they are not as 

strong as their brothers, Kenya and 

Uganda. 

Kenya’s Gor Mahia won the 

Africa Winners Cup in 1987, after 

defeating Esperance, Tunisia. Gor 

had lost in the finals of the same 

competition, to Canon Sportif of 

Cameroon in 1979. 

Uganda’s Simba lost to Hafia, 

Guinea in the finals of the 1972 

Champions League. Nakivubo 

Villa did the same in 1991 to Club 

Africain, Tunisia. In 1992, Villa 

slumped to Shooting Stars, Ibadan 

in the maiden CAF Cup. 

Harambee Stars played in the final 

of the Kenya ’87 All Africa Games. 

Cranes of Uganda were grand 

finalists at the Ghana ’78 Nations 

Cup, after stopping the Green 

Eagles. Taifa Stars have no 

pedigree. 

Amuneke, born on Christmas Day 

in 1970, could not perform a miracle 

with Tanzania. As a player, he won 

the CAF Champions League with 

Zamalek of Egypt. He is also the 

first Nigerian to join world giants, 

Barcelona. 

Amuneke won the FIFA Under-20 

championships as Eaglets coach in 

2015. We must not go for another 

million-dollar gulping foreigner. 

We have a coach, ready-made and 

home bred.


From poverty to 

affluence; My story 

•Nwogu 

— Dr Kelly Nwogu 

•How Nigeria can be economically viable 

By Ishola Balogun 

Dr. Kelly Izuwa Nwogu, the Managing Director/CEO of Livelihood Homes, 

owner of Blue Sea Estates, tells his story from poverty to affluence. The 

vibrant and popular property merchant who started his real estate 

business with N30,000 has become a billionaire, who owns over 23 estates in 

various locations in Nigeria. He shares ideas with Saturday Vanguard on how 

Nigeria can use agriculture to eradicate poverty. 

Doing business at a tender age 

As a young boy, I faced a lot of challenges 

that could have decimated my life completely, 

but I was able to sail through. Dropping out 

school was a nightmare to me and I did 

everything possible including taking up 

menial jobs to survive. 

Every morning I set out early enough, 

jumped on a ‘molue’ bus to beg for a space on 

the laps of passengers, many of whom were 

on their way to work. Some belligerent 

passengers would throw jibes at me thinking 

that I might have spent my transport fare on 

unnecessary small chops. Others would just 

lend a helping hand without raising any issue 

as to whether I got transport fare from my 

parents or not. 

At 11, I devised a plan to overcome my 

predicament by ingeniously starting a small 

venture-bicycle rental. I approached an Igbo 

boy who was serving as apprentice under his 

brother, who sold foodstuffs in the 

neighbourhood, but liked riding bicycle. I 

approached him and told him I could get him 

a bicycle to ride for free only if he could give 

me the sum of N250. He gave me the money 

and I approached a nearby bicycle technician 

to purchase a bicycle without the front tyre. I 

took the bicycle to the boy and he complained 

of the missing tyre. 

But I told him that I had brought the bicycle 

to him to prove to him that I was not lying. I 

told him that it would require another N250 

to fix the trye which he quickly handed to me 

and that was how I got a bicycle without using 

my money to buy it. I gave him the bicycle to 

ride whenever his boss was not around for 

free. In the evening, I would take the bicycle 

to my house for rentals. I later bought another 

bicycle from the profit I made from the 

business. With the business, I was able to 

support myself in school; pay my transport 

fare and eat good meals. 

Dropping out of school 

The misfortune which my father’s lack of 

job threw our family into refused to abate. The 

family again lost the chance to retain our 

rented accommodation at Egbe. The only 

option available to him was a small apartment 

in a muddy house in Odogunyan area of 

Ikorodu. It was not a befitting accommodation, 

yet, it was the only place my father could 

afford due to his financial problem and 

because of the relocation, I could not sustain 

my rental business and so, going to school 

from Ikorodu to Mushin was very difficult. 

The situation forced me out of school just a 

few weeks into SS 3 class. I then made up my 

mind to look for a job. I parted ways with 

education and concentrated on how to survive 

the hard times. 

How I stowed away in a vessel 

Eventually, I got a clearing apprentice job 

at Tin Can Port. On my first day at work, my 

boss was shocked to see me in a well-tailored 

dress and he wondered whether I was ready 

to the job. I later realised that his reservation 

was because other apprentices in the 

dockyard were not properly dressed. You could 

see that in their worn out sandals. 

Unfortunately, my eye-popping dresses soon 

drew the wrath of my boss who began to feel 

uncomfortable having me around him. He 

believed that clients and people around would 

not be able to tell who was the boss between 

me and him. I was fed up with the turn of 

events at work and felt it was of no use 

continuing with the job. I was therefore 

looking for an opportunity to stow away in a 

ship to Europe in my quest to succeed in life at 

all cost. 

The opportunity to stow away came on a 

certain day in 1995, when a vessel owned by 

a Russian company was preparing to sail on 

the sea again. The destination of the ship was 

unknown to me and I did not bother to find 

out. I had a misguided conviction that the 

vessel in question was heading to Europe and 

my mind was made up to sneak into it to any 

Western country it was heading to. I never 

knew the vessel was sailing to Cameroon. I 

bought N5 garri (cassava flakes) and N5 

sachet (pure) water. I was able to beat the 

security mounted around the vessel and hid 

myself in the RAM (the door area) of the 

vessel. The ship sailed smoothly and none of 

those on board knew or suspected that a boy 

of my age was hiding somewhere in the 

vessel. By the third day, my garri and water 

had finished. I launched into silent prayers 

asking God to send down help so I could have 

water to drink after which I slept off. By the 

time I woke up it had rained and that was 

when it dawned on me that God answers 

prayer. I disregarded the colour of the water 

and drank until I had enough fill. 

On the fourth day of the journey, a member 

of the crew found me out. I pleaded with him 

not to inform other members of the crew but 

he declined. He alerted his colleagues who 

rushed down to where I was hiding in a bid 

to apprehend me. 

My mind was made up, I was prepared to 

kill to evade arrest by threatening to attack 

whoever dared to arrest me. However, I was 

eventually subdued, handed over to 

Cameroonian law enforcement agents and 

detained for days in a cell. I regained my 

freedom a few days later and I was given the 

sum of N11, 000 to return by air to Nigeria, 

which was the first time I travelled by air. 

Upon my return, I used part of the money to 

launch into travel documents procurement 

through some Liberians I had met inside cell 

in Cameroon when they locked me up for 

stowing away in a vessel. The Liberians had 

linked me up with their countrymen who lived 

in Lagos and worked as travel agents. A few 

months later, I got some travel documents and 

travelled with Liberian passport to several 

African countries including Libya in 1998. I 

did menial jobs in Libya; I returned in 2001. I 

travelled to seven different African countries 

but had nothing to show for it. 

Overcoming different challenges 

At a point I met one Pastor Elijah Okebiorun 

and worked as a freelancer in his outreach 

ministry. I wasn’t paid a dime for seven 

months but I kept on the job and executed 

several serious assignments for the ministry. 

I was later employed and made a team 

leader on a salary of N9,000. From the money, 

I organized a monthly contribution of N5,000 

with four of my colleagues, which fetched me 

the sum of N20,000 from which I paid for a 

one-room apartment at Liasu area of Idimu, a 

Lagos suburb, because I was prepared to leave 

my father’s house at Ikorodu where I was 

putting up upon my return from Libya. 

After a few years of being on the job, I 

resigned on a certain day when I had the sum 

of N3, 700 on me. I got a place to establish a 

tutorial centre for children, Brain Science 

Kiddies School at Idimu. I collected N50 from 

each of the pupils as tuition. The money made 

from the ‘business’ kept my body and soul 

together for a few years before providence led 

me into real estate business. 

While I was still running the school, I 

veered into street marketing of music CDs of 

Nigerian hip-hop artistes in 2006. I would 

abandon the school and hit the streets with 

CDs of singers like Olu Maintain who sang 

Yahoozee. The business was bringing 

additional income but it affected the school I 

established, so much that a number of 

disappointed parents who had seen me 

dancing to music on the street withdrew their 

children from the school citing lack of 

seriousness on my part. 

A few weeks later, I secured the sum of 

N150,000 loan from a man I least expected to 

bail me out of my self-induced problems. It 

was the money that I used to secure a new 

accommodation for the school somewhere in 

the community (Idimu). Surprisingly, the 

former school building collapsed the night we 

moved out and this drew sympathy from 

residents. I managed the school till 2010 when 

God inspired me to plunge into real estate 

business. It is however instructive to note that 

the period marked a turning point in my life 

as it afforded me the opportunity to have a 

shot at education again by writing the 

National Examination Council and General 

Certificate in Examination Ordinarily Level 

examinations and I passed in flying colours. 

I then delved into real estate business. It was 

a time I was battling with my rent arrears and 

I felt that it would be a difficult task for me to 

actualise. 

On a certain day, I set aside shame and told 

my landlady that I needed an acre of land. 

She laughed at me when I told her that I had 

the sum of N40, 000 on me. She later 

suggested a man called Pa Adeleye, who had 

a large expanse of land to sell in the Itori area 

of Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun 

State. She said that the amount I had can only 

get me land in that part of Ogun State. 

When she took me to the man, I was shocked 

that the man agreed to show me the land. 

Although he told me the value of the property 

was N3 million, but he gladly 

accepted N30, 000 I offered as 

instalment. The value of the 30 

acres of land translated into 

N100, 000 per acre. I signed 

an agreement with the man 

and hit the ground running by 

canvassing for buyers. 

I started by selling a plot for 

N135, 000 and kept taking the 

money to Pa Akinleye, who 

commended my diligence and 

vowed to sell his other landed 

property to me. There was a 

particular day I gave him 

N300, 000 within a few hours. 

On my way to his village I had 

an accident on a motorbike 

and I suffered bruises on my 

arms. But the old man was so 

happy about the money I was 

making for him that he brought 

out liquor and prayed for me. 

He asked me to forget about 

the incident and move on 

assuring that I would soon 

forget about the accident by the 

time I made millions of naira 

from the business. In no time, I 

finished the instalmental 

payment on the land and made 

enough money to further 

acquire more acres of land from the man, 

which put me on a good stead in the business 

to date. The man is late now, but his children 

have sustained the relationship and I am still 

doing business with his family. 

Providence has increased the scope of the 

business that I started with little or nothing 

beyond my imagination. I buy in hectares and 

sell in plots. At times, I would buy land for 

N1.5million and sold for N6 million leaving 

me with a huge profit margin. Without being 

immodest, I make bold to say that today, I 

have about 24 estates spread across the states 

of the federation. Ikorodu, Badagry, Ewekoro, 

Ajah, Ibeju Lekki, Owerri, Ofada, Mowe, 

Ibadan, Benin, Awka, Enugu, Aba, Umuahia, 

Port Harcourt, Obigbo (Rivers State). Now, I 

have offices in Liberia and South Africa. 

There’s no real estate firm all over the world 

that does not have its challenges, but the point 

is that we are growing bigger and stronger 

every day. I know that growth, expectedly would 

come with challenges, but the important thing 

is to tackle the challenges. Apart from the 

property business, I have established other 

business concerns including oil and gas, 

tourism and automobile outfits. I moved from 

a N700 apartment to a N700, 000 threebedroom 

apartment in an estate opposite 

Diamond Estate along Isheri road from where 

I moved into an exquisite apartment in Lekki 

and I am planning to move to Banana Island. 

I have never borrowed or took loan to finance 

my businesses. 

About his family 

Another opportunity presented itself while I 

was still dating my wife. She was already a 

Master’s degree holder in Petroleum 

Engineering when we met and I was still 

carrying about three different GCE results. 

We were two worlds apart. While she was living 

with her parents in the eyebrow Lekki area of 

Lagos, I was struggling with life in a one room 

apartment in Idimu, a Lagos suburb. I just 

summoned courage and told her she would 

be my wife. She marvelled at my guts and 

accepted me. She later expressed her concern 

about my poor educational background. Not 

long after, she took me to the University of 

Lagos to write an entrance examination for a 

degree programme in 

Business Administration 

through the university’s 

As a young boy, 

I faced a lot of 

challenges that 

could have 

decimated my 

life completely, 

but I was able to 

sail through 

distance learning 

programme. I finished in 

2015 and I just gained 

admission to study for a 

degree in law in a United 

Kingdom-based university. 

My wife is a director in my 

company. 

Advice to the youth 

Real estate business is the 

way out of the economic 

recession confronting 

Nigeria, and the youth can 

take advantage of the 

opportunities in the sector to 

turn around their lives and 

add value to the society 

because the sector is yet to 

be fully tapped. However, 

young persons or adults 

going into the business 

should be honest because 

only honesty can sustain 

one’s relationship with 

business partners and 

customers. Make yourself 

available and accessible. I 

have workers and managers, but I still relate 

with customers even in a N10, 000 

transactions. Not less than 99 per cent of 

criminals are youth because they do not know 

what to do to earn legitimate money. There 

will always be difficult times, but when life 

ebbs, we can sway in prosperity through 

creative thinking, focus and sense of honesty.

Our focus now is to 

increase brand 

awareness — Idogho 

Stories by Moses Nosike 

hade Idogho, Chief Marketing Officer, Renmoney. Renmoney is one of the fastest growing 

Kfintech companies in Nigeria today, lending money to SMEs, start-ups in business and 

boosting borrowers capitals for business growth at affordable rates and at ease. 

In this interview with Nosike Moses, Idogho reveals Renmoney’s market strategy and 

focus that is aiding the company to penetrate deep into the Nigerian lending market and 

as well compete favourably in its industry. Excerpts: 

What is your view of marketing 

in Nigeria when it comes to 

commercial banks or Renmoney? 

I think marketing always starts 

with the objective, that is what we 

are trying to achieve. It also depends 

on where you are in your stage of 

growth as a business. For instance, 

we are at a point where we’re very 

confident in our ability to sell 

effectively, to write good loans and 

to actually be responsible 

custodians of our investors money. 

We are willing to put a lot more 

investment into scaling the business 

and reaching more customers. So, 

our activities right now are focused 

on increasing our brand awareness, 

getting more people to understand 

what we do and getting people to 

understand how to interact with us 

if they need to get a loan. That’s the 

stage that we are now. But different 

companies will be at different stages 

and marketing will mean slightly 

different things to them. 

The reluctance of banks in 

lending money to certain cadres 

of individuals made fintech like 

Renmoney a viable alternative to 

assess loans. Do you foresee 

banks ‘fighting’ back? 

I’m not sure if I used the word 

‘reluctant’ for banks. I think banks 

have a wider role to play than lending 

just to one specific sector. So, the 

other thing I’d add is, it is a very 

difficult market to crack, lending 

in Nigeria. You are working with a 

lot of fragmented data; you are 

working with digital and financial 

footprints of people that aren’t as 

complete as you have in other parts 

of the world. So it makes it a very 

difficult space to go into especially 

the lower you go down the pyramid 

as well. So for us, it has just been a 

In line with its determination to 

revolutionize the gaming industry in Nigeria 

and Africa, premium gaming services 

provider Western Lotto Nigeria Limited has 

expanded its brand portfolio by launching 

Lotto9ja Limited. 

Unveiling the new online gaming platform, 

www.lotto9ja.com.ng, in Lagos, during the 

weekend, the General Manager, Western 

lotto/lotto9ja, Mr. Tajudeen Usman, said 

Lotto9ja was the future of online gaming in 

Nigeria. 

“After a 2-year bullish run along the 

mandatory brand growth curve, full of 

challenges, leanings and acquired assets, we 

are once again proud to announce that one 

more star has been added to our crown, 

www.lotto9ja.com.ng – the spirit of 9ja!,” he 

said. 

Usman explained that 

www.lotto9ja.com.ng was created and 

positioned to offer premium gaming services 

to Nigeria’s growing online gaming 

population. 

“Lotto9ja will leverage on lessons learnt 

and consolidate on gains made. We now know 

that online gamers are loyal to the spirit of 

9ja; they want rapid exciting games that 

deliver instant results and many winners. 

They want games they can call their own and 

bond with as their own,” he said. 

According to Usman, Lotto9ja took the best 

the world has to offer, infused them with all 

that is positive and great about 9ja. “Lotto9ja 

offers games that are proudly Nigerian in 

their appeal. So, every Nigerian, across 

cultures and demographics is factored in the 

new lotto9ja,” he added. 

He also said there is something for those 

who want rapid gratification, instant 

gratification, as well as something for the 

big-time Very Important Personalities (VIPs) 

who play big ball! “Whatever the inclination, 

Lotto9ja caters for it. Above all, the prize is 

guaranteed; winnings will be the hallmark 

of experiences at www.lotto9ja.com.ng,” 

challenge that we are excited about. 

It is something that we are very 

passionate as a business to solve. We 

had put a lot of time, a lot of effort, a 

lot of energy, a lot of learning over 

the last six years or seven years trying 

to get to a point where we are very 

comfortable with taking our 

business to the wider market. 

However, I think banks will 

definitely take this space more 

seriously and we are seeing that 

now. 

We have a lot of banks coming up 

with really good solutions to the 

same market and I think it is helping 

the space grow overall. Again, there 

are more people who understand 

how to borrow effectively, 

understand that there are different 

options for them to borrow and that 

creates a bigger market for all of us 

to play. 

The CBN recently mandated 

banks to loan out 60% of their 

deposits, how will this directive 

affect a consumer fintech firm like 

Renmoney? 

I think it is quite positive actually. 

Most of the banks are not too far 

away from 60% but there is an extra 

incentive for them to lend to 

consumers and to small businesses 

as well. When you have a very active 

sector in any industry, it creates an 

opportunity for all the players there 

to differentiate a bit and offer better 

services. We are very customerfocused 

and we are of the opinion 

that anything that increases 

competition is a good thing for us. 

It forces us to better give our 

audience more options. So next year, 

anybody who chooses to apply for a 

loan from Renmoney means that 

there’s something we are doing really 

well. We are not concerned about 

West 

estern ern Lott 

tto diver 

ersif 

sifies, ies, births 

lott 

tto9ja 

Usman assured. 

Launched in 2017, Western Lotto 

Nigeria Limited set out to revolutionize 

the gaming industry in Nigeria and Africa 

as a whole. Its mission was to change the 

gaming landscape in Nigeria through 

dedicated and proprietary technology. 

The platform rapidly became a 

phenomenon that inspired the 

establishment of several other competitive 

brands hence, Western Lotto expanded to 

create Western Bet, a sister company, with 

who she evolved into what is now known 

as Western Lotto and Bet. 

Usman said Western Lotto and Bet has 

become a formidable house of two 

extraordinary brands that have defied 

their start-up status to effectively compete 

with others that have been in the market 

for decades before they were established. 

According to him, both brands are highend 

technology-driven platforms with 

regional offices across Nigeria, with 

aspirations to expand to the West Coast of 

Africa, providing undiluted entertainment 

through lotteries and sports betting. 

Apart from operating the largest lottery 

and sports bet network in the country, both 

brands also embark on good causes as a 

responsible corporate citizen, maintain 

fair and transparent business 

transactions, and build trust. 

This they do by delivering on their 

brands’ promises and reward to winners. 

They also provide other sources of income 

for the entrepreneurs, middle and low 

income masses. 

The general manager, however, raised 

the alarm that while both brands worked 

assiduously on their games, their brand 

essence was being cloned by unscrupulous 

elements. “While we worked, we 

determined not to be distracted by such 

and remained focused on the finish line. 

“However, we demand that our rights 

and sovereignty as a brand must be 

respected across board. 

any negative impact per say; we 

actually see it as a move to broaden 

the market that we are all trying to 

serve. 

Many consumer lending 

organisations are springing up, is 

the consumer lending sector 

getting to a saturation point? 

I think the market in Nigeria is 

growing very fast like the number 

of people we have that are under 18 

that are now coming of age going 

into work, going into setting up 

businesses. It is a very big market. 

The other thing there is that one of 

the very underserved part of the 

consumer segment is actually 

SMEs, micro businesses, the sole 

traders and those people who are 

hustling, making money from it and 

doing genuinely good business. That 

is a market that is not very served so 

far by any of the traditional 

institutions or most of the micro 

lenders that you see today. However, 

the more players that we have 

coming into the market actually 

creates more opportunities. It helps 

the market grow. One thing you find 

with these players is that a lot of them 

tend to focus on their niche, some of 

them are focused on agric lending, 

some of them are focused on lending 

to e-commerce businesses, and there 

is a lot for everybody to play with. I 

think we are very far away from a 

SATURDAY Vanguard, , AUGUST 3,2019—41 

saturation point in Nigeria. problems opening 64 new bank 

As an outsider, I can see that accounts a month. However, we are 

many of the consumer lenders very happy about the development 

pursue the same business model from the central bank to actually 

in terms of vetting documents mandate all the micro-finance 

and disbursing loans. How is banks to do this. If we think about 

Renmoney different from this, there are over 800 active microfinance 

banks in the country right 

other fintech lenders? 

We are different because now and if every one of them opens 

we focus, trying to make 64 new accounts per month, it goes 

the service as seamless a long way to meet our financial 

as possible during inclusion goals for 2020. We are 

the onboarding really excited whenever we see 

process where initiatives like this that actually go 

you apply for to drive the market forward and 

that loan. We actually increase the amount of 

also want to people who are now banked. That 

make it as just makes a much bigger market 

quick as for all of us to eventually serve in the 

possible and long term. 

we want to I have spotted Renmoney’s 

stress you as mobile kiosks around locations in 

little as Lagos, how has this affected your 

possible when customer base? 

you have a It has been really positive. We have 

need that you been actually quite surprised at how 

are coming to much traction we have gained with 

us for. We are this. It all stems from talking to our 

not doing you a customers and trying to understand 

favour by what they need and focusing on them 

providing you a first rather than focusing on what is 

loan. You are convenient for us as a business. We 

choosing to do have found that a lot of customers 

business with us would pop into wherever the kiosks 

and we want to are located or the mobile service 

make that centres are during their lunch breaks 

relationship as or before they go work to drop off a 

seamless and as document, to print out a bank 

quick and as suited statement or something like that. 

to your needs as So, for the convenience factor for 

possible. So, we use a lot of customers, it has been a really good 

technology, use a lot of data that we addition and we are actually very 

have gathered over the last seven happy with the performance so far. 

years to make decisions that I also realized that in this part of 

actually simplify the process for the world we have some illiterate 

customers coming in today. Right ones doing business and most of 

now at Renmoney, we only ask for them will also like to access loans 

three key pieces of information; from Renmoney, what is the 

your bank statement to prove your average loan default rate at 

financial profile. Secondly, your Renmoney and steps you are 

identity card to prove who you are taking to mitigate its impact on the 

and your address for us to know company? 

where you live. 

Our default rates are in line with 

It is really those three things that our regulatory guidelines for microfinance 

banks. We are very happy 

we focus on. 

If you looked at our business five with where our default rates are. In 

years ago, there were a lot more order to mitigate the impact, we use 

documents that we would have a lot of data and technology in our 

asked for, there were a lot more decision-making to make sure we 

checks that we would have done but give the loans out to the right 

we are just using that knowledge that customers as they start. We actually 

we have and the head start we have don’t find any worse performance 

and some of these other players in from people who are illiterate than 

the market to simplify the process people who are literate. In fact, some 

for consumers. 

of the better performing businesses 

Recently, the Central Bank of out there are started by people who 

Nigeria (CBN) mandated microfinance 

banks to get 64 new sometimes, they didn’t go to 

didn’t go to university and 

customers per month. How do you secondary schools. We make sure 

intend to overcome this challenge that our technology allows us to 

given that many people who are build a very strong financial 

unbanked are reluctant to open footprint and a picture of you as a 

bank accounts? 

person and your financial entity and 

I think this is one of the benefits that is what we lend to. Our goal is 

where our scale or the size of our to try and do all of these in less than 

business comes in handy for us. We a few minutes so we can lend that 

are not going to have any real money to you as quickly as possible. 

Khade 

Idogho 

From L-R: 1 st Vice 

President, National 

Institute of Marketing, 

Nigeria Dr.Mustapha 

Umar; President, 

National Institute of 

Marketing, Nigeria, 

Tony Agenmonmen and 

MD/CEO, Mouka 

Nigeria, Limited, 

Raymond Murphy at the 

NIMN Investiture 

ceremony held in Lagos 

recently. 

L-R: Head of Sales, 

Resourcery Plc, Angela 

Chike -Dike; MD 

Resourcery Plc, Tani 

Fafunwa, presenting the 

prestigious Uptime Institute 

Tier III Design Certification 

to the GT Bank IT team led 

by Group Head, Technology 

Division, Olusina Ayegbusi, 

and Group Head Service 

Management, Olawale 

Williams, in Lagos recently 

Pix L-R: Mariam Dunoma, 

Baby Salma Dunoma; Engr. 

Saleh Dunoma, Former 

Managing Director, FAAN & 

Salim Dunoma,during a 

sendforh reception in honor 

of the former Managing 

Director, Federal Airports 

Authority of Nigeria FAAN. 

PHOTO; Kehinde 

Gbadamosi


poet friend, Mr Okujere. I 

exhaled in exasperation, 

knowing it was going to be 

another lengthy session in 

the house with visitors. 

************************************************ 

Two months had passed 

since the meeting at the party 

secretariat, and there had 

been no move by the 

governor to call for a followup 

meeting as promised. The 

state’s political landscape had 

become steeped in the 

looming confrontation with 

Abuja. The splinter group in 

the state chapter of our party 

suddenly became the 

anointed voice of the national 

powers. Its arrowhead, Chief 

Jeremiah Adiotomre, was 

the governor’s long-standing 

political opponent. Against 

all pleas he had gone ahead 

to form a parallel state party 

structure beyond the 

legitimate party congresses 

held three months earlier. In 

every small gathering of 

opposition politics. ‘O boy, I 

no wan suffer,’ became the 

common refrain. 

It was in the midst of this 

whirlwind that we were 

summoned to a caucus 

meeting by Chief Gabriel 

Ogbodo, the state chairman 

of our faction of Blue Party. 

And, being a gathering for a 

select few, he chose his 

country home in Abraka as 

the venue. I knew the place 

well as I had been there twice; 

it was about an hour’s 

journey from Asaba. The 

meeting had been slated for 

noon, but I arrived at the 

light-brown mansion twenty 

minutes earlier and tucked 

my car in the innermost 

section of the L- Shaped 

parking space which ran 

around the building. I did not 

disembark from the vehicle 

when I switched it off. 

Instead, I waited out the last 

strains of Bob Marley’s 

Natural Mystic filtering from 

the stereo. The song had run 

its course before I stepped 

out of my Camry. 

Other invited guests stood 

about in front of the onestory 

edifice, wrapped in the 

warm rays of the sun. When I 

looked around, I couldn’t 

help but marvel at the 

scenery. Between the zebrastriped 

pavements hedging 

the borders of the parking 

space and the house sat a 

manicured piece of 

vegetation. A fountain 

gurgled happily in the middle 

of the greenery while two 

elegantly feathered birds 

chirped around the water 

point. The chairman had 

obviously given his house a 

facelift as that part of the 

house had previously been 

filled with sand and pebbles. 

A smile broke out when I 

turned my focus to the 

cigarette haze lingering near 

the entrance to the house. 

Ijele. When Ijele finally 

reached us, we responded to 

his hello in muted tones. 

“Mr Benjamin, good to see 

you again,” he said, his 

voice dipping into its calm 

and measured tenor. “I 

knew I was going to meet 

you here.” He dug in his 

crumpled agbada and 

fished out a pen. 

Brandishing it like it was a 

gold bar, he proudly 

announced that he had 

helped me retrieve the 

plastic biro I left at our party 

secretariat during the last 

meeting with the governor. 

I tried my best to avoid 

Odum and Clifford’s stares, 

especially as I knew Odum 

was trying to catch my 

attention. I didn’t want to 

make Ijele uncomfortable. 

When Clifford forced an 

awkward cough, excused 

himself, and began to walk 

away, I turned to Ijele, 

thanked him for his 

thoughtfulness and took the 

pen from him. He stomped 

away just as swiftly as he 

had arrived, leaving behind 

that decaying mango smell. 

“What have you just 

done?” Odum asked with a 

stern frown. 

“How? You mean I 

shouldn’t have taken it from 

him?” I said and turned the 

pen to get a closer look. 

Odum cautiously stretched 

out his neck to take a 

glimpse, keeping a safe 

distance between us. “O 

boy, life is not the way you 

look at it. It’s only your mind 

you know. You can’t tell 

about others,” he said. 

“How do you mean?” I 

asked. 

He sighed, knocked off the 

ash on his cigarette and 

looked straight at me, his 

cheekbones more evident 

than ever. “Benjy, you don’t 

know anything. Of course 

He nodded then 

whistled when we 

pulled up to my 

house. “Fantastic. The entire 

place don change o. If I 

remember correctly, this 

sky-blue wasn’t the color of 

your house.” 

“Sure. The whole building 

was so covered with dust 

after the road was done that 

I had to repaint the entire 

house.” 

He began to pick his nose. I 

doubt that he knew it was a 

very disgusting thing to do. 

He whistled again and said, 

“O boy, you guys are not 

doing badly at all. Repainting 

the whole premises in this 

period of recession … 

hmmm.” 

I quickly pulled up by the 

entrance to the mechanic’s 

workshop and told him the 

mechanic’s name. He 

expressed his gratitude, and, 

as he got off the car, he asked 

if he could get my phone 

number. When he dug his 

hands into the pockets of his 

Blue Party ankara to search 

for his smartphone, he 

yelped like he’d been burnt. 

Apparently, he had left his 

phone in his car. Ijele pulled 

out a little sheet of paper 

from his trouser pocket. “I 

can take the number here,” 

he said, smiling 

mischievously. 

I reached for my jacket to 

offer him my pen, but the 

pockets were empty. That 

was when I realized that I 

had left my pen at the 

secretariat. Odum had failed 

to retrieve it from the people 

that had used it after him. 

Thank God it wasn’t my 

award pen. Losing the 

ballpoint pen did not really 

faze me because it was 

cheap. When I told Ijele that 

I did not have a pen, he 

asked that I call out the 

number so he could 

memorize it. I quickly did 

that while hoping that he 

would not notice the relief 

etched on my face when he 

finally lumbered toward the 

mechanic shop. The smell of 

rotten mangoes slowly 

dissipated, and I let out a 

sigh. 

As I drove into my 

compound, the governor’s 

faded campaign poster that 

had been on my gate since 

the elections three years ago 

drew my mind to the very 

troubling issues he raised at 

our party meeting. How do 

we stand the onslaught of the 

powers at the federal capital? 

Could this be the beginning 

of the end of our group? I was 

still pondering these odds 

when my wife and son, Jude, 

walked out of the door. She 

pointed to the four vehicles 

parked in the compound, 

and when I looked, the only 

car I could recognize was the 

old Volkswagen Passat of my 

politicians, Chief 

Adiotomre’s unholy activities 

were the topic of discussion. 

I should state though that 

while those of us on the 

governor’s side saw Chief 

Adiotomre’s challenge as 

unholy, his followers, who 

were clearly minorities in the 

Blue Party, rejoiced over 

what they believed was a 

godsend opportunity to 

overturn the dominance of 

the governor’s mainstream 

team. As developments at the 

national capital trickled into 

the streets, Chief 

Adiotomre’s followers 

became the cynosure of all 

eyes. You could easily 

identify them at drinking 

joints and other public 

squares as their expressions 

rang the loudest. 

Things grew worse when 

word seeped out that the 

new-found zest in 

Adiotomre’s camp was 

fueled by the number of 

people from the governor’s 

group who sneaked around at 

night to court their 

friendship. They were 

political characters of easy 

virtues who did not hesitate 

to place one leg at 

Adiotomre’s camp while 

retaining the second in the 

governor’s camp. It was 

certain they believed that 

hedging their bets both ways 

would ensure they were not 

caught in the lurch of 

Things grew worse when word seeped 

out that the new-found zest in 

Adiotomre’s camp was fueled by the 

number of people from the governor’s 

group who sneaked around at night to 

court their friendship 

Odum, who had equally 

been anxious about the next 

move of our political group, 

was already chatting with 

two other party members. As 

I strolled towards the group, 

the shorter of the two men 

left and walked briskly 

towards the lodge. 

Two minutes had barely 

passed when I noticed a man 

dressed in a white agbada 

and red cap walking into the 

compound. His black walking 

stick hardly touched the 

ground as he hastened his 

steps. The gait was familiar, 

but he had almost reached us 

before I realized it was Ijele 

Agaza. He never called even 

though he had taken my 

phone number, and I had not 

bothered to reach out. As he 

approached us, I concluded 

he must have parked his 

vehicle outside the 

compound or had come via 

public transport. 

I turned to Odum and his 

friend, Clifford. They too 

were focused on the fairskinned 

party officer–my 

initial gaze had obviously 

drawn their attention to 

we were all at that last 

meeting; but why should the 

man be carrying around an 

ordinary fifty-naira biro and 

looking for you for more than 

two months?” 

At this point, I began to feel 

uneasy. I unzipped my 

purse, wrenched out a sheet 

from my little jotter, and 

scribbled some lines on the 

white paper. “It’s the same 

blue pen,” I mumbled, not 

sure if I intended to make a 

statement or ask a question. 

“So?” 

I glared at Odum with 

increasing mindfulness. “I 

actually gave him a lift in my 

car after the meeting,” I said. 

“Hmmmm,” he mumbled. 

“That was how he knew we 

had misplaced the pen. I’m 

sure he later picked it at the 

secretariat,” I said. 

Odum stared at me. “My 

brother, there are situations 

in which you must apply 

wisdom or people will just 

destroy you. Spiritual 

wickedness is all over the 

place.” 

Continues next week

Juliet Ebirim 

08137897935 

juliet.ebirim@gmail.com 

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 3 , 2019—43 

Senator Ita Giwa hosts 

Ian & Gladys Brown 

Aliko Dangote redeems 

AFCON pledge 

Dangote 

Africa's wealthiest man and Nigerian philanthropist, 

Aliko Dangote has redeemed his pledge of $50,000 to 

the Super Eagles. 

Recall that at the just-concluded 2019 African Cup of Nations 

in Egypt, Dangote and his billionaire friend Femi Otedola 

pledged $75,000 together for every goal scored by the Super 

Eagles of Nigeria in the knockout stage of the tournament. 

Yesterday, Otedola redeemed his pledge of $25000 per goal 

to representatives of the Super Eagles. The representatives 

also made a visit to Olakunle Alake, GMD of Dangote Group 

who presented them with a cheque of $50,000 of behalf of Aliko 

Dangote. 

The team was represented by John Ogu, Team Admin. Enebi 

Achor and Kit manager Chidi Ngoka,' the Nigeria Football 

Federation wrote on Instagram. 

On Dino Melaye's 

ambition 

Senator Dino Melaye, the 

People's Democratic 

Party's Governorship 

aspirant in Kogi State shared 

his dream of becoming a President 

after the realization of his 

Governorship ambition in a 

meeting with party excos at the 

party secretariat in Lokoja. 

The Senator representing 

Kogi West Constituency also 

presented his blueprint comprising 

his mission and vision 

for the state when he visited the 

NUJ press center on Wednesday 

July 31. 

Dino Melaye stated that he 

was in the governorship race to 

build a 'New Kogi' and he also 

sees it as a stepping stone to 

his presidential ambition which 

will take off in 2027. 

“I have no father, uncle, inlaw 

or godfathers to pilot my 

ambition, but I have the requisite 

requirements to face the 

APC candidate in the election. I 

fear no body, I only respect 

human beings. I have been 

arrested 18 times within the last 

three years and I have 12 cases 

in court, but I’m still standing. I 

have what it takes to face and 

rescue the state from Yahaya 

Bello,” he said. 

•Senator Melaye 

Penultimate Friday, Senator 

Florence Ita-Giwa treated Ian 

and Gladys Brown to a lavish 

dinner at her high-end restaurant, 

Echoes of Calabar. This was her way of 

appreciating the couple for being loyal 

customers of her Echoes of Calabar 

Restaurant. 

The feast attracted a flock of top Lagos 

socialites to the restaurant. Those in 

attendance include billionaire 

businessman, Harry Ayoade Akande, 

Ayo Karim, popular event planner – 

Ndidi Obioha, Omawumi, Uti 

Nwachukwu among others. The treat 

included an expansive menu 

comprising both local and continental 

dishes accompanied with fruit cocktails 

and champagne. 

The couple got married three months 

ago. Gladys is a Nigerian-UK consultant 

and luxury personal shopper, while Ian 

is an Oil and Gas engineer. 

Located in Victoria Island, Lagos, the 

plush restaurant has literally become the 

haven for many notable Nigerians of all 

hues, who visit the place to have a feel 

of the abundance of hospitality the 

restaurant readily offers. 

Gen. Babagana Monguno’s special gift to 

Prof. Wole Soyinka 

The truth is that no matter how specific to 

military life a defence top brass’ training is, 

time also instilled in them soft skills. This 

applies to General Babagana Monguno (Rtd) 

Nigeria’s incumbent National Security Adviser. The 

Borno State-born General has held different 

prestigious positions in the Nigerian Army including, 

Commander, Guards Brigade; Deputy Commandant, 

Monguno's portrait to Prof. Wole Soyinka 

The House of Models Reality TV Show ended 

on a grand note, with Agbomere Osemobo 

also known as Priceless outsmarting twenty other 

contestants to clinch the grand prize of 3,000 

dollars and a brand new car. 

Other winners are Ezechukwu Stephanie (1st 

runner up), Amebi Godwin Young (2nd runner up), 

Musa Asekhame (3rd runner up) and Nwokeke 

Juliet Nneoma (4th runner up). 

The contestants were selected at the auditions 

held in Lagos, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Abuja and 

Owerri and camped in a house for 20 days, where 

they engaged on various tasks and challenges 

related to modelling and entertainment to 

determine their strength and weakness. 

Osemobo, who aspires to be a professional model 

and singer, said that she did not see herself winning 

the ultimate prize. “This happens to be my first 

contest and my first time in Lagos. I didn’t see this 

coming but I came and I conquered. I happened to 

be the most quiet person in the house. Some even 

gave me the nickname, ‘Mummy G. O’, because of 

my calmness but my vote actually counted and I 

won.” the Counselling and Educational Psychology 

graduate of the University of Abuja said. 

The organisers of the show, Emmanuel and Joseph 

Etim said the show is geared towards giving Nigerian 

youths the opportunity to showcase their talents to the 

world. “House of Models Reality TV show is a 

platform which we use to mentor and showcase 

models and link them to some corporate brands, so 

that they could get endorsement deals,” they said. 

Senator Ita Giwa and Ian & Gladys Brown 

National Defense College; Chief of 

Defense Intelligence (CDI); Chief of 

Defense Logistics and Commander, 

Training and Doctrine Command 

Oshodi Lagos before his retirement. 

Apart from his successful military 

career, Monguno is also an artist; he 

draws and plays saxophone. And he 

put one of those special soft skills to 

use last weekend. As part of the weeklong 

85th birthday celebration of Prof. 

Wole Soyinka, the retired General 

took time to personally sketched 

different portraits of the Nobel 

laureate and presented the framed 

piece of work to the octogenarian 

literary giant in Lagos. 

Soyinka, we gathered, was really 

enthralled by the work of art and 

expressed appreciation and thanks to 

the NSA, for the gift. "It's fascinating 

and nice for the NSA Gen. Monguno 

to take time to make the sketches. I 

am pleasantly surprised. Thank you 

General," he was quoted. 

People n Places gathered that 

Soyinka is one of very few Nigerians 

Monguno rever. Though a brother to 

all and as a member of the great Kings 

College, Lagos alumnus, he interacts 

better with friends feeling at home, 

while in their company. 

Agbomere Osemobo emerges winner 

of House of Models Reality TV Show 

•Agbomere Osenobor


Man Utd agree 

£80m fee for 

Maguire 

Manchester United have agreed terms with Leicester City over the £80 million 

($97m) transfer of Harry Maguire to Old Trafford. 

The 20-time English champions had been chasing the centreback 

for the entire summer having curtailed plans to bring him to 

the club 12 months earlier, with the boyhood United fan 

having indicated some weeks ago that he was 

flattered by the club’s interest in him. 

But now they are set to pay a world-record 

fee for a defender to make Maguire a United 

player, pending the result of a medical. 

The transfer exceeds the previous 

record of £75m ($91m) that Liverpool 

paid Southampton for Virgil van Dijk 

back in January 2018. 

The 26-year-old’s status in the 

game was raised during England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018, and his continued 

form for Leicester since arriving at the King Power Stadium in 2017 also caught United’s eye. 

Maguire started his career with local club Sheffield United before joining Hull City for 

£3m ($4.8m) in 2014, and three years later he moved on to the Foxes for a fee rising to £17m 

($22m). 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been keen to add a top-level centre-back to his squad for some 

time, and Maguire was the club’s number one target in that department. 

Maguire had already been left out of the Leicester squad to face Atalanta in a pre-season 

friendly on Friday night and could now complete his switch to Old Trafford in the coming 

days. 

That could see him become available for a potential debut when the Red Devils' Premier 

League season gets underway against Chelsea on August 11. 

Transfer market thickens as DStv, GOtv get set for new season 

With just two weeks left 

before the 2019/2020 

European football season 

opener, the various clubs are 

ramping up their activities in 

the transfer market, seeking 

to recruit players to beef up 

their squad. 

The La Liga has been the 

hot spot for the biggest 

transfer news in the last 

couple of weeks, especially 

with the long-mooted move 

of Antoine Griezmann from 

Atletico Madrid to Barcelona 

completed. 

The French forward’s buyout 

clause was set at a 

reported €200 million, 

although Atletico are 

claiming that he had agreed 

his move to the Catalan 

giants before 1 July and they 

should, therefore, receive a 

higher total. Regardless, the 

actuality of Griezmann 

linking up with the great 

€Maguire 

Anderlecht drop interest in Onuachu 

Belgian giants Anderlecht have decided to pull the plug on their plan to 

sign Nigeria international Paul Onuachu in the summer transfer window. 

The FC Midtjylland star has been linked with a departure from the 

Superliga side with Anderlecht, Club Brugge and Racing Genk 

credited with an interest but none of the proposed deals has 

materialized. 

According to Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, Anderlecht are in 

advanced talks to sign Leeds United striker Kemar Roofe and this will effectively 

end their interest in Onuachu. 

The Super Eagles star has two years to run on his current contract with FC Midtjylland who 

are looking to sell him to the highest bidder. 

Onuachu netted 22 goals in 40 games in all competitions and provided six assists last season, 

helping Midtjylland win the Danish Cup and finish second in the league. 

The FC Ebedei product entered the field in three games at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Lionel Messi is one that will 

have Barcelona fans really 

excited for the new season. 

The 2019/2020 European 

football season, comprising 

matches of the English 

Premier League, the Spanish 

La Liga and the Italian Serie 

A, will be broadcast live on 

DStv and GOtv. 

Atletico have also been 

extremely busy in the transfer 

market. Asides Griezmann’s 

departure, the club has also 

seen midfielder Rodri leave 

for Premier League 

champions, Manchester City, 

for a reported fee of €70 

million. But they have 

brought in youngster Joao 

Felix, an attacking player 

from Benfica, for a whopping 

€126 million – the biggest fee 

spent in this summer’s 

transfer market yet. 

Felix’s signing for such a 

huge sum was a surprise, 

€Onuachu 

though the versatile 19-yearold 

Portuguese starlet has 

immense promise and could 

prove a great buy in the long 

run. Rodri, meanwhile, is 

seen very much as the longterm 

replacement at the 

Gueye had outgrown Eve 

At the completion of catchy transfers, the cliched ‘dream move’ 

tag is often thrown around, especially when it signifies the 

player taking a leap of advancement or progression in his career. 

While Idrissa Gueye’s move from Everton to Paris Saint- 

Germain represents a significant jump financially for the player, 

as well as an immediate change in club ambition and 

expectation, perhaps a more appropriate phrase ought to be 

‘better late than never’, owing to the circumstances 

surrounding the transfer. 

Around six months ago, Thomas Tuchel’s side attempted 

to sign the ball-winning midfielder on deadline day, but their 

approach was rejected by the Toffees. For the 29-year-old, that 

must have been a real kick in the teeth. Having made a name 

for himself in the last few years as one of the Premier League’s 

top tacklers, his chance to compete with the best had seemingly 

arrived, only for the Blues to turn down the Parisians. 

The disappointment of not swapping Merseyside for Paris 

couldn’t be hidden either, with Gueye openly expressing his 

disillusionment at the failed move. 

“It is a dream that sadly did not come true, but I was honoured that 

PSG were interested in me,” the midfielder said in February. “I am going 

to work even more so that they come back to me. Maybe it is not finished 

with PSG.” 

A move to the City of Lights has finally materialized, much to the player’s 

elation. While it’s hard to tell if there was an agreement in place between 

both clubs for a summer transfer, the French giants could so easily have 

switched attention to other targets. 

Etihad Stadium for 

Fernandinho and adds 

further depth of quality to 

Pep Guardiola’s already 

stacked squad. 

Tottenham Hotspur also 

made waves in England after 

it secured Tanguy Ndombele 

from Olympique Lyon for a 

club-record €60 million. A 

wonderful all-round 

midfielder and superb athlete, 

the 22-year-old should be a 

great fit for English football 

and strengthens Spurs’ bid to 

shatter the dominance of City 

and Liverpool. 

Chelsea, despite their 

transfer ban, finalised the loan 

deal of midfielder Mateo 

Kovacic by making his move 

from Real Madrid. This was 

allowed because Kovacic’s 

initial move was completed 

before the sanction was 

applied. More important for 

the Blues, however, was the 

Solskjaer quie 

speculation 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has remained 

United are in talks to swap Romelu L 

Both clubs have entered into discussions 

biggest deals of the transfer window so far 

Antonio Conte’s Inter have been chasing 

thought they are unable to match United’s 

price. 

Instead, Juventus look to have jumped 

and are happy to offer Dybala as part of a 

Speaking after United’s win against 

acknowledged that the Red Devils were lo 

before next Thursday’s deadline, but woul 

in Dybala when specifically asked about th 

“I’m not here to talk about any rumours or s 

Solskjaer said. 

"But, of course, we’re working on one or t 

another 10 days before we start the lea 

hopefully we can announce a fr 

or two." 

Lukaku has not p 

single minute for U 

pre-season, with S 

adamant that a 

stopped him 

taking par 

matches 

club’s 

Asia ea 

mon 

€Dybala 

appointment of club legend 

Frank Lampard as manager, 

replacing Maurizio Sarri. 

Sarri has returned to Italy to 

take charge of champions, 

Juventus, who have 

conducted some decent deals 

in the transfer market. The 

club sold Leonardo 

Spinazzola to Roma for €29.5 

million, and brought in 

Cristian Romero for €26m. 

But the biggest move yet in 

Italy in this transfer window 

has been the transfer of the 

‘Greek god’, 

Konstantinos Manolas, from 

Roma to Napoli for €36 

million. There has been 

speculation that this move 

might open the door for the 

Neapolitans to sell star 

defender, Kalidou Koulibaly, 

although the Senegalese 

remains a part of the team at 

Stadio San Paolo for now.

ton 


t on Dybala 

tight-lipped on reports that Manchester 

ukaku for Juventus striker Paulo Dybala. 

that could potentially result in one of the 

. 

Lukaku throughout the summer, but it is 

eported €83 million (£76m/$93m) asking 

o the front of the queue for the Belgian 

deal . 

Kristiansund on Tuesday, Solskjaer 

oking to complete ‘one or two’ signings 

not confirm that they were interested 

Argentina forward. 

peculation about other team’s players," 

wo cases, as I’ve said before. There’s 

gue and 

esh face 

layed a 

nited in 

olskjaer 

n injury 

from 

in any 

in the 

tour of 

rlier this 

th. 

€Gueye 

Jay-Z signs Chukwueze 

THERE’s no better time to be 

a proud Nigerian than now 

after it was confirmed that Super 

Eagles star, Samuel Chuwkuweze 

has signed a deal with Roc Nation 

sports owned by American rapper 

Jay-Z. 

The last few weeks have been 

great for Nigeria on the 

entertainment scene in general and 

it all started with Beyonce, wife of 

Jay-Z featuring a couple of the 

country’s top musicians on her gift 

album which was the official 

soundtrack album for the liveaction 

remake of the popular 

animated film Lion King. 

Chukwueze’s deal with Rock 

nation sports is the cherry on the 

cake and it shows that sport is also 

not left out. The 19-year-old who 

plays for Villarreal was one of the 

breakout stars of the 2018/2019 

season. 

He came to the attention of 

people when he ran ragged Real 

Madrid’s defence in a La Liga clash 

between the Yellow Submarines 

and Los Blancos. 

He proved his performance that 

night was not a fluke as he backed 

it up against another Spanish 

giant in Barcelona, scoring in that 

game. 

His form for Villarreal last season 

earned him a spot in Super Eagles 

squad that finished third at the 

2019 Africa Cup Of Nations in 

Egypt. He marked his debut 

tournament for the national team 

with a goal against South Africa, 

Guardiola hits 

back at Klopp 

ep Guardiola has hit back at Jurgen Klopp's 

P comments on Manchester City's spending 

in the transfer market, rejecting the notion that 

Liverpool cannot compete with the Premier 

League champions financially. 

The Reds have been relatively quiet in the summer window in 

terms of signing new players, with teenage starlets Sepp van den 

Berg and Harvey Elliott the only fresh arrivals at Anfield so far. 

City, on the other hand, shelled out a club-record fee of £62.8 

million to bring Spanish midfielder Rodri to the Etihad Stadium 

from Atletico Madrid earlier this month, after identifying the need 

to bring in cover for 34-year-old Fernandinho in midfield. 

Klopp has defended Liverpool's lack of activity in the market by 

claiming that only City, Paris Saint Germain, Real Madrid and 

Barcelona can "constantly" bring in the world's biggest names. 

The German boss will take his side to Wembley on Sunday to face 

off against Guardiola's side in the Community Shield and his 

counterpart has come out to try and set the record straight. 

The City manager dismissed Klopp's comments as "not true" before 

insisting that he "cannot spend £200m every season" at the Etihad. 

"It bothers me because it's not true that we spend hundreds of 

millions every transfer window," Guardiola said at a press conference 

on Friday. 

"It's Liverpool, 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. It's not a small team. It's 

Liverpool. Of course, I don't like it because it's not true. Last season 

we spent £17m -- one seven -- on just one player. 

"We cannot spend £200m every season. That is the reality. Other 

managers can say what they say but I can only say that is not true." 

Nwosu hails Osimhen's move to Lille 

Henry Nwosu believes Victor Osimhen’s move from Sporting Charleroi to 

Lille is a ‘right step in the right direction’. 

On Thursday, the young striker completed his switch to the Great Danes from 

the Belgian First Division A club, penning a five-year deal with the French Ligue 

1 side. 

Lille secured the signature of the Nigeria international as a replacement for 

Ivorian forward Nicolas Pepe, who joined Arsenal for a club-record £72million 

fee. 

Nwosu is delighted with the transfer of the youngster, who notched 20 goals 

across all competitions for Charleroi last season, and believes the Stade Pierre- 

Mauroy outfit will help in his development. 

“It is a right step in the right direction. He did very well at Charleroi, scoring a lot 

of goals and I believe he will perform better in Lille,” Nwosu told Goal. 

“He is growing, he is still young and Lille is a place where he can improve more 

and develop his talent. I am sure he will not be under pressure that can derail his 

performance because there is always pressure in football anyway. 

winning Man of the Match award 

also. 

His latest deal with Roc Nations 

is a proof of how far the Abia state 

indigene has come and also why 

he is Nigeria’s biggest star. 

According to popular sports 

journalist and CEO of Campsbay 

media, Lolade Adewuyi, Samuel 

Chukwueze’s performance at the 

Nations cup proves he is shaping 

up to be Nigeria’s next marketable 

footballer. 

The Sports minister we 

need – Peter Oboh 

BY JACOB AJOM 

PRESIDENT Mohammadu 

Buhari has been called 

upon to give the sports sector 

the best minister it has ever had 

in view of the enormous 

potentials available in that 

sector. 

Speaking to sports journalists 

at his office in Apapa, former 

British and Commonwealth 

Lightheavy weight champion 

Peter Oboh advised the 

President to appoint a sports 

loving and God-fearing 

individual as sports minister. 

“We are tired of seeing people 

who come to the ministry and 

assume the position of 

dictatorial emperors whose 

personal interests override 

national interest; whose primary 

Peter Oboh 

aim is how to get more from 

sports than what they can give 

into sports,” he said. 

Oboh remarked that the 

Nigerian sports sector needed 

someone with a clear vision as to 

what and where he wants Nigeria 

to be in the next four years. “We 

have a lot to do in terms of sports 

development from the 

grassroots,” he said, pointing out 

that “we should learn to take 

advantage of our huge 

population. Nigeria is not just a 

nation, it is the united state of 

nations with diverse 

endowments in talent and skill. 

We have wrestlers in South 

South, sprinters in the South West 

and South East, long distance 

runners in the north, 

basketballers in both north and 

south, and so on. We need a 

minister who can identify these 

areas of comparative advantage 

and direct our developmental 

efforts in those directions. 

Enough of talking ministers. We 

need action ministers,” Oboh 

restated. 

He said a minister who knows 

his onions should court the 

patronage of the private sector in 

the execution of sports 

programmes, “Nigeria is blessed 

with some of the richest 

individuals in the world who can 

contribute enormously to the 

development of sports in the 

country. The likes of Dangote, 

Otedola among others can do 

more if well approached. We 

need a minister who can court and 

win them over to sports.” 

Kick Boxing: Stakeholders 

hail Abubakar over 

federation constitution 

STAKEHOLDERS at the just concluded Annual General 

Meeting of the Kickboxing Federation of Nigeria held on Friday, 

July 26, at the Media Centre of the National Stadium, Lagos, 

have applauded the president of the federation, Abubakar 

Yakubu, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) for providing the 

body with a working constitution ahead of the deadline given by 

the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development for all 

sports federations to produce their constitutions. 

The members praised the president for providing quality 

leadership and pledged their 

unalloyed support and loyalty 

to his administration. 

The Federal Ministry of 

Youth and Sports Development 

representative at the AGM, 

Mrs Nkana Mbora also 

commended the KBFN 

president, CSP Abubakar 

Yakubu for not only providing 

a constitution for the 

federation, but for his 

charismatic leadership which 

was responsible for the fast 

and steady growth of the sport 


Mbora observed that 

Abubakar’s effort resulted in 

the return of the Kickboxing to 

the National Sports Festival. 

She noted that the infighting 

which bedeviled Nigeria 

Kickboxing in the past, was 

now a thing of the past and 

gave kudos to CSP Abubakar 

Yakubu for sanitizing the sport €CSP Abubakar

46 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 3, 2019 

Omeruo: 

Chelsea reject 

Leganes 

N1.7billion offer 

La Liga club CD Leganes 

have continued to push 

to sign 2013 Africa Cup of 

Nations-winning defender 

Kenneth Omeruo from 

Chelsea before the close of 

the summer transfer window. 

Leganes have made an 

offer in the region of 4.5 

million euros (approximately 

N1.76 billion in Nigerian 

currency) but Chelsea have 

valued the Super Eagles star 

at 8 million euros. 

Manager Mauricio 

Pellegrino has requested that 

Omeruo should be signed on 

a permanent basis after his 

outstanding performance 

while on loan at the club last 

season. With less than a week 

before the close of the transfer 

window for Premier League 

N15m bailout: 

Nesiama appeals to 

Sports Ministry, AFN 

for repayment 

By Ben Efe 

Former Athletics Federation 

of Nigeria technical 

director, Omatseye Nesiama has 

called on the Sports ministry and 

the national athletics ruling 

body, to urgently refund a N15m 

bail out fund he gave out to 

facilitate travels and camping of 

Nigerian athletes before the 2015 

All Africa Games. 

Nesiama, a retired Nigeria 

Navy Commodore came to the 

rescue of the AFN in 2015, when 

money was hard in coming to 

fund the athletes’ camping, 

qualification competitions, 

overseas training tour and 

payment of allowances prior to 

the AAG held in Congo 

Brazzaville. This was with the 

understanding that the said sum 

would be refunded when the 

Sports Ministry eventually 

releases the money, which was 

budgeted for the exercise. 

clubs, it has 

been suggested 

that Leganes 

and Chelsea are 

hoping to agree 

terms as the 

Nigerian is not in 

the plans of Frank 

Lampard for the 

upcoming season. 

Omeruo is currently the 

longest serving player at 

Chelsea following the 

departure of Tomas Kalas from 

Stamford Bridge last month. 

Since joining Chelsea in 

January 2012, the central 

defender has enjoyed loan 

spells at ADO Den Haag, 

Middlesbrough, Kasimpasa, 

Alanyaspor and Leganes, and 

has yet to make his competitive 

debut for the Blues. 

•Nesiama 

“I took it from the family 

account and up till now there 

hasn’t been any luck getting the 

money back. And it is beginning 

to tell on us and our schedules,” 

said Commodore Nesiama. 

“I know that the former Sports 

Minister, Solomon Dalung 

approved the payment of the 

sum. But to date, it has been a 

story of no money, no money. 

“Sometime ago I met with the 

Permanent Secretary and he was 

ready to take action, but we 

couldn’t find the file anymore. 

We have been looking for this 

file for three months now.” 

Africa Digital Sports Conference: 

Organisers name top-class speakers 

Specialist 

sports 

communication and media 

company, CampsBay Media 

has confirmed top-notch 

speakers for the inaugural 

Africa Digital Sports Conference 

scheduled to hold in Lagos from 

19 - 20 September, this year. 

Leading the speakers is Mario 

Leo, Founder and Chief 

Executive Officer of RESULT 

Sports based in Budingen, 

Germany. 

He will deliver an address 

titled, “A world of limitless 

opportunities for African sports 

in the digital age.” 

•Omeruo 

•Baxter 

All Africa Games: 

Nigerian athletes, officials 

risk missing events unless... 

By Ben Efe 

With only three weeks to 

the start of the 12 th All 

Africa Games billed for Rabat, 

Morocco, Nigerian athletes and 

officials are faced with the 

possibility of missing the 

games. 

This is because Moroccan 

embassy officials in Abuja have 

been overwhelmed by the 

volume of the Nigerian 

delegation. 750 athletes, 

coaches and government 

The national women’s 

basketball team and 

African champions D’Tigress 

are programmed to depart 

Lagos for Dakar on Monday, 

August 5th but that plan is now 

doubtful as the Nigeria 

Basketball Federation is yet to 

raise the needed fund to 

execute the trip. 

The Vice President of NBBF, 

Babs Ogunade confirmed to 

Extrasportsnigeria.com 

yesterday that cash was still far 

from being available for the 2019 

AfroBasket for Women billed to 

start in Senegal August 10. The 

Nigeria women won the last 

competition held two years ago 

in Mali. 

Ogunade said, “The main 

challenge now is how to get the 

team (D’Tigress) to Dakar and 

Baxter resigns as 

Bafana Bafana coach 

Stuart Baxter shocked football fans in South Africa 

when he announced his resignation as head 

coach of the Bafana Bafana yesterday. 

English-born Stuart Baxter says his decision to leave 

his role “has nothing to do about money”. 

Baxter led Bafana Bafana to the AFCON 2019 where 

the 1996 Champions reached the quarter-final. 

The 65 year-old, in company of a beaming SAFA’s 

CEO Russell Paul, at a presser on Friday was quoted: 

“Someone should continue with this project and 

therefore am resigning as Bafana Bafana coach. 

“It was my personal decision,” Baxter said, 

explaining that, “This had nothing to do about money. 

The figures quoted about my salary have been 

embarrassingly way off the mark.” 

Baxter was reappointed for a second spell as South 

Africa’s Head Coach in 2017; having previously been 

in charge 13 years prior. 

officials have been listed for visa 

application, which must be 

processed between now and 

August 15, just in time for the 

athletes to meet the opening 

ceremony on August 16. 

To make matters worse it was 

gathered that the Moroccan 

embassy official in charge of 

issuing visas has taken a leave 

of absence and his replacement 

cannot cope with the huge 

number of applications that 

must be processed in two 

weeks. 

Fund threatens D’Tigress 

African title defence 

it is a real problem. There’s no 

fund available for now. We have 

never had it this challenging 

and it is quite a battle get the 

team going. 

“It is tough like this because 

we have virtually all the 

competitions holding so close to 

each other.” 

The sports ministry serves as 

the last resort for many of the 

federations even though the 

NBBF board has embarked on 

quite elaborate self funding and 

corporate sponsorship in the 

past three years. They are 

hoping this time that the sports 

ministry could be of help. 

“What we have been told by 

the ministry is to hold on but I 

can’t for now say how much that 

could translate to,” Ogunade 

added. 

“They only have one computer 

and it can process and print five 

visas in a day,” said a source 

with knowledge of the workings 

at the Moroccan embassy in 

Abuja. “There is no way they 

can do all that work in two 

weeks. In fact they just dumped 

two Ghana-Must-Go bags full 

of Nigerian passports at the 

embassy, officials at the embassy 

have no idea who is an athlete, 

coach, government officials or 

journalist. 

“The embassy staff practically 

have to do night and day to 

meet up with the demand.” 

African Bodybuilding 

Championship: 

Team Nigeria 

storms Angola 

Team Nigeria is brimming 

with confidence ahead of 

this month’s African 

Bodybuilding Championship. 

The championship is billed to 

hold in Luanda, the Angolan 

capital in less than a fortnight. 

President of the Amateur 

Bodybuilding and Fitness 

Federation of Nigeria, Soye 

Elekima is confident Nigeria’s 

athletes would sweep the medals 

at the continental showpiece in 

Luanda. 

Elekima recalled the 

breathtaking performance of 

Nigerian born Dubai based 

Sefiu, a.k.a. Body Money, who 

blew away competition from 

other participants to win the 

Super Heavyweight category at 

the 2019 Arnold Schwazenegger 

Classic in South Africa as a 

pointer to what the Nigerian 

team would achieve in Angola.

Three August giants in Nigerian Football 

We are in the month of August. 

want to pay some special tribute 

I to three great Nigerians that 

have done great things for and in 

Nigerian sports. 

The first two are still alive and 

kicking, superlative football 

heroes that have their footprints 

on the sands of time. The third 

passed on several years ago. 

ATERE – Foundation stone! 

The first is Fatai Atere. He 

celebrated his 48th official 

birthday on August 1, 2019. 

Remember him? 

He was a member of Nigeria’s 

football team at the first FIFA 

Under-16 Tournament that took 

place in China in 1985. He helped 

that team to a remarkable victory, 

one that helped to create the 

foundation for future 

achievements by Nigerian teams. 

That victory in 1985 ignited a 

fire in Nigerian boys at home, and 

became a psychological impetus, 

the take-off point of self-belief by 

successive Nigerian teams that 

they could also win a world 

competition in football. After that, 

winning the World Cup proper 

became a possibility only waiting 

to happen. 

Fatai Atere later moved to the 

United States to pursue his 

education rather than pursue a 

professional career in football. 

He was decorated with the 

national honour of Member of the 

Order of the Niger (MON) by the 

federal government and a major 

street in Lagos was named after 

him, an everlasting legacy to a 

great football player and national 

captain. . 

PAPILLO – King Kanu 

It took 7 years after the Chinasuccess 

for the anticipated impact 

of the 1985 victory to become 

manifest. When it did, it became 

the start of a most glorious era for 

Nigerian football. At the FIFA / 

JVC Under-17 Championshipin 

Japan 1993, history was repeated, 

this time more forcefully and 

convincingly. 

Although that team was led by 

Wilson Oruma, the real pearl and 

ith less than a month to the 

W2019 African Games in 

Morocco, a storm is brewing, 

which has left the participation of 

Nigeria’s top Track and Field 

stars in doubt, unless there is an 

urgent intervention by the 

Ministry of Sports to salvage the 

situation. 

Within the last one week, four of 

Nigeria’s biggest athletes (and 

four potential Gold medallists at 

the Games) have granted 

interviews to two of the top TV 

stations in the country. Seeing that 

the Athletics Federation of 

Nigeria (AFN) last Sunday, 

released its list for the forthcoming 

African Games, I do not think that 

Blessing Okagbare, Divine 

Oduduru, Tobi Amusan and Ese 

Brume coming out to speak about 

their availability for the Games, 

is a coincidence. 

According to all four athletes 

who are based outside of Nigeria, 

and have been included in the 

AFN’s 51-man list for the Games, 

their participation in Morocco 

will depend on whether or not 

their demands are met, such as 

receiving fair training grants to 

cover their cost of preparation in 

the build-up to the Games. 

Oduduru is currently ranked 

No.2 and No.3 respectively in the 

•Atere 

heart of the team was a gangly, 

15-year-old, 6ft 5inches tall boy 

who was to become the most 

celebrated football player in 

Nigeria’s history. His name is 

‘Papillo’Nwankwo Kanu. 

The 1993 team became world 

champions at the Championship 

in Japan. Some of the stars from 

the team moved up to form the 

fulcrum of the Under-23national 

team that went to the Atlanta 

Olympic Games three years later, 

played some of the best football 

in the world that year, and created 

not just big upsets but also 

stamped Nigerian style of football 

(all attacking, with power, speed 

and skills down the flanks) 

definitively on the world football 

map. They became the first 

African national team to win the 

Gold Medal of the Olympic 

Games. 

Papillo’led that troop. 

Kanu won the award of Africa’s 

Best Player twice in that period, 

went to three World Cups, won the 

UEFA Champions league, UEFA 

Cup, EPL, and FA Cup amongst 

others. He had a very successful 

career in Europe with Ajax, Inter 

Milan, Arsenal FC, West Brom, 

and Bournemouth. 

Papillo Nwankwo Kanu 

celebrated his official 

43rdbirthday on August 1, 2019. 

world in the men’s 100m and 

200m. Okagbare is No.2 in the 

200m in the world, while Brume 

is No.3 in the women’s Long Jump. 

Amusan is No.4 on the world 

rankings in the 100m Hurdles. It 

goes without saying that each of 

these individuals is the best in their 

event on the continent. 

This quartet have no doubt 

studied the psychology of 

Nigerian Sport Administrators, 

most of whom pay little or no 

attention to these athletes in the 

build-up to competitions, but 

expect them to show up and win 

medals at major competitions. 

They also know that the best time 

to get the attention of the Sports 

Ministry is at a time like this, with 

less than four weeks to the Games. 

According to Oduduru, “I would 

say I’ve been training and getting 

myself ready for the Games but 

I’m thinking I might not be at the 

African Games. I would say I’m 

ready but on the part of the 

federation and Nigeria, I would 

say they are not ready because till 

now we’ve not heard anything 

about the training grants athletes 

are going to get. No one has 

communicated with me about the 

African Games 

“I am not sure I’m going to be in 

Morocco. I’m going to say it’s high 

•Kanu 

He was also decorated with the 

national honour of Member of the 

Order of the Niger, MON, and is 

Nigeria’s, UNICEF’s and CAF’s 

International Football 

Ambassador. 

I salute Fatai and Kanu on their 

birthdays! 

CHIEF S.B. WILLIAMS – class 

and style! 

As I was writing about Atere and 

Kanu, a name sprang at me from 

the archives of Nigerian football, 

the name of a man who was very 

instrumental to the major 

successes recorded in the 1990s 

but who has never been 

acknowledged, or celebrated for 

his unprecedented and unmatched 

service to Nigerian sports. 

Chief S.B Williams, father of 

Kojo Williams, one-time 

Chairman of the Nigeria Football 

Association, passed on in 1997. 

In life, Chief Williams was of a 

quiet, unassuming, complete 

gentleman, a man of class and 

style. He never got due credit for 

being the main architect of the 

success stories of Nigerian sports 

in the 1990s. Yet, he was the 

unseen ‘puppeteer’ pulling the 

strings and making things to 

happen in sports during that great 

era of Nigerian football of the 

1990s. 

time Nigerian athletes stand for 

their rights because it’s so 

disrespectful the way athletes are 

being treated. We did a lot to 

qualify for this Games; we went 

to different meets to get our times, 

and you can’t do all of these and 

go represent a country where 

you’re not being valued. 

“I believe if it were footballers 

that were going for this 

tournament, we would have 

known the amount of money that 

would be spent, but when it comes 

to athletes, we are treated like 

nobody. I am tired of being treated 

like this right from when I was a 

youth, and up till now as a senior”. 

Similarly, Okagbare had this to 

say: “I’ve been working towards 

the Games. I have no problem with 

the list, but you have to 

understand that it’s not about 

putting people on the list. My 

problem is how much has been 

done towards the preparation for 

this Games? Nothing, absolutely 

nothing! 

“When it comes to the African 

Games, the ministry runs the show 

so the federation cannot do so 

much about this African Games 

because the ministry and Nigeria 

Olympic Committee (NOC) are in 

charge. Nothing has been done 

prior to the Games, so you coming 

up to say you’re paying us $5000 

now, it’s not acceptable. I don’t 

think that’s fair enough because 

we go through rigorous training 

and treatments. “Look at me, I’m 

just returning from serious injuries 

and my treatments are not cheap; 

they’re very expensive. I can’t get 


and field athletes. 

He became very powerful within 

the international sports circle, 

cultivating close friendship with 

CAF and IOC leaderships. 

Although born in February of 

1929, I have chosen to pay him 

this humble tribute in August 

alongside two of his football 

‘sons’, Fatai and ‘Papillo’, whom 

he loved very dearly. 

Continue to rest peacefully, 

beloved Chief Sebastian 

Babatunde Williams. 

A new Minister of Sports! 

This new month a new sports 

minister will ride the saddle of 

Nigerian sports. 

From the list of all the over 40 

nominees for position of minister 

screened this past week by the 

Senate, the feeling within the 

sports fraternity is that there is no 

standout person for sports, once 

The sports products planted in 

the late 1970s and throughout the 

1980s by Isaac Akioye and co, 

started to bloom and yield 

dividends in the early 1990s, and 

Chief Williams was on hand to 

nurse, nurture and navigate the 

blossoming athletes through the 

challenges created by the entrance 

of Dr. Adamu, who appeared to be 

lost in the labyrinth of the sports 

architecture of the original 

visionaries of Nigerian sports 

when he took over. 

Chief Williams was very close 

to the corridors of power. 

He was a contractor to the 

military, and close friends with 

General Ibrahim Babangida, 

General Sani Abacha and 

Admiral Augustus Aikhomu. 

He was at different times a 

member of the NFABoard, 

Chairman of the Board of the 

National Sports Commission,and 

Chairman of the Local 

Organising Committee for the 

World Youth Championship in 

1995. But all the time he was a 

committed friend to sports and 

sports persons. 

He was the person that singlehandedly 

brought Clemens 

Westerhof to Nigeria. 

He hired the Dutch man for the 

national team and, for a while 

paid, him directly from his purse. 

Clemens’ reported close 

relationship with the Vice- 

President at that time, the myth 

that he had unfettered access to 

the Presidency and unlimited 

funds to drive the Green Eagles, 

were actually Chief S.B. Williams 

pulling the strings, providing the 

funds and leading Westerhof by 

hand through the corridors of 

power. 

Chief Williams funded several 

national teams’ travels and bore 

several expenses across several 

sports, teams and events. He never 

took credit for anything, always 

quietly intervening without any 

noise and asking to be 

acknowledged. 

He sponsored many athletes on 

scholarship to the United States 

for their studies, especially track 

myself to this level trying to 

prepare for these Games and 

represent my country and 

someone will come and say $5000. 

“If Nigeria is bent on sending 

the best athletes to these Games, 

they need to start grooming 

people to go there. If you want 

Blessing Okagbare, the Ese 

Brumes and Tobi Amusans, you 

have to prepare them, meet their 

demands and take them there. If 

you cannot afford to take us there, 

then there are junior teams to take. 

South Africa is not sending their 

A Team to the African Games. 

“Why is Nigeria always bent on 

sending their top athletes yet when 

again demonstrating 

government’s lack of full 

appreciation of the specialist 

nature of sports and the vital need 

of the sector for a leader that 

knows the terrain, has the 

qualifications and experience, and 

understands the sensibilities of 

sports. 

It is sacrilegious for some of us 

that sport lies in the third tier of 

the civil service, and is not 

considered a priority. It will take 

a person grounded in its nuances 

to make a good case for it to be 

moved up the status-ladder and 

made to achieve a lot more for the 

country than medals and trophies. 

Whilst welcoming the new 

Minister I urge him to consider 

the following: 

1. enquire about the essential 

benefits of reviving the National 

Sports Commission with a board 

of quality stakeholders to 

complement him in proper sports 

development in the country. 

2. study the roles and 

responsibilities of the different 

bodies in sports and how he can 

relate and successfully work with 

each one without upturning the 

entire structure.3. study the 

funding of the different aspects of 

sports so that government can be 

well-guided into taking up and 

funding the aspects of its statutory 

responsibilities to Nigerians, and 

NOT buy into the cheap claim 

that government should hands off 

sports and their funding. 

4. be wary of the ‘experts’ that 

will besiege his office and start 

another round of providing advice 

that will only lead down the old 

slope of non-development and 

endless crisis. 

I wish the new minister a great 

tenure and look forward to a new 

era of development in Nigerian 

sports. 

Will the ‘Big 4’ boycott the African Games? 

we say we don’t want to go, we are 

termed rude and disrespectful? 

You people have been 

disrespectful to us athletes; you 

don’t care about us, you don’t take 

care of us, you don’t prepare us 

for certain things, so when we 

decide to boycott this Games, 

sometimes you need to sit down 

and ask yourselves, what have you 

done?” 

Amusan and Brume also share 

the same sentiments, and so it’s 

up to the Ministry to decide how 

important it is to get those four 

Gold medals. Like Ese Brume says, 

“The ball is in their court.”

C 

M 

Y 

K 

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 3, 2019 

ACROSS 

1 Belgium “Red Devils” Striker & 

Manchester United Forward, Romelu 

– (6) 

4 Lagos State Capital – (5) 

7 Ghanaian City & Metropolitan District 

– (4) 

8 Former Arsenal Coach, Arsene – (6) 

9 South Korean President, Mr. Moon 

– (3,2) 

10 L.G.A in Ebonyi State – (4) 

11 Former French Prime Minister, Mr. 

Joseph – (6) 

14 Angolan President, Mr. Joao – (8) 

18 American State – (8) 

21 Ghana “Black Stars” Striker, 

Mubarak – (6) 

24 Town in Enugu State – (4) 

25 Traditional Ruler of Calabar – (5) 

26 President, Lagos State Chamber 

of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), Mr. 

Babatunde – (6) 

27 Thai Currency – (4) 

28 Super Eagles Attacking Midfielder, 

Oghenekaro – (5) 

29 Zimbabwean Capital City – (6) 

DOWN 

1 Former Secretary to the 

Government of the Federation, Mr. 

David Babachir – (5) 

2 Polish City & Province – (5) 

3 Spanish City & Municipality – (8) 

4 Morocco “Atlas Lions” Striker, 

Mouhcine – (6) 

5 Number – (6) 

6 Spanish Town – (6) 

12 Saudi Arabian Region or 

Administrative Division – (4) 

13 The first Prime Minister of 

Somalia, Mr. Abdullahi – (4) 

15 Former Everton Coach, David – 

(8) 

16 Ethnic Group in Nigeria – (4 

17 American County – (4) 

18 Former Lagos State Governor, 

Mr. Akinwunmi – (6) 

19 L.G.A in Lagos State – (6) 

20 Chinese City – (6) 

22 Delta State Capital – (5) 

23 L.G.A in Kogi State – (5) 

CROSS WORD PUZZLE 

SOLUTION TO PUZZLE ON PAGE 47 

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Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X). EDITOR: ONOCHIE ANIBEZE. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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