Mbadinuju: I Was Forced to Pay Godfather N10m Monthly As Anambra Governor

A former governor of Anambra State, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, in this inter view speaks about the controversies which dodged his administration, godfathers and the inability of the Peoples Democratic Party to form government in the state since he left office.

It was speculated that you were going to be among the governorship aspirants in the last election in Anambra; what happened?

The main reason why I didn’t pick any form and why I didn’t go into the contest is because already, most of the PDP members in Anambra were my boys, I brought them up. Some of them were my Special Advisers. Others were Special Assistants and Secretary to the State Government or one thing or the other.

If I had gone into the contest with such people, the so-called godfathers will back them to try to disgrace me and win the election at all costs. Then, you would see money bags throwing their weight and money around and I might find myself alone. If I lost, it won’t augur well for me and my supporters. I consulted with my people although I had made up my mind under the circumstances at that time. It was a personal decision; nobody forced me to or not to.

After four years in Awka and all the things that followed, I felt I did enough in four years and the circumstances in which I was stopped from going for a second term are now seen to be a mistake by whoever did that, especially the leaders. In fact, it was one leader, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, he was the person who singlehandedly stopped me. I made up my mind it was not worth it, I have done my best for Anambra and I did not want to contest for governor again.

I felt it was better I stay out to offer advice to those who were in the race. I never showed interest. If I did, it would be a different thing. My people in Anambra and the PDP here in Abuja know that I never made a bid for the job in 2013, I never picked the form.

What was your greatest challenge as governor?

Controversies. They all called me controversial. If things were going one way, there would be no need for controversy. Like the issue of security, it was the most challenging aspect of my administration because women were running into the churches to sleep because armed robbers had written that they would come to their houses on such and such a day and time. Most of the women chose to go to the church to take shelter every night. As a governor, I lived in Onitsha during this period, it was hell. This Umuleri/Aguleri and Umoba Anam have fought themselves for over 50 years.

I said I was not going to preside over that kind of thing and decided to do something. Even when I said I was going to Umuleri to try and stop the fighting, the Police and SSS advised against it. I said okay deputy governor sit by my left hand side, you are from that area. I am going there, all of us are going but they said people don’t go there but I said we would go and if the governor and his deputy perish, then it will be news. We went and came back.

When they say that you are controversial, you can’t just be controversial for nothing because you are trying to do good. I was there to do good for Anambra State, I started prayers every Monday morning in all government establishments, I used to go to the Onitsha Market and town halls to conduct prayers and God kept answering the prayers and performing miracles. Those who didn’t like my style said it was controversy.

With your experience as governor, what would you say about godfatherism?

Well, a godfather has many connotations. You could have positive godfathers and negative ones. The good ones work towards making things work and succeed but if you have a godfather that is always challenging, he wants to make appointments, if you have 10 commissioners, he would want to have three or four. After you have given him two commissioners, he will say he wants Special Advisers, Special Assistants and he will even want to choose their portfolios but I said these things are not done like that and they said it is done like that, that is controversy.

You are the governor and you run your administration the way you want it. I know some people helped us. There is nobody who campaigned for elections or any position who was not assisted. I have not seen one person who will come out and say I didn’t have any help and it was the same type of help I got and I was in trouble. Some of them wrote a petition to the President and the petition was carried by the then Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to the President. They said I had N3.5bn abroad and I told the President - we were in his office that I never saw such money in Awka.

After attending the federal allocation meeting, sometimes Anambra State will get N200m, sometimes N600m; it was never straight. I couldn’t pay salaries in some of the months so where could I get such money to send N3.5bn abroad? I told him it was not possible, he said, if he didn’t approve it for investigations, some people would think that he was colluding with me. I said okay. Atiku brought the petition and Obasanjo looked at the petition and said but there is no covering letter, Atiku put his hands into his pocket and brought out a covering letter. These people were ready, everything that they could do to get me jailed or killed, what did I do? I was doing well.

Christ was doing good, healing all types of diseases. It is my experience to be doing good while people that run me down go through all sorts of problems, it was terrible I must tell you. In any case, they went to Europe, London where I studied, they went to Russia where we visited when I played football, I played in Spain, everywhere, they saw my CV and thought that all the places I went, I put money there, they went to America where I also studied and saw nothing and at the end, President Obasanjo called me on phone and said “Governor Anambra,” I said sir, he said you can walk with your head high and I said I told you sir.

The only thing I had was three pounds in London at the University of Southampton where I studied Law and I had left in Lloyds Bank three pounds, I couldn’t have finished it. I kept it there. Godfather or no godfather, in my own case, they were negative even in the case of those who came after me, they had it rough with godfathers. The person who started godfatherism in Anambra State was former President Obasanjo because he wanted his boys to be governor. In my own case, he wanted his boy Andy Uba to rule Anambra and indeed his nominee became governor for a few weeks. Anambra State is not an easy state where you can go and do two terms, it’s tough.

You can ask Peter Obi what he went through to get a second term; he succeeded because he had godfathers who were positive. In the case of the PDP, we had godfathers who were negative. I was sent to prison pending bail but 5,000 hoodlums were hired to start a riot and attack the prison with the aim of killing me. They came to the prison where I was. They trampled upon the prison gate and came to my cell but I was gone. One judge told me their aim was to arrest me, tie my hands and feet and drive me through the streets of Onitsha main market in an open van, the same market I go to for prayers, before killing me.

Is it correct then to say that godfatherism hindered your performance?

If you performed 90 per cent with all these distractions, there is no way you can tell anyone that you performed 100 per cent but the important thing is if you go to Anambra State today, they will tell you that my four-year administration was the only time politicians could come to Akwa and go back home with money to take care of their families. No governor from then till date has done it. I did the best anybody in my circumstance could do, I am happy with what I was able to achieve. When you read my book which I entitled: “How I governed Anambra State,” after reading it you can read: “Legacies and Challenges” and you will know what I went through to achieve whatever we achieved in Anambra State.

What do you feel when you are described as the least performing governor since the creation of the state?

That’s politics. What are they calling President Jonathan today? They say he is not performing. Opponents will want to say anything and if you continue to listen to the opposition, you won’t go anywhere, you won’t do anything. They will tell you oh, Mbadinuju did nothing! Nothing? But Obasanjo came and inspected my infrastructure and gave me “A” yet I am nothing, Jerry Gana and his team came and toured the whole country and Anambra State under my watch took the gold cup, yet Mbadinuju did nothing. If you don’t ignore some of these people, you will run mad.

How do you feel about the murder of Mr. Barnabas Igwe and his pregnant wife who were murdered during your tenure in office?

Anybody who listens to the rubbish being peddled about allegations that I was involved in the dastardly act has nothing to do. The person does not fear God. How can a governor who was leading a whole state in prayers every Monday morning and God’s blessing was visiting the state and I was going to markets and town halls preaching goodness and after I have done that, then I will relax and go home and pick up my gun and begin to shoot the people I prayed for? It’s not possible.

I was in Huston, Texas attending a meeting when I was called and told this couple who were lawyers had been assassinated. This man and his wife were among those who supported me and planned for me to become chairman of Onitsha Bar Association, that is the highest you could go in law practice in the state. I was told they had been murdered. I knew that the man who was killed was the chairman of the Onitsha bar at the time I was governor, he was from Imo State, we were together, and he and his wife were my supporters. How could I go back and begin to kill those people who supported me to rise?

These things are not possible. The chairman was very concerned about the welfare of the people; he was always urging that we pay salaries. I used to explain to them that the money they were giving us was not enough and it was deliberate on the part of the Federal Government. They seized most of our money in the allocation waiting for my replacement. Once my replacement came, he was receiving N3bn to N4bn within the first month. I never received more than N600m; you can see the whole thing.

When I came back I surrendered my immunity and told the police because the Onitsha Bar Association said they won’t appear before the committee I was going to set up to find out who killed the couple because they already suspected that I did it. To cut a long story short, when I came back, I surrendered my immunity as governor and asked the police to investigate. I gave them a 20-page report and the police went through. After this, they arrested 14 people to be charged. The police let me go because they saw my passport and visa and they knew that on the night that the couple was killed in Onitsha, I was in Huston.

Since I didn’t kill, was there conspiracy? The police said for the 15 weeks they did their investigations, nobody mentioned my name. That was a no case submission. I went on leave in London, before I came back, the same problem of the Presidency here in Abuja developed. They called upon Sunday Ehindero, the then IG and asked him to arrest me. They dismissed the earlier report which acquitted me; the Presidency said it didn’t accept the earlier report. There was nothing I didn’t suffer. I am not a person that can turn round and kill his friends.

He was from Imo State, I was not contesting against him, and he was not contesting against me, least anybody will say he was blocking my way. They killed him; the police report was that those who kidnapped (Chris) Ngige who was the governor after me, those who kidnapped him were the same people who killed Igwe and the wife. Why did they kill Igwe and the wife? To make it impossible for me to do a second term, how could I have killed Igwe and his wife? I did not. That is what some people based their arguments on, not to allow me run for a second term. Since then, who in the PDP has been able to go for a second term in Anambra State? The issue is that if you cannot be fair to other people, God will not be fair to you.

Even though legally, nothing linked you with their murder, do you think people would stop linking you with the murder?

Most of them are already mental; some of them one way or another are facing judgment. Those in government will always be criticised.

How were you so comfortable when so many unions went on strike for as long as one year as governor of the state?

It was not peculiar to Anambra State. Schools were closed nationwide that year. Even under President Obasanjo, the Police went on strike for the first time in history. It was a general problem; Obasanjo caused it by inflating workers’ monthly emoluments and hyped it. We didn’t have enough money to pay teachers. The governor of a state today who was the leader of workers was always coming to Anambra State riding a rickety Volkswagen beetle to camouflage and go to one of the godfathers, receive money from them and insist that no teacher would go to the classroom. Even the women who were willing were chased out of the classrooms. As long as the labour leaders were fed by the godfathers, the schools remained closed. There was little one could do.

Was there an agreement you had with these godfathers that you reneged on?

How can anybody say I was paying godfathers while at the same time they said I reneged on an agreement? There is a godfather who had an arrangement with the military that he would be paid N10m every month, I wasn’t there when the agreement was made. When I tried to stop it, I was dragged to President Obasanjo’s office and I told Obasanjo this is the situation I found on ground and Obasanjo said I had to go back and continue paying it; that it was legal. At what stage did I renege? They will always try to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. Obasanjo gave them contracts worth billions of naira, they were super rich, there was nothing I could give to them.

You mean Obasanjo asked you to pay this godfather; who is he?

Yes, Obasanjo asked me to pay. The godfather is one of the Uba family.

Have you met Obasanjo after you left office as governor?

Yes, I have met him and we are friends. When I first visited him, he received me well and even took me to his chapel where I preached because I am now an evangelist. He has received me very well after then. But I don’t know whether all those things enter his heart. I like to see him as my friend because he was once my leader being a former president. Again, you should know that being a former military officer, you can not blame him if he still exhibits traits of a former military man. I consider him as a friend anyway.

Do you have any regrets becoming governor?

No. When you read these books, you will know I have no regrets. Nobody can regret being a governor of a state, whether good or bad. I contributed my part to the development of my state. Only opponents will see nothing good in everything you do. I can go anywhere in Anambra with my head held high.

President Obasanjo recently wrote an open letter to President Jonathan. What do you make of it?

It is very doubtful that OBJ wrote the letter, it is very likely that Femi Fani-Kayode, the former Aviation Minister who has been taking up issues against PDP and ministers of the PDP did. I know how he coins his words. This 18-page letter was not written by Obasanjo, he signed it. Just like you read the Presidency, it could be Reuben Abati who wrote a statement. In the 18-page material, one can see clearly what he (Obasanjo) and the APC are trying to do.

They want to bring this government down, they are saying impeachment; if that does not work, they are saying let military take over. The libellous and defamatory letter from Obasanjo, indications are rife that the real author of the said letter was Hon. Femi Fani Kayode, a restive youth and a political trouble maker. However, since Obasanjo signed another person’s letter, the former President must prove all his allegations, and not Jonathan to prove them, or even reply to the spurious letter, after smuggling the former military heads-of state into Obasanjo’s personal troubles. In fact, indications have it that the G7 contributed ideas to the troubler’s letter.

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BAD NEWS FOR GAYS: Ugandan Parliament Passes Anti-Gay Bill That Includes Life In Prison

After years of controversy, the Ugandan parliament has passed a bill that punishes certain acts of homosexuality with life in prison.

A Ugandan lawmaker first introduced the bill in 2009, sparking worldwide condemnation for tough measures that included the death penalty.

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It was briefly shelved amid the backlash. At the time, some European nations threatened to withdraw aid to Uganda, which relies on millions of dollars from the international community.

Before its passage Friday, parliament adjusted the death penalty clause to life in prison for "aggravated homosexuality." It includes acts where one person is infected with HIV, "serial offenders" and sex with minors, Amnesty International said.

In cases where one has HIV, the punishment applies even when the sex is consensual or protected.

"Ugandans have been anxiously waiting for this bill. This day will be a good day for all Ugandans," said Benson Obua Ogwal, a member of parliament for Moroto.

The bill also proposes years in prison for anyone who counsels or reaches out to homosexuals, a provision that would ensnare rights groups and others providing services to lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender people.

"The knock-on effect of passing this bill will reach far beyond gay and lesbian people in Uganda, impeding the legitimate work of civil society, public health professionals and community leaders," saidAster van Kregten, deputy Africa director at Amnesty International.

Homosexuality is illegal in most African countries, where sodomy laws were introduced during colonialism. In Uganda, homosexual acts are punishable by 14 years to life in prison, according to rights activists.

But lawmakers in the conservative nation sought tougher legislation, saying Western lifestyle risks destroying Ugandan family units.

"This is a piece of legislation that is needed in this country to protect the traditional family here in Africa, and also protect the future of our children," David Bahati, the lawmaker who first introduced the bill, said last year. "Every single day of my life now I am still pushing that it passes."

Rights groups urged President Yoweri Museveni to veto the bill. To become law, it requires his signature within 30 days.

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Mariah Carey Earned $1M for Signing to Angola Dictator

Mariah Carey belted out her hit songs for Angolan despot José Eduardo dos Santos and his family last weekend for more than $1 million – even though she apologized in 2008 for performing for Moammar Khadafy’s family, a human-rights watchdog says.

A smiling Carey posed for a picture with the Southern African dictator, his daughter and his wife (in the picture).

“I am happy to be here in this room, and I am honored to share this show with the president of Angola,” the pop singer said at the gala, according to the Human Rights Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on protecting and promoting human-rights globally.

The foundation blasted her for taking payment from a “tyrant.”

“Mariah Carey can’t seem to get enough dictator cash,” the group’s president, Thor Halvorssen, said.

“Just five years ago, she performed for the family of Libyan dictator Moammar Khadafy. Now she goes from private performances to public displays of support and credibility for one of Africa’s chief human-rights violators and most corrupt tyrants.”

The diva made two performances in the country. She appeared at a public show at Luanda’s Coqueiros Stadium, which was sponsored by Unitel, a cellphone company controlled by dos Santos’ daughter, Isabel.

Carey also cranked out hits for two hours at a gala fund-raiser for the Angola Red Cross, which Isabel heads.

In addition to Isabel, the gala was attended by José Eduardo dos Santos and his wife, Ana Paula.

“It is the sad spectacle of an international artist purchased by a ruthless police state to entertain and whitewash the father-daughter kleptocracy that has amassed billions in ill-gotten wealth while the majority of Angola lives on less than $2 a day,” Halvorssen said.

It would be recalled that Mariah performed in Lagos last Saturday for the first time ever, before departing to Angola.

See the video from the concert below. 

RELATED ARTICLE: US Blasts Mariah Carey For Performing In Nigeria: Calling Us A Country Known For 'Terror, Death And Fraud'.

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"I Am 100% Single, Waiting For The Right Lady" - Banky W

Famous R&B singer and just a handsome ladies man, who was last linked to gorgeous Italian-Ghanaian model Andrea Giaccaglia, told Hip Hop Magazine that he is 100% single.

See what he said in the interview:

"That’s news to me. (His relationship with Andrea) Nothing happened, she’s a fantastic person who happens to be my friend. I think people shouldn’t be so obsessed about my relationship status, I’ll get married when the time is right and the lady is right. When these two things are in order I’ll marry. At the moment, I am 100% single.”

Girls, seems like a good piece of news! 

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UNEXPECTED: Top Nollywood Star Joins Politics, Will Contest Under Labour Party In 2015!

Famous Nollywood actor, Desmond Elliot, has started his political career and joined the Labour Party.

What is more, Elliot who is a solid follower of Jimi Agbaje is not only canvassing for him to be the next Governor of Lagos State, but he is also contesting for a seat in the House or Reps, under Surulere constituency, in Lagos.

Desmond BB’s status has mostly been around politics lately, here are part of his words on BB:

"Well, I want a better and more comfortable LAGOS. I’m willing to exchange my ‘in-action’ and ‘silence’ to speak up for a leader who will give me the Lagos of my DREAMS. I have established that making Jimi Kolawole Agbaje governor, is one of my priorities and I’m off to work on that. Join the MOVEMENT!!Its JAYKAY 2015 The hope has begun."

Topics:Desmond Elliot, Labour Party, Lagos StateStates:Lagos!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

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National Conference More Important Than 2015 Elections, Afenifere Tells President Jonathan

The proposed National Conference is more important for Nigeria than the 2015 general elections, according to a pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere. The group stated this when a delegation of its leaders visited the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The delegation commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his decision to commence the conference early next year, and urged him not to be distracted by critics.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, a member of the Afenifere delegation, Yinka Odumakin, said the group was in support of the conference.

"Things are not running smoothly ahead of 2015 and unless we sit down and discuss we are not going nowhere," Mr. Odumakin said.

During the meeting, Mr. Odumakin told President Jonathan that Afenifere commends his "initiative on a National Dialogue to bring together the peoples of Nigeria to discuss their union."

"This is a bold move that will earn you a good place in history if faithfully implemented. Any leader who is able to get us out of this structural quagmire will never be forgotten."

Mr. Odumakin claimed there were forces who had been against a better Nigerian structure since 1960, and that they were the ones against the proposed conference.

"Mr. President, some forces that have benefited from the imbalance and inequity of decades would not fold their arms and watch Nigeria restructured into an entity that works for all its component units," he told Mr. Jonathan during the meeting.

"This is why all manners of ‘letters’ were posted to you with impeachment calls. Expect more of that as the process moves on by those who want the National Dialogue aborted," Mr. Odumakin said in apparent reference to the letter by former President Olusegun Obasanjo who had criticised the conference.

Mr. Odumakin, who is also the spokesperson for the group, said,

"Afenifere considers the National Conference as the soul of a new Nigeria and as such much more important than anything in the polity, 2015 election inclusive.

"That is why we are strongly advising that the conference be concluded early so that the 2015 elections can be conducted on the basis of the new constitution.

"Finally we urge you to be more vigilant and rest assured of Afenifere’s support in the days ahead for as long as you are committed to give Nigeria a proper National Conference which you re-emphasised when you received the report of the Advisory Committee two days ago. We believe the time has come for us to sit and find lasting solutions from the stakeholders across Nigeria to our challenges as against temporary reliefs that bring greater and long-lasting sorrows which some letter writers and their group have given us since 1966."

The Yoruba group leaders commended the president for personally visiting to commence the repairs of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and urged the federal government to fix other major South-West roads. They also appealed to the president to review the status of privatised companies in the South West including the Machine Tools, and Steel Rolling Mills in Osogbo. They appealed to Mr. Jonathan to ensure that the NIPP plants that have been sold to private companies become operational in the provision of power supply to the zone.

The Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko, who accompanied the delegation, urged Nigerians to allow the courts decide on the fate of governors and federal lawmakers who recently defected from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Five ex-PDP governors and 37 lawmakers recently decamped to the APC, making the APC the party with the majority in the House of Representatives. The opposition party also now has 16 governors to the PDP's 18.

Though Mr. Mimiko is of the Labour Party, he is an ally of President Goodluck Jonathan amidst allegations, including by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, that Mr. Jonathan jettisoned the PDP candidate to support Mr. Mimiko in last year’s governorship election in Ondo State.

Mr. Mimiko is also believed to be a major financier of the Afenifere faction that visited Mr. Jonathan and is opposed to the APC, which has declared its opposition to the National Conference.

While speaking to the visitors, Mr. Jonathan said he would not interfere in the forthcoming National Conference, but will abide by the outcome no matter what it is.

He also said he had no personal interest in the outcome of the confab and will not influence the course or eventual decisions reached. He asked eventual participants at the conference to consider the national interest first.

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INCEST: We Are Scarred for Life - Children Raped By Own Fathers

Siblings Bola and Tolu (not real names) were sexually abused by their own father for two years. Seventeen-year-old Susan (not real name), who had two children for her father, also become a victim of incest.

Sexual abuse is one of the greatest crimes that could be committed against a child. The United Nations Convention on Rights of Child and Nigeria’s Child Rights Act give prominence to the protection of a child in the society as a result of this and specifically make case for the importance of the “primary care giver” which is the child’s immediate family.

‘My children’s father is their grandfather’

Susan was 17 years old in 2011 when her father, Egbuna, a pastor of a church in Igando, Lagos, who is in his 50s, sexually abused her. The Enugu State born father is currently awaiting judgment before the Family Court, Ikeja.

Susan, now 19, is one whose story many would hear and cry out the word, ‘abomination!’

She was rescued by the Esther Child Rights Foundation (ECRF) in 2011 after a group of women in the neighbourhood made a report.

Egbuna had nine children from his wife, who died in 2009. But he allegedly started sleeping with her eldest daughter shortly after, and she gave birth to two children.

Director of the ECRF, Mrs. Esther Ogwu, with a contingent visited Egbuna’s home under the guise that they wanted spiritual intercession.

“You have come to the right place. Before 24 days, you will come here and give testimony,” Egbuna told the group, and called Susan out to round off the prayer.

Ogwu said, “It was obvious the girl was living under serious subjection. She was almost trembling as she scurried to obey her father.

“We did not make any attempt to confront him the first day. We studied the place and noticed that there was no single sound from any other child within the house. It was as if there was a warning that none of them should make any sound. Neighbours said only one of the children was allowed to venture out to hawk sachet water.

“We came back days later with the police and state government officials to arrest him and he denied fathering the children. He said they were fathered by her daughter’s boyfriend. He was sweating all over as he spoke.”

All the children were transferred to the state government children’s home.

Egbuna is still in custody.

But fast-forward two years. Susan looked radiant at the home. She has changed but the scar is far from being healed. Her current dilemma is what to tell her children when they grow up.

Her two young children were kept inside, out of sight, during the visit to the home. There was no chance to see them.

“The children are really growing up fast. But what do I tell them when they grow up? How can I tell them that my father is their father. I am very confused about that.

“I will like to leave this home later but this place is just too good to us. But I am getting older; I will like to go back to my family. I have forgiven my father for what he did.

“But though I have forgiven him, I am scarred for life. How do I tell people that I have two children for my father?”

What family to go back to is another major quandary for this young lady, whose journey in life seemed to have been a transcendental punishment.

“None of my father’s or mother’s families has visited us since we were brought here. I don’t know how tomorrow will be but I know God will show the way,” she said.

She had yet to be admitted in school as officials are still considering which class best suits her.

Her children are also still being kept at the home, yet to start school. She is not alone.

Scary future for children raped for two years

Thirteen-year-old Bola (not real name) danced and clapped with her friends; children of the Lagos State Children’s Centre, Idi Araba. It was an end-of-year event in which the children exhibited their talents in various crafts like bead-making and tailoring.

Some of them were younger than Bola, some older. The laughter of the children was a far cry from the journey that had brought most of them to the centre, which houses rescued homeless children, victims of rape and physical abuses.

At that single moment, the sad stories etched in the memories of the young children seemed to vanish. In the crowd was Bola, with her sister Tolu (10) both laughing excitedly.

But the situation that brought these young sisters to the children’s home was far from being a laughing matter.

Bola looked towards the back of the crowd and instantly shot out of the crowd like a lightning bolt; her sister at her heels. She threw her arms around Ogwu, who had just entered the premises. Both Bola and Tolu locked the woman – their rescuer – in a tight embrace. Tears streamed down the face of Bola.

“I did not know you were coming,” the young girl said with a big teary smile.

Bola and Tolu have both spent six months at the home. The woman who rescued them has become someone they love like their own mother.

One evil night in June

Bola and Tolu’s journey to the children’s home was one with a lot of pains. For three years, both children had endured an excruciating sexual abuse from their father, Adetayo Adeleke, a 35-year-old commercial bus driver in Egbeda area of Lagos. But they suffered in silence. They dared not tell anyone; their father would kill them. So they said after their rescue.

One cannot really say what the exact psychological state of these two children are at present because their evaluation in the home could not be revealed by the officials.

But Consultant Child Psychiatrist, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Lagos, Dr. Mashidat Mojeeb-Bello, had an opinion on what victims of the horrible act like the one Bola and Tolu had gone through may face.

She said, “Such victims could develop anxiety and undue fear. In the long term, they could develop major psychiatric problems like depression and other major psychosis later in life.

“The self esteem may be affected in such a way that they may not see themselves worthy of anything good. At some point, some may develop somatisation disorders; they start having some unusual bodily symptoms whose origin becomes untraceable through tests. There is a myriad of psychological impact on such children.”

The magistrate weeps

Adeleke is now facing charges of incest and child defilement at the Family Court, Ikeja and the two sisters were transported to the children’s home.

With tears in her eyes, their mother, Kemi, came to the court with a toddler she had for her new husband.

She had told this correspondent a life of hell she was subjected to in Adeleke’s house.

“He beat me regularly, calling me prostitute just to disgrace me. I suffered with my children. We rarely had food to eat. When I could not take it anymore, I had to leave. It was not like I was starving him of sex. I did not know he was raping my children. May God punish that man,” Kemi said.

In November 2013, during one of the hearings of the case in court, the children were asked to come forward to testify. When they took up the narration of their ordeal, the misty-eyed magistrate could not take it anymore. She had to excuse herself for a moment to wipe her tears in her chambers.

However, months after their rescue, a lot has changed. Bola looked chubby; no longer the haggard looking girl she was when she was rescued. This correspondent spoke with her during the visit of her rescuer to the children’s home.

Asked how she felt about her father at the time, the young girl’s excited face fell like a pack of cards. She looked down at the ground.

“I know we cannot forget what our father did. This is something we have to live with for the rest of our lives. Here, they tell us to forget the past but how can we forget that our father slept with us?”

“But I want them to release him. I don’t ever want to live with him again. But I have forgiven him. I like it here very much. They should just let him go,” she said.

Bola spoke with a surprising intelligence that was totally in contrast with the beaten and abused child who spoke little when she was rescued.

It was clear a lot had changed.

Will you like to live with your mother as well, she was asked.

She said, “No o. I don’t want to live with her again. I want to continue to live here because I have a lot of friends here. The other children and our teachers here are very nice.

“When we went to the court last time, my mother did not even come. None of my mother’s family came too. Only our landlord and a woman who is a friend to my mother came.

“My mother has not visited us here since we got here. I don’t even know where she is. In the night, children like me, whose parents have not visited gather to pray that wherever our parents are, God should bring them.”

The younger girl, whose sad eyes still seemed to carry the heavy load of her past ordeal, gave the same answer. She too said she would not want to live with her parents any more.

The home has enrolled Bola and Tolu in schools; the older girl in Junior Secondary School Year One and the younger in Primary Four.

For these two bruised children, nothing could hold them back. Not even the absence of family.

The older girl said she would like to become a lawyer while Tolu said she would like to become a banker.

Father gave them siphilis

After Bola and Tolu were rescued in July, they were taken to the hospital for medical checks. Saturday PUNCHhas learnt that their father gave both of them syphilis, a case which had been muted at the time of their rescue. But they were promptly given treatment which got rid of the disease.

A phone number the girls’ mother provided seemed to be out of use, as it had not been going through. Neither does anybody know her address in Oyo State.

It is not an easy road for these children but consistent counselling has been helping them in the home.

“Someone comes to counsel us regularly,” Bola said. “They tell us not to think of what has happened to us in the past. They said we can become something big in life.”

A young female official of the home said Bola has grown to be very intelligent.

“The counselling is really helping her. On top of that, they are both doing well in school. I am confident they will go ahead to live normal life,” she said.

A neighbour’s intervention

If not for a neighbour who promptly raised the alarm on the children’s plight, one can only imagine the kind of situation they would be in by now.

It will be recalled that the landlord of the house in which they live with their father, Mr. Amos Omooye, had said he had no idea that such thing was happening in his house.

The landlord said, “I noticed the children were always crying and I tried as much as possible to provide for them whenever they said they were hungry and their father went to work without leaving them any money for food.

“The children were born in my house and I christened them. But I could not imagine that their father was doing something as terrible as that to them.”

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OIL MONEY: FG Inaurates Team To Recover Missing Revenue

As allegations of missing revenues in Nigeria's oil and gas sector have not died down, the Federal Government yesterday inaugurated an Inter-Ministerial task team to ensure the implementation of reports from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI). The team was directed to recover all unremitted revenues discovered from audit findings.

This was disclosed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Anyim Pius Anyim. He explained Nigeria consciously signed up to the Initiative based on a clear conviction "that once transparency was implanted in the management of the nation's abundant extractive resources, it will boost the Government's efforts towards poverty reduction, sustainable development, social harmony, as well as better investment climate."

He said the Federal Government fully supports the regular audit and prompt implementation of issues that may arise therefrom.

He charged the reconstituted task team to work closely with NEITI and ensure prompt recovery of all outstanding revenues due to the federal government from audit findings, and "make recommendations to government through the Secretary to the government of the federation."

Other responsibilities of the new task team include "to undertake any other measure desirable to ensure that recommendations by NEITI add value to on-going reforms in the industry and to advise the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on any issue in NEITI audit report findings that needs the council’s intervention."

In his own remarks at the occasion, the Chairman of the task team Ledum Mitee said the task team's reports would not be intended to witch-hunt but "for the purpose of identifying lapses with a view to correct them or better still close them."

Topics:Economy, Federal Government, Gas, Oil, Energy StoriesCompanies:Extractive Fuels Inc, SGF, Societe de Gares Frigorifiques et Ports Francs de GeneveCountries:Nigeria!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

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FRACAS As Army, Police CLASH In Minna, Niger State

Minna, Niger State - The Niger State capital today became the arena for Nigerian Army and Police clash, as about 100 soldiers from the 31 Artillery Brigade, Minna, stormed a Police division and held the officers hostage for over one hour.

The soldiers were said to have stormed the police station in three trucks at about 10.30am to demand an explanation on why one of their men was allegedly manhandled and injured by Police officers on Thursday.

The trouble allegedly started when the soldier in question [name witheld] was involved in a car accident with a civilian.This led to a hot exchange of words between the soldier and the civilian, who, it turned out, was a son of a retired Wing Commander in the Nigeria Air-force.

The quarrel attracted the attention of the policemen who came to scene. The soldier and the civilian were later taken to the police station for a possible settlement.

On getting to the station, an argument ensued between the police and the soldier, leading to the manhandling of the soldier.

However, a lieutenant with the Army from the Artillery Barack in Minna came to the police station and pleaded for the release of the soldier, promising that the Army Authority would handle the matter. The Divisional Police Officer promptly released the soldier to him.

On getting to the barrack, a Captain, identified as KC Ezigbo, whom the the soldier was handed over to, demanded to know why and who injured the soldier.

Following the soldier’s explanation, it was learnt that when the soldier narrated his ordeal, the Captain drafted some of his troops to ensure they brought the policemen that manhandled and injured the soldier.

It was gathered that the warring soldiers, in commando style, stormed the police station, seized the armoury and disarmed all the policemen on duty, who were caught unaware by the invasion.

Those that tried to resist the invaders were allegedly beaten up.

It took the intervention of the state police commissioner, Nsirim Desire, who called the Artillery Commander in Minna, Brigadier General Christ Ilouga, to ask his boys to return to the barrack.

This led to pandemonium in the state capital as residents ran in different directions for fear of a possible exchange of gunfire between the soldiers and police personnel.

Topics:Army, PoliceLGA:Borgu, ChanchagaCities:MinnaStates:Niger!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

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Nigeria Has Chances at CHAN 2014

The Super Eagles will be making their debut at the third edition of the 16-nation Championship of African Nations (CHAN) between January the 11 and February 1, 2014. It is a tournament designed specifically for players plying their trade in their domestic leagues.

Tunisia beat Angola 3-0 in the final of the last edition of the tournament in Sudan in February 2011. Unfortunately, the reigning champions failed to qualify for next year’s edition in South Africa and will be unable to defend their title.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has done his best to lower the nation’s expectations on winning CHAN, as well he should. The Eagles are in the tough Group A comprising hosts South Africa, Mozambique and Mali.

Group B features Zimbabawe, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Morocco. Group C has Ghana, Congo, Libya and Ethiopia. To compete in Group D are DR Congo, Gabon, Burundi and Mauritania. This is probably the most open group in the tournament. Groups A and B are based in Cape Town, while Groups C and D are based in Manguang and Polokwane, respectively.

The Eagles are undoubtedly going to face stern challenges in South Africa. This is due to different factors.

The bulk of the squad that enabled qualification for CHAN have since moved to the European clubs. Once a player signs for a foreign club he becomes ineligible for CHAN.

Ironically, the scenario could still play itself out right up to the eve of the tournament as the winter transfer window opens on January 3. There is a distinct possibility that some players, who are key to Keshi’s plans, may sign for foreign clubs before our opening match against Mali. An example of this is Kelechi Iheanacho, who left the Eagles camp in Abuja last week to sign for English Premier League club Manchester City.

This has left Keshi with another challenge, a relatively inexperienced squad with minimal time to prepare them for a major tournament.

The dysfunctionality of the Nigerian Premier League has also made Keshi’s task harder. None of his players have kicked a ball in anger since the league ended in October due to the wrangling between the League Management Committee and the inappropriately named club owners. The league was initially slated to start in November but has been suspended till after CHAN. That means all our players will be going to South Africa lacking a competitive edge and match fitness.

Despite the challenges the squad is facing, Nigerians still remain expectant and relatively confident of a credible outing. As defending African champions, we stand a chance of creating history by becoming the first country to hold both continental titles simultaneously. Nevertheless, win or lose, I’m really looking forward to CHAN, to seeing our boys going up against the very best, Africa has to offer. It will also give us a viable indication of the strength of our league. Going forward, the bedrock of our national team should be the domestic league players.

Keshi has three matches and a maximum of six to see what his boys are capable of. It is my fervent belief that at least three players will emerge from CHAN to challenge in the regular Super Eagles for a first team spot and a seat on that plane to Brazil for the World Cup.

Two of the Eagles mainstays Mikel Obi of Chelsea and Liverpool’s Victor Moses, find themselves on the fringes of their first teams. Mikel, through no fault of his, doesn’t feature in Jose Mourinho’s plans at present due to a glut of midfielders at his disposal. Moses’ case is a little bit more worrisome. He seems to have suffered a drop in form for both club and country. Moses was virtually anonymous in both legs of our final World Cup qualifying tie against Ethiopia, although he did raise his game against Italy in the friendly at Craven Cottage, London.

Watching Moses come on as a substitute in the 85th minute, when Liverpool already had a 5-0 lead over hapless Spurs, made me wonder how far he has fallen in the pecking order at Liverpool. In a game two stalwarts of the team in Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge were out injured, teenage Raheem Sterling was preferred to Moses. That speaks volumes about Brendan Rodgers’ faith (or lack of ) in Moses.

The World Cup bound Eagles lack a creative spark in the middle of the park, it seemed Sunday Mba was fated to fill that role after his stellar performances at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa but his career has stalled somewhat due to his inability to play regular club football. I’m hoping the next Jay Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu can stand up to be recognised over three weeks in January.

Topics:Sports, Super EaglesCountries:Angola, South Africa, SudanRegions:Africa!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

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Can the World's Fastest Man Beat a Bus? (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

The world's fastest man Usain Bolt famously "raced" against Prince Harry - and now he has taken on a bus.

While the royal managed to "outsprint" the Jamaican, Bolt was taking no chances this time as he made sure he pipped the vehicle to the tape, even at a jogging pace.

Scroll down for the video...

The six-time Olympic champion seemed to be taking the exhibition 80-metre race seriously beforehand as he stretched for several minutes in Buenos Aires.

But during the contest on the streets of the Argentinian capital, he realised the number 59 bus had no chance so he did not bother to ramp up his performance to full sprint mode.

Bolt, who won the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay golds in two consecutive Olympics - Beijing 2008 and London 2012 - said he has set his sights on winning a third time in Rio in 2016.

He told a news conference: "One of my main goals is to go to the Rio Olympics, as I was saying, to do it again.

"To defend my titles and it's never been done three times so, for me, that's me trying to set the bar as high as possible. To just push the barrier."

After beating the bus, Bolt raced a 120-metre sprint against fellow Jamaicans Mario Forsythe, Kimmari Roach and Daniel Bailey. And it will not be a surprise to learn that he won that event, too.

Topics:Olympics, Photography, Sports, Video!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

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Police Release Top Official Rape Suspect Following Medical Report

Police in Ondo state has released a top official of the Akure Zonal Office of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mr. Boma Benibo, 59 who was alleged to have defiled a seven-year old girl.

Image Maker of the Command Wole Ogodo said that the released followed the medical report which exonerated him of the allegation.

According to Ogodo, who spoke to the journalists in Akure, the police cannot continue to detain the suspect when the medical report has laid to rest that the allegation against him was false.

A copy of the report signed by Dr E O Adewale said that the victim in questio, Tomide Babadipe was not defiled as alleged by her parents.

The extract from the medical document reads:

"The above named child was brought into this faculty on 16th December 2013 with complaints of sexual assualt meted on her by a neighbour on Dec 10th 2013. Examination revealed a young girl with normal female external genitalia, intact hymen at the introitus. There was no signs of defilement in the recent time."

Girl's parents had reported to the police that the neighbour defiled their little daughter at there 18, Kola ogunmola Street, Ijapo Estate, Akure last week Tuesday. Following this Benibo was arrested.

Ogodo then said the "police was going to do a medical test on the girls to ascertain if the Beribo actually penetrated the girl.

He said,

"Yes, it is true, but we have a little problem to resolve, because the girl, on interrogation said the man was fiddling with his private part and did not penetrate her.The police is trying to take her to the hospital so that a proper medical examination will be done to determine the fact of the matter,”

RELATED ARTICLE: 59-Year-Old Top Government Official Rapes 7-Year-Old Girl

Topics:Police, RapeLGA:Akure SouthCities:AkureStates:Ondo state!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

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NO FIRECRACKERS As Jankara Traders Still Mourn Loss

This time of the year synonymous with carols, lighting, shiny decorations, gifts, Santa Claus and firecrackers. But the old practice of setting off firecrackers at yuletide may never happen at Jankara market, Lagos Island, again.

Last Boxing Day, December 26, 2012, an explosion reportedly caused by fire crackers, rocked Jankara market, killing at least one person and injuring about 40 others. The explosion started in a warehouse at 45, Ojo Giwa Street, Jankara market, where firecrackers were stored. The building which housed the warehouse was razed to the ground, while about 13 adjoining buildings were badly burnt, some of which had to be pulled down.

One year after

Almost a year after the incident, the mood at the market was still sombre as traders and residents on and around Ojo Giwa Street are yet to recover from the losses incurred through the explosion. Many traders said the incident had changed the community as they declared their dislike for firecrackers.

Should anyone attempt to set off a firecracker in the market area as part of Christmas and New Year celebrations, one of the traders, Obinna Okoye, said the person would be risking his or her safety for the action.

“People will rush and fight anyone who tries to set off a banger here. Nobody plays with banger in this area since the incident. Nobody dares it because we have lost so much. I lost all the electronics I was selling and I had just paid rent for two years in advance and still had about eight months left when the explosion took everything away,” he said.

Another trader, Oluwaseun Shiyanbola, who blamed the incident for his father’s death, added that he would react strongly to the selling or setting off of firecracker in the market, considering his family’s tragic experience.

He said, “I can’t even predict what I would do if I see anyone lighting bangers here, but I know I won’t take it lightly. Nobody does that again here. There has not been a sound of firecracker here this year. In fact, if something like that happens, the police will have to be involved.”

Earlier in the month, on December 12, traders at the market gather to hold a special interdenominational prayer service. A trader, Chigozie Aghalu, described the programme as a “celebration of the lives of those who survived the incident.”

Aghalu, who lost two shops to the explosion, said he had been to hell and back since the incident occurred about a year ago.

He said, “Before now, they used to sell firecrackers here during Christmas period, but this time around, no one can sell or use them here. The incident changed everything for us. Nobody can light a fire cracker here, not just this place, but the whole of the Lagos Island. People will come together to fight the person before the person will be handed over to the police.

“When the explosion occurred, I lost everything and I had a family and my aged mother to feed. For a long time, we were relying on others to feed. Some of us who did not die in the explosion have died from worrying. Some took loans from banks and lost everything in the fire.

“Some are still dying till today because there is no way for them to get money to pay back their loans. After the incident, I went to hell and came back. I’m still not fully back; I’m still on my way back.”

At the makeshift stalls where the affected traders have been putting up since the incident, the stories of loss seemed to have become a binding factor amongst them.

Shiyanbola, who lost his 56-year-old father, Segun, a few months after the incident, said his father had slipped into depression following the incident.

“I lost my father due to the incident because he was always thinking about it. He died in his car but we knew what killed him because he was thinking a lot at the time. We lost about N10m worth of goods and it was a major setback for the family,” he said.

Shiyanbola said the trader using the adjoining stall, also lost her daughter to the explosion. However, Shiyanbola’s neighbour was not in the market when our correspondent visited the place.

Another trader, Mr. Wasiu Ajetumobi, lost two shops and almost lost his life as well, to the explosion.

Ajetumobi said he spent two months at the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island, spending about N500,000 on hospital bills. He claimed to have lost goods worth N2m to the fire.

One other issue that the traders were united on was their disappointment in the government for not coming to their aid since the explosion. Ajetumobi, who accused the government of insensitivity, said those affected had waited for close to a year for assistance from the Lagos State government.

He said, “Some government officials from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency came around January 2013, about a month after the incident to get our names and other data, promising to assist us. But it’s been 11 months since they came and we have heard nothing from them.”

Shiyanbola urged the government to assist affected traders with the provision of funds and good shops to cut down their losses, saying such a move would “positively impact on the economy of the state.”

Since the explosion, the state government has taken a tougher stance on the buying and selling of firecrackers. Consequently, the rate of bursting of fire crackers seemed to have drastically declined within the metropolis.

Efforts to reach the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, were not successful as he did not answer calls nor respond to text messages sent to his mobile phone. Similar efforts made to reach the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, for comments, were also not successful.

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APC To Visit Obasanjo TODAY?

It was learnt that leaders of the All Progressives Congress will visit former President Olusegun Obasanjo today.

A leader of APC, who pleaded anonymity, revealed this information on Friday. The APC source said that some leaders of the party, including some of its governors will meet Obasanjo at his home in Ota, Ogun State.

At the residence of a former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday, former Head of State and a chief of APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, hinted that the next stop of the party’s leadership in its visits to notable Nigerians would be Obasanjo’s residence.

Buhari said APC will meet Obasanjo and explain to him the reason for the formation of the party.

The APC source noted that the team to Obasanjo will be comprise of select leader of the party and some governors.

“The visit in happen tomorrow. Select leaders of APC will visit Obasanjo tomorrow. Some APC governors will also be there,” he said.

The source however did not mention the names of the APC leaders, who will be part of the delegation, but noted that it would include largely the same set of the party’s leaders that had visited other former Heads of State such as Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

Apart from the Interim National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, other leaders such as former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu are expected to be part of the delegation to Obasanjo.

RELATED ARTICLE: APC/OBASANJO MEETING: Obasanjo Arrives At His Mansion Ahead Of Meeting With APC Leaders

Topics:Muhammadu Buhari, Olusegun Obasanjo, Politics, GovernorORGANIZATION:APC (All Progressives Congress)LGA:Ado-OdoCities:OtaStates:Ogun state!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

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Nigerian Medical Association To Continue Strike

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) intends to continue the warning strike action unless concrete efforts are made to meet the minimum demands of the association.

On Friday, the NMA representatives said this via communique signed by its President, Dr Osahon Enabulele. The communique was issued at the end of an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Thursday, Dec. 19.

It will be recalled the Association embarked on a five-day warning strike in public health institutions on Wednesday, Dec. 18. The association had listed the issues of the strike as bordering on some health sector challenges, workplace conditions and the conditions of service of doctors.

The communique said Thursday's NEC meeting was called to appraise the on-going warning strike declared by the NMA.

It had said this was in fulfilment of the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the NMA and the government team.

"With respect to the promises offered by officers of government in a meeting held with the leadership of the NMA on Monday, Dec. 16, 2013, the NEC expressed dissatisfaction with the MoU reached with the leadership of the NMA.

"NEC particularly observed that similar MoUs reached with the association in the past were not adhered to by the government side."

The communique said NEC therefore called for concrete implementation of the contents of the MoU to enable her conduct an appropriate assessment of the commitment of government.

The NEC reaffirmed the association’s decision to limit the duration of the warning strike action "in deference to the yuletide season and as a mark of its appreciation of the appeals of well-meaning Nigerians."

The association however warned that a total strike would commence if the raised issues were not satisfactorily resolved by January 6, 2014.

The NMA NEC thanked all well-meaning Nigerians and the media for their understanding, prayers and support.

RELATED ARTICLE: Doctors 5-Day Strike Paralyses Activities in Lagos Hospitals

Topics:Health, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

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TOP: 5 Most Humble Nigerian Celebrities

Check out the article dedicated to 5 most humble Nigerian celebrities. No matter how many controversies and scandals have been surrounding these stars recently, they have proved to be humble by their actions and attitudes.

1. 2Face Idibia

It is hard to imagine anybody to contest 2Face’s position on this list. One can drop critical comments about his marital life, or the life of his baby mamas. But one thing for sure is that 2Face is always kind and giving to his fans. Never does he act proud, or carry himself like he is more than he is. Being an international superstar, he opened the doors for numerous young Nigerian artists who are making it big in this day and age.

2. Olamide

Everyone loves Olamide: men, women, boys, girls. Do you know why? Because he raps from his heart. He doesn’t try to fake an accent. He doesn’t try to fit a mold just to try and break into a different genre. It may have taken him a little bit of time, but Olamide is now officially in the spotlight. Moreover, he is probably among Nigeria’s top 3 most sought after musicians today.

3.Genevieve

Many people call her the most beautiful woman in Africa. Not only is she a gorgeous lady, but also an incredibly great actress with a classy and sophisticated fashion sense! Praised by many around the globe, she always takes time to remember where she comes from. Even when baited to bad mouth her country in international news interviews, she refuses to say anything bad about Naija. Got to love her for that!

4. Don Jazzy

Don Baba! Don Jay! Don Jazzy is probably one of the most vocal celebrities out there. But we’ve never known him for being vocal in a negative manner. It is also cool that he has fun conversing with his fans on twitter.

5.Funke Akindele

Despite the controversy surrounding her divorce right now, Funke Akindele is still managing to make us smile with her movie roles. She has sky rocketed into the lime light ever since her role in Jenifa, and she has managed to maintain a humble and appreciative attitude throughout. No doubt: Funke is a beautiful and very entertaining actress.

Topics:Don Jazzy, Funke Akindele, Genevieve Nnaji, Olamide, TuFaceCountries:NigeriaRegions:Africa!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

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Nigeria Music Industry Is A Jungle - Akin Tofowomo

The Shuga Band is one of the most successful live bands around. The music band, for 16 years, has performed in major gigs and virtually before dignitaries all over the country and beyond. The CEO, Akin Tofomowo, speaks about his journey so far, the state of the music industry among other issues.

Influences: I listened to a lot of music from Jazz, R&B, pop and from my own background. My father used to play and listen to Ayinla Omowura, Ayinde Bakare, Frank Sinatra, Hubert Ogunde and the likes. Growing up, I was enthralled by the arts of watching videos like Ogboju, Ode Nigbo and Irunmole. That was how deep I was culturally. Listening to deep Yoruba and Igbo lyrics was part of my formative days.

My Work: Africa Christian Medley: I have done a song for MKO Abiola before and a couple of works with other people. My present work is the African Christmas Medley. The decision to record this was borne out of the fact that Christmas is nostalgic for me and other people. It is a part of us whether you are a Christian or not. Africa Christmas Medley album has something for everybody. Is it the Dansaki track in Yoruba which eulogises Jesus Christ or the Onye Nzoputa in Igbo that praises God?

Everybody loves Christmas music and this album is there for those who love good music. It has eight tracks and there is a song for everyone. During the yuletide season, we perform almost everyday. We deliberately leave some days so that we can have some time.

Shuga Band and Our Music: As a live band, we are designed to play all genres of music. It’s our love for music and arts that makes us to do so. Our music is influenced by the niche that we find in the market segmentation. We are a company, a band that keeps finding what our clients want and work towards satisfying them. I have a 14-piece band and some have been with me for nine years, some six years and we have travelled far and wide - Dubai, Paris and Sri Lanka.

A lot of them are graduates and we all understand what it means to be a live band. On the average, we perform over a hundred gigs per year. Our band is as sweet as the name implies. We started with four-piece band members. Live music is just one of what we do. We do other things; when we are not performing, I am recording sound somewhere. We won the Best Band of the Year months ago by WEBS Awards.

Foundation and Growing Up: My father was a top judge, not just a magistrate judge and we had cooks, drivers and house helps living with us. From Port Harcourt to Enugu to Calabar to Lagos, these were where we lived and it was a good experience.
My foundation, Shuga Limb Foundation, is spurred out to provide people with mobility aids and not to eradicate polio. I am not concerned with eradicating polio but helping people who have suffered polio. I had polio as a child and I grew up with that but my patents never made me feel as a lesser child.

I was not handicapped as it were. I can’t remember my limitation as a child as we had so many house aids working in my house. Recently my wife asked me, was there ever a time when your limitation came to the fore? I told her never! I can’t remember. I played football and was a goal keeper in my neighbourhood in Enugu GRA where we lived. I was the shot stopper and the preferred number one goal keeper. You can imagine that. My friends would come to my house and ask of me, the shot stopper, and my parents would wonder. I was that good and did not see any limitation. It was later that when I have grown up now that I became conscious of the limitation. I attended UI briefly after which I went to LASU to study Political Science.

How we function as a Live Band: For live performance, our clientele goes from me to you. We perform live at your wedding, your birthday or your gig. As a live band musician, we build our clientele from the scratch. Other artistes use the radio or TV to showcase themselves but we use the oldest form of communication which is performing live at your event. We go for a gig and our client appreciates our performance and tells another and our fan base grows massively. We are exposed to different levels of performances. We are trending and do what our fans would love us to do. It’s not like normal musicians who need the radio, TV and newsprint to make them known. No one can say, play my jazz songs from 9am to 12pm. That is what a live performance does.We have done concerts before like, Tyme Out with Tee A.

Even when we are not performing, we are recording somewhere. We run an entertainment company and we also have an 8-5 job. The band only plays when there is a booking; we have other things we do. Shuga Entertainment owns the band but the band is managed by One Stream Global. They manage other acts and other bands too. One thing about Shuga Band is that without being arrogant, we do our work well and pamper our clients. Part of the challenge is that we have to be spontaneous to utilise our instinct to deliver what songs people like the day before and we have performed at a burial ceremony. The people’s reactions determine the flow of our music.

Performing in Sri Lanka (Asian Country): It was a great experience. We performed in the midst of mixed races; we had people from America, Greece, Montecarlo and also Nigerians. It was a traditional Asian wedding between a Nigerian and Sri Lankan. They had their band; that was the beauty of it. They also performed first and their band did so well. We came to do our thing and trust me, they were thrilled. They said they had never seen something like this before. One thing about Shuga band is that, not sounding arrogant, we more than deliver! The father of the bride was so thrilled.

My Marriage and Family Life: I am married for almost five years now. We did the traditional wedding years ago. Two things you can’t take away from me are my family and my music. I like a compact family.

Music Industry, a Jungle: The music industry is a jungle and largely unstructured. You record a piece of music and another person claims the credit. There are four agencies that work for the interest of artistes. For example you record in Nigeria, one of the agencies will collect your royalties for you in London or wherever. Who is doing that here? We have lacked structures for a while now.

If you record a song and it’s not successful, you hide from view. I know major music labels in Nigeria and the independent ones. What are the distribution channels? There are only four major labels in the world. Nigeria has no major label; we used to have. Where are the Tabansi Records? They are no more. What a major label does is that when a song is released, the distribution channels in places like Enugu and others will push your music. Do you know the amount of financial resources at their disposal? It’s huge and we don’t have that here. And you know musicians here don’t respect contracts.

Also musicians make more than what bankers earn but the money just goes out like that. That’s why in my company, we don’t pay them cash, we pay into their account and help them plan their finances. Money management is what a lot of artistes don’t have. As a musician, you manage what you have now properly because you won’t always have the clients the way you do now.

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THE LETTER SAGA: Experts Analyze Obasanjo's "Deadly" Letters To Nigerian Leaders

If there is anything Nigerians should have learnt from the letters of General Olusegun Obasanjo to the nation's presidents and heads of state, and what President Jonathan should be particularly mindful of, it is that one needs to carefully read between the lines and be cautious. This is because Obasanjo's letters have a history of being some sort of omen for the government of the day.

Experts were almost unanimous in their views that patriotic Obasanjo may be, but he also may be seeking for "notice".

According to Barrister B.M. Salihu, "The truth is that Obasanjo has lost relevance and that is why he is making all these noise...didn’t he know these things earlier that he chose to speak only now? He is a master in double speak, was he not the one who asked Gowon what he forgot in the Presidential Villa but later on came on to contest?"

In his analysis, Hassan A. Hassan, Dean, Faculty of General Studies and Head of Mass Communication Department at the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, said, "To be fair, Obasanjo is one of the most patriotic Nigerians around. You know he was known as a statesman of international repute after his first tenure."

Hassan, who is also the Bauchi state Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, however lamented that "the man has lost that privilege because he woefully failed to address the issues he is now accusing Jonathan of, in the eight years he held sway."

According to Mr Pam Henry Dung, a Psychology lecturer with the Plateau State University, "My basic impressions are, first of all, President Jonathan will not let Obasanjo meddle so much into his government any more. So Obasanjo is disgruntled about that.

"Secondly, Obasanjo does not want anyone to beat his record of being the longest served president of the country. Above all, Obasanjo does not have the credibility to write such a letter. His words should be taken with a pinch of salt."

In his submission, erudite constitutional lawyer, Malam Yusuf Alli (SAN) said that he believes that former president Obasanjo's letter to president Jonathan should be seen as a catalyst for development. According to him, past leaders must continue to speak up on national issues.

He said, "All those who havebeen privileged to rule Nigeria must continue to speak up on national issues whether the incumbent is performing or not. That is the way to ensure that the country attains its greatness."

Obasanjo and his letters in history of Nigeria

Even though many Nigerians see Obasanjo as a "wrong messenger", his messages have always struck a chord.

It took a letter or comments from Obasanjo, to different administrations, for the nation to come to terms with the need for a change of guard at either the Dodan Barracks in Lagos, or the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

For Alhaji Shehu Shagari, the first executive president of Nigeria, it came in 1983. For the apostle of "War Against Indiscipline", General Muhammadu Buhari, it came in 1985, and for the first and only military president of the nation, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, there are stories to tell from his 1989 and 1993 experiences with Obasanjo. Even the dreaded General Sani Abacha had his share, with Obasanjo's "attack" in 1995. He did not spare the gentle Umaru Musa Yar'Adua in 2010 either.

Apart from having the privilege of ruling the country on two different occasions (1976-1979 and 1999-2007), the former president has remained the most active Nigerian leader after exit from office.

Obasanjo, in an 18-page open letter, titled Before It Is Too Late, written on Monday, December 2, gives 10 reasons for making the "letter of appeal public".

He accused President Goodluck Jonathan of ruling the nation as a tyrant, training snipers, driving the country to the edge of an abyss by allowing corruption to thrive and of favouritism and sowing discord in the military.

Obasanjo wrote, "The roles of the military and the security agencies should be held sacrosanct in the best interest of the nation. Again, let not history repeat itself. You should learn the lesson of history and please do not take Nigeria and Nigerians for granted".

The uproar generated by this letter to Jonathan may not have mattered much if not for the antecedents of such previous letters from the former president.

Obasanjo has a penchant for talking down the government of the day, with his letters appearing to play the role of a ‘sniper’, as such governments became history shortly after receiving them.

Obasanjo's letters or comments have almost always led to the sacking of the objects of his attacks.

Obasanjo spoke against the government of Shagari in 1983, a government he handed power over to and in a matter of weeks the administration was history. Obasanjo was quoted to have said that he was not surprised when Shagari was overthrown.

Babangida later confirmed that the 1983 coup actually wanted to install Obasanjo as president after toppling the Shagari administration, but that the Ota farmer rejected the offer.

"It is true that we wanted to bring General Obasanjo back as head of state in 1984, but to be fair to Obasanjo, he rejected the offer. He said no. He said it would destroy his integrity; that he handed over to Shagari and it was not right for him to get involved. But he [Obasanjo] said he was not stopping us from going ahead with the plot," Babangida explained.

Such a signal came for Gen. Buhari in 1985 and soon after, Gen Babangida came on board.

His speech on how structural adjustment "must have a human face and the milk of human kindness," on Babangida's Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), was a prelude to the famous SAP riot of 1989.

Obasanjo also won the heart of the nation as a defender of democracy when he tackled the Babangida administration over its endless transition programme, which ended in the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola.

The former president told everyone who cared to listen, that Abiola was not the messiah the nation needed.

The tragedy of the statements was that Babangida was forced to step aside and Abiola never became president.

Obasanjo's attack did not spare the late Gen Sani Abacha's administration.

The Arewa House keynote address condemning the Abacha regime and a BBC interview, in which he accused Abacha’s government of spending like a drunken sailor, are things Nigerians will not forget in a hurry.

Generals fight the last war and that was a mistake. The no-nonsense Abacha sent him to jail for allegedly participating in a coup plot. He was lucky he didn’t get the death penalty.

Again, he went after the late President Musa Yar’Adua’s administration. A day after leaving office in 2007, Obasanjo was said to have written to President Yar’Adua, his successor, in a letter dated May 30, 2007, trying to tutor him on what to do.

"As you know, for the next few months, perhaps years, your government will be regarded as being in the penumbra of the Obasanjo regime given the situation that brought you into office. Against this background you must toil to carve out a unique identity for yourself and administration. To do this, you must choose wisely your vision and the folks in your cabinet to drive the vision."

After seeing Yar'Adua in hospital, Obasanjo went public to hint at the life-threatening health challenges confronting the leader, setting in motion at a very frenetic pace a sequence of events that led to the emergence of Jonathan as acting president.

Unlike in his letters to other presidents, Obasanjo had, in his recent letter to Jonathan, craved his indulgence to "share the contents of this letter, in the first instance, with General Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who, on a number of occasions in recent times, have shared with me their agonising thoughts, concerns and expressions on most of the issues I have raised in this letter concerning the situation and future of our country."

The question is, where will this letter take either Obasanjo or Jonathan? The two leaders in any case should not be seen washing their dirty linen in public.

Their acts of commission and omission have direct and indirect consequences on the overall leadership of the country.

This is why it has been suggested in some quarters that Nigerians should collectively ignore the messenger, but take the message, especially as serious issues bordering on national security were raised in Obasanjo's letter to President Jonathan.

Because Obasanjo's letter raised very serious issues against the person and office of the president, it has become imperative for the presidency or the president to come out and address the Nigerian public on some of the issues, for the sake of posterity.

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Bloody Clash Averted As OPC Inaugurates Itsekiri Chapter In Delta

A supposed to be bloody clash between members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), on the one hand, and Nigerian policemen and some hired thugs, on the other, was averted last Tuesday during the OPC’s inauguration of an Itsekiri chapter in Warri, Delta state.

The inauguration was scheduled to take place at the Atuwatse II Model Primary School in Warri, but the venue was cordoned off by stern-looking police officers who forced guests to run for cover. Several sources revealed that the police were drafted to the scene on account of a petition by a prominent Itsekiri figure, Rita Lori-Ogbe, who warned that the event could foment chaos and unrest. In addition to police officers, witnesses said the venue was also besieged by rented political thugs who wrecked the canopies, tables and chairs arranged for the event.

The police and thugs prevented the OPC leader, Gani Adams, and several hundred members from reaching the venue of the inauguration. Mr. Adams had arrived in Warri to preside over the OPC’s national coordinating council meeting and inauguration of the group’s Itsekiri chapter.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State was expected to be the special guest of honor at the event which was disrupted by a team of policemen from “A” Division in Warri. “Some people were under the impression that the meeting could to instigate youths of the state to engage in disorderly behavior and to promote militancy in the area,” one source said.

The sources disclosed that the heightened tensions in Warri were brought under control when the organizers decided to relocate the inauguration event to the residence of J.O.S. Ayomike, the chairman of Itsekiri Leaders of Thought. The national coordinating council meeting of OPC held at PK Hotels.

Mr. Adams described his visit to Warri as a homecoming, adding that the Itsekiri people shared the same ancestral lineage as descendants of Oduduwa. He said the Itsekiri needed the presence of OPC since the body was created to serve all Oduduwa descendants.

Mr. Adams also eulogized the late Alfred Rewane, a notable Itsekiri leader and co-founder of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), who played a significant role in the June 12 struggle. He added that the murder of Mr. Rewane created a huge vacuum in NADECO during the struggle against military despotism.

He explained that the OPC was created to cater for the needs of O’dua descendants in different parts of Nigeria as well as Benin Republic and the Caribbean. “We are not in Itsekiri (Warri) to cause problems, and I do not see anything bad in coming to Delta State,” he said. “OPC is a socio-cultural organization set up for the collective good of all Yoruba people.” He regretted that some highly placed persons had misconstrued the purpose of meeting which had been done before in Benin City as well as Port Harcourt.

“We founded the OPC to fight for the identities of all the Yoruba people all over the universe. There are about 46 million Yoruba in Nigeria and over 200 million all over the world. Itsekiri is part of the descendants of Oduduwa. Therefore, they need the support of the OPC. The inauguration of the OPC chapter was to forge closer ties between Itsekiri and Yoruba people. The Itsekiri nation would be more powerful and formidable politically with the alliance it has cemented with the OPC,” said Mr. Adams.

He added that the Itsekiri people had much to gain from belonging to the OPC. “Our members in this community are more than 2,000. If we had marched them to the field, there would have been chaos. I have to thank the leadership and organization skill of the Itsekiri for the level of understanding,”

Speaking earlier, an Itsekiri figure, Gbubemi Abigor, lamented the misinformation spread about the event. “Our idea is to have contact with our brothers from the Southwest (OPC) and ensure that we can relate socially, economically, politically,” he said. “We deem it necessary that we should avoid anything that can dent this noble relationship we are trying to create,” he added.

Another Itsekiri, Lucky Akaruese, celebrated the cementing of the bond between Itsekiri and Yoruba. He condemned the invasion of the earlier venue of the meeting by police officers and thugs. He said, “No government has the right to bar citizens from holding meetings, having peaceful assemblies, when there are international human rights laws that guarantee this kind of peaceful assembly. Hence, we want to let the world know that we cannot be intimidated, it is our right to assemble.”

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It's Not Easy To Spend Christmas Without Family In Camp - Keshi

 

Super Eagles' head coach Stephen Keshi said on Saturday that it would not be easy spending the Christmas in camp in preparation for the Championship of African Nations (CHAN).

CHAN is scheduled to hold in South Africa between Jan. 11 and Feb. 1.

Keshi, however, said that he would have loved to spend the holiday in the U.S. with his family, but that time would not permit him.

According to him, the task of preparing the home-based Eagles for the CHAN had taken over his Christmas and New Year celebration.

“It is difficult to be in camp during Christmas. It has been like that since we took over.

“We have had three Christmas and New Year in the camp, what can we do.

“I will love to be with my family in the U.S. and hangout with them, but we are here as part of the sacrifice we have to make,’’ Keshi said.

The Super Eagles handler blamed their three consecutive Christmas in camp on the poor structure of the country’s domestic leagues.

“Every national league in Europe that I know works accordingly with the national team so that things will work in a marriage form.

“But here in Nigeria it is a different ball game. We are going for a big competition in Africa and the leagues are not on.

“The boys are not playing in any competition. How are they going to be in form?

“However, I just want to do my job, but honestly speaking it is not good,’’ Keshi said.

He urged Nigerians not to expect too much from the team as there was nothing on ground to prepare it for the championship.

Keshi noted that with the leagues on break, Nigerians would be asking for too much if they expected the team to lift the CHAN trophy.

“It is not possible to say I will win the trophy because what is going on here is very difficult to get us the result, but we will try to do our best.

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How Student, 23, Was Kidnapped In Kogi, Found In Lagos A Week Later

John Atabor

John Atabor, a 23-year-old, 300 level Civil Engineering student of the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State, was kidnapped on Tuesday, November 19, 2013, and released by his captors a week later, on November 26.

In the afternoon of November 19, Mr. Atabor left his hostel, and, as he walked down the road within his campus, an ash-coloured Mercedes car with four male passengers suddenly pulled up beside him and called his attention. As there were other students nearby, Mr. Atabor obliged them.

"That was all I could remember," he recalls. "Even before I got to the campus gate, I was not myself anymore. I began to think that I must have been hypnotised."

Mr. Atabor also says that, despite other students' presence nearby, he could not call for help, and no one raised the alarm.

"We drove out of the campus' gate... and that was how my journey to Lagos began."

According to Mr. Atabor, the four men took him to Lagos, where they locked him up in an unknown building.

"I didn't know where I was, and I was not allowed to come out for any reason."

One night, one of the abductors came to his cubicle and asked him if he would still find his way back.

"It was then that I realised that I was still alive and in this world, because where I was kept, it was difficult to hear any sound. Where I was kept, I was only given water and bread. Most times, I would be asleep and just wake up to see the food there. I never saw the person who brought the food. That still remains a mystery," the young man says.

The next morning, the same man returned to him and informed he would be on his way home before nightfall.

"He gave me the phone and told me to call anyone I wanted to come pick me. The first name that came to mind was my father's, and I called him. He wanted to know where I was and after asking the people around, I informed him that I was in Alaba Suru in Ojo, Lagos State," Atabor says.

His father, Paul Garuba Atabor, was ecstatic to hear his son. When he got the details, he called his brother, a soldier serving at the Ojo Barracks.

"My brother went to Alaba Suru armed and eventually saw John Atabor alive without bruises. I give unequivocal thanks to God for His goodness," the father says.

"When I got the news of my son's ordeal, I tried to think about someone who I must have offended, but I could not remember anyone. The only alternative I came up with was to give praise to God and engage in prayer sessions for as long as the ordeal lasted."

The elder Atabor recalled that he made several phone calls to relations and friends within and outside Kogi State, letting them know what had happened to his son.

The thanks-giving service organised in honour of the returned Atabor-junior was well-attended. Joyous worshippers thronged to the church, where they piled into the pew of the Saint Mary Immaculate Catholic Cathedral Lokoja, Kogi State and joined the Atabors in thanking God.

The father revealed that he could not estimate how much was spent, but remained ever grateful to God for his mercies.

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