Friday 21 June 2013
I'm not a fraudster, says ex-Lagos deputy gov
Former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, has maintained that she is innocent of the allegation of fraud levelled against her and her son, Samson.
In a statement made available to Saturday PUNCH on Thursday, Ojikutu denied that she and Samson obtained N130m under false pretences from the complainant, Mr. Cajetan Okekearu.
She claimed that the said amount was collected under genuine circumstances for the sale of a plot of land to Okekearu.
According to the statement, the said plot belonging to Ojikutu and her late husband, Sampson Ojikutu, is Block 4, Plot 24, Lekki Peninsula Residential Scheme, Phase 1.
It, however, accused the complainant of constructing on a wrong plot of land – plot 23 – which is the adjoining plot.
The statement, which was signed by Ojikutu's solicitors, B. Ayorinde and Co., read in part, "That subsequently, Mr. Cajetan Okekearu commenced construction on Block 4, Plot 23, Lekki Residential Scheme Phase1, the land adjoining Block 4, Plot 24, Lekki Residential Scheme Phase 1, whereupon one Afolabi A. A. Coker successfully challenged Mr. Okekearu's entry onto the land.
"It was after the events above that our clients discovered for the first time that Mr. Okekearu had built on Block 4, Plot 23, Lekki Residential Scheme Phase 1 instead of Block 4, Plot 24, Lekki Residential Scheme Phase 1."
Ojikutu maintained that she and her son had relied on the authority of a Letter of Administration (without a will) granted by the Probate Registry of the Lagos State High Court in 2010 with reference no PHC/2114/2010, "pursuant to which my aforesaid son and me are the administrators of my aforesaid late husband's estate, which includes the said land."
The statement further said that Alhaja Ojikutu had signed an undertaking to refund N130m to Okekearu, and had already paid N50m out of the said amount.
Also in the statement, Ojikutu's lawyers maintained that she had legal rights to the land as its joint owner, and therefore, had the prerogative to sell following her husband's death in 2008. It also denied that Ojikutu ever used the said land in any transaction prior to when the land was sold to Okekearu.
Earlier in the week, the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police had declared the former deputy governor wanted for allegedly defrauding a land buyer of N130m.
The SFU alleged that the suspect and her son, Samson, fraudulently obtained the money from Okekearu by selling a plot of land belonging to one Mr. Afolabi, to the complainant.
The police also accused Ojikutu of jumping bail and not willing to abide by the terms of payment, which should have had her completely refund Okekearu by November 2012.
Meanwhile, Ojikutu is away in the United States of America and so far, there is no indication of when she intends to return to the country, in spite of her status as a wanted citizen.
She directed all questions from Saturday PUNCH to her lawyer, Mr. Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), who did not pick his calls or respond to a text message to his phone.
CBN Governor Mallam Sanusi And The ‘Scandal’ That Won’t Go Away
or dying. Tired of all the negative news, I sent out a fatwa: give me
news of deaths and risk instant death! My folks knew I didn't mean
literal death. They also knew the sharpness of my tongue. A family
member once said (unfairly, I might add) that if I were goat meat, he
would eat everything except my mouth! I didn't mind that 'yabis'
because the avalanche of negative family news ceased.
I remembered a family member recently and realised I hadn't heard
about her in ages. When I asked my mother, she said the woman had
since passed away. "Why wasn't I told?" I asked with mild indignation.
My mother retorted: "I thought you didn't want to hear news about
death." Touche! I can't eat my cake and have it, can I?
Despite that, I continue to discourage news about deaths because they
often extract a high (emotional and financial) price. Even the happy
events such as weddings and births (not always in that order) have
their own price tags. For example, a younger cousin called one
Thursday to inform me that on that Sunday, she would dedicate her baby
(of whose existence I had been blissfully ignorant). She invited me to
the event (holding in three days!). I asked if she knew the distance
between Arizona and Akwa Ibom. Needless to say, she was only
interested in my presents rather than my presence.
On the political arena, I also carefully filter the information that I
consume from Nigeria. I read the major headlines on Nigerian news
sites and studiously ignore photos of naked young black women that
have become regular pop-ups on these sites. I also avoid the often
deceptive headlines about Nollywood stars and their love interests,
unless the stories are about my favorite leading man, Ramsey Nouah.
Thankfully, he's not one of those crazy ones who run around with
unbridled libido, at least not that I know of. And after the stuff
that I 'accidentally' read this week, I would hesitate if asked to
"drink mbiam" (as my Annang folks would say) affirming his morality.
I am still traumatised by the story of an alleged affair between
Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN), and a woman who may or may not be a CBN employee. If the story
is true, then I need intense therapy to recover from the shock that my
'fiscal idol' has a serious case of clay-footedness. Okay, I
exaggerate … but it would be profoundly disappointing.
I first 'encountered' Sanusi last year on an Africa Magic broadcast.
That same week he made the headlines with his comment about how the
Nigerian civil service needed a trim. I teased him for desiring to
create a civil service that was as austere as his physical appearance.
The research that I did about him for the column showed a man with
utmost personal discipline. He also struck me as someone who
dogmatically pursues excellence. These characteristics are incongruous
with the image that has emerged in the recent stories of the alleged
sex scandal.
No one outside the newspaper that broke the story can confirm this
story. That hasn't stopped it from generating discussion on
Blogosphere. Many folks who have weighed in on it don't see anything
wrong if a supervisor has an affair with an employee over whom he has
influence (on hiring or promotion). Specifically, the general comments
can be classified in three categories. The first set features folks
who suggest that the story is a malicious attempt to smear a man whose
policies at the CBN have created discomfort for economic deviants. In
other words, enemies and political detractors are trying to "shoot
down" a good man.
The second group of comments argues that it shouldn't matter what a
CBN governor does behind closed doors as long as he's doing his job.
Sanusi's numerous awards, including the most recent (Best African CBN
governor), confirm that he knows his onions. Needless to interject
that private troubles and acts of indiscipline often translate to
policies!
Then there is the third category: if it happened, it must have been
consensual and therefore no crime was committed. The sub-text in this
group includes comments that reference the woman's 'shame' and
'disgrace'. It is framed in a narrative of 'man no be wood' but a
woman should be made of steel, and therefore strong enough to resist
the lecherous advances of a boss.
Some of the details of this case (if true) are certainly different
from the typical workplace sexual harassment. The individuals, as
confirmed by Sanusi himself, had prior knowledge of each other before
the woman was hired at a CBN affiliate agency. In a classic scenario,
the harassment would occur on the job. The victim's response (to
comply, resist or report) is often influenced by many factors. One of
these is the 'need factor', as the victim weighs the promised job or
promotion against the outcome of creating waves, and risking
unemployment. The morality factor may be insignificant in these
calculations.
There's also a 'fear factor' that hinders many victims of workplace
sexual harassment from reporting (even here in the United States with
its sophisticated advocacy mechanisms). The silence is obviously more
common in Nigeria because of the fear by the victim (mostly a woman)
that she'll be blamed, derided, disbelieved and dismissed (for trying
to create problems for an Oga-at-the-top).
In the Sanusi case, commentators are already arguing that the woman
participated actively (such as flying out to hotel rendezvous) because
of what she stood to gain from the relationship. Thus, they ignore the
factors that often create an unwilling but consensual participant out
of a victim of workplace sexual harassment. Unfortunately, regardless
of the truth or falsity of this alleged 'sex scandal', the woman's
reputation has taken a serious hit.
Still, I hope fervently that this scandal is indeed the work of
Sanusi's 'enemies' and 'political detractors'. Nevertheless, if it is
true, I don't want to know. Let me hold on to my austere, ascetic,
albeit not sterile, image of Mallam CBN Governor/. The fatwa on
bringers of bad news is still in force, remember?
Hezbollah: Jonathan Met Our Leader At Aso Rock, Lebanese Suspects Tell Court
Talal Roda, and Abdulla Tahini, alleged to have imported arms into the
country yesterday, told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that a
prominent member of their group identified as, Hussein Hajj once met
and shook hands with President Goodluck Jonathan.
The suspects, including the co-owner of Amigo Supermarket and
Wonderland resort in Abuja, Fawaz, who were alleged to be members of
Hezbollah terrorist organisation, further told the court that the
large cache of arms recovered from them by the Military Joint Task
Force, JTF, were mere hunting-riffles, insisting that the Nigerian
government has no right to curtail their fundamental human rights on
the allegation that they constitute threat to its national security.
The weapons recovered from a bunker at 3 Gaya Road, off Bompai Street,
Kano, following a search by a combined team of the JTF including
soldiers from 3-Brigade and the Department of State Services, DSS, on
the bunker, included anti-tank weapons, rocket-propelled guns,
anti-tank/anti-personnel mines among other dangerous weapons.
According to the security operatives that conducted the search, the
arms and ammunition were properly concealed with several layers of
concrete and placed in coolers, drums and bags neatly wrapped.
Meantime, the accused persons have urged the court to not only order
their immediate release from the custody of the DSS, but to award them
cost to the tune of N50billion, adding that contrary to allegation
against them that their organisation was a terrorist group, Hezbollah
is a political party in Lebanon.
Counsel to the accused persons, Mr Ahmed Raji, SAN, produced pictures
before the court showing where the said leading member of the
organization, Dr Hussein Hajj, met with President Jonathan at the Aso
Rock Villa, contending that the Nigerian government abused their right
when it earlier dragged them before a Chief Magistrate Court in Karu,
which they said lacked the competence to try them.
Meantime, the Federal Government, yesterday, asked the High Court to
dismiss the plaintiff's suit as grossly lacking in merit, saying it
has uncovered more evidence to prove that the suspects belong to the
military wing of Hezbolla which it described as a terrorist
organization.
Counsel to the government, Mr Clifford Osagie, informed the court that
the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,
Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, has already entered a fresh six-count
terrorism charge against them before the Federal High Court.
Osagie said, "We have proofs that the applicants belong to the
military wing of Hezbolla which is a terrorist organization and in the
coming days, this country will know more about them. The applicants
had in their affidavit attached pictures of someone who was shaking
hands with President Jonathan saying the President knew he was a
member of Hezbollah. If they could do that, then why have they failed
to attach the register of membership of Hezbollah as a political
party?
"Likewise, we urge this court to disregard their argument that what
were recovered from them were hunting-riffles. What we found were
assorted weapons of terror and prohibited fire arms. They are people
who hunt human beings and terrorists do so!
"Even if, without conceding that they were Air or Hunting- Riffles,
our animals are protected in this country. I do not know about their
own country. Besides, they need to tell this court where they have
gone hunting in this country. They want to kill us. They hunt human
beings. They need to show this court that they have license for such
deadly weapons."
Relying on the case of Dokubo Asari Vs FRN, Osagie, maintained that
where national security is in question, individual rights take second
place.
"This is a case where the security of Nigeria has been called to
question by individuals who have benefited so much from this country;
who have made immense wealth from the liberality of this nation. The
activities of the applicants threaten the national security of Nigeria
and the corporate existence of this country. They cannot lift up their
fundamental human rights as the basis to breach national security. The
Attorney General, on June 20, 2013, filed a six- count charge against
them. Once the case is assigned and a date fixed for arraignment,
their trial will commence.
"We therefore urge this court to dismiss this application in its
entirety as being of no substance, frivolous and intended to pervert
the course of justice. It is not in the interest of Nigeria or our
national security. It lacks merit," he added.
Meantime, the trial judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi has adjourned the
case till Monday to enable counsel to the applicants reply on points
of law to the arguments of the Federal Government, even as he ordered
that the suspects be remanded in the custody of the DSS.
Government had in its affidavit against the suit, maintained that
"Mustapha Fawaz (2nd respondent) was arrested on May 11, 2013. His
residences at Wonderland Amusement Park, Abuja, and 58 Adetokumbo
Ademola Street Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, were duly searched in the course of
which prohibited firearms and other incriminating items were
discovered. A copy of the duly endorsed search warrant and pictures of
the said firearms are hereby exhibited and marked exhibits 1 and
1(A-D) respectively.
"That further investigation led to the arrest of Abdullah Tahini (1st
respondent) on May 12, 2013 at the Mallam Aminu Kano International
Airport, Kano, on his way to Egypt en route Lebanon. He was found to
be in possession of $61, 170."
The government further told the court that "On May 26, 2013, the 3
Gaya Road, Nasarawa Local Government Area, Kano residence of one Ahmed
Hassan Taher, a relative of the 2nd respondent (now at large) was
searched. At the material time, Talal Roda (3rd respondent) and a
suspect in the unfolding investigation was found in the house. He was
arrested in the course of the search which was conducted in his
presence as he had access to the hidden recesses discovered in the
premises.
"A further search of the Kano residence led to the discovery of large
cache of sophisticated weapons and weapons of mass destruction. It was
a war arsenal. A copy of the duly endorsed search warrant executed on
the residence as well as pictures of the discovered prohibited arms
are exhibited and marked exhibits 2."
PDP Moves To Reconcile With Governor Amaechi, Others
PDP Moves To Reconcile With Governor Amaechi, Others
Strong indications emerged yesterday that the lingering political problem between the Governor of Rivers State and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP would soon be resolved.
This was even as Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State said yesterday that the lingering problems in the party between some governors and the ruling party would soon be over.
Uduaghan spoke in an interview with newsmen in Abuja at the end of a meeting of the PDP Special National Convention, noting however that viable opposition party or parties was good for the development of democracy in the country, even as he was quick to add that the PDP was not in any way threatened by the coming together of opposition political parties to form the All Progressives Congress, APC.
‘’We had our emergency NEC meeting yesterday which was very successful and we have a national convention which is coming up on July 20, to regularize elections that INEC has issues with at the party level. The party is still very much intact and very very strong for that matter.
‘’Some of these governors that people are saying are not pleased with the party, virtually all the governors were there yesterday. May be one or two were not there because they traveled.
‘’At the PDP Governors’ Forum; within ourselves, we are doing a lot of reconciliation. You would have noticed that even the coming back of Wamakko had a lot of input from us. We had to appeal to the leadership of the party that the suspension should be reversed and the party graciously agreed to reverse it. So, whatever is left, we are handling it at that level.
On the formation of APC, he said, ‘’I don’t think the PDP has ever been threatened. Like the President said, it is good that we have a stronger opposition but it is not that there is any threat.”
However, sources said that the decision by the PDP to resolve its crisis with Governor Amaechi became necessary in view of the determination by the party not to lose any of its governors especially ahead of 2015 general elections.
However, the Akwa Ibom State Governor and Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Godswill Akpabio confirmed that moves were on to ensure that Amaechi and the party withdraw their cases from the court for amicable settlement of their dispute.
Meanwhile, Chairman of PDP Special National Convention Planning Committee, Professor Jerry Gana has said that vacant offices arising from the resignations of former members of the National Working Committee, NWC, would be open to all qualified members of the party including the erstwhile officers during the July 20 Special National Convention to be attended by about 4,000 delegates.
Gana said, ‘’4000 delegates are expected. The offices that are vacant will be open to all interested members of the party and we have already written to INEC to inform them that the NEC of our party has resolved to reconvene the convention on July 20. The only zonal congress that has been affected is the one for the south west which we have now scheduled for July 11.”
The Deputy Senate President and Secretary of the Special Convention Planning Committee, Senator Ike Ekweremadu also said that there would be no re-zoning of positions occupied by former members of the NWC who resigned following the report of the INEC, adding that the party took the 2012 convention for granted where there was yes vote for a candidate.
Ekweremadu said, ‘’I am not aware that Nigerians decided that our chairman will leave. It is not for Nigerians to decide for PDP. PDP will decide whether their chairman will stay or not. It was entirely an internal issue; let us put it in a proper perspective; what we are doing in PDP is to demonstrate that we are a party that is committed to rule of law.
‘’Now the INEC made an observation regarding our last Convention and the observation is straight forward. They are saying that we had a guideline that stipulated that even when you have one candidate for a particular position, there must be voting for the person, but unfortunately, we took it for granted that since we had one candidate for each of these positions, we could as well do a yes vote.
‘’Some of our colleagues went to court to challenge the decision of the convention and electing those other people in pursuant to the voice vote. The matter is still in court, but we said, instead of waiting for court to decide one way or the other, why don’t we do it again and in doing that, are you going to stay those whose elections were said to be correct to resign, it doesn’t make sense.’’
Governor Akpabio had said that the resolution of the crises between the party and Amaechi would, ‘’show that PDP is always able to resolve every single conflict. It also shows that we will continue to rule Nigeria for a long time to come because we have stakeholders, members of the party that think more of this country; they want peace for this country, they believe strongly on this country over and above their personal interests.
’’That was a major significance of yesterday’s event. When we had the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the PDP and heard that all the officers from the deputy National Chairman down to the deputy Financial Secretary and Treasurer were affected by the INEC report, we resolved that the best way to go was to ask them to tender their resignations in the interest of the party; and to enable the party call for a Special National Convention and regularize the process that INEC pointed out.
‘’And for me, I was very elated and happy that we have members and stakeholders who are more concerned about the stability of the party and about the future of Nigeria than their personal interests. What that means in essence is that PDP will always be in a position to resolve its problems internally.”
On reconciliation between the PDP and some of its governors, Akpabio who is the Deputy Chairman, Special National Convention Planning Committee said, ‘’the reconciliation among the governors is already on going. If you noticed yesterday, we had almost all the governors of the PDP there even the recently recalled brother of mine and governor of Sokoto State attended the NEC meeting.
’’Almost all the PDP governors were there. If there was any governor that was not there yesterday, he was probably on an official duty for the Federal Government and for this nation because I know that the Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam is a member of this IPP committee that is going around looking for investors in the power sector; they travelled to Hongkong.
‘’You can see that peace is gradually returning to the fold of the entire PDP and I assure you that all issues will be resolved because the other day, a press man asked me yes, you have recalled Wamakko, the governor of Sokoto State through the National Working Committee; what about the governor of Rivers State? I pointed out that the governor of Sokoto State did not go to court and that the other matter regarding my brother, the governor of Rivers State was in court and was therefore subjudice, but we are exploring all means to ensure out of court settlement to bring back everybody to the fold.
‘’I think it is important to note that we are determined through the PDP Governors’ Forum to bring all our brothers together; the intention of our forum is not to lose a single governor, we want to increase the number. When I came in as a governor in 2007, we were almost 29 governors, but through various court cases and internal wrangling, the rank and file depleted until we are now 23. Under this new forum, we are now determined to increase the number.”
Meanwhile, a group under the aegis, North, South New Nigeria yesterday said the PDP would win 33 states in 2015, just as it will continue to control the National Assembly as well as State Houses of Assembly.
The Chairman of the group and former Minister of Education, Alhaji Dauda Birmah said that it was formed to support the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and affirmed that President Jonathan would contest for a second term in office.
Meanwhile, the PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur has described the outcome of Thursday’s NEC meeting of the party, as indication that PDP should be seen as a strong and peaceful political association of like minded patriots.
He however thanked President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, other members of the National Assembly, members of NEC, Board of Trustees, BoT, as well as the governors for their support at the meeting where he survived plots to remove him.
Tukur noted that PDP members were nationalists united in their resolve to take Nigeria to greater heights irrespective of minor political differences, adding, ‘’the PDP has by the successful hosting of the NEC meeting proved that it is a political institution which has come to stay in Nigeria’s political hemisphere and cannot disintegrate as doomsday prophets are bound to conjuncture or surmise.”
Mikel Confirms Chelsea Exit
an offer and he is ready quit his EPL club.
"I'm very pleased with Galatasaray's offer," Mikel told Turkish newspaper Sabah.
"I asked Drogba for advice and he told me that Istanbul is a fantastic
city, that Galatasaray is a huge club and that I have to make the
move.
"I have played at Chelsea for a long time and it's now time for me to leave.
"I'm still only 26 and it's great to receive an offer from a club
[Galatasaray] playing Champions League football and doing well in the
competition."
The Nigeria international said he does not expect any cash problems
and Chelsea to stand in his move to Turkey.
"Talks have reached an advanced level between Chelsea and Galatasaray.
Chelsea won't make the move difficult and regarding my salary there
won't be a problem," he said.
"All that is left is for the clubs to reach an agreement."
The 26-year-old defensive midfielder joined Chelsea from FK Lyn for
€26 million in 2006 and has four years left on his contract.
Mikel has made 277 appearances for Chelsea during which time he has
won the Premier League title, four FA Cups and lifted the Champions
League as well as the Europa League trophy
Galatasaray are considering their options in the defensive midfield
position after talks with Juventus over a transfer for Felipe Melo hit
a stalemate.
Birthday boy Tiote appears in court charged with string of motoring offences
five offences, which include using a false identity document and
fraud.
The Ivory Coast international, who turns 27 today, is accused of using
a fake Belgian driving licence in a bid to obtain a UK licence.
Tiote, who signed for the Magpies from Dutch side FC Twente in 2010,
was stopped by Northumbria police near the club's training ground on
12 February on suspicion of fraud in relation to driving offences.
The midfielder's car, a Chevrolet Camaro, estimated to be worth
£75,000, was seized by police at the time of his arrest.
Magistrates were told the false identity document charge could only be
dealt with at the Crown court and that the other charges were linked.
Tiote was given unconditional bail to appear at Newcastle Crown Court on 5 July.
Fashion designers Dolce and Gabbana sentenced to 20 months in prison after being convicted for £850million tax evasion
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were today convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to 20 months in prison.
The fashion designers were found guilty at a court in Milan, Italy, of failing to declare £850million ($1.34billion) in income tax to authorities.
Prosecutors argued that the pair had evaded taxes on income of £356million ($558million) each and £172million ($268million) through a Luxembourg-based company.
The statute of limitations had run out on a charge of misrepresenting income. The designers had denied the charges - and their sentences were suspended pending an appeal.
Two years ago, a judge threw out a tax evasion and fraud case against the pair, whose label Dolce&Gabbana is a Milan fashion mainstay.
Italy's high court in November ruled, however, the designers could be prosecuted for tax evasion - though not for fraud.
A case against the Italian designers, whose A-list fans include Madonna, Beyonce and Angelina Jolie, was looked into in detail by the Italian Supreme Court.
This followed efforts to clamp down on tax avoidance in Italy, as experts revealed that an estimated £96billion ($150billion) a year was lost in undeclared revenues.
The investigation found that Mr Dolce, 54, and Mr Gabbana, 50, sold their Milan-based labels to their own holding company, Gado srl, which is based in Luxemburg - a notorious tax haven.
Prosecutors said at the time that both the Dolce & Gabbana and D&G brands were sold for just £309million ($483million), about one-third of their true market value, which was decreed a further attempt to avoid paying millions in taxes.
As a result the two designers, who founded their company 28 years ago, were ordered to stand trial last November and the case began earlier this year.
The designers vehemently denied the allegations and called the charges 'absurd' and based on 'a completely abstract calculation' of their companies' market value.
But in April this year, they lost their appeal.
The Milan provincial tax commission ruled in favor of Italy's tax authority, Agenzia delle Entrate, finding a 'conduct of abuse with the only goal of obtaining a fiscal advantage'.
Ghanaian and Real Madrid footballer Michael Essien secretly weds his publicist
and Chelsea star Michael Essien is married to his publicist, Akosua
Puni, a report they both never denied or confirmed. The report was
regarded as mere speculation until last week Friday when Akosua
introduced herself as Mrs Akosua Puni Essien at a cocktail charity
event - Game Of Hope - organized by Michael Essien.
Akosua was in charge of the event and everyone who worked with her
referred to her as Mrs Essien. The Ghanaian showbiz personality and
socialite is also the head of the Michael Essien Foundation.
Michael and Akosua had a child together shortly after his relationship
with Nadia Buari ended a few years back, though the football star has
never acknowledged being married and does not wear a ring.
He has three kids from two different women.
Incredible : See what a father did to his 14 month old daughter
The father of the little girl said he flogged her with the cord of his
handset charger because she was disturbing him from watching TV. The
mother thinks the marks on her daughter's back were for ritual
purposes. But let's even accept he only flogged her; how can you flog
a 1 year old like this? Read the full story from Vanguard below...
Vanguard Metro, gathered that Huwaila Abdulahi, 22, who has been
separated from her husband, is asking the Commission to investigate
and unravel the mystery behind the strange marks all over the back of
her 14 months old daughter. Although the estranged housewife is not
seeking for a divorce, she is demanding for justice for her innocent
baby as the 14 marks were not there when the father sent one Ibrahim
to bring the little girl to spend some time with him.
The man, identified as Ibrahim Haladu, is being accused of carrying
out a ritual on his child. He has been invited by the Commission to
explain the strange marks on his daughter's back. But he is insisting
that he only flogged his daughter with the cord of his handset
charger. He denied that the marks were for ritual purposes.
In spite of his statement, many people who saw the strange marks on
the child were not convinced of his testimony as they believed they
were carefully incised.
In his account of the incident, Ibrahim said: "I was watching an Arab
channel but she would not let me be with her cries. I was enjoying the
programme, but her cries kept distracting me. I was provoked so I
brought out my charger phone wire and flogged her. My first wife Aisha
who heard her cries came out and was shouting at me to stop. She was
even angry and rebuked me for beating her like that. I regret my
action.
The marks on my daughter's body is not for ritual purposes as wrongly
insinuated by some people. I can never use my child for ritual. It is
unfortunate that my wife had to drag me to the Sharia Commission
because she has a grouse against me. We have been having problems with
her, but that is between us. Why should I go to the extent of using my
child for ritual? I only beat her as a father. I don't belong to any
cult or secret society".
Some residents of the Tirwun, a suburb of Bauchi, where Ibrahim
allegedly carried out the beating of his baby were left in shock on
seeing Sahura with the 14 strange marks on her back. They called for
thorough investigation into the case so as to unravel the motive
behind his action.
Ibrahim moved to his house in Tirwin with his first wife, Aisha
leaving his second wife, Huweila with his parents. Hajiya Huwaila told
VM that her husband occasionally comes to pick Sahura to spend some
time with him since they were not living together. According to her:
"My husband, his first wife and I lived with his parents at Bakin Kura
before he moved with his first wife to Tirwun, leaving me and my
daughter Sahura behind.
But he occasionally comes to take the baby to spend some time with him
in his new place and bring her back. One day he sent one Ibrahim to
come and bring Sahura; this was around one in the afternoon. But when
they brought back my daughter, I noticed something unusual about her
because she kept crying and I wondered what was wrong with her.
When I checked her body, I saw some strange marks all over her back".
Huwaila said she quickly rushed to the Bauchi State Shari'ah
Commission to lodge a complaint after she confronted her husband who
claimed he only flogged Sahura because she was disturbing him with her
cries.
The permanent Commissioner II of the State Shari'ah Commission, Jibril
Hassan, confirmed that Huwaila lodged a complaint prompting the
commission to summon the husband. Hassan added that the commission
was investigating the issue and would charge the father of the girl to
court at the appropriate time. He also said that if found guilty of
the accusations leveled against him, the accused would be charged to
court.
handset charger because she was disturbing him from watching TV. The
mother thinks the marks on her daughter's back were for ritual
purposes. But let's even accept he only flogged her; how can you flog
a 1 year old like this? Read the full story from Vanguard below...
Vanguard Metro, gathered that Huwaila Abdulahi, 22, who has been
separated from her husband, is asking the Commission to investigate
and unravel the mystery behind the strange marks all over the back of
her 14 months old daughter. Although the estranged housewife is not
seeking for a divorce, she is demanding for justice for her innocent
baby as the 14 marks were not there when the father sent one Ibrahim
to bring the little girl to spend some time with him.
The man, identified as Ibrahim Haladu, is being accused of carrying
out a ritual on his child. He has been invited by the Commission to
explain the strange marks on his daughter's back. But he is insisting
that he only flogged his daughter with the cord of his handset
charger. He denied that the marks were for ritual purposes.
In spite of his statement, many people who saw the strange marks on
the child were not convinced of his testimony as they believed they
were carefully incised.
In his account of the incident, Ibrahim said: "I was watching an Arab
channel but she would not let me be with her cries. I was enjoying the
programme, but her cries kept distracting me. I was provoked so I
brought out my charger phone wire and flogged her. My first wife Aisha
who heard her cries came out and was shouting at me to stop. She was
even angry and rebuked me for beating her like that. I regret my
action.
The marks on my daughter's body is not for ritual purposes as wrongly
insinuated by some people. I can never use my child for ritual. It is
unfortunate that my wife had to drag me to the Sharia Commission
because she has a grouse against me. We have been having problems with
her, but that is between us. Why should I go to the extent of using my
child for ritual? I only beat her as a father. I don't belong to any
cult or secret society".
Some residents of the Tirwun, a suburb of Bauchi, where Ibrahim
allegedly carried out the beating of his baby were left in shock on
seeing Sahura with the 14 strange marks on her back. They called for
thorough investigation into the case so as to unravel the motive
behind his action.
Ibrahim moved to his house in Tirwin with his first wife, Aisha
leaving his second wife, Huweila with his parents. Hajiya Huwaila told
VM that her husband occasionally comes to pick Sahura to spend some
time with him since they were not living together. According to her:
"My husband, his first wife and I lived with his parents at Bakin Kura
before he moved with his first wife to Tirwun, leaving me and my
daughter Sahura behind.
But he occasionally comes to take the baby to spend some time with him
in his new place and bring her back. One day he sent one Ibrahim to
come and bring Sahura; this was around one in the afternoon. But when
they brought back my daughter, I noticed something unusual about her
because she kept crying and I wondered what was wrong with her.
When I checked her body, I saw some strange marks all over her back".
Huwaila said she quickly rushed to the Bauchi State Shari'ah
Commission to lodge a complaint after she confronted her husband who
claimed he only flogged Sahura because she was disturbing him with her
cries.
The permanent Commissioner II of the State Shari'ah Commission, Jibril
Hassan, confirmed that Huwaila lodged a complaint prompting the
commission to summon the husband. Hassan added that the commission
was investigating the issue and would charge the father of the girl to
court at the appropriate time. He also said that if found guilty of
the accusations leveled against him, the accused would be charged to
court.
Producer/singer OJB Jezreel needs N15m for kidney transplant
popularly known as OJB Jezreel has kidney failure and needs about
N15million for a kidney transplant in India. A donor has been found,
he just needs the money for the procedure.
He's been battling with this issue for a while but only now reaching
out to well meaning Nigerians to help him raise the money needed for
the treatment.
For those who would like to help, please donate to -
Babatunde Okungbowa
UBA - 1015075120. Thanks
I am not corrupt, says Ezekwesili
Nigeria’s
former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has dismissed insinuations that
all Nigerians, especially those who have held or hold public offices, are
corrupt. Using herself as an example, the former Vice President of World Bank’s
Africa Division, who was a co-founder of the Berlin-based Transparency
International, declared that she was not corrupt.
Ezekwesili
said this Thursday in Abuja at the launch of Anti-Corruption Internet Database
(ACID), a new initiative in the fight against corruption brought about by West
Africa NGO Network (WANGONeT) and funded by Open Society Initiative for West
Africa (OSIWA).
“I
was in government. I was not corrupt. I can go anywhere with this statement”,
she declared while also refuting that corruption was embedded in the African
culture.
While
she admitted that the Nigerian society is grossly affected by corruption,
Ezekwesili noted that the insinuation that all Nigerians are either corrupt or
benefit from acts of corruption is a way by which the corrupt make it seem as
if nothing can be done about corruption in the society.
The
former minister, in an interactive session with participants at the event,
identified reasons why corruption must be done away with. The reasons include the fact that corruption
is a tax on the people and is unsustainable.
She
explained that corruption causes a breakdown in rendering basic services to the
people.
Participants
also pointed out that corruption destroys merit and encourages people to cut
corners instead of following due process, besides breeding impunity.
Ezekwesili, therefore, suggested a three-prong approach to solving the problem of corruption, which are massive re-orientation, prevention and introducing consequence for bad behaviour. To prevent corruption, the government will have to reduce opportunities for corruption such as the reform of the critical sectors such as was done in the telecommunications sector.
Terry G inspires my music – Samklef
Popular
producer and singer, Samklef, went down memory lane recently as he recalled how
he sang in the same church and produced with Terry G. Since then, he has been
inspired mostly by the singer. It might interest you to know that the showbiz boy, Samklef, who has churned out
hits after hits with Terry G, would be doing his first collaboration with Terry G in his video
titled, “Display” which will soon hit the market.
The video which was shot by Samklef, brings out a side of him which fans are not used to as everyone in the video catch the ‘display’ frenzy and dance it all off. Meanwhile, the singer is also doing finishing touches on his single which will soon be out where he featured a female singer whom he would not want to say her name for the mean time.
Kim Kardashian & Kanye West’s Baby’s Name Revealed, North West
Kim
Kardashian and Kanye West have named their baby daughter North West.
Sources
close to the couple confirmed the decision, which comes five days after Kim
welcomed her first child at a hospital in Los Angeles.
The
revelation ends the intense speculation over the child's name, with other
rumoured options said to include Kaidence Donda, in honour of Kanye's late
mother.
And
a source told UsWeekly that the couple have already given their daughter a
nickname - she will be 'Nori for short'.
They
added that the child has no middle name.
TMZ
witnessed a signed birth certificate with the name North West signed by Kim,
32, and Kanye, 36, at Cedars-Sinai hospital.
The name North had previously been suggested as a possibility for the child, although many Kardashian fans had dismissed the idea as a joke.
Jay Z is officially a licensed NBA agent
Rap mogul Jay Z has all the right connections. The self-professed “business, man” is now licensed by the NBA to represent NBA athletes, according to a report on ESPN. The news was first reported by Sports Business Journal. Jay Z, who has zero experience as a sports manager, signed NY Yankee Robinson Cano and NY Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz after forming Roc Nation sports management agency with his business partner Juan Perez (pictured left). He later signed WNBA player Skylar Diggins. But professional athletes are not rappers, and insiders are questioning whether Jay Z has the skills to negotiate major sports contracts and endorsements for his clients.
The 45-year-old narcissist initially led the media to believe he had forfeited his less than 1 percent interest in the Brooklyn Nets in order to be eligible to represent NBA players. But a source close to the situation told ESPN that, as of Wednesday, Jay Z had not sold his small ownership share of the Brooklyn Nets. ESPN speculates that Jay Z will not actually represent his sports clients himself. It’s obvious that he is using his fame to collect professional athletes to boost his own brand and his ego.
From ESPN (via Rap Radar):The first NBA player Jay-Z is expected to sign is Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant, who told his agent, Rob Pelinka, in recent days that he would sign with Jay-Z. Durant has not commented publicly.Since announcing his intention to start a sports agency a few months ago, Jay-Z’s firm has signed New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith and former Notre Dame guard Skylar Diggins, who recently was selected third by the Tulsa Shock in the WNBA draft.Roc Nation partnered with Creative Artists Agency to do Cano’s contract negotiations since the company doesn’t have an MLB agent on its roster. Smith’s contract will be negotiated by Kim Miale, Roc Nation’s new NFL agent who has very little experience.On Wednesday, NFLPA officials met with Miale to determine if Jay-Z, who is still not certified with the NFL, violated the union’s “runner rule.” The rule says that anyone who is not certified cannot recruit players, yet Smith, the Jets’ rookie backup quarterback, tweeted a picture of himself sitting in the same room with Jay-Z. The outcome of the meeting between the NFLPA and Miale is not known.
Nollywood Actor Kunle Afolayan Fights His Brother Aremu
The Award winning film maker, Kunle Afolayan and his younger brother, Aremu , are at loggerhead - the blood brothers don’t see eye to eye again as they are involved in a personality clash (Aremu’s controversial lifestyles).
oh, Aremu is the brother that is obsessed with gadgets - phones...
Reason for their fight:
Kunle is said not be comfortable with Aremu’s lifestyle in and out of public eye.
Findings revealed that Aremu’s penchant for mature women is one of the reasons the highly revered film maker is angry at him.
“It’s more messy and dirty than you think ...They aren’t on talking terms, it’s that serious. I doubt they want to see eye to eye anymore, at least for now. Kunle believes that Aremu’s lifestyle is dragging the family name into disrepute because he lacks contentment and want to be comfortable no matter whose ox is gored” a source revealed.
The insider alleged that Aremu loves dating older women and dupes them under the pretense of marriage.
The diverse opinion between the brothers on the issue erupted in a war of words recently.
And this adamant still upholds the tension between them.
Aremu Afolayan
Reacting to the report, Aremu said;
“(Laughter) Yes. The rumour was right. But we have made up.
The issue was based on love.
He was angry with me because of my lifestyle. He felt I wasn’t serious. It’s normal for every aspiring person, who deserves the top to do some things. And he was not too happy about that.
I am the Black sheep of the family not because I smoke or indulge in crime but because he felt I wasn’t serious and that I wasn’t focused.
But I love my family. He said I didn’t go to school and I said yes, but thank God the story has changed now. Yes, I didn’t go to school but it won’t stop me from getting to the top.
Definitely, I can’t be a successful armed robber but a successful producer and actor.
So, yes, we quarreled but it was a fight for success.
People still believe I am a Gigolo but I am not because a Gigolo can’t be broke.
Some people do not understand what Gigolo means. I beg for everything but I don’t steal.
When I beg and I get the money, I don’t waste it on frivolous things but meaningful projects.
My relationship with mature women is normal. It’s my taste and what I want.
A Gigolo lives primarily on women but I don’t because I have a thriving career.
A Gigolo will hide his women but I flaunt mine, so what’s Gigolo in that?
Kunle Afolayan got wind of the stories and he was mad with me but we have sorted things out”. Aremu divulged.
However, insider insisted on the fact that the blood brothers are still walking on egg shell around each other over the issue.
It would be recalled that weeks back, Aremu acquired a Bentley Continental. He also got a Mercedes Benz GL 450 last year.
PHOTOS: Meet the world’s fattest 4-year-old, he’s from China
Dubbed by Chinese media as China’s “no. 1 fat kid”
Lu Zhi-hao, known as Xiao Hoa, has been taken to several hospitals in
Guangdong to find out why he’s so fat, but doctors can only say that it
is down to bad eating habits, Apple Daily reports.
If something is not done to reduce his weight, doctors predict Lu
Zhi-hao’s obesity will become life-threatening by the time he turns 20.
A Hong Kong weight-loss centre has offered to help Lu Zhi-hao lose weight for free. The centre, which has not given out its name, uses non-intrusive Japanese technology to help the body break down fat.
Xiao Hao’s parents are now applying for a permit to travel to Hong Kong and hope to be here with their obese child in a couple of weeks.
“We believe there must be specialists in Hong Kong who can help us,” says Lu Zhi-hao’s father, Lu Ye-ming.
The mother and father of the child are both of normal weight, and obesity has not been a part of the family’s health history. Lu Zhi-hao slowly ate his way to fatness.
He is now on a diet, which means cutting down from his regular three bowls of rice per meal to just one bowl.
Apple Daily’s video of Xiao Hao at school shows him finishing his bowl of rice at lightning speed and begging his friends for their lunches. When they don’t cooperate, he steals a meatball from his neighbour’s bowl.
He is rewarded with a punch to the face, but the swing hardly seems to have an impact on the child’s puffy cheeks.
The WHO says more than 20 percent of the population in some Chinese cities are now obese.
Read more: News.com.au
Good guy gone bad: Teenager arrested for brutally stabbing elderly neighbours to death (PICTURED)
Daniel Marsh, 16, faces double homicide charges for allegedly torturing and stabbing attorney Oliver Northup, 87, and his wife Claudia Maupin, 76, to death in their Davis, California condominium in April.
The arrest comes nearly four years after Marsh hit headlines for taking the steering wheel of his father’s car as the man had a near-fatal heart attack. After veering the car to safety, he then hit his father’s chest to restart his heart.
But now the boy is being held without bail at the Yolo County Juvenile Detention Facility after his arrest on Monday. He will be arraigned on Wednesday.
Marsh, who was 15 at the time of the killings, lived just two doors away from the elderly couple.
Relatives grew worried on April 14 after Northup, a popular local musician, failed to show for a performance with his folk band. Police discovered the bodies that evening during a welfare check.
Heroic: Marsh, pictured aged 12 in 2009, was honored for saving his father’s life as he had a heart attack
Former life: An article at the time noted that Marsh was a good student whose favorite subject was mathIn their charging document, prosecutors said the killings were ’willful, deliberate and premeditated’ and that Marsh was ‘lying in wait’. They claim that the teenager ‘inflicted torture’ on the couple.
Davis police searched several locations on Monday, including Marsh’s father’s home – the house on the same street as the couple’s – and Marsh’s mother’s home less than a mile away.
Relatives of the victims told the Bee that moving vans were seen outside Marsh’s father’s home a couple of weeks after the murders.
As well as playing with the local band, Northup practiced law for 63 years, including in criminal cases.
Mary Northup, Oliver Northup’s daughter, said she was relieved that the arrest had been made.
Victims: Oliver ‘Chip’ Northup, 87, and Claudia Maupin, 74, were found stabbed in their home in April
Scene:
The couple were found dead in their condo on April 14 after they
Northup failed to attend a performance with his band. Marsh’s father
lived just a few houses away at the timeOn Marsh, she added: ‘I thought, “It’s a 16-year-old. It’s a kid. Why would a kid want to kill an 87-year-old father?” My father would be the first to jump up to defend that kid.
‘I’m sorry we’ve suffered for his poor judgment. But I’m also sorry for this young man who has ruined his life.’
The criminal complaint notes Marsh was only 15 at the time of the murders, which means he is not eligible for life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. Instead he faces as many as 25 years to life in prison for each of the murders, if he is convicted.
Read more: Daily Mail
3 Chinese get 2 year jail term in Lagos for ‘illegaly storing petrol at home’
Three Chinese have been jailed for two years for illegally storing petroleum products at their Isheri, Lagos residence.
On Thursday, a Federal High Court in Lagos sentenced Guan Mang, Tony Yang (Yang Zhaoye) and Lu Yundi after they pleaded guilty to charges instituted against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia ruled that the sentence would commence on Thursday when the judgment was delivered.
According to reports, the convicts, who had already spent two years in custody due to their inability to meet the bail conditions earlier granted them, will have to spend two more years in prison.
The Punch reports:
During the review of the case, an EFCC investigator, Mr. Ahmed Ghali, led by the commission’s counsel, Ms. Bunmi Bosede, said the convicts stored the product in a 50m-deep pit.
They reportedly dug a trench through which the product was passed to the storage facility within their compound.
Ghali said, “One Adeyinka brought the accused persons on behalf of the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps having been arrested at Diamond Estate, Isheri Lagos. They were accused of dealing in petroleum products.
“After taking over the case, we commenced investigation by inviting the Chief Security Officer of the estate.
“We interviewed him. He informed us the convicts dug trench in their compound for storing petroleum products.”
Fatai Rolling Dollar: A Remarkable Life
Having slipped into oblivion from 1977, following the destruction of his house in the infamous ‘Unknown Soldier’ crisis at the late Fela Anikulapo’s “Kalakuta Republic”, Rolling Dollar was given up as dead until his resurrection as a performing artiste started at the 1997 World Music Day concert at the French Cultural Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos. It was the late music impresario, Mr Steve Rhodes, who first presented him on stage, with the assistance of Mr Muyiwa Majekodunmi, then proprietor of Jazzville, Onike, about the most active and influential live music centre in Lagos at the time.
Even though his performance that night was reportedly lousy, Rolling Dollar was nonetheless the revelation, as many people were surprised to realize he was still alive. It turned out he had been sharing a dingy face-me-I-face-you room with his family at Idi Oro, Mushin in Lagos; and that was where the late Rhodes practically exhumed him from. As it would happen, Mr Jahman Anikulapo covered that event for The Guardian newspaper and, as he recalled, Rolling Dollar could not even walk properly and had to be propped up to mount the stage. At the end, he could only do two songs — one of which was his now famous ‘Won Kere Si Nomba Wa’, which he did solo on the guitar.
After that 1997 return, Steve Rhodes again presented Rolling Dollar a year later at another concert at the Glover Memorial Hall, though he was still frail. But his fortunes changed in 1999 when the Goethe Institute, under the directorship of the African music-loving Renate Albertsen Marton (now deceased) asked Jahman Anikulapo to coordinate a highlife concert for them. Veteran broadcaster and music columnist for The Guardian, Mr Benson Idonije, who was contacted to present the concert decided to feature Rolling Dollar. That night, it was the late German who bought a new set of dresses with which Rolling Dollar was kitted.
Titled “Great Highlife Party”, Rolling Dollar appeared in the concert alongside other veteran highlife musicians who were by then out of larger public attention. They included the guitarist Alaba Pedro (now late); Tunde Osofisan, a retired civil servant who was however the lead singer and sometime composer for the late Roy Chicago and Chris Ajilo (composer of such classics as ‘Eko o Gba Gbere’). A year later in 2000, Rolling Dollar was also featured among other largely forgotten highlife maestros like E.C Arinze (‘It’s Time for Highlife’); the late Rex Lawson’s memorial band fronted by his wife and the trumpeter, David Brown.
By this time, Anikulapo had become Deputy Editor at The Guardian where he also doubled as the Arts Editor, and he helped to give the two shows a huge media profile. Together with Idonije, who was using his column to promote the old man, that effectively placed Rolling Dollar back in public reckoning. But I understand the first person to invest faith in the musician is a young lady called Ebun Olatoye (now Mrs Feludu), who had started some project with the Hafsat Abiola-led Kudirat Initiative for Democracy, (KIND). On her own, Mrs. Feludu decided to manage the resurrecting career of Rolling Dollar and indeed found him some gigs, including at the reading tour of Chimamanda Adichie’s debut novel, ‘Purples Hibiscus’. That day, Rolling Dollar shared the stage with Bukola Elemide (popularly known as Asa), who was just coming on the scene, fresh and unknown.
With the ceaseless media promotion led by Anikulapo who effectively used his vantage editorial position at The Guardian to pursue his passion for the arts, highlife promoters who began to cultivate Rolling Dollar included Jazzhole Records, which eventually recorded some of his works; and Mr Kayode Samuel of Eko Star Records, a London-based music promoter who would later push Rolling Dollar’s record through the UK and US circuits. The Committee for Relevant Art, (CORA) led by Mr. Toyin Akinosho also collaborated with Ojez and Benjay Promotions owned by Benson Idonije to give Rolling Dollar a professional new lease of life.
In 2001, the idea of the Great Highlife Party (GHP) was sold to the proprietor of Ojez Restaurant in Iwaya through his then media consultant, Mr Odafe Oghoghome. Tagged “Elders’ Forum”, the monthly concert which ran for two years drew many high society people, including Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, the late Ambassador Segun Olusola, Mr. Rasheed Gbadamosi, Mrs Francesca Emanuel, Mrs Taiwo Ajai-Lycett and others. With Rolling Dollar as the star act, it was not long before he caught the attention of the former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who gave him a house in Abule Egba.
By his own account, Rolling Dollar entered an aircraft for the first time in his life at age 76, just ten years ago yet before he died last week, he had travelled to virtually all corners of the globe. Now, here is the lesson: No matter the cards life may deal us at any point in time, there is no greater joy than knowing that we have something that makes us who we are; and that when we focus on this ‘something’, which could be a talent or a calling, we will ultimately come to a full realization of our true essence and finish well – as Rolling Dollar did. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
————————
Read this article on ThisDay Newspapers
Olusegun Adeniyi: The recent craze for Dubai weddings
But
no society can develop when you have, as Nigeria evidently does, a
preponderance of people with such warped values in critical positions in
both the private and public sectors.
While many of our idle rich people have for long stopped celebrating their birthdays in Nigeria, preferring to transport their friends and associates to some choice destinations abroad, the new craze in town is that the wedding ceremonies of their children and wards also no longer hold in our country: It is now a Dubai affair!
Ordinarily, wedding ceremonies are religious cum traditional affairs between two individuals and two families who would invite their relations and well wishers to share in the joy of the day. And it is usually held, in most cultures in our country, at the location where the parents of the bride reside or the community they hail from. But because of the corruption of our values and all that we once held dear, wedding ceremonies are now being exported to countries that have nothing to do with the family of either the bride or the groom.
The latest of such happened recently between the son of one of our subsidy billionaires and the daughter of a top civil servant. Even when the parents on both sides are Nigerians who have done well for themselves here, they did not consider our country good enough for their children to tie the nuptial knot. The father of the groom had to spend a scandalous amount of money ferrying no fewer than 20 senators, numerous House of Representatives members, many bankers and politicians of all hues to Dubai in the United Arab Emirate for the obscene wedding that has now put the career of the bride’s father in serious jeopardy.
For sure, there is no law that prevents anybody from taking the wedding of his children to the moon. But there is something immoral about Nigerians who make cheap money here and would not even allow our people to share in the crumbs. Because by their offshore wedding ceremonies, they are cutting off the local event planners, the caterers, the musicians, the photographers and the poor people who ordinarily mill around such events to take home reception leftovers. Beyond all these is the image problems they create for our country.
When people associate Nigeria with corruption, it is not that other countries are immune from such sordid practices but rather because here, people flaunt ill-gotten wealth. And with no tax man after them, they can afford to advertise their debauchery since the money they spend is not worked for and no one is putting them to task on how they come about such humongous wealth. Yet we are talking about people who don’t employ beyond drivers, cooks, gardeners, stewards etc.–domestic staff who only minister to their personal indulgences. For instance, I cannot imagine that Alhaji Aliko Dangote will buy flight tickets for about a thousand people to go to Dubai, just for the wedding of any of his children. He won’t do that because he knows the value of every kobo which he works for while he is also conscious of the fact that thousands of families depend on him. But when you can get billions of Naira without sweat, you can as well decide to hold burial ceremonies in Alaska to feed your vanity!
Interestingly, President Goodluck Jonathan last week alluded to the debasement of values in our society. Represented by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Amal Pepple, at the official kick-off of the National Christian Campaign on Social Transformation, the president said: “The whole society has failed, that is one reason we have incidents of cultism, armed robbery, murder, ritual killing, drugs, sale of babies, kidnapping and sexual immorality. Indeed, we have lost our moral values and principle; so much has gone wrong in our family life, schools, churches and society in general.”
Such is the level of decay that when someone recently gave me details of the private jets owners, I just could not place many of the names. When I sought to know what many of them do for a living, the standard response was, “he is into oil”, which essentially means they are mostly rent seekers who prey on the lack of transparency in our oil and gas industry. It is therefore understandable that they will be taking their birthdays, wedding celebrations and even the naming ceremonies of their children to Dubai. But no society can develop when you have, as Nigeria evidently does, a preponderance of people with such warped values in critical positions in both the private and public sectors.
Read this article on ThisDay Newspapers
Crown Polytechnic rector questioned by the police over rape cover up
The Rector of the Crown Polytechnic, Aderemi Oke, was summoned to the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday for questioning over an unreported rape incident.
The Ekiti State Police Command questioned Oke and other top officials of the institution on why they decided to cover-up the rape of a female student which occurred earlier this year.
Although the suspected rapist, Ayo aka A.Y Bishop, also a student was expelled in March, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Victor Babayemi, said rape issues are not cases that can be settled out of court so the polytechnic has no power to just expel the student based on allegation of rape without reporting the case to the police.
“The management of the polytechnic was invited to meet with the commissioner of police. They were here on Wednesday. To cover up a rape case is a compounding-felony. You can’t settle a rape case out of court; it is not a case you can settle even at the police station. It has to be charged to court,” he said.
“The CP had spoken to them and they promised that they would do everything to stop criminal behaviour among their students. We also make it a point of duty for them to collaborate with us on how to stop criminal behaviours in the institution and report cases of crimes to the police for proper investigation.”
The Punch reports:
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sotonye Wakama, said other police officers met the management of the polytechnic and asked them why they did not report the rape of a student of the school earlier in the year.
The PPRO said a female student of the school was raped and the school management did not report the incident to the police but expelled the suspect,.
Babayemi also said Bishop was also one of the four-man gang who raped an ND I student of the polytechnic on May 5, 2013.
It will be recalled that another student of the polytechnic was gang-raped by four members of a cult group in the school on May 5.
The four suspects were said to have stormed the residence of the girl, broke her door, tied her hands and legs and took turns to rape her.
The victim was also said to have also been raped by a security official of the school who was asked to take the girl to the police station to report the rape case.
EFCC arrests 10 people for allegedly defrauding Oyo gov’t of N1.59 billion
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 10 people for defrauding Oyo State Government of N1.59bn.
They included; Alhaji Hakeem Muili, Alhaja Iyabo Giwa, Adeduntan Johnson, Oguntayo Banji, Adesina Jimoh, Johnson Bosede, Adebiyi Olasumbo, Kareem Rasheed, Muili Adedamola and Salewa Adedeji.
All were arraigned at the Magistrate’s Court, Iyaganku, Ibadan following a ruling by Chief Magistrate Durosaro Kehinde-Tijani of the Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan.
According to reports, the court had struck out the case based on the application by the Principal State Counsel, Ademola Ojekunle, on June 4. She cited section 75 and 211(1) of the 1999 constitution empowering the Attorney-General to withdraw the matter.
The Punch reports:
The suspects were conveyed in the commission’s bus to Lagos.
However, Giwa, who was also present in court, evaded arrest.
The state government had earlier applied, asking for the case to be struck out to allow the EFCC to carry out proper investigation.
The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adebayo Ojo, said EFCC had taken over the matter, adding that the defendants would be charged to court, if found culpable by the EFCC.
We Are Winning War Against Terror – President Jonathan
President Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, reiterated his assurance to investors that Nigeria was winning the war against terrorism and the country’s climate was conducive for investments.
He spoke at the 14th meeting of the Honorary International Investor Council, HIIC, at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to the President, with the declaration of state of emergency in the North Eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, the country has witnessed tremendous landmark in terms of security.
President Jonathan said the remarkable support from the people of the affected states since the emergency rule was proclaimed was an indication that activities of the terrorists did not enjoy the support of the local population.
Jonathan said what the country has been witnessing, in the last few years, had nothing to do with religion but activities of internationally-backed terror groups determined to destabilise the nation.
Underscoring the importance of security to the attraction of investments into the country, President Jonathan said his administration would leave no stone unturned to guarantee safety of lives, property and investments.
How To Boost Your Career
Just as several things have to be taken into consideration in choosing a career, there are many ways to strengthen it, SIMON EJEMBI writes
Taking your time to ensure that you choose an appropriate career is not a ticket to success. It is only a step towards it, according to experts.
When you start out, it is important for you to work towards improving as time goes on. Without this, you may find yourself wondering if you made the right choice.
To ensure that you continuously improve your career and make a success of it, experts recommend the following steps:
Take stock
Just as it is important for an entrepreneur to review his business, it is necessary for you to evaluate and reevaluate your career from time to time. You need to ensure that it is in agreement with the lifestyle you want. Just because someone else may do this, that or the other thing to develop their career path, doesn’t mean you need to. Do what is best for you.
Seek knowledge continuously
It does not matter whether you are called an information ‘freak’. Experts say as long as you remember that too much of everything is bad, you should seek as much knowledge and information as possible. This can be easily achieved if you read widely or study ‘endlessly’. The more knowledge you acquire, the better you are for it.
Protect your health
This involves regular exercises and eating properly. According to experts, when you exercise regularly, you stand a chance of boosting your productivity. And that will only help you on your way up, while also saving you thousands of naira.
Follow the technology
In today’s world, your chances of making a success of your career can be hampered greatly, if you are not tech savvy. You need to know who to use modern gadgets to get your job done. You also need to be able to adapt to new technology easily. Get training and work towards acquiring skills in this area. The possibility of finding someone who is not computer literate may sound ludicrous but there are many people in this category. As stated earlier, they more you know, the better you are for it.
The Global Jobs Network, which advocates jobs for everyone, says the following tips will go a long way in boosting your career.
Feed your CV
CV is refers to curriculum vitae and it is a kind of guide to your career that records your skills as you expand them. You are required to update the CV every month with what you’ve done, what you’ve learnt and what’s been successful. A detailed outline is useful resources during you’re faced promotion or job interview. It is a comprehensive summary of all your achievements in one place. It should include your education, technical qualifications, past experience, hobbies and your projects. In competitive market, your CV requires to be memorable. Language should be clear, legible and reader friendly.
Keep focus on your career goal
If you have some particular job in your mind, never lose sight of it. You should be up-to date with industry news and its developments. Are employers recruiting for this kind of jobs at the moment?
Make yourself eligible for such jobs with the qualification they need. For the self employed, it is important to check out what other doing in their business. You can also make changes as per requirements.
Collect more certificates
You can stay ahead of your peers by continuing your education. If you are working, you can continue your studies with Open Learning University.
Take on a leadership challenge
Go for more opportunities where you have chances to win the race. Don’t feel hesitation from taking and offering advises to people. It will help you in bringing leadership qualities in you. Through this method, you also learn a lot about your strengths.
Keep in touch with your network
Always remain in touch with your ex-colleagues who can helpful for you to boost your career. Drop an email or make a call time to time. Whenever, they find some good opportunity for you, they will let you know about it.
Timing
Time management is extremely important. Always follow right time for meetings and even complete projects beforehand.
Work smarter, not harder
Recognise the work within your job, and prioritize accordingly. Think. What is first priority of company and complete the task. Smarter work gets more recognition than hard work.
Collect knowledge
Keep up-to date with current affairs and latest news within your industry. More knowledge will make you different from your colleagues and friends.
Don’t procrastinate
Find out what consume your time, and stop doing it, and instead focus on what is important. It is not only help you in increasing your productivity but also helps in boosting your confidence which will further your positive attitude.
Develop an online presence
Presence on internet is matters more. Go and sign up on LinkedIn, Facebook, and SkillPages. Your first goal should be that your profile be appears on the top so that more and more recruiters have glance of it.
source:naijaobserver
United close on £17m deal for Barca midfield maestro Thiago after agreeing personal terms on £5m-a-year deal
Manchester United are on the verge of signing Barcelona midfield star Thiago Alcantara in a £17million deal.
The Premier League champions have stolen a march on rivals Manchester City by agreeing personal terms of £5m-a-year with Thiago, 22, and his father Mazinho.
They still have to finalise a deal with Barcelona and sources say that it is unlikely there will be any announcement on Friday, but discussions between the two clubs will continue over the weekend.
Incoming: Thiago Alcantara would significantly strengthen Manchester United's midfield
But he has grown increasingly frustrated over his lack of opportunities at the Nou Camp despite assurances from Barca that they see him as a future leader of their team.
Talented: Barcelona hoped the midfielder would become a key player for them in the future
Retired: United need a long-term replacement for Paul Scholes
ut it was thought unlikely that he could be prised away from Barcelona where he has come through the youth system since the age of 14.
Arsenal Finalise Gonzalo Higuain deal Wayne Rooney Next.
And the club’s billionaire shareholder Alisher Usmanov has also urged manager Arsene Wenger to keep splashing the cash with a move for Wayne Rooney.
It was earlier this month that Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said the club were now in a financial position to be pursue Europe’s more expensive players, and so appease supporters long frustrated by Wenger’s more frugal approach in the transfer market.
Key recruit: Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain is on his way to Arsenal
It is understood the 25-year-old has agreed a four-year contract, which inclusive of bonuses is worth up to £150,000 per week.
And the clubs have now virtually agreed a £22million fee for the striker, who has scored 117 goals for Real since his arrival from River Plate in 2006.
Only the fact the Spanish club do not have a manager in position to sign the deal off is delaying the completion of the transfer.
On his way? Wayne Rooney may yet join Higuain at Arsenal
The signing of such a stellar name as Higuain provides evidence that the Gunners, after years of light spending in the transfer market, can now compete for some of the world’s top stars.
Higuain will become Arsenal’s most expensive ever signing, surpassing the £15million paid to Zenit St Petersburg for Andrey Arshavin.
He will also be the club’s top earner, overtaking Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski, who earn in the region of £100,00-per-week.
Usurped? Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski will no longer be the club's top earners when Higuain arrives
As revealed by Sportsmail last month, Wenger has a concrete interest in the unsettled Manchester United striker, despite the fact his £250,000-per-week wages would provide a major stumbling block towards a shock move.
The pending signing of Higuain makes a move for Rooney less likely, but Usmanov said: ‘He is a great player and [joining Arsenal] would be great for Rooney, and Arsenal too.’
If Rooney does leave Manchester United this summer, Chelsea remain the favourites to sign him.
Change in policy: Arsene Wenger is now finally splashing the cash
He believes he is more likely to fulfill his ambitions with the Europa League winners, while Chelsea are also more capable of matching his £250,000-a-week wages.
Rooney told United he wanted to go before the end of last season and is unlikely to change his mind despite the appointment of his old Everton manager David Moyes as Sir Alex Ferguson’s replacement.
He is currently on holiday and has not yet had a proper discussion with Moyes about his future, although the two men are expected to meet on his return.
Incoming? Thiago Alcantara is a target of Manchester United
United, meanwhile, are close to signing Barcelona’s Spain Under 21 midfielder Thiago Alcantara, who has been offered wages of £5m a year.
Source: Sportsmail
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