Mimiko’s Victory and Future of Yoruba Politics: A Rejoinder Seyi Oduyela/Washington, DC

I took time to read Allwell Okpi's article; at first I didn't know if it was an opinion or a feature article but I eventually regard it as feature article. All the same, I think some areas of his article need clarification and some  needs for record to be set straight. Governor Mimiko was not the first Governor to be re-elected in Ondo State. Pa Adekunle won his re-election at the Election Tribunal. The idea of who becomes the political Yoruba leader, in the manner that late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was is an ACN narrative not that of Yoruba people. It is a mistake to think or conclude that ACN is a Yoruba Party. The party and its leaders have been selling the idea but the truth is that the ACN leader created a narrative they do not understand and cannot articulate. Afenifere had been polarized even before Pa Adesanya died in in 2008. The demise of Afenifere was planned and executed by Chief Bola Ige. This was a result of long standing feud within the Awo camp even before e Pa Awolowo died. In 1978 after General Olusegun Obasanjo lifted ban on politics and the political parties were formed, The Unity Party of Nigeria leader – Pa Awolowo preferred Pa Emmanuel Alayande as the governorship candidate of the Party in Oyo state. He did not want any primary election but Chief Bola Ige insisted on primary elections. Pa Awolowo agreed and Bola Ige defeated Alayande, his former principal at Ibadan Grammar School. To some in the Party, Pa Awolowo handles Bola Ige with kid gloves, because Papa allows him (Ige) to get away with a lot of things. After the 1979 elections and with Obasanjo’s role in aiding National Party of Nigeria to win the presidency, Pa Awolowo declared that no member of the UPN must deal with Obasanjo. Chief Bola Ige was the only one who defied the Sage. He visited and fraternized with Obasanjo. Bola Ige, Wole Soyinka and Obasanjo have been 3 Musketeers for a long time. At the Yola convention of the UPN in 1983, Bola Ige was accused of anti-party activities but he got away with it. This angered many member of the party. The party, UPN only recongises elected officers and this marginalizes. The likes of Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Ajayi Laniwun do not really carry much weight as much as Bola Ige, Jakande and Bisi Onabanjo because they were not only elected but Chief executives of different states. After Awolowo’s death, Jakande could not step into the leadership position because some members of the Awo group believe that the leadership should come from Ijebu while other members do not think Ijebu should be the only one leading. Jakande lost for supporting Yomi Edu against Awolowo’s daughter in Lagos for the Governorship election. Some Awoists saw that as disloyal to Awolowo and the allegation that Jakande used proxies to buy shares from Tribune with the aim of controlling the Newspaper deprived LKJ the leadership. Bola Ige became the most possible non-Ijebu to lead the Awo group but Ayo Adebanjo; Ajayi Laniwun will not allow that. It was part of Laniwun’s testimony at the Buhari/Idiagbon government tribunal that sent Bisi Onabanjo to jail and eventually led to his death. Afenifere came up and Pa Adesanya led the group until 1998. In 1998 when parties were formed; Bola Ige moved the group to PDP, he wrote the PDP constitution, when he saw he could not become the presidential candidate, they moved to APP and later formed Alliance for Democracy. He had thought that he would get the AD ticket on a platter of gold but he was shocked when the underdog Olu Falae defeated him at the D’Rovans Hotel election. The battle line was drawn. At the Primary election held in Bola Ige’s absence, Bola Tinubu, who rode on the back of Pa Adesanya to upturn Funsho Williams’s ambition to become AD’s candidate for Lagos governorship, voted against Bola Ige at the Ibadan night of the long knife. Chief Segun Osoba who almost lost the Ogun State ticket but for Bola Ige voted for Ige. At the general election, Osoba did not support Falae, he gave Abeokuta to Obasanjo in protest and Bola Ige was alleged to have supported Obasanjo’s legal team against Falae in the lawsuit challenging Obasanjo’s victory; though Chief Bola Ige denied it and cursed whoever said so “to die in perdition.” The event that happened after Obasanjo took office put a crack in AD and eventually broke Afenifere to two. Bola Ige accepted offer to serve Obasanjo as Power Minister and later Justice Minister. He then went ahead to found Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) with the same function as Afenifere. The founding of YCE led to the fractionalization of AD. In 2002, AD had two national conventions. The Bola Ige group now with Tinubu and others were held at the Eagle Square apparently supported by Obasanjo and Pa Adesanya’s group held theirs close to the National Hospital because they were denied venue in Abuja. While Segun Osoba was with Adesanyas, all his men were with Bola Ige. Why did Tinubu switch side? What happened between him and the Adesanyas? After the demise of Sani Abacha, Tinubu and all those who fled to exile came back to Nigeria. Tinubu’s plan was to go back to the Senate. Mr. Onanuga and Babafemi Ojudu advised him to gun for the governorship. Their argument was that because Tinubu fought and financially contributed to the fight against Military and more so he bankrolled The News during the Abacha era. Ganiyu Dawodu had prepared Funsho Williams for the race and Tinubu made a 360 turn. This step created feud between Tinubu and Dawodu and old ally and comrade of Adesanya from their UPN days. There were allegations that Tinubu rigged the primaries in Lagos to beat Funsho Williams but not substantiated. Tinubu’s success in 2003 was not because he was able to wade off PDP’s might in Lagos State. He was a beneficiary of an in-fighting within the PDP. After the primaries in Lagos, Funsho Williams emerged as winner and Dapo Sarunmi and others protested. Bode George; the leader of the party in Lagos State favored Funsho Williams while Atiku favored Sarunmi. Sarunmi belongs to the Yar’Adua movement of the PDP, in which Atiku was the leader. Sarunmi left PDP to run under another party. Atiku did not like that, he had planned to overturn Funsho William’s victory just as he sing-handedly nominated Iyiola Omisore as Senatorial Candidate of PDP while Omisore was still in detention and being charged for the murder of Chief Bola Ige. The decision by AD governors to support Obasanjo’s re-election in 2003 made the party not to field any presidential candidate. Tinubu too fell for it. Obasanjo had called the Afenifere elders and made a deal with them. Part of the deal was to allow the arrest of Iyiola Omisore for Ige’s murder. Omisore who had been enjoying federal protection was eventually impeached thereby losing his immunity and withdrawal of his security details. After his impeachment, Omisore was summoned to Aso Rock, but was directed to Tafa Balogun the then Police Chief. It was Tafa who arrested Omisore for Chief Ige’s death. Little did the Afenifere’s know that the deal they had with Obasanjo was a Greek gift. Obasanjo had planned to rip the AD of all the states Lagos inclusive but Atiku did not allow money meant for the governorship elections released to Lagos State in time. Lagos PDP was starved of fund, Ademola Adeniji Adele complained then. Atiku did it to punish the Bode George camp. While Tinubu had the Lagos State resources, PDP was starved of funds in Lagos to execute their plans. Since Tinubu was the only survivor of the PDP tsunami on 2003, he began to emerge as the leader because he has the resources. So in 2007, Tinubu decided to align with Atiku and they formed ACN. The party died just as it was about to take off. Tinubu, who wanted to go back to the Senate, was asked to be Atiku’s vice. He gave his seat to someone else and was preparing for the VP position until he was suddenly dumped by Atiku. This angered Tinubu and he worked against Atiku. Tinubu would have lost Lagos in 2007 to PDP if he had not had a deal with Tokunbo Afikuyomi. Tokunbo who broke up with Tinubu wanted to run for Lagos governorship under APP until Tinubu begged him to step down for Fashola. In 2007 ACN lost Ogun State and Oyo State to PDP. It was not Tinubu that helped Ibikunle Amosun in Ogun State, Amosun worked for his victory. Amosun while in ANPP had Action Congress of Nigeria’s executives in Ogun State on his pay roll. Tinubu did not and cannot be said to have been responsible for the ACN victory in Ogun State. PDP was in disarray and Amosun capitalized on this to hit a home run in the 2011 election. Tinubu’s image was blown by the media. It was propaganda through pro-Tinubu media championed by the Thews/PM News organization and some of the editors on Tinubu’s pay roll on other media that shot him into limelight as “Yoruba leader.” When people talk about ACN’s accomplishments, why do they only refer to Lagos State? If the party is a Yoruba party, who don’t they mention Ogun State in their equation? How about Ekiti State? What has been the achievement of the Party in those states? It is not about winning but what you do with the victory. Tinubu is a man driven by personal ambition disguising it as Yoruba agenda. What is the Yoruba Agenda or what is the ACN’s agenda for the Yoruba? In 2011, Action Congress of Nigeria fielded Nuhu Ribadu a Hausa man as its Presidential candidate, at the middle of election negotiated with CDC another Hausa-led party. Under the leadership of Tinubu, ACN negotiated to cede presidency to Muhammadu Buhari, while Tinubu becomes the Vice asking Tunde Bakare, Buhari’s running mate to step down for him. Did the Yoruba agenda for ACN start after losing the 2011 or before? Who is deceiving who? Presently, Kano State with the same population as Lagos has more representatives in the Federal House of Representatives than Lagos State. The Federal constitution provides for Concurrent list that allows States to provide their own security and criminal justice system. Going back to regionalism will start by Yoruba states leading in implementing this part of the constitution. What does Yoruba integration means?

The Sinking SHIP Called Action Congress of Nigeria

The Sinking SHIP Called Action Congress of Nigeria

Recent happenings around South Western part of Nigeria are clear pointers to the fact that the A.C.N political party and structure is sinking at a very fast rate, thereby losing its overall political influence and relevance in Nigeria.

The party which is single handedly run by the Jegaban of Borgu has encountered a lot of setback in different A.C.N controlled states across the region. This has contributed greatly to the drastic reduction in their fame and popularity in South West region of Nigeria.

First of such setback was recorded when the party lost the chairmanship position of Tinunbu’s local government to Sen Musiliu Obanikoro’s son. It was indeed a big shame on the personality of Tinunbu and the party hierarchy at large. Senator BAT was unable to confirm that his charity begins right from his home.

Another remarkable blow received by the party was the recent defeat that happened not quite long ago in Ondo state. The party came a distance third despite its initial “shakara and Gragra.”

One of the most interesting events that contributed further to their diminishing reputation is the recent ban placed on motor bikes operating in Lagos highways. This really affects the masses that relied solely on this type of business as their major means of livelihood. All pleas to reverse this inhumane decision fell on the deaf ears of Governor Fashola.

The current one making the waves now is that of the wife of Oyo state governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi. She was arrested by London Met Police for laundering #500,000,000 on her 52^nd trip to the UK under one and six months of her husband assumption of office as the executive governor of Oyo state.

So far so good, people across the geo political zone are regaining their political consciousness as to the true ideals of the self acclaimed progressives. Majority of their governors; especially that of Ogun state are as clueless anything you imagine.

 “Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat.” 
― Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

How far can they hold forth before this SHIP finally sinks?

Can they continue to play in the face of these defeats?

Only time will tell!

Ribadu report: Presidency denies cover-up.

The Presidency, on Monday, denied reports that the leakage of the report of the Mallam Nuhu Ribadu-led Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force compelled it to direct that the report should be submitted on Friday.

It also refuted the claim that the draft of the report was submitted a month ago, saying there was no attempt at cover-up.

The task force, which probed oil and gas transactions between 2002 and 2012, was said to have uncovered widespread corruption and abuse of processes in the sector.

The report which uncovered high level corruption in the management of the oil sector was last week published by an international news agency, Reuters.

The 146-page confidential report, according to the international news agency, stated that Ministers of Petroleum Resources between 2008 and 2011 handed out seven discretionary oil licences. It said out of the deal, a total of $183m (N28.73bn) in signature bonuses paid by oil companies to the federation was missing

Three of the oil licences were said to have been awarded during the tenure of the current minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who took up her position in 2010.

However, Alison-Madueke described it as a “draft” and not the final report.

The Presidency described the published document as suspicious, adding the normal procedure was for the committee to submit its report to the authority that constituted it.

It said Jonathan had yet to get the report formally, adding that those who leaked it planned to embarrass the Federal Government.

The situation led to speculations that the Presidency might be planning to cover up the report.

In a statement on Monday, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the President was set to receive the report on Friday.

But Abati who featured in a radio breakfast programme, Fact File, on RayPower 100.5FM, on Monday denied the insinuation of a cover-up and said that those behind the report were playing politics with the issue.

“It is very obvious that people are trying to politicise such a thing that does not require politics. What the government is trying to do is to raise the level of integrity and accountability in a particular sector. Our position is that people should focus on that objective and not play politics with it,” he said.

Abati accused those alleging a cover-up of ignorance.

He  said, “There is no cover-up. I can tell you that categorically. You will recall that when this particular committee was set up in February, there were two other committees that were also set up to look at the different aspects of the petroleum sector.

“The position of the Federal Government at the time, which is still its position now, is to ensure transparency, probity and accountability in that critical sector. That was why independent persons were brought in to look at different aspects, including petroleum revenue over a period and to give appropriate report to government.

“Those who are saying there is a cover-up clearly do not know what they are talking about. When you set up a committee, when it finishes its work, it is expected to submit its report to the appropriate authority.

“The committee was set up based on a presidential order. When the report is ready, it will go to the appropriate authority as I pointed out in an interview with The PUNCH.”

Meanwhile, Abati in a statement on Monday said the President had directed Ribadu to submit the report to him on Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

In a separate statement, Abati said two other committees set up by the Federal Government earlier this year on different aspects of the country’s petroleum industry would also present their reports to Jonathan on the same day

He said the directive to Ribadu to present the report on Friday was in furtherance of the present administration’s commitment to transparency, probity, and accountability in the petroleum sector.

The Committee, which was set up in February 2012, was required to, among other tasks, determine and verify all petroleum upstream and downstream revenues (taxes and royalties, etc,) due and payable to the Federal Government of Nigeria, and to take all necessary steps to collect all debts due and owed; to obtain agreements and enforce payment terms by all oil industry operators.

The presentation of the Committee’s report will take place at the Presidential Villa at 11am.

One of the two other committees was established to design a new corporate governance code for ensuring full transparency, good governance and global best practices in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and other oil industry parastatals. It had Mr. Dotun Sulaiman as its chairman. The committee headed by Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu was charged with the responsibility of conducting a high-level assessment of the nation’s refineries and recommending ways of improving their efficiency and commercial viability.

Jonathan will receive the two reports at the Presidential Villa immediately after the presentation of Ribadu’s report.

via Punch

How National Identification Management System will stimulate development

How National Identification Management System will stimulate development

The history of national identity registration in Nigeria is long and tortuous just as it has been wasteful.

The Federal Government had in 2001 awarded a contract worth $214m to a consortium led by French firm, Sagem, for the production of identity cards for all Nigerian citizens.

The contract was marred in 2003 by allegations that Nigerian officials collected more than $2m bribes to influence the award of the contract.

On May 11, 2005 Snecma and Sagem SA merged to become the Safran Group, a defence and communications conglomerate.

The case involving several government and party officials was never resolved while only a few Nigerians received identity cards under the scheme.

However, the National Identity Management Commission established by the NIMC Act of 2007 has taken over the functions, assets and liabilities of the Department of the National Civil Registration, which handled the identity card contract.

DNCR was established by the Decree 51 of 1979 when Olusegun Obasanjo, was the Head of State.

Incidentally, Obasanjo also signed the NIMC Act of 2007 that abrogated the civic registration organisation.

During the 25-year life span of DNCR, it achieved little but got enmeshed in several controversies that saw to wastage of billions of tax payers’ money.

Now, NIMC is charged with the responsibilities of registering every individual in Nigeria, establishing and maintaining a national identity database as well as issuing of a unique identification number and a General Multi-purpose Identity Card.

The NIMC Act 2007 prescribes that any person who accesses data or any other information from the National Identity Database without lawful authorisation risks a minimum jail term of 10 years.

Similarly, any person who refuses to provide relevant information or gives false information to the NIMC also risks a minimum jail term of 10 years.

Where these offences are committed by a corporate body, the organisation is liable to a fine of N10m while the officials of the organisation involved in the offence are liable to a 10-year jail term.

The Act established the National Identity Database, which would contain registered information or data of citizens of Nigeria and non-Nigerian citizens registerable under the law.

According to the Act, “Any person in respect of whom an entry is made in the database shall be identified using unique and unambiguous features such as fingerprints and other biometric information.”

Among other things, the objective of the database is to enable NIMC to use information contained in the database to issue Multipurpose Identity Card with unique Identification Number to registerable persons.

From the specification of the Act, it is compulsory to present the identification number for several transactions including application for and issuance of a passport, opening of individual and personal bank accounts and purchase of insurance policies.

It is also required for the purchase, transfer and registration of land; contributory pension scheme; consumer credit transactions; registration of voters; payment of taxes and in the consumption of other services rendered by the government.

Any person who carries out or permits the carrying out of any of these transactions without the identification number commits an offence that attracts a fine of N50, 000 or jail term of not less than six months.

If a corporate body commits the offence, it is liable to a fine of N1m while the Chief Executive Officer of the organisation or the line manager that caused the offence to be committed would also pay a personal fine of N1m.

On the time frame for the operation of the new law, the Act said, “The commission may by order approved by the Attorney-General of the Federation and published in the gazette, modify the information for the time being set out in the Second Schedule of this Act.

“Every registerable person who, at the commencement of this Act has attained the age of 16 years, shall within 60 days thereof or such longer period as the commission may by order specify, attend before the commission or at such place designated by the commission, for the purpose of being registered.” 

In pursuit of this mandate, NIMC had in July 2010 signed agreements for a new identity management project with two private consortia.

The two consortia – Chams consortium (made up of Chams Plc and Nextzon Communications) and One SecureCard consortium – are tasked with the responsibility of handling the front end operations of the project including data capturing.

At the signing ceremony in Abuja, Chairman of NIMC and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Uche Secondus, said it had taken three years for the agreement to be reached.

He said the signing ceremony was the beginning of the process to deliver a NID of 100 million enrolments over the next 30 months from the date the registration starts at model registration centres to be established across Nigeria by the private sector partners.

Secondus had said, “This giant step is a necessary commitment that signifies Federal Government’s resolve to partner with the private sector to deliver important social infrastructure that would enable government to deliver on its important responsibilities – securing lives and property, access to consumer credit and a host of other services that will touch the lives of the poor amongst us and improve our image as a nation.

“I hope the private sector partners have thought through this to avoid any further delays. This is because the interest of the Nigerian citizenry is paramount and the board will do anything within its powers to safeguard that.”

Secondus added that in putting the agreement in place, the government had learnt from mistakes of the past, and was set to ensure the sustainability of the project.

He noted that the tasks ahead would be more challenging in the areas of sourcing for funds to finance the roll-out plans, and instituting necessary security controls and protocols as well as ensuring necessary technology transfer.

The Group Managing Director of Chams Plc, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, said the private sector firms involved in the roll out process understood the challenges before them.

According to him, for a country with the size of Nigeria not to have a robust and viable National Identity Management System is scandalous.

At a recent stakeholder’s workshop, NIMC Director-General, Mr. Chris Onyemenam, said the agency was set to break with the past and give the nation a proper means of identification through the implementation of a National Identity Management System.

According to him, NIMC will enable about 80 per cent of Nigerians that lacked proper identification to be enrolled and reliably identified.

He noted that the identity management sector was critical to Nigerian’s development and the implementations of the President’s transformation agenda.  

Onyemenam explained that the system comprised a NID (also known as a Central Identity Repository or register; a chip-based General Multi-Purpose Card; and a network of platforms to irrefutably prove or assert the identity of an individual.

The fourth component is the harmonisation of all existing identity databases in the public sector. This fourth component includes integrating disparate databases such as the voters’ register, SIM card register, driving licence data and population data.

The NIMC Act 2007 empowers the commission to establish, maintain and operate an NID. In pursuit of this, it is expected to establish centralised, reliable and dependable national database.

The NIMC boss stressed that the most important aspect of the system was that it would provide a universal identification infrastructure for the entire country.

This, he said, would help bring real and recognisable benefits to the government, the entire citizenry, and all legal residents in Nigeria.

He said that in order to harmonise with all the existing databases in the public sector, the NIMC had concluded fibre optic connectivity to 14 agencies that engaged in biometric identity related activities in the country.

According to him, NIMC had perfected strategies to ensure the successful execution of the NIMS project.

He said that NIMC had begun a pilot scheme, which was being implemented in Bauchi, Bayelsa, Enugu, Kaduna and Lagos states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, adding that National Identification Number was currently being issued in the pilot states.

Onyemenam said with the successful implementation of the pilot scheme, the commission was ready to expand its coverage to the 36 states of the federation with the setting up of enrolment offices by the end of this year, adding that the project would successfully take off by the first quarter of 2013.

Speaking on the importance of the identity scheme, Professor of Sociology and Head, Sociology Department, University of Lagos, Dr. Adebayo Ninalowo, said it was imperative to readily ascertain and establish claims to Nigerian citizenship, for the state to fulfill its obligations to the citizens.

Driven by this sense of need and urgency, stakeholders say it is necessary for NIMC to make a clean break with the ugly past.

OGUN STATE 2012 BUDGET !!! So far So Bad.

 OGUN STATE 2012 BUDGET

The Ogun State 2012 Budget as pathetic as it
is has been very poorly implemented.
In the coming weeks, I will be previewing the
2012 Ogun Budget but it must be known
that;
•The SIA-led government embarked on lots of
extra-budgetary spendings.

•Capital projects not captured in the 2012
Ogun Budget were implemented. There was
no virement or supplementary Budget even if
it became absolutely necessary to implement
such (I challenge ANY government official to
tell me the sub head and page where the
'Model Schools' are)

•The Ogun 2012 Budget failed to capture the
core policy thrusts (Mission to Rebuild) of the
Administration. The 5 cardinal programmes
were poorly representated.

•The Ogun State House of Assembly needs to
step up on Budget scrutiny, analysis and
research.

•The Ogun State House of Assembly needs to
step up on Legislative oversight.

•There were lots of 'copy and paste'
including avoidable errors in the Ogun 2012
Budget.

Now, the big questions are;
* When will the draft Ogun state 2013 Budget
be presented to OGHA by the Executive?

* 32 days to the end of the year 2012. When
will the draft Ogun state 2013 Budget be
thoroughly looked at and passed by OGHA?

Sheriff Adeyemi

Governor Ibikunle Amosun; Short May You Reign as Our Governor.

Governor Amosun secretly declare his intention to aspire for second term in office! Wondering what will qualify him to re-occupy the post come 2015.

From the word GO; all indications shows that this government is a failure. Clueless and inept performance has been the hallmark of his government. No sound economic blue-print, clear cut vision and absolute sense of direction.

Sen Ibikunle Amosun, short my you reign as our Governor in Ogun state (2011 - 2015). We can't bear this unjust treatment for long. We've agreed that we all made a mistake by voting for you and we will correct and prevent such mistake from repeating itself come 2015

His close allies should kindly advise him to perform brilliantly well with his first term mandate and never to dream of coming back...except if its a fantasy!

Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi’s Wife in London Police Net for Laundering N500m; Husband stands as surety for wife.

Junketing wife of the Oyo State governor, Chief (Mrs) Florence Ajimobi, has finally jumped into the net of London police authorities.
Her offence: she was found in possession of Pound Sterling and United States Dollars totalling N500million about two weeks ago.

Mrs Ajimobi was arrested by the Met Police during her 52nd trip outside Nigeria in the last 17 months that her husband became the chief executive of the Pace-Setter state.
The development came barely a few months after Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State was arrested also in London on money laundering charges and was held for about 26 days in the United Kingdom.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi has equally been out of the country for about 42 times on personal and official trips that have cost the people of the state fortunes in estacode and denied them the opportunity of a responsible government during times of sorrow, like the August 26, 2011 flood disaster that ravaged the state.

The governor’s wife was held for a few days in London before she telephoned her husband who immediately flew out to the United Kingdom to save his wife and his administration from the embarrassment that the arrest could cause.
It was gathered that the governor had to stand surety for his wife before she was temporarily released the weekend on her arrest.

To ensure that the news does not get to public domain, Governor Ajimobi had to lie that he was travelling to Taiwan for “an emergency business trip”, and headed for London to stand surety for his wife.

Met police authorities accept the surety-ship of a sitting high profile government official in cases of money laundering without which Mrs Ajimobi would have been declared wanted and Interpol sent after her.

When Mrs Ajimobi returned to Nigeria two Sundays ago, she avoided public gathering, never honoured any invitation and cancelled all previous appointments.

A community newspaper in London published the news of Mrs Ajimobi’s arrest with her picture lavishly used by the local daily.

We are making frantic effort to get the photograph and use same on this website.
According to investigations, Mrs Ajimobi is literally the human bank in charge of funds illegally deducted from the 33 local government councils in the state as well as the N110million monthly security vote of her husband.

Rumours has it that Mrs Ajimobi is the courier for public funds running into billions of Naira allegedly stolen so far by the Action Congress of Nigeria-led government in the last 17months were reinforced by the several contracts awarded to Mrs Ajimobi, including the poorly executed beautification project given to her for N1billion of taxpayers’ money.

In addition, she has appropriated the State Action Committee on AIDS (SACA), which was hitherto under the purview of the Ministry of Health to her office and through this, she is sitting upon the $15million-Dollar World Bank funds released early this year for the control of AIDS in the state.

To wriggle out of money laundering and sundry charges against Mrs Ajimobi, her husband has engaged the service of three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) led by Chief Wole Olanipekun.
Following the expiration of the week-long bail granted Mrs Ajimobi to prepare her legal team as the case will be charged to court soon, she left the country for London early on Sunday, October 28 (that is yesterday).

Governor Ajimobi, it was scoped, has been running from pillar to post for face-saving strategies against the damning incident.
He was said to have expressed determination to pay any price quoted by anyone that could be of help in preventing the scandal from becoming public knowledge as well as getting the “greedy wife” off the hook.

The governor, we were told, will be travelling out of the country this week to stand by her wife.
It was also gathered that the senior lawyers are on their way out of the country for the legal fireworks in defence of Mrs Ajimobi.

All welcome the progrethieves of South West.

Know Your Governor. The antecedent of Sen Ibikunle Amosun

This video clip will give you an insight into the true nature of our governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

An outlaw turned governor. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxD8yeEev4g&feature=share

Advising the Government on Bottom - Up Economic Development Approach..

Need we tell our government that;

.......A successful economic development strategy must focus on improving the skills of the area's workforce, reducing the cost of doing business and making available the resources business needs to compete and thrive in today's global economy? 

.......Our approach to economic development must be modern, focused and in tune with the global trend.

.......The realization of a sustainable economic development strategy for our communities should always be a priority and a critical element of their administration's overall economic development strategy. 

......Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning. 

......Those who live in free market societies believe that growth, prosperity and ultimately human fulfillment, are created from the bottom up, not the government down. 

......Only when the human spirit is allowed to invent and create, only when individuals are given a personal stake in deciding economic policies and benefiting from their success -- only then can societies remain economically alive, dynamic, progressive, and free. Trust the people. 

This is the one irrefutable lesson of the entire postwar period contradicting the notion that rigid government controls are essential to economic development. 

#Economic Development!

Sf Ojo Emmanuel @ LEAD Resources.

Its all about...

Leadership Development
Integrity Systems
Financial Management
Economic Development

The LIFE Model.

www.leadresourcesglobal.com

Impeachment Axe Dangles On Sen Ajimobi .Governor, Deputy lock horns in fierce face-off

Impeachment Axe Dangles On Sen Ajimobi .Governor, Deputy lock horns in fierce face-off

A fierce battle has broken out between the Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and his deputy, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo.Sfojo.blog.spot scooped that the face-off between the two gladiators centred around loyalty issues, as Governor Ajimobi was said to have hung a big question mark on the commitment of his deputy to the joint ticket that brought them to power.

Specifically, Sfojo.blog.spot was reliably informed that Senator Ajimobi had incurred the wrath of many a chieftain of his Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and most of the members of the party in the National Assembly over the manner he has been running the government.
The disenchantment of citizens and residents of the state as well as the angst of members of his party have made some powerful power brokers in the state and the party to contemplate impeachment against the governor.

Put in the picture of the secret plot to checkmate Governor Ajimobi is his deputy, who was told to prepare to take-over from “a man who thinks he knows and can do it all.”
The national leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has also bought into the idea, was said to have conditioned his support for the impeachment option as the last resort to save the party from possible defeat in 2015 elections.

Sfojo.blog.spot was reliably informed that the frequent travel of the governor outside the country has also irked the chieftains of the party and those behind the impeachment plot.
The governor himself is aware of the gathering storm against him, including the bitter choler from against him from the fold of the state Executive Council.
“Anybody that has anything to do with Lam Adesina or is Lam’s political disciple cannot get anything from Ajimobi. In fact, he has labelled such people as Lamists and avoids them as if they are lepers.

“On many occasions, A.C.N members in the NASS have met and plotted the governor’s downfall. Not too long ago, Honourable Akinlabi, from Oyo Constituency, telephoned the governor and blasted him.
“There are too many battles for him within and outside the party and we wait for him to deploy the tricks or weapons in his arsenal against these pending wars. I tell you. He cannot possibly survive these wars. He will not even come out of it unscathed,” a party source told Sfojo.blog.spot in Ibadan.

ACN woes continues As Tinubu’s Airline, First Nation, Collapses

 ACN woes continues As Tinubu’s Airline, First Nation, Collapses 

Nigeria’s latest airline, First Nation, has collapsed less than a year after it began operations.

Owned by former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, First Nation started operations early last November but ran into trouble shortly after.

Sources say Tinubu’s management style ran the airline into a ditch. Same fate, it is feared, may befall his newspaper, The Nation that is being used as the media wing of the Action Congress.

The Ondo election exposed the newspaper, as misinformation, and atimes, utter falsehood were peddled about opponents. Even after the election, the paper published false results that favored the AC candidate

“The staff who didn’t leave on their own were asked to go on compulsory leave; so, in effect, there are no more operations,” an authoritative source close to First Nation disclosed.

It was learnt that the airlines has also lost its fleet of three A320s to the lessor, Aviation Capital Group.

“The aircraft (5N-FNA, -FNB and -FNC) are likely repossessed; they were re-registered to the US FAA register as N409AG, N466AG and N997AG earlier this month. First Nation Airways suspended its flight operations in June 2012, and ferried at least two A320s to Istanbul for maintenance,” according to the blog Aviation in Nigeria.

First Nation, which started operations early last November, is already contending with serious managerial issues capable of impacting negatively on flight operations and safety.

Already, the alleged mismanagement has sparked staff exodus in First Nation, which is believed to be owned by former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to a First Nation staffer who resigned his appointment with the company recently “The place was a nightmare for most of us. “Within the last week of May and the first week of June, four key staff resigned and many more had left earlier.”

The beginning of the END of Jegaban of Borgu.

ANGRY and SMILING : Are Nigerians Really The Happiest People On Earth ? By Lai Labode

ANGRY and SMILING : Are Nigerians Really The Happiest People On Earth ? By Lai Labode



Most Nigerians vehemently reject any notion that suggests any close association of our characters with terrorism ,anger ,hate or conflicts . Nigerians are described in so many books , articles and papers as a peace loving people who don't ask for much .


I have delivered papers  in so many places using the same lines with a firm belief that we are not an angry nation . I have also listened to so many respected Nigerians do same with so much passion .

Fellow countrymen , I am sad to say that I now have doubts about some postulations of what our character is as a people . While many of us can be so kind and warm , the membrane between our warmness and unbelievable anger is so dangerously thin . 

The Nigerian society is much more dangerous than most Nigerians can fathom because most people have never really sit back to take an academic view of the humongous cases of JUNGLE JUSTICE that occurs around this country every day .      

The Nigerian society appears relatively modern and boasts of a rich cultural heritage that ordinarily abhors immorality , violence,conflicts or war mongering . Most cultural constituencies have great tales of how friendly their community is and how much love flows from their hearts to their brethren and other tribes or cultures . 

The facts don't however necessarily match up with the postulations of widespread kindness or patience of Nigerians towards one another . Let us take two cases that are still very fresh in our memories amongst hundreds that happen everyday . 

1. The ALUU Four (4)
2. The Alaba Market (Not Shopright) Lady Thief 


The brutal murder of the ALLU four (4) was received with very genuine shock by most Nigerians . The pictures sent chills down the spin of all of us especially parents . Many cried as the watched the video of beastly side of their fellow countrymen. The beastly spirit was so powerful,it arrested the reasoning of everyone on the scene . There was evil excitement in the air as the lives of fellow humans were gradually been taken in a most painful manner. Some screamed "dat one never die o" , everyone present waited for the hellish drama to peak with the expected burning of human flesh with used tyres .Expectedly the agents of darker side of the human word lit the fire of hell right here on earth ,they burnt the still struggling bodies of the young men like stray goats. They burnt the boys alive !

I heard of a pregnant lady who nearly lost her mind and her unborn baby after watching the shameful video . Social media went berserk with its traditional condemnation ,sympathy and calls for justice . Well meaning Nigerians spoke up against the dastardly acts of the People of ALLU . However , in the midst of the national agreement on the terrible acts and calls for justice , not many people have sat back to check why we couldn't find someone or a set of people who could have saved the lives of the young Nigerians .


Recently ,a young lady was caught in Alaba Market  after shoplifting  a blackberry touch from one of the stores . A group of young men gathered around her and stripped her naked . They beat her mercilessly , they opened her legs wide apart on the concrete floor . Many people brought out their mobile phones and took pictures of the shameful actions of their fellow countrymen , many were interested in videos of her private part . One fellow put a touchlight into the lady's vagina. What in the world you will say from the comfort of your office or home as you read this piece . 

There are several reasons that can be adduced  to the inability of someone to stop the killing of the young men or the dehumanization of the young lady ;  

1.The 'Not My Business Syndrome'
2. Danger of getting killed or 'turned on' by the mob
3. The Unconscious Acceptance Of Jungle Justice by society . 
4. Opportunity To Vent Pent Up Anger Caused by Poverty or Animosity 
5. The Perceived Weight Of Crime  
6. Loss of Confidence in Security Agencies
7. The Love of whatever makes news (Bad news). 
8.Genuine belief in the application of JUNGLE JUSTICE.

Looking at the eight (8)) possible reasons above , any ardent observer of the ways Nigerians engage themselves in discussions , arguments or debates may be able to conclude that there is very high tendency for 90 percent of us to have fallen into any of those categories . 

Have you noticed how much anger we exude when people don't agree with our opinions ? 

Have you noticed how much contempt we hold against people we perceive are better positioned than us ? 

Have noticed how much we judge others with a standard we ourselves don't come close to meeting ? 

Have you noticed how much we prefer to carry bad , false or hateful news about our friends and associates ? 

Have you noticed how much we transfer the anger of the failures in our lives to others ? 

Fellow countrymen , the above actions are the direct results of the ALLU KILLINGS and THE DEHUMANIZATION OF ALABA LADY THIEF and so many others that happen everyday but don't manage to get on social media . 

CONCLUSSION 

Nigerians may be much angrier that we have ever admitted . ANGRY and SMILLING !!!

WHAT CAN WE DO ? 

Fellow countrymen , there is indeed a lot we can do to begin to arrest the situation . I will proffer a few solutions in the hope that we get more from readers and find ways to begin some real fixing of the problems ;

1. Massive investment in Civic Education from primary education .

2.Independence and Strengthening of National Orientation Agency .(Separate it from the ministry of culture and tourism)

3.More Prominent Constitutional Role Of The Traditional Institutions 

4.Investment In Mass education by State and Local Governments 

5. Investment in scientific research of the behavioral traits and trends of Nigerians to help policy making . 

Fellow countrymen , let us remember that justice cannot be served in anger , hurry or without constituted authority . We cannot claim to live in a modern society and act so lowly . I implore us to take a second look at how we treat one another , how we interact with one another and see how we can make some improvement.

Remember God never intended for us to be so lowly so he designed us in his own image . 

Tell someone today 'DON'T BE SO ANGRY' .........

Lai Labode 
Author : 20 Laws of Democracy