Introducing one of the Ekiti State Governor - Ayo Fayose's handsome sons, Nigba Fayose.
More pictures after the cut...
Source Linda Ikeji
Monday, 15 June 2015
Introducing one of Gov. Fayose's handsome sons, Nigba Fayose
Introducing one of the Ekiti State Governor - Ayo Fayose's handsome sons, Nigba Fayose.
More pictures after the cut...
Source Linda Ikeji
Don't bribe anybody to see the President or myself - Aisha Buhari warns Nigerians
Speaking at the 'Thank You' dinner she organized to appreciate APC women at the presidential villa on Saturday June 13th, wife of the President, Aisha Buhari warned Nigerians not to fall into the hands of fraudsters who go about asking for money from Nigerians to arrange a meeting between them and the President or his wife.
"I will like to inform you that in the past regime, whether it is true or false, only God knows, some people were going round and parading themselves as PAs.
If you wanted to see the First Lady, you will pay $30,000, $50,000 and if you are seeing the President, you will pay all that you have gathered in your lifetime.
This will not happen in our regime.
Whoever asks you to give a single penny in the name of coming to see the President or his wife is not our staff.
It is a lie, don’t be deceived" she said Mrs Buhari said a lot of things were said against former president Goodluck Jonathan's administration but that it is not like the former president is a bad man, it was the people around him that gave him a bad representation.
"There was nothing that people did not say about the past administration.
It is not Jonathan that is not good, but the people around him. So, the people that are going to be around General Buhari have to be very careful because this election ended peacefully.
We are praying and hoping that people around him should know that it took him 12 years to get to that position and they must know that they are coming to serve the masses, not General Buhari in person.
It is the people that are around him that will determine the political health of our state"she said
Source Linda Ikeji
Saturday, 13 June 2015
Saraki, APC senators free to defect — PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party has said the Senate President, Bukola Saraki; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and their supporters are welcome in the PDP should they decide to dump the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The opposition party said its doors are open to defectors in the National Assembly.
The APC had chosen Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila to run for Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.
Bukola Saraki and Dogara, however, moved against the party’s decision.
With the backing of members of the PDP and other opposition parties, the duo emerged winners in the National Assembly leadership election held on Tuesday.
Consequently, there have been fears that the APC might punish the rebel lawmakers.
Speaking to SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, PDP, Abdullahi Jalo, said the party was ready to accept Saraki, Dogara and their supporters in the National Assembly back to its fold.
Saraki was one of the leaders of a breakaway faction of the PDP known as the New PDP, which later merged with the APC. Jalo stated that the PDP would continue to run a party that allows every Nigerian to join it whenever such individual wanted to.
According to him, there is no absolute proviso preventing defection from one party to another. He said, “Any politician is entitled to join any political party that he so desires to join. The PDP is for everyone.
We don’t quarrel with anybody. We are still soliciting for more acceptability. “The PDP is open to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (former Governor of Lagos State and national leader, APC); Bisi Akande (former Governor of Osun State and ex-National Chairman, APC, Chief) and any other persons in the ruling APC. “The PDP is large enough to accommodate many people of diverse backgrounds.
That is why we remain the largest party in Africa.
We are never going to stop anybody from leaving or victimise them after they have left. “The former Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal (now Governor of Sokoto State) left and the party did not sanction him, unlike the APC that is threatening Saraki with sanctions.”
A source in the PDP, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, however, told one of our correspondents that some prominent politicians in the APC had begun talks with the PDP in view of the 2019 presidential election. “In the APC, we have people who have signified their interest in the 2019 presidential election.
They will come when the time is appropriate and we will accommodate them,” the source said.
A former Minister of Aviation and Director of Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, said he was delighted about Saraki’s senate presidency, with Senator Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP as his deputy. “It is evident that the PDP is on the rise again,” he added.
He, said the PDP would love to have the APC lawmakers, stressing that “politics is a game of number and as far as I am concerned, PDP’s doors are always wide open for anybody who wants to come and join.
The more the merrier.” A former Minister of Transport and member of the PDP’s Board of Trustees, Ebenezer Babatope, also described Sakari’s emergence as Senate President as a “very good and positive development” for Nigerian’s democracy.
He pointed out that having an APC senator as the senate president and PDP as the deputy would strengthen Nigerian democracy, and remove as parochialism from partisan politics in the country. Babatope said, “Don’t forget, we have a good number in the Senate.
PDP senators are 49 out of 109; that is a very strong number.
There is no way APC will not rely on the PDP members to have effective results in the Senate. “What happened was that Bukola Saraki consulted all of them.
If Lawan had contested with Bukola Saraki, on the floor of the Senate, Lawan would have lost because the 49 PDP senators would have voted for Saraki.
Saraki had 57 votes and 49 of them came from the PDP.” Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Find killer of corps member, NYSC tells police
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Johnson Olawumi, on Saturday called on the police and the Kwara State government to find the killer of a female corps member in the state last month.
He also tasked all state governors to provide adequate security of all corps members serving in their states, adding that the corps would not allow the killing of corps members in any part of the country.
A serving member of the NYSC in Kwara State, Miss Yetunde Idowu, was found dead in the state last month.
Her skull was said to have been broken while there were bruises on her body.
The deceased, who was a member of the 2014 batch B set in the state, was serving with the Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Kwara, Ilorin, before her death.
Olawumi said, “The Kwara State government, police and all security agents in the state must use every possible means within available to find the killer of the young lady who was murdered recently in the state.”
The NYSC DG made the call during an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH when he paid a visit to members of the batch A, in Borno State, who are currently undergoing three weeks orientation camp at the Magaji Dan-Yamusa orientation camp in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The DG also advised corps members to avoid travelling without approval.
He added, “We have made our stand known to the Kwara State government that the killing of the lady was unacceptable and we are not going to allow the matter to be swept under the carpet.’’
On the skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development introduced by the scheme, he said it would allow corps members contribute meaningfully to national development.
He stated, “Apart from the issue of security challenges facing our nation, we are also looking at how to use the scheme to impact on national development and that is why we are focusing on this aspect of scheme acquisition and entrepreneurship development.
Olawumi added that the initiative would empower them to be self-reliant rather than seeking employment after their service year.
He stated, “We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with banks of industries and very soon, corps members with good business plans and proposal, should get some loan to start their businesses.’’ Copyright PUNCH.All rights reserved.
This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Change and the ories of development
By Tabia Princewill
Out with the old, in with the new.
If only it were that simple.
In the field of political science, various theories and methodologies exist to advise government, thought leaders and the private sector on strategic planning; that is, how to bring about change or modernisation in any organisation.
The theory of change, in particular, promotes social change by defining long term goals mapped backwards in order to identify the pre-existing conditions which enable the said change.
Indeed, unlike the haphazard way in which many African states have conducted their affairs, there are often clear, somewhat predictable pathways to development, as each desired outcome is chronologically and causally linked to a prior circumstance.
Change is thus the result of a plan (preferably a transparent one) where power dynamics are properly managed.
Change must be inclusive and rewarding for its many accomplices and contributors for it to function.
Hence, the conundrum the APC is currently facing: Is the idea or the prospect of change rewarding to the average politician?
Which politicians should be rewarded for their contributions? How many of said politicians could withstand the scrutiny of their actions and moral values, which the promise of change entails?
What is therefore the APC’s “change model” and how will it motivate its members to disavow the actions and attitudes that are now unfortunately part of our popular and political culture?
What specific interventions will bring about change and most of all, how will these plans affect the citizenry? Nigerians are being kept in suspense as the change train gathers momentum.
Let us also look at something perhaps a little less joyous, but necessary: why change fails.
When expectations are not met, obviously, change has failed.
But more specifically, when happenings within a culture evolve into norms, conventions and traditions society no longer questions and “changemakers” are unable to assert a new rulebook because they placed little emphasis on the short term realities that must change in order to achieve long term goals, then, “transformation”, to use a now loathed word, fails.
So, let us ask, what must change in the short term in Nigeria for long-term changes to occur?
An immediate change should perhaps be the reduction of the cost of governance, in order for government funds to be used more wisely.
Let us not be afraid of reassessing and repealing even some ill-thought out constitutional requirements: the practice of government featuring one minister from every state of the federation has not brought more development to the people, nor has it brought more peace to our country; right now, it is merely costing us money in payment of salaries, etc, which could be better spent elsewhere.
Of course, politicians who benefit from the situation will tell Nigerians, should Buhari propose to modify this aspect of our Constitution, that Buhari does not want to share power with all ethnic groups or some other such nonsense.
It is thus up to the President’s media team to come up with solid communication plans to explain his reforms and ideas in order to convincingly sell them to Nigerians.
Moreover, it is up to us, the citizenry to be open-minded, reasonable and judicious in our discourse: research, fact-find, get as much information as you can, explain things to those who do not understand, refuse to be used as a tool for politicking and discord, by the enemies of the state, the members of the old order, parading themselves even in this new dispensation as “changed”.
Such people still walk among us.
For too long our leaders have taken advantage of the Nigerian inability to reason intelligently and dispassionately, our collective amnesia and unwillingness to not make excuses for wrong- doing because we hope to benefit from the ever widening loopholes of the system.
Education is thus a long-term panacea to all of our country’s woes as many of our citizens might have paper qualifications but have not benefitted from the critical thinking and analysis taken for granted in other climes.
Every ministry, department and agency at the state and federal level, every local government, should be forced to come up with a sequence of events, planned activities that are expected to lead to certain outcomes and unveil said plans to the public, enabling us to track whether these outcomes actually occur.
This might seem like common sense but having experienced the workings of some government ministries, I can say that it isn’t.
As a country we have become accustomed to looking to the heavens for miracles, whereas nothing we have put into place on ground could realistically support or allow the wonders we expect from everything and everyone except ourselves.
On paper, Nigeria might have embraced modern sciences and rationality but in practice much of our thinking is antiquated and has not allowed for the depersonalisation of relations: can we look at a man or woman as competent or incompetent, honest or dishonest, rather than from “my village”, “my place” or Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa?
Can we see people for what they are rather than speak of whom they know or are related to?
The Nigerian experience is still predicted by destructive structures: life in the free, modern society we hope to become should be predicated on individualisation and risk, which shape life chances.
Defining who we are, or who we hope to be is a collective risk we must be willing to take.
So, government can change, we have proven this but can the social order that nurtures it, change too?
We must free ourselves from the restrictive social prism and networks of ethnicity and religion; we must be individuals with our own ideas and values, and not just amass unanalysed and undigested “take aways” from our pastor or our friends.
Rather we take the risk of finding greatness within ourselves than jeopardise a prodigious future lost to the tyranny of insignificance, which we defeated by electing a new president.
Aisha Buhari One could say she “broke the internet” during the inauguration.
In fact, she continues to fascinate and enthral Nigerians.
But rather than focus on her pleasing exterior, I would rather we concern ourselves with what the “wife of the president” (she prefers to be called this) will do now.
The Office of the First Lady in the United Statesis actually constitutionally provided for, unlike its Nigerian illegitimate, debased equivalent.
It oversees a council on women and girls where an assistant to the President on domestic policy and an assistant to the First Lady on special projects (often the same person) play a key role.
Indeed, the First Lady assists the President, not by designing random, unfeasible or unquantifiable projects that are avenues for corruption and abuse of office, but by setting real targets to improve the lives of women and families.
How do women and girls fit into our national domestic policy and what can be done to alleviate their suffering?
Mrs Buhari’s desire to work on fielding off child marriage is a welcome development as it results in a cycle of poverty from which families often don’t escape.
Finally, a first lady who is both apparently sincere and understands the issues.
Nigeria is no place for kids Chimamanda Adichie spoke of “likeability”, which is very much an issue for women in our society where girls are taught not to rock the boat and to conform at all times.
Challenging the status quo is not an option for most women in this country who are, more often than not, expected to suffer in silence.
Wasila Umar, a 14-year-old girl from Kano, forced into marriage, desperate to escape, eager for the opportunities education provides, felt forced to take drastic action: she poisoned her husband and inadvertently, the friends who shared a meal with him.
She spent a year in prison (what sort of prison, with what conditions of confinement?) and one can only imagine the horrors she has been exposed to.
Mrs Buhari, we await your input specifically on children’s law and policy.
If only it were that simple.
In the field of political science, various theories and methodologies exist to advise government, thought leaders and the private sector on strategic planning; that is, how to bring about change or modernisation in any organisation.
The theory of change, in particular, promotes social change by defining long term goals mapped backwards in order to identify the pre-existing conditions which enable the said change.
Indeed, unlike the haphazard way in which many African states have conducted their affairs, there are often clear, somewhat predictable pathways to development, as each desired outcome is chronologically and causally linked to a prior circumstance.
Change is thus the result of a plan (preferably a transparent one) where power dynamics are properly managed.
Change must be inclusive and rewarding for its many accomplices and contributors for it to function.
Hence, the conundrum the APC is currently facing: Is the idea or the prospect of change rewarding to the average politician?
Which politicians should be rewarded for their contributions? How many of said politicians could withstand the scrutiny of their actions and moral values, which the promise of change entails?
What is therefore the APC’s “change model” and how will it motivate its members to disavow the actions and attitudes that are now unfortunately part of our popular and political culture?
What specific interventions will bring about change and most of all, how will these plans affect the citizenry? Nigerians are being kept in suspense as the change train gathers momentum.
Let us also look at something perhaps a little less joyous, but necessary: why change fails.
When expectations are not met, obviously, change has failed.
But more specifically, when happenings within a culture evolve into norms, conventions and traditions society no longer questions and “changemakers” are unable to assert a new rulebook because they placed little emphasis on the short term realities that must change in order to achieve long term goals, then, “transformation”, to use a now loathed word, fails.
So, let us ask, what must change in the short term in Nigeria for long-term changes to occur?
An immediate change should perhaps be the reduction of the cost of governance, in order for government funds to be used more wisely.
Let us not be afraid of reassessing and repealing even some ill-thought out constitutional requirements: the practice of government featuring one minister from every state of the federation has not brought more development to the people, nor has it brought more peace to our country; right now, it is merely costing us money in payment of salaries, etc, which could be better spent elsewhere.
Of course, politicians who benefit from the situation will tell Nigerians, should Buhari propose to modify this aspect of our Constitution, that Buhari does not want to share power with all ethnic groups or some other such nonsense.
It is thus up to the President’s media team to come up with solid communication plans to explain his reforms and ideas in order to convincingly sell them to Nigerians.
Moreover, it is up to us, the citizenry to be open-minded, reasonable and judicious in our discourse: research, fact-find, get as much information as you can, explain things to those who do not understand, refuse to be used as a tool for politicking and discord, by the enemies of the state, the members of the old order, parading themselves even in this new dispensation as “changed”.
Such people still walk among us.
For too long our leaders have taken advantage of the Nigerian inability to reason intelligently and dispassionately, our collective amnesia and unwillingness to not make excuses for wrong- doing because we hope to benefit from the ever widening loopholes of the system.
Education is thus a long-term panacea to all of our country’s woes as many of our citizens might have paper qualifications but have not benefitted from the critical thinking and analysis taken for granted in other climes.
Every ministry, department and agency at the state and federal level, every local government, should be forced to come up with a sequence of events, planned activities that are expected to lead to certain outcomes and unveil said plans to the public, enabling us to track whether these outcomes actually occur.
This might seem like common sense but having experienced the workings of some government ministries, I can say that it isn’t.
As a country we have become accustomed to looking to the heavens for miracles, whereas nothing we have put into place on ground could realistically support or allow the wonders we expect from everything and everyone except ourselves.
On paper, Nigeria might have embraced modern sciences and rationality but in practice much of our thinking is antiquated and has not allowed for the depersonalisation of relations: can we look at a man or woman as competent or incompetent, honest or dishonest, rather than from “my village”, “my place” or Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa?
Can we see people for what they are rather than speak of whom they know or are related to?
The Nigerian experience is still predicted by destructive structures: life in the free, modern society we hope to become should be predicated on individualisation and risk, which shape life chances.
Defining who we are, or who we hope to be is a collective risk we must be willing to take.
So, government can change, we have proven this but can the social order that nurtures it, change too?
We must free ourselves from the restrictive social prism and networks of ethnicity and religion; we must be individuals with our own ideas and values, and not just amass unanalysed and undigested “take aways” from our pastor or our friends.
Rather we take the risk of finding greatness within ourselves than jeopardise a prodigious future lost to the tyranny of insignificance, which we defeated by electing a new president.
Aisha Buhari One could say she “broke the internet” during the inauguration.
In fact, she continues to fascinate and enthral Nigerians.
But rather than focus on her pleasing exterior, I would rather we concern ourselves with what the “wife of the president” (she prefers to be called this) will do now.
The Office of the First Lady in the United Statesis actually constitutionally provided for, unlike its Nigerian illegitimate, debased equivalent.
It oversees a council on women and girls where an assistant to the President on domestic policy and an assistant to the First Lady on special projects (often the same person) play a key role.
Indeed, the First Lady assists the President, not by designing random, unfeasible or unquantifiable projects that are avenues for corruption and abuse of office, but by setting real targets to improve the lives of women and families.
How do women and girls fit into our national domestic policy and what can be done to alleviate their suffering?
Mrs Buhari’s desire to work on fielding off child marriage is a welcome development as it results in a cycle of poverty from which families often don’t escape.
Finally, a first lady who is both apparently sincere and understands the issues.
Nigeria is no place for kids Chimamanda Adichie spoke of “likeability”, which is very much an issue for women in our society where girls are taught not to rock the boat and to conform at all times.
Challenging the status quo is not an option for most women in this country who are, more often than not, expected to suffer in silence.
Wasila Umar, a 14-year-old girl from Kano, forced into marriage, desperate to escape, eager for the opportunities education provides, felt forced to take drastic action: she poisoned her husband and inadvertently, the friends who shared a meal with him.
She spent a year in prison (what sort of prison, with what conditions of confinement?) and one can only imagine the horrors she has been exposed to.
Mrs Buhari, we await your input specifically on children’s law and policy.
Happy birthday to one of the coolest guys in the world, Denrele Edun
My BFF is a year older today and I'm so proud of him.
He was the first person I befriended when I got into UNILAG in 1998 & we always vowed to make it in life, and we did.
In different fields.
He's an amazing, giving person and I couldn't be prouder to call him my friend. Happy birthday, Denrele!
Source Linda Ikeji
Actress Bukky Wright & her musician son quarrel over new single
There's small drama happening between ace actress Bukky Wright and her musician son, Ojayy Wright, who has been trying to get in to the Nigerian music industry after graduating from school last year.
He recently sign a management deal with his mother's company, Wright Media International, and right now, there are issues between mother and son over the release of his new single 'Hello' under her management.
Ojayy yesterday released the song online but a few hours later, his mum asked the song to be pulled down, saying that the song has not been approved.
Ojayy is not happy with his mum and took to Twitter to expresses his frustration after apparently traveling to Texas to shoot a video for the single.
Source Linda Ikeji
Intention to seek the office of the Governor of Bayelsa state - SilokoSiasia
Written by Moses SilokoSiasia. Read below...
My name is Moses SilokoSiasia. I am a young successful Nigerian businessman who has decided to run for office of the Governor for my home state of Bayelsa, Nigeria.
The age limit to run for the office of Governor in our constitution is thirty five.
I have waited patiently for a chance to change the political environment in Bayelsa and on June 6th of this year, I turned thirty five and I am ready to run.
I am a native of Bayelsa and a self– made successful businessman who until 16 years ago, was a street vendor who scrounged for money and food to survive.
Determined to take myself and family out of poverty, I worked day and night literally to gain a foothold in the very challenging private Nigerian economy.
After consulting with my family and friends, and based upon the tremendous outcry from my home state for help, I have decided to run for the office of Governor of Bayelsa.
For far too long, my people have suffered from political oppression! Despite being one of the wealthiest states in Nigeria, with an abundance of natural resources, Bayelsa has one of the highest unemployment rates in Nigeria.
Our children do not have modern schools or tools to educate them.
Our students abroad are stranded without resources to complete their education.
Our infrastructure has been neglected resulting in dangerous impassable roads, lack of portable water, and basic human hygiene.
Our older citizens have been abandoned and left to die in poverty and poor health.
Our young, internationally educated young men and women have been denied the opportunity to run for office, and told that “the office of the Governor is not for boys”
. Young citizens of Bayelsa who today seek change are being threatened and intimidated for speaking up against the current regime.
Fear mongering and intimidation has no place in Bayelsa and the time has come to end this madness and take back our state from lying, thieving, self-serving politicians.
Since Bayelsa became a state in 1996, there has not been any private economic growth.
Our people rely solely on the allocation of Government funds to survive, but the money never trickles down to them due to wastefulness, mismanagement of funds, a lack of leadership and self-serving agendas.
Our people have been cheated, lied to, misled, neglected, and held in political bondage for far too long and it is time to set my people free.
My name is Moses, and I will lead my people to the Promised Land!
I am running for Governor because it is time to take back our state and usher in a new era of leadership and prosperity for the people of Bayelsa. Today, the youth of Bayelsa is crying for real measureable change.
The future of Bayelsa is in dire straits.
Our youth, the custodians of our future are here to take back our state! In July 2015, I will formally declare my campaign in Bayelsa, and on Election Day, will make history as the youngest elected person to the office of Governor in the history of Nigeria.
It is time for us, the educated, proven successful business minded professionals to lead.
The office of the Governor is NOT a trust fund for individualistic self-serving agendas.
It is the highest office of the state charged with the responsibility of its people.
As a successful businessman, I will govern the state with a firm grip on accountability and charge all those who will work with me with great responsibility and high integrity.
I will bring in much needed international investments and create sustainable and meaningful private sector jobs.
It is time for all foreign contractor who come here year in and year out to reinvest in our state.
No longer will we allow the world, and our current leadership to take advantage of us.
I aim to give hope to the hopes and give voice to the voiceless.
The time for real measureable change is now!
I am Moses SilokoSiaisiaand I am running for the office of the Governor of Bayelsa to lead my people out of political bondage and to a land of prosperity!
Source Linda Ikeji
Friday, 12 June 2015
Etisalat Nigeria Treats Top Distribution Partners to 2015 Heroes Trip
Etisalat Nigeria treated 15 Distribution Partners and 2 Virtual Airtime Distributors (VADs) to an all- expenses paid trip in Amsterdam, the capital city of Netherlands between Saturday 23 and Friday 26 May 2015.
The selected DP’s visited the Zandvoort Race Track where the Partners had the thrilling experience of car racing.
The Partners were treated to the Heineken Experience - a tour of the former brewery - where Heineken premium quality beer was brewed for 100 years now transformed into a sensational interactive tourist site.
A guided tour through the canal and the 17th century monumental houses was not left out of the experience, as the Partners also discovered Rotterdam in a spectacular way during the 20 minutes’ FunJet experience - a top speed race under the Erasmus Bridge.
They were then later treated to lunch on the former Cruise ship of the Holland America line - the SS Rotterdam.
Etisalat Nigeria’s Distribution Partners (DPs) referred to as ‘Heroes’ play a critical role in the company’s success story.
Top achievers amongst the DPs are recognized as members of the Heroes Club for the year in review and the highlight of membership of the Heroes Club is an all-expenses paid trip to a 5-star tourist destination around the world.
Some of the Heroes had something to say about the trip: “Wonderful Trip! I like everything, the boat ride, Dinners, Flying Business class and the choice of attractions.
Thank you very much Etisalat and more grease to your elbow.
We will deliver the real figures.’ - NdukaubaChukwu, MD Cant Stop Ltd ‘It was indeed a great trip.
Thanks a million to Etisalat.
Looking forward to 2016 trip - Jude Ukachukwu, MD, TIG Limited
Source Linda Ikeji
Rich, urbane & entrepreneurial: meet Africa’s new super-rich with a taste for the London lifestyle
In this Standard UK reports, Dangote, Otedola and Alakija were mentioned ... For her 18th birthday last year Temi Otedola wanted to celebrate in style.
So her family hired One Mayfair and threw a bash none of the 180 guests would forget.
The theme was Moulin Rouge (it was either that or Great Gatsby, she says, but she ‘loves all things Paris’) and guests were treated to a three-course meal, a performance by cabaret troupe It Girls and a DJ set by her 22-year-old sister Florence (aka DJ Cuppy), who played at Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration gala last month.
Otedola is a style blogger, aspiring designer and the youngest daughter of energy tycoon Femi Otedola, one of Nigeria’s richest men, whose dealings in the oil and gas sector have made him an estimated £650m.
Soon to begin a degree in history of art at University College London, she splits her time between the family’s expansive Knightsbridge apartment, where she lives with her mother Nana, and Lagos, the former Nigerian capital, where her father’s business is based.
He, in turn, visits the UK once or twice a month.
One day, she’d like to start her own clothing line, but for now she is honing her expertise in other ways: interning at brands such as Oscar de la Renta, shopping at Topshop or Browns Focus on South Molton Street (her favourite labels include Isabel Marant and Valentino, whose Paris Fashion Week show she attended earlier this year) and writing about her finds on her website, JTO Fashion. Welcome to the world of London’s Afro-politans: ambitious, highly educated and (very, very) wealthy.
Last month Harrods Estates recorded a 400 per cent rise in West African buyers snapping up prime Central London property compared with the previous year.
According to Beauchamp Estates, buyers from Africa have spent more than £600m in the past three years, mostly in the ‘platinum triangle’ of Mayfair, Belgravia and Knightsbridge.
Africa’s richest man, commodities tycoon Aliko Dangote (worth more than £10bn), is believed to own a home in Kensington Palace Gardens, where his neighbours include the Sultan of Brunei and Lakshmi Mittal, and is currently eyeing up Arsenal Football Club.
Where is the money coming from? Oil, mostly, but not only.
The past decade has seen an explosion in finance, property and telecoms.
Africa has around half of the world’s gold deposits and a third of its diamonds, copper, platinum and ‘rare earth’ minerals, used in smartphones and flat- screen TVs.
The spread of democracy and growing emphasis on transparency has led to greater efforts to reduce endemic corruption.
Last year, nine of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies were African.
Nigeria’s GDP grew by around 6-7 per cent, compared with the UK’s 2.6 per cent.
And while the middle class is expanding rapidly, so are the super-rich.
The number of African billionaires has more than tripled in the past five years.
There are currently 55, according to African financial magazine Ventures.
It’s not hard to see London’s appeal to these newly minted power players.
The Nigerian community here already numbers more than 100,000 and the Ghanaian more than 50,000. Both countries are members of the Commonwealth, English is widely spoken and traditional British pursuits such as polo and yachting are popular among society figures.
Our schools are another attraction: Nigerians spend more than £300m a year on education in Britain — Wycombe Abbey, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Eton and Harrow are among the favourites.
Nigerian shoppers are also some of the capital’s biggest spenders, forking out an average of £628 per purchase, according to industry specialists Global Blue.
‘It’s a very aspirational culture,’ says 31-year-old Richard Vedelago (pictured, above), co-founder of property firm Wrothams and Windsor, which specialises in pairing up luxury homes in the capital with buyers in West Africa.
‘With that comes the notion that when you get it, you’re going to spend it.’ Tall, hand some and impeccably dressed, he grew up in Togo and Nigeria, where, he says, his family were part of the country’s ‘top one per cent’.
His mother is in business development, his father in construction.
Aged 12, he began boarding at the £9,715-a-term King Edward’s School in Surrey before studying international business manage-ment at UCL.
He returned to Nigeria to work in oil and gas, then consultancy and telecoms. Now he hops between Nigeria, Dubai and London (he owns a two-bed pied-Ã -terre in Belgravia and keeps a Bentley here).
Like him, his wealthy clients have multiple bases.
London is the place to unwind and have fun: ‘They like to go out and they’re not shy of putting their credit card where their mouth is,’ says Vedelago.
To this end, French labels such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès are the must-haves — and Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges the go- tos.
‘Don’t even start!’ says Kola Karim, the 46- year-old polo-playing boss of Shoreline Energy International, who owns a townhouse in Kensington, as well as properties in Windsor, Nigeria and South Africa. ‘Harrods — it’s like an extension of home.’ By night, it’s traditional oligarch turf — what Vedelago describes as ‘your Hakkasans, your Nobus and your Ciprianis’ — that are the places to be seen.
For a taste of home, Karim rates West African eaterie Mama Put (near Liverpool Street but it delivers to W8).
After hours, the party crowd heads to Boujis, Mahiki, Libertine or the circus- themed Cirque le Soir, which holds a particularly good hip-hop night on Wednesdays, says Otedola, that is popular among her Ghanaian and Nigerian circle.
Not for nothing is Nigeria the world’s second fastest-growing champagne market after France: ‘We’re a social, outgoing society.’ To Britain’s luxury industry — predicted to be worth £12.2bn by 2017 — Africa’s burgeoning elite is a tantalising prospect. ‘People take you seriously because you’ve got the spending power,’ says Vedelago.
Harrods was said to be looking for employees who could speak Yoruba, the language of 30m West Africans.
When, two years ago, Theresa May attempted to make visitors from parts of Africa, including Ghana and Nigeria, pay a £3,000 security bond to enter the UK, executives from Harrods and Savile Row tailors Gieves & Hawkes protested.
The plans were dropped. Property firms are now actively courting African business — indeed, Vedelago’s involvement came when he was approached by Savills’ private office two years ago to host an event in Nigeria advertising One Hyde Park, the Candy brothers’ luxury Knightsbridge development.
The drinks party resulted in more than £150m in sales (including, reportedly, several apartments to Africa’s richest woman, Folorunsho Alakija, a billionaire oil and fashion tycoon).
And although it’s customary to hire house hold staff who travel with the family, concierge companies are doing swift business plugging the gap when homes are empty.
Penny Mosgrove, CEO of Quintessentially Estates, whose clients pay from around £500 a month for their home management service — which can encompass anything from setting up Sky contracts and parking permits, to stocking the fridge and turning the heating on — says she’s been asked to bubble-wrap trolley- loads of Waitrose and Marks & Spencer goodies to be packed and taken back to Africa by plane.
Private plane, that is. Nigeria has one of the world’s fastest-growing private jet markets.
Source Linda Ikeji
FG to rebuild churches, mosques destroyed by insurgents, to bear major cost of MNJTF
By Ben Agande
Abuja — President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to offset the pledge of $100 million (about N21.5 billion) for the funding of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) as promised by the Nigerian government.
Nigeria had made the commitment under former President Goodluck Jonathan to provide the task force with the funds in supporting its operation.
Speaking at an Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, President Buhari also canvassed that Nigeria permanently command the task force until Boko Haram insurgency is defeated and not six monthly as recommended by other countries in the commission.
MEETING: From left: Executive Secretary of Lake Chad Basin Commission, Sanusi Imran Abdullahi; President of Benin Republic, Thomas Boni Yayi; President Muhammadu Buhari; President of Niger Republic, Mahamadou Issoufou; President of Chad, Idriss Deby and President of Cameroon represented by Defence Minister of Cameroon, Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o after the Lake Chad Basin Commission meeting at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, yesterday.
Buhari told the leaders: “I hereby reassure you that my government will keep faith with this promise.” Making a case for Nigeria to command the MNJTF, President Buhari said leaders should jettison the call for Nigeria to take charge of the command structure of the MNJTF in just the next six months.
He explained: “While I agree that this is a joint operation with shared responsibilities, I am, however, of the opinion that military operations that are subjected to a rapid turnover of command and control structures, six months duration, as it is being proposed in the documents before us, do not augur well for effectiveness and efficiency.
“Such a process will undermine, even if it not intended, the military capacity to sustain the push against the insurgents, who also have the uncanny ability to adapt and rejig their operational strategies.”
Wants Nigeria to control force He urged the leaders to allow Nigeria control the force throughout the period of the war against Boko Haram.
Buhari said: “I am inclined, on account of the above, to suggest for your excellences consideration that Nigeria retains the position of the Force Commander of the MNJTF for the period of the war effort.
“This command will be to the effectiveness of military strategy, since Nigeria will be providing the bulk of the troops and the main theatre of the war is on Nigerian soil.
“Our meeting today is premised on common resolve and commitment of member states of Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin to maintain the momentum in degrading the capacity of the insurgents until they are completely defeated.
“It is also going out with urgency to mitigate the suffering which has been imposed on our civilian population by the nefarious activities of the insurgents and the terrorists.
“Our meeting today provides us an excellent opportunity to finalize the instruments of the operations of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in order to give life to our joint military campaign to decisively defeat the insurgents.
“You will recall in my inaugural address on May 29, 2015, I affirmed that I will consult regularly with heads of government of our immediate neighborhood and I have within four days of my assumption of duty as president embarked on a thank you visits to the Presidents of Niger and Chad.
This important assignment was, however, interrupted because I had to honour the invitation extended to me by the G-7 member states to attend their meeting in Germany.
Buhari said he intends to continue his thank you visits to the remaining Lake Chad Basin Commission member states very shortly.
President Muhammadu Buhari also said he had extended the invitation to submit requests of the needs of the country in the fight against Boko Haram asked by the G7 to member nations of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).
Buhari said this while fielding questions from newsmen at the presentation of the communiqué of the meeting of the Presidents and Heads of Government of the LCBC in Abuja.
“I was personally invited by G7 and I was impressed by the tremendous sympathy they have for this sub region: LCBC.
Their humanitarian approach to the issue to say the least is very impressive.
All of them, not just in Europe but Presidents Barack Obama, Angela Markel of Germany and Hollande of France are all willing to help us.
They have actually asked me to discuss with their Chiefs of Defence Staff or their Ministries of Defence or to talk to them directly on what we need.
“I brought this case to our meeting here and I told them that Nigeria has worked quite far and I asked for a five-hour meeting with my service chiefs and I asked them to produce a comprehensive logistic requirement.
I also advised my colleagues that they should be prepared to produce their logistic requirements.
“But after the African Union meeting, we will agree on what to present to the G7.
They are very anxious to help us, especially when Boko Haram declared their loyalty to ISIS. “You know what ISIS is doing to the world, not only to the Gulf states but to the Middle East.”
Buhari also said the cross border war against insurgency was not limited by troops fighting in their respective territories as Chad and Niger soldiers were already in Nigeria to flush out the insurgents.
FG to rebuild churches, mosques destroyed by insurgents He said the foreign troops had chased out Boko Haram and secured Nigerian territories.
He also said that the troops of the joint command were dedicated to the operations and commended their efforts.
The President said that his administration would sustain the peace in the country after the war on insurgency but appealed to those displaced by the insurgency to return to their communities for rehabilitation.
He added that churches, mosques and shops destroyed would be rehabilitated as well by the administration.
The President also said that the military was investigating the alleged human rights abuses levelled against the Nigerian Armed Forces by Amnesty International.
Nigeria had made the commitment under former President Goodluck Jonathan to provide the task force with the funds in supporting its operation.
Speaking at an Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, President Buhari also canvassed that Nigeria permanently command the task force until Boko Haram insurgency is defeated and not six monthly as recommended by other countries in the commission.
MEETING: From left: Executive Secretary of Lake Chad Basin Commission, Sanusi Imran Abdullahi; President of Benin Republic, Thomas Boni Yayi; President Muhammadu Buhari; President of Niger Republic, Mahamadou Issoufou; President of Chad, Idriss Deby and President of Cameroon represented by Defence Minister of Cameroon, Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o after the Lake Chad Basin Commission meeting at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, yesterday.
Buhari told the leaders: “I hereby reassure you that my government will keep faith with this promise.” Making a case for Nigeria to command the MNJTF, President Buhari said leaders should jettison the call for Nigeria to take charge of the command structure of the MNJTF in just the next six months.
He explained: “While I agree that this is a joint operation with shared responsibilities, I am, however, of the opinion that military operations that are subjected to a rapid turnover of command and control structures, six months duration, as it is being proposed in the documents before us, do not augur well for effectiveness and efficiency.
“Such a process will undermine, even if it not intended, the military capacity to sustain the push against the insurgents, who also have the uncanny ability to adapt and rejig their operational strategies.”
Wants Nigeria to control force He urged the leaders to allow Nigeria control the force throughout the period of the war against Boko Haram.
Buhari said: “I am inclined, on account of the above, to suggest for your excellences consideration that Nigeria retains the position of the Force Commander of the MNJTF for the period of the war effort.
“This command will be to the effectiveness of military strategy, since Nigeria will be providing the bulk of the troops and the main theatre of the war is on Nigerian soil.
“Our meeting today is premised on common resolve and commitment of member states of Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin to maintain the momentum in degrading the capacity of the insurgents until they are completely defeated.
“It is also going out with urgency to mitigate the suffering which has been imposed on our civilian population by the nefarious activities of the insurgents and the terrorists.
“Our meeting today provides us an excellent opportunity to finalize the instruments of the operations of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in order to give life to our joint military campaign to decisively defeat the insurgents.
“You will recall in my inaugural address on May 29, 2015, I affirmed that I will consult regularly with heads of government of our immediate neighborhood and I have within four days of my assumption of duty as president embarked on a thank you visits to the Presidents of Niger and Chad.
This important assignment was, however, interrupted because I had to honour the invitation extended to me by the G-7 member states to attend their meeting in Germany.
Buhari said he intends to continue his thank you visits to the remaining Lake Chad Basin Commission member states very shortly.
President Muhammadu Buhari also said he had extended the invitation to submit requests of the needs of the country in the fight against Boko Haram asked by the G7 to member nations of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).
Buhari said this while fielding questions from newsmen at the presentation of the communiqué of the meeting of the Presidents and Heads of Government of the LCBC in Abuja.
“I was personally invited by G7 and I was impressed by the tremendous sympathy they have for this sub region: LCBC.
Their humanitarian approach to the issue to say the least is very impressive.
All of them, not just in Europe but Presidents Barack Obama, Angela Markel of Germany and Hollande of France are all willing to help us.
They have actually asked me to discuss with their Chiefs of Defence Staff or their Ministries of Defence or to talk to them directly on what we need.
“I brought this case to our meeting here and I told them that Nigeria has worked quite far and I asked for a five-hour meeting with my service chiefs and I asked them to produce a comprehensive logistic requirement.
I also advised my colleagues that they should be prepared to produce their logistic requirements.
“But after the African Union meeting, we will agree on what to present to the G7.
They are very anxious to help us, especially when Boko Haram declared their loyalty to ISIS. “You know what ISIS is doing to the world, not only to the Gulf states but to the Middle East.”
Buhari also said the cross border war against insurgency was not limited by troops fighting in their respective territories as Chad and Niger soldiers were already in Nigeria to flush out the insurgents.
FG to rebuild churches, mosques destroyed by insurgents He said the foreign troops had chased out Boko Haram and secured Nigerian territories.
He also said that the troops of the joint command were dedicated to the operations and commended their efforts.
The President said that his administration would sustain the peace in the country after the war on insurgency but appealed to those displaced by the insurgency to return to their communities for rehabilitation.
He added that churches, mosques and shops destroyed would be rehabilitated as well by the administration.
The President also said that the military was investigating the alleged human rights abuses levelled against the Nigerian Armed Forces by Amnesty International.
June 12: What has changed?
22 years after the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election, the political configurations that define success and loss in elections are little changed.
By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor It was 22 years ago today that Nigerians went to the polls to elect what has been dubbed the freest presidential election in a generation.
The election had the pair of Chief Moshood Abiola and Ambassador Babagana Kingibe as presidential candidate and running mate on the ticket of the Social Democratic Party, SDP and Alhaji Bashir Tofa and Dr.
Sylvester Ugoh running as presidential candidate and vice-presidential candidate of the National Republican Convention, NRC.
Late Chief MKO Abiola
That election, however, became the subject of intrigues that almost undermined the country’s survival.
Several bridges were crossed in the approach to that election, especially on the part of the winning pair of Abiola and Kingibe.
Abiola had to run with Kingibe on the prompting of the powerful SDP governors including one Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, then the governor of Edo State and now, 22 years after, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the party that has just formed the Federal Government.
Abiola who was backed by the powerful machine of Major-General Shehu Yar‘adua had the difficult option of choosing between the pair of Yar‘Adua’s point man, at that time, a recently retired Customs official, Atiku Abubakar and Kingibe.
In the end, Abiola under pressure from the governors chose Kingibe to the displeasure of Yar‘adua who reluctantly backed him in the election.
The election was historic in that Nigerians put aside religious prejudice to endorse a Muslim-Muslim ticket as presented by Abiola and Kingibe.
22 years after, religion has become a major tool in political discourse.
FILE PHOTO: Shonekan; Abiola and Babangida
The seemingly innocuous attempt by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to put his name on the ticket of the APC in the 2015 election received harsh reviews from the political class.
It is now accepted wisdom that Nigeria will for now not contemplate a Christian-Christian or a Muslim- Muslim presidential candidate.
One of the security reasons given by the military junta that had as its point men, one General David Mark was the influence of money by Abiola in winning the SDP ticket at the Jos convention.
In Abiola’s time, money was reportedly ferried in naira.
22 years after, the preferred currency for political bribery has been dollarized.
The United States currency according to multiple sources was the major instrument used by one of the presidential candidates in the 2015 election in wooing many Southwest traditional rulers.
The June 12 presidential election was conducted using an open ballot system, famously dubbed as Option A4.
Under the system, voters lined up openly to vote for each of the candidates they were voting.
There was no card reader, no ballot box snatching and no provision of N80 billion or so to print ballot papers and other electoral materials.
22 years after, the idea of open voting has become anathema to many Nigerian political stakeholders.
By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor It was 22 years ago today that Nigerians went to the polls to elect what has been dubbed the freest presidential election in a generation.
The election had the pair of Chief Moshood Abiola and Ambassador Babagana Kingibe as presidential candidate and running mate on the ticket of the Social Democratic Party, SDP and Alhaji Bashir Tofa and Dr.
Sylvester Ugoh running as presidential candidate and vice-presidential candidate of the National Republican Convention, NRC.
Late Chief MKO Abiola
That election, however, became the subject of intrigues that almost undermined the country’s survival.
Several bridges were crossed in the approach to that election, especially on the part of the winning pair of Abiola and Kingibe.
Abiola had to run with Kingibe on the prompting of the powerful SDP governors including one Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, then the governor of Edo State and now, 22 years after, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the party that has just formed the Federal Government.
Abiola who was backed by the powerful machine of Major-General Shehu Yar‘adua had the difficult option of choosing between the pair of Yar‘Adua’s point man, at that time, a recently retired Customs official, Atiku Abubakar and Kingibe.
In the end, Abiola under pressure from the governors chose Kingibe to the displeasure of Yar‘adua who reluctantly backed him in the election.
The election was historic in that Nigerians put aside religious prejudice to endorse a Muslim-Muslim ticket as presented by Abiola and Kingibe.
22 years after, religion has become a major tool in political discourse.
FILE PHOTO: Shonekan; Abiola and Babangida
The seemingly innocuous attempt by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to put his name on the ticket of the APC in the 2015 election received harsh reviews from the political class.
It is now accepted wisdom that Nigeria will for now not contemplate a Christian-Christian or a Muslim- Muslim presidential candidate.
One of the security reasons given by the military junta that had as its point men, one General David Mark was the influence of money by Abiola in winning the SDP ticket at the Jos convention.
In Abiola’s time, money was reportedly ferried in naira.
22 years after, the preferred currency for political bribery has been dollarized.
The United States currency according to multiple sources was the major instrument used by one of the presidential candidates in the 2015 election in wooing many Southwest traditional rulers.
The June 12 presidential election was conducted using an open ballot system, famously dubbed as Option A4.
Under the system, voters lined up openly to vote for each of the candidates they were voting.
There was no card reader, no ballot box snatching and no provision of N80 billion or so to print ballot papers and other electoral materials.
22 years after, the idea of open voting has become anathema to many Nigerian political stakeholders.
Cargo delays at airports affecting business- Entrepreneur
By Franklin Alli & Favour Efughi An entrepreneur with interest in the boutique industry has lamented that cargo delays at the nation’s airports is seriously taking tolls on sales.
In an interview with Vanguard, Mrs. Olaoti Efughi, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Annabel Boutique, said the key challenges facing people in business in the industry are the issue of cargo delays at the airports and the rate at which the Naira exchanges to foreign currencies.
“When I travel, I bring back samples along with me and the rest, I put in Cargo.
But the problem is, sometimes, maybe because of Custom problem at the airport or one reason or the other, the goods don’t get here early enough to sell.
“For example, if you bring just a few things with your hand luggage just to advertise, and the rest are in cargo, and someone sees it and ask for five dozens of a particular shirt to take to Abuja or wherever, but your goods are not yet there, what you have might not be up to five dozens, and just like that, you are unable to sell to the person because you don’t yet have your goods,” she lamented. Continuing, she said: “FOREX- Foreign Exchange is another constraint we face.
Most banks don’t sell BTA for people who go to Dubai for business, apart from that, there is a limit of the amount of money that the bank changes, you are not to spend more than $4000 , so basically, you have the money, but you can’t really buy much.”
Fielding question on if she has been able to access microfinance banks loans to grow her business, she replied: “Actually, there was a time I wanted to buy a ‘mini shopping mall’, so I was thinking I would invest in that, so I approached my bank for a little facility and the conditions they gave me were not convenient, at the end of it all, I thought, why do I need to bother myself and go through so much stress.
Also, the interest rate they wanted to collect at that time which was about three years ago.
But now, my business has grown, so, financially I am coping.
I have no obligation to meet up with any bank, I value my sleep.”
When asked what her five years plan is, she said, “In the next five years, I want to have a complex where I will rent some shops, and have my own warehouse and shop.
I want to have opened about two other branches of Annabel Boutique, and I want to have a mall.”
In an interview with Vanguard, Mrs. Olaoti Efughi, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Annabel Boutique, said the key challenges facing people in business in the industry are the issue of cargo delays at the airports and the rate at which the Naira exchanges to foreign currencies.
“When I travel, I bring back samples along with me and the rest, I put in Cargo.
But the problem is, sometimes, maybe because of Custom problem at the airport or one reason or the other, the goods don’t get here early enough to sell.
“For example, if you bring just a few things with your hand luggage just to advertise, and the rest are in cargo, and someone sees it and ask for five dozens of a particular shirt to take to Abuja or wherever, but your goods are not yet there, what you have might not be up to five dozens, and just like that, you are unable to sell to the person because you don’t yet have your goods,” she lamented. Continuing, she said: “FOREX- Foreign Exchange is another constraint we face.
Most banks don’t sell BTA for people who go to Dubai for business, apart from that, there is a limit of the amount of money that the bank changes, you are not to spend more than $4000 , so basically, you have the money, but you can’t really buy much.”
Fielding question on if she has been able to access microfinance banks loans to grow her business, she replied: “Actually, there was a time I wanted to buy a ‘mini shopping mall’, so I was thinking I would invest in that, so I approached my bank for a little facility and the conditions they gave me were not convenient, at the end of it all, I thought, why do I need to bother myself and go through so much stress.
Also, the interest rate they wanted to collect at that time which was about three years ago.
But now, my business has grown, so, financially I am coping.
I have no obligation to meet up with any bank, I value my sleep.”
When asked what her five years plan is, she said, “In the next five years, I want to have a complex where I will rent some shops, and have my own warehouse and shop.
I want to have opened about two other branches of Annabel Boutique, and I want to have a mall.”
The media almost destroyed my marriage —Ramsey Nouah
By Prisca Sam-Duru Ramsey Nouah is one of the most-sought-after and handsome actors in Nollywood who has been consistent in his career.
Nouah who is known as ‘loverboy’ for his many roles in romantic movies, in this interview, the 2010 Africa Movie Academy Award winner for Best Actor in a leading Role shares the pathetic story of his journey into acting, the industry and why he stopped attending public functions with his family.
How did you begin your journey into the movie industry? My journey into the movie industry actually started when I was trying to sit for my GCE examination.
I didn’t have money to purchase my GCE form, and there were no jobs then.
It was hard to secure menial jobs and I couldn’t bring myself to do such jobs.
Later, a friend of mine advised me to try my hand at acting.
But I didn’t welcome the advice because I prefer to act in Hollywood.
It was funny.
Ramsey
Later I went for a couple of auditions and precisely in 1990, I went for a soap opera audition called Fortunes and was engaged.
Later it had problem with the title and so it was changed to ‘Mega Fortune.’ I was one of the key actors in that soap and it was better than Telemundo.
After starring in that soap, I did a couple of movies that didn’t see the light of day.
I was supposed to have featured in the famous “Glamour Girls” but the producer was too stingy.
He was very professional, and actually brought a letter inviting me for audition for “Glamour Girls” and I played my role. He jumped from his seat and shouted yes, that’s the guy I’ve been looking for.
He invited me for negotiations and to my disappointment, he was pricing me like I was a meat in the market. It didn’t work out. I actually became a hustler working with marketers and other practitioners.
I was in all the episodes in Fortunes as Jeff Akin-Thomas and was paid N100 per episode. I was paid N1,200 for only a quarter. I was in that soap just for the passion.
Things were bad that I didn’t have clothes, my trousers were torn. I actually patched my trousers by myself.
Thank God my mom taught me how to sew. With the 1,200, I rushed to Yaba to purchase second hand clothes.
I looked at myself after I had washed and ironed them and said, “Ramsey, you have arrived now.” I wasn’t thinking of the cash or fame though I was in serious need. I didn’t even know the benefits of being an actor.
It took me time to be used to my fans rushing at me and appreciating me until my producers told me it was normal. As time went on the job actually began paying my bills.
With the first major money I earned, I bought a sound system, TV and later Air conditioner. By 1996, filmmakers discovered that I am a better actor as a lover boy so I was typecast as a lover boy. I played love in my life and grew tired.
Whenever they brought love stories, I asked if there wasn’t any other issue they could talk about. Later in 2003, there was a nose dive as pirates made it impossible for filmmakers to get back their money so, they began churning out films.
Some of us who are more concerned about making Nollywood a brand, began thinking of how to make things better.
At this point, cinema came as a huge breakthrough, Bank of Industry has also been helpful unlike the banks. Today I’m very happy about how things turned out.
You were the guest speaker at a Nollywood event held at the Pan African University, Lagos, recently, how was the experience? I saw that as an opportunity to exchange ideas.
A lot of people don’t know what’s going on in the industry so I was elated when I discovered that there is a Nollywood Study Centre there. That means Nollywood is going pretty far. So, with honour I obliged to come and share my experience with people who are aspiring to join the industry and also, to let people know that the industry is not secluded but an open market. Before AY’s “30 Days In Atlanta”, you have been missing on screen.
What happened? It’s not like I went off the screen. You know that I have been one of the pioneers wanting to fly the new Nollywood.
You know the industry lacks structure, it’s almost like buying and selling which it shouldn’t be. It’s like you come and act, they pay you off and there is no future for you.
It ends there ; there’s no pension plan, some of my colleagues were sick and when they died, we had to start begging from people to bury them. That’s too bad.
What else do you need since the past President Goodluck Jonathan set up a grant for filmmakers to access? The grant is not enough to sustain the industry. We need structure, the structure I’m talking about predominantly is distribution. The distribution channels.
If we have more cinemas in the country there will be a huge improvement. “30 days in Atlanta” for instance, showed in only 13 cinemas in Nigeria and gross more than 160 million naira before it was pirated by our Alaba brothers.
It sold even more than Avatar, only in 13 cinemas. Imagine if it is in 20, 100 or even 200 cinemas, you do the math, and understand that Nollywood is a big industry that can sustain itself.
Why did you call being a celebrity a cross?
Well it is a bigger cross than you can think about because you have to be concerned about your looks.
You must make sure that everything is on point.
Dress properly to suite every event.
You have to build on your looks and image so that people will admire you.
It makes you classy and a role model.
Your behaviour or attitude is another selling point.
If you maintain good looks and image, big multinationals will be after you.
If your track record is bad then there’s no space for you.
People look at us and want to be like us not understanding that we wish we had a more normal or simple life style.
Ramsey will dare not be seen fighting on the streets.
I better turn the other cheek to be slapped a second time than retaliate.
Although there are benefits for instance, the pay is good, you got to be admired but then, its a cross.
As a celebrity, who are the set of people who avoid most?
It is the Press! I might just say hello to a girl and the next thing is, Ramsey Nouh is toasting one girl.
The media almost destroyed my marriage.
But thank God they failed and my marriage is 14 years now blessed with four children.
I told my wife to keep away from the press, let me handle them. If they don’t see you, there will be nothing to say about you.
Because of that, I have stopped appearing at public functions with my family.
Aside the restriction, how have you been able to deal with the press?
The best way to deal with the press is to ignore them.
Whenever they start telling lies about you, just ignore them.
The greatest mistake you’ll make is to respond to scandals.
When you ignore them, the stories die off with time.
What else has being a celebrity done to you?
It has prevented me from enjoying quality private time with my family.
If you are to change anything, what would that be? Get back my private life.
We see same faces in so many movies, does it mean that producers don’t call for auditions anymore?
Auditions are publicised even on the social media.
The problem is that producers want to put their money down and get it back. So, content must be sold and if they use new faces, it wont sell.
How then can up and coming actors break into the industry? Just believe in yourself, be passionate about your career and let nothing stop you from pressing forward.
What’s responsible for your transforming into a star actor? Hard work and passion.
Also, the mirror has been my best teacher.
It helps me learn to get into character and improve upon my job.
I am concerned about how to make the industry great, so passion remains my motivator.
Most challenging movie?
The most challenging is “Dangerous Twins” because there was no technology sophistication at the time of production.
Everything was done manually.
One scene took two days to be shot, so it was tasking.
But then, it was part of the tutorial to be professional.
Nouah who is known as ‘loverboy’ for his many roles in romantic movies, in this interview, the 2010 Africa Movie Academy Award winner for Best Actor in a leading Role shares the pathetic story of his journey into acting, the industry and why he stopped attending public functions with his family.
How did you begin your journey into the movie industry? My journey into the movie industry actually started when I was trying to sit for my GCE examination.
I didn’t have money to purchase my GCE form, and there were no jobs then.
It was hard to secure menial jobs and I couldn’t bring myself to do such jobs.
Later, a friend of mine advised me to try my hand at acting.
But I didn’t welcome the advice because I prefer to act in Hollywood.
It was funny.
Ramsey
Later I went for a couple of auditions and precisely in 1990, I went for a soap opera audition called Fortunes and was engaged.
Later it had problem with the title and so it was changed to ‘Mega Fortune.’ I was one of the key actors in that soap and it was better than Telemundo.
After starring in that soap, I did a couple of movies that didn’t see the light of day.
I was supposed to have featured in the famous “Glamour Girls” but the producer was too stingy.
He was very professional, and actually brought a letter inviting me for audition for “Glamour Girls” and I played my role. He jumped from his seat and shouted yes, that’s the guy I’ve been looking for.
He invited me for negotiations and to my disappointment, he was pricing me like I was a meat in the market. It didn’t work out. I actually became a hustler working with marketers and other practitioners.
I was in all the episodes in Fortunes as Jeff Akin-Thomas and was paid N100 per episode. I was paid N1,200 for only a quarter. I was in that soap just for the passion.
Things were bad that I didn’t have clothes, my trousers were torn. I actually patched my trousers by myself.
Thank God my mom taught me how to sew. With the 1,200, I rushed to Yaba to purchase second hand clothes.
I looked at myself after I had washed and ironed them and said, “Ramsey, you have arrived now.” I wasn’t thinking of the cash or fame though I was in serious need. I didn’t even know the benefits of being an actor.
It took me time to be used to my fans rushing at me and appreciating me until my producers told me it was normal. As time went on the job actually began paying my bills.
With the first major money I earned, I bought a sound system, TV and later Air conditioner. By 1996, filmmakers discovered that I am a better actor as a lover boy so I was typecast as a lover boy. I played love in my life and grew tired.
Whenever they brought love stories, I asked if there wasn’t any other issue they could talk about. Later in 2003, there was a nose dive as pirates made it impossible for filmmakers to get back their money so, they began churning out films.
Some of us who are more concerned about making Nollywood a brand, began thinking of how to make things better.
At this point, cinema came as a huge breakthrough, Bank of Industry has also been helpful unlike the banks. Today I’m very happy about how things turned out.
You were the guest speaker at a Nollywood event held at the Pan African University, Lagos, recently, how was the experience? I saw that as an opportunity to exchange ideas.
A lot of people don’t know what’s going on in the industry so I was elated when I discovered that there is a Nollywood Study Centre there. That means Nollywood is going pretty far. So, with honour I obliged to come and share my experience with people who are aspiring to join the industry and also, to let people know that the industry is not secluded but an open market. Before AY’s “30 Days In Atlanta”, you have been missing on screen.
What happened? It’s not like I went off the screen. You know that I have been one of the pioneers wanting to fly the new Nollywood.
You know the industry lacks structure, it’s almost like buying and selling which it shouldn’t be. It’s like you come and act, they pay you off and there is no future for you.
It ends there ; there’s no pension plan, some of my colleagues were sick and when they died, we had to start begging from people to bury them. That’s too bad.
What else do you need since the past President Goodluck Jonathan set up a grant for filmmakers to access? The grant is not enough to sustain the industry. We need structure, the structure I’m talking about predominantly is distribution. The distribution channels.
If we have more cinemas in the country there will be a huge improvement. “30 days in Atlanta” for instance, showed in only 13 cinemas in Nigeria and gross more than 160 million naira before it was pirated by our Alaba brothers.
It sold even more than Avatar, only in 13 cinemas. Imagine if it is in 20, 100 or even 200 cinemas, you do the math, and understand that Nollywood is a big industry that can sustain itself.
Why did you call being a celebrity a cross?
Well it is a bigger cross than you can think about because you have to be concerned about your looks.
You must make sure that everything is on point.
Dress properly to suite every event.
You have to build on your looks and image so that people will admire you.
It makes you classy and a role model.
Your behaviour or attitude is another selling point.
If you maintain good looks and image, big multinationals will be after you.
If your track record is bad then there’s no space for you.
People look at us and want to be like us not understanding that we wish we had a more normal or simple life style.
Ramsey will dare not be seen fighting on the streets.
I better turn the other cheek to be slapped a second time than retaliate.
Although there are benefits for instance, the pay is good, you got to be admired but then, its a cross.
As a celebrity, who are the set of people who avoid most?
It is the Press! I might just say hello to a girl and the next thing is, Ramsey Nouh is toasting one girl.
The media almost destroyed my marriage.
But thank God they failed and my marriage is 14 years now blessed with four children.
I told my wife to keep away from the press, let me handle them. If they don’t see you, there will be nothing to say about you.
Because of that, I have stopped appearing at public functions with my family.
Aside the restriction, how have you been able to deal with the press?
The best way to deal with the press is to ignore them.
Whenever they start telling lies about you, just ignore them.
The greatest mistake you’ll make is to respond to scandals.
When you ignore them, the stories die off with time.
What else has being a celebrity done to you?
It has prevented me from enjoying quality private time with my family.
If you are to change anything, what would that be? Get back my private life.
We see same faces in so many movies, does it mean that producers don’t call for auditions anymore?
Auditions are publicised even on the social media.
The problem is that producers want to put their money down and get it back. So, content must be sold and if they use new faces, it wont sell.
How then can up and coming actors break into the industry? Just believe in yourself, be passionate about your career and let nothing stop you from pressing forward.
What’s responsible for your transforming into a star actor? Hard work and passion.
Also, the mirror has been my best teacher.
It helps me learn to get into character and improve upon my job.
I am concerned about how to make the industry great, so passion remains my motivator.
Most challenging movie?
The most challenging is “Dangerous Twins” because there was no technology sophistication at the time of production.
Everything was done manually.
One scene took two days to be shot, so it was tasking.
But then, it was part of the tutorial to be professional.
Thursday, 11 June 2015
See what a father did to his own 4 year old son in Lagos
A man named Sikiru Mustapha has been arrested by police in Lagos for allegedly brutalizing his 4 year old son named Lekan before abandoning him at a bus station in the Iwaya area of Yaba, Lagos.
According to a report by Punch, a neighbour saw the boy with scars of torture on his back at the bus stop and took him to an NGO.
The police was called and the boy's father was arrested.
Neighbours said the man and the boy's mother were no longer together and he had a new wife who just had a new baby for him.
They said Lekan's father was in the habit of beating him mercilessly at the slightest provocation, not minding that he was a very young boy.
The boy is currently receiving treatment at the hospital while his father has been charged to court for aggravated assault on a child.
Source Linda Ikeji
Chief of Army Staff visits Nigerian troops in Adamawa and Borno
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant Keneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah, today June 11th paid a visit to Nigerian troops stationed in Borno and Adamawa states.
During his visit, he encouraged the troops to be steadfast in their fight to stamp out insurgency in Nigeria.
More photos of his visit after the cut..
Source Linda Ikeji
War of words in Senate over Bukola Saraki
By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor; Henry Umoru, Joseph Erunke, Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Abiodun Alade
ABUJA— The rumbles from Tuesday’s election of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President continued, yesterday, with opponents and supporters of the nation’s new number three man stalking one another in furtherance of upturning or sustaining the new order.
Senator Bukola Saraki was nevertheless conciliatory towards his antagonists in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as he dismissed insinuations of his imminent defection from the party.
His insistence nonetheless, the bad blood flowing from Saraki’s upset of the APC’s official nominee for Senate President flowed into the Senate session, yesterday, as the different camps in the party squabbled over the legitimacy of the inauguration.
Besides, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday, publicly snubbed a handshake from the Senate President at the swearing-in of 28 senators who missed the oath-taking on Tuesday.
SARAKI’S FIRST PLENARY SESSION: Senate President Bukola Saraki (M) going in for his first plenary session as President of Senate yesterday. Behind him is Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. Photo: NAN.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in its own intervention, chided the APC over its threat of sanctions on the new National Assembly leadership, saying the ruling party had proved to all that it was not prepared for governance.
Threats, as Saraki takes charge Meanwhile, associates of Senator Bukola Saraki were, yesterday, trying to explain circumstances under which Senator Ike Ekweremadu emerged Deputy Senate President over the camp’s earlier choice, Senator Ali Ndume.
This was upon mutual allegations of culpability between them and the camp of Senator Ahmad Lawan, the official APC candidate for Senate President, over the party’s loss of the office of Deputy Senate President to the PDP.
The threat against Senator Saraki’s seat was made by supporters of Senator Lawan, who spoke under the aegis of the Unity Forum.
The group vowed to seek redress in court as it alleged that the inauguration did not follow constitutional provisions.
At yesterday’s session, the first time he took full charge of the Senate, Senator Saraki commenced with the administration of the oath on his rival, Senator Lawan and 27 other APC senators absent at the formal inauguration of the 8th Senate on Tuesday.
See more photos here The 28 Senators that took their oaths of office and allegiance were said to be waiting at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja, for President Muhammadu Buhari for a meeting, allegedly at the instance of the President at the time the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa began inauguration of the 8th Senate that started about 10:03 on Tuesday.
Senator Tinubu snubs Saraki’s handshake But the oath-taking and allegiance witnessed a mild drama as Senator Oluremi Tinubu, APC, Lagos Central, held back her hands when the Senate President, in line with the tradition after administering the oath stretched out his hands to shake her.
After the exercise, the Senate entered into a closed- door session which lasted about 25 minutes.
On returning to plenary, Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central) and a member of the Unity Forum raised a Point of Order, citing Order 15 and 43 bordering on his privilege.
Anger over Points of Order Senator Marafa stated that the report that 51 senators were absent at the time of inauguration portrayed him and others as “irresponsible members of the Senate”, stressing that “singular act caused a lot of embarrassment for me and my family who felt that I was absent.”
He also alleged that he was handed the Senate Standing Order 15 as amended, pointing out that as a member of the 7th Assembly, he could not recall when the Senate Standing Order was amended.
But the Senate President ruled him out of order because he did not take the required procedure of previously informing him, Senate President of his motion as stipulated by the order he quoted.
Senator Bukola Saraki also overruled Senator Barnabas Gemade (APC, Benue North-East) who also stood on Order 15 to object to the way and manner the Senate President ruled Marafa out of order as being “abrupt and too casual.”
However, Senator Mohammed Goje (APC, Gombe Central) while standing on the constitutional provision of Section 64 and sub-section three of the Constitution said that the President was empowered to order proclamation of this Senate as he did. He said: “For anybody to now say this hallowed chamber should ignore that constitutional provision which is the letter from Mr President, I think that person is saying that we should disobey the Constitution of the country and disobey Mr. President.
And I want to say, let it be on record, that whoever decided to go for a meeting there is on his own.” Meanwhile, the Senate has adjourned plenary till Tuesday June 23, 2015.
Senate to write Buhari on election of leadership Before proceeding on the two-week break, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ekweremadu moved a motion that was adopted that a letter be sent to the President informing him of the election of presiding officers of the 8th Senate with a view to receiving appropriate communication from him. He said: “Now, that the principal officers have been elected and while awaiting the naming of other principal officers, I think that it is important that this motion be made. I, therefore, move that a message be sent to Mr. President and Commander-In Chief, informing him that the presiding officers of the 8th National Assembly of the Senate have been elected as follows.
“Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President; Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.
“That a congratulatory message is sent to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives on their elections.
“That a message be sent to the following bodies informing them that a quorum of the 8th National Assembly has assembled and is ready to receive any communication.
They are the African Union, AU; The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CPA; Inter Parliamentary Union, IPU; ECOWAS Parliament; Pan African Parliament.”
Lawan’s Unity Forum vows to go to court Following the session, the Lawan leaning Unity Forum at a press briefing vowed to seek a judicial review of the process that led to Saraki’s emergence.
“This process which remains unconstitutional cannot confer legitimacy on the elected Senate President.
“Our right to participate in the election of the Senate President is a constitutional right which cannot be taken by any person or group of persons,” Senator Gemade who led the group said. He also explained the circumstances surrounding the absence of some of the APC Senators when the inauguration started.
He also accused their colleagues in the Like Mind group of being responsible for the party’s loss of the position of Deputy Senate President which according to him, should have been produced by the majority party.
Gemade accuses Saraki’s Like Minds group According to him, “We received an invitation from the office of the National Chairman of our party, the All Progressives Congress, which indicated the request of Mr.
President to have a brief meeting with all the APC elected Senators and House of Representatives members at the International Conference Centre before the inauguration of the National Assembly at 10am.
“In our effort to meet up with the time for the inauguration, we rushed to honour the invitation of Mr.
President and while at the Conference Centre, news filtered to us that the Clerk of the National Assembly has started the process of election of the Senate President in our absence.
“The Clerk of the National Assembly, knowing full well that the quorum for election of the Senate President has not been met, went ahead to conduct an election that shuts the door to about 53 other Senators which would remain unacceptable until what would meet democratic parameters is done.”
Besides, he said, “We did not say that the quorum was not formed for the inauguration.
We said the quorum was not formed for the election of the President.
And that should be two-thirds of the senators present.
“We like to make it very clear that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives the letter for the Proclamation and if he invites us for a meeting at 9am and states that due communication had been made to the National Assembly and before leadership is elected, the Clerk is the one that receives the correspondence of Mr President that there must be a slight delay in order to enable him speak with senators of the APC before they come and commence the process.
“We had to rush from the meeting of the President, knowing full well that there would be a delay to accommodate everybody.
But suddenly, we were told at that meeting that the election was already going on; the nomination had already closed.
And this we find extremely unusual.”
Vanguard learnt yesterday that even though communication was made from the Presidency for the inauguration to be delayed, sources disclosed that the Clerk of the National Assembly did not receive the correspondence.
Like Minds counter, says Saraki’s election in order But defending the inauguration of the 8th Senate, Senators supporting Saraki’s emergence under the aegis of Like Minds group insisted that the whole process followed the necessary constitutional provisions.
A source close to Saraki said yesterday that the loss of the office of Deputy Senate President to the PDP was attributable to absence of APC senators who were at the ICC.
The source disclosed that Senator Saraki did not encourage Ekweremadu to run to be his deputy, saying that Ekweremadu’s emergence was forced on the few APC senators present by the PDP senators who at that time were in the majority.
According to the source, “on the floor on the inauguration day the PDP senators discovered that most of the APC senators were absent during the Senate President’s election.
They then capitalised on this when it was time to nominate DSP, after Ndume was nominated, the PDP stood up and nominated Ekweremadu for DSP, a development that shocked Saraki.
“With PDP being in the majority at the time of voting, Ekweremadu won.
If you look at the voting result you will see that it was across party lines.
Senator Saraki anticipated this scenario, but could not help it,” the source disclosed.
“Instead of coming to the floor for election, the Lawan group were in ICC, waiting for the President who wasn’t aware there was a meeting.”
Why we weren’t at ICC meeting, by Like Minds Giving reasons why they did not go to the ICC for the controversial meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Like Minds in a statement yesterday said:
“We went to that venue on the 8th, we waited for the VP for hours; there was no VP. And the VP was not even available.
So, having seen that on the 8th, then around 7am to 8am on 9th June, we got another text which said we should report.
It’s no longer the Vice President, it’s now the President, having being deceived yesterday (Monday).
Do you think anybody who is rational will now also go for another meeting? “Afterall the President did not appear at the ICC.
The Buhari that we know cannot and will not give two contrary opinions, especially one that is against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Letter of Proclamation was written, duly signed, the time stated, date stated; he will not do otherwise.
It is not true that we disrespected the President and if the President wants to do that, he would have called.
Saraki lauds Buhari, adds no going back to PDP Meanwhile, the Senate President has commended President Buhari for his positive stance on the outcome of the National Assembly leadership contest, describing it as a “great mark of leadership” and a demonstration of the President’s commitment to democracy.
In a statement issued by his media office on Wednesday, Dr. Saraki commended President Buhari for remaining steadfast in his commitment to the principle of non-interference in National Assembly politics even in the face of great pressure on him to act otherwise.
“This shows that Mr. President is a man of great conviction who, in his own words, belongs to everyone and to no one,” the statement read.
On a similar note, Dr. Saraki also denied that he had a plan to decamp to the People’s Democratic Party, describing the insinuation as “absurd and laughable.”
According to him, “it is just cheap blackmail by political adversaries who want to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it.
Those making such desperate allegations should remember that I willingly left the PDP on matters of principles when the party was in power.
Is it now that the party is out of government and in opposition that I will now return, having worked so hard for my party in the last general elections?” he queried.
He urged all members of the National Assembly to put politicking behind them and settle down for the proper business of legislating.
“Our country is going through very trying times.
We have the challenge of insecurity in the North East.
APC naive, unprepared for governance, says PDP The PDP also yesterday, rejected threats by the APC on the new Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said the claims of the APC were indicative of a party aiming to cover its naivety, inexperience and unpreparedness for governance.
The PDP also admonished the APC to shed its arrogance, eat the humble pie and get more organized for governance, adding that it lacks the capacity, capability and means to sanction duly- elected leaders of the National Assembly.
“Nothing can be more astonishing than the whining by the APC that the PDP at the last minute expressed its preference for Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon.
Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively after it had earlier stated that it was not interested in the positions.
This calls to question the capacity, experience and skills of APC leaders on political matters and we have no apology whatsoever for their naivety.
“The APC is merely suffering the consequences of the greed, lust for power and inordinate ambitions of their leaders.
They should note that Nigerians have since moved ahead with the new leaders in the National Assembly and should stop wasting their energy on propaganda and blackmails to heat up the polity”.
The PDP further condemned Tuesday’s botched attempts by the APC to close the National Assembly and stop lawmakers from carrying out their constitutional duties, as well as the threats to the newly-elected leaders as “totally against the tenets of democracy, the principles of separation of powers and independence of the legislature as enshrined in the constitution”.
“Indeed, APC’s disdain for democratic norms, the rule of law and the sanctity of the legislature, coupled with its excessive thirst for power portends grave threat to our survival as a nation and calls for serious concern among Nigerians and all lovers of democracy and freedom world over,” the statement said.
The party however reaffirmed its determination to continue to work with like minds from other political parties especially in the National Assembly to ensure that the values of democracy and good governance it had already entrenched in the polity are not eroded under the APC.
Senator Bukola Saraki was nevertheless conciliatory towards his antagonists in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as he dismissed insinuations of his imminent defection from the party.
His insistence nonetheless, the bad blood flowing from Saraki’s upset of the APC’s official nominee for Senate President flowed into the Senate session, yesterday, as the different camps in the party squabbled over the legitimacy of the inauguration.
Besides, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday, publicly snubbed a handshake from the Senate President at the swearing-in of 28 senators who missed the oath-taking on Tuesday.
SARAKI’S FIRST PLENARY SESSION: Senate President Bukola Saraki (M) going in for his first plenary session as President of Senate yesterday. Behind him is Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. Photo: NAN.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in its own intervention, chided the APC over its threat of sanctions on the new National Assembly leadership, saying the ruling party had proved to all that it was not prepared for governance.
Threats, as Saraki takes charge Meanwhile, associates of Senator Bukola Saraki were, yesterday, trying to explain circumstances under which Senator Ike Ekweremadu emerged Deputy Senate President over the camp’s earlier choice, Senator Ali Ndume.
This was upon mutual allegations of culpability between them and the camp of Senator Ahmad Lawan, the official APC candidate for Senate President, over the party’s loss of the office of Deputy Senate President to the PDP.
The threat against Senator Saraki’s seat was made by supporters of Senator Lawan, who spoke under the aegis of the Unity Forum.
The group vowed to seek redress in court as it alleged that the inauguration did not follow constitutional provisions.
At yesterday’s session, the first time he took full charge of the Senate, Senator Saraki commenced with the administration of the oath on his rival, Senator Lawan and 27 other APC senators absent at the formal inauguration of the 8th Senate on Tuesday.
See more photos here The 28 Senators that took their oaths of office and allegiance were said to be waiting at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja, for President Muhammadu Buhari for a meeting, allegedly at the instance of the President at the time the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa began inauguration of the 8th Senate that started about 10:03 on Tuesday.
Senator Tinubu snubs Saraki’s handshake But the oath-taking and allegiance witnessed a mild drama as Senator Oluremi Tinubu, APC, Lagos Central, held back her hands when the Senate President, in line with the tradition after administering the oath stretched out his hands to shake her.
After the exercise, the Senate entered into a closed- door session which lasted about 25 minutes.
On returning to plenary, Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central) and a member of the Unity Forum raised a Point of Order, citing Order 15 and 43 bordering on his privilege.
Anger over Points of Order Senator Marafa stated that the report that 51 senators were absent at the time of inauguration portrayed him and others as “irresponsible members of the Senate”, stressing that “singular act caused a lot of embarrassment for me and my family who felt that I was absent.”
He also alleged that he was handed the Senate Standing Order 15 as amended, pointing out that as a member of the 7th Assembly, he could not recall when the Senate Standing Order was amended.
But the Senate President ruled him out of order because he did not take the required procedure of previously informing him, Senate President of his motion as stipulated by the order he quoted.
Senator Bukola Saraki also overruled Senator Barnabas Gemade (APC, Benue North-East) who also stood on Order 15 to object to the way and manner the Senate President ruled Marafa out of order as being “abrupt and too casual.”
However, Senator Mohammed Goje (APC, Gombe Central) while standing on the constitutional provision of Section 64 and sub-section three of the Constitution said that the President was empowered to order proclamation of this Senate as he did. He said: “For anybody to now say this hallowed chamber should ignore that constitutional provision which is the letter from Mr President, I think that person is saying that we should disobey the Constitution of the country and disobey Mr. President.
And I want to say, let it be on record, that whoever decided to go for a meeting there is on his own.” Meanwhile, the Senate has adjourned plenary till Tuesday June 23, 2015.
Senate to write Buhari on election of leadership Before proceeding on the two-week break, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ekweremadu moved a motion that was adopted that a letter be sent to the President informing him of the election of presiding officers of the 8th Senate with a view to receiving appropriate communication from him. He said: “Now, that the principal officers have been elected and while awaiting the naming of other principal officers, I think that it is important that this motion be made. I, therefore, move that a message be sent to Mr. President and Commander-In Chief, informing him that the presiding officers of the 8th National Assembly of the Senate have been elected as follows.
“Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President; Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.
“That a congratulatory message is sent to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives on their elections.
“That a message be sent to the following bodies informing them that a quorum of the 8th National Assembly has assembled and is ready to receive any communication.
They are the African Union, AU; The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CPA; Inter Parliamentary Union, IPU; ECOWAS Parliament; Pan African Parliament.”
Lawan’s Unity Forum vows to go to court Following the session, the Lawan leaning Unity Forum at a press briefing vowed to seek a judicial review of the process that led to Saraki’s emergence.
“This process which remains unconstitutional cannot confer legitimacy on the elected Senate President.
“Our right to participate in the election of the Senate President is a constitutional right which cannot be taken by any person or group of persons,” Senator Gemade who led the group said. He also explained the circumstances surrounding the absence of some of the APC Senators when the inauguration started.
He also accused their colleagues in the Like Mind group of being responsible for the party’s loss of the position of Deputy Senate President which according to him, should have been produced by the majority party.
Gemade accuses Saraki’s Like Minds group According to him, “We received an invitation from the office of the National Chairman of our party, the All Progressives Congress, which indicated the request of Mr.
President to have a brief meeting with all the APC elected Senators and House of Representatives members at the International Conference Centre before the inauguration of the National Assembly at 10am.
“In our effort to meet up with the time for the inauguration, we rushed to honour the invitation of Mr.
President and while at the Conference Centre, news filtered to us that the Clerk of the National Assembly has started the process of election of the Senate President in our absence.
“The Clerk of the National Assembly, knowing full well that the quorum for election of the Senate President has not been met, went ahead to conduct an election that shuts the door to about 53 other Senators which would remain unacceptable until what would meet democratic parameters is done.”
Besides, he said, “We did not say that the quorum was not formed for the inauguration.
We said the quorum was not formed for the election of the President.
And that should be two-thirds of the senators present.
“We like to make it very clear that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives the letter for the Proclamation and if he invites us for a meeting at 9am and states that due communication had been made to the National Assembly and before leadership is elected, the Clerk is the one that receives the correspondence of Mr President that there must be a slight delay in order to enable him speak with senators of the APC before they come and commence the process.
“We had to rush from the meeting of the President, knowing full well that there would be a delay to accommodate everybody.
But suddenly, we were told at that meeting that the election was already going on; the nomination had already closed.
And this we find extremely unusual.”
Vanguard learnt yesterday that even though communication was made from the Presidency for the inauguration to be delayed, sources disclosed that the Clerk of the National Assembly did not receive the correspondence.
Like Minds counter, says Saraki’s election in order But defending the inauguration of the 8th Senate, Senators supporting Saraki’s emergence under the aegis of Like Minds group insisted that the whole process followed the necessary constitutional provisions.
A source close to Saraki said yesterday that the loss of the office of Deputy Senate President to the PDP was attributable to absence of APC senators who were at the ICC.
The source disclosed that Senator Saraki did not encourage Ekweremadu to run to be his deputy, saying that Ekweremadu’s emergence was forced on the few APC senators present by the PDP senators who at that time were in the majority.
According to the source, “on the floor on the inauguration day the PDP senators discovered that most of the APC senators were absent during the Senate President’s election.
They then capitalised on this when it was time to nominate DSP, after Ndume was nominated, the PDP stood up and nominated Ekweremadu for DSP, a development that shocked Saraki.
“With PDP being in the majority at the time of voting, Ekweremadu won.
If you look at the voting result you will see that it was across party lines.
Senator Saraki anticipated this scenario, but could not help it,” the source disclosed.
“Instead of coming to the floor for election, the Lawan group were in ICC, waiting for the President who wasn’t aware there was a meeting.”
Why we weren’t at ICC meeting, by Like Minds Giving reasons why they did not go to the ICC for the controversial meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Like Minds in a statement yesterday said:
“We went to that venue on the 8th, we waited for the VP for hours; there was no VP. And the VP was not even available.
So, having seen that on the 8th, then around 7am to 8am on 9th June, we got another text which said we should report.
It’s no longer the Vice President, it’s now the President, having being deceived yesterday (Monday).
Do you think anybody who is rational will now also go for another meeting? “Afterall the President did not appear at the ICC.
The Buhari that we know cannot and will not give two contrary opinions, especially one that is against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Letter of Proclamation was written, duly signed, the time stated, date stated; he will not do otherwise.
It is not true that we disrespected the President and if the President wants to do that, he would have called.
Saraki lauds Buhari, adds no going back to PDP Meanwhile, the Senate President has commended President Buhari for his positive stance on the outcome of the National Assembly leadership contest, describing it as a “great mark of leadership” and a demonstration of the President’s commitment to democracy.
In a statement issued by his media office on Wednesday, Dr. Saraki commended President Buhari for remaining steadfast in his commitment to the principle of non-interference in National Assembly politics even in the face of great pressure on him to act otherwise.
“This shows that Mr. President is a man of great conviction who, in his own words, belongs to everyone and to no one,” the statement read.
On a similar note, Dr. Saraki also denied that he had a plan to decamp to the People’s Democratic Party, describing the insinuation as “absurd and laughable.”
According to him, “it is just cheap blackmail by political adversaries who want to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it.
Those making such desperate allegations should remember that I willingly left the PDP on matters of principles when the party was in power.
Is it now that the party is out of government and in opposition that I will now return, having worked so hard for my party in the last general elections?” he queried.
He urged all members of the National Assembly to put politicking behind them and settle down for the proper business of legislating.
“Our country is going through very trying times.
We have the challenge of insecurity in the North East.
APC naive, unprepared for governance, says PDP The PDP also yesterday, rejected threats by the APC on the new Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said the claims of the APC were indicative of a party aiming to cover its naivety, inexperience and unpreparedness for governance.
The PDP also admonished the APC to shed its arrogance, eat the humble pie and get more organized for governance, adding that it lacks the capacity, capability and means to sanction duly- elected leaders of the National Assembly.
“Nothing can be more astonishing than the whining by the APC that the PDP at the last minute expressed its preference for Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon.
Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively after it had earlier stated that it was not interested in the positions.
This calls to question the capacity, experience and skills of APC leaders on political matters and we have no apology whatsoever for their naivety.
“The APC is merely suffering the consequences of the greed, lust for power and inordinate ambitions of their leaders.
They should note that Nigerians have since moved ahead with the new leaders in the National Assembly and should stop wasting their energy on propaganda and blackmails to heat up the polity”.
The PDP further condemned Tuesday’s botched attempts by the APC to close the National Assembly and stop lawmakers from carrying out their constitutional duties, as well as the threats to the newly-elected leaders as “totally against the tenets of democracy, the principles of separation of powers and independence of the legislature as enshrined in the constitution”.
“Indeed, APC’s disdain for democratic norms, the rule of law and the sanctity of the legislature, coupled with its excessive thirst for power portends grave threat to our survival as a nation and calls for serious concern among Nigerians and all lovers of democracy and freedom world over,” the statement said.
The party however reaffirmed its determination to continue to work with like minds from other political parties especially in the National Assembly to ensure that the values of democracy and good governance it had already entrenched in the polity are not eroded under the APC.
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