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Ekiti 2022: Coalition Warns APC, PDP Against Unethical Standards

A coalition of Civil Society Organizations based in Ekiti State, Ekiti Democratic Movement (EDM), has warned political gladiators in the State not to be reckless as they jostle for the governorship of the State owing to the violence that erupted before and during the conduct of the primary elections of the two dominant parties in the State, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a press release issued on Thursday and signed by the Convener of the coalition, Comrade Akinola Busuyi, it stated that apart from the violence that characterized the gubernatorial primaries of the PDP on Wednesday, 26th January, 2022, the planned APC governorship primaries of Thursday, 27th January, 2022 also failed woefully in complying with democratic norms.

According to the group, “It has been reported that Governor Kayode Fayemi in his desperate bid to impose an unpopular candidate on APC members, bought over the Governorship Primary Electoral Committee led by Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State and has also used top Government functionaries to hijack the exercise”.

It was made known that contrary to democratic standards, Governor Fayemi insisted on using Government functionaries and appointees as returning officers for the election in the 16 Local Government Areas and 177 Wards across the State.

While the coalition rightly commends the APC National leadership for the adoption of direct mode of primary for governorship aspirants in Ekiti State, “we seriously take exception to the ways and manners that the process is being characterized with politics of bitterness and acrimony, violence brigandage, arson, unlawful abduction of perceived opponents, killings, maiming and undue harassment of innocent party members as well as the heating up of the polity in the desperation to get the guber ticket of the party by the gladiators.

“In his words “we make bold to say that these dastardly activities are critically threatening the sustainability of democracy in Nigeria, to the extent that the gains of the nation’s democracy may be eroded if proper care is not taken. Moreso, it is quite worrisome that Governor Kayode Fayemi who had a robust background in human rights and pro-democracy activism could perpetrate the brazen contravention of democratic principles and the ideals of fairplay and social justice despite his promises to provide a level playing field for all the contestants.

“Finally,the coalition therefore calls on the leadership of both APC and PDP, and especially the incumbent Governor of Ekiti State to ensure that the electoral process is peaceful, transparent, fair and devoid of manipulation and violence so that the popular decision of the parties are upheld.

Man Bags Life Sentence For Impregnating 15-Year-Old Daughter

The Lagos State Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court sitting in Ikeja on Thursday convicted and sentenced a 42-year-old man Ekpo Lawrence to life imprisonment for defiling and impregnating his 15-year-old daughter.

Justice Abiola Soladoye sentenced Lawrence after she held that the prosecution proved the ingredients of the charge of defilement beyond a reasonable doubt.

The state government had told the court that the convict committed the offence between December 2018 and June 2019 at his home in the Agege area of the state.

The prosecution had told the court that the convict, who was 39 years old when the offence was committed, defiled his 15-year-old daughter by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

In handing down her judgment, Justice Soladoye held that the evidence given by the prosecution was consistent while that of the defendant was inconsistent and manifestly unreliable, adding that the convict’s denial of the allegations was a calculated attempt to mislead the court.

“The immoral behaviour of having sex with his biological daughter is toxic, absolutely disgraceful, and an abomination contrary to the law of nature. It is morally reprehensible as it is incest,” she said.

“Where is the self-respect of this defendant? How bizarre! Having sex with his daughter obviously took away his ability to make rational decisions. He foolishly tampered with the purity and self-esteem of his child.

“I pray for inner peace for the victim to relieve her of fear and hatred for her father who sexually molested her several times so that she can deal with her pains, trials, and tribulations and go on to live a purpose-driven life.

“A father should be a trusted person in the life of a child. He was supposed to keep his child safe but betrayed her sexually; he ripped purity off her body and her soul. This is taboo and he must no doubt face the music for his morbid, sordid sexual misconduct.

“For the above-stated reasons, the defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment with no option of fine,” the judge held.

Justice Soladoye further directed that the convict’s name should be registered in the Sex Offenders Register as maintained by the Lagos State Government.

During the course of the trial, four witnesses, including the survivor, a medical doctor, a social worker, and a police officer testified for the prosecution while Lawrence testified solely in his defence.

The survivor, who was 17-year-old when she gave her evidence in court, said her father had on numerous occasions defiled her whenever her stepmother travels.

She said the incest came to light when she confided in a social worker in her school about her father’s actions.

Dr Maria Fadaka, of the Mirabel Center (a Sexual Assault Referral Center), said that after examining the survivor, her findings had revealed evidence of vaginal penetration and early pregnancy.

Lawrence had denied having sexual intercourse with his child claiming he was at work when the defilements allegedly took place.

Breaking: Court sends ‘Kunle Poly’, Lagos NURTW Executives To Prison

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Yaba, Lagos State, has ordered an executive of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Azeez Adekunle Lawal, popularly known as Kunle Poly, and two others to be remanded in the facility of the Nigeria Police Zonal Monitoring Unit, Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan-Lagos,

The Chief Magistrate, Linda Balogun on Thursday ordered that Kunle Poly, Prince Idowu Onikoyi Johnson and Agboola Akeem Kosoko should be remanded for 30 days over the last Thursday Idumota mayhem.

The executives of the NURTW were remanded after the police’s application for remand was moved by Barrister Morufu Animashaun.

Barrister Animashaun, while urging the court to remand the three, said the application is pursuant to sections 264(1), (2), (3), (4) and (6) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2021 (as amended); Section 4 and 10 of the Police Act, 2020, and sections 6(c), 35(1)(C)(5) and (7)(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 199 (as amended).

He further stated that the application sought, is to enable the police to conclude an investigation of a case of threat to life and property, violence, cultism, mayhem, conduct likely to cause a breach of peace, unlawful possession of firearms, conspiracy and murder against the three men.

Barrister Animashaun supported the remand application with an affidavit of 14 paragraphs, deposed to by inspector Monday Ohion.

Chief Magistrate Balogun, after listening to the submission of Barrister Animashaun, held that: “I have listened to the submission of the counsel, as well as perused the application for remand and the attached affidavit.

“I found merit in the application and it is accordingly granted. The three defendants are to be remanded in the facility of the Nigeria Police Zonal Monitoring Unit, Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan-Lagos, for the next 30 days, to enable to police conclude investigation”.

Helen Paul Inducted As Public Administration Fellow, Ambassador

One of Nigeria’s most resourceful entertainers, Dr Helen Paul has been inducted as a Fellow of the prestigious Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria.

The special investiture of Dr Helen Paul took place on Wednesday, 26 January, 2022 at the the serene Banquet Hall of Mayors and Diplomats Hotel and Suites, Oduduwa Way, G.R.A Ikeja, Lagos.

The induction ceremony was conducted by Dr Uche Okereke, Registrar of the institute on the mandate of the body’s head honcho, Professor A.M Awotoku.

Other representatives of the institute included Alhaja Yeye Mosunmola Johnson, Madam Kemi, Mrs Tinuola Mabuso —Secretary General, and Professor Segun Olabintan who read Dr Helen Paul’s citation.

It was an epoch-making event attended by captains of industry and eminent personalities from all walks of life. There were representatives from the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service and other government parastatals.

Celebrities like Binta Ayo Mogaji, Ngozi Nwosu, Uti Nwachukwu, Yomi Fabiyi, Bunmi Davies, Rose Odika, Dupe Jaiyesimi, Ada Ameh, Comedian Ashiri and a host of other entertainers were not left out.

According to Dr Okereke, Dr Helen Paul, FCPA, will also double as an ambassador of the Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria, a body founded in 1996 and chartered by Act of Parliament No. 1 of 2017.

“This institute passed through the National Assembly, both the Senate and House of Representatives, and the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Today, it is the only recognized professional body that practice Local Government and Public Administration in Nigeria,” Dr Okereke said.

He added that the induction of Dr Helen Paul as a Fellow and Ambassador of the institute was decided by the Council of the institute after a meticulous monitoring of her academic strides and service to humanity.

Dr Okereke explained that “the choice of Helen Paul was made by our Council after due consideration of her academic excellence. She has a Masters Degree in Public Administration, not only in Theatre Arts, which is her primary constituency. She sneaked in to Public Administration, and this is the first time we are combining Public Administration with Theatre Arts. We really want to experiment how Public Administration and Theatre Arts can work together… that is why we are also making her our Ambassador.”

With her induction, Dr Helen Paul has joined other eminent Nigerians as Fellows of the Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria.

The institute has about four serving governors, two Justices of Supreme Court, former governor of Lagos State and NDLEA Chairman among others as Fellows.

30 rotten bodies of kidnapped victims found in abandoned govt hospital

The abandoned hospital in Elele-Alimini community where the decomposing bodies were found

Thirty rotten bodies said to be those of kidnapped victims have been uncovered in an abandoned government hospital in Elele-Alimini community, Emohua LGA of Rivers State.

The rotten bodies were believed to have been dumped there by kidnappers.

Chairman of the council, Dr Chidi Lloyd made the shock discovery.

He also discovered that a part of the hospital is being used for storage of illegally refined petroleum products by illegal artisanal refiners.

Decomposing remains of alleged kidnap victims discovered in the mortuary of Elele-Alimini community General Hospital in Rivers
Decomposing remains of alleged kidnapped victims discovered in the mortuary of Elele-Alimini community general hospital in Rivers
Llyod had stormed the abandoned and disused hospital along old Ahoada road in Elele-Alimini community based on tip-off that many criminal activities were going on in the facility.

He came in company of a combined team of security personnel and the local government Taskforce on illegal artisanal refining.

Deposed Deji Of Akure, Adesina Adepoju Is Dead

The deposed Deji of the Akure Kingdom in Ondo State, Oba Adesina Oluwadare Adepoju, is dead.

The spokesman for the Adesina Royal Family of the Osupa Ruling House, Dapo Adepoju, in a statement released on Thursday disclosed that the deposed monarch gave up the ghost in the early hours of the day at a private hospital in Abuja.

The statement reads, “Oba Oluwadare Adepoju has passed on to the eternal glory this morning, January 27, 2022, during a brief illness.

“He passed on in a private hospital in Abuja early hour of today.

“The late Oba Adepoju was deposed by former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko on grounds of misunderstanding between the monarch and his wife.

“Before his transition to eternal glory, the deposed monarch prayed for the peace of Akure Kingdom.

“He said he did his best in defending his people while on the throne.

“The late deposed Deji of Akure Kingdom said God made it possible for him as a son of the Osupa Ruling House to ascend the throne as the Deji of Akure Kingdom 100 years after the reign of the Ojijigogun Ruling House.

“The 45th Deji promulgated and ensured the implementation of reasonable market price control during his reign. He also recovered and took possession of Ilula Recreation Centre from a powerful cabal back to the Akure Kingdom.

“Oba Adepoju during his reign also provided local security and fair judgement was the order of the day.

“Shortly before he passed on, he predicted that Akure shall be great specifically that an Akure son would lead Nigeria as President.

“Finally he urged the good people of Akure Kingdom to always live in oneness and peace.”

Recall that the monarch was deposed by the state government on June 10, 2010, for allegedly assaulting one of his estranged wives, the late Bolanle Adepoju, in public.

He was banished to a secluded village in Owo, Owo Local Government Area (LGA) of Ondo State ‎over the offence.

Adeniran-Ogunsanya: Lagos has lost a great woman, Speaker Obasa mourns

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has described the death of former Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya, as a major loss to the State.

Adeniran-Ogunsanya, who served the State during the first term of former Governor Babatunde Fashola between 2007 and 2011, died at 74 after a brief illness.

Dr. Obasa, in a statement by his media office, commiserated with the family and friends of the deceased saying her contributions as SSG to the progress of Lagos would remain indelible in the hearts of the residents of the State.

“She was always calm, filled with brilliant ideas and contributed immensely to the development of Lagos while she served as Secretary to the Lagos State Government,” Obasa said.

The Speaker added that the late Adeniran-Ogunsanya also played important roles in the politics of the State earning herself respect as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“On behalf of my colleagues at the Lagos State House of Assembly, I commiserate with the family, friends, leaders of our party and everyone affected by the demise of Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya.
I pray that God would grant her peace and give those she left behind the fortitude to bear this loss.

FAAN Condemns Customs Comptroller For Breaching Airport Security

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has condemned officers of the Nigeria Customs Service for breaching the security system at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The authority made this known in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Henrietta Yakubu, adding that such security breaches were becoming recurrent and must cease.

FAAN also alleged that the Customs Area Comptroller for Hajj and Cargo Terminal and his officers assaulted Aviation Security officers on duty and forcefully took over Gate 3 of the airport.

The statement read in part, “At about 17.45hrs on Thursday, January 20, 2022, while the AVSEC officers on day duty at Gate 3 were profiling a NAHCO vehicle that wanted to access the Security Restricted Area via Gate 3, the Customs Area Comptroller for Hajj and Cargo Terminal suddenly emerged and pulled off behind the NAHCO vehicle that was being attended to.

“And CSC Agunbiade, a Customs officer on the area comptroller’s entourage later shoved aside the AVSEC officer at the gate, forcefully took over the gate and opened the gate for the comptroller and his escorts to forcefully access the Security Restricted Area via the gate.”

It added, “While accessing the gate, the armed escorts to the comptroller threatened to beat up the AVSEC officers at the gate if they dare resist their assault and breach of security.

“This blatant abuse of the privilege of bearing firearms by the NCS has become a recurrent threat to the safety and security of our staff and our operations.”

Reacting to the development, the NCS through its spokesperson, Joseph Attah, queried FAAN’s right in declaring a gate restricted from Custom personnel in a cargo airport.

He said, “I have read the statement and it clearly shows that the officials are ignorant of the rules. You can’t restrict a gate to Customs in a cargo airport. What is your intention for doing that, that intention is suspicious?

“Are you creating a route for those who want to smuggle cargo out of the country? And will you also do the job of Customs at that gate?

“And instead of engaging each other to understand each other’s role, you are issuing a statement and making it public and saying we should respect your mandate.

“So I think the best thing is for the senior officials to engage each other and understand their roles instead of demonstrating this false sense of superiority.”

KWAM 1 plans colloquium for late Barrister

Fuji king Wasiu Ayinde Omogbolahan Marshall aka K1 has revealed plans to hold a colloquium in honour of his late mentor and Fuji legend, Sikiru Ayinde Agbajelola aka Barrister.

The Maiyegun of Yoruba land made this known in a recent post shared on his official Instagram page.

While K1 refused to give more details about the event, he hinted that the colloquium is scheduled to be an annual event with activities such as lectures, tributes, and musical concerts embedded in the day.

The musician, who also doubles as a hotelier, The Nation gathered, is bankrolling the event all by himself.

The media consultant to the Fuji king, Kunle Rasheed, confirmed the event saying more details will be revealed in due time.

BUA Chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu Now Africa’s Fifth Richest Man, Second In Nigeria With Latest Forbes Report

The ripples effect of the recent listing of BUA Foods PLC on the Nigerian exchange has continued to be felt internationally as it has reflected in Forbes placement of Nigerian billionaires in its Aftican listing.

Generally, Africa’s billionaires are richer than they have been in years, despite the global pandemic. As a group, the continent’s 18 billionaires are worth an estimated $84.9 billion – a 15% increase from twelve months ago and the most since 2014, when a larger number of billionaires–28–were worth a combined $96.5 billion. On average, the continent’s billionaires are worth $4.7 billion now vs. $3.4 billion in 2014. Soaring stock prices from Nigeria to Zimbabwe lifted the fortunes of these tycoons, as demand for products from cement to luxury goods ticked up.

For the 11th year in a row, Alike Dangote of Nigeria is the continent’s richest person, worth an estimated $13.9 billion, up from $12.1 billion last year following a 30% increase in the stock price of Dangote Cement, his most valuable asset. A surge in housing developments in Nigeria and growth in government infrastructure spending drove higher demand in the first nine months of 2021, analysts found. Jumping into the No. 2 spot–up from No. 4 last year–is luxury goods magnate Johann Rupert of South Africa. A more than 60% surge in the share price of his Compagnie Financiere Richemont–maker of Cartier watches and Montblanc pens–pushed his fortune to $11 billion, up from $7.2 billion a year ago, making him the biggest dollar gainer on the list. South African Nicky Oppenheimer, who formerly ran diamond mining firm DeBeers before selling it to mining firm Anglo American a decade ago, ranks No. 3, worth an estimated $8.7 billion.

The biggest gainer in percentage terms–up 125%—is Strive Masiyiwa of Zimbabwe, worth $2.7 billion, up from $1.2 billion last year. Shares of Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, which he founded, rose more than 750% in the past year, helping to drive up the size of his fortune.

Another gainer: Nigerian cement tycoon Abdulsamad Rabiu, who is $1.5 billion richer after taking yet another of his companies public. In early January 2022, Rabiu listed his sugar and food firm BUA Foods on the Nigerian stock exchange. He and his son retained a 96% stake in the company, which recently had a market capitalization of nearly $2.8 billion. (Forbes discounts the values of stakes when the public float is less than 5%.) BUA Cement, in which he and his son have a 96% stake, listed in January 2020. He is now listed as the fifth in the continent as well as the second in Nigeria.

Africa’s Billionaires: Collective Net Worth Over A Dozen Years

Only two of the 18 billionaires are worth less than last year: Koos Bekker of South Africa, who dropped to $2.7 billion from $2.8 billion as the share prices of consumer Internet firms Naspers and Prosus fell more than 20% each, and Mohammed Dewji of Tanzania, whose fortune declined to an estimated $1.5 billion from $1.6 billion a year ago due to lower multiples for publicly traded competitors.

The 18 billionaires from Africa, none of whom are new to the ranks, hail from seven different countries. South Africa and Egypt each have five billionaires, followed by Nigeria with three and Morocco with two. All of the continent’s billionaires are men; the last woman to appear in the ranks, Isabel dos Santos of Angola, fell off the Forbes list in January 2021.

METHODOLOGY

Our list tracks the wealth of African billionaires who reside in Africa or have their primary business there, thus excluding Sudanese-born billionaire Mo Ibrahim, who is a U.K. citizen, and billionaire London resident Mohamed Al-Fayed, an Egyptian citizen. Strive Masiyiwa, a citizen of Zimbabwe and a London resident, appears on the list due to his telecom holdings in Africa.

Net worths were calculated using stock prices and currency exchange rates from the close of business on Wednesday, January 19, 2022. To value privately held businesses, we start with estimates of revenues or profits and apply prevailing price-to-sale or price-to-earnings ratios for similar public companies. Some list members grow richer or poorer within weeks-or days-of our measurement date.