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If Tinubu Wins There will be Great Hopes For Heart Surgery Patients – Dr. Ariyo Idowu, Perfusionist

Perfusion is a rare and delicate Cardiovascular profession that has to do with handling and operating equipment that assists surgeons during an open-heart surgery or any other medical procedure in which it is necessary to artificially support or temporarily replace a patient’s circulatory or respiratory function.

It is a system where the experts use the equipment to temporarily put the heart to sleep (hibernate) and revives it after the surgery to safe the patient the frightening experience of pain during opening up of the heart or the lungs. It is a medical process to safe life which were in the past only available in the advance country.

However, it is interesting to learn that, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), trained the first expert and pioneered the career of open heart surgery in the country when he was the governor of Lagos State.

Although, Idowu admitted that the heart operations used to take place in Enugu and Ibadan in the 1970s, the exercise stopped more than 20 years before Tinubu revived it in Lagos, expressing the conviction that, if he wins on February 25, Nigerians should expect revival of the medical exercise in a very larger scale across the country.

Dr. Ariyo Idowu, made the disclosure Tuesday during a scheduled Zoom meeting organized by the members of the APC Presidential Campaign Committee Media Directorate, Lagos, headed by the former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan.

Idowu discussed Asiwaju Tinubu’s intervention in the health sector when he was the state governor when young health professionals, including himself, were trained. The scheduled zoom meetings were some of the avenues created by the Kehide Bamigbetan led media Directorate to unveil Tinubu to the public to realise reasons he (Tinubu) should be voted for as the next president on the Saturday 25 election.

According to the Perfusionist, Tinubu, as a visionary administrator who searches for young talented materials to build for nation building spotted the potential in Ariyo Idowu when he was just 26 years old and sent him abroad to train as an expert in perfusion. After the training, Tinubu as governor then now established a medical centre where free heart surgeries were carried out.

While fielding questions from his zoom guests, Dr. Idowu confirmed that, at least 20 of such surgical operations were carried out during Tinubu’s tenure as the executive governor of Lagos State adding that minimum cost of an operation then was N5 million meaning Tinubu expended a whooping sum of N100million on the 20 patients.

Speaking further, Dr Idowu reasoned that, with Tinubu as the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the country would climb up the ladder of global medical rating while the youth would have field day as opportunity for their development and empowerment would be the priority of the new president going by his pedigree and antecedent.

What Tinubu did as just as governor of a state in the health sector just like in any other sectors would be replicated on a larger scale to the best interest of all Nigerians, asserting that, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the best bet for the country at this point in time for rapid development and positive utilization of the raw energy deposited in the body of the youth by God for nation building.

“Tinubu is a visionary leader who knows the plights of the citizenry and ready to help. He has had the mind set to uplift humanity from the onset. The most important thing in governance is to be prepared to serve humanity selflessly like Tinubu. He is ready for the task ahead. And after reviving the free heart surgery through the Ministry of Health under Dr. Leke Pitan, his commissioner for Health after comatose for 20 years, the programme has continued since then nonstop,” Idowu submitted with great appreciation to his mentor, Tinubu.

“Kindly permit me to thank Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving me the rare opportunity to acquire this unique knowledge that has put me where I am today as a globally recognised professional on the medical line. And I am sure the youth stand a similar chance if they vote for him en masse on February 25 to become president. With Tinubu as president, the sky would be too low to be their limit,” Idowu rounded off.

Check the Full List of the 240 Polling Units where INEC will not Conduct Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has released the full list of the 240 polling units where elections will not hold in 28 states.

The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, had said this during a meeting with the national leaders of political parties in Abuja on Monday.

Giving the reason, INEC said the affected polling units the were newly created do not have new registered voters, adding that no voter also transferred to those polling units.

Video: Yoruba Nation Agitators, Police Clash in Lagos… Death Recorded

There has been a confrontation between the Yoruba Nation Agitators and men of the Nigerian Police Force in Lagos this morning, the agitators had storm Ojota axis of Lagos where they were planning to hold their mega rally.

In a video making round a young man who identified himself as Saoti Igboho, was speaking in Yoruba that two of his boys had been killed while showing the lifeless body of a young man on the suspected to be the Seven Up axis of the Lagos Ibadan express. The young man also showed a video of a van suspected to be police car just in the process of being engulfed in fire, he also said they will be burning a certain police station.

https://www.societygazetteng.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Y3DaIqFz_ah08GXH.mp4?_=1

Though the cause of the whole issue cannot be ascertain, some other information is saying it was a confrontation between the group and the men of Oduduwa People’s Congress, OPC.

Attempt to reach out to the PPRO Lagos, Mr. Benjamin Hundeyin is not possible as his phone lines are engaged.

More details shortly…

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2023 General Elections: Awesu Mobilises Residents’ Support For Atiku In Ikorodu

A contender for the Ikorodu House of Representatives seat, QS. AbdulAzeez Adekunle Awesu and his political group has called on the youths and entire residents of Ikorodu to support the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar at the forthcoming presidential election.

Awesu said that Atiku is a unifier who needed to bring the various parts of the country together and with the capacity to salvage Nigeria out of his economic and political problems.

The PDP contender who is challenging the withdrawal of his mandate at the Supreme Court made the appeal during a massive rally he convened in Ikorodu on Wednesday.

The march, attended by several candidates, former aspirants and other stakeholders in Ikorodu PDP, was staged to mobilise support for the PDP Presidential candidate and others.

According to the Convener, it was also staged to re-assure party members and residents who have been complaining of dull moments within the major opposition party since the last rally that was organised on the Independence Day, by the same House of Representatives contender.

He led the massive crowd across major roads in Ikorodu which include Awolowo Road, Ireshe Road, Oriwu Road, Ayangbure Road, Ikorodu Garage Roundabout and along the Ikorodu – Shagamu Road.

Awesu, speaking with newsmen during the rally, said that:

“This rally is basically to let people know that PDP is still on ground, because if you can recall, we started this journey couple of months ago, and we knew the pace that we were going, but considering the circumstances, the whole things seem to be dying down but then, people really need to know that PDP is still on ground, that is just the basic essence of this and to know that that Atiku Abubakar is going to be the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, he explained.

“Atiku Abubakar is the unifier. That is the major reason while we are doing this to bring Atiku Abubakar to each and every one’s door step, knowing that it is Atiku Abubakar that can do it on the platform and umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party

“That is why we are mobilising our people and residents to put on their dancing shoes and come out here to know we have a lot of work to do”.

He said that he was impressed with the turnout, and added that many have been expecting such outing.

“I’m really happy with the turnout. It showed that a lot of people have actually been waiting for this to happen. The essence of the whole thing is just to bring us together instead of sitting in our houses and thinking there is nothing to be done. There is a lot to be done in PDP, and we need to come out. This is our time, we have every chance; we have every opportunity to take back what is ours”.

Speaking on how the party intends to win the next general elections, Awesu said that more engaging activities have been planned which are going to unfold soon.

“We have lots and lots of strategies in place and for sure, I tell you that in Ikorodu for one that I know of, PDP is taking the Ikorodu Assembly, House of Representatives and the Senate and the Gubernatorial seat. All of these will be ours.

“You can see from the turnout how people came out massively despite the weather and trust me, if you tell the people that we are still going further, they will be willing to go because they are very much on ground. The truth is that we have a lot of activities, and other functions to put out there”, Awesu said.

He also hinted that there will be three or more rallies which are going to include the PDP Governorship and other candidates to mobilise people for the next year’s general elections.

“Trust me, we are going to have three to five more rallies, and the essence will be to bring PDP to the people’s door steps. You know that people out there have been hearing Awesu and it was possible that they met him first at our first and today, lots more came to meet him again. I am sure that the third rally is going to include our Excellency, Olajide Adedoyin Jador, who is our Governorship candidate; Senatorial candidate, in person of Akobada; House of Assembly candidate constituency 1, Hon. Lawal Olamide, and our House of Assembly candidate Constituency 2, in person of Hon. Oyebo.

“So, the whole thing is just to bring everybody together. It is said that say a tree does not make a forest. We just need to come together, and make the whole thing robust and give Lagos the results we are looking for”, he said.

The PDP candidate for the Ikorodu Constituency I, Mr Olamide Olamilekan Lawal, also speaking, said that the rally was aimed at giving the youths the opportunity to prove that the party is still much a force to reckon with, and to mobilise people for Atiku’s victory.

“As you can see around you, most of us here are young. I am a youth, so also is my counterpart, Awesu. We are here to let people know our position that youths are on board. We are fully on ground, and we are here to support Atiku and Okowa for President. If you look around, there are about 5000 thousand people matching for Atiku/Okowa Presidency come 2023”, he said.”

“Well, it is an election we hope to win for Atiku, and we are going to do all our possible best here in Ikorodu and Lagos at large to ensure that Atiku/Okowa become our next President and Vice President, come 2023 lnshallah”.

Mr Idowu Hammed Odunayo (Collaboration), a former House of Assembly aspirant, also expressed that Atiku will win the next election while also wishing the rally Convener to reclaim his mandate at the Supreme Court.

“Well, we, members of the PDP, are strongly behind Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his Vice, Okowa. We are also solidly with our brother, Awesu, and we wish that he retrieves his mandate”, he said.

Mr Peter Ugoeze, Chairman, Non-Yoruba in Ikorodu Local Government, said that non-Yorubas in Ikorodu have decided to give their support for Atiku/Okowa come 2023.

“The non-Yoruba have decided to support Atiku Abubakar, because we have seen that he’s the only person that can give us the particular mandate that we are looking for, and he’s most experienced among all the presidential contestants. He is the only person that has adequate experience to deliver Nigeria from this mess that APC has led us into. So, that is why we are supporting Atiku/Okowa to win this election come February 2023”, he said.

He also said that his group is looking forward to Awesu reclaiming his mandate at the Supreme Court.

“By the special grace of God, we are also looking forward to Awesu reclaiming his mandate because he is the only person that can deliver this House of Representatives for PDP in Ikorodu. Without Awesu, I don’t think PDP is going anywhere in Ikorodu Local Government”, Mr Peter said.

A member of the PDP, Mrs Adenike Borokini who also said that they are rooting for Atiku to correct many disappointments of the APC government, also said that they believe in Awesu.

“You see, when it comes to the issue of Awesu, we, in Ikorodu, believe in Awesu so much, and he is the man of the people. He is the man people love so much. He knows our pains and what we are going through in Ikorodu, and we believe in him. We have 100% assurances that Awesu can do it better than anybody in Ikorodu. If it’s not Awesu, nobody in this lkorodu is worthy to represent us”, she stated emphatically

BBC: Tinubu got it right on territories reclaimed by Buhari – Buratai

Former Chief of Army Staff and Nigerian ambassador to the Benin Republic, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai talked about the security situation in the country, he also lend his expert insight to the statement of the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his recent BBC interview…

What is your take on the current military’s tactics in decimating banditry and terrorism in the country?

I’ll say, let them maintain it and keep up the aggressive assaults. Additionally, collaboration and synergy with other sister agencies is crucial. They must avoid being distracted and keep their attention on their task.

How would you describe the fight against terrorism in the country since you left office as the COAS?

Well, you must understand that the military is not a one man show; even when I was in service, I worked with a team, and I am happy to say that many of them are still in service. The current COAS served under me as Theater Commander of OP LAFIYA DOLE now OP HADIN KAI. By and large, I will say that they are doing well. Whatever little success we were able to achieve during my tenure, we did it together; it was a collective effort.

The 2023 general election is just by the corner; what advice do you have for the military to ensure a hit-free poll as far as security is concerned?

They must stick to their constitutional role and remain apolitical. I understand that the military may be called in to assist the civil police at some point, but only when things are about to get out of hand. I think the electorate must not succumb to fear or intimidation; they should come out and exercise their civic duty. At the same time, all of us must be vigilant; if you see something suspicious, try to say something to the right authorities.

According to PRNigeria the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu created an impression that the Buhari-led administration had inherited seventeen local governments and about four states which were under the control of foreign Jihadists in 2015. What is your take on this?

The conclusion and verdict of PRNigeria is false, wrong, and inaccurate. I was the first COAS to serve under President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and even before my appointment as COAS, I was the Force Commander, MNJTF, so I should have correct information and the situation of things in the North-East and Borno State, which is my state of origin. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu got it right. As of July 2015, the following LGAs were under Boko Haram in Borno State: Dikwa, Marte, Gamboru Ngala, Kala Balge, Guzamala, Damasak, and in Yobe State, we have Gulani and Gujba. The terrorists also partially occupied Kukawa,Gajiram, Kaga , Mafa, Bama, Gubio, Chibok, Gwoza, Damboa, and Nganzai. The wrong impression created by PR Nigeria should be corrected. I understand that they were misinformed, but this is the correct information.

What is your reaction on the report by PRNigeria that foreign technical experts, including mercenaries, assisted greatly in the recovery of the occupied territories in North-East?

If it does in fact occur, it did not occur during the time that I was in charge.

You actively supported one of the candidates in the presidential primaries of the ruling party. And you are on the side of your party’s presidential candidate in this election. Yet, you have always insisted, “I am not a politician.” How do you explain this position?

Our lives are in phases and chapters. When I said, “I am not a politician,” that was the truth and nothing but the truth. I was not a member of any political party then. I was a soldier who was under oath to protect and defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria. But as you know very well, that phase of my life is now gone. There is a time to join the Army and serve as a soldier, and there is a time to leave the Army and return to civilian life. I am a democrat; that’s why, when I was in the Army, I tried to keep soldiers out of politics and allow the people to choose their leaders as they wanted. We also protected this democracy. So now that I am a civilian, I think it won’t be out of place if I heed the call of destiny and enter politics. That doesn’t mean I will run for political office. My plan is to form a government with some Nigerians who I believe have good intentions for the country. I initially supported Rotimi Amaechi because I believed in him, but we lost the primaries. However, since the party is supreme and God has willed that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will be the flagbearer of the APC, it is expected that I should support him to win the elections. This is what I am doing. And this is not a new thing in Nigeria or the US. Generals Shehu Yar’adua, Obasanjo, and Ibrahim Babangida, as well as Aliyu Gusau, David Jemibiwon, Abdurahman Danbazau, and Dwight D. Eisenhower, all played politics after their service in the military. There is no doubt; stakeholders and imminent Nigerians thought that I could add value and so invited me to join them to move the country forward. One thing I want to tell Nigerians is that I will surely add value. There is no doubt about that.

Your name isn’t going to fade away anytime soon from the Nigerian Army, both in terms of exploits and enduring legacies. How do you feel about your stewardship?

Honestly, it humbles me. We wanted to achieve much more than we have, but, you know, things don’t always work out as planned. But it’s nice to hear soldiers and officers talk positively about us. We did what we thought was best for the army and the wellbeing of Nigeria. As COAS, I worked virtually around the clock daily. Sometimes I just sleep for a few hours.

What do you see as the place of regional cooperation in addressing the security challenges in Nigeria?

Regional cooperation is strategic in addressing security challenges because our borders are porous and our people are interconnected. Some people in south-western Nigeria have blood relatives in the Benin Republic. Those in the North East have relatives in Chad, Cameroon, and the Niger Republic, as well as in Sokoto and other places. So it is easy for criminals to move into Nigeria from these neighboring countries. What affects our neighbors can easily affect us. Not just us, but the entire ECOWAS membership. When the Boko Haram insurgency started, some people thought it was a Nigerian problem alone, but it has now spread to Burkina Faso and Mali. So, regional cooperation is needed to tackle the issue of small arms proliferation, help with intelligence gathering, and conduct COIN operations. For example, the MNJTF is helping to deal with Boko Haram and ISWAP in a good way.

There is the story of your long connection to President Buhari, beginning with his deployment as Military Governor of North East State. Can you help us recall this and its culmination during your time as Force Commander of MNJTF and COAS?

Yes, President Buhari and I have come a long way because destiny connected us in 1975, when he was the military governor of Borno State and I was a Form One student at Teacher’s College Maiduguri. He used to come to the school in the evenings to watch us play football. When I was running off the pitch to get the ball after hitting the ball so hard that it knocked down one of our classmates, the then-Colonel Buhari said to me, “You this boy! The army is what suits you best.

One thing led to another, and I was transferred to Teacher’s College Potiskum, while then-Col Buhari left Borno to serve as Petroleum Minister in the government of General Olusegun Obasanjo. I finished Teacher’s College, taught in a primary school at Buratai, and then joined the NDA in 1981. I got commissioned in December 1983 and heard that Major General Buhari was now the new Head of State. I proceeded to Elele in Rivers State, and that was it until sometime in 2015, when he visited Ndjamena as the newly democratically elected President of Nigeria. At that time, I was the Force Commander, MNJTF. When he returned to Nigeria and wanted to appoint his service chiefs, he appointed me as the 20th COAS. So he has been my leader and mentor in the past, now, and always.

What advice is best for the young officers and soldiers on the frontlines of service to the nation?

I have written and published a book known as Thoughts and Principles on Leadership. I am recommending it to all military officers to read. But that notwithstanding, my candid advice to young officers and soldiers is to remember the seven core Army values: their unit, the Army, God, and country. They must remain patriotic and keep on developing their skills and improving their competence.

Lagos Speaker Celebrates Buhari At 80, Calls Him A True Democrat

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his 80th birthday describing him as a leader who remains focused on strengthening democracy in Nigeria.

Dr. Obasa’s congratulatory message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Eromosele Ebhomele, said President Buhari’s humility, honesty, selflessness and passion for a better and more secured Nigeria makes him a true leader.

The Speaker said Buhari’s maturity, wisdom, courage and zeal to ensure Nigeria stands a united country remains a mark of his leadership capacity.

He commended the President for ensuring his administration’s success in infrastructure renewal and development in the nation.

He further noted how President Buhari’s effort to depeen democracy made him join the battle for the autonomy of State legislatures and judiciary in compliance with section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended).

“On behalf of my family and colleagues at the Lagos State House of Assembly, I join President Muhammadu Buhari’s family, friends, associates and the government of Nigeria to celebrate him on his 80th birthday.

“The President deserves to be celebrated for the successes his administration has recorded since he took the mantle of the leadership of our dear country.

“History will always remember his efforts to build a stronger and more secured Nigeria through the fight against insurgency, infrastructural development and other social investment schemes.

“President Buhari’s love for our democracy remains appreciated, especially in relation to his signing of the celebrated Executive Order 10 to grant autonomy to legislatures and judiciary across the 36 states of the federation.

“The President’s honesty, dedication, courage and determination to leave a stronger and more United Nigeria is worthy of emulation.

“As he clocks 80, it is our prayer that Almighty Allah continue to grant him strength, good health, sound mind and the capacity to always contribute to our national growth, development and progress,” the Speaker prayed.

Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly.

Lagos Red Line To Move 3.5m Passengers Weekly

– Lawmakers confirm 85% project completion

The chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Transportation, Hon. Temitope Adewale, has disclosed that trains in the Red Line of the State’s rail mass transit will move 500,000 passengers daily.

This amounts to 3.5 million passengers weekly and 15 million passengers a month.

Hon. Adewale made the disclosure on Thursday when he led the committee on an on-the-site visit to the train stations between Ifako-Ijaiye and Yaba.

Adewale, who confirmed that the project was at 85% of its completion, said it showed that the State government understands the need to boost the transportation sector to ease daily movement of residents.

“Remember that the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Dr. Mudashiru Obasa, during the presentation of the 2023 budget, commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the purchase of trains and his zeal to complete the project.

“So today, by the powers conferred on us by the Constitution and under the headship of Mr. Speaker, we decided to conduct an oversight on the Ministry of Transportation and to be precise, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

“We have visited the railway and five stations in Iju, Agege, Ikeja, the Yaba and now Oyingbo where the rolling stocks or trains are parked contrary to what we’ve been hearing that the trains are not here.

“From what we have seen so far, the project is approaching completion and having spoken with the contractors, we are sure the Governor will do the commissioning as projected believing that the possibility is true and positive,” Hon. Adewale said.

He said the train service became necessary because the Lagos master plan indicates the need to inculcate it and increase passengers using mass transit.

“The red line will help move 500,000 Lagosians on a daily basis and reduce heavy traffic where more cars and personal vehicles would be left at home.

“This administration has achieved a milestone and the our Speaker has been able to give support to the executive to ensure that funds are put into good use,” he added.

On his part, Hon. Bisi Yusuff, a lawmaker, described the project as the result of good leadership and continuity in government.

According to Hon. Yusuff, the project was actually started by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and built upon by subsequent administrations.

Noting that the trains would help the State’s economic growth and smart city dream, the lawmaker pleaded for proper maintenance mechanisms.

He urged Lagosians to vote massively for the APC so they would continue to enjoy dividends of democracy.

Engineer Olasunkanmi Okusaga of the Directorate of Transport, promised that the project would be delivered at the target time.

Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

NO CRISIS ON OLOJA Of LAGOS STOOL- Kosoko Family Declares

-1983 Registered Declaration still subsisting, intact.

Alhaja (Chief) Mrs Ashabi Abimbola Alli-Balogun, the Olori Ebi

The king Kosoko royal family/ Oloja of Lagos chieftaincy family has declared that there is no crisis within the family and that the ascension to stool of Oloja of Lagos is a settled matter.

Kosoko family also stated that the 1983 Registered Declaration guiding the selection of occupant of the Oloja stool is still subsisting and intact.

These were contained in separate statements signed by Alhaja (Chief) Mutiat Ashabi Abimbola Alli – Balogun, Head of the Kosoko Royal family and Prince Sikiru Kosoko, the General Secretary on Friday.

They debunked insinuations contained in an online report that the Lagos State Government is making moves at resolving the crisis surrounding the Oloja of Lagos stool, a first class chieftaincy title in the class of Akarigbere chiefs of Lagos.

The General Secretary of the family, Sikiru Kosoko, who denounced the report, which was based on a purported statement online, declared that only the Olori Ebi, Alhaja Mutiat Ashabi Ali-Balogun or her assigned members of the family has the right to issue statements or engage in official correspondence on behalf of the family.

According to the statement, the purported statement and reports are filled with falsehood and misinformation, adding that contrary to the misinformation in the report, the family, through the Olori Ebi of the entire family and those of the various branches, an Omo Oye, (Oloja of Lagos elect), has been chosen and ratified in the person of Prince Abiola Olojo Kosoko”.

“The attention of the king Kosoko Royal Family of Lagos/ Oloja of Lagos Chieftaincy Family has been drawn to a publication purportedly coming from the family which is not true.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the king Kosoko Royal Family/ Oloja of Lagos chieftaincy family has a strict line of official communication, which is through the Olori Ebi of the family, Alhaja Mutiat Ashabi Ali-Balogun or her assigned member of the family.

“It is also important to note that the Kosoko Royal Family already has an Omo Oye {Oloja of Lagos elect} in the person of Prince Abiola Olojo-Kosoko, whose selection has been ratified by the Olori Ebi of the family and the kingmakers from all other ruling houses in accordance with the 1983 Oloja of Lagos Chieftaincy Declaration”, the family said.

The family scribe further added that the Oloja of Lagos Chieftaincy Declaration of 1983 upon which Prince Abiola Olojo-Kosoko was selected and ratified, is the authentic law guiding the Oloja of Lagos stool, as it is at the moment the only recognized law.

According to the family, the year 2000 Government View, an offshoot of a tribunal headed by retired Justice Akin Holloway, is merely an observation and still ‘in view’, which is yet to be promulgated into law, thus, without any effect or force of law. The guiding principles still remained in the existing 1983 Declaration”.

“Contrary to the reports making the round, we declare that the 1983 Declaration remains sacrosanct as the year 2000 Government View referred to in the report is a mere view and not law”, the statement said.

“It is also important to note that the cases at the High Court and Court of Appeal referred to in the highly misinforming report were not our cases but issues of the chieftaincy family merely mentioned.

“We are by this statement, informing the general public that there is no crisis in the Kosoko Royal Family of Lagos regarding the filling of the vacant Oloja of Ereko stool as all that is necessary have been done to fill the stool and that those agitating against the choice of the family are mere trouble makers bent of dragging the good and eminent name of the family in the mud.”

Also denouncing a press statement allegedly in circulation calling for the ratification of the Registered Declaration of the family, the Kosoko Royal Family said:

“This is also to call the attention of the authorities and the general public to a letter circulating in the name of the Kosoko Royal Family/Oloja of Lagos Chieftaincy Family calling for ratification of the valid registered declaration, a move contrary to the position of the general family and without the consent of the head of the family.

“The judgment of the High and Appeal Courts being referred to in the said press releases does not in any simple language be mentioned or talk about the registered declaration of 1983.

“The judgement of the Appeal Court directed the litigant to go back to the High Court by setting aside the High Court judgment against the litigant.

“The judges in their judgment did not at any point make mention of the declaration because that was not the substance taken to the High Court and as such the Appeal Court cannot give what you did not seek for.

“It is also on record that there is only one registered declaration regulating the process of ascending the stool of the Oloja of Lagos and there are no court cases of any sort against it till date”, the family stated.

While stating that the litigant voluntarily withdrew from the matter, Kosoko family also affirmed that the entire family unanimously approved Alhaja (Chief) Mutiat Ashabi Abimbola Alli-Balogun as the head ( Olori Ebi ) of the family.

The family also added that based on the 1983 Declaration, the family also conducted the selection of the new Oloja of Lagos and concluded it with Prince Abiola Olojo-Kosoko as the Oloja – elect.

“The litigant in October 2014 on his own made an official statement not to continue the legal process in the court of law and the report of inquiry”, the family said in the statement.

“The family has an approved and unanimously accepted Alhaja (Chief) Mutiat Ashabi Abimbola Alli-Balogun as the head ( Olori Ebi ) of the family who is saddled with the responsibility to manage the affairs of the family until there is an Oloja of Lagos in place.

“The issue of the Omo oye (Oloja of Lagos Elect) has since been concluded by the king makers, who had rectified the Omo oye presented by the next ruling house (Akinsanya Olojo) as expressed in the only registered declaration dated 1983 in person of Prince Abiola Olojo-Kosoko from the Akinsanya Olojo Ruling House being declared as the Omo Oye Elect for the stool of the Oloja of Lagos.

“The Olori Ebi, Alhaja Alli-Balogun and the General Secretary of the King Kosoko Royal Family/Oloja of Lagos chieftaincy family, is using this medium to inform the general public and the Lagos State Government of the illegality being put together by some unknown persons to create unrest within the King Kosoko Royal/the Oloja of Lagos Chieftaincy Family and to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere presently enjoyed within the Ereko, Idumota and Balogun area of Lagos Island”, Kosoko family warned.

ThisDay/Arise Owner, Obaigbena Lies Again Without Shame as He Manufactures Alternate Reality – Dele Alake & Bayo Onanuga

Ordinarily, we consider it beneath us as well-bred media professionals to continue to engage in public spat with Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, a congenital blackmailer and hustler, especially in deference to ceasefire calls by well-meaning leaders and elders. The interventions followed our statement on Monday entitled “Obaigbena and His THISDAY/ARISE News’ Hypocritical Grandstanding On Public Morality”.

But we crave the indulgence of these well-meaning Nigerians to allow us respond to Obaigbena’s latest rambling, called a statement.

The largely diversionary composition was an attempt to deodorise his ethical problems.

Obaigbena tried to deflect attention from those pertinent issues we raised about ethics. There is nothing he said to creditably detract a jot from our accurate summation of his well-known perverse and ignoble approach to media practice over the years, a practice that continues to undermine the integrity of journalism profession in the country.

In his first statement attacking us, Obaigbena craftily attempted to mis-characterise as an attack on free speech, our principled stand against his blackmail to have Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu appear on Arise TV and its PDP sponsored Town Hall meetings.

In the second statement, he was still adamant that our candidate must attend his Town Hall debate, despite our stance that our candidate is already executing another communications strategy to reach the most important target: the Nigerian voters. We, repeat again: We will not make our candidate available to validate a scheme which, in the light of unassailable information at our disposal, is nothing but a racket by the Arise TV owner, designed to embarrass our candidate.

We now proceed to give a blow-by-blow response to Obaigbena’s latest very poor attempt at red-herring:

Rigmarole on Dasukigate: How laughable that Obaigbena is now denying he was not in EFCC custody for receiving illicit funds from NSA Sambo Dasuki. He attempted to rationalise that the money received was compensation for losses incurred by newspaper proprietors following the clampdown by security agents. But he craftily glossed over the meat of the matter: the grave misconduct to have the funds paid into the bank account of Hydrocarbon, a shell company (obviously set up for money-laundering) to which Obaigbena was the sole signatory. Since NPAN has bank accounts, why was the money not transferred there directly?

Moreover, the petty lie in Obaigbena’s statement was punctured by the joint disclaimer issued on 12 December 2015 by Tribune, New Telegraph and Peoples Daily in whose names he had collected money. The three newspapers said they did not receive a kobo.

His claim that he pocketed the chunk of the money received from Dasukigate as compensation for the alleged terrorist attack on his Abuja office is a laughable afterthought.

2. Rewriting June 12 story: Contrary to Obaigbena’s lame attempt to rationalise his campaign against June 12 as action taken in furtherance of his membership of NRC, nothing can be further from the truth. His long story about sitting close to MKO Abiola on a London-Johannesburg flight begs the questions. He craftily sidestepped the issue of being recruited by the military regime to go on CNN to unconscionably declare “Abiola did not win any election”, shortly after NEC suspended the announcement of June 12 results. That dirty campaign was to prepare the grounds for the eventual annulment on June 23 of the election. If Obaigbena was pro-democracy as he falsely claims, why did he take up media consultancy work to Ernest Shonekan, the head of the Interim National Government, cobbled together by the junta to legitimise the illegality?

3. South African/London fiascos: Obaigbena also tried to downplay the gravity of his misadventure in South Africa for which he had to flee, abandoning his office equipment and furniture till today. On one hand, he lied that it was President Nelson Mandela who asked that he set up the newspaper in South Africa because the dominant newspapers in the country were owned by the white establishment. On the other hand, he claimed that the same white establishment frustrated his venture. He forgot that when he floated ThisDay South Africa in 2003-4, a black President was in power!

Contrary to claims that he met a hostile environment, his habitual unethical practices gave him out. His business model of funding his newspapers and a champagne lifestyle from proceeds of blackmail rackets fell flat in South Africa where rules of a good society are rigidly enforced. To deceive advertisers, he inflated his circulation figures which the regulatory agency frowned at. Also, he owed printers and his workers. Gale of complaints against the “carpetbagger from Nigeria” soon reached the authorities and one official was quoted as famously saying, “You call yourself Thisday, very soon it will become That-day”. The prophecy came to pass with chilling accuracy soon after.

On his misadventure in London, Obaigbena disingenuously put it down to Forex crisis as if it happened this year or last year. The details of the judgment by the presiding judge were damning enough: Obaigbena lacks the personal honour and integrity to run any decent company.

His claim that his seven year directorship ban has been appealed is not the full story. He already lost one appeal at the Chancery in August.

4. Payment of salaries/pension: Obaigbena tried to deflect his chronic indebtedness as something common in the media industry. It is an affliction peculiar to THISDAY/Arise which purports to make lots of money (as reflected by bumper advert patronage) but curiously still fails to pay workers as and when due. Even when the economy was relatively “good”, Obaigbena never paid workers regularly. His popular saying to staff, as well known in the industry, is that : “THISDAY/Arise ID card alone is your meal ticket”.

Such corrupt philosophy underlies the unethical practices in media companies run by Obaigbena.

A classic illustration of the untold hardship and dehumanization of his workers was provided by Mr. Paul Ibe, who is now the Special Adviser on Media to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Obaigbena tricked Ibe to South Africa with mouth-watering offers. But Ibe ended up enduring hunger there before finding his way back to Nigeria. Following a suit filed at the National Industrial Court in 2011 (suit no NICN/ABJ/26/2011), Mr. Ibe was awarded damages against Obaigbena for backlog of salaries, non-remittance of taxes and pension deducted from his wages over the years and outstanding entitlement. Tens of other staff of Thisday have died due to lack of money for medical care while awaiting Obaigbena to pay them their entitlements.

5. Open partisanship/Mefy racket: We observe too that Obaigbena disingenuously sidestepped the questions raised about employing the services of Dr Reuben Abati, a card-carrying member of PDP as anchor person on Arise TV, as well as Obaigbena’s multi-million Naira consultancy role in the ill-fated attempt by a sitting Central Bank governor, Godwin Emefiele to compete for APC’ presidential ticket.

These are weighty moral issues Obaigbena, with all his resourceful facilities to lie and dissemble, could not defend.

Again, we challenge him to deny if Abati wasn’t the running-mate of Senator Buruji Kashamu on PDP’s platform in the governorship contest in Ogun in 2019. Kashamu was a wanted drug lord in the US. Of course, the same Abati, who never allows any opportunity to pass without attacking Asiwaju Tinubu daily, would have been one of those Obaigbena would have lined up at his dubious Town Hall meetings to “interrogate” Tinubu! Such shameless, unethical practice!

Further, while pontificating on public morality, Obaigbena conveniently ignored the perversity of collecting hundreds of millions as “media consultant” to Godwin Emefiele, the occupant of a critical public office from which utmost sobriety and non-partisanship is expected. Through patronizing reportage in THISDAY/Arise, Emefiele was egged on to openly descend into the political arena and bid for the presidential ticket of APC in its last primaries in what is now commonly called the “Mefy racket”.

This has antecedents: Obaigbena was also “consultant” to President Jonathan as he was to Chief Ernest Shonekan. Whatever happened to journalism ethics?

6. The culture of media merchandising: In a futile attempt to burnish his image, Obaigbena resorted to dropping the names of U.S. and UK leaders who had attended events staged by him. Dropping the names and pictures of these former Western leaders who attended paid-for-appearance ThisDay events as if they attended when serving in office, is another Obaigbena’s vainglorious clout chasing scheme to scam the public. He failed to disclose that the high-profile personalities who delivered keynote addresses at such events were handsomely paid from money he collected through media blackmail from captains of industries notably bank chiefs. To con the outside world, Obaigbena had boasted in an interview with New York Times that he had corporate fortune of $100m accruing to his company annually. But later, tax officials in Lagos could not reconcile those bogus claims with his tax records and non-remittance of taxes deducted from workers. It was so easy to expose his fake lifestyle.

7. Since Nduka Obaigbena introduced his blackmail and extortionist brand of journalism into Nigeria, generation of Bank CEOs, company Chief Executives, politicians and Governors from 1999 have suffered in silence, seeking liberation from oppressive journalism by intimidation. In 2009, Nduka Obaigbena raided Niger Delta states with his Thisday Entertainment’s packaged Niger-Delta Peace Concert. He coerced the Niger-Delta Governors then to contribute hundreds of millions of Naira with a promise to bring A-list pop stars such as Jay-Z and Beyonce to perform. After collecting the money the promised superstars didn’t show up. One of the governors was at the airport till almost midnight waiting to receive the superstars. These governors complained and suffered in silence because they were afraid of Nduka and his Thisday Newspaper which he has turned to instrument of oppression.

8. We took notice of Reuben Abati’s ramblings on Arise TV on his Wednesday Morning Show where he laboured in vain to defend his despicable record and perversions. Abati queried our statement that he is a registered member of PDP.

The query is rather for him. How did he become a deputy governorship candidate to Late Senator Buruji Kashamu in 2019 without a membership of PDP as required by law?

We really do not expect much from Abati. He is a known pathological liar, who has lived on lies and deceit all his professional life. While he has successfully created the image of a conscientious public intellectual over the years, the fact is that he is a morally bankrupt man who has no scruples in selling his soul to the devil as long as money is involved.

Abati has very odious reputation within the corporate and political circles as “anything goes newspaper columnist” as long as the money is right.

Issued by DELE ALAKE and BAYO ONANUGA on behalf of Media and Communication Directorates of APC Presidential Campaign Council

Breaking: Yemzan Restaurant Kicks off operation in Abeokuta

Yemzan Restaurant has launched its presence in Abeokuta with a multi million naira outlet in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

The new restaurant which opened to customers on Monday 12, 2022 December will graciously serve people within and outside the state, newslensng learnt.

The Restaurant is located at Adehun, beside Crescent University, Abeokuta

While speaking during the launch, the CEO Ogundeji Yemisi noted that yemzan restaurant is a customer-oriented restaurant with its customers at the core of it’s mission.

She added that every decision made is to cater for the needs and preferences of their intending customers.

“we will be bringing a variety of healthy meals closer to our customers” She stated.

Additionally, she noted that the quick service restaurant will enhance its service delivery to its amazing customers with quality and healthy meals in a nice environment and hygienic place.

“We will be dedicated to serve our customers with top-notch services. We promise to deliver our promise of making a variety of homemade meals available at an affordable price”. She said

See rundown of Yemzan Restaurant Services below

Catering services
Events decorations
Home delivery
Outdoor services