General Overseer in police net for sellingunborn baby

The female General Overseer of a church,
Prophetess Kanu and members of her
syndicate are now in police net for
attempting to buy a baby yet to be born.
Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS) of the Anambra State
Police Command apprehended Kanu and
her accomplices.
Anambra State Commissioner of Police,
Mr. Hassan Karma alleged that the
prophetess had for long deceived people
through the use of charms, while
pretending to counsel individuals beset by
problems.
Her world of deceit began to unravel when
22-year-old old Happiness John, whose
pregnancy had reached nine months was
deceitfully taken by her friend, Chioma
Okonkwo, to the prophetess on September
30, 2014 for counseling.
The fake prophetess told John that she
had a spiritual problem. Recalling that
visit, she said: “Chioma Okonkwo and
myself were friends and neighbours.
Chioma took me to Prophetess Kanu for
counseling and it was there that she told
me that I was under spiritual attack. She
prayed for me and later rubbed an egg on
my body with palm oil, saying that it was
a protection against enemy attack.”
Prophetess Grace was further alleged to
have informed the victim that her younger
brother (the prophetess’) would assist
John, since no man had owned up to be
responsible for the pregnancy. Based on
what seemed like a good intent, the
prophetess took the victim to her village
at Ngboro in Abia State, where she spent
weeks in the village believing that she
would deliver the baby there.
Meanwhile, the suspect sent her brother,
Kanu to check on the victim and promise
marriage to her, despite the nine-month
pregnancy. As part of the elaborate plan
to deceive the victim, Kanu bought clothes
for her and also gave her N5000.
With the stage set, the prophetess took
John to meet a nurse and member of her
child-trafficking syndicate, Ifeoma Obiora,
who took medical care of John. The
victim’s phone was taken away so that
she would not be able to communicate
with her relations.
As Sunday Sun gathered from the police
boss, the nurse always locked up John in
the house whenever she had to go out.
But providence stepped in and the scale
fell from the eyes of the victim, when the
prophetess mentioned that if she
delievered a baby boy, she would be paid
N180,000. That was when she realized
what was the real intention of the
prophetess. By then, John had been taken
for an ultrasound scan at New Hope
Hospital Onitsha.
According to Karma, an argument ensued
at the hospital and the victim demanded
for her phone while the Prophetess seized
her bag and alleged she must pay a debt
of N65,000 allegedly owed by her being
the cost of caring for her.
As this turn of events, the victim quickly
called her father, Mr Ugbanu John on
November 28, 2014, who promptly
reported the case at the SARS office.
Acting with dispatch, Karma ordered the
Commander of SARS, Mr. James Nwafor
to take up the matter. This led to the
arrest of the three suspects, namely,
Chioma Okonkwo, Prophetess Grace
Kanu and Ifeoma Obiora,on November
30, 2014 at Ugudegbe street, Owerri, Imo
State, Akokwa Awada Obosi and No 24
Nwaziki street, Awada Obosi, both in
Anambra State. Commenting on the
incident, the father of the victim said: “My
daughter left my house on September 30,
2014 and I saw her when she was leaving
around 5.00am. She said she was follow­
ing somebody to their church. It was
Chioma who took her to their prophetess,
Grace Kanu.
We didn’t see her. I thought she had run
to meet her boyfriend, who impregnated
her . It was on November 28, 2014 that
she called me that we should come and
rescue her. She told me that it was what
the prophetess said when she wanted to
deliver that led to the crisis. That
prompted me to report the case at SARS
office.” Karma said that the three
suspects would soon be charged to court.

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EVIL NEPHEW: Lures uncle’s wife withfake job offer, kidnaps her 8-month-oldbaby

An interstate commercial bus driver, 22-
year-old Chisom Nwaiwu is now cooling
his heels in the custody of the Anti-Kidnap­
ping Squad of the Imo State Police
Command.
Nwaiwu, a native of Amuzi in Obowo
Local Government Area of Imo State was
alleged to have masterminded the
abduction of the eight-month baby of his
uncle after luring the wife with a fake job
offer and then getting her drunk.
As Sunday Sun learnt from the Imo State
Police Commissioner, Abdulmajid Ali, the
incident happened on October 23, 2014,
after Nwaiwu introduced a member of a
kidnapping gang, 24-year-old Chibuzor
Ugochukwu, to his uncle’s wife, Chidime
Okechalam, who needed employment.
Ugochukwu bought local gin worth N100
and gave to the uncle’s wife to drink and
she had a good go at it and got very
drunk, but was still able to return home.
With stage one of their inglorious plan
carried out, the conspirators then
followed while she was still drunk. Her
baby was on her back. With alcohol
having dulled her senses, and at gunpoint,
Ugochukwu took the baby off her back.
In an interview with Sunday Sun at the
headquarters of the Anti Kidnapping
Squad, Nwaiwu recounted his role in the
abduction and revealed how the plot was
hatched and executed: “I was the one who
organized the kidnapping of the eight-
month-old baby of my uncle.
Her weak point is that she is a drunkard.
So I introduced one of my friends,
Chibuzor Ugochukwu, to her, who said
that he would get a job for her, because
she was not working. Ugochukwu bought
alcoholic drink for her. She got drunk and
then went home with her child.
On the way, and at 7.00pm we kidnapped
the baby from her and handed it over to
our contact person, Onwa, who lives in
Umuahia in Abia, who was to sell the
baby for the sum of N250,000.”
Meanwhile, Ali said that the prime suspect
in the abduction tale, Onwa, who was
supposed to sell the baby is still at large
and the baby is yet to be recovered.

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Fear, anger as Nigerians prepare forharsher times in 2015

Amid the dwindling price of crude oil and
the attendant austere measures proposed
by the federal government, Nigerians have
continued to express fear over the
possibility of more difficult times in the
new year.
The price of crude oil, Nigeria’s primary
source of income, has plummeted in the
last few months by more than 40 per cent
from an average of over $100 per barrel,
a development that had forced the
nation’s economic managers to embark
on measures aimed at mitigating the
effect of the price slide on the nation’s
economy.
One of the measures is the recent
devaluation of Naira which has seen the
nation’s currency weakened against the
Dollar by more than eight per cent and
the likelihood of total removal of subsidy
on fuel in the country.
The measures, in the views of some
experts, are capable of subjecting
Nigerian masses to more hardship in the
coming year.
In an interview with Sunday Sun, the
President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (LCCI), Alhaji Remi Bello,
explained that the situation was already
affecting the cost of production across the
country. He blamed the situation on what
he called the import dependent nature of
the nation’s economy. “Many firms are
already feeling the heat across all
sectors. In the last few weeks, naira
exchange rate has depreciated by about
11 per cent in the interbank market and
over 12 per cent in the parallel market.
The impact of the depreciation on
operating costs is very profound.”
In spite of the harsh implication, Bello
noted that the current exchange rate
condition offered some advantages to
industries with high local value addition.
According to him, “It makes such
industries more competitive than their
foreign or import-dependent counterparts.
The current situation is therefore a good
opportunity to encourage industries and
investors, to look inwards for products
and services that are hitherto imported,”
he said.
Speaking further, the LCCI boss identified
high inflation rate as yet another factor
Nigerians will have to deal with in the
incoming year. “A natural outcome of
depreciating exchange of rate is inflation
for an import dependent. Cost push infla­
tion will be pronounced in the next few
months. This will be driven by high cost
of production and high cost of imported
finished goods.”
Bello is also of the opinion that there
would be decline in government
businesses and high risk of payment
default by government. “Businesses
driven by government patronage are likely
to experience a decline in the short term
given the current government revenue
outlook. Capital projects of governments
will reduce drastically and this would
affect some segments of the private
sector. Other expenditure heads such as
training and travels may also suffer
major reductions. Generally, government
contractors would experience a slowdown
in tempo of activities.
“With declining revenue, the risk of default
in payment for jobs executed for
government agencies will be higher in the
short term. This situation calls for
cautious engagement with government
contracts at all levels of government. As
government revenue contracts, the
capacity to meet financial contractual
obligations may be difficult.
“With the current developments, many
contracts, especially the medium to large
ones will come with variations. Clearly the
exchange rate depreciation will alter
many cost parameters. This is a new
challenge that many contractors and
suppliers as well as their clients will have
to confront. This will happen in public and
private sectors,” Bello explained.
Also speaking on the development, the
immediate past President of Trade Union
Congress, TUC, Peter Esele said the
quagmire is the price Nigeria has to pay
for being a mono-economy adding that
Nigerians are yet to get the benefits of
being citizens of an oil-producing nation
in the over 50 years that the nation joined
the league of oil-producing countries in
the world.
“It is a shame that for over 50 years since
we found crude oil in Nigeria, one cannot
really get the benefit. Now that the price of
crude oil is falling we are fretting. When
the price becomes too high we will fret.
So, what really do we want? Our biggest
problem is that we are a mono-economy.
If you practice mono-economy this is
what will happen to you,” he noted.
Expressing his reservation over the
likelihood of total removal of subsidy by
the government, the former TUC boss
said the challenge before the government
is not whether or not to remove subsidy.
The challenge, according to him is
government’s justification for the
decision.
“The challenge before the government is
not whether or not to remove subsidy. The
challenge is why will ordinary Nigerians
not enjoy the benefit of the falling price of
crude oil? It is only when you are able to
tell the people that that we can begin to
talk about removing subsidy.
“With the falling price of crude how much
should a litre of PMS cost Because if the
price of PMS goes down and people in
other parts of the world are enjoying it
means that there is a fundamental
question the government must answer.
Ordinarily, you cannot remove subsidy
when the price of crude oil is falling, that
will be adding to the problem.
“The implication for the masses is that it
will be difficult for everyone. Devaluation
means more money with less purchasing
power; With a general election too we
need all the prayers and best wishes we
can get,” Esele said
Also reacting to the issue, Dr. Adebisi
Afolabi of Department of Economics,
University of Lagos said although the
current economic situation is not new to
Nigeria. He however condemned the
seeming panicky approach by the
nation’s economic managers to the devel­
opment.
“The issue to me is this: Our economic
managers are bad managers. Otherwise
why should they begin to raise people’s
anxiety within a very short period that the
prices of crude oil crashed? What has
happened to the accruals from excess
crude for a long time that the price was
favourable? They were just sharing it.
When the price of crude oil was
favourable were the masses better off?”
Adebis queried.
The development, he noted has grave
implication for the Nigerian masses
whom, according to him got little or no
benefit when the price was favourable.
“The implication is that the masses will
be impoverished the more. It means more
hardship and more sufferings for the
already impoverished people of this
country.
“The masses you are talking able about
depend solely on the government, no job,
no alternative means of eking out their
living. So how do you expect them to
wriggle their way out of the coming eco­
nomic hardship when the system has
failed to provide them with anything?” he
queried.
In his own contribution, Kehinde Okunuga,
a public analyst said an attempt by the
government to increase pump price of fuel
in the name of removing the subsidy
totally will amount to a scam. According
to Okunuga, the price of PMS going by the
current price of crude oil at international
market is N82.57k adding that the most
honourable step to be taken by the
government is to announce a further
reduction in the pump price in the
country.
“What are they subsidizing again?
Already, the price of petroleum is
N82:57k, less than N97, so, which subsidy
again? I think, the most honorable thing
that the Presidency should do is to reduce
the price of petrol with immediate effect,
not even having to wait till next year. As
for me, waiting for another week will
amount to scamming all of us and any
moment from now, if the government
does not do so humbly, all of us will force
it to be done,” he said.

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Serena Williams kick starts training for2015

Serena Williams kick-started her training
for next year in familiar style as she took
part in the the Ultimate Run South Beach
on Sunday morning.
The world No 1 was joined by her sister,
Venus, in the Miami-based event, and the
two stars then took it upon themselves to
entertain the crowds with a spot of
singing after the race,
The race, which includes either a five
kilometer or quarter marathon option, is a
fun-run benefiting the Serena Williams
Fund, which supports victims of violent
crime.
The 33-year-old made light work of the
course and was filmed on a Go pro
camera during the race.
Afterwards, the sisters had just about
enough puff left to get up on stage to
perform karaoke.
Serena got the idea to host a race after
running a 5k in Palm Beach, Florida last
Thanksgiving, she told the Miami Herald.
All money raised from Sunday’s event will
go to the Serena Williams Foundation to
help underprivileged children. ‘Every year,
I do a run for Thanksgiving, the 5K or
10K, to kick-start my training for the year,
and last year after running the 5K, I
thought, ‘Wow, I really should do my
charity based on running because it’s a
really fun way to promote a healthy
lifestyle,’ she told the Florida newspaper.
‘People love it. You can run, walk, bring
your family, it’s early in the morning. I
love karaoke, so at my race, afterward
you can go on the beach, relax, have
Gatorade and sing karaoke.
‘It definitely helps your endurance on the
court,’ she said. ‘You feel you can run so
many miles, you can last three hours,
four hours if you need to.’
She added: ‘I like running the shorter
distances, like 5K. You don’t kill your
body, but you can still feel part of the race
atmosphere.’

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DIABETES, COMPLEMENTARY ANDALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

DIABETES CORNER
By Dr Olubiyi Adesina, Consultant
Diabetologist, fbadesina@gmail.com,
08034712568
On various Television stations, Radio
stations and other media across the
country, Nigerians are being inundated
with advertorials by self styled ‘Doctors’
promoting the efficacy of certain remedies
that act as a ‘cure all’. Some of the
remedies are touted to improve libido,
cure diabetes, cure an enlarged prostate,
cancers, warts, help you to lose weight in
an almost magical manner and achieve
overall good health. Such advertorials
also include the ‘testimony’ and other
anecdotal reports from individuals who
have used such remedies. These
‘testimonies’ serve as very effective tools
to convince the unwary that he or she, irre­
spective of educational status, needs to
use such a remedy. The scientific
community needs much more proof than
what is currently made available in order
to know the truth about the safety and
efficacy of such remedies.
The presence of such alternative therapies
have quite complicated the diabetes
treatment landscape, not only by the
unproven but highly touted ‘efficacy’ of
such therapies but also by the avidity
with which numerous individuals with
diabetes in and out of Nigeria cling to
such therapies. One of the downsides of
the use of alternative therapies in Nigeria
and elsewhere is the increasing incidence
of kidney and liver failure following the
use of such alternative therapies. Most
times, the practitioners of this form of
therapy are very secretive about their
products and do not make them available
for scientific scrutiny.
Complementary therapy refers to
therapeutic and diagnostic disciplines
outside conventional medical practice
which are used alongside conventional
medicine while alternative medicine is
used instead of conventional medicine.
These two forms of therapy, though
around for decades, have gained further
ground in Nigeria in the last two decades
through widespread and unregulated
advertisement.
Individuals with diabetes must be
educated about which of such therapies
may be of some benefit and those with ab­
solutely no proven value. As evidence
becomes available to the scientific
community about the efficacy of some of
these complementary therapies, they can
then be absorbed in into the main
diabetes treatment armamentarium.
A whole wide range of complementary
therapies are currently available in
Nigeria which are expensive, of unproven
efficacy, unknown safety profile which are
being used by people with diabetes
instead of their orthodox/conventional
therapy.
It is strongly advised by healthcare
practitioners worldwide that instead of
individuals with diabetes buying expensive
dietary supplements that contain vitamins
and other micronutrients, they should
invest in eating a very balanced diet and
their conventional anti-diabetic agents.
Individuals with diabetes who wish to use
remedies aside from that prescribed by
their healthcare workers are advised to
discuss such use with their Doctors.
Majority of the proponents of alternative
therapies do not possess strong clinical
credentials and often misapply infor­
mation from scientific literature. A strong
case in point is the over celebration of
staphylococcus in Nigeria by the combi­
nation of outright falsehood and half
truths.
It is an incontrovertible fact that a lot of
conventional drugs used nowadays to
treat diabetes and other diseases are de­
rived from herbs. A vivid example is
Metformin which is the most used anti-
diabetic drug worldwide which was
derived from French lilac plant, a
traditional remedy for the disease. The
onus is thus on herbal practitioners in
Nigeria and elsewhere to make their
products available for scientific proof.
Before the efficacy and safety of currently
used herbal remedies are proven
scientifically, one can only advise that
such remedies are taken with a pinch of
salt.
Orthodox medical practitioners must
make it a point of duty to ask individuals
with diabetes that they attend to whether
they use any form of complementary or
alternative therapy, especially in those
whose blood sugar level control is poor.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, one
must again say that the safety of these
alternative therapies is a serious cause
for concern.
For now, it is still good to keep an open
mind about these therapies as they may
be proven in the future to be effective and
safe, but until then, one will strongly
advice that individuals with diabetes stick
with their orthodox medications. The
burden of scientific proof rests with the
practitioners of these therapies.

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The massacre in Pakistan

Last week, a squad of six Talibans
stormed an Army-run school in
Peshawar, Pakistan, and slaughtered 141
persons, 132 of them schoolchildren.
Doctors said the children, some as young
as five years, were all shot either in the
head or the chest. Afghan Taliban cruelty
seems to have risen to incredible heights
since the ascendancy of its new leader,
Maulana Fazlullah who, like Boko
Haram’s Abubakar Shekau, glories in
ruthless bloodletting.
A shocked world expectedly expressed
revulsion. From Britain, Prime Minister
David Cameron condemned the
“horrifying targeting of children.” The
United States President, Barack Obama,
remarked that the Taliban has once more
displayed its depravity.
We commend the people of Peshawar
who have bravely defied the threats of the
Taliban and gathered to honour the
victims with flowers and mementos.
Nigerians know what this sad incident
feels like because the Pakistani Taliban
and the Nigerian Boko Haram are two
sides of the same coin. They are one and
the same in bloodthirstiness and
psychopathic violence. Indeed, Boko
Haram is known also as the Nigerian
Taliban. Both sides share the same
antipathy to Western education. It is,
therefore, not surprising they attacked the
school.
We understand the pain and anguish of
the Pakistani people. They have had to
bear previous, numerous Taliban
bloodshed, but the peculiarity of this case
is that most Pakistanis could not reconcile
Taliban politics with the massacre of in­
nocent children. All the signs and protests
seem to indicate they are not taking this
massacre lying low at all, and agitation
for revenge has almost begun.
There is a sign that the Pakistani
government, in a fit of anger, has now
lifted a moratorium on death sentences by
which more than 500 Taliban terrorists
might soon be executed. Much as this
might assuage some feelings and look
like the Talibans’ just recompense for
their dastardly act, we urge the Pakistanis
to reflect deeply on this move. Policy
change at a time of emotional upset is
never rational.
Taliban watchers seem unanimous that
the group has been in a state of rage
owing to its recent reverses on the
battlefield. It is lashing out hard to show
that it is still capable of causing as much
damage as it wishes. The answer to that
is that the Pakistani Army should not re­
lent. Indeed, the massacre of those
innocent children should serve as an
impetus to move more strongly against
the Taliban with a view to finally seeing to
its final destruction or disbandment.
Thus, the backlash from the Peshawar
massacre of innocent persons seems to
have released vital energies against the
Taliban. As one Pakistani put it, “the
mood of the entire nation toward the Tali­
ban was always of hatred, but there was
an element of fear attached to it. This
time, after they killed our children, the
anger and sorrow have deepened so
much that the fear has been eliminated.
Every Pakistani is angry enough to forget
the fear of the Taliban. Everyone is
demanding action against them.”
We sympathise with the people and
government of Pakistan on this horrible
incident. The excesses of the Taliban and
by extension, Boko Haram, may finally be
their undoing. Many Pakistanis who had
on religious grounds been tolerant of the
jihadists now seem totally against them.
The same reaction greeted the Boko
Haram attack on the Kano Central
Mosque where it killed 120 Muslim
worshippers. Like all totalitarian and
extremist organisations in history, they
will eventually be destroyed by their own
internal contradictions. It is only a matter
of time.

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Growing up in the ghetto made me –Ruth Kadiri

For actress, script writer and movie
maker, Ruth Kadiri, it’s a story of grass to
grace. Kadiri, who grew up in Africa’s
largest ghetto, Ajegunle, but who ended
up becoming a screen goddess recently
shared her story with The Entertainer.
Excerpts:
SOME PEOPLE SAY YOU ARE A BETTER
WRITER THAN AN ACTRESS, WHAT IS
YOUR TAKE?
In my opinion, it is not right for me to
judge my works. I appreciate every talent
that I have; both acting and writing. They
are uniquely different. I don’t see myself
comparing them in any way. It is my duty
to do my job and it is their duty to analyze
it.
WHEN YOU STARTED OUT, DID YOU EVER
SEE YOURSELF COMING THIS FAR?
Yes.
HAS THERE BEEN A COMMENT THAT HIT
YOU REAL HARD YOU BROKE DOWN IN
TEARS?
No, not yet. I have never had that
experience and I pray that it doesn’t get to
that level.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO KISS AN ACTOR
WITH BAD BREATH ON SET?
I hardly kiss in movies.
WHICH ACTOR WOULD YOU SAY HAS
GIVEN YOU YOUR BEST KISS EVER?
(Laughter) Are you kidding me? I don’t
know. There is no personal attachment
when you kiss in a movie; I still don’t
know why people don’t understand that
there is no attachment when it comes to
kissing in a film.
YOU RECENTLY FLAUNTED YOUR RANGE
ROVER SPORT. WHAT SPURRED THAT
MOVE?
No! I did not; I am not that kind of a
person. If you go to my Instagram page,
you will not find it there. I don’t even
know where or how they got that picture.
It was just a presumption from a blogger
that turned out to be true; I don’t post
pictures of my car online.
SO, PRESUMPTION WAS RIGHT JUST AS
THEY PRESUMED THAT THE GUY WITH
YOU WAS YOUR BOYFRIEND…
No, he is not my boyfriend! Are you
kidding me? Oh my God! I don’t even
have the strength. He is just a friend;
somebody I have known for like forever.
ARE YOU CURRENTLY IN A
RELATIONSHIP?
Yes
DO YOU HAVE ANY MARRIAGE PLANS?
Hopefully, we will get there by the grace
of God.
I AM SURE YOUR FANS WOULD WANT
TO KNOW…
I am a woman. I don’t know when the
proposal….
BUT WHO IS YOUR IDEAL MAN?
Every woman wants a good man; every
woman wants a God-fearing man.
BUT WHAT’S YOUR WISH LIST, THERE
MUST BE SOMETHING YOU REALLY,
REALLY DESIRE?
I want somebody who would respect me.
SO, WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF
SUCCESS?
Success is getting to a point where you
are comfortable with what you have and
who you are.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE
NEXT FIVE YEARS?
I am running a production company
called Ruth Kadiri Productions and hoping
that in five years’ time, it would be a
household name and I am hoping that
Ruth Kadiri will become a brand. I see
myself as someone who inspires people
and I hope that I don’t disappoint them.
HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU INTEND TO
HAVE?
Maybe two…
BUT YOU LOVE KIDS. I WAS HOPING
YOU’D SAY LIKE 10 OR SOMETHING IN
THAT NEIGHBOURHOOD?
No! Loving kids does not mean you have
to have many of them.
YOU ADORE UCHE JUMBO, WHAT DO
YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT HER?
I think she is the most hardworking and
sincere person I know especially in this
industry. She is someone who is ready to
tutor you and I’m somebody who doesn’t
listen. For a colleague who could pick up
somebody and dust her up and don’t give
up on her no matter what speaks
volumes. That is a strength I know I don’t
have and I appreciate her so much for
that.
YOU’RE HONEST WITH THE FACT THAT
YOU’RE SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T
LISTEN. TELL US HOW THAT PLAYED
OUT WHILE GROWING UP?
I believe that every child who hopes to be
independent must always have a mind of
its own. And I also know that in being
independent, not everybody will agree
with you. Mind you, having a mind of your
own means that you must be able to
define yourself. Like I said earlier, not
everybody will agree with you so if I
agree with you, you have to make me see
reasons with you. If I don’t, then sorry!
independent, not everybody will
AND HOW DID THAT PLAY OUT WITH
YOUR DAD, YOU KNOW, YOUR PARENTS?
My dad is a very patient person and he is
a complete gentleman; he never raised his
hand on me.
NEVER? A NIGERIAN FATHER?
Yeah. He never did but my mum, hmmm…
(Laughter).
HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATIONS SKILLS IMPACTED
YOUR ACTING?
I’m a businesswoman; I producing my
own films now and I also run a clothes
line called KR.
WERE YOU BORN WITH AT SILVER
SPOON?
No! Does anybody think that?
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD?
Even as a child, I knew what I wanted to
be. In my bedroom then I had these
picture of what I would be when I turn 18.
I did a write up that when I turn 18, I
would rent my own house. And my dad
came by and saw it and he was like
‘where are you going by 18? Are you
thinking about school?’ I was like ‘Dad, I
want to be able to rent my own house and
make my own money when I am 18.’ He
just laughed it off but I think that decision
helped me; the desire to want to make
your own money the right way helped me.
When you grow up as a child in Ajegunle,
it’s either it’s lost on you or it helps you
find your way. Right now, there are so
many mistakes that I can’t make. I see a
lot of girls making certain mistakes that I
don’t see myself ever making today. If I
could discipline myself from childhood,
then I should have a high level of
resilience today. And then, growing up in
the slum helps you to define yourself and
it is either you are defined or you’re not.
I READ SOMEWHERE THAT A FEMALE
LECTURER ONCE ASKED YOU OUT. IS
THAT TRUE? COULD YOU RELIEVE THE
EXPERIENCE?
Yes.
BUT THERE WAS ALSO A DENIAL TO
THAT CLAIM…
Somebody denied it? No! I have never.
Hmmm… Okay, I was in school then. At
first she took special interest in me and
she was like ‘oh Ruth, you came to class
today? Oh Ruth, you look like this and
you look like that.’ In fact, the first time I
wrote her paper she saw me and she was
like ‘hmmm… you look familiar.’ And I
said ‘No.’ Buts she was like ‘what are you
even writing?’ You know that kind of
interest, and later she added, ‘come and
look me up in school.’ In fact, she knew
the day that I was admitted to school and
knew my scores. And then, one day, I
think I missed her test or something like
that and then I went to her office and she
told me to take a seat opposite her and
then she and she moved her legs and she
was like doing what do they call it? I was
pushing my chair backward and she was
like ‘where are you going, listen to me!’ I
was like ‘ah!’
DID YOU RUN OUT OF THE OFFICE
EVENTUALLY OR DID YOU JUST SAY NO?
No, I didn’t say no…
WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOU THAT
ATTRACTED HER TO YOU?
I don’t know.
SO, HOW DID YOU COPE?
I just started avoiding her. I knew her
daughter so I went straight to make friend
with her.
WHAT COULD MAKE RUTH KADIRI CRY?
(Laughs). I think I am very emotional-o.
Anything could make me cry.
THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED, WHAT
TRIGGERED IT?
It was something hurtful.
CAN YOU GIVE US SOMETHING
SPECIFIC?
When was the last time I cried? Guess
what, I cry so much that I don’t even
know what makes me cry these days?
DO YOU CRY WHEN SEEING A MOVIE?
Yea! I cry when I watch myself cry in a
movie.
RUTH KADIRI, DO YOU HAVE TATTOOS?
IF NO, WHY?
No! I don’t, I just don’t like them-o.
A TATTOO WILL SIT WELL ON YOUR
ARMS SO WHY DON’T YOU LIKE
TATTOOS?
I am indifferent about tattoos but I don’t
just like the idea of having one on my
body.
YOU DON’T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH
PEOPLE HAVING TATTOOS, DO YOU?
No! But when it is too much I have a
problem. If you have tattoo it is okay as
long as you can handle it.
YOU DON’T SEE YOURSELF TATTOOING
YOUR LOVER’S NAME ACROSS YOUR
BACK ANYTIME SOON, DO YOU?
Haba! Let me ask you a question. Did it
favour all those that did it? Why should I
go and do the same thing (laughter)?
WHAT IF HE DECIDES TO TATTOO YOU
ON HIS BODY? WHAT WOULD BE YOUR
TAKE?
Who will date a man that would want to
tattoo you on his body?
SO, YOU WON’T DATE A MAN WITH
TATTOOS?
I didn’t say that-o.
BUT YOU DON’T DRINK AND CLUB AND
DO STUFFS LIKE THAT…
Ah, I drink alcohol-o.
A PHOTO OF YOU CLUTCHING YOUR
BOOBS HAS GONE VIRAL ON SOCIAL
MEDIA. WAS IT A PUBLICITY STUNT?
Guess what, the funny thing is that
anytime I want to take a photo, I just find
out that my hands are drifting
unconsciously towards my boobs. But
that, picture is causing a lot of
controversy, hmmm…I don’t know-o.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR
FAVORITE PART OF YOUR BODY?
I don’t know. I love every part of my body
but probably, my head; yeah, that is my
favourite part.
I READ SOMEWHERE ONLINE WHERE
YOU CLAIMED THAT A PARTICULAR
STALKER TRACED YOU TO YOUR
CHURCH BUT ENDED UP GETTING
CONVERTED. AND THEN, THERE WAS
THIS OTHER STORY OF A FEMALE
LECTURER MAKING ADVANCES AT YOU.
DON’T YOU THINK THAT IT IS YOUR
FAULT THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE AFTER
YOU BECAUSE YOU GIVE THEM SIGNALS
THAT MAKE THEM COME AFTER YOU?
DO YOU SWING BOTH WAYS?
You see, that was the first time it has ever
happened but wait a minute, are you
kidding me? Swing both ways? If you visit
Unilag any day, you’ll notice that there are
certain dresses that are allowed there. My
favorite dress was a pair of jeans trousers
and a top. What signal will somebody
wearing a pair of jeans trousers and a top
send? I hardly make up. I had to make-up
because I was coming to meet you guys.
YOU GREW UP IN THE GHETTO. TO WHAT
EXTENT HAS THE GHETTO MOULDED
YOU INTO THE PERSON YOU ARE
TODAY?
Coming from the ghetto helps you make
certain decisions. For instance, lots of
girls are doing hard drugs like heroin,
marijuana, ecstasy, crack and cocaine
today. I am not a judge but coming from
where I grew up, I couldn’t engage in
such things because I grew up in a place
where smoking and sniffing of hard drugs
was the norm. It didn’t influence me back
then so I don’t see anybody or anything
influencing me right now. I think growing
up in the ghetto helps you; it has helped
me tremendously. A lot of people had to
make mistakes before learning their
lessons; I grew up in the mistakes. Now
the question is, if I was able to chart my
course through all that, wouldn’t it be
difficult to find myself ending up a victim
today?
I HAVE THIS FEELING THAT RUTH IS A
GOOD GIRL. HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN A
GOOD GIRL?
No, I am not a good girl and I am not a
bad girl either. What makes one a good
girl by the way?
HAVE YOU DONE ANYTHING THAT YOU
ARE NOT PROUD OF?
We all have. But I don’t regret anything; I
don’t think I regret anything.

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30 Days In Atlanta is Nigeria’s highestgrossing film –Guy Murray-Bruce

After two months of showing at cinemas
across the country and making a whop­
ping N85 million, 30 Days In Atlanta, a
movie produced by top comedian, Ayo
Makun popularly known as AY, has been
pronounced as Nigeria’s highest grossing
film ever.
According to Mr. Guy Murray-Bruce,
Executive Director, Silverbird Distribution,
the movie raked in N85 million only in
eight weeks, which made it the highest
grossing film in Nigeria. “That it is N85
million is quite impressive for a Nol­
lywood film and we are so proud of AY.
We hope he produces more movies in the
nearest future,” he enthused.
The Muray Bruce-led Silverbird Film
Distribution has contributed immensely to
the development of Nigerian film industry
globally known as Nollywood. Since its
inception in 2007, the company has
released different genres of movies in­
cluding Hollywood, Bollywood and
Nollywood blockbusters.
Speaking on their achievements so far,
Ms Rosana Hart, Business Manager,
Silverbird Film Distribution, says 2014
has been a remarkable year for the
organization, with the release of
Hollywood movies like Think Like A Man
Too, Amazing Spider Man and The
Equalizer to mention a few. “Also, there
have been some great Nollywood releases
such as Knocking on Heaven’s Door,
Single, Married And Complicated 2, Being
Mrs. Elliot, A Place In The Stars, and
recently released 30 Days in Atlanta, a
movie that has topped box office charts
across the country, grossing an
impressive N85 million since its theatrical
release on October 31, 2014,” she said.
Described as a hilarious and roller
coaster twists, 30 Days In Atlanta is
based on a popular comic character,
Akpors, who is known for his display of
naivety and astuteness with grains of
truth in his act. The movie is a perfect
blend of Nollywood and Hollywood stars
starring the likes of Vivica Fox, Karlie
Redd and Lynn Whitefield. Others include
Richard Mofe-Damijo, Mercy Johnson,
Ramsey Nouah, Desmond Elliot and
comedian Ayo Makun (AY) as the lead
actor.
“30 Days In Atlanta is still in cinemas,
and if we extrapolate our data judging by
exit poll from cinema lovers, perfor­
mances and screen averages, the movie
might as well gross over N100 million
after Christmas,” Mr. Moses Babatope,
Executive Director, Filmhouse Cinemas
said.
Going by the figures made available by
Uwem Jacobs, West Africa Agent for
United International Pictures, South
Africa, Kunle Afolayan’s Figurine is
estimated to have grossed N20 million
while Through The Glass, a film produced
by Stephanie Okereke, grossed only N10
million in 2008. In 2010, Ije, starring top
acts like Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and
Genevieve Nnaji, raked in N57 million and
this year, two blockbusters, Half Of A
Yellow Sun and October 1 grossed an
impressive N60 million and N50 million
respectively.
To Miss Hart, the current milestones in
Nollywood confirms the belief of Mr. Ben
Murray-Bruce, President, Silverbird Group
that Nigerians would celebrate their
identity by supporting indigenous films in
the cinemas.
She said: “We are quite pleased with the
box office record set by 30 Days In
Atlanta and are very optimistic about the
possibilities of our local titles achieving
more successes in future. However, like
30 Days In Atlanta, we also expect
Lancelot Imasuen’s historical epic, Inva­
sion 1897, and Emem Isong’s
Champagne, which are currently showing
at cinemas, to turn out box office hits.”

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2015: Abia youths vow to vote out PDP

A bia Youths for Change, Lagos Chapter
has condemned the December 8, 2014
governorship primary in the state that
produced Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu as the
party’s flagbearer for the 2015 election,
and vowed to vote against the party if the
result was not reversed.
While speaking with journalists on
Saturday, the youths alleged that the
primary was marred with irregularities
and accused the state governor of im­
posing his choice, Ikpeazu on the party
against the people’s choice, Dr. Samson
Uchechukwu Ogah.
According to the President of the group,
Ikenna James, and the National President
of Ohafia Youths, Engr. Ukariwe Ajike
Godwin, delegates to the primary were
‘fake’ as they were selected by the
governor.
“The supposed delegates were fake as
they were chosen by the governor.
They were kept in governor’s house for
72hours and their phones seized so they
could vote for the governor’s choice.
Police and military men without army
badge and names were used to beat
people,” they claimed.
They added: “We are not pleased with the
outcome of the primary, so we want it
declared null and void. President Jona­
than should look into Abia’s case or else
we would mobilise Abians against PDP in
2015. Ikpeazu is not the people’s choice.”
The secretary of the group, Chima Joel
and its Public Relations Officer, PRO
Nnenna Kalu said the youths in the state
would defend their votes against PDP in
2015 with their blood, adding that they
might resort to legal action to press their
demands.
“Abia is the worst governed state in
Nigeria. Ikpeazu means the last person in
Igbo language. The youths are yearning
for change in Abia but the governor wants
to bring somebody who will not perform
like him.
We are crying for Abia and we are ready
to defend our votes against PDP with our
blood if PDP fails to present the people’s
choice. The president should drop Ikpeazu
if he wants our votes,” they threatened.
Children cutting the cake at the Christmas
party/carol of the Four Square Gospel
Church, Haruna, Lagos.

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Jonathan hijacked – Paul Unongo

D eputy Chairman of the Northern Elders
Forum, NEF, Dr. Paul Unongo has warned
that there would be chaos in Nigeria in
2015.
“For the sake of Nigeria and those of you
who publish correctly, you need to advise
the people who are running Jonathan that
in the interest of Nigeria, they should
guarantee us. When we vote them out
they shouldn’t try to remain in power.
They will overheat the system”, Unongo, a
People’s Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain
from Benue State warned, adding: “
Everybody is behaving as if the world
would come to an end if Jonathan is not
President, it is much more likely that
Nigeria’s world would come to an end if
Jonathan is elected President because he
has demonstrated no capacity to run this
country.
“Jonathan has been hijacked by people
telling him that they own the oil wells in
Nigeria. As a leader, he has shown no
qualities that would warrant his insistence
to become a leader for another four years
because another four years of what we
have in Nigeria today will break up this
nation or will lead, at my old age, having
read history, to conflicts similar to the
Biafran conflict. And it will be senseless.
It is simple. Let’s have free and fair
elections,” the former minister said.
He described President Goodluck
Jonathan as an incompetent leader who
lacks the capacity to run the affairs of
Nigeria and warned the press to stop
trivializing such incompetence. “This
young man is just not competent. You
people want this young man to push us
into war to start killing ourselves again.
People don’t know the seriousness of the
game these young men are playing with
Nigeria. On the indices of performance,
can we say Jonathan can continue?,” he
asked.
In this interview, the ex-minister took a
long look at the match of the Nigerian
nation state from inception till date and
concluded that Nigeria has become more
primitive than any other primitive country
in the world. He blamed the elite for the
slide into primitiveness and declared that
Nigeria is now “a dead, sleep walking
nation”.
He also spoke of what he described as the
theology of the Major Gideon Orkar coup
that was to excise some parts of the North
from Nigeria, among other national
issues.
Excerpts:
A lot of things have happened in this
country. Some would say Nigeria is
making progress; but how would you
assess the present state of the nation?
I would like to say I remember you. You in­
terviewed me many years back and you
published me correctly. I am very happy
to talk to you about Nigeria which is my
constituency. It’s the only place I hang
on. It’s the only hope I have in this world
and I don’t want to leave for any other
place. I am 79 years old now. So I love
this country. It’s the only country I have.
So, I promise you as I promised you then
that I will tell you the truth as I feel it, as I
see it. It depends on how you define the
word progress. Nigeria has made
progress as it has more people registered.
We are about 175 million human beings
now, from about 30 million when we
started. That is progress. Nigeria didn’t
have as many buildings as we have
today. We have huge fantastic structures.
If you look at that, you will think this
country has really developed. We have
gone through some kinds of
democratisation from colonialism where
we owed allegiance to the crown in
Britain, the UK. Today, we can pretend
that we are an independent state. Thanks
to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Rt. Hon. Dr.
Nnamdi Azikiwe, and the Sardauna of
Sokoto. They bequeathed to us a nation
state that we confused. Nation state is a
political statement and it is a political,
scientific statement that defined what we
are supposed to be-a multi-ethnic, multi-
national country that respected the
idiosyncracies of the various components
that make the Republic of Nigeria as we
became known. And the founding fathers
were very clear. Chief Awolowo
articulated this in terms of his federalism.
And it was very clear that this is what was
intended for this country. Within that
context, yes, Nigeria is no longer a
colonial country. We messed ourselves up.
We got into a funny civil war that cost us
two million men. At the end of it, we
reconciled beyond anybody’s wildest
imagination. No country has gone into
civil war and reconciled the way Nigeria
did in the shortest time possible. For it to
make Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe contest
the presidency of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria in 1979, just eight years after the
war, I think Nigeria is great. He was Igbo.
And the heart of Biafra was Igbo. So,
there are so many good things about
Nigeria. In those days, we talked about
the potentials, the economic development
of Nigeria, structurally. We may not have
liked it, but there are some elements of
manufacturing without electricity. There
are elements of a few things we used to
import that are now done in Nigeria. So,
you can say even economically, all the
things impact on the people and the well
being of the people. Nigeria has done well.
But in Africa and in developing countries,
like India, Malaysia and Singapore,
development in terms of your question,
started at the same time with these
countries. India became a nation state
from Britain in 1947. Pakistan was born
in 1947. Today, India is one of the most
technologically advanced nation states. It
has nuclear power. It has the Atomic
Bomb, so does Pakistan. They were all
colonies. They have their own problems,
but they manufacture everything they
need, including aircraft put together
during the era of the Nehrus of this world.
If you go to Malaysia now, we started the
same time with them, Ceylon and the rest
of them. In fact, Singapore came here and
imported our palm fruits and today, they
are technologically more advanced than
us. They have settled. They are now
developed to the extent that we go to them
and import technology into Nigeria. What
has happened to Nigeria? I think when
Nigerians talks about development,
without mincing words, they ought to talk
about economics. When I finished
secondary school, there was no university
in Northern Nigeria. We went to the
“highest institution” then. It was then
called Nigerian College of Arts, Science
and Technology located in Zaria. It
became later, by the wisdom of Sir
Ahmadu Bello, the Ahmadu Bello
University. That was the highest
institution. I was the first Middle Belter to
teach anywhere in the university. I also
taught at the University of Lagos where I
founded the Department of Psychology
with a few friends and I was the Head.
They couldn’t believe I was from the
North and I was. So, they said I was a
crazy man. Today from my part of Nigeria
which is the Middle Belt, that is within
northern region, I think there are
hundreds of thousands of graduates. So,
if you want to talk about progress and
numbers in education, Nigeria has done it.
If you want to talk about more
manufactured goods that we never used
to have, that we imported from Britain,
Nigeria has done it. So, I believe that your
question is located to Nigeria as a nation.
It is the political life of Nigeria where I do
not believe we have done much. I believe
we have messed this country up, we the
educated elite. And anywhere in the world,
it is the educated elite that determine and
decide the direction of the nation state. In
the time of the Awolowos, it was also the
elite. Even during the military regimes, the
elite military officers that determined the
fate of Nigeria, resolved we should fight a
civil war and we fought a civil war behind
them. In fact, Gowon was just 29. Ojukwu
was 30+, about 32. They were the young
elite. So, it was not a matter of youth. It is
an attitude that has destroyed this country
and this attitude has made me so sad
that it has come out more emphatically
under the present administration which is
the attitude of absolute insensitivity. To
real issues, to human beings, to issues of
development, to issues that are critical,
we take them seem as if nothing is
happening. Within
that context, Nigeria has become more
primitive than any other primitive country
I have seen in the world. In fact, it has
become so bad that one wonders and ask
questions at my level, at my age. When I
have to reflect, sometimes I wonder, were
we right? Did we know what we were
doing when we were fighting the
whiteman? When we were fighting the
soldiers? When we got beaten up and got
sent to jail. The whiteman thought we
were inferior to him, the Ziks, Awos and
Sardaunas of Nigeria answered the call.
We were like the second eleven, the
youths in school rallied around them and
we had patriotism. The only thing I have
seen in Nigeria today is impunity. There is
also insensitivity, lack of care. We don’t
believe we owe any human being anything
for being Nigerian. There is nothing in this
country that stimulates somebody’s trust
in the nation state to warrant him to say I
will sacrifice my life.
My daughter has just come from youth
service which I helped in establishing. She
went to Zamfara. Now, I am saying why
should I allow my daughter to go to
Zamfara? For this Nigeria that I see that
doesn’t think about her? That doesn’t
plan for her; that is insensitive, where
small girls like her are abducted? We
laugh, we throw parties, we dance at
political party rallies and we are the
leaders of Nigeria? A ragtag army like
Boko Haram had come here before.
Others were in charge. They dealt with it.
Now, this thing is laying siege to the
greatest African nation state on earth, the
greatest nation with the largest number of
black human beings and geniuses. And
our ingenuity was revealed during our
civil war, if nothing else. The ingenuity
that was revealed during the civil war on
the side of Biafra was staggering; on the
side of Nigeria it was also staggering
among the Federalists. This country went
and organized Congo when there was
total chaos there.
This country went and fought, physically
against Charles Taylor and saved Sierra
Leone. This country even during
Obasanjo’s regime, saved Equatorial
Guinea which couldn’t do anything about
a coup. This same Nigerian Army made
Liberia a country. This Army has been so
bastardized that it cannot face a ragtag
army that say they are religious
extremists. And they are laying claim to
Nigerian territory and the response we
have is that I must be President forever.
We must dance Owambe.
So what do you think is the problem?
I think Nigeria has not developed. I think
we have gone backwards. And this is the
heart, this is the nucleus, this is where the
life of the nation state is. Nigeria, to me, is
a dead, sleep walking nation. It is as if
somebody put opium on the rest of us. We
are watching this destruction unfolding
and nobody talks. It is as if we have been
hypnotized. And when you try to talk,
everybody pounces on you. You hate the
President. Oh you are a Muslim. Oh you
don’t like Christians to be President. I am
just answering the first part of your
question. You asked my opinion about
how developed Nigeria is and I am telling
you that Nigeria has gone nowhere.
Nigeria has matched backwards. We are
now tribalists. You are an Ijaw man. It is
our oil. I don’t drink oil and I don’t give a
damn. Oil has brought disaster to Nigeria.
Nigeria was a great country when we
were selling our beniseed, hides and skin,
groundnuts and developing Nigeria. To­
day, there is so much money, there is so
much stealing, there is so much
devastation and there is so much
insensitivity in the system. Nigerians that
loved themselves so much don’t exist.
What kind of society is that?
How did we get to where we are now?
We got to this stage because one,
Nigerians developed a thick skin and
became insensitive themselves. And then
there is this national effort by people who
usurped power. First, the military usurped
power and they tried to force everybody to
see things their way. If you didn’t, they
killed you or locked you up. Some of us
were lucky. We were locked up, but God
intervened and we were not killed. We got
close to being killed when we were falsely
accused of doing a coup. How can a
civilian do a coup during a military
regime? But it happened because nobody
spoke. I don’t know when Nigerians
became such cowards. And I don’t know
when Nigerians became people that
depended on government to get food.
Everybody is saying no, no ,no, you can’t
talk. If you talk, you won’t eat. My child is
going to school, I can’t pay school fees.
When did this happen? When did this
acceptance of bestial irresponsibility
happen? We think we are hoping that we
will develop a set of values where our
children will learn how to evaluate
themselves. Then suddenly, this
disappeared. This came in punitive way
which has reached its height under the
present administration. Impunity started
from corruption. Nobody asked anyone
how wealth was acquired. If someone
would just be dashing people hundreds of
thousands, nobody would ask questions.
Don’t we have a system? Can this sustain
the economy of a nation? Why so much
money? Why is this money concentrated
in the hands of a few people? Why not the
majority? There are no amenities. There
are no social services. How come the
ones in government don’t look at it as
service? How come going into governance
means going to make money? And this
again has reached its peak during this
administration. Then there’s this idea of
my own; I want my own to be there. Ni­
geria became a country where some of us
have had to re-learn to say well, I come
from the North. I have never talked about
coming from the North. I talked about just
being a Nigerian. But I now talk very
vocally about coming from the North
because I can see I am educated. I can
see what has been done to the North,
structurally at governmental level.
I feel I should come in at this point. From
your analysis of the Nigerian situation so
far, there is a turn around in the attitude
of our leaders towards governance. But
the last time I spoke with you, you
sounded different. Why do you feel
differently?
There is no turn around. You didn’t study
me properly. I have written books.
You supported President Jonathan then,
but now…
That is what I mean, but I have not turned
around.
Now, you are pro another…
I am not for anybody. I am for justice, fair
play and honesty. Try to be honest in
government with the people. Try to serve
the people. Try to develop the people. Try
to be fair before you steal all. This
government is just stealing too much.
This government is too insensitive. This
government doesn’t want anybody to
criticize them. Why did we criticize the
British? They locked us up but we
survived. Why did we criticize the
military? We did so because we wanted a
democratic set up. The so called
democratic set up has come and we
cannot criticize with all your knowledge,
with all your eyes wide open, you are
seeing this kleptomania. You can’t talk
about it. And people are cowards. They
say let’s just give everybody opportunity,
we minorities. Jonathan rode on the back
of people like me from the Middle Belt. We
were preaching minority politics, that the
majority has been cheating us too much.
Now, we have a minority person; at least
he has suffered,so when he goes there,
he would develop Nigeria because the
minorities have kept Nigeria together. We
were the people who joined our hands; we
even fought more to keep Nigeria one. So
here is our son. I was excited. Here is a
university man, a teacher, a lecturer like
Umaru Yar’Adua whom I knew very well.
He came from my school, Keffi and I
knew he would do well. And when God
took him away and I heard that the next
person is a minority person who is also a
university person, I was very excited. I
remember I wrote Jonathan a letter. I
also remember what I told Jonathan
when he came to Makurdi. I was selected
by the governor of the state and by that
time he was not swallowed up by
Jonathan in the game that they are
playing with Nigeria. He told Jonathan
that this is the father of this state. This is
the father that will speak on our behalf
and I did. I do not think that Jonathan has
forgotten what I said. I told him he didn’t
need to come back here, we will vote for
him. He represented hope. He represents
us who have been feeling that after the
British and all these single-handedness of
the military, here is a person who comes
from the small people that were never
empowered. So, we would use power with
restraint, we will restructure Nigeria to be
patriotic. And I said please let us come to
a sovereign national conference, redesign
Nigeria the way you want Nigeria so that
for once Nigerians can be honest to say
we the people of Nigeria give to ourselves
this constitution and we are prepared to
support him and we supported him. And
when there were hiccups, after our son
from the North died, there were a lot of
hiccups about his successor and we
stood firm with Jonathan to take over and
he took over. And when Jonathan took
over, somehow the accusations that the
majority, the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa people
used to level against the minorities,
Jonathan started showing them.
Jonathan suddenly ended up becoming an
Ijaw man. He was captured by a clique
that was so nationalistic, the ones we
dealt with like Tam David West. They
relegated those people to the background,
brought young men that were militants. I
like militancy. I was a militant too. So we
thought we are going to have progress,
they concentrated on fighting Nigeria
because Nigeria, supposedly, stole their
oil. Which is their oil? This thing got to
Jonathan’s head and he left Nigeria and
joined his group. He became an Ijaw man.
And Ijaws didn’t bring him to power. We
did and we thought he would give us
leadership. And then the second factor
was that Jonathan appeared to be a
Christian and the Christian elements that
were always feeling that no Christian ever
comes from the North or anywhere by
their own choosing to become the
President, said since Umaru was dead
and Jonathan is a Christian, we
Christians will rally around him. I am
talking from the point of view of the
Christians now. I have noticed now that
everyone who felt so strong about
Jonathan don’t feel that way anymore. He
disappointed Christians of Nigeria by his
utterances, his behavior that appears so
insensitive. How can small children be
abducted from their parents and taken
away by criminals. Their fathers are
weeping, their mothers are crying. And
they are weeping up till six months now
and Jonathan was playing politics and
wants to be re-elected. This is the seventh
month since the Chibok girls were
abducted. Our Christian brother Jonathan
has many advisers, including me that
may have resolved this issue. It became a
political thing. That somebody gets into
power, learns how to use the instruments
of power, including the coercive forces of
the nation state of Nigeria to perpetuate
himself in power. Is that not why we
fought the British? Is that not why we
fought the military? Is that not what Jona­
than has become now? He must be
President for life because of Ijaw’s oil.
Ijaw’s oil is located in their land, the one
that has been developed. But is Jonathan
aware that most of the oil, the one that
has been found in Nigeria is off-shore in
the territorial waters of Nigeria. I am not
getting into any argument. In International
Law what exists anywhere and
everywhere in the whole world, is that the
extent of territorial waters of a nation and
a nation state, including Nigeria is
determined by the land mass of that
nation. The region that joins two other
regions to form the nation state of Nigeria
is called Northern Nigeria. It has three-
quarters of the land mass of Nigeria.
It’s like you are using the utterances of a
few people to…
Please listen to me. I am not using the
utterances of other people. How has he
reacted to them? I have too much
knowledge and I have too much
information at my disposal. I am not a
kid. I have been active in politics all my
life, except the short spell I taught at the
university, I have never worked for
anybody except myself. And I have just
sat down to do nothing but to write
constitutions for Nigeria and argue for Ni­
geria. So, I know what I am talking about.
You are a leader and people dominate
you and you don’t extricate yourself from
them and you allow your utterances to
guide your behavior, you are as guilty as
charged. Let me just give you an example,
because I am not usually vocal, I don’t go
around preaching what is wrong, when
you ask for my reaction to it, I give it.
Let’s take a simple thing like choosing
people to go to the so- called place I
described as a place Jonathan was giving
money to his friends to help him to drum
up support for him to be President of
Nigeria. Who are those so much qualified
than people like me who started writing
constitutions for this country since 1957?
And I served on committees with people
like Ben Nwabueze, Chief Rotimi Williams
and I came through all constitutions, all
conferences in this country that were
written. I was invited to participate in all
of them. And I think I participated in all
except one, including that of Abacha’s
that ended in 1994. There, I was right at
the top of arranging the type of Nigeria we
want, the type of institutions we want and
how we can make these institutions
strong. I have always been there. As a
man with this type of experience, I am still
alive. Jonathan knows me. He is a much
younger brother. In fact, I can call him my
son because at 79 I am Jonathan’s
father. I am not a Nigerian that minces
words. My Nephew whom I adopted is 60.
I am 79. So, Jonathan is my son. Why
would Jonathan be inviting people; he
came to Benue, the governor showed
deference, called me to speak. The Tiv
nation is a major nation in Nigeria. We
are the fourth largest in population and
when there is crisis in this country, the
contributions to the second world war; in
fact, in the first and second world wars,
the Tiv people were there. Our
contribution was critical to the British.
And in the Nigeria civil war, our
contribution was absolutely necessary. It
was a factor in the war turning in favour
of the federalists and I was vocal. I was
with Gowon throughout. I gave all kinds
of advices that were implemented.
Jonathan is old enough to know that. If
Jonathan wants the Tiv people to be
represented in a discussion, the first Tiv
man to teach in a university is alive and is
articulate and has participated in
designing all kinds of things and going
overseas to represent Nigeria, I was not
qualified? Why? The Ijaw people that were
around Jonathan told him I was his
enemy. He came to Benue and they told
him this is the father of our place, he
would talk on our behalf, including the
governor of our state, what I told
Jonathan we would do we did . We, the
Tiv people, when we make a statement,
real Tiv people, when we make a
commitment, we stay there and we put
our blood to the commitment. We have
stayed with Jonathan and Jonathan
decided that in the type of conference he
wanted, Paul Unongo was not qualified.
And yet this conference was going to talk
about how we could organise Nigeria to
include Tiv people and I am the leader of
the Tiv people. Can you imagine Awolowo
being barred from participating in
discussing how you can make Nigeria
peaceful? That’s what Jonathan did.
That’s number one.
But sir…
No,no, no. I must end this one. Number
two. When Jonathan selected the people
to advise him, Jonathan selected
somebody called Col. Nyam, …I studied
and know the man they call Col. Nyam.
He was the leader of the coup that was to
oust Ibrahim Babangida. I knew this
because I, a civilian, was picked as the
leader of this type of coup because one
Tiv person, one little Tiv young man,
called Major Gideon Orkar announced the
coup. So, it must be Paul Unongo that
influenced him. I was incarcerated for
almost seven months and I knew and
studied the coup. After anger, I decided
that I will study the theology of the coup,
why it came about and why people like
me were arrested. It was a coup of
minorities. Yes, but minorities of the
south. And Orkar’s knowledge of the
coup…I think I am qualified to say so
because I suffered a lot…I don’t believe it
was more than 30 hours before the
execution of the coup. And I swore that I
will reveal the nature of the coup because
I am trained to serve my country and the
government of my country and I will
advise them despite my incarceration. So,
I studied the kids that were wasted and I
talked to all of them and then transferred
all their frustrations in my evidence in
chief. I told them if you want to kill me,
these are the things that were disturbing
these young men that did this coup. This
is the line of the coup, the leadership and
so on. I know because I am there with
them. I have asked them questions. Now,
I discovered that the leader was not even
Mukoro. It was Col. Nyam. This coup, the
first thing they did, the first speech that
was written that Col. Nyam was going to
deliver excised about seven states from
Northern Nigeria or thereabout and threw
them out of Nigeria and say we don’t
want them. They said after some years,
may be these people if they come and
beg us, then we can re-admit them into
Nigeria. When I saw Nyam who ran
away and abandoned these young men,
his role was to make the broadcast. When
they got to the venue of the broadcast,
Radio Nigeria, Col. Nyam was not there.
He had left. He ran away. This was to be
their leader. He ran away. Mukoro ran
away after entering Dodan Barracks. And
they came and caught us innocent people
that didn’t know anything about the coup
and one young man, Ogboru’s brother
was tortured. And they suffered a lot. So, I
felt if Jonathan was sincere about this
country, would he take for an adviser, a
person who did a coup to expunge almost
half of the population of the country away
from Nigeria? He doesn’t want to see
these people in Nigeria. And I didn’t keep
quiet. I went there to tell Jonathan that I
don’t believe in this thing that you are
doing. I don’t believe that you are sincere.
I know you want to have political gain to
prepare yourself for an election, but the
senseless dash called allowance, how can
you give these people N4 million?. It was
bribery to corrupt them to write what he
wanted, do what he wanted. And this is
happening in Nigeria where half of the
population can hardly make N40,000 a
year. And you gave people this amount
for four or five months and you pay them
N4 million every month? Look at the
number. There is so much that went
wrong. When I saw all these, I said this
man cannot be a Christian. This man
cannot represent the suffering people in
the creeks. This man is just using us the
minorities for a big political plan. What is
he looking for? Why N4 million? Col.
Nyam who sought to break up Nigeria and
some of us went and suffered for him
while he ran away,. he brought him and
he didn’t care. And then Nyam went and
started fighting Oshiomhole, one of the
progressive governors form the labour
movement. He abused him and wanted to
engage him in physical combat to the
embarrassment of the committee that was
set up by Jonathan. So they removed
Nyam from the committee. You know
what? When Jonathan wanted to appoint
a larger team, Jonathan brought Nyam
again and put him so as to pay him N4
million a month. He had the indecency to
stretch his hands and collect the money of
Nigeria he wanted to break up.
Is it a planned issue? And look at this
insecurity. Is this deliberate? Could your
not being appointed a member of the
National Conference be the reason why
you turned against President Jonathan
because you are sounding bitter over the
issue? The inference might as well be,
rightly or wrongly, that you are now anti-
Jonathan because you were not
appointed a National Conference mem­
ber. Right?
How many people appointed me into posi­
tions? If I was somebody looking for
positions in Nigeria, don’t you think I am
capable of being a Minister? Couldn’t I
have played the same game you
Nigerians play to make money? You think
that I am so down that I would go and
kowtow before people in authority and
say look, oga this one I know I am small I
will do it for you so give me money? I
think you are trivialising the issues I have
raised. I am saying a leader of Nigeria
should not, publicly, you can have private
relationship with these people if you
admire them, but to the public, Nigeria’s
leader cannot go and shore up an
inconsequential person trying to break up
Nigeria and in the assignment you gave
to him he showed himself not suitable, if
not incompetent. He was not suitable. His
colleagues kicked him out of the
committee you set up. They said they
cannot work with this kind of person. Then
when you were selecting people to come,
to show how you felt about that person
that you believed in him, you went out of
your way and brought him back and
announced him as a member of these
people that you dashed N4 million. For
what?

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2015: Choose one Nigeria or face disintegration –Ezeife

F ormer old Anambra State Governor, Dr
Pius Chukwuemeka Ezeife, is one of those
who passionately believe in ideological-
based two-political system as an ideal
way to achieve good governance.
However, in this interview, he dismissed
the present two parties as an agglomera­
tion of politicians without address. He
also warned of the danger of possible
disintegration of the country, if voting
pattern in 2015 general election suggests
that some people are born-to-rule and
others born-to-be ruled. Excerpts:
What is your prediction of the 2015
presidential election with the emergence
of Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) as the
candidate of the All Progressives
Congress APC?
You have asked a very big question. Ni­
geria is at a crossroads. One way leads to
what people have been predicting for Ni­
geria-disintegration. The other way leads
to a strong, more virile and purposeful Ni­
geria. Which way will it be? Before I give
an answer, let me adumbrate the problem
of Nigeria. It will surprise you to hear me
say that the chief problem of Nigeria is
religious intolerance. Some people; not
very many but many enough to cause
concern, are bent on Islamising Nigeria.
And unfortunately, the West-America and
her allies seem to believe that those who
want to Islamise Nigeria are determined
enough to win at the end. And in the eyes
of the Western powers, an islamised
Nigeria will be very difficult for world gov­
ernance. There is a continuing effort to Is­
lamise Nigeria.
Over decades, churches were destroyed.
And more recently, all the 99 churches in
Mubi were destroyed. I do know that
majority of Muslims in Nigeria are not
looking for Islamisation. But there is a
handful of Muslims who tenaciously
believes in Islamisation. Will we be
islamised? To the West, it is yes. So, it is
suspected that the West views in a
positive light disintegration of Nigeria. I
don’t know whether there is a fear of our
coming to the world stage to dominate.
With this background, it is not surprising
that the promise by America to help us
against Boko Haram is not in anywhere
found. So, what do we do? Everything is
in our hands. We can appeal to those who
want to Islamise Nigeria and show them
the consequences. Breaking up of Nigeria
is not in the interest of anybody. It is not
in the interest of Muslim Nigerians, it is
not in the interest of Christian Nigeria.
Hausa/Fulani gain better from one
Nigeria. Igbo have voted with their legs
for one Nigeria as they are everywhere in
Nigeria behaving as if the places they are
homes. The Yoruba gains from one
Nigeria. All other smaller groups gain
from importance of a larger Nigeria.
How then do you predict 2015 election?
Some people say it will lead to disintegra­
tion. Others say it will lead to the
emergence of a stronger Nigeria. I see
one way that can lead to the emergence of
a stronger Nigeria. And that is if the result
of the elections say clearly that this
country belongs to all of us, no group is
born to rule, no group is born to be ruled,
we are all one equal citizens of one
Nigeria. On the other hand, if the result
suggests the contrary, if the result
suggests that some people are born to
rule and others are born to be ruled,
Nigeria will be made ungovernable. So,
we have to choose either one Nigeria or
disintegration. I hope we will choose
wisely.
Nigeria is tending towards a two-party
system. Are you saying that the present
structure is not good enough for the
country?
First of all, we do not have a two-party
system now. None of the parties is based
on any ideology. When we had SDP and
NRC, the difference was clear. One was a
progressive party (SDP), the other one
was a Republican conservative.
And the dividing line was clear. What we
have today is agglomeration of Nigerian
politicians. PDP is an agglomeration of Ni­
gerian politicians with ideological
address. APC is an agglomeration of
Nigerian politicians without ideological
address. So, if it is ideological party wise,
none should be chosen. Let me tell you, if
Nigeria should survive this election, I will
come out as a politician and start selling;
one, a two-party system and two, true
democracy, which means the local people
will select among aspirants who will be
their candidates and not the cabals in
Abuja or anywhere else. I will also preach
welfares for any Nigerian thrown out of
job. Anyone thrown out of job must
receive money from government. SDP
came so late and the money to bankroll it
is not available. But after this election, we
will fight for the expansion of SDP and
destruction of PDP and APC. Those who
are conservative republicans should go to
one party. If they like, they can recreate
NRC. Those who believe in SDP ideology
should go to SDP. The next election after
2015 will be between two parties where
parties are identified by their ideology, not
just random parties.
Are you saying that emergence of Buhari
as presidential candidate will polarize
Nigeria along religious line?
There was a time APC was a Muslim
brotherhood. That time, 17 topmost
leaders of the party were Muslims. That
was why I call them Muslim brotherhood.
But they are now moving away from that
brotherhood. It is now mixed up. Nobody
can call them Muslim brotherhood now.
The fact that Buhari emerged the
presidential candidate of APC should not
polarize Nigeria along religious line.
What looks like dichotomy is the social
perception of Nigerians regarding those
who insisted on making Nigerian
ungovernable if Jonathan became the
President. Some people finance Boko
Haram. Some people finance all kinds of
insurgents. Some people finance all kinds
of discordant voices. Some people insult
the person of the president on everything
about the country. If I am to play politics,
I will rise up and say the North has ruled
for 39 years, why should they be in a
hurry to come back to power? The
country is divided into North and South. It
is the amalgamation of North and South
that produced this Nigeria. The North has
supplied presidential leadership for 39
years. The South is below 20 years and
the North still wants to take over again.
From that social point of view, a victory of
one can lead to disintegration of Nigeria.
A victory of the other can lead to a
stronger Nigeria.
Democracy is all about change. If people
decide to vote for a candidate that
represents your so-called born-to-rule,
why should that be a problem?
There is no problem. But are people
allowed to choose?
It is the electoral process that will decide.
The electoral process is baptized democ­
racy. Some cabals decide who emerges
as President. Like I said before, the only
genuine democratic process is when
candidates emerge through direct primary
election by the voters. What is clear is that
the incumbent President is being vilified.
Some people put fire in the house and
expect the president to put off the fire. For
me, I want one Nigeria where Hausa is
happy, Fulani is happy, Yoruba is happy,
Igbo is happy and the country itself is
happy. If people are happy, they will vote
for Igbo President in 2019 and Nigeria
will take quantum jump into to develop­
ment. Change will come because a
believer in one Nigerian has taken over.
They (Igbo) make a home of everywhere
they go. Now, I am calling on all Igbo
people, it is time to make friends with all
Nigerians. When you are telling the truth
and your friends begin to abandon you,
you don’t have to change. Just make sure
you are honestly telling the truth.
What makes you think that the sentiment
about whether the North has ruled for 39
years will sell in today’s Nigeria?
If we are practicing democracy and the
votes of the people represent their choice
and there is no manipulation or rigging,
even if people are misguided, we have to
accept returns from the field. If they are
told lied and they voted on the basis of
lies, they have voted. If they are given
money and they voted on the basis of
money, they have voted. But there are
cases when the will of the people is
deliberately disregarded.
Then, the onus of creating a credible elec­
toral process lies on the incumbent.
(Cuts in). Is it the incumbent that
decided to create 1200 polling units for
Abuja and 1157 for the whole of
Southeast? Isn’t that a clear design to
rig election?
But that has been resolved.
At what stage? It shows a clear intension
to rig. To me, all electoral tribunal needs
to do is to establish intension to rig to
arrive at whatever decision.
You talked about vilification of President
Jonathan. Why will he not be vilified? He
promised stable electricity supply, there is
no electricity. He promised resuscitation
of railway sector, he failed to deliver on
the promise. Universities were shut down
for six months last years. The health
crisis has not abated.
What else do you want from the
president?
He has brought Standard Gauge railways
system; you said you did not see it. He
has given you even more than he
promised as far as railway is concerned.
In all your born years as a Nigerian, have
you ever had steady supply of fuel at
filling stations as you have had under
President Jonathan? We have not got
power as promised but the system for
delivering power has been made such
that any minute of darkness costs
someday some money. Some private
persons lose for any minute of darkness
and that private persons will not want to
be losing money. The system has been
created to make for full availability of
power.
It has not arrived there yet, but the condi­
tion for steady supply has been created.
Over time, the private sector person who
loses money for any minute of darkness
will work to ensure he doesn’t lose that
money. Yes, universities were shut and
there is strike in the health sector.
Today, the condition for more strike is
rife. With the decline in the world market
price of oil, some kind of austerity
measures may become necessary. I won’t
recommend any cut of anybody’s salary
but sometimes it may become necessary.
Politics had affected all strikes. Because
the last government was going, it agreed
to any demand. And now when it came to
meeting the demands, it was not possible.
So, if there is any demand by former
negotiator which cannot be met even if
there is no drop in the price of oil, it is a
matter of having people who know how to
negotiate. If they labour people know the
truth, they will strike if they must but not
at any time.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in
his recent book washed down the present
government for not fighting corruption.
How do you see the present effort to rid
the country of corruption?
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is
also corrupt. If he is not corrupt, where
did he get money to build university? I
don’t know whether it is from his salaries.
Obasanjo may say anything he likes to
say against Jonathan because somehow
godfathers sometimes quarrel with their
godsons. It happens in government.
He thought he will be running government
for Jonathan. Although Obasanjo fought
corruption during his time, it was only
against those who quarreled with him. It
was selective justice. If Obasanjo doesn’t
like your face, he would prosecute you
and leave me. Obasanjo actually made
corruption worse in his time. If he had
taken action properly, corruption would
have been reduced. But having said that,
the present government hasn’t done
enough to deserve any mark on the fight
against corruption.
With the present political permutations,
what is the possibility that Igbo
presidency will come so soon?
We (Igbo) thank God for His gift, although
that gift sometimes provokes jealousy
against us. Anywhere we are, we should
be friendly with our host communities
and keep to their laws, traditions and
customs. We should identify with things
around us when we live in diaspora in
other people’s place. Anywhere you go, if
you remove indigenes, the next populous
tribe is Igbo. One Hausa man said if you
go to any place and there is no Igbo there,
be on the run. Now, why is it that Igbo
have not had a taste of power when by
now every zone has supplied presidential
material? For the avoidant of doubt,
Azikwe was a ceremonial president not an
executive president just as he was
ceremonial Governor-General not
executive Governor-General. If you were
in the National Conference, you will notice
a new Nigeria that is evolving.
When the issue of extra state to the east
was being discussed, come and see how
Nigerians are becoming their brother’s
keepers. There was no dissent.
A small negative comment made by one
of the delegates was attacked furiously by
none Igbo. No Igbo man stood up to
defend one extra state. In 2005 when we
had political conference, the same thing
happened. Out of 42 people, 39 said give
the east one extra state. That sense of
justice will let Nigerians vote an Igbo
president. An Igbo president will banish
poverty because of our egalitarian culture.
As things roll by and the spirit of fairness
is in people, they will say if we find a well
adjusted Igbo, we can vote for him.
But there is apprehension that the report
of the conference you raised may not see
the light of the day. Don’t you agree?
Once result of election in 2015 brings
about a stronger, more virile and more
united Nigeria that will resort from voting
in as president a person more likely to be
favourable to the report, Nigeria will be
better for it and the other way round.
If Jonathan is voted in, he will implement
the report. If you vote in Buhari whose
bothers keep manufacturing hidden
agenda, he will discard the entire
recommendations and postpone the evil
day.

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‘People ‘ll work free for Buhari’s presidency’

S enator Obafemi Ojudu is a member of
the Organizing Committee for the national
convention of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) recently at Onikan
Stadium, Lagos. In this interview, relives
the experience of the convention that led
to the emergence of Buhari as a
presidential contender, insisting that APC
will take over the leadership of the
country in 2015. Excerpts:
Having had a successful convention
leading to the emergence of Gen Mu­
hammadu Buhari (rtd) as presidential
candidate of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) for the 2015 general
election, where do you go from here as a
party?
The thing is to take over power and then
solve the problem confronting Nigeria as
a nation. Nigeria is in a very bad shape.
As at today, people have lost hope; people
are despondent; people are scared of
their future. They don’t know what
tomorrow will bring to them. It is now the
biggest responsibility of APC to give hope
to Nigerians with the emergence of Buhari
as presidential candidate. We have to
ensure that change becomes a reality. So,
we have a very big challenge on our
hands. I have never seen the kind of
interest people are showing after the
election of presidential candidate of a
party. People are so passionate, so
concerned, so involved. Even from
quarters you do not expect, people have
sent text messages of congratulations as
if the general election has come and gone.
They are also showing interest in who be­
comes his running mate. They are now be­
ginning to see some kind of hope. That
hope must be turned into reality.
But then, some people now see the
emergence of Buhari as a battle between
the North and South, Muslims and
Christians. What is your take on this?
Nobody can see it that way other than
supporters of Jonathan. That is the way
they want it to be. That is the way they
think it will make it easy for them to
defeat APC. What they want to do is to
divide the country along religious and
ethnic lines and then rule thereafter. But
Nigerians have seen through them. In the
past, it was either APC was responsible
for terrorism or Buhari was the father of
Boko Haram and all that kind of things.
Now, Nigerians have seen beyond that.
They have seen that these people are just
deceiving them. There is no truth about it.
So, if they tell you that Buhari is a
Northern politician, tell them it is not true.
If they tell you he is sponsoring Boko
Haram, tell them it is not true. If you have
the Yoruba rooting for Buhari, you have
the Northerners rooting for Buhari, you
have some people from Southeast and
South South rooting for Buhari, what are
we talking about?
It is now incumbent on Nigerians to insist
on having a president who can fight insur­
gency. They want a president who can
ensure that they feel secured, who can
fight corruption so that our system can
work again. Corruption is killing us in all
sectors. And here is a man who has a
good credential in the area of corruption.
He has been in government several times,
he has not stolen money. Today, the oil
price is crashing; yet these people are not
doing anything. The crash of oil price
wouldn’t have affected us the way it is
affecting us, if not because of corruption
we are experiencing. Before the crash oil
price, we had lost so much to crude oil
theft at the creeks. Saudi Arabia and
Venezuela are going through the same
thing we are going through, but they are
not panicking as we are panicking.
We now have an alternative. They thought
on the day of our convention that the
party was going to split. But unfortunately
for them, the party didn’t split. All the
aspirants accepted the process as
transparent, clean, fair and just. They
were shocked; so, they have to move to
another mode. The mode of let us divide
them; Buhari has now turned to godson of
Asiwaju and all those kinds of cheap
thoughts. But that is not going to stick; it
is not going to work. People are
determined that we must rescue this
country. If we allow things to remain the
way they are now, the federal government
of this country will operate from Lagos by
this time next year. We would have been
driven away from this place. If we allow
things to remain the way they are,
workers will not get their salaries by this
time next year. So, if we have a man who
can arrest the situation, why can’t we give
power to him? Jonathan is a Christian.
How many Christians have benefited from
his government? What is my business
about my leader being a Muslim or
Christian? I come from a family where my
father was a Muslim and my mother a
Christian without any rancour because we
respected each other. That Jonathan is a
Christian does not make life easier for the
Christians. That he is an Ijaw man does
not mean that all Ijaws are now
millionaires. Obasanjo was president for
eight years. Does that make life
meaningful for Yoruba? Did he because
he was a Yoruba man construct the road
that leads to Lagos from Ibadan? So,
whoever is capable, let us put him there
for the job.
What is your party’s blueprint for better
governance?
The party has come up with a very
detailed and comprehensive manifesto.
On the final day of our convention, the
manifesto was unveiled and launched. It
is very comprehensive. So, it is not
business as usual. They set up
committees in different sectors; they de­
bated, argued and came up with solutions
to these problems. That is the way
democracy should run. That night, the
manifesto was handed over to Buhari.
Apart from that, Buhari has had his own
team that has done some work for him
too. We expect that as soon as he gets
there, they will get up and run with all the
preparedness that has come into being.
You have rightly identified corruption is a
major problem killing this country. With
integrity Buhari is bringing on board, do
you think people surrounding him to will
allow him to fight corruption?
Again, it is about leadership. If the head is
rotten, the whole part of the body is rot­
ten. Fish starts to rot from the head. If a
head says this is where I am going and
you are not ready to go with him, you
quit. If a leader is serious about it and he
is living by example, Nigerians will follow
him. If you are preaching one thing and
doing another, they too will cut corner as
well and you will not be able to deal with
them. I have the belief that if Buhari
becomes president today, as soon as he
is sworn-in and declares his assets,
everybody will have to follow suit. He has
promised to further empower EFCC to
investigate, put on trial and deal with
those people who are found to be corrupt.
Before he even gets there, people are
already scared. Some people will run
away from this country. The man is 71 for
God’s sake, what will he do with money
now? Will he want to build a house, buy a
jet or whatever? If he wants to own
houses, he probably would have done that
when he was Minister of Petroleum re­
sources. When he was Chairman of PTF,
he has no houses abroad, he has no
foreign accounts. The only glory left to
him now is to turns Nigeria from bad to
good and bring it back from the brink.
That, for me, is the only thing left for that
kind of a man. People say he is an old
man. Well, he is an old man with a
mission. Anybody who is going to negate
that regime is probably not going to be
part of that regime.
As you know, electioneering is all about
money. But this is a man who claimed to
have bought nomination form with a
bank loan. How is he going to do his
campaign without money?
I can assure you that this is going to be
an election that people themselves will
finance. If you have read the
advertisement he placed in the papers for
people to donate to a particular account,
people have been responding. I have had
people who have called me and said
please help me to look for that account
number I want to put money into it. You
cannot imagine what that money
becomes at the end of the day from
across the country. If two million
Nigerians put down a thousand naira, you
know how much that amounts to?
How much will it amount to in the face of
a sitting government that has enormous
resources at its disposal?
It doesn’t matter. This man came to La­
gos for the primary; he didn’t give
anybody any kobo; he didn’t house
anybody. People housed themselves and
yet they voted for him. In the same way,
people will go out and collect money from
those who have loads of money and they
will still vote for Buhari. A colleague of
mine told me that when Buhari contested
the last time, ACN paid its agents N5000
each, the CPC didn’t pay its agents a
dime. Yet, while the CPC agents were very
open and confident about being agents at
the polling booth, the other parties’
agents that were paid were busy
negotiating with other party. The same
thing will happen. People will work for
him for free. They will work for him
without taking money. They will put down
their vehicles; they will put down their
resources for him to become president.
The wealth of rich people is being
threatened by insecurity in the country.
They will want their wealth to be secured.
How would you assess the budget
performance for the 2014 fiscal year?
That was not implemented at all. Budgets
have become a ritual and meaningless to
the survival of Nigeria. What they do every
year is just to photocopy, doctor the
figures here and there and then send to
the senate.
Then the blame comes to your doorstep
for not doing your oversight function.
(Cuts in). I agree with you, the blame
should come to us for not being vigorous
enough in the performance of our
oversight functions. I totally agree with
you. I am being very critical of the senate
and critical of myself too. I agree with you
that we could still have done better in
ensuring that we make those budgets
relevant to the needs of Nigerians.
Your party lost Ekiti State to PDP in the
last governorship election. How is this
not going to affect the fortune of the
party in the coming state and National
Assembly elections?
We will continue to hope.
What do you think led to the defeat of for­
mer Governor Kayode Fayemi?
We went for an election, we were declared
losers and a new governor has been
sworn-in. Too bad!
Does that have to do with performance?
I don’t know. History is there to give the
verdict.
You are coming back to the senate.
(Cuts in). No, I am not coming back. I
didn’t apply to come back. I am not inter­
ested.
Then, what’s your plan after this tenure?
I go back to the newsroom. I have a job, I
have a company, I will go back there.

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