Flavour VS Iyanya: Who’s got the sexier abs?

The need to be sexy in order to make it in showbiz is no
longer a female thing as most Nigerian male musicians are
hopping on the bandwagon and working out for hours in the
gym. And the results are the lean sexy bodies they exhibit on
social media which have won for them thousands of adoring
female fans. This week, Iyanya and Flavour, two of Nigeria’s
sexiest musicians, slug it out on Showdown as fans determine
which of them has the sexier abs.
IYANYA:
Winner, MTN Project Fame West Africa 2008 and Kukere
singer, Mbuk Onoyom Iyanya aka Iyanya is a singer,
songwriter and recording artiste. Like Flavour, he started off
in church. His clergyman grandfather had a church and Iyanya
became the children’s choir conductor at age five. Born in
Calabar, Cross River State, he is a graduate of Business
Management from the University of Calabar. Iyanya lost both
of his parents in 2008 and in 2011, he dropped his debut
album entitled, My Story. However, it was his second studio
album which had the hit track, Kukere that transformed him
into a household name.
Iyanya is the co-owner of Made Men Music Group (MMMG)
and has won several awards.
FLAVOUR N’ABANIA:
Born and brought up in Enugu State, Chinedu Okoli aka
Flavour N’abania, started off in church at age 13 playing
drums. A multi-instrumentalist, he studied Music at the
University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), against his mother’s
wish but later dropped out to study Business Administration.
As a budding artiste, he was a regular act at the popular
Burbles Plaza, Enugu. He later formed his band, Flavour &
The Crew in 2006 and released his debut album, N’abania ,
which became an instant hit, thanks to the remix of late
Osita Osadebe’s Ashawo. He has bagged several nominations
and awards.
…And the people’s verdict:
They are both ladies’ men – Bisi Adebayo, undergraduate
Both Flavour and Iyanya have sexy abs which stand them out
of the crowd in the industry and has given them a place on
the most-wanted-ladies-mens’ list in Nigeria. In fact, both
singers are crowd-pullers and the number of girls, married and
single that usually throng their concert venues is a testament
to the fact that they are truly ladies’ men.
Give it to Flavour – Sandra Chijulu, businesswoman
Have you ever taken a closer look at Flavour? He has sexy
abs no doubt and he is sweet from head to toe; everything
about him is sexy. Do you know what happened to Jay Jay
Okocha in Enugu in his hay days? A set of top Enugu State
University (ESUT) babes once ‘waylaid’ him and forced him to
kiss all of them. Flavour may likely experience such because
just like Okocha, he is also an Enugu boy and what is more,
he is a ladies’ man.
I like Iyanya – Funke Adelabu, student
What I like most about Iyanya is that he always dresses well
and is very alive at concerts. Flavour is a good dancer no
doubt but Iyanya is the better party. He also dresses better
than Flavour.
Flavour is fresh and crisp – Love Osibe, Student
One thing about life is that some people are specially
endowed while others are scarcely favoured. Flavour is among
the specially blessed. He is fresh, crisp and he complements
that with a great voice, height and stature. I don’t know
where or how to start describing his sexy abs because that is
what he represents in its totality. However, Iyanya is also a
very sexy artiste but he is not as handsome as Flavour.
They are both hot and sexy! –Seun Oluwunmi, banker
Iyanya and Flavour are two of a kind. For me, the only
difference between them is complexion. Career wise, they are
very similar. Both of them are ‘bad guys.’ Let me use another
phrase to qualify them, they are both ‘positively crazy.’ Their
songs make waves, they are popular choices at music
concerts and they have won several awards for themselves
and above all, they are both hot and sexy!
Flavour is sexiest artiste alive – Kolade Adenuga, banker
This subject matter is supposed to be channelled towards
women but the truth is that as far as Nigerian music industry
is concerned presently, Flavour is the sexiest artiste alive. He
is a handsome guy inside out; he is way ahead of Iyanya.
Iyanya is a delight – Uche Azuka, entrepreneur
The pair has all it takes to put a woman in the mood without
even knowing it and I do not have to be elaborate about that
to drive home my point. However, with his unique dance
steps, Iyanya is a delight any day.
Flavour is sexier – Eberechi Naomi, undergraduate
Both artistes have sexy abs that stand them out among the
lot. But I also want to praise Flavour for his smartness. He
craftily started off with what I may call seductive or sexy
songs, got the fame and cool cash and then subtly rebranded
himself. You can see that he has stopped dropping vulgar
songs. Flavour is craftier and sexier than Iyanya.
They are both hardworking artistes – Kolade Adenuga, banker
I would say that both of them are very hardworking artistes
and that is the part I like to promote and not whether they
have sexy abs or not. Every man is sexy in his own right just
as it is among women. That is why the saying has it that
‘beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.’ I like Iyanya and
Flavour not because of their sexy abs but because of their
talents and the seriousness with which they are pursuing their
careers.
Flavour is more gifted – Adeola Funmilayo, undergraduate
I don’t know about being sexy but I think that Flavour is more
gifted than Iyanya. He is also more consistent in the industry
than Iyanya as far as I’m concerned. But Iyanya is a big asset
to the entertainment industry and Nigeria in general; Kukere
was a great song.

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NEXT STOP: CHIBOK

■ APC says Jonathan’s trip to Maiduguri incomplete
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated Presi­
dent Goodluck Jonathan on finding the courage to visit
Maiduguri to pep up the gallant troops battling the Boko Ha­
ram insurgency, but said the president has more trips to make
to Chibok, Buni Yadi and Potiskum, among others.
In a statement issued in Makurdi on yesterday by its National
Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the
president should follow up his visit to the theatre of the Boko
Haram battle with visits to the parents of the 219 missing
Chibok girls as well as the families of the boys who were
killed at the Federal Government College in Buni Yadi, Yobe
State, last year.
It said it is only by doing so that the president can begin to
refute the published report that his visit to Maiduguri on
Thursday was politically motivated, aimed at laying the
foundation for his impending electioneering campaign swing
across the north, especially to Maiduguri on Jan. 21st.
The party said now that the president has woken up from his
slumber, he should also address the issue of the low morale
of the troops and their lack of the necessary fighting
equipment, if they are to effectively battle the terrorists who
have killed and maimed thousands of innocent citizens.
“It is instructive that a few hours after President Jonathan
visited Maiduguri, the global news channel CNN aired an
interview with some Nigerian soldiers who complained of very
low morale among the rank and file, lack of fighting equip­
ment and very poor welfare. Another blamed the terrible
situation faced by the troops on massive corruption.
“This does no credit to an administration that has allocated
billions of naira to the defence and security sectors, billions
that apparently did not reach those at the front line of the
battle. It calls to question the usage to which the government
has put the huge funds allocated to the sector, including the
1-billion-dollar loan that was recently approved by the
National Assembly,’’ it said.

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Again, APC secretariat bombed in Rivers

The All Progressives Congress secretariat in Ngor community,
in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, was
yesterday bombed by some unknown political thugs. The
incident occurred in the early hours of yesterday.
According to a source, the building, which was serving as APC
secretariat went up in flames, after it was attacked with a
dynamite. The attack was said to have created panic in the
area, as residents were seen fleeing the community.
The attack was said to be similar to the one carried out on
APC secretariat at Aba-Ama in Okrika Local Government Area
of the state at about 3.14am, last Sunday, where the ground
floor of the three-storey building, where the party has its
office, was attacked with explosives.
When contacted to comment on the incident, the Chairman of
APC in Andoni Local Government Area, Mr. Amos Gogo Amos,
said the fire, caused by the impact of the explosives, was still
on at the time he was speaking with reporters.
“The building has been completely razed by the inferno. We
are calling on the government, to come to our aid, as we are
no longer safe in the community. Anything can happen in the
night. As we speak, fire is still raging in the building”.
Also, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Andoni Local
Government Area, Ikwut Emmanuel, told journalists how he
received a distress call at about 3am, and the caller informed
him that APC secretariat was on fire.
“I received a call around 3.am today, that the APC secretariat
at Ngor, ward 1, our party local government headquarters,
was on fire. The entire building was razed. I am calling on the
Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the state Commissioner of
Police, Mr. Dam Bature, to investigate the matter,” he said.
When contacted, the Rivers State Command’s Public Relations
Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammadu, a Deputy Superintendent of
Police (DSP), confirmed the incident. He, however, said that
the information at his disposal, at the time of filing the report
was sketchy.
“The information within our reach is sketchy. However, I can
inform you that the police have begun investigation into the
matter,” he said.

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Man beheads wife, daughter, commits suicide

A 46-year-old farmer, Olubusayo Sunday was alleged to have
beheaded his wife, Oyewole and 3-year-old daughter, Esther,
before committing suicide in Onigbedu, Ewekoro Local Govern­
ment Area of Ogun State.
Saturday Sun learnt that the tragic incident occurred after a
heated argument over a yet undisclosed matter.
A bloodstained knife and a cutlass suspected to have been
used by the farmer on his wife and daughter have been
recovered from his house by police detectives.
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Maida
Adejobi, the farmer was discovered to have earlier killed his
wife and daughter after but was prevented by neighbours from
jumping into a well, having stabbed and set himself ablaze.
Adejobi, a deputy superintendent of police, added that
Olubusayo later died in the hospital after telling police
detectives that a quarrel between him and his wife led to the
tragic incident.
The PPRO said, “police detectives attached to Ewekoro
Division of the Ogun State police command have commenced
investigation into a tragedy that occurred on Wednesday, Janu­
ary 14, 2015 in Onigbedu town in Ewekoro Local Government
when one Olubusayo Sunday, 46, farmer, beheaded his wife
and daughter in his Onigbedu house, and committed suicide
by stabbing and setting himself ablaze after the ugly incident
about 1.15pm.
“The wife and the daughter, were beheaded for reasons known
to him and the three corpses have been deposited at the
General Hospital, Ifo while further investigation into the matter
has commenced.
“Up till this moment, no one or any member of the deceased
family or neighbours could intimate the police with the cause
of the incident, but the last statement Mr Olubusayo made
before he died, in the presence of the police detectives
suggested that there was a quarrel between him and his late
wife.”
The police spokesman also said that the state Commissioner
of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye who expressed shock over the
incident had directed that the matter be transferred to the
Department of Criminal Investigation, Eleweran, Abeokuta for
thorough investigation.

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Why ACF endorses Buhari

■ Four years of Jonathan is disaster after disaster, says
Abubakar Mamman Danmusa
In the face of recent endorsement of the presidential candidate
of the All Progressive Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, by
Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in the forthcoming
presidential election, elder statesman-cum-legal luminary and
former Deputy Senate President, Abubakar Mamman Danmusa,
has revealed why it was necessary ACF threw its weight
behind Buhari.
Danmusa said that the erstwhile Head of State was endorsed
on the basis that Nigeria is on the brink of collapse and there
is no sectional coloration about it.
He spoke to ANDY ASEMOTA on the merit of the endorsement
and what it portends for Nigeria. Excerpts:
What do you have to say on the recent endorsement of
General Muhammadu Buhari by Arewa Consultative Forum
(ACF) for next month presidential election?
Really, the parties have fielded their candidates and they made
their home work. You know, the chairman of ACF and former
Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Coomassie, said ACF has
endorsed Buhari, but they denied. But now, having seen the
candidates, the deterioration of security situation and the
sufferings, more about the economy in view of the price of oil
which has gone down terribly and the way Nigerians are
suffering, I think it is not because they come from the North
that they endorsed him.
In 2011, they did not endorse him because perhaps they were
of the opinion that Jonathan should be given a chance to
prove himself. Now, for four years, it is nothing but disaster
after disaster. Nigeria, which used to have respect all over the
world, is now the laughing stock. Certainly, something ought
to be done to stop the situation because, God forbid, if Nigeria
breaks up, the whole of Africa will be affected. You can see
with the war in Syria and Iraq how Europe is contending with
immigration challenges on a daily basis. If Nigeria, with its
vast population, explodes, certainly all neighbouring countries
will be in trouble.
Is there any hope?
It is not a question about Buhari or Jonathan but the question
of stability of Nigeria. For the first time in the history of South
South, they have endorsed Buhari and they are serious and if
they do things, they go all out. They (Buhari and his
supporters) are in mobilization process, like what took place
last week in Osun State where they walked for three
kilometres just to mobilize people to clean Nigeria.
You see, it is not the question of a northern organisation
endorsing Buhari. It is a question of the survival of this
country. What about Ohanaeze ? Long, long ago, it had
endorsed Jonathan. So, if that is the right thing for Ohanaeze
to do, then it is not wrong for Arewa Consultative Forum to
back Buhari. I think people should be honest with themselves.
Jonathan is a disaster. I am not with Buhari. I said I will not
join his party, but this time round, I am campaigning for him
that he should be elected. Not on the basis that he is a
northerner, no, but on the basis that Nigeria is on the brink of
collapse. Only God knows what will happen. So, whether
Buhari comes from where (ever), he is the best alternative we
have now and there is nothing wrong for Arewa Consutative
Forum to endorse him.
I think it would have been Ohanaeze which should be
condemned. Earlier, it had endorsed Jonathan; that is partisan
but ACF, after a deep reflection, decided to endorse Buhari. We
want to save Nigeria.
When he (Buhari) won (APC presidential primary), I did not
congratulate him. If he wins February 14 poll, I will not
congratulate him. I will only wish him good luck but I think
Buhari is the best thing to happen to us at this time. There
are so many issues on which we disagree but I think now, he
is the best thing that can happen to Nigeria.
Our army had been playing leading role in Africa, but now we
have to go to local hunters for help. It is a disgrace that the
insurgents have taken over virtually everything belonging to
us.
So, what are you talking about? To leave Nigeria in the hands
of this President? I think somebody must be crazy. So, I think
Arewa Consultative Forum is right.

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I’ll rule with honesty – Buhari

The APC p r e s i d e n t i a l c a n d i d a t e , Maj Gen
Muhammadu Buhari has urged the electorate to flush out the
ruling party saying the PDP in their 16 years rule had
disappointed Nigerians.
Buhari who was excited with the turn out of the crowd
promised to fix the economy and create employment
opportunities to legions of jobless youths
He said if voted into power, he would not dissappoint
Nigerians as he would govern with absolute honesty and fear
of God and promised that he would ensure that civil servants’
salaries will be paid as at when due.
Several other party chieftains who spoke at the rally include
the national chairman of the party, John Odigie- Oyegun, ex-
governor Abubakar Audu, Dino Melaiye who is a senatorial
candidate and a governorship aspirant, George Olumoroti
Among others Audu said the only party that can deliver
Nigeria from this imminent collapse is APC and urged the
people to come out en-masse to vote for the APC.
Lokoja township stadium, the venue where APC rally took
place yesterday was filled beyond capacity as people from all
the 21 local government areas of kogi state trooped to the
venue with great excitement.

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Equatorial Guinea, Congo ignite Africa

The attention of football fans all over the world will shift to
Africa for the next three weeks, starting from this afternoon,
as the 30th edition of the continent’s greatest showpiece -the
Africa Cup of Nations- gets underway in the tiny oil-rich
Equatorial Guinea.
Host, Equatorial Guinea and Congo Brazzaville will set the
tune in the opening match billed to kick off at 6pm this
evening inside the main bowl of the 15, 250 capacity Nuevo
Stadium in Malabo, as 16 national teams, battle for the
coveted trophy won by Nigeria’s Super Eagles at the last
edition of the tournament in South Africa two years ago.
Interestingly, Equatorial Guinea will be making its second
appearance at the Nations Cup finals with its first and only
outing being in 2012 when it co-hosted with Gabon and
reached the quarterfinals.
But not much is expected from the Nzalang Nacional (National
Thunder), nickname for Equatorial Guinea’s national team, at
this edition of the tournament, having been earlier disqualified
for fielding ineligible player during the qualifiers.
The Central African nation got the chance to play at this
year’s finals as last minute substitute for Morocco that with­
drew as host following the refusal of the Confederation of
African Football (CAF) to grant its request to shift the date of
the championship over fears that the travelling fans could
spread the dreaded Ebola virus that has claimed well over
5,000 lives in the West African sub region.
Another pointer that Equatorial Guinea, ranked 120 in FIFA
World ranking, may not go far in the tournament is the ap­
pointment of Argentine coach, Esteban Becker, barely two
weeks ago to tinker its 2015 Nations Cup squad of average
players. The biggest name in the squad is Captain Emilo Nsue
who plies his trade with English Championship side, Mid­
dlesbrough. With only two international caps, Nsue will rely on
the experience of the defensive quartet of Sipo of AEK of
Cyprus, Rui of Hibermans FC of Malta, Daniel Evuy and
Diosdado Mbele, both of domestic side, Leones Vegetarians
FC, to shut-out the Congo Red Devils’ rampaging attack in
today’s opening match.
Perhaps, the biggest work for the host side today would be in
the midfield where veterans Juvena Edjogo-Owono and Randy
are expected to bring their wealth of experience to bear
against the Congolese. Edjogo-Owono, 35, is the most capped
Equatorial Guinea international with 24 caps and six goals
while Randy, 27, has 19 caps and three goals under his belt.
Whether the National Thunder would have enough fire-power
to strike down the Claude Le Roy-tutored Red Devils today
leaves to be seen. Congo, 61 on FIFA World ranking and
winner of the 1972 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in
Cameroon, look favoured to flag off their campaign on high
after qualifying ahead of the defending champion, Nigeria’s
Super Eagles with a 3-2 defeat of the latter in front their home
fans in Calabar.
Interestingly, Equatorial Guinea suffered its heaviest defeat of
6-0 in international football in the hands of Congo on
December 13, 1990. With the vast experience of French
tactician, Le Roy in African football, the host side should have
a lot to worry about in today’s opening fixture.
One player Equatorial Guinea’s defence must watch out for in
the Congolese attack is striker Thievy Bifouma. The Almeria of
Spain forward wrecked the Super Eagles during the qualifiers
with a brace in Calabar and another clinical finish in the return
leg in Congo.
Other notable forwards in the Red Devils’ attack include
Guingamp of France striker, Ferebony Dore of CFR Cluj, Delvin
N’Dinga of Olympiacos of Greece and Fabrice N’Guessi of
Wydad Casablanca of Morocco.
Burkina Faso will take on Gabon in the second match of the
day at 9pm. There will be two matches tomorrow with Zambia
and Congo DR locking horns in the first game at the Bata
Stadium at 6pm while Tunisia and Cape Verde Islands taking
the stage at 9pm at the same venue.

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Safeguarding public water supply in Lagos

The recent report on the circulation of contaminated water
obtained by water vendors from the facilities of the Lagos
State Water Corporation (LSWC) in Ijora-Badia area of Lagos
expectedly generated concern across the city. The water was
said to contain a high bacterial load and cancer-causing
elements that could be lethal if consumed for a long period.
Indeed, the reportedly tainted water was suspected to be
contributing to the high incidence of diarrhoea and other
water-borne diseases in the affected area.
It is alarming that safe drinking water and basic sanitation,
which is Target 10 under Goal Seven of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), have continued to be an illusion
for many people in Nigeria and the rest of the world.
According to the United Nations, at least 783 million people
the world over lack access to good water.
The comprehensive analysis of samples of the affected water
in Ijora-Badia conducted by the Chemistry Department of
University of Lagos, following a request by a national
newspaper which broke the story, gives cause for concern. The
tests reportedly “revealed a frightening chemical and biological
composition. The silica level detected is 14.20, which is at
least 400 times higher than the World Health Organisation’s
(WHO) acceptable maximum of 0.03. Phosphate, a chemical
that causes digestive problems to both humans and animals,
is five times higher (at 5.176) than the maximum level
permissible by the WHO (1.0). The analysis also reveals 0.498
level of lead, a dangerous carcinogenic metal.”
A senior lecturer in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the same
university, Dr. Chimezie Anyakora, who has conducted
extensive research on water contamination across Nigeria,
further broke down the result of the analysis, explaining that
the level of lead detected in the water should be of great
concern to the people directly using it and Lagosians in
general.
As he put it, “Obviously, the bacterial count (2.40 X 103
colony-forming unit per millimetre) which is at least 20 times
more than the WHO limits (1.0 x 102), poses the danger of
short-term diseases like typhoid, dysentery and diarrhoea. But,
my major concern is the lead level. There should not be any
lead at all in the water.”
“Lead”, he continued, is a very carcinogenic element. If one
ingests bacteria in water, they reproduce and attack the body
when their number is large enough. The typhoid, dysentery,
diarrhoea or other diseases that it will give you in the short-
term can be treated if detected in time. But the problems are
those who are not feeling sick at the moment and develop
long-term illnesses in the long run because of the heavy
metal, lead. Lead, like other heavy metals, accumulates in the
body over time. Someone who drinks water contaminated with
it like this may live a normal life without feeling sick for years.
When one is supposed to be living a good life, that is when it
causes kidney failure, cancer and many other ailments and
problems that may be too expensive to manage.” He surmised
that the water portends grave danger for anyone who drinks it
continuously for two years.
The problem of water contamination in Ijora-Badia area of
Lagos has been linked to the fact that the water-pipe
configuration in the area is disorganised. Some of the pipes
are laid by private water vendors in sewages and polluted
drainages, with the high risk of contamination of the water in
the sometimes leaky pipes. Such water may be tainted by do­
mestic wastes and poisonous chemicals such as dyes and
other industrial pollutants.
If most Nigerians had access to functional water taps, the
ubiquity of water hawkers and all manner of vendors of the
essential item would have been minimised. The tragedy of this
“independent” piping and selling of water is that nobody can
guarantee the quality of the water that gets to the consumer.
There is a likelihood that a good measure of this nondescript
water is not subjected to any basic test or analysis before it
is unleashed on the unwary public.
It is, however, noteworthy that the Water Corporation has
waded into the matter and given assurances that the water
supply to Lagos is safe. The managing director of the
corporation, Engr. Shayo Holloway, said that the tests carried
out on water samples taken from Ijora-Badia did not reveal
the presence of lead or iron. He, nevertheless, admitted that
the activities of illegal water vendors who lay water pipes
through drainage and other unhygienic environment do affect
the operations of the corporation. Some of the vendors, he
explained, connect pumping machines to the corporation’s
main pipes and pump water through improperly laid and
sometimes broken pipes, which could affect the quality of the
water. He added that the agency has been working hard to
monitor the vendors to stop the illegal activity.
We commend the water corporation for the dispatch with
which it has addressed this concern. The agency must stop
the illegal laying of pipelines in unhealthy places in Ijora-Badia
and any other affected part of the state. It must also speed
up its long-term plan to “fix water on the frontage of every
house” to reduce the dependence on private water vendors in
parts of the state.

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I’ve been unlucky with love –JERRILYN MULBAH, IDOLSWEST AFRICA GIRL

Idols West Africa revelation, Jerrilyn Mulbah, has opened up
on how she almost aborted her only daughter who clocked 11
recently. In this chat with The Entertainer at the Congress Hall
of Nicon Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Mulbah recounted her ordeal
during the Liberian Civil War, how she fled to Nigeria with her
Nigerian lover and how he eventually ditched her when she
was pregnant.
Excerpts:
What have you been up to lately?
At the moment, I work with a top radio station here in Abuja
called We 106.3 FM. I am working as an OAP and I am doing
a relationship programme called The Love Talk With Jerrilyn
Mulbah . The programme is all about relationship and love.
And one of the most amazing things is that I have proved that
I can use my voice in diverse ways. I must confess I have kind
of enjoyed Abuja; it is a calm and quiet town. I will definitely
do music so don’t ask when (laughter).
How long have you been in Abuja?
I have been here for a year and a couple of months. Basically,
it has been work, house, church and school for me.
We understand that you are studying at the University of
Abuja. What are you studying?
Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution. The idea is that I can go
back home based on my charity work and contribute to my
country someday. I am also running an NGO which focuses on
young single mums and girls in high school.
Why single mums and girls in high school?
The truth is that I am a single mum and so I can relate with
some of the challenges they face. Every single mum you come
across is fighting two battles at the same time. One is with
the society which won’t accept her and two is all about the
people who want to take advantage of her not necessarily be­
cause they want to help her. The idea is to get single mums
to go back to school, get vocational training and empower
themselves. And for young girls, the idea is to educate them
on sex related issues. We don’t talk about sex education much
and sex education is different from biology because in sex
education, you just don’t tell a girl that she should not allow
boys touch her, you have to give her scenarios so she knows
why she shouldn’t do this or that. I believe that if we
empower our young girls with such knowledge, we save them
the trouble of talking to people that will take advantage of
them and also protect them from seeking sex education from
the wrong sources; they don’t have to learn from their
mistakes. In my case, I had a Nigerian who wanted to marry
me, but when we came here he disappointed me. He was
duped in Liberia and I felt sorry for him and he looked like a
nice person so when he said he wanted to marry me, I said
‘fine, but I would like to see your parents so that we could
start properly.’ But unfortunately, the war came and it was a
disaster because his true colour came out and I couldn’t deal
with it. I came to Nigeria to see him and I could have just
gone back to Liberia but the war broke out so I just had to
stay back here. Well, enough of the relationship thing, I have
since moved forward, my daughter is already 11-year-old.
What is it like being a single mother?
(Laughter) I had my wedding cancelled this year because I
have a daughter; I am a single mum. The guy didn’t back out
but his dad did. His dad said ‘you know what son; you cannot
marry someone who already has a child.’ And so at the end of
the day, we had to cancel the wedding; it is just one of those
things. A lot of people have the impression that if you are a
single mum you are promiscuous but I don’t think so. There
are women who are single mums today because that is just
what they want. For others it probably could be because they
had a terrible childhood or a divorce. And some may choose to
be single probably because they were raped. There are many
reasons a woman would want to be a single mum so it is
wrong to judge them.
Why didn’t you go for an abortion?
I did not go for an abortion because of my belief; I didn’t think
it was right before the eyes of God. Was I challenged by the
experience? Yes I was. In fact, there was a day my cousin told
me to have an abortion because I had my whole life stretching
out ahead of me and the child could be an obstacle, so I said
okay. I had been thinking about what to do about the baby for
a while and I was really agitated. That very night I dreamt I
was in the farm and I heard a baby crying so I searched for
the baby, found it and picked it up. The baby was very black
and cute. I bathed her and put clothes on her and when I
carried her to pamper her she said ‘please don’t kill me!’ I
was like ‘what is this, is this child a witch?’ But she
responded saying ‘I am not a witch, please don’t kill me.’
When I woke up the next morning I told my aunty who did not
know then that I was pregnant. She said the meaning of the
dream was that if I was going to have an abortion I would die,
or I would never have a child again so I went on my knees
and prayed about it. It is sad that people judge you because
you have a child. There are women who have had countless
abortions and done crazy things but people see them as
normal because they destroyed life. Now I ask, why judge a
person who has decided to bear the consequences of what
happened to her be it a good or bad experience. I believe that
there are young women who need help especially single
mums; it is not easy emotionally being a single mother.
Would you say you have been unlucky with love?
Oh yes, I have been unlucky with love. I won’t lie and it is
funny because my job demands that I advice people who have
relationship issues and it is amazing I am able to encourage
them do this or do that and it works. I guess it is a case of
‘prophet, heal thyself.’ Sometimes I am like this socks. I heard
from an international matchmaker that matchmakers or people
who handle relationship issues are not often lucky with love.
However, she found love in her later years.
Idols West Africa was the platform that brought you to the
limelight and expectations were high back then but we never
heard from you again. What is happening to your music?
The truth is that in life, if one thing is not working, at some
point, you look for something else. I know I came into the
limelight through music. But then, if you have so many gifts
and talents you work on them. I did Afro fusion which is my
genre but I just felt I needed something more subtle,
something more of me and not what is selling in the market
right now. Besides, we also had managerial issues. I was like
instead of just dragging on with my music career for a very
long time not getting anywhere, how about going into radio
and following my passion for helping others. We had
challenges back then, we kept saying we would shoot this
video or that video and it just wasn’t working out
managerially.
Tell us about your daughter, what does she mean to you?
She means the world to me. Everything that I do, I do for her
because I realise that as the child of a single mum, she also
has her own fair share of challenges. One thing I do is that in
whatever I do I ask myself the question, will this make her
happy? Do I make her proud? Even if people tell her negative
things outside because she has a single mum she could
always say that my mum is the best mum in the whole world.
And one of the things I have been able to impact on her is the
need not to look down on people or judge anybody. Have I
been challenged so much as to ask why I chose to be a single
mum? Have I been challenged so much as to ask why did I
have this baby? Yes, there have been moments when I have
had to deal with terrible things people have said but I do not
regret because of my daughter, the special gift which came
into the world through me. I look back and I see many
marriages that don’t have children, I see couples running up
and down looking for children and then I appreciate even more
this journey that God is taking me through. I just pray that I
live out my full potential and purpose.
Could you describe your ideal man?
Someone who does not allow society to get to him (laughter).
I think my ideal man is someone who has a mind of his own,
a man who is God fearing, one who will love me and love my
child because I have never lied or hidden my child from
anyone. My idea is if you want me, you must also want my
child. If the reverse is the case then just keep moving. People
have this lame idea that single mums are the most needy set
of people. They believe that you need someone to take care of
you; you need someone to do this or that or that for you all
the time. Yes, everybody needs a help mate but for me, I am
not looking for someone to give me the whole world. If you
have the capacity, fine, but the most important thing is that
my man has to be God fearing, someone who knows the Word
of God and has it in him and is able to realise that anyone
who is in Christ is a new creature because we all make
mistakes. He should be responsible and financially stable. You
can’t rely on your family or your father’s money; a man who
does that is not for me. The challenge for me in Nigeria is that
people are so judgemental. They don’t care if it has been so
long ago you had your baby or how you feel. They don’t even
care to know why you are in Nigeria in the first place; I have
heard all kinds of things.
When you were coming to Nigeria to meet your lover’s family,
what were your expectations?
I wasn’t in control of coming to see his parents; I was just
running for my dear life at that time. My boyfriend was a
Nigerian so this was the only place I could run to so I was
hoping that at last, I will get to know where he is from; I
really didn’t care if he was not financially okay. He said he did
not have money and I said it was okay, let us start; it was
just love that was driving me then but love has never paid-off
for me despite my sacrifices but I still believe in love, I still
believe in God and I still believe in people though they kind of
let you down most of the time, people are people and they will
always be people.

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ZIZI CARDOW: SHORT, SIMPLE, UNIQUE

Zizi Cardow is one of Nigeria’s notable and most successful
fashion designers. She is popular for her efforts in the
revolution of African fabrics. Her contribution towards the
growth of fashion in Nigeria and beyond, has earned her
several awards such as DAME award for Outstanding
Achievement in Fashion, St Moritz Style Selection Award and
Most Influential Person in Fashion Award. Also, Imo State
Chamber of Commerce once conferred her Ambassador of
Fashion, among other awards. VIVIAN ONYEBUKWA takes a
look at her sense of style.
Sense of style
Zizi is quite famous for her super short dresses. Her sense of
style is always very classy and unique. Her style can also be
classified as simple, fun and comfortable.
And for clothes, one would probably say she has been highly
influenced by her designs with African fabrics. As a proponent
of African fabrics, you would find 90 per cent ankara outfits in
her wardrobe.
Her style is versatile. In one of her media publications, she
said: “I can count a few pieces that I would say are my outing
clothes. I really don’t have outing clothes because I like things
to be versatile for me; what I can wear in the day, I can wear
at night. I could just dress it up or dress it down”.
Accessories
A peep into her wardrobe will probably provide you with a wall
full of accessories such as earrings, necklaces, bags, shoes.
Zizi will always tell: “I am bag fetish”
Trends
Zizi is a trend setter herself and does not wear what is in
vogue. To her, style is putting on something that suits your
body, looks good on you and makes you comfortable. “I don’t
wear things because others are into it. You can actually create
your style and look good in it”, she said.
Red carpet
She is always a red carpet delight with her simple, unique,
short things that comes most times in ankara .

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SASSY BACKLESS DRESS

By VIVIAN ONYEBUKWA vvnchinyere@yahoo.com
08054103341
If you would like to opt for a sassy backless dress, there are a
number of style tips and tricks that you need to take into
account.
■ Firstly, choose the right bra. You have several variants of
bras to choose from, depending on the texture of the dress
and the depth of the cut on the back.
■ Let your skin glow. Pay attention to the skin on your back
by applying treatments like scrubs for body and shower gels.
Taking showers every day will help you get rid of the dead
skin cells and have impeccable skin.
■ Don’t try a backless dress if you have fatty layers on your
back until you get rid of them.
■ Again, if you are not that proficient at wearing heels you
should also exclude the possibility of wearing backless
dresses, because heels are the most important play pairs of
these dresses.
■ If you have medium or short height, then you’d better opt
for short options of backless dresses according to your body
shape.
■ If you have impeccable figure, you will also look classy with
tight-fitting short backless dresses, flattering your figure and
showing off your wonderful body traits ideally.
■ If you want to accentuate the looks even more, you may opt
for pieces finishing up the look with details like beads,
drippings, pleats, bands, and other decorative elements.
■ Pay attention to your posture when wearing a backless
dress. The royal silhouette of this dress requires a royal and
straight posture with proudly pulled back shoulders and head
held high.
■ Try to limit the number of accessories when opting for such
dresses. They are already chic and sophisticated and opting
for more details and accessories may create the risk pf
overloading the image.
■ Go for updos or half updos when picking a backless dress.
There’s no point in wearing a backless dress if your long locks
are going to cover the entire cut.

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No food for lazy man

■ The daily hustles and hassles of keke driver
■ ‘I’ll never allow my son do this job,’ says an operator
BY HENRY OKONKWO AND LAWRENCE ENYOGHASU
They have heightened idea of what Lagos offers. So, when
they leave their diverse towns and villages to come to the city
of opportunities, they come with lofty dreams – dream to
make it big; dream to have a good life. So, it was with Sunday
Ekumu, an indigene of Afikpo, Ebonyi State. His grandmother
took him to live with her when his parents parted ways. So,
early in life, he learnt how to “fight” the world; how to survive
with his teeth and nails. He dropped out of school at SS3,
because there was no money for him to sit for the West Africa
Examination Council.
Like many ambitious young men, in February 1996, he left his
village for Lagos. He came with his own dream. Luckily, he
was able to secure a job in Cadbury as a casual worker.
Three years after, Sunday left Cadbury PLC to work as a
security guard in a residential building.
According to him, while he was at the job, he knew his desire
was to go into transportation business. Hence, he used his
little savings from his meagre earnings to purchase a
motorcycle. Believing that it would be best to earn a living as
a transporter, Sunday resigned and took to riding okada.
Shortly after, he was to discover that that earning a living as
an okada rider in such a bustling city is no piece of cake.
Although life was tough, he fought on, weathering the storm.
Things, however, were beginning to turn around for the better.
But not for long. August 2012, Lagos State government
passed the traffic law, which slammed a prohibition of
commercial motorcyclists from plying 475 routes, as well as
some major bridges. “That restriction was a huge setback for
many of us,” Sunday told Saturday Sun . “The banned routes
included most of the juicy routes that we ply and make more
money from. Things got very difficult for me, providing for
myself, wife and three children became a daunting task. I pay
almost N50,000 every three months as school fees for my
children in the primary school they attend. I had bills to pay
and the responsibilities weighed down heavily on me.”
Like many of his ilk, surviving became the issue. Life got
tougher by the day. Many okada riders dared the law, but the
resultant clampdown by the government on defaulters, made
the motorcyclists beat a hasty retreat. However, driven by the
need to survive, many gave up, sold their motorcycles and left
the city of dreams. Some others switched to other businesses.
Some disgruntled and dispossessed okada riders found relief
in commercial tricycle, popularly known as Keke Marwa . Some
sold all they had to buy and start driving the tricycles, while
others who could not afford it, opted to get one by hire
purchase.
Sunday got his via hire purchase and started plying Berger-
Olowora axis. “I could not afford to get a keke, so I went to
get one on hire purchase at N650,000. I was to be remitting
N15,000 every week. God was on my side, sometimes I pay
N20, 000.”
Today, the ubiquity of these tricycles in cities like Lagos, Aba,
Port Harcourt and Kano tells that many have found succour
earning their daily bread as commercial tricycle operators. In
Lagos, they are seen in their numbers revving along the roads,
and sprawl at major bus stops. Nevertheless, these trike
operators face several challenges earning their living.
The pains and travails:
The biggest troubles of the tricycle operator are government
security agents and traffic enforcement officers. One of the
motorcyclists that ply Mushin-Ojuelegba axis, Daniel Ojo, told
Saturday Sun that the officers make life unbearable for them.
“The VIO, LASTMA and the police are always harassing us.
Whenever we are arrested for minor violation, they will collect
heavy bribes from us to let us go”.
According to Sunday Ekumu, these agencies have frustrated
many operators out of their daily hustle. “LASTMA officials
arrest incessantly for little or no offence, and then fleece us
heavily. This makes it so difficult for us to meet our high-
purchase target. They almost frustrated me out of business,
and they have frustrated so many of my colleagues out of this
business.” Sunday recounts that VIO officials are greater
devils and that he was lucky not to fall prey to them, “If VIO
officials arrest any keke, they would first ask you to bail
yourself with N60,000 or N70,000.”
Another enormous challenge the tricycle operators face in their
struggle to make ends meet, is the daily harassment and
insult hurled at them by commercial bus drivers. Mojeed
Kolawole is another Keke driver that works around Oshodi
axis. According to him, “we receive lots of insults in the
business, especially from some commercial bus drivers who
threaten to hit us on the road. I was calling passengers one
day when a bus driver threatened to hit me, saying that I was
obstructing movement of his bus. I was actually not blocking
him but he did that because I was competing for the same
passengers he was also looking for.” Mojeed believes that the
drivers do not like seeing tricycles on the road because they
believe that their presence in the transport business reduces
their chances of making profit.
Most keke operators, who spoke with Saturday Sun, agreed
the work is not a job for the soft-hearted. “Any person, who is
not hard working, cannot do it because it is a tedious work. It
involves guts and energy. Riding a tricycle is a herculean task
and when you add the job of looking for passengers to it, it
becomes even more difficult. Some people think it is easy to
ride but it is not,” says Simone Ezeh, who also plies around
Mushin area.
Govt should just let us be…:
Amid their travails, the one wish of an average keke driver is
to be left alone to do his business without harassment. They
appealed to the government to call its traffic officers to order,
saying that many of them are out to enrich themselves by
extortion of commercial tricycle drivers. “The government is
trying to help the masses, but the traffic officers are
sabotaging their efforts and making brisk business. We don’t
have the peace of mind because you do not know when they
will come and start arresting and demanding bribes from us”,
laments Chukwuka Diobu. He continues,: “We keke drivers are
only trying to make a living and feed our families, so
government should just let us be in peace.”
Even with stress they pass through, many commercial
tricyclist agree that it’s a viable venture. But they vehemently
rejected toying with the idea that their child would ever grow
up to become a keke drivers. “Keke business is a good
venture, it has transformed the lives of many people and I
have brought so many into it. But every good father would
pray for his children to be greater than him. I don’t want my
children to go through the sufferings that I go through as a
commercial tricycle operator,” says Sunday Ekumu. He adds,
“What I am doing now is laying a foundation because I aspire
to build a transport company that my children would grow up
to run.”
Chukwuka agrees: “God forbid! My son would never grow up
to face the stress, insults and harassment I receive as a com­
mercial tricycle driver. Nobody takes pride in suffering.”
And for Mojeed, his son would grow up to do something more
respectable than drive keke for a living. “Of course, I wouldn’t
want my son on this job! How can you ask me that kind of
question? I train my son in a good school, and he is a very
bright young lad. I would never wish him to end up driving
K eke Marwa like me. God forbid!” Mojeed blasts.

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2015: Buhari fit for Presidency, APC replies Fayose

The APC Presidential Campaign Organisation has asked
Nigerians to ignore what it called the “utterly silly and
reckless statement” credited to the Governor of Ekiti State,
Ayodele Fayose to the effect that General Muhammadu Buhari
does not enjoy good health.
The Ekiti State governor had claimed that the APC presidential
candidate was looking frail and further claimed that General
Muhammadu Buhari would not be able to cope with the
physical rigours of the Presidency.
But the APC Campaign Organisation in a statement yesterday
also dismissed as “unsolicited, reckless and silly” the
allegation that former President Obasanjo was planning an
imposition of General Buhari on Nigeria as he allegedly did the
late President Yar’Adua while ignoring their health conditions.
“GMB is fit as a fiddle,” said Garba Shehu, the Spokesman of
the organisation.
“He has no known ailment and he is in excellent condition to
pilot the affairs of the country.”
The statement added that Buhari is “almost a health freak,”
who exercises regularly and undergoes medical examinations
at regular intervals.
“On each occasion, the outcomes of those medicals have been
favourable. The recent medicals he did gave him a clean bill
of health,” Garba said.
“GMB is not given to curses otherwise he would have done as
the late President Nnamdi Azikiwe did when a similar mischief
played out over his health. Zik swore that whoever did this to
him would expire before him, and they all did.”

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Gunmen attack Ekiti APC lawmaker’s house

A member of House of Representatives, Hon Ife Arowosoge
yesterday narrowly escaped being killed by a 6-man gang,
who invaded his Ado Ekiti and traumatized his wife, Dr (Mrs)
Oluwayemi Arowosoge and other occupants.
Arowosoge, took journalists round the house at Ajowa Area of
Dallimore yesterday and accused the opposition party of being
behind the alleged plot to assassinate him.
The suspected assassins broke into the house at 4.30am and
traced his wife, two kids and the househelp, who had already
cramped themselves in the pent room.
The Federal lawmaker, who is representing Ekiti South Federal
Constituency 1, alleged that members of the All Progressives
Congress in the state have been subjected to all forms of
terrorism in the last few months, asking “even if it was a case
of robbery, why is it that only members of APC were being
attacked?
Arowosoge declared that similar thing had happened to the
national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun,
which was a pointer to the fact that there was an alleged
secret plot to decimate the opposition.
Arowosoge said he had to resort to the Director of the State
Security Service in Ekiti, Mr Samuel Tamuno, whom he said
responded on the need to take all necessary actions.
“The speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon
Adewale Omirin and other lawmakers had been attacked under
similar circumstances. So, it was a clear case of assas­
sination against me.
“Immediately they gained entry into my House, the first
question they asked repeatedly from my wife is: “where is
your husband” before my wife told them that if it was money
she was ready to offer before they collected money”.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Ekiti State Police
Command, Victor Babayemi said preliminary investigation
conducted by the police indicated that it was a clear case of
robbery.
Babayemi said the suspected robbers had earlier robbed a
hotel within vicinity

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INEC list pitches President against Anambra PDP stalwarts

As President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to storm Anam­
bra State today for his campaign, there is uneasy calm in the
state following the recent release of list of candidates for
senatorial elections in by the Independent Electoral Com­
mission, INEC.
A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP stalwart in the state, Chief
John Ngonadi told Saturday Sun that President Jonathan may
not be warmly received by members of the party following the
recent development in the list of candidates released by INEC
from which major political pundits were excluded.
Chief Ngonadi further revealed that the list of candidates for
the three senatorial zones, which was published by INEC, was
the major cause of problem among some bigwigs in Anambra
who have been the major financiers of President Jonathan’s
second term bid.
He said the list where the names of Senator Andy Uba, Iyom
Uche Ekwunife and Stella Odua were conspicuously missing
portends danger to the party and Mr. President’s chances of
winning elections in the state.
“We had expected the party leadership at the National level to
look into the matter critically especially with the view to
solving the inherent problems associated with selecting can­
didates who would stand elections and deliver the party and
also deliver Mr. President. But today, we noticed that some
elements who have been the destroyers of PDP in the state
have found their ways to bribe some party officials and INEC
staff to smuggle their names as candidates of PDP in the
state”
He called on the National Executive Council of the party to
quickly resolve what he called mix-up in the release of the list
of the authentic candidates of the party for the three
senatorial zones of the state.
It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC had released the list of candidates for
senatorial election in the state across all the participating
political parties.
In the list, the names of Senator Andy Uba currently
representing Anambra South, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, representing
Anaocha/ Dunukofia//Njikoka federal constituency and former
Minister for Aviation, Mrs. Stella Odua were missing.

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Chibok leader slams Jonathan’s visit to Borno

President Goodluck Jonathan’s surprise visit to Maiduguri, Bor­
no State capital and epi-centre of Boko Haram insurgency on
Thursday has attracted sharp reactions from the people of the
area.
One of such is a leader of Chibok (KIBAKU) Community, where
over 200 schoolgirls were abducted on April 14, 2014, Dr. Allen
Mannaseh. He flayed the president promises to retake
captured territory without saying anything about the 276
kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls.
“As the spokesman of the Kibaki (Chibok) Community
nationwide, I do not know what to tell people when they call
to ask why the president didn’t say about the Chibok girls. We
feel pained always and we keep asking why is the Chibok girls
case being treated like this?” he asked in a telephone chat
with reporters in Maiduguri.
He described the president’s visit as “political rather than
sincere effort to sympathise with the people,” adding that the
visit came ahead of the presidential campaign in Maiduguri
billed to hold before the end of January.
“Had President Jonathan not visited Maiduguri yesterday
(Thursday) ahead of the campaigns what will he tell us when
he finally comes for his campaign?” he queried.
He said the Baga massacre deserves more than
“condemnation” by the president. He urged the government to
take decisive action to end Boko Haram insurgency and re­
claim lost towns and communities.

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Police patrol team shoots soldier, wounds three others

It was a black Thursday for many residents of the commercial
city of Onitsha as tragedies befell the city in droves with a
policeman allegedly shooting a soldier and wounded three
others at Upper Iweka while a two storey building was razed
by late evening inferno.
The incidents occurring simultaneously at the Upper Iweka and
Ogboli roads in Onitsha, left many residents bewildered.
It was gathered that no fewer than four persons including an
unknown soldier were reportedly shot by a team of Policemen
at the Young Shall Grow Motor Park, Upper Iweka, Onitsha..
Eyewitnesses disclosed that trouble started when a police
patrol team stormed the park as usual and allegedly
demanded money from the management of the park.
Saturday Sun further gathered that the incident triggered off
reactions from the residents who mobilized to attack the
policemen for shooting the soldier which led to more
casualties as the policemen began to shoot indiscriminately in
order to escape from scene.
A police Inspector leading the team allegedly brought out his
rifle and started shooting indiscriminately ostensibly to scare
the surging mob and in the process stray bullets hit one
person in the stomach while two others sustained injuries.
It was gathered that the soldier was at the park to board a
vehicle back to his base in Borno State when the incident
occurred. However, a team of soldiers from the 302 Artillery
Regiment, Onitsha on distress call stormed the park, arrested
the trigger happy policemen and drove them to the army
barracks while the leader of the team and Inspector of police
was handed over to the police authority at the Central Police
Station, CPS, Onitsha.
However, when contacted, the Anambra State Police Public
Relations Officer, (PPRO), Mr. Uche Eze, said he was attending
a funeral and as such he had no details of the incidents.

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The triumph of self-belief –AZUDIALU-OBIEJESI

Among other things, the story of Dr. Ernest Azudialu- Obiejesi,
Group Managing Director of the Obijackson Group and The
Sun Businessman of The Year 2014, reconfirms one empirical
fact: there is no limit to what creative imagination, hard work,
a supportive wife, and trust in God can accomplish.
Born without the proverbial silver spoon, and a childhood
temporarily taken off track by the Nigerian civil war, the
younger Obiejesi had every excuse to fail or, at best, aspire to
simply survive. But he had other plans. Starting out bright and
early, he dreamed dreams, drew a new rainbow and followed
his rainbow.
Today, as the Okija-born business phenomenon confirms in
this interview with The Sun , records have come tumbling, new
frontiers have been conquered, and the dream is still growing.
Excerpts:
In the beginning…
I spent my childhood mostly in Anambra State. Before I was
10 years old, I had experienced the devastation of a bloody
civil war. Like many parents in post-war Anambra back then,
my parents were petty traders – not formally educated – and
had little material resources to offer their firstborn – me,
except to infuse me with values like discipline, a strong work
ethic and a self-belief that I could go on to fulfill a destiny
that was greater than the circumstances of my early years. At
the start of my education, I combined my studies with my
parents’ petty trading business and excelled in both. Partly
through my efforts, my family was able to achieve some
measure of financial security.
Even with relative business success at a young age, I never
lost sight of the importance of education. I was a diligent
academic student, and gained admission into the highly
selective Dennis Memorial Grammar Secondary School as the
best student from New Bethel Primary School Onitsha, even
though I was in Primary 5 – a year short of the traditional
school-leaving Primary 6. At Dennis Memorial Grammar
School, I was again the best student in my class in Economics
and Mathematics. Ultimately, I graduated from the University
of Benin with a B.Sc in Accounting and was later awarded an
honourary doctorate of Business Administration from the
University of Nigeria.
Generally speaking, growing up had its ups and downs, but I
feel blessed to have gone through that journey with the family
I have. My father passed away a few years ago, but I am
grateful that my mother and siblings are still alive. I owe them
a lot.
How did the story of Obijackson start?
The Obijackson Group started over 30 years ago with
Obijackson West Africa Limited, which was a specialist in
commodities trading. By 1990, the company had grown into
an international trading company with presence in Onitsha,
Lagos, Aba, Maiduguri and Benin Republic. My team and I
nurtured the group from inception and diversified it with an
extensive investment in property, haulage and distribution,
commodities importation and estate development. At the same
time, my interest in adding value to the economy in a broad
sense began to slowly develop. The mainstay of the Nigerian
economy apparently was the oil industry and I knew that a lot
of money was being spent in Nigeria on the production of oil
and gas, but incidentally, I could not find major Nigerian
companies involved in oil production – very few Nigerian oil
servicing companies existed. So, I identified an opportunity to
create value in the oil and gas sector. At the time in 1991,
indigenous companies in oil & gas were very rare. Nestoil
eventually outperformed all expectations for an indigenous
company and its operations led to our creating more
companies under the umbrella of the Obijackson Group.
Basically, the group has expanded by identifying business
opportunities from industry needs that were either not
available or sufficient in-country solutions did not exist. We
then went about creating well-equipped companies to meet
those needs. In other words, these other companies were
initially created to provide for needs that arose during
Nestoil’s execution of their projects. Today, these companies
have become authorities in their respective fields.
Look at the results. The Obijackson Group has become one of
the most diversified business conglomerates in Sub Saharan
Africa, with operations in Oil and Gas Exploration and
Production, Pressure Vessel Fabrication, Power Generation,
Dredging and Marine Logistics, Aviation, Civil and
infrastructural construction and Telecommunications.
We employ over 3,000 people across four continents, in
companies that include Nestoil Limited, Energy Works
Technology Limited, B&Q Dredging Limited, Neconde
Exploration and Production Limited, Hammakopp Consortium
Limited, Gobowen Exploration and Production Limited, Century
Power Generation Limited, IMPAC Oil & Gas Engineering,
Nesthak HDD Services Limited, Shipside Dry Dock Co Limited,
Nesto Aviation Services Limited (NestAv) and Scorpio Drilling
International.
The Obijackson Group’s story is evidence that anything is
possible if you believe enough, and are resourceful enough.
The journey at times seemed long and tough – I assure you
that I have many stories to tell about that, but looking back, it
is remarkable what has been achieved. And we did this by
sheer focus and tenacity and hard work. Most importantly, we
put Almighty God first.
What’s your vision, or better still, what would you consider to
be your driving force?
The interesting thing is that I still find myself guided by the
same mindset I had as a nine-year-old: I continuously ask
myself how do I achieve better results, or create value. And
everything I have accomplished in my professional life has
been as a direct result of asking different variations of the
same cardinal question: Why should this be like this? How can
I get better results? How can I create value?
Which of your investments gives you the biggest joy?
To be honest, it’s not possible to single out one thing
because we try to be proficient in everything we do. I am
really, really proud of our activities as a group – and also very
proud of the work the Obijackson Foundation is doing to
improve welfare and promote self-development through
cultural programmes and sports.
Do you think Nigerians have what it takes to take over the
Nigerian oil sector?
Absolutely! The ownership structure in Nigeria’s oil and gas
industry is changing very quickly. With growing financial
backing from our banks, our indigenous oil and gas companies
have expanded, capitalizing on the government’s drive to
boost domestic control over the oil industry.
More acquisitions by indigenous players have resulted in rising
production levels and increased significance of local
companies in an industry that has been long dominated by
International Oil Companies (IOCs).
According to reports that I have read, the major divestments
by IOCs since 2010 have transferred something like over five
billion barrels of oil reserves and resources and 20 trillion
cubic feet of gas resources to indigenous players. At this rate,
Nigerian oil companies would account for about 25 per cent of
oil production in five years.
These figures represent fresh opportunities and challenges for
Nigerian companies.
There is no doubt that the oil and gas sector, like the Nigerian
economy in general, has huge upward potential, and from the
bottom of my heart, I genuinely believe there is NO OTHER
indigenous company in the country which has worked harder
to raise the standard of indigenous companies in general, than
the Obijackson Group companies. By virtue of the broad
experience we have across several industries, over time, we
have been able to build on our technical expertise and acquire
assets which has distinguished us from our competitors.
What’s your take on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB)?
The proposed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) will become the
most radical and comprehensive legislation in the industry
when passed into law. It came into being following the
attempt by the present administration to undertake a reform
process of the oil and gas industry in order to improve on the
general efficiency of the petroleum industry. It seeks
principally to overhaul and harmonise the clutter of numerous
laws in the industry, establish a new framework for good
governance and best practice, enhance government revenues
through a robust new fiscal regime. That the bill is a step in
the right direction is hard to dispute. It is perfectly legitimate
and indeed long overdue to overhaul, simplify and harmonise
some of our obsolent petroleum laws severely weakened by
changing dynamics. It is something I have repeatedly spoken
about. We need a well drafted law which clearly sets out the
licensee’s rights and obligations, that streamline the various
regulatory institutions and agencies with clearly defined
mandates to implement specific policies, and clarifies the
applicable tax regimes within the oil and gas sector. A look at
the proposed law before the National Assembly also shows
that the PIB provides for a legal, fiscal and regulatory
framework for the industry by creating regulatory institutions
and commercial entities for the upstream and downstream
sectors which are bound by the provisions of the Nigeria
Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Act of 2007. A
well thought-out and implemented petroleum legislation would
encourage mutual trust between all the players in the industry,
create stability and enhance value for both investors and the
governments. However, to get it right, a wider consultation
from all stakeholders should be done before its passage. A
good legislation will create a conducive environment to
accelerate our development of the petroleum industry by
encouraging greater foreign and local investments and at the
same time ensure that the country gets appropriate revenue
for the general development of the country, as our economy is
still largely dependent on oil revenue. Again, the PIB will make
the industry more organised, transparent and functionally
efficient when passed with the right level of consultation.
You will agree with me that the oil and gas is a global
industry and because capital is mobile, competitiveness of
petroleum policies and regulations will impact significantly on
capital flow across the industry. Most often, companies make
investment decisions based substantially on the international
competitiveness of petroleum fiscal systems and
environments. I think the uncertainty surrounding the passage
of the PIB perhaps partly explains why Nigerian crude proved
reserve estimates have remained stagnant in spite of the high
oil prices obtainable in the international market until the
recent down – turn in the prices of crude. Therefore, the key
point of note is that until the PIB is passed a number of
upcoming projects and prospective investments will be
delayed or eventually diverted to other countries with better
legal, fiscal and regulatory regimes, and this will adversely
affect the overall economy, naturally. The reality is that the
PIB will need to be passed for there to be stability and
certainty in our petroleum industry, and until this is attained,
our quest for improved power generation might remain a
mirage. Sufficiency of gas supply is a pre–requisite for
sustainable generation of electricity.
The Sun Award…
I am grateful to Almighty God, without whom nothing is
possible, and to The Sun newspapers. It feels good to be
recognised, and I accept it with humility, and as an
encouragement to further devote myself to making a
contribution to society. But this award is not about me alone
– it is also in recognition of the achievements of the
companies which we founded and nurtured. It is a tribute to
the Obijackson Group – which has grown from its inception
over three decades ago.
There are many people who deserve thanks for their
contributions to our cause. It would be virtually impossible to
mention all of them, but I acknowledge with gratitude the
opportunities given to us by the IOCs. I am also eternally
grateful to my wife, Nnenna and our children, who anchor me
every day of my life. Not least, I am grateful to the entire
Obijackson Group team: those inspired people who toil
tirelessly day and night, whose quiet acts of dedication and
competence have redefined what is possible times without
number. Their effort is invaluable. Our collective story is just
beginning…

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My successor must be ready to listen to the electorate – Gov.Wamakko

With 42 years of public service tucked under his belt, Governor
Aliyu Magatarkada Wamakko, hit the ground running when he
became the helmsman in Sokoto state. Almost eight years
down the road,the man popularly called Alu has touched every
facet of the life of his people. The Sun Man of the Year 2014
shares the story of his challenges and successes.
I will like to start by asking how you received the news that
you’re The Sun Man of The Year. How do you feel?
When I was told through a text message, I felt very honoured
because I know what The Sun newspaper stands for in this
country. The Sun newspaper is one of the most widely
circulated newspapers in the country and it is very informative
and a very objective paper. I really feel honoured not as
person, but on behalf of the entire state and it also tells me to
work harder that somebody out there is watching.
Which of the projects you have done in the past eight years
gladdens your heart most?
Well, there are too many of them but the one that gladdens
my heart most is the state university which I have upgraded
and which would be helping children long after we have gone
and which has the potentials of addressing the many needs of
the state. In terms of children getting enrolled in schools, our
priority has been getting youths educated. Now the youths are
in the right place they are supposed to be rather than being
drug addicts and the likes. There are so many reasons the
university is so dear to me. Honestly, there are so many
projects that are so dear to my heart and among them is the
problem of potable water. I believe in life, we all need water to
survive. So, when I came, the state capital needed about 40
million gallons per day but we were providing 7 million to 9
million or there about. Then I started thinking of a way to
provide adequate drinking water in a good environment and a
modern day water system for the rural areas. So,
I had to revive all the water works plants. I put in place new
machines and appointed a task force . Within a year, we were
able to achieve as high as 33 million gallons per day . We
then began to bring in a modern day water system . Most of
the water ways we had before had done 30 to 40 years and so
they were no longer in tune with the modern ones. So, I began
with the one in Asari which produces 20 million gallons per
day and which was commissioned by former President
Obasanjo. It has taken care of all the environments around
Sokoto West , all the GRAs , the police , army barracks, all the
bigger parts of Sokoto even the interior parts and the city
centre benefits from this Asari Water Scheme. In the second
phase of this project, I also awarded a contract which was
allocated to different settlements in Sokoto , like Gaji, Rounja
Sambo and Rogaleman. There is another along Mana area ,
little ones and so on. They are little ones like five million, ten
million gallons, so that there won’t be any problem where the
whole city does not have water, so we have decentralized it in
such a way that different communities have different sources
of water supply. In fact, we have decided to go underground
for water now because we get more quantity, neater, odorless
and safer water there. All our new water projects are
underground water systems. Some have been commissioned
and some will be any time from now. So, we are really getting
there.
This is the city of the Caliphate, how easy or difficult is it to
govern Sokoto State?
In governance there cannot be anything like cool or easy in
the sense that the demands do not tally with the income and
that is what makes it not easy. But it can be easy if the
people are understanding, well informed and well carried
along. When I first came, I had it mind that I will be a
governor with a listening ear. A governor that will respect the
feelings of his people and I have done that. I made sure that
there was no segregation, no one will be called a non-Sokoto
indigene or settler. No matter where you come from, you will
be treated equally and you are entitled to some basic things in
the state . I have gone a long way in doing this. For instance
Ibos ,Yorubas and other tribes are in my cabinet and
everybody is treated with respect and it is so lovely. There is
so much love in the state that is why we live in peace in this
state. As human beings, one thing is important and that is
mutual respect and once we have mutual respect we have
peace , you can have unity and you can have harmony in the
state.
You are going to Senate?
I hope to.
What do you want to achieve in the Senate?
No, this country has the need for people who will go and
provide the basis for youths to govern this country. We need
people who will go to provide checks and balances for this
country. If you can see in the last five years, it is only the
House of Representatives that has been making any attempt
to provide checks and balances for us . The Senate has been
a sell-out, most times they always submit to whatever the
government says. There must be checks and balances which
is the reason democracy is important and why we have the
three arms of the government. We feel there is a need for
people who have experience in governance at that level;
people who are not looking for money to build a house or buy
a beautiful car. At a certain age, you are only thinking of
service and your grave. That’s why it’s good to spend the
remaining days of one’s life serving mankind and not looting
the treasury. The services should be provided adequately and
effectively to taste. For instance, Nigerians cannot have
access to good roads in this country after 54 years, it has
never reached Sokoto. I just went to see the Emir some
months ago. See Niger for instance, the President is
constructing a railway from Niamey to Ouagadoudou and then
to Maraba while we are always talking and talking all the
time, we have all these resources but they are not been used
wisely. We want a situation where we can confer with the
government at different levels and ask questions. We want
government to provide services where they are needed and
when they are needed.
With the falling oil price and the austerity measures starring
us in the face what has your government put in place in
Agriculture to ensure that there is an alternative so that your
government won’t be taking the bowl to Abuja every month
for allocation?
Long before now, I am one of those educating people on
diversifying the economy, I was never happy the way we were
depending on oil money. Oil money has made us all lazy and
useless. Before oil came, Nigeria was a rich and vibrant
country. We were exporting cocoa, groundnuts, palm oil,
cotton and so on. When I came here, I tried to see how best
we can revive the agriculture sector by providing them all the
modern facilities, equipment, high yielding seedlings , fertilizers
and exposing them to various schemes and training that will
help them know and understand modern farming techniques.
We don’t just give them equipment, we also teach them
modern ways of farming. Before we were doing it in a very
conservative way but now, we’re doing what we can to fully
get into mechanized farming .How I wish tomorrow you can
drive around and see how engaged our people are in farming.
And with that, issues about development is carefully and
neatly addressed. All these problems of rural-urban migration
is being addressed, all the issues of agronomy are being
addressed. If youths in their local governments are gainfully
employed there won’t be any need to move from rural to
urban areas because the basic things like water, good roads
and electricity are also available . There won’t be any need for
people to move again to the cities.

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Don’t expect naira to strengthen too soon, says The SunBanker of the Year–Onasanya, FBN GMD

Group Managing Director of First Bank Plc, who is also The
Sun Banker of the Year for 2014, Mr Bisi Onasanya, has ruled
out quick fixes for Nigeria’s economy at this period of
downturn.
Speaking in an interview with the newspaper, the astute
banker examines what led Nigeria into the cul-de-sac she has
found herself, and the possible ways out.
Excerpts below:
How do you react to FG’s recognition of First Bank as one of
the top 100 companies contributing to Nigeria’s economic
and industrial development?
Well, I would say I was not surprised that First Bank was
named as one of the top 100 companies in Nigeria. I would
rather say it is a reaffirmation of what FBN has been doing in
the Nigerian economy. If you recall, it is one of the oldest
institutions in Nigeria at 125. At certain point in time, it also
served as the central bank for the whole of West Africa. We
always pioneered developmental roles, including support for
various governments and organisations. So, for me, the
message that came out from the Federal Government
recognition is that for you to be as old as First Bank and yet
seen to be very relevant, indeed, I would say the most
relevant because First Bank is the only financial institution in
the top 10 of the 100 companies in Nigeria, and this simply
means that there are certain things we have learnt to do in
the economy and not just that but that we have been able to
pass it from generation to generation. And that also puts a lot
of burden on me as the managing director, and it cascades
down to the entire management team of the bank as
Nigerians expect a lot from us because you can’t appear
today and disappear tomorrow and expect to be relevant to
the nation’s socio- economic development.
If we have not been consistently on top of our game, we
would not be where we are today. Therefore, we owe it to the
present generation and future generations that we pass the
baton to the future generation, so that in the next 100 years,
First Bank would remain the topmost institution in Nigeria.
And I would also say we shouldn’t be complacent about being
in the top 10 but our objective should be to rise to the
topmost of the Nigerian corporate ladder and by extension the
rest of Africa. That is the objective we have set for ourselves.
Worrisome trend of oil price drop, and naira devaluation
We would be in denial if we say there is no cause for alarm
and the reason is very simple, because it is very similar to a
pregnant lady who after nine months delivers a baby boy or a
baby girl. We should have expected that if you carry a
pregnancy for that long, that at some point you would deliver
a baby. All the time, the signs were there that oil price would
come down some day because it’s a cycle that would always
come.
We also had all the warnings that you can’t be a mono-
product economy for too long and expect to be unaffected by
global crisis. So, I don’t think we are short of knowledge of
what will happen. I don’t also think we are short of knowledge
in terms of what to do because we all know the solution to
that kind of economic structure would be diversification, less
reliance on imports, reduction on government spending on
recurrent expenditure and building capacity and infrastructure
for industries, so that when the unexpected happens in terms
of drop in oil prices, we have something to fall back upon.
Nigeria is an economy that depends so much on oil and we
knew it would be like this someday, so I am not surprised at
what is happening at the moment and I would be surprised if
any knowledgeable Nigerian would say otherwise.
However, do we have hope?
Yes. I believe that having seen the eventual impact of
declining oil price so far, we all have a responsibility now to
make sure we correct the situation. We can no longer continue
to live as if oil is an inexhaustible commodity. We can no
longer continue to expect that OPEC would continue to
determine the price of oil due to the various adjustments they
used to fall back on. We have now seen that we cannot
decouple global politics from the business of oil price, and if
you are not strong in that, your economy would be highly
susceptible to the vagaries of the changes in the price of that
commodity.
My challenge therefore to our leaders is that we need to
accept that this not a short term impact on our economy.
We need to accept that we owe the next generation the right
to live by building a strong foundation for the new economy of
Nigeria, which can no longer be benchmarked or be dependent
on oil. We have to build capacity, we have to build
infrastructure, develop businesses, develop the manufacturing
sector, provide education for the masses such that at the end
of the day, we have much more business that would
contribute more to the economy of Nigeria, provide
employment to a lot more people so that you have ancillary
from taxes and other sectors of the economy, thereby forming
a basis for further diversification of the economy. There are
therefore no quick fixes to achieving all these targets than to
diversify our economy and make it less dependent on oil.
What are the short-term options to overcome the shocks?
Unfortunately there are limited options at our disposal to
manage the challenges in the short term. For instance, I don’t
see how you can fix the exchange rate in the short term when
you know that we depend a lot on revenue from oil to defend
the naira.
We must, however, be willing to encourage production of local
items, defend local industries and in the process reduce the
amount of goods imported into the country, which then
compete with Nigerian products. If we continue to import all
manner of goods to come into the country in such a way that
such goods become much cheaper than locally produced
goods, then you are killing your own industries. I would say
there are not many quick fixes you can put on the table today
but more of medium to long term. We need to encourage local
manufacturing and reduce imports. We spend a lot of money
importing rice into Nigeria. We spend a lot of money importing
steel and several other manufactured goods, including the
things we don’t need. We have iron ore in Nigeria and from it
we can develop our steel industry. We encourage the
production of rice locally and encourage the agricultural sector
through a guaranteed off-take arrangement for farmers to
encourage more people to go back to the farm.
These are some of the things we should not spend money on
importing because we have the capacity to produce them.
We should try to evaluate how much we spend on things that
are not important to us and government expenditure needs to
be reduced drastically.
It also affords us an opportunity to know how much subsidy
government is providing on refined petroleum products today
and reduce government expenditure in 2015.
You have an opportunity to use the 2015 budget and take the
very hard decisions that are necessary for the time,
particularly reducing government recurrent expenditure. We
also need to reduce the cost of doing business and divert
such savings into providing real infrastructure, and things that
would support the real sector of the economy.
Government needs to provide things that will help the real
sector to grow, things that will encourage small and medium
enterprises rise up in Nigeria and provide employment in the
economy. Those are the kind of policies I expect in 2015.
We should encourage local production of goods and services
so that within a shortest possible time, the incentives that are
required for these industries to produce efficiently should be
put on the table.
Tap resources from spending to providing infrastructure and
supporting those who would be the foundation for
development.
Naira devaluation
I would say that we would not be able to see a stronger naira
in the short term. I don’t expect anybody to think that naira
would strengthen in the next three months. Unfortunately, it
would not be so in the short term. If it appears to be so in
the short run, it would be because we are trying to manage
the situation in certain directions and if we allow a free flow of
the currency as it is today it will cross N200 by the end of
this year. Is there any magic? No. Because I don’t see any
The fixing of the exchange rate at the last MPC meeting was
done at a time oil price was at $70 per barrel. But it has
declined further to under $50 per barrel, so there is no magic
wand.
We have to accept that the increase in the cost of imported
goods is the reason for the present challenge and the lesson
is that we have to be less dependent on importation and
encourage local manufacturing of goods and focus more on
building capacity and removing all the impediments to real
sector growth and local production of goods, food and
services.
In summary, what I said is that we should not be surprised at
what is happening, because we saw the signals, but we did
not do the right things when we had the opportunity to do so.
But I also said that we should not panic because there is
opportunity for us to take some corrective measures.
Given the fact that we depend a lot on the sale of oil to
defend the naira and given the fact that we have seen
declining fuel price, we should not expect the price to firm up
higher than they are today. If ever there is a trajectory, it
would be to go down further.
However, we have an opportunity to wake up and take the
corrective measures that would ensure we depend less on
crude oil going forward and also stop using crude oil price to
defend the naira. We need to wake up our industries.
Whatever be the impediments that are not allowing our local
industries to work should be removed so that we encourage
more Nigerians to go into agriculture. Right now, we all
believe it is not a profitable business.
This is because between the farms site and the market, a lot
of wastages occur, but these can be managed to reduce those
wastages if we have the right incentives in place.
Agriculture is the bedrock of the Nigerian economy and once it
is properly managed, even the graduates would willingly go
back to farming.
Similarly SMEs contribute a lot to the economy but we are not
doing enough to make them more productive. If you are able
to do most of the things I have listed, unfortunately they are
not things that can be done in one month or before the
general elections, but what we are saying is that 2015 should
be used to lay a solid foundation for local production and
change our orientation from a consuming economy to a
manufacturing economy.

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Legal practice has given me so much… –Solanke

She remarkably still commands the aristocratic presence she
has been known for, since her immersion decades ago into the
upper crust of the Nigerian society, both as the first female
commissioner in the old Western State and first female Senior
Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). She spoke with YINKA FABOWALE
and OLUSEYE OJO in Ibadan.
Ever gorgeously attired, with sweet, inimitable diction and
Oxfordian accent that lull you into thinking you were probably
on the streets of England, she received The Sun team that
had, a few minutes before, been ushered into one of the big
living rooms in her Red Bricks residence on plot 2, Aringindi
Street, Bodija, the home of the Noveauriche in Ibadan, the Oyo
State capital.
Yet, Chief (Mrs.) Folake Solanke (SAN), showed her palpable
humility and simplicity to the guests, with her personable
warmth and charm. A great and engaging conversationalist,
she is as witty, friendly as she is sharp enough to put you on
the spot on issues.
Also, at over 80 years of age, the octogenarian legal luminary
who is being honoured today Saturday, January 17, 2015, with
the Lifetime Achievement Award by The Sun Publishing
Limited, along with other men and women of distinction at Eko
Hotel Suites and Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos, still radiates
an uncanny agility and youthfulness.
The General Counsel of the newspaper company, Mr. Obinna
Kalu, and Assistant Editor/ Head, South-West Bureau, Mr.
Yinka Fabowale, were in Ibadan to present the letter of
notification on the award to Solanke, the first non-White ever
to be International President of Zonta International, on
Tuesday, January 13, 2015, after several attempts to reach her
directly.
When she took her seat, a mild drama ensued. “My legal
executive for 40 years receives my correspondence. So, I could
not understand why The Sun newspapers insisted on my
receiving the letter for photographs to be taken. Why?”,
Solanke querried.
Kalu responded, explaining that it was the tradition of The Sun
Publishing Limited to formally present notification letters to its
awardees, but the old lawyer cut in good humouredly: “But I
am not part of your tradition!” To this Kalu further explained
that the presentation of notification letters was done as an
awareness campaign build-up to the official presentation of
the awards.
But, Solanke pressed her point: “A month ago, a friend of mine
telephoned to congratulate me. I said: ‘for what?’ She said
The Sun newspapers has given me an award. So, I told her I
knew nothing about it. She was surprised. I wanted to write to
protest why you did not tell me that I would be given an
award that I just saw in the newspaper. This meeting
(presentation of notification letter) should have preceded the
publication of the names of awardees)”, she reasoned.
To this cross-examination, Mr. Fabowale, volunteered: “The
Board of Editors of the company at the end of every year, sits
and looks at the society to see who and who had made
significant contributions in various spheres. It is after that
they write out the letters and simultaneously announce the
picks of the corporate body. Actually Ma,the letter has been
ready since we announced the awards. But, The Sun Award is
not a conventional award. It is not the caricature we now
have all over the place whereby you give a person an award
and you attach a budget to it. The Sun Award is basically on
merit. So, we don’t involve our honourees until we have made
the decision and we let the nation and the whole world know
through our newspaper and our online platform”.
An apparently satisfied Solanke, after the explanations, then
“discharged and acquitted her young visitors with a pleasant:
“I have accepted the award”.
Solanke, who read the notification letter before she responded,
commended the quality of the letter, saying: “I enjoyed the
prose. It’s well written. I also thank you for identifying
Nigerians for their contributions. There is so much that is
going on in Nigeria. Personally, when you can identify some
people to be recognised and decorated, it gives hope that the
best is yet to come in Nigeria.
“It is an example that it is important for the younger ones
that in the midst of it all, we still have very credible citizens.
So, I thank you for including me in the number of those to be
really recognised and decorated.”
Solanke then fielded questions on sundry issues. Excerpts:
We still have judges who abide by their oaths of office
The legal profession is extremely important for any country
because without law and order, there will be anarchy, there
will be confusion. That is why it is extremely important that
the judiciary should try and reverse the very negative
perception of people about judiciary because of the level of
improprieties that we know is incumbent on leaders of this
country. The level is too high. Judges must be above board.
They must demonstrate to the society what is best in all that
we do. The judiciary must not let the country down. So, I am
hoping that we will be able to follow the example of the
recently retired first female Chief Justice of Nigeria, who tried
to really sanitise the judiciary and to punish those who were
found guilty.
We still have some judges who abide by their oath of office
and render justice without fear or favour, so that the public do
not dismiss the difference between the good and the not so
good. They just lump all judges together that the judiciary is
corrupt. But we still have very good judges who do not belong
to the group of those who let us down. Whenever you write
about judges, please remember that distinction because it is
not fair that you should malign those who are good along with
those who are not. It is very important that a distinction be
made.
I am disappointed with the level of performance of some new
lawyers
Both the bar and the bench constitute the legal system in this
country. Without the bar, the judges cannot perform. Without
the judges, the lawyer cannot perform. In any case, you
cannot become a judge without being a lawyer. So, we need
to look at what is going on among our own colleagues and
the areas that we also should attend to because some of
those who try to corrupt judges go through lawyers. Lawyers
too must really stand up. They also take an oath, especially
Senior Advocates of Nigeria, to make sure that we abide by
the ethics and tradition of our profession, so that we can
really help this country to come back to the path of
righteousness, because there is a lot of evil in Nigeria. So, we
need to be back to the path of rectitude and to be good and
true. We want the rule of the law. Then, we need to look into
the training of lawyers also. I am very sorry to say that
sometime I am very disappointed with the level of
performance of some new lawyers. So, we need to really try to
make sure that those who come into the profession possess
the qualities that we need to make sure that our legal system
is one of the best in the world. As for the English Language,
that is not a problem only for the lawyers. I commended you
when I read your letter (of notification of award). Some of the
statements made by some lawyers, I actually wondered
whether they actually read any English before becoming a
lawyer. But poor English is not a monopoly of lawyers. We
have problem with English Language because whether we like
it or not, we cannot deny our history. We are a colony and
English Language is a language of the court and therefore you
just have to be good at it. Some of the older lawyers and
judges who have passed away left a legacy of absolutely
impeccable English Language in their judgments and in their
statements. We need to improve the qualities of those who
come into the profession.
We must also improve the quality of our schools. Some
teachers cannot even speak good English Language and they
are supposed to be teachers. So, we have a problem with
that.
Journalism is not where it used to be
Journalism is an extremely important profession and you have
a duty in the constitution to make sure that things go right.
Section 22 of the Constitution gives the duties and obligations
of the mass media that you must let the people know what is
going on and you are doing your best. But sometimes, one
gets the impression that the orientation of some of the
newspapers… one wonders what is going on behind the scene,
if you cannot understand their stand in relation to certain
issues. In journalism profession too, you have to be very
careful of those who come to the profession so that you will
ensure that the training is adequate for the practice of
journalism. When I read newspapers, sometimes the editing is
not as thorough as one would expect. You need to take care
of that.
Beating of judge in Ekiti State is extremely dangerous for
Nigeria
What happened in Ekiti, when I read about it, it just sounded
as though one was having a terrible nightmare. If a judge
could be attacked and his clothing torn and the record of the
chief judge could … I have never heard of such calamity. If you
do not respect judges, that is the end of the society.
Unfortunately, nothing has been done about it to really find out
who and who were responsible because evildoing must be
punished. If you don’t punish evildoing, it will continue.
When the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria was retiring in
November, 2014, as the first female Senior Advocate of
Nigeria, I was asked to come and make a speech in the
Supreme Court. I spoke about this. I invited the Inspector
General of Police to go and read the constitution and also
have the Police Acts, it would have been good to investigate
crimes and to make sure that those involved are punished. As
at now, I have no information that anything has been done
that has to do about what happened in Ekiti State. It should
not be repeated anywhere. I hope that those who are
responsible will be taken through a legal process. If they just
do that and get away with it, it is extremely dangerous for this
country. evildoing, it will continue. When the
Call for the scrapping of the award of the prestigious SAN
title?
First of all, we must always try to promote excellence in every
field of endeavour. When I became a Senior Advocate of
Nigeria in 1981 – the first female, there was no question of
lobbying or really trying to affect the process unduly. It was
purely on merit. It has helped younger lawyers to know that if
they do well in the profession, there is this elevation that they
can look up to in years to come.
So, I very vehemently disagree with those who say it should
be scrapped. There are problems, no doubt about the award
now and allegation of impropriety and corruption. I know that.
But then, what we need to do is to find a way of eliminating
the improprieties. You don’t throw away the baby with the
bath water. The immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria,
Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, tried to review the criteria.
Now, instead of being able to apply in 10 years, I think it has
been raised to 20 years. Like all things in Nigeria, it always
starts on a very high plane and then gradually, the standard is
eroded and becomes something that is not exactly what it
was envisaged to be at the very beginning. So, I accept that
we need to make sure that there is a lot of transparency and
integrity in the choice of those who are to be elevated to the
rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, but certainly not to scrap
it.
The judiciary as aiding and abetting corruption in Nigeria,
especially through plea bargaining.
It never was part of our legal system before. But in the last
few years, it was surreptitiously sneaked into the process. I
know now for sure that Lagos State, for instance, in its civil
procedure rules has a provision for it. And some other states
have also followed that example. But I have never agreed with
it, because it doesn’t bring out the justice of the case and it
is also available for those who can engage very important
lawyers to make sure that they can go through with the plea
bargaining. It is not something a poor person can really take
advantage of. It is not right that you should have a process,
which tilts towards some people and against some people. So,
I have never liked it. I know they use it in America, but they
have a lot of regulation by which they make sure that justice
is not compromised. So, for me I do not like it and I was quite
upset when it was included in the rules. But then, the rules are
there now. We just have to make sure that it is not corrupted
because if you stole billions and you are asked to pay
something. I think it defeats justice and I do not agree with it.
In the early part of your life in England, you read
Mathematics and Education. What informed your first choice
of profession and the switch to the legal profession?
Pure Mathematics was one of the subjects that I took when I
was getting my first degree. After obtaining my Diploma in
Education, I taught Latin and Mathematics in two public
schools in England for three years and also in Nigeria for two
years at Yejide Girls’ Grammar School, Ibadan…Then, I had to
give evidence in a particular case and I asked the counsel,
who was the prosecuting counsel, Victor Durand in England. I
asked him the meaning of hearsay evidence. He tried to
explain but not being a lawyer then, I didn’t quite get the
reason hearsay was not allowed for certain questions. So, I
wanted to find out.
When I had the opportunity then, I decided that I would read
law to find out the law against hearsay. Of course, I read the
whole of bar examinations and all that. When I started to
practise, I found a very strong parallel between the subject of
geometry, which I liked very much and law. In geometry, you
are given certain data and from the data, you work out the
geometrical problems. When I entered the legal profession, I
was very fascinated because you are given legal principles,
the laws and then you have to use those principles to resolve
legal problems. It was exactly as though I was resolving
geometrical problems from giving data and then from giving
laws. So, I was very fascinated by that. Another similarity is
the clarity that Mathematics gives you. Anybody who studied
law, there is a lot of clarity there, even though we may
disagree as to the interpretation. But the law is always there
and it is something that you have in Mathematics.
Pupillage and self-practice by young lawyers
There was a time the law was introduced that you must go
and have tutelage before you can practise on your own for
certain period. People went to court and said it was
unconstitutional; you are not expected to do that. So, we
reverted. Now, from the law school, you can just set up a law
office and that is dangerous. It is a calamity for anybody to
step out of the law school and start practice. I always tell
them: ‘Your certificates in the university and in the law school
are passports to knowledge. When it comes to the practice,
you will acquire legal knowledge in the courtroom, very
different from the theories that you learned in the university
and the law school. So, it is important to go and learn from
the good seniors by working with them in chambers for about
two, three and four years, for you to stabilise and know how
to handle court cases. It is dangerous and it can ruin a legal
practice, because you would just commit such outrageous
error that doesn’t uplift your name in the profession. So, I am
very much against not having tutelage. Those who are clever
know that they should have it. Sometimes, they would
complain they are not well paid and all that. But that happens
in all professions. Any new lawyer, who has been called to the
bar, should find a good law office to start with, not just plunge
into legal practice without knowing what it’s all about. It is a
different ballgame in the court and you must learn it before
you can practise.
Professional dress sense?
I can say without any hesitation that by the grace of God, the
lawyers in Ibadan follow my example, because if I see them in
a situation that I do not agree with what they are wearing, I
call them aside and I will tell them quietly what to do – black
and white. The white should be white, not brown. So, I am
happy that people do follow my examples in that regard. And
they tell one another if they are coming to see me to dress
very well. They know that. In any event, even within or without
profession, appearance is of great significance. When you
enter a room, it doesn’t matter how clever or brilliant you are,
before you open your mouth, people have either downgraded
you or upgraded you because of your appearance. That is why
I always preach and I will continue to preach that they must
make sure their appearance is impeccable. I love to see
lawyers well-dressed in court in their black and white. The
profession says dark. But I don’t use the word dark colour. I
use black because somebody may come in green or brown and
say it’s dark. So, I never use the word dark. It is black and
white. They know and even in the world of fashion, black and
white are the most important colours.
Sense of public service now and in the past
There was a deputy governor, who had disagreement with the
governor. I read in the newspaper the letter that, that deputy
governor wrote to the governor because of the disputation
between them. I was flabbergasted that when they were to go
for election in 2011, he said the governor promised him that
he would come and enjoy and that he has not be enjoying.
Then, he narrated his complaints about what the governor has
done or has not done to make him enjoy. I said: “This is a
letter of complaints to his governor. Was that the only thing
that took him to become a deputy governor?’ That shows you
that some of the leaders go there to enjoy or to chop as they
say and not to serve. So, that is another thing that Nigeria
has to work on, that our leaders should go there to serve and
not to enjoy. I was quite surprised that, that deputy governor
could put it in a letter and the letter was published in the
newspaper.
You once led Zonta International, what was your experience
leading that prestigious club?
In 1970, I was in my law chambers and there was a lady in
her 70s from Canada. My legal executive, who has been with
me for 47 or 48 years, came into my office and said there was
an old lady from Canada waiting to see me. We respect age. I
couldn’t keep her waiting for me although there was no
appointment. So, I told him to bring her in and she came with
a Nigerian lady. So, she told me about Zonta and her
commitment to the advancement of women. The qualifications
to become members, she said, you have to be in executive
position in business or the professions and she told me how
they tried to influence the development of women all over the
world. Anyway, I was fascinated by the philosophy of Zonta.
So, I became a member. We have what we call districts,
conferences in districts. Every two years, we have a huge
convention. So, I was rising in the profession and I became
the first non-White Vice International President. That
happened in Ontario in Canada in 1986.
Those who were fond of me wanted me to go for president-
elect. Once you have become the president-elect, you don’t
need any other election before you become the International
President. So, I contested in 1988 in Helsinki, I lost to an
Australian. I contested in 1990 in Dallas, Texas, I lost to a
lady from Switzerland. Eventually in 1992 in Hong Kong, I
won.
But those six years from 86 to 92, it was Zonta politics that
they were not ready for a Black President. But there were
people, who were strongly in support of me and eventually it
happened. Having won, everybody, we treated them equally. I
felt the weight of representing the Black race in that position.
In all the other international organisations- in Rotary, Lions
they have never had Black person as International President.
So, I felt the huge weight of my representation of the Black
race, not only in Nigeria, but all over the world that I should
do well, so that it doesn’t confirm what they think we are that
we are not up to their own standard. I have a very good friend
in Sweden. She is a judge. She has been to Nigeria several
times. She stays in my house. I have also been to Sweden a
number of years, staying with her in her own home. I confided
in her and she told me: “Folake, you cannot carry that burden.
It is too heavy for you and your shoulders. You must just do
the best you can. So, don’t worry about the representation. Do
your best”.
It just lifted that burden off my shoulders because she is
Swedish and she could understand what I was going through.
So, I just did my best and even today at all our conventions, I
am so highly regarded. I am not boasting, but anytime I go to
any convention, I am surrounded by those who want to do one
thing or the other. Even now, I am in correspondence with a
number of them.
Achievements of the tenure for women globally?
We were part of the global crusade to elevate the standard of
women. When I was the International President, I led the
international delegation of Zonta to Beijing, where we
presented papers. Then, we had in the decisions, 12 items that
everybody was going to work on. It came to Nigeria and
people and international organisations have been working on
it.
The orientation is there that women should be respected and
should be included in the development process.
Assessing the fate of women and their condition in Nigeria
now
At least, we have more women professionals. We have them in
business. But what I read in the newspaper about violence
against women, we still have a long way to go. The
orientation should start right at the beginning, in the homes.
The parents should let their boys know that both boys and
girls are of equal value. We should take it from there. All this
trafficking of women is a global scourge and you must
continue to talk about it in the newspapers, to condemn it.
Look at the Chibok girls. Look at the 10-year-old that they
said they strapped explosives on only last Sunday. I don’t
want them to strap any child with any explosives. But the fact
that they used a girl means that they don’t regard the life of a
girl as much as that of a boy. We still have a long way to go.
What has law given to you?
The practice of law has given me so much joy and also the
respect and the affection and the goodwill that I enjoy among
lawyers. I cannot begin to talk about it. Anywhere I go, I am
surrounded by lawyers; they want to talk to me, they want to
hear from me. It is something that I cannot quantify. It is
something that touches my soul.
I went to the Supreme Court on November 20, 2014 to give
my speech, when I finished, there was a spontaneous standing
ovation in the Supreme Court and we are not even expected to
clap in court. But people reacted spontaneously. In fact, there
was this spontaneous ovation, even the Chief Justice herself
said: ‘That’s the woman for you’. That also raised another
uproar.
So, I cannot quantify it. When some lawyers see me, they
would say they thought I was very huge and I would say this
is all that I am. What has it given me? It has given me so
much joy and so much pleasure. It is not an easy profession
to practise. But if you do it diligently with a lot of industry and
research, it is a very wonderful profession. For me, it is the
best profession in the world. I will forever cherish the way my
profession reacts towards me. I was surrounded in the
Supreme Court, photographs here and there; people asking for
my telephone number. So, I react very positively but it is
something that I treasure and I cherish.
At over 80 years, you still look healthy, youthful and elegant,
what are the secrets?
Well, it is God’s grace, exercise and decent diet. I go to
parties and I see ladies with heaps of food on their plates!
They finish that. In the next hour or two, they bring another
thing and… If you eat like that, there is no way you won’t
have a problem later on. So, it is God’s grace and maybe
DNA. Also, do everything in moderation.

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