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Sunday, 25 January 2015
Erm, she's his new wife, not his daughter (photos)
Movie producer Chinneylove Eze completes new movie 'The Good Wife'
"I worked and prayed until I got here. I am not where I want to be, but at least I am somewhere. The best gift I gave to myself was been industrious. There's absolutely nothing wrong with getting gifts from men, but the feeling when you can get it and even more yourself, it is self fulfilling. I didn't have to wait for any man or daddy's money, I did it all by myself. I started with little trade of buying and selling back in university and now am a proud movie producer of over six movies at 26. And I can proudly says it pays my bills. My asset is not my beauty or body, but my brains, and I urge every young girl out there, Think it, Be it and Live it."
Did Funke Akindele shade Toyin Aimakhu last night?
It's not news that Toyin Aimakhu and Funke Akindele don't see eye to eye. If you Google, you will find a few posts of reports of the two actresses beefing each other. In fact, sometime in 2013, Toyin tweeted at an 'aunty Agbaya' who was going around tarnishing her image. Toyin made reference to herself being married while the 'Agbaya' was single and jumping around. This was a few months after Funke Akindele's marriage ended. (Read here). A lot of people felt Toyin was referring to Funke.
Well, yesterday after news hit social media that Toyin Aimakhu's marriage to Adeniyi Johnson had crashed, Funke went on instagram and posted what you see above and under it she wrote "Yes, You!" with two tongue out smiley.
Many of her followers immediately picked up on it and accused her of shading Toyin because her marriage had also failed. When fans criticized her for the post, Funke Akindele removed it but not before I screen-grabbed it. So that's happened. You think it had to do with Toyin?
Shots fired! Burna Boy sounds off on twitter...
Photos from 'Omotola at 20' dinner event in Abuja
Amber Rose clears the air on her relationship with Nick Cannon
Muna Obiekwe: I have been living without kidney for threeyears – Emma Ugolee
Following the death of Nollywood actor, Muna Obiekwe, last
Sunday, after a protracted battle with failing kidney which
finally gave in on Sunday, an air of gloom descended on the
industry, prompting many to question their lifestyles and
warning colleagues to do the same. Tributes began to pour in
for the deceased, just as colleagues exchanged messages of
love, sharing the loss and embracing in a sombre camaraderie
that only could come from losing a dear one.
Emma Ugolee
Amid the tears, the sobs and sheer disbelief is a man who
must feel the loss than most people. Not because he is a kin
or of same family with the deceased but because he suffers
from the same ailment from which his colleague has just
passed away. To him, death is never far away. He had come
close to seeing it many times but has always won. The man
is Emma Ugolee, former on-air-personality.
“Too many phone calls last night only with everyone just
checking to see how I was doing. It all made sense when
news filtered in that Muna Obiekwe had just died from a
disease I’ve battled for over three years now. The general
concern being the psychological impact of being reminded of
the likelihood of one’s demise owing to the unpredictable and
deadly nature of living without a kidney,” he recalled his
experience a night after Muna’s death.
“For closer friends, aware that I had lost 10 associates to this
struggle. Three being in the last Three months and that each
one lived with issues less complicated than mine. Calling me
was like checking up on a pal on death row,” he observed
somberly.
But Emma Ugolee, as much as he may see himself on death
row, isn’t sitting helplessly, expecting the hangman to come
with the noose. He has hope and he shared it with colleagues:
“Now it was time to return the calls and assure every single
one that the unfortunate event is no reason to lose faith,” he
said
“It’s no proof that I must toe a similar line. That I am not
holier than those whose journeys have ended and thus wise
enough to understand that logic does not explain the
sustaining power of grace. The fact that a pattern surrounds
you, does not mean your future has been moulded by it. Your
faith, your vision, aspiration and motivation must tower above
your environment all the time. What around you shakes your
faith in you? What around you weakens your resolve to try?
What tempts you to want to conform? Nothing, should be the
only answer you know,” he counselled.
Sunday, after a protracted battle with failing kidney which
finally gave in on Sunday, an air of gloom descended on the
industry, prompting many to question their lifestyles and
warning colleagues to do the same. Tributes began to pour in
for the deceased, just as colleagues exchanged messages of
love, sharing the loss and embracing in a sombre camaraderie
that only could come from losing a dear one.
Emma Ugolee
Amid the tears, the sobs and sheer disbelief is a man who
must feel the loss than most people. Not because he is a kin
or of same family with the deceased but because he suffers
from the same ailment from which his colleague has just
passed away. To him, death is never far away. He had come
close to seeing it many times but has always won. The man
is Emma Ugolee, former on-air-personality.
“Too many phone calls last night only with everyone just
checking to see how I was doing. It all made sense when
news filtered in that Muna Obiekwe had just died from a
disease I’ve battled for over three years now. The general
concern being the psychological impact of being reminded of
the likelihood of one’s demise owing to the unpredictable and
deadly nature of living without a kidney,” he recalled his
experience a night after Muna’s death.
“For closer friends, aware that I had lost 10 associates to this
struggle. Three being in the last Three months and that each
one lived with issues less complicated than mine. Calling me
was like checking up on a pal on death row,” he observed
somberly.
But Emma Ugolee, as much as he may see himself on death
row, isn’t sitting helplessly, expecting the hangman to come
with the noose. He has hope and he shared it with colleagues:
“Now it was time to return the calls and assure every single
one that the unfortunate event is no reason to lose faith,” he
said
“It’s no proof that I must toe a similar line. That I am not
holier than those whose journeys have ended and thus wise
enough to understand that logic does not explain the
sustaining power of grace. The fact that a pattern surrounds
you, does not mean your future has been moulded by it. Your
faith, your vision, aspiration and motivation must tower above
your environment all the time. What around you shakes your
faith in you? What around you weakens your resolve to try?
What tempts you to want to conform? Nothing, should be the
only answer you know,” he counselled.
Poor men have no place in my heart — Bose Oladimeji
Bose Oladimeji is beginning to get all the attention in the
Yoruba film industry, for both her talent and good looks. But
Bose, from Kwara State and an English graduate of Tai Solarin
University of Education, Ogun State is burning with desire to
do things most of her colleagues wouldn’t dare even though
she wouldn’t cross the Rubicon of going nude.
Already, she looks good for it, as she has been nominated in
the MAYA awards, along five others as the ‘New Bride’ of
Nollywood. Meet her and see what makes her tick.
Why did you pick acting as a career?
I have always wanted to be an actress all my life. The
passion began to grow as a child, back then when we used to
play the moonlight play, where we imitated our parents and
everything we saw on the television. Also, my love for
literature helped to add fire to the passion. As an English
student, literature is a part of the study, so, in a way, you can
say I am still on my field as a professional.
So, how did you find your way to fulfill the dream?
I entered the industry through one man called Olokooba. Later
I joined AKO group led by Oga Bello, Adebayo Salami but
when the group disbanded I proceeded to Adebayo Tijani’s
group. It was under Adebayo Tijani’s group I graduated but I
thank God who has remained with him because there is no
one else beside him.
Why is it that every upcoming actor in Yoruba sector of
Nollywood must have a master through whom they must join
the industry?
It is not easy to go at it on your own. If you don’t have a
boss nobody will teach you the way to go. You need them to
get the right connections and contacts. If you don’t join up
with a group you won’t have any foothold and nobody will
take you in on your own account.
But don’t you think by belonging to one group, it can limit
your scope and career growth?
No, your growth in the industry depends on your talent and
what you have to offer. The kind of person you are and how
you carry yourself also goes a long way in determining how
you turn out eventually. No two students under the same
teacher are the same; character, passion and ambition will
come to play.
Have you produced your own film?
Yes, I have produced four films. Oniduro was my first
production, followed by Laye Lorun, Adajo Aye and my latest
work, Aye Mi. Apart from those I produced I have featured in
so many films that I cannot count.
Which film do you think brought out the best in you and why?
Hmm, I would have to say Adajo Aiye but Aye Mi brought
more ovation than Adajo Aiye. It brought back all the
memories of my school days. Aye Mi is a true life story that
brought out the best in me because I had to bring back from
memory most of what happened during my school days.
Besides, many parents called to appreciate my effort.
How do you see your nomination by MAYA Awards as the
New Bride of Nollywood?
Yes, it is under the category of Nollywood’s new bride (next
rated female). New bride means ‘Iyawo Tuntun’ in Yoruba
language and translate as the new face of Nollywood. I
believe I caught the attention of the organisers of the award
because of my works. I believe there must be something
unique about my personality and my works to have been
noticed and nominated.
Almost all Yoruba actresses have turn producers, why must
everyone be producers?
Yes, it is the only way you can truly showcase your talent as
an actress. Until you have produced your own film nobody
believes in you or really notices you. So, you have to tell them
you have got all it takes to be a really big name in the
industry. It is by doing your own film that you can get any
character that you want.
But I heardit’s all about making more money for yourself?
Yes, you are right. Until you produce your own films you
cannot get real money. As an upcoming actress what you get
are mere stipends. Sometimes, you don’t even get paid at all
except for accommodation and feeding. This is worse for
those still learning under a group. But thank God I have gone
beyond that now.
There are many sensual roles coming into Yoruba films now,
how sensual can you get in a film?
I apply wisdom to everything I do because I always think of
that day a man will ask for my hand in marriage. I don’t want
anything that will soil it to come in, so, I check myself and go
as far as it would suit the script and comes off as good
acting.
So you can’t even kiss, smooch or pretend to make love on
set?
Why not? I have done many like that but what I am saying is
that I do it with restraint and make sure the act doesn’t go
beyond the set. Work is work and I don’t mix feelings with
business.
Can’t you date or go out with a fellow actor?
Never; I will never do that. Not that I have anything against
actors but I just can’t do it.
Why are the actors so bad or so poor?
No, not that. I just don’t mix business with pleasure.
What kind of men would you date or settle down with?
Wow, he must be cool, handsome, lovely, God-fearing, humble,
rich and romantic. Those are the qualities I look out for in my
man.
So you can’t marry a poor man?
Yes I can’t, truth is bitter; a man must be hardworking. If you
are not hardworking, how are we going to give our children
quality education? Providing for their needs? So my desired
man must have something lucrative doing because I cannot
be idle myself. I don’t believe in being a full time housewife.
We must work together and achieve our collective goals. Poor
men have no place in my heart.
What if you meet a rich man and he wants you to stop acting
entirely?
No, capital no. Acting is a passion that can never be
quenched. The man may limit the frequency of my going on
locations but can never stop it entirely
If you read English, why haven’t you done any English film?
Everything takes time. Little by little I will get there. Mind you,
if I am invited I would participate. Very soon I will shoot my
own English film.
Yoruba film industry, for both her talent and good looks. But
Bose, from Kwara State and an English graduate of Tai Solarin
University of Education, Ogun State is burning with desire to
do things most of her colleagues wouldn’t dare even though
she wouldn’t cross the Rubicon of going nude.
Already, she looks good for it, as she has been nominated in
the MAYA awards, along five others as the ‘New Bride’ of
Nollywood. Meet her and see what makes her tick.
Why did you pick acting as a career?
I have always wanted to be an actress all my life. The
passion began to grow as a child, back then when we used to
play the moonlight play, where we imitated our parents and
everything we saw on the television. Also, my love for
literature helped to add fire to the passion. As an English
student, literature is a part of the study, so, in a way, you can
say I am still on my field as a professional.
So, how did you find your way to fulfill the dream?
I entered the industry through one man called Olokooba. LaterI joined AKO group led by Oga Bello, Adebayo Salami but
when the group disbanded I proceeded to Adebayo Tijani’s
group. It was under Adebayo Tijani’s group I graduated but I
thank God who has remained with him because there is no
one else beside him.
Why is it that every upcoming actor in Yoruba sector of
Nollywood must have a master through whom they must join
the industry?
It is not easy to go at it on your own. If you don’t have a
boss nobody will teach you the way to go. You need them to
get the right connections and contacts. If you don’t join up
with a group you won’t have any foothold and nobody will
take you in on your own account.
But don’t you think by belonging to one group, it can limit
your scope and career growth?
No, your growth in the industry depends on your talent and
what you have to offer. The kind of person you are and how
you carry yourself also goes a long way in determining how
you turn out eventually. No two students under the same
teacher are the same; character, passion and ambition will
come to play.
Have you produced your own film?
Yes, I have produced four films. Oniduro was my first
production, followed by Laye Lorun, Adajo Aye and my latest
work, Aye Mi. Apart from those I produced I have featured in
so many films that I cannot count.
Which film do you think brought out the best in you and why?
Hmm, I would have to say Adajo Aiye but Aye Mi brought
more ovation than Adajo Aiye. It brought back all the
memories of my school days. Aye Mi is a true life story that
brought out the best in me because I had to bring back from
memory most of what happened during my school days.
Besides, many parents called to appreciate my effort.
How do you see your nomination by MAYA Awards as the
New Bride of Nollywood?
Yes, it is under the category of Nollywood’s new bride (next
rated female). New bride means ‘Iyawo Tuntun’ in Yoruba
language and translate as the new face of Nollywood. I
believe I caught the attention of the organisers of the award
because of my works. I believe there must be something
unique about my personality and my works to have been
noticed and nominated.
Almost all Yoruba actresses have turn producers, why must
everyone be producers?
Yes, it is the only way you can truly showcase your talent as
an actress. Until you have produced your own film nobody
believes in you or really notices you. So, you have to tell them
you have got all it takes to be a really big name in the
industry. It is by doing your own film that you can get any
character that you want.
But I heardit’s all about making more money for yourself?
Yes, you are right. Until you produce your own films you
cannot get real money. As an upcoming actress what you get
are mere stipends. Sometimes, you don’t even get paid at all
except for accommodation and feeding. This is worse for
those still learning under a group. But thank God I have gone
beyond that now.
There are many sensual roles coming into Yoruba films now,
how sensual can you get in a film?
I apply wisdom to everything I do because I always think of
that day a man will ask for my hand in marriage. I don’t want
anything that will soil it to come in, so, I check myself and go
as far as it would suit the script and comes off as good
acting.
So you can’t even kiss, smooch or pretend to make love on
set?
Why not? I have done many like that but what I am saying is
that I do it with restraint and make sure the act doesn’t go
beyond the set. Work is work and I don’t mix feelings with
business.
Can’t you date or go out with a fellow actor?
Never; I will never do that. Not that I have anything against
actors but I just can’t do it.
Why are the actors so bad or so poor?
No, not that. I just don’t mix business with pleasure.
What kind of men would you date or settle down with?
Wow, he must be cool, handsome, lovely, God-fearing, humble,
rich and romantic. Those are the qualities I look out for in my
man.
So you can’t marry a poor man?
Yes I can’t, truth is bitter; a man must be hardworking. If you
are not hardworking, how are we going to give our children
quality education? Providing for their needs? So my desired
man must have something lucrative doing because I cannot
be idle myself. I don’t believe in being a full time housewife.
We must work together and achieve our collective goals. Poor
men have no place in my heart.
What if you meet a rich man and he wants you to stop acting
entirely?
No, capital no. Acting is a passion that can never be
quenched. The man may limit the frequency of my going on
locations but can never stop it entirely
If you read English, why haven’t you done any English film?
Everything takes time. Little by little I will get there. Mind you,
if I am invited I would participate. Very soon I will shoot my
own English film.
The Jonathans and the bird that didn’t fly: Our problem withMbaka – Enugu monarch
The last appears not to have been heard over the Enugu
Catholic Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka’s new year message that
President Goodluck Jonathan should forget re-election for lack
of performance.
The traditional ruler of Egali Amalla autonomous community in
Udenu local government area of Enugu State, Igwe Patrick Eze
(Waziri), said Mbaka remained a politician in the cassock . “It
is better for Mbaka to join politics, contest election to have a
taste of power other than calling people names, asking the
president to resign. Who actually made Fr.
Mbaka a judge that determines who should be entrusted with
power. Rev. Fr. Mbaka should resign as a priest and join
politics since he has shifted from God’s vineyard to
politics,”Eze said.
Rev-Father-Mbaka
He continued: “The name Mbaka is an identity and not the
human as there is nothing so special, simply because he is a
priest in Catholic.
Let him face the Catholic faithful, evangelize to win souls for
God rather than tongue lashing the president as being corrupt.
The Catholic preacher ought to have devoted more time,
fasting and praying for the release of the Chibok girls than
apportioning blames for insecurity”.
The traditional ruler was displeased that the First Lady, Dame
Patience Jonathan, and the deputy Senate President, Senator
Ike Ekweremadu, visited Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry in the
first place, explaining that the visit triggered the priest’s
somersault. Eze pointed out that the somersault was
surprising as he had earlier blessed Patience Jonathan to
continue as Nigerian’s First Lady after the 2015 general
elections, pointing out that the u-turn was a clear
manifestation of a politician in cleric uniform preaching politics
instead of the word of God to over 30,000 worshipers every
Wednesday.
“Mbaka, having said that one out of the four birds he released
on the First Lady’s visit to the Adoration Ground refused to
fly, indicating that Jonathan would not be re-elected as
president, what happened to the other three that flew? Can’t
the three fight for Jonathan if actually the message was
divine?”, he stated.
“My new year message to my community and the state
generally is not personal on Fr.Mbaka as the biblical
injunction says ‘’ touch not my anointed and do my prophet
no harm’. Mbaka should equally know that Jonathan was also
anointed by over 150 million Nigerians in the 2011 general
elections in the country”.
On the claim by the priest that he has been receiving threat
messages since the new year message in which he asked
Nigerians not to re-elect Jonathan, the monarch asked Mbaka
not cry wolf where none exists as he ought to have delivered
the message about the bird that refused to fly to the First
Lady during her visit to Adoration Ground. “If Gen Mohammed
Buhari, with the APC presidential ticket, was Fr. Mbaka’s
choice, let him campaign for him through his sermon and pull
over 30,000 worshipers of the Adoration to the APC. The
January 4, 2015 message to the congregation was meant to
discredit Jonathan’s transformation agenda (TAN) of
openness, fairplay justice, honesty and accountability”, Eze
stated.
“The clerk delves into politics in the name of God. During the
era of erstwhile Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, Mbaka vowed
to drop his cassock should Chimaroke win election for second
term in office but failed to keep his words when Chimaroke
was re-elected.
‘’During the time of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo as National
Chairman of the PDP, he preached a message titled, Nsukka
Ndo nu (meaning Nsukka sorry) to slight the teeming
population of Nsukka.
“It is only in Nigeria that you see men of God that predict
what will happen in other countries both in the air and under
the sea but would not predict the collapse of their churches.
We expect men of God to preach messages of salvation and
repentance, pray for the survival of the nation rather than
delving into politics to gain cheap popularity.
“Most of the men of God crave for recognition and that is why
they mount the pulpit to attack those in the authority in the
country. If Mbaka feels threatened, let him seek police
protection but he should equally remember that he has laid
his life for Christ on the day of his ordination.”
2015 ELECTIONS
The monarch urged the electorate to use their tongues to
count their teeth in the next month’s general elections. Saying
politicians employ all manners of antics to find their way into
the corridor of power, he said: “We should all be aware that
the unity of the country is paramount no matter whose ox is
gored. Elections are not a do or die affair. Power belongs to
God, so people should not force themselves into power to the
detriment of the electorate.
“Nigerians have waited for so long for the 2015 general
elections and we should go about it with the fear of God who
is ultimate decider of life and death. Any contestant that loses
out should quietly wait for God’s appointed time if any, as we
do not deserve violence and blood bath as recorded in 2011.
“May I use this medium to advise all PDP guber aspirants
litigant to sheath their sword and join hands with the
consensus candidate, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who was
anointed by Gov. Sullivan Chime, the National Chairman of the
PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, and Enugu State stakeholders who
described Ugwuanyi as the most popular and acceptable
candidate to fly the flag of the party in the state. The
sweetest part of Chime’s administration was fulfilling his
avowed promise of giving the guber ticket to Enugu North
unlike his predecessors who made similar promise but
reneged. Governor Chime stuck his neck for Nsukka to produce
the next governor of the state and that is the more reason all
the litigants from the zone in the PDP should wind down and
join hands with their kinsman, Ugwuanyi, for effective
governance. The zoning formular that played out in Enugu is
now a template for continuity. God has been merciful to the
people of Enugu through Chime. I believe Ugwuanyi will deliver
as expected. He is my subject and I knew him from birth to
adulthood. He should be mindful that his predecessor left big
legacies which need to be improved upon.”
Catholic Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka’s new year message that
President Goodluck Jonathan should forget re-election for lack
of performance.
The traditional ruler of Egali Amalla autonomous community in
Udenu local government area of Enugu State, Igwe Patrick Eze
(Waziri), said Mbaka remained a politician in the cassock . “It
is better for Mbaka to join politics, contest election to have a
taste of power other than calling people names, asking the
president to resign. Who actually made Fr.
Mbaka a judge that determines who should be entrusted with
power. Rev. Fr. Mbaka should resign as a priest and join
politics since he has shifted from God’s vineyard to
politics,”Eze said.
Rev-Father-MbakaHe continued: “The name Mbaka is an identity and not the
human as there is nothing so special, simply because he is a
priest in Catholic.
Let him face the Catholic faithful, evangelize to win souls for
God rather than tongue lashing the president as being corrupt.
The Catholic preacher ought to have devoted more time,
fasting and praying for the release of the Chibok girls than
apportioning blames for insecurity”.
The traditional ruler was displeased that the First Lady, Dame
Patience Jonathan, and the deputy Senate President, Senator
Ike Ekweremadu, visited Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry in the
first place, explaining that the visit triggered the priest’s
somersault. Eze pointed out that the somersault was
surprising as he had earlier blessed Patience Jonathan to
continue as Nigerian’s First Lady after the 2015 general
elections, pointing out that the u-turn was a clear
manifestation of a politician in cleric uniform preaching politics
instead of the word of God to over 30,000 worshipers every
Wednesday.
“Mbaka, having said that one out of the four birds he released
on the First Lady’s visit to the Adoration Ground refused to
fly, indicating that Jonathan would not be re-elected as
president, what happened to the other three that flew? Can’t
the three fight for Jonathan if actually the message was
divine?”, he stated.
“My new year message to my community and the state
generally is not personal on Fr.Mbaka as the biblical
injunction says ‘’ touch not my anointed and do my prophet
no harm’. Mbaka should equally know that Jonathan was also
anointed by over 150 million Nigerians in the 2011 general
elections in the country”.
On the claim by the priest that he has been receiving threat
messages since the new year message in which he asked
Nigerians not to re-elect Jonathan, the monarch asked Mbaka
not cry wolf where none exists as he ought to have delivered
the message about the bird that refused to fly to the First
Lady during her visit to Adoration Ground. “If Gen Mohammed
Buhari, with the APC presidential ticket, was Fr. Mbaka’s
choice, let him campaign for him through his sermon and pull
over 30,000 worshipers of the Adoration to the APC. The
January 4, 2015 message to the congregation was meant to
discredit Jonathan’s transformation agenda (TAN) of
openness, fairplay justice, honesty and accountability”, Eze
stated.
“The clerk delves into politics in the name of God. During the
era of erstwhile Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, Mbaka vowed
to drop his cassock should Chimaroke win election for second
term in office but failed to keep his words when Chimaroke
was re-elected.
‘’During the time of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo as National
Chairman of the PDP, he preached a message titled, Nsukka
Ndo nu (meaning Nsukka sorry) to slight the teeming
population of Nsukka.
“It is only in Nigeria that you see men of God that predict
what will happen in other countries both in the air and under
the sea but would not predict the collapse of their churches.
We expect men of God to preach messages of salvation and
repentance, pray for the survival of the nation rather than
delving into politics to gain cheap popularity.
“Most of the men of God crave for recognition and that is why
they mount the pulpit to attack those in the authority in the
country. If Mbaka feels threatened, let him seek police
protection but he should equally remember that he has laid
his life for Christ on the day of his ordination.”
2015 ELECTIONS
The monarch urged the electorate to use their tongues to
count their teeth in the next month’s general elections. Saying
politicians employ all manners of antics to find their way into
the corridor of power, he said: “We should all be aware that
the unity of the country is paramount no matter whose ox is
gored. Elections are not a do or die affair. Power belongs to
God, so people should not force themselves into power to the
detriment of the electorate.
“Nigerians have waited for so long for the 2015 general
elections and we should go about it with the fear of God who
is ultimate decider of life and death. Any contestant that loses
out should quietly wait for God’s appointed time if any, as we
do not deserve violence and blood bath as recorded in 2011.
“May I use this medium to advise all PDP guber aspirants
litigant to sheath their sword and join hands with the
consensus candidate, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who was
anointed by Gov. Sullivan Chime, the National Chairman of the
PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, and Enugu State stakeholders who
described Ugwuanyi as the most popular and acceptable
candidate to fly the flag of the party in the state. The
sweetest part of Chime’s administration was fulfilling his
avowed promise of giving the guber ticket to Enugu North
unlike his predecessors who made similar promise but
reneged. Governor Chime stuck his neck for Nsukka to produce
the next governor of the state and that is the more reason all
the litigants from the zone in the PDP should wind down and
join hands with their kinsman, Ugwuanyi, for effective
governance. The zoning formular that played out in Enugu is
now a template for continuity. God has been merciful to the
people of Enugu through Chime. I believe Ugwuanyi will deliver
as expected. He is my subject and I knew him from birth to
adulthood. He should be mindful that his predecessor left big
legacies which need to be improved upon.”
Re-elect me, I’ll end Boko Haram, Jonathan tells Bornopeople
Pr e s i d e n t Goodluck Jonathan yesterday asked the people
of Borno, the epicentre of Boko Haram insurgency, to re-elect
him in the February 14 presidential election, promising to end
the five-year insurgency if he gets the second term. Jonathan
who was in Maiduguri yesterday for his presidential campaign
promised to rescue the over 200 schoolgirls abducted in
Chibok on April 14, 2014.
“I promise that we must surely conquer Boko Haram in our
second term. We must also ensure that all the kidnapped
people including the Chibok schoolgirls get back home. We
must surely turn this state to a peace and loving place,” he
told party supporters at Ramat Square.
He said he often felt very sad whenever some Nigerians
alleged being involved in heightening insecurity in the north for
political advantage, adding that no president in the world
would involve in such thing.
“How can I do that? No president or leader anywhere in the
world will do that. I assure you we will make sure the
insecurity problem is solved and recover communities taken
over by Boko Haram. We will resettle people sacked from their
communities,” he pledged.
Jang advises Buhari to surrender
Governor Jonah David Jang of Plateau State has added his
voice to those calling on the presidential candidate of the All
Progressive Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw
from the race, saying since he has contested for the post three
times without succeeding, he should surrender.
Speaking at the PDP Northern Zone Plateau State Women Rally
held at the weekend at the W.A.Y.E Foundation, Doi, Jos South
Local Government Area of Plateau State, Jang said it was not
that Nigerians were rejecting him but rather saying ‘allow us.’ I
believe that Baba Buhari should surrender. He is a great
Nigerian. He was a military Head of State; we fought the civil
war together. But Nigerians are saying allow us. He should find
out why they are saying ‘allow us.’
Jang who noted that more than half of the people in the APC
were formerly in the PDP said Nigeria could not be entrusted to
people that keep moving from one party to the other or that are
ganging up against their own party.
New move of Bayelsa TAN worries PDP stakeholders
The chilly air between the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan
and Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson is fast turning
into a frosty, gusty wind threatening to upset the gu
bernatorial equations of the state in 2016.
Some stakeholders in the state chapter of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) expressed worries over what they
described as the “new brief” of the Bayelsa State chapter of
the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, (TAN), which is
in firm control of loyalists of former Governor Timipre Sylva.
The chairman of TAN in Bayelsa, Hon Sylva Seibarugu, was
Sylva’s deputy governor while the spokesman of the group,
Mr. Nathan Egba is Sylva’s strategist and first cousin, who
had served in his administration as Commissioner for
Information.
Another critical member, Mr. Gideon Ekowe, served as
Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in the Sylva
administration, while Hon. Nestor Binabo, former Speaker of
House of Assembly under Sylva is a major driver of TAN in the
state.
Against the background that Sylva is now a senatorial
candidate on the platform of the APC, strategic positions held
by his loyalists is seen as part of a game plan to undermine
the Dickson administration and possibly stop his re-election
with the connivance of the First Lady, who has never hidden
her disdain for the state governor.
It is further believed that Dame Patience may have given her
nod to Sylva’s take over of the TAN machinery having
extracted a promise from him to collapse the APC structure
into PDP and work towards supplanting Dickson with Dr.
Weripamowei Dudafagh in the PDP governorship primary
coming towards the end of this year. TAN is gradually
becoming another Grassroots Democratic Initiative, GDI, the
group used by Nyesom Wike to fight Governor Amaechi in
Rivers State. Sylva will slug it out with the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and Silverbird owner, Mr.
Ben Bruce.
A source revealed: “Forget it, the First Lady has told us in our
TAN meeting that Governor Dickson cannot return to
government house. Mrs. Jonathan has assured Sylva of
military and police protection during the senatorial election.
Sylva had agreed to help the First Lady’s political godson, Dr.
Weripamowei Dudafagh unseat Governor Seriake Dickson next
year. That is why as we speak, the Bayelsa State Police
Commissioner does not relate with Dickson at all.”
Meanwhile, Governor Dickson has told those jostling to take
his position to wait for the appropriate time to campaign,
insisting that what should be paramount now was how to re-
elect Jonathan.
While stressing that all Bayelsans will naturally vote for
Jonathan, Dickson advised TAN to move its campaign to APC-
controlled states rather than using TAN to heat up Bayelsa in
the name of canvassing for the President. He gave this charge
during the inauguration of coordinators for the Goodluck/
Sambo campaign. The First Lady’s political romance with
Sylva has reportedly unsettled PDP leaders in the state, who
view the move as the height of anti-party activity.
“There is no gainsaying TAN has a hidden agenda in Bayelsa.
The group is not here to campaign for the reelection of
President Jonathan. It is here to implement the selfish interest
of the First Lady, who has become desperate and is working
with the opposition to remove the governor. The activities of
TAN have divided PDP and at the same time threatening the
success of PDP in the forthcoming election,” declared a party
official who craved for anonymity.
We’ll end looting in Lagos, says Agbaje
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate
in Lagos, Jimi Agbaje, vowed yesterday to end what he called
the looting trend in the state.
Agbaje, who rode on a commercial motorbike popularly known
as okada to attend a mammoth rally held at the Lagos
International Trade Fair Complex, in Lagos, said he would
enthrone decent and more humane governance if elected as
governor in Lagos.
His words: “For so long, the APC leaders have been deceiving
people in Lagos. When election is coming, they will reduce
school fees; when you vote them in, they’ll increase the fees.
Before election, they will embrace okada riders only to make
their lives hell thereafter. They will reduce the cost of land
approval before election and increase it thereafter. This is
deceit.
“As we know, the APC broom cannot sweep the mess they’ve
created in Lagos. Always say amen to their prayer for change
because we have had enough. They have been oppressing
traders, discriminating against non-indigenes and they want
continuity. The time has come to make a change in Lagos and
re-elect Jonathan to consolidate the gains of democracy that
we have had under him.
PDP is dying –Tapgun
Sir Fidelis Tapgun, former governor of Plateau State, erstwhile
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Kenya, one-time Minister of Industry
during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration
and one of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP is angry with the party he once prided as the
largest party in
Africa. In fact, when he spoke with Sunday Sun last week, the
basic element of his language was laced with extremely harsh
criticism of the PDP and the governors running the affairs of
states ruled by the party.
Execerpts
In this question and answer session in his house in
Jos,Sunday Sun first asked him why he has not been
speaking before now as one of the founding fathers of the
ruling People’s Democratic Party, the PDP?
“I thought you said you covered our primaries here. We’ve
been doing politics here. It’s just that we are not the talking
type, so to speak. And I have been a PDP man all along. I
was governor here;; yes, during the military. After it, I was
posted to Kenya when politics came back as an Ambassador.
I was there for three years and I came back and served in the
Obasanjo and Atiku Presidential campaign in 2003.
After it, I became the Minister of Industry. While serving as
Minister, I was asked to come back home and deliver Jang in
Plateau State. The instruction was clear: to deliver, Jang. Let
me put it properly so that you know what I am talking about. I
was asked to come and deliver him because Obasanjo wanted
PDP to win the elections in Plateau State and left alone, he
(Jang) would not win.
You mean Jang will not win?
Yes.
How?
There are so many things, but if you ask them at the party
headquarters, they will tell you what they told him at that
time. So, I had to leave my job and start the campaign here.
What happened was that at the primaries of 2007, himself
and… they went for the primary but nobody got 50 percent.
So, the two of them that scored the highest votes had to go
for a re-run. And the party was not too comfortable with the
re-run because if there is a re-run, the others will gang up
against him. For some reasons, the party wanted him to be
the governor. There are reasons which I know myself but I
don’t want to talk about them now. There was this agitation
that the northern zone has never done it. Then, the Beroms
have never done it. All those things were there. But
he turned out to be one of the candidates of the PDP at that
time. So, if they went for a re-run, it was not
going to be possible for him to win. For that reason I
explained the party said there was not going to be a re-run
because if there was a re-run, he was not going to get it.
They said we should go and reconcile the two of them with a
view to making one of them to step down for the other. We
tried to reconcile the two of them, it wasn’t possible. It was
Jang and Damishi Sango. When there was that stalemate, the
party told me, Senator Mantu, Slvanus Lot, that was the
Chairman of the party here and the Governor here, Botman
who was governor at that time should try and reconcile them.
We met in Abuja to try and reconcile the two of them, it
wasn’t possible.
But because it was getting too long, the hierarchy of the party
then called us to a meeting in the villa.
We went for the meeting in the villa, Obasanjo was there, Chief
Anenih was there, Ojo Madueke was there as the Secretary of
the party at that time and Dr. Ahmadu Ali was there. Four of
us came from
outside who were the leaders in the state, and then the four
party stalwarts were there. Then Obasanjo
surfaced in the villa. So, they asked us whether we had been
able to reconcile them, we said no, and
they said okay, the party has taken a decision. That was
Obasanjo’s statement. Well, the party has taken a decision,
Jang is going to be the candidate of the party. He said Sango,
you have to be patient. Go and
work for the party. You are a party man, bla, blabla, bla. So,
that was it. But Obasanjo went further to say Jang, you alone
cannot win this election because…there are so many reasons
he gave. He said people don’t like you…and so on. He said so
many things. So, for that reason, I am going to release my
Minister to go and do that campaign for you. I am saying this
for the first time so that people can began to hear this story.
He will lead that campaign otherwise, you are not going to
win. All the people I have mentioned are all alive. That was
the decision eight of us in the room took. Jang and Sango
were sitting outside. Obasanjo specifically told Jang that he
would not win the election if he went it alone and therefore,
he will release his Minister because he is on ground.
That Minister Obasanjo referred to was myself. So, he asked
Ahmadu Ali and Chief Anenih who were there their opinions on
the decision he had taken and they said it was okay. Botman
and
Mantu also said it was a good idea. So, Obasanjo turned to
me and asked: Tapgun, will you lead the campaign for him? I
said sir, anything you ask me to do I will do. He said okay you
are going to lead that campaign because I want PDP to win in
Plateau State otherwise we are not going to win. There was a
serious opposition, not only from the opposition party but also
from within. So, Obasanjo then called them in to announce the
decision to them.
He said Jang you have been chosen, but you are not going to
win the election because of this, this and this. First, you are a
tribalist;; secondly, you are arrogant…all sorts of things he
told him and people don’t like you.
He now told him that for that reason I am going to release my
Minister to run your campaign for you.
Are you okay with that? He knelt down in front of Obasanjo
and said thank you sir and turned to me
to say thank you sir because I accepted to run his campaign.
Then he stood up to say that he is not like that and that all
the things they have said about him are not true and so on.
That’s how we came out to do the campaign. This house was
the campaign headquarters;; this place you are sitting. So we
came here.
There was no money. Sometimes I will remove money from my
pocket and put fuel in the car before money started coming
from the headquarters. I led this campaign against people’s
wish. I had to plead because they know what I can do and
that I am a man of honour. They then said because of you we
are going to do this. Not that it was hidden. They told him to
his face.
So, what happened that …Nothing. It’s just that after he won
the election, I started advising him on what to do and they
decided that nobody brought them. It was God that brought
them to power. So, they should alienate everybody. But at the
first few months of their administration, I had cause to go to
Ota Farm to report them. Baba came to Abuja and called
them and me and warned them in front of me. After that,
when they started doing it again I had to take them before the
Ekwueme Reconciliation Committee. I was a member of that
committee. I had to tell them to intervene because we had a
strong gulf among our party men on the Plateau. They were
all called to the Legacy House and spoken to. They refused t
cooperate with anybody in the state. They were just doing
their work, all the other stakeholders, including Sango and
myself that brought them to power.
He had a clique. They call themselves Jang Organisation or
something of that sort.
But this was a long time ago. You mean there has been no
healing of the wounds since then?
Jang is not a man of healing. That’s the unfortunate thing. He
doesn’t forgive anybody.
You probably did something that he didn’t really like if you
just reflect…
No.no.no.no. Nothing. If I did something to him, I wouldn’t
have agreed to lead his campaign. The insults I got from the
people who accused me of accepting to serve in governor’s
campaign whereas I did a Presidential campaign was painful.
They were wondering why I should reduce myself to that level.
I told them that it is the President that told me to head his
campaign. But, that is his life and I think
it is unfortunate.
You were governor of this state in 1992. Nearly 23 years
after, you suddenly decided to throw your hat into the ring
and now some people, on hearing your name as one of the
aspirants are asking if there is
anything you didn’t do then that you now want to do more
than 20 years after.
If you say I was governor, I don’t know how long you are
talking about. How long was it? I came to be governor
because I wanted to do certain things for the state. That was
why I came on board.
But the military didn’t allow us. We did only 18 months;; so
we had to go.
After leaving office, we had three governors who vied for the
position of governor and were in office. So, there was an
interim within which you should have contested and…
Okay, Dariye and this one;; yes…this is the point I was trying
to make now. That was why I was asked to come and do this.
I was the one that was going to contest in 2007 and because
of this complaint that I have just told you about (the need for
governor from central zone), I am from southern zone…that’s
why Obasanjo said I am the one on ground. Do you catch the
story? I was the one that was going to contest, but because
of this complaint, I said okay there is no problem.
What really went wrong between you and the present
governor?
He is not feeling happy. There was no primary.
But they announced results. As announced you got only one
vote and the question is that even the Director-General of your
campaign didn’t vote for you.
This is the whole thing now. That is why you should be
wondering. They sat in their houses and cooked the results.
But you know the politics in Nigeria today. You know that. I
am not going to tell
you that one. That’s the way we practise politics today in this
country, and I think that it is not something anybody should
laugh about. It is also not ajoking matter. We are going down
the drain.
Is there no hope of taking decision and redressing the
matter?
What are you solving again. They have already taken their
decisions and they have already started doing what they want
to do. The primary was cooked and arranged to get out
somebody.
In other words, you have accepted the results from the
primary?
I have not accepted, but if they say that is what they want,
what do you want me to do? They have imposed the results
on people. So what do you want me to do?
So, what is going to happen next? If you have not accepted,
what is your next line of action?
Well, the people of Plateau State will decide, not me.
What does this portend for Plateau State?
It is unfortunate. Well, I have told them that if this thing is
not corrected the party is going to lose. We have not hidden
anything about that. We have told them in very clear terms.
We have been in this party, PDP, from the start;; so nobody is
going to tell me anything about the PDP. Nobody. But if we
continue the way we are going, the party is dying.
It’s not only in Plateau but Nigeria, generally. The party is just
dying because of this imposition. If you take a look at the
report of the Ekwueme Committee on Reconciliation, that is
what is supposed to be the Bible of the party secretariat. But
they are not fol- lowing it at all.
There is no internal democracy. The governors are just
allowed to do whatever they want to do. They impose
everybody from the councillorship;; this is not healthy for the
PDP. It was meant to be a people’s party;; that is why it is
called People’s party. The people are supposed to decide what
hap- pens in the party, not governors. But the governors have
hijacked it. In fact, they have hijacked…even the president is
being held at ransom by the governors. So, it is not going to
help the party or anybody for that matter. The idea of the PDP
we formed then was supposed to be an all inclusive
movement. That is why we called it the People’s Democratic
Party. It is owned by the people and not the governors. The
people decide who gets what in it;; not individuals.
As it is now, individuals are those deciding what the people
want. PDP has derailed completely from its
original intentions. Internal democracy is the most important.
Allow the people to chose who they want. That’s the most
important thing. If you allow the people to chose who they
want, then you will be fine. But if it it anything you want that
you force down the people’s throats, then, the people will
resist.
If you look all over the country, you find PDP members
jumping to other parties.
To be continued
You can’t force Oyo workers to vote for you, Makinde tellsAjimobi
The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party
(SDP) in Oyo State, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde, has told the
state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi to stop his attempt to
force the people of the state to vote for him, describing it as
an exercise in futility that would fail in the end.
Reacting to the government’s directive, forcing the teachers in
the state to report and take part in political activity at the Gov
ernment House, Ibadan on Friday, Makinde described the
decision as a gross abuse of office by the governor, wondering
if such brazing use of force would make the teachers vote for
him.
The Makinde Campaign Organisation in a statement signed by
its Director of Media, Alhaji Wale Adele, noted that it has
become a fashion for Governor Ajimobi to force the people of
the state to attend his campaigns, using the instrumentality of
the state.
Eng. Makinde expressed surprise that a government that had
long disconnected with the workers would now woo them with
a plate of rice and N1,000 which were distributed at the event.
The statement said it was a theatre of absurd that the APC
government that could not pay teachers their salaries in
December and January could find money to promote its
campaign.
PDP sponsors attacks on president in the North –APC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has pointedly accused
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of sponsoring the attacks
on President Goodluck Jonathan in Katsina and Bauchi as part
of its devilish plan to demonize the opposition and force a
postponement of next month’s general elections.
In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National
Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the
coordinated hysterical reactions to the attacks by the
presidency, Senate President David Mark and the leadership of
the Ijaw nation have exposed the sponsors of the attacks.
It said those who went into a frenzy in condemning the
attacks should direct their anger at the PDP, which hired the
hoodlums who attacked the President in Katsina and Bauchi
and gave them brooms to make them look like APC sup
porters.
‘’Information is now in the public domain that these attacks
were self-inflicted, with the aim of demonizing the APC and
instigating retaliatory attacks in the southern states, thus
precipitating chaos which the PDP and the Presidency will
then use as an excuse for the postponement of the elections.
PPA govt will introduce free education in Abia –Udensi
Progressive Peoples’ Alliance (PPA) has promised to make
education free in Abia State as well as tackle the poor
healthcare system in the state in order to enable aged persons
receive free medical services if it wins the February 28
governorship election.
The party said it was also going to harmonise taxes in the
state in such a way that the poor and women would be
exempted from all manner of tax payments while daily tickets
levy by trycles operators popularly called keke and
wheelbarrow pushers would be abolished.
Speaking during a rally of PPA in Aba on Thursday, the party’s
governorship candidate, Chief Chikwe Udensi said if he wins
the election, his administration would introduce masses ori
ented programmes, as according to him, the people of Abia
State have suffered over the years.
“Our people have suffered over the years because the present
government is not people oriented and the little they claimed
to have achieved does not in any way benefit the masses.
“That is why we have carefully drawn up programmes such as
free education, free medical services for the aged, abolition of
tax payment by the very poor among others to alleviate the
sufferings of the poor masses and all these things we are go
ing to implement if we win the election”.
The PPA governorship candidate said his first assignment if he
becomes the governor of the state would be to declare Aba a
disaster area, stressing that he would relocate and live in Aba
for two years to be able to supervise the reconstruction of
roads in the city which contract he said would be given to
reputable firms.
Reminding the crowd which thronged the Recreation Club field
venue of the rally that Igbo is one, Udensi said his admin
istration was going to do those things that would unite
Ndigbo rather than disunite them.
In this wise, he said that all workers in the state whose ap
pointments were terminated for being non Abians would be re
called and their arrears of salary paid because according to
him, they were wrongly sacked.
He promised to provide meaningful jobs for the youths and
take care of the welfare of the disabled in the state.
Earlier, the state chairman of the party, Prince Emeka Okafor
said there was no party in the state that was structured to
take care of the people of the state except PPA which he said
was founded to bring prosperity to the people.
Okafor said although those the party handed over power to,
deviated from her set goal, he assured that if PPA regains
power in the state, it would right the wrongs of the past.
Also speaking, Ada Abia, Miss Onyekachi Atulomah recalled
how during the administration of Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, she was
in secondary school and enjoyed free education.
She said with what is happening in the state today, that Abia
needs change and urged the people to vote for PPA which she
said would bring the needed change.
I’m angry with Jonathan–Dokubo Asari
Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo Asari, ex-militant and leader of Niger
Delta Volunteers Force (NDVF) is angry.
He sees Nigeria as a huge contraption that is bound to
collapse..
For him, his greatest desire is to see the country break up,
even as he urges the South and the Middle belt to rise up and
confront those he said have an unhidden mission to conquer
and dominate everywhere.
A glimpse: “So for them, their grip on power, their intention for
which they left Guinea, spreading death and destruction,
destroying Borgu, destroying Kanem Bornu, destroying
Kwararafa, destroying the Oyo Empire, destroying the Gbagis,
destroying the Katafs, destroying all civilizations on their way
to take power is fading. They know that it will not last
forever.”
He vows to lead the battle to debunk the myth of ‘born to
rule’ which has been their driving force.
He describes Gideon Orkah, the leader of the April 1991
botched coup d’etat against ex-president Ibrahim Babangida,
which excised large portions of the North- west from Nigeria,
as a prophet who saw what many did not see.
Dokubo warns those who deride Jonathan not to dare “a deaf
and dumb man” by pushing him to the wall as his bid to get
off the wall may be catastrophic for them.
Saying that Rivers State governor is a traitor, he likened him
to the biblical Judas Iscariot, who committed suicide after
betraying Jesus.
He speaks more on Obasanjo, February polls, and related
issues. Excerpts:
Ahead of the general elections next month, what are your
basic fears?
Normally, elections are special when a northern candidate, a
Gambari candidate is involved. They believe that they will
resort to violence. Reports of violence have been coming in, in
Kaduna, where somebody driving the president’s branded bus
was beaten to the point of coma. A couple of days ago, a bus
was burnt in Jos North; a branded bus of the president was
burnt in Jos North. The arsonists were chanting, “Haram me,
Muna fike kafere. Baba yoyo oyo yo. Sai Buhari .” It’s all
recorded. These are the things that will trigger retaliation. In
Rivers State today, APC secretariat in Okirika Local
Government Area has been bombed according to reports.
There was also a reported case of shooting of APC members.
People are not going to fold their arms. There would be
actions and reactions from the North and the South. This is
very, very unhealthy, because at all times, they initiate
violence and people just ignore them and say let us forget
about them; why are we bothering about them? This cannot
continue forever. People have to stand up to defend
themselves. These are the fears, because they know that in
every free and fair election, they will not be able to get
underage children to vote. We all saw underage children
collecting PVCs, very openly. Nobody confronted them, they
did it openly. They will incite and scare people away from
coming out to vote. The insurgency which they masterminded
to make the government of Goodluck Jonathan not to be able
to have a grip over the country is raging as a result of the
promise they made after the last elections that they will make
the country ungovernable for Goodluck.
You said if the violence continues, it may spark off some
reactions?
The reactions are already there with what has happened in
Rivers State, and I know that it’s going to spread all over the
South very soon, it’s going to spread. Look at what is
happening in Lagos State, where posters of PDP candidates
are being torn, and I saw somebody on television boasting,
talking that there is a law. So, the law permits APC to paste
their posters and the PDP not to paste their posters? If you
drive out, on federal roads, federal highways, federal
pavements, PDP posters are being torn, APC posters are
spared. I drove round Lagos Third Mainland Bridge and all the
expressways which are owned by the Federal Government and
maintained by the Federal Government. Lagos State
Government officials are bringing bad policies in the name of
APC, going about defacing posters.
Don’t you think this is just the icing on the cake, and
elections may not hold now that violence is erupting?
It’s for the North and their supporters to moderate their
actions, because they had always been the people to initiate
violence. It’s for them to moderate, see reason and live with
human beings.They want to reduce us to their level. But there
is nothing we can do about it. If they want us to come to their
level, there is no other option than to come to their level. We
will not fold our arms and die. We will not fold our arms and
watch them take the mandate that was freely given to
Goodluck, that will be freely given to him on February 14 to
continue for another four uninterrupted years until 2019. So,
we are not going to fold our arms and watch them fight
people, and watch them have an exclusivity to violence.
They say actions beget reactions. The way things are going
now, Nigeria is like standing on a tinder box. If the North do
not let go, if they don’t allow Jonathan rule if he wins, on
your own part, what are you going to do?
Jonathan will win, no matter the way they want it, he will win.
So, they are the ones who have problems.
But in the North, they don’t support Jonathan, and if you
look at the possible voters’ dispersal index, you will see who
will possibly win in the election?
The voting in the last elections was very clear. Apart from
Taraba State, no part of the North east and North west voted
for Jonathan. We keep records.
So you are saying that Jonathan can still bounce back
without their support?
He will win. This is the map of the 2011 elections (opens i-
Pad to show the delineation in the voting pattern of Nigerians)
red is for CPC, green for PDP. Taraba is the only state that
they did not win. PDP got Plateau, Nassarawa, Kogi, Benue,
Abuja, Kwara in the North central.
But politics is dynamic. Things have since changed since
2011 and there are two grey areas APC is latching on to
swing votes, and these are insecurity and corruption. Things
have really changed in voters loyalty switch. You don’t think
so?
Which corruption are you talking about?
The talk is that Jonathan is condoning corruption and that
they will stamp it out, if they win.
Excuse me please. There are about 800 governments in
Nigeria. We have 774 local governments. We have 36 states
and Abuja and that is over 800 governments. Sixty-four local
governments in Kano State are under an APC governor. Is it
Jonathan that diverts Local government money? Money meant
for the local governments. The budget of three states
controlled by APC is almost the entire budget of the
federation. The budget of Rivers State, the budget of Lagos
State, the budget of Kano State are almost the budget of the
federal government, N400 and something billion, and N500
and something billion budgets for Rivers and Lagos. The
Federal Government budget is close to N4 trillion. So, these
governments are controlled by APC. What have they done
about corruption? The Federal Government is just one tier of
government, and when you look at it, it’s not even up to a
quarter of the budget of all the local governments and states
put together. So, which corruption are we talking about?
You see, people get easily deceived. You go home and ask
your local government chairman, whether he is APC or PDP or
APGA what he has done with the money allocated to him
monthly. In most of the states, elections are not held. The
governors of these states, mostly APC states confiscate local
government money and they use it as they deem fit. So, how?
where? what corruption? The people who stand to talk as if
everybody is a fool, as if they are going to pull a wool over
our eyes and we won’t know what has happened in Lagos
State, Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State, Edo State, Kano State,
Delta State, Borno State and Yobe State should equally
concern all of us. I think that corruption is not peculiar to the
Federal Government. Corruption is endemic and it cuts across
all the tiers of government.
There is palpable fear especially from feelers in the North
that if Jonathan returns to power, the country may
disintegrate. Don’t you habour that fear too?
I will be very happy if Nigeria disintegrates. It will be the
greatest thing that will happen in my lifetime. It will be the
fulfillment of my greatest wishes and aspirations.
Why do you say so?
I hate… I am not a Nigerian. Why should anybody force me to
be a Nigerian. Where did I sit down with anybody to accept to
be a Nigerian? Where? I never sat with anybody. So, it would
be the greatest fulfillment of my wish and aspiration. It is my
dream come true. Having said that, they don’t have the
monopoly of violence. They should be told. They should be
made to understand that they don’t have. Nobody will tolerate
them any longer.
But as arms are pouring into the Boko Haram enclave, there
is peace on this other side, the south. No proliferation of
weapons…
(cuts in) Then the people in the South are stupid. If they tied
their hands, I certainly have not tied my hands. I am not
waiting for anybody. I will protect myself, my family, my
community and my country. The right to life is the greatest
right. It’s the first right that is accorded to me by God, and by
everything that exists. So, as far as I am concerned, if any
southerner sits down and folds his arms, and thinks that he
will not prepare to defend himself and wait for the North, as
they come from Guinea to overrun him, then he has himself to
blame. I will not be that foolish, and those who believe in me
and listen to me are not waiting. They are preparing. We too
are preparing and we are waiting for them and Insha Allah,
because we stand for justice, we will defeat them.
The Gambaris as you call them hinge their opposition to
Jonathan on the reason that they believe that he is usurping
their slot in the zoning arrangement of the PDP. The argu
ment is that a northerner should have stepped into
Yara’Adua’s shoes when he died and not Jonathan. Are you
fazed by that?
You see people don’t go with the whims and caprices of
individuals. Countries are ruled by laws and the greatest law,
the law that governs the country is the constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, as they call it. The constitution
says that when a president dies, the vice president takes over;
when a president is incapacitated, the vice president takes
over. And the constitution clearly states that every citizen has
the right to aspire for any office. And in every democracy, the
right of first offer is given to the sitting president by his
political party. In their belief that they are born to rule, they
make rules they think are superior to the constitution. It was
not the right of any other people when Yakubu Gowon was
succeeded by Murtala Mohammed. After Murtala Mohammed,
they brought Olusegun Obasanjo, who was overshadowed by
Yar’Adua. It was their right. Then Shagari took over, Shagari
handed over to Babangida, Babangida handed over to Abacha;
Abacha handed over to Abdulsalam. Then they brought
Olusegun Obasanjo, their puppet, who handed over to
Yar’Adua. You see, for the first time, somebody has become
president that they did not decide for the people.
So, for them, their grip on power, their intention, for which they
left Guinea, spreading death and destruction, destroying
Borgu, destroying Kanem Borno, destroying Kwararafa,
destroying the Oyo empire, destroying the Gbagis, destroying
the Katafs, destroying all civilizations on their way to take
power is fading. They know that it will not last forever. And
they see that Nigeria is their most prized trophy in their battle
for the subjugation of the nations which are indigenous to this
part of the world. They have been defeated in the Central
African Republic (CAR), the aborigines, the owners of CAR
have kicked them out of their land. And they know that if that
continues, if it starts in Cameroun, if the Cameroonians also
do the same thing, it will come to us. And with this, we will
finally kick them out and rid ourselves of their colonial
mentality and sovereignty. They know it, and our people are
not aware of the historical importance of the invasion of our
land by these people from Guinea.
They know that instead of living amicably with other
nationalities, as strangers on our land, not offending our
sensibilities, insulting us, they keep on exhibiting high sense of
insensibility towards the owners of the land. Even though they
have committed genocide, all manners of crime against us, we
still have the large heart to accommodate them. It’s for me,
for most of us who know these historical facts and their
importance to our lives, a responsibility to say the truth. We
believe that Gideon Orkah was a prophet. He was a prophet
who saw beyond what all of us could not see. When he stood
up and said these people would be excised from Nigeria, that
they have to purge themselves of this feeling of colonizing
other people, to take what belongs to others, that they have
to first of all purge themselves, and if we are satisfied that
they have totally done that, that there is a purgation of this
noxious idea of born to rule, then we will admit them back to
live with us as equals. But many people did not know.
Former vice-president Alex Ekwueme recently exploded saying
he has been betrayed and neglected and the Igbos have also
been betrayed by Jonathan, and as a result he cannot
guarantee bloc Igbo votes for Jonathan in the forthcoming
presidential elections. What is your view on that?
I am very, very disappointed when elders become childish and
senile. If there is one man that I respect and I look up to, if
there is one man that I see as a role model, it’s Alex
Ekwueme. So, Buhari who put him in prison when he
committed no crime, put him in Kirikiri and left Shagari under
house arrest is the one that has not betrayed the Igbos?.
What did Obasanjo do for him, when he was president? What
did Yar’Adua do for him when he was president? A Goodluck
Jonathan, under who an Igbo man for the first time became
Chief of Army Staff is now anti- Igbo? Pray, all parts of the
financial sector, the economy of Nigeria are controlled by the
Igbos. The Minister of Finance, Central Bank Governor, D. G.
Budget, D.G, Due Process, the Nigerian Stock Exchange,
Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, are all controlled
by Igbos. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
SGF is an Igbo, Deputy Senate President is an Igbo, Deputy
Speaker of the House of Representatives is an Igbo. So how
has the Igbos been betrayed?. The Second Niger Bridge,
nobody constructed it until now. Construction has
commenced. I went there. Julius Berger was there. I saw it,
and that was in October.
Today, there is an airport in Enugu. International flights are
coming into Igbo heartland. It never happened. Nobody ever
permitted it. Igbos must go through Lagos. Everybody must
go through Lagos. There are a lot of things happening in
Igboland today. So, for somebody to say Igbos have been
betrayed, I feel very scandalized and I just held my head.
Because, as somebody who has Igbo blood flowing in me, I
feel that the old man, something must have gone wrong with
him somewhere, because if something has not gone wrong
with him, he will know that the person he is indirectly
campaigning for was the man who put him in prison without
trial. It is so unfortunate.
The North appears to be homogenous, and the South so
atomistic. Don’t you think if the push comes to shove, the
North will leverage on their homogeneity and ride over the
entire landscape?
I don’t know what you mean by homogeneity of the North.
Where do you keep Nasarawa State? Where do you keep
Plateau? Where do you keep Taraba State? Where do you keep
Kaduna State? Where do you keep Kogi State? Benue State?
Where is the homogeneity of the North? Even if they claim to
be homogenous, the Gambari invaders who have made slavery
acceptable to the Hausas, how have they related with other
people?. So, for me, I am not a coward. Let the enemy plan,
but he will fail in his plan. I believe it, I know it and I am
prepared for it. And I am ready at any moment to confront the
enemy and to make sure that at least whatever he tries to do
this time, he will fail. And he will be humiliated, and what
happened in Central Africa Republic will happen here.
Let me take you to Obasanjo. He has been making scathing
criticisms of the president. But surprisingly, he showed up at
his daughter’s wedding and Jonathan was persuaded to pay
him a visit at his country home, Abeokuta. Do you trust him?
I don’t need to trust Obasanjo. I am really pissed off at the
attitude of President Goodluck Jonathan in condoning this old
rascal. I am really pissed off. I was to go to the wedding. I
had already taken my bath when I heard that Obasanjo was at
the wedding, I didn’t want to go and spoil anything. So, I de
cided not to go. Definitely, if I went and he says anything
disparaging about me, I will respond. I didn’t want that to
happen. So, whatever reason Goodluck allowed him to come
there is best known to both of them.
Do you not think it was out of desperation that the president
is seeking support from Obasanjo in his re-election bid?
Jonathan was not the first to go there. Obasanjo came to his
daughter’s wedding. So it’s reciprocal. Jonathan said that
some past leaders talk like motor park touts, and then in the
next two, three days, Obasanjo surfaced at the wedding. So,
Jonathan decided to pay him a visit, maybe, e get as e be , he
will support him. That’s why I find it difficult to seek elective
offices because I cannot condescend to this sort of level. I
believe that this man, Olusegun Obasanjo is evil, and should
be treated as such.
Historically, each time Obasanjo makes a peace overture,
something snaps. It happened in the case of the late Chuba
Okadigbo, it happened with Audu Ogbeh. In fact, he even
danced with Okadigbo’s wife and the next day he was
impeached. He ate pounded yam with Audu Ogbeh in his
house and a few days later he was sacked as national
chairman of PDP. People read a lot of ominous signs into
these peace overtures to Jonathan. Do you relate to this?
I cannot answer what I don’t know. The mystery is there. I
am not Goodluck Jonathan. These questions are meant for
Goodluck Jonathan. There are certain things I cannot do for
Goodluck Jonathan or answer for him. I am an Ijaw man; I am
from the south, and I support the position that it is the right
of our people from the South and the middle belt to hold on to
power perpetually as against those who are foreigners, who
invaded our land, who continue to colonize our people. These
people ordinarily should have been told to go back to where
they came from. If by our magnanimity we want them, then
they should be able to be amenable and accept to live with us
as human beings. So, if Goodluck Jonathan plays with the
destinies of the people, our collective destinies, and continues
to hobnob with people like Obasanjo, who are beneficiaries of
these colonial institutions of the Gambaris, then it is
unfortunate. It is unfortunate if he does not understand the
historical relevance of these events. I believe he will not rest
on his oars. He will try to cover all areas of leakages so that
the enemy will not have the exclusive power to overwhelm
him. So, for me, I think that it’s very unfortunate. The
president should be decisive in dealing with those who are not
really against him, but against the aspirations of the
collectivity of the South and the Middle belt.
Somebody from the South called for an insurrection or mutiny
in the armed forces should the election fail to meet the basic
test of fairness. He went ahead to say that a parallel
government would be set up. Are you comfortable with that?
That man is from Rivers State.
Chibuike Amaechi is a traitor, and there are ways to treat
traitors. Judas was given some pieces of silver coins to betray
Jesus Christ and after that he became frustrated and hanged
himself. The treachery of Chibuike Amaechi? He has started
getting the pay back. He wanted to become the vice presiden
tial candidate of APC. He could not get it. On February 14th ,
he will fail in his bid to sell the people of the South –south.
And after he fails, because this is a man who said Jonathan
is favouring Biafrans, who denies to be an Igbo, but recently in
Abia, he said, “me I am Igbo, I speak Igbo language, ask
Jonathan to speak Igbo”. He thinks he can hoodwink the
people, and deceive the people. He went to Bayelsa, he put
his hands in his pocket, saying there is no money, we are
suffering. This is a man who was a houseboy to Peter Odili, a
driver, a nobody; the process was manipulated for him to
become what he is today. Look at his picture in 1999, when
he was looking like a malnourished young man, to a governor
flying in a private jet, junketing from one place to another,
spending billions of naira. Everybody has his day. He is having
his time. Our people say ore nini. Chubuike Amaechi, even if
the people do not punish him, will punish himself because he
will have nowhere to go to. I am telling you because after
February 14, I even say nobody should talk to him. He will
commit suicide. He will commit suicide with his own hands,
because when you betray your people, like Judas, the
consequences will be far reaching.
For me, he is so shameless trying to say APC put up the roller
coaster he called mono rail from station junction to UTC, even
if it isn’t moving. They lifted the train and put it there and
they show it. They think they are deceiving people. The people
are not deceived. Goodluck Jonathan will win. If anybody at
tempts a parallel government, hmm, do not push a deaf and
dumb man. When he fights back it will be terrible. They are
pushing Goodluck Jonathan. They are pushing him. He did not
use power like Obasanjo did in sacking Ladoja; in locking
Ngige in a toilet as a governor, in chasing Dariye away, in
chasing Fayose away, in putting Alamieyeseigha in prison.
Goodluck Jonathan, because he refused to use these powers
is clueless, is weak, is incompetent. Don’t fight with a deaf
and dumb man. Whatever you are talking, he does not hear
you. He can’t even express himself. So anything that enters
his hand is a weapon. For us, if they make Jonathan to make
a 360 degrees turn, I pity them.
I don’t pray that Goodluck Jonathan should change his
nature. Sometimes I get very angry with the president. Why is
the president not taking action? At times, I look back and I
tell myself, maybe that is his nature. That is what has worked
for him. We are not the same. If it is somebody like me that is
the president, ah! by now a lot of issues would have been
settled, Obasanjo will not be anywhere around and be talking.
It’s Goodluck. You abuse him and he will come and sit down
with you and eat with you. It’s the good side of him. Maybe
that’s why God has kept him alive and successful. I pray that
he should not change his nature, no matter what, to become a
Dokubo Asari. Because, if he becomes a Dokubo Asari, nobody
will be able to stay in this country.
I listened to one APC man on television, he was talking that
nobody has run out of the country because this is a
government that condones corruption and accommodates the
corrupt. So El-Rufai that ran away when Yar’Adua was there
and came back during Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure was
corrupt.
That’s why he ran away. And now they are fielding him to
become governor of Kaduna State. Ribadu, who until recently
was with them, who ran away and came back… look, don’t
dare this man, Goodluck. I am telling them, they should not
dare, because when you push a man to the wall and he does
not become a ghost, and he cannot pass through the wall, he
will resist you, he will fight you back, and in fighting you back,
it’s the fight of his life and he will not consider any other
thing, his own is to fight to get himself off the wall and be
able to defend himself and survive. Let us not reach that
stage..If we reach that stage, the Ango Abdullahis, the lie-lie
Mohammeds and all of them will regret and taste what it
means to be an Obasanjo and a Buhari in government.
My pricing is just right –Ifeoluwapo Ajibike, CEO, BeadsSpeak
Ifeoluwapo Ajibike holds a master’s degree in English but has
settled for beads making and appears so passionate about the
art as she calls it. In this interview with AYO ALONGE, this
CEO of Beads Speak spoke about her life, the art of beads
making, her business strategy, driving force among other
issues. Excerpts:
Tell us about yourself
I am Miss Ifeoluwapo Ajibike, the third child in a family of
seven; father and mother inclusive. Being the first daughter, I
have learnt to be independent and this has helped me to
understand the essence of hard work, commitment and love. I
am a lover of the arts and creative writing.
I hold a master’s degree in English Language from the
University of Lagos and a first degree from Adekunle Ajasin
University, Akungba.
You mean you have a masters’ degree and all you thought of
doing is beads making?
(Laughs) Having a masters’ degree does not stop me from
attempting other areas of life. Personally, I consider bead
making as an art and through it, I task my creativity. The
master’s degree is just a manifestation of my love for
education. I still intend to pursue a doctorate degree in the
field. As for bead making, it pays my bills!
So, how much do you make on a good business day?
Hmm! That’s a very tough question. No business is bad
(laughs). What matters is consistent patronage. That a client
can only afford beads at lower rate doesn’t make a bad
business compared to the client that pays well. To be sincere,
everybody wants to succeed in business and I always pray to
God that I meet good clients. As for the amount I make on a
good business day, I would say that it varies according to the
style, the quality of beads and accessory and the amount a
client is willing to pay . However, the bigger the style, the
more expensive it costs. Similarly, the quality of the materials
is another thing to consider. Most times, you may have to
drag it hard with a customer to get a reasonable price. Some
may never get to understand that their bargaining price is
even less than the cost of production. You can now see what I
am talking about here. So, it’s left for me to see how I can
convince them about my quality and quan tity. Most people
are willing to get the best regardless of the price while some
others want to get just anything at any price. Funny still,
some want to get the best at a ridiculous price, and if you are
in business yourself, you should understand what I am talking
about here. My pricing is fair.
What is bead making in your own words?
As I have said earlier, bead making, to me, simply means
having total control of creativity, and in this way, I see it as
an art. Every time I am doing my thing, I see myself as a
creator in this art. When I design, I’m in charge of my
environment. The overall impact of this is the happiness of my
clients at the end of the creative process. With every sense of
sincerity, I cannot work for you and you don’t like it. I feel
that’s because I have been able to see the art in my own
terms such that I just feel I am merely having fun when I am
working. Bead making is actually an art and an aspect of
creativity.
What was the reaction of your parents when you ventured into
the business?
Interestingly, they were supportive in every regard. When we
were growing up as kids, they always taught us how to be
independent through hard work. They consistently sang this
chorus to us that whatever our hands find to do, so far as it’s
legal, they are always around to support us . So, I never had
any problems with them in this regard, instead, I had their
support. Most times, my dad would even give me some money
when I am broke. He is this type that believes that I am even
assisting him, in a way, venturing into my own business. As
for my mum, she often helps with the logistics of my business,
and you also need to know that I have some of her friends as
clients.
What’s your unique selling point?
Superb customer service skills, creative thinking and time
management. Compared to other businesses , it’s an
embodiment of all in one.
What are your core values in business?
My core values in business are customer focus, success,
integrity, responsiveness, innovation and excellence.
What are your challenges in the business?
Some people are yet to realise that the old traditional beads
that were used by our fore-fathers are back in vogue this
modern age, and they are put together to make modern
fashion statements. Some still underrate beads. Secondly,
some people do not know that there are differences in the
qualities of beads hence, they want a bead maker to make
expensive beads for them at ridiculous prices. All these
depend on awareness and ignorance.
What’s your strategy to achieve greater success in your busi
ness?
Already, I have a brand name which is Beads’ Speak. I believe
that through continuous advertisement and hard work, my
brand name would sail positively into the global market.
It’s a process which I believe, in due time, I would achieve. I
believe that when one is good at what he/she does, then
success is always at the door.
Do you consider your business profitable enough?
Yes, I consider it to be a profitable business, besides no one
ventures into business to lose.
What do beads mean in the world of fashion?
Bead making has already taken its place in today’s fashion
scene. Fashionable beads are among the most important
things women use to adorn themselves. Usually, beads make
fashion statements and give every woman confidence. Fashion
able beads are in vogue and they are appreciated at local and
internationally levels. In fact, most modeling companies adorn
their run-way models with fashionable beads in order to make
them look classy. Several magazines like Ovation, City People
etc., promote the value of beads. For you to have a perfect
look that will distinguish you from the crowd at any event, it is
advisable that your wear beads, I mean good quality beads.
What does bead making entail?
There are a lot of things that can be made with beads and
they include necklaces, belts, hand bags, earrings, rings
interior décor, slippers etc. Largely, beads vary . We have
coral, pearls, crystals, glass and seed beads for examples.
They also vary in shapes, sizes, colours, and prices . Most
importantly, there are fake and original beads. A good bead
maker works with original beads and accessories. This is why
I try to provide my clients with the necessary information
when they need my services.
If you are offered a high-paying job somewhere would you
quit making beads?
Working somewhere else doesn’t stop me from being a bead
maker, because I do it at my leisure.
What’s your niche in life?
It’s my love for creativity. I find solace and expression, so to
speak, through creativity. It could be in the form of writing or
any other work of art.
How about the man in your life?
He is doing fine. No more, no less! (Laughs)
So,when do you hope to get married?
At the appropriate time.
What vision and goals have you set for yourself?
Until I achieve them, I will continue to be focused on them.
Nevertheless, I believe that resilience, drive, hard work and
staying positive will help me achieve my vision and goals.
Until I achieve them, they remain personal. That’s it o!
What is your advice for all?
Acquire more knowledge. Appreciate entrepreneurial knowledge
by acquiring at least a skill. Everyday should lead you closer
to your goals in life and do not forget that the moment you
think less about yourself, you become insignificant in life.
AFCON 2015: Gradel snatches late draw for Elephants
Max Gradel scored what could be a priceless equaliser as Cote
d’Ivoire drew 1-1 with Mali in Saturday’s Africa Cup of
Nations encounter. Herve Renard’s side only earned a 1-1
draw with Guinea in their opening match courtesy of Seydou
Doumbia’s 72nd-minute strike, and looked set to suffer a
huge setback on Saturday as, despite dominating possession,
they struggled to find a response to Bakary Sako’s early
opener.
However, substitute Max Gradel fired home with three minutes
remaining following a cutback from Serge Aurier, providing a
welcome boost to Cote d’Ivoire’s qualification hopes.
Sako fired Mali ahead after just seven minutes with a superb
half-volley, although Cote d’Ivoire – many people’s tip to win
the tournament – appeared unfortunate not to be awarded a
penalty prior to the interval when Molla Wague upended
Wilfried Bony in the area.
Mali, who lost goalkeeper Soumbeila Diakite to injury in the
second half, held out thereafter against wave after wave of
pressure, only to be found wanting as Gradel finally broke
their resistance.
Both teams will enter the final round of group matches with
two points from as many games.
Siaka Tiene, Ismael Diomande and Doumbia were all brought
into a Cote d’Ivoire side missing the suspended Gervinho.
Yet it was an unchanged Mali who seized the initiative early
on, courtesy of a fine goal from Sako.
Sambou Yatabare was given time to deliver a cross from the
right, which Sako met with a sweetly timed half-volley back
across goal that left Sylvain Gbohouo with no chance. A lack
of quality in the final third hampered Cote d’Ivoire as they
sought to get back on level terms, with Aurier.
Glo Super 6 Tourney: Pillars drown Dolphins
As F/Eagles, Dream Team, VI stun Enyimba, W’Wolves
Three times back-to-back Nigeria Premier League champions,
Kano Pillars, yesterday staked a bold claim at the Glo Super
Six invitational tournament by beating Dolphins of Port
Harcourt 2-0.
Early goals from Samuel Tswanya and new signing, Christian
Obiozor, gave the Okey Emordi-tutored side sweet victory over
Coach Stanley Eguma’s team at the Abuja National Stadium.
Tswanya shot Pillars in front after six minutes before Obiozor
netted the second goal six minutes later.
Pillars were gifted the opener six minutes through the first half
when a dangerous delivery was half cleared to Samuel whose
low shot sailed into the net.
Dolphins’ veteran goalkeeper, Rotimi Sunday, denied Pillars
what could have been their second goal with a wonderful save
in the 10th minute of action.
However, former Rangers’ striker, Christian Obiozor, raced
onto a through ball from Rabiu Ali to drill home the second
after 12 minutes.
In another match decided yesterday, Flying Eagles stunned
Enyimba International 2-0 with Captain Musa Muhamme
scoring from the spot in the 31st minute while Musa Yahaya
came off the bench to score the second goal to put the game
beyond the People’s Elephant.
Samson Siasia’s Dream Team VI also recorded a 2-1 victory
over Premier League side, Warri Wolves with goals from Austin
Amutu and Baker Ebiabowe, while Gift Atulewa scored for the
Warri-based Seasiders.
Pillars will now battle the Flying Eagles in the Match Day 2.
Dolphins have the Dream Team VI on their way while Warri
Wolves will tackle Enyimba. All games will take place
tomorrow.
