SaharaReporters has uncovered a document indicating that a million dollars of Bayelsa State's poverty alleviation fund was spent by then-Governor Goodluck Jonathan on bringing American entertainers Beyonce and Jay-Z to Nigeria in 2006.

In a letter stamped and signed by Bayelsa officials, N150 million (approximately a million dollars in 2006) was released from the state's poverty alleviation fund for the first ThisDay Music Festival in Lagos.

The document came to light after a controversy was ignited over how much money American 'reality TV' star Kim Kardashian was paid for a brief visit to Nigeria.



"Mr. Obaigbena often lines up financial bonanzas from numerous governors, ministers and other top government officials to finance his jamborees," said one of the sources who is based in the UK and is knowledgeable about such deals.

A letter was obtained from Mr. Obaigbena to the Bayelsa State government soliciting funds from the oil-producing state ahead of Nigeria's 46th independence celebrations in 2006. The publisher wrote, "We invite you to partner with us as co-hosts of the festival. With a total budget of $10 million, the co-host is expected to contribute a minimum of $2.5 million (two million five hundred thousand USD)."

At the bottom of the letter, minuted by hand and signed by then Governor Jonathan’s aides as well as the Bayelsa State accountant general are the words, "Release N150,000,000.00 (One hundred and fifty million naira) only to be drawn from the poverty alleviation subhead."

According to one of the sources, Mr. Obaigbena sent similar letters to other south-south states.

It could not be ascertained how much of the released funds was paid directly to performers at the festival. There is no indication that Beyonce, one of the few entertainment stars internationally famous enough to only need one name, was aware that her performance was being subsidized by the poor people of Bayelsa.




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