₦airaland Forum

But Jonathan has a very dark present and we do not live in the past anymore!

Interesting! APC as a party is full of strategists and thinkers.

Retired President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, on Thursday said fellow judges as well as the National Judicial Council betrayed him in the twilight of his career, especially after his suspension by the NJC.

Salami likened his travails to that of the Biblical Joseph, who was sold into slavery by members of his family.

He said, “The last three years of my career were dogged by travails which are not dissimilar to the fate of Joseph in the book of Genesis in the Bible.

“As his brothers conspired to destroy him by throwing him into a well and selling him into slavery, my learned brothers and friends in the legal profession planned and executed doing evil to me.”

He spoke at a valedictory session organised to mark his retirement from the Court of Appeal.

The retired PCA was suspended after a clash with the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu.

He was still serving the suspension until he left the service, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

Justice Salami informed the gathering, which included top serving and retired judicial officers that the NJC sold out to the Executive and failed in its duties and functions.

He said, “The National Judicial Council created by the Constitution to protect me, nay any judicial officer was on the vanguard of my travails. The NJC failed in its duties and thereby surrendered its functions to the Executive arm of government thus, ingratiate itself to the Executive.

“For instance, the NJC, having cleared me of any wrongdoing, following the recommendations of Justice Aloma Mukhtar’s committee, ought to have recalled me to office without asking the President to exercise the power that he does not possess, on the flimsy excuse that it had earlier referred the matter to him.

“In truth, as a matter of courtesy, all it needed to do was to write the President that in view of its recent decision, this matter was now outside his purview.

“After so informing him, NJC would be free to take the necessary step to implement its decision.”

Continuing, Justice Salami said, “The position in which NJC has found itself is similar to that of the proverbial cock that betrayed itself to the fox that what was on his head was not fire and encouraged the fox to touch it.

“The fox, having satisfied itself that truly it was not fire, has since been hunting cocks to make menu of them.

“Also, when the report of the committee the NJC set up to make recommendation on Umaru Abdullahi’s report was submitted to it for ratification, neither the CJN nor the next most senior Justice of the Supreme Court was present at the meeting.

“Justice Moses A. Bello, who was neither the CJN nor the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, took it upon himself to preside at the meeting contrary to the express provisions of sub-paragraph (a) and (b) of paragraph 20 of the Third Schedule of the Constitution.

“No other members of the NJC, including statutory members, could be chairman.”

The retired judge noted that Justice Bello was an impostor for claiming to be the Acting Chairman of NJC in the two letters he (Justice Bello) wrote to him, dated August 9 and 18, 2011.

This, he said, was because Bello was “neither a Justice of the Supreme Court, next most senior Justice of the court nor the CJN.”

He also accused the Council of treating matters of national importance with levity.

“This is the levity with which the NJC treats matters of national importance. Clearly, Justice Bello has not only behaved irresponsibly, but also recklessly,” he said.

He pointed out that the NJC took the decision to suspend him when his application for an order restraining the Council from deliberating on his case was pending before the Federal High Court.

Arguing that the matter was sub judice, he said, “It is this illegal decision that the NJC had been relying upon to keep me out of office from August 18, 2011.”

Salami noted that the Council treated him in a most cruel manner, employing all manner of tricks to sustain his suspension.

He said, “The NJC, a body set up to protect judicial officers, has dealt so cruelly with me.”

But he insisted that he had no regrets for his actions.

“I have no regret whatsoever over all that I did, having acted according to the dictate of my conscience and in the fear of Almighty God.

“I swore to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to do justice to all manner of people without fear or favour; God has helped me so to do.”

Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, praised Justice Salami for his achievements in office.

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Okey Wali, SAN, who was represented by Sunday Ameh, SAN, urged the Bar and Bench to reject attempts to compromise the independence of the Judiciary.

The Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, SAN, was absent at the event and was not represented.

Adoke had advised Jonathan not to approve the NJC’s decision to reinstate Justice Salami on the grounds that the matter was sub judice.

The CJN, Justice Aloma Mukhtar; a former CJN, Justice Mohammed Uwais; Justice Mahmood Mohammed of the Supreme Court; and the President of the National Industrial Court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, were among the dignitaries at the event.
Punch Newspaper 1/11/13

james_ibor: On Nairaland, no picture means it didn't happen.

Just as you gave the picture of your white man that analysed the corruption in Nigeria!

van bonattel: The black caucus never visited Nigeria to assess the impact of corruption which damaged all our companies and sent graduates to flee the country in the middle of the lootocracy of which Abiola so much championed. [b]We the people of Nigeria knows and remembers Abiola as a common criminal who stole the nation blind. KARMA!

[/b]


Yours above is simply a fragment of your own imagination, thanks anyway for your opinion.

@thehomer: please make your choice and live by it, cheers.

@manmustwac; please keep wacking and keep asking, it is your right to do so. Atleast you are smart enough to believe the fairy tales of some animals that existed some billion years ago when its even really difficult for the same scientists to provide evidence of some settlements that existed some few thousand years ago - so smart!

@ifeness: I can't imagine how quoting the Holy Bible hurts your feeling, may be you should calm down a little bit even if you belong to the other guy, please calm down!

@ Evil Brain: Need I say more, your name tells it all. I will advise you not wait too long as the dark moment is fast approaching, think about it.

@wiegraf: Your ignorance is a challenge, please see Isaiah 40: 22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

@FOLYKAZE: Please do not forget that your mentor, Fela Ransome-Kuti died miserably of AIDS because he could not follow the simple moral principles of the Holy Bible, you may be on the same trail.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1 Corinthians 1: 18-27

The United States of America Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilisation Operations, Mr Rick Barton, on Wednesday, led a delegation of U.S. diplomats on a courtesy visit to the Rivers State governor, Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Also in the delegation was the Director of Africa Operations, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilisation Operations, Mr Neal Kringel and the Consular-General of the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, Jeffrey Hawkins.
Mr Barton told Governor Amaechi that they were in the state to find possible ways to assist the state government in any conflict situation.
He highlighted the good relations between the United States of America and Nigeria and commended Governor Amaechi for his work in Rivers State and his ability to resolve problems.
“Thank you Mr Governor, it’s a great pleasure to be here with you. We have had the chance to savour your hospitality and to enjoy your state for the last 24 hours and it’s been a great pleasure. We’ve had the chance to drive out to the countryside and to visit with some of your constituents and to get a feeling of what you and your cabinet are doing here in the state to advance the confidence of the public and the state of the cordial life of your citizens,” he said.
Source: Tribune Newspaper

Impressive

Moshood Abiola sprang to national and international prominence as a result of his philanthropic activities. The Congressional Black Caucus of the United States of America issued the following tribute to Moshood Abiola:

"Because of this man, there is both cause for hope and certainty that the agony and protests of those who suffer injustice shall give way to peace and human dignity. The children of the world shall know the great work of this extraordinary leader and his fervent mission to right wrong, to do justice, and to serve mankind. The enemies which imperil the future of generations to come: poverty, ignorance, disease, hunger, and racism have each seen effects of the valiant work of Chief Abiola. Through him and others like him, never again will freedom rest in the domain of the few. We, the members of the Congressional Black Caucus salute him this day as a hero in the global pursuit to preserve the history and the legacy of the African diaspora"

This is for those who would like to know, thank you

Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Moshood Abiola
Born August 24, 1937
Abeokuta

Died July 7, 1998 (aged 60)
Abuja

Nationality Nigerian
Other names M.K.O Abiola
Occupation tycoon

Known for Philanthropy

Children Dupsy Abiola

Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (August 24, 1937 – July 7, 1998), often referred to as M. K. O. Abiola, was a popularNigerian Yoruba businessman, publisher, politician and aristocrat of the Yoruba Egba clan. He ran for the presidency in 1993, and is widely regarded as the presumed winner of the inconclusive election since no official final results were announced. He died in 1998, after being denied victory when the entire election results were dubiously annulled by the preceding military president Ibrahim Babangida because of alleged evidence that they were corrupt and unfair.
Contents
[hide]
• 1 Early life
• 2 Career
• 3 Philanthropy
• 4 Remembrance of M.K.O. Abiola
• 5 Awards and honours
• 6 Involvement in politics
• 7 Presidential elections
• 8 Imprisonment
• 9 Death
• 10 References

Early life[edit]


Moshood Abiola with Nelson Mandelashortly after his release from Robben Island
Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State.[1] His name, Kashimawo, means "Let us wait and see".[2]Moshood Abiola was his father's twenty-third child but the first of his father's children to survive infancy, hence the name 'Kashimawo'. It was not until he was 15 years old that he was properly named Moshood, by his parents.
MKO showed entrepreneurial talents at a very young age, at the age of nine he started his first business selling firewood. He would wake up at dawn to go to the forest and gather firewood, which he would then cart back to town and sell before going to school, in order to support his old father and his siblings. He later founded a band at age fifteen where he would perform at various ceremonies in exchange for food. He eventually became famous enough to start demanding payment for his performances and used the money to support his family and his secondary education at the Baptist Boys High School Abeokuta, where he excelled. He was the editor of the school magazine The Trumpeter, Olusegun Obasanjo was deputy editor. At the age of 19 he joined the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons ostensibly because of its stronger pan-Nigerian origin compared with the Obafemi Awolowo-led Action Group.[3]
Career[edit]
In 1956 Moshood Abiola started his professional life as bank clerk with Barclays Bank plc in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria. After two years he joined the Western Region Finance Corporation as an executive accounts officer before leaving for Glasgow, Scotland to pursue his higher education. From Glasgow University he received a first class degree in accountancy.[4] He also received a distinction from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. On his return to Nigeria, he worked as a senior accountant at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, then went on to Pfizer, before joining the ITT Corporation, where he later rose to the position of Vice President, Africa and Middle-East of the entire corporation, which was head-quartered in the United States. As a result, Moshood Abiola spent a lot of his time and made most of his money in the United States, whilst retaining the post of chairman of the corporation's Nigerian subsidiary. In addition to his duties throughout the Middle-East and Africa, Moshood Abiola invested heavily in Nigeria and West Africa. He set up Abiola Farms, Abiola bookshops, Radio Communications Nigeria, Wonder bakeries, Concord Press, Concord Airlines, Summit oil international ltd, Africa Ocean lines, Habib Bank, Decca W.A. ltd, and Abiola football club. In addition to these, he also managed to perform his duties as Chairman of the G15 business council, President of theNigerian Stock Exchange, Patron of the Kwame Nkrumah Foundation, Patron of the WEB Du Bois foundation, trustee of the Martin Luther King foundation and director of theInternational Press Institute.[5]
Philanthropy[edit]


Moshood Abiola with the head of the Bulgarian church
Moshood Abiola sprang to national and international prominence as a result of his philanthropic activities. The Congressional Black Caucus of the United States of America issued the following tribute to Moshood Abiola:[6]
Because of this man, there is both cause for hope and certainty that the agony and protests of those who suffer injustice shall give way to peace and human dignity. The children of the world shall know the great work of this extraordinary leader and his fervent mission to right wrong, to do justice, and to serve mankind. The enemies which imperil the future of generations to come: poverty, ignorance, disease, hunger, and racism have each seen effects of the valiant work of Chief Abiola. Through him and others like him, never again will freedom rest in the domain of the few. We, the members of the Congressional Black Caucus salute him this day as a hero in the global pursuit to preserve the history and the legacy of the African diaspora.
From 1972 until his death Moshood Abiola had been conferred with 197 traditional titles by 68 different communities in Nigeria, in response to the fact that his financial assistance resulted in the construction of 63 secondary schools, 121 mosques and churches, 41 libraries, 21 water projects in 24 states of Nigeria, and was grand patron to 149 societies or associations in Nigeria. In this way Abiola reached out and won admiration across the multifarious ethnic and religious divides in Nigeria. In addition to his work in Nigeria, Moshood Abiola was a dedicated supporter of the Southern African Liberation movements from the 1970s and he sponsored the campaign to win reparations for slavery and colonialism in Africa and the diaspora. Chief Abiola, personally rallied every African head of state, and every head of state in the black diaspora to ensure that Africans would speak with one voice on the issues.[7]
Remembrance of M.K.O. Abiola[edit]
Chief MKO Abiola's memory is celebrated in Nigeria and internationally.[8] June 12 remains a public holiday in Lagos and Ogun states.[9] There are also remembrance events arranged across Nigeria.[10] MKO Abiola was known for his charisma and for being a man of the people.[11] As a prominent social activist, democratic freedom fighter, and successful business figure, the continuing support for MKO Abiola is part of his legacy. MKO Abiola Stadium was named in his honour. There were also calls for posthumous presidential recognition.[12]
Despite his popularity or because of it, MKO Abiola occasionally attracted criticism from political activists and detractors. Controversy was caused by a song by Nigerian musician,Fela Kuti. Kuti was a charismatic multi-instrumentalist musician, composer and human rights activist - famed for being the pioneer of Afrobeat music as well as a controversial figure, due to his unusual lifestyle and apparent drug use.[13] It is believed that Kuti had entered into an acrimonious dispute relating to a contract with MKO Abiola's record label[citation needed]. He used the abbreviation of International Telephone & Telegraph (IT&T) in a song criticising big multinational corporations. The song, ITT accuses such companies of draining Africa's resources and makes specific reference to MKO Abiola ("they start to steal money Like Obasanjo and Abiola".[14]
Awards and honours[edit]
Moshood Abiola was twice voted international businessman of the year[citation needed], and received numerous honorary doctorates from universities all over the world. In 1987 he was bestowed with the golden key to the city of Washington D.C., and he was bestowed with awards from the NAACP and the King center in the USA, as well as the International Committee on Education for Teaching in Paris, amongst many others. In Nigeria, the Oloye Abiola was made the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland. It is the highest chieftaincy title available to commoners amongst the Yoruba, and has only been conferred by the tribe 14 times in its history. This in effect rendered Abiola the ceremonial War Viceroy of all of his tribespeople. According to the folklore of the tribe as recounted by the Yoruba elders, the Aare Ona Kakanfo is expected to die a warrior in the defense of his nation in order to prove himself in the eyes of both the divine and the mortal as having been worthy of his title.[15][16]
Involvement in politics[edit]
Abiola's involvement in politics started early on in life when he joined the NCNC at age 19. In 1979, the military government kept its word and handed over power to the civilian. As Abiola was already involved in politics, he joined the ruling national party of Nigeria in 1980 and was elected the chairman of his party. Re-election was done in 1983 and everything looked promising since the re-elected president was from Abiola’s party and based on the true transition to power in 1979; Abiola was eligible to go for the post of presidential candidate after the tenure of the re-elected president. However, his hope to become the president was shortly dashed away for the first time in 1983 when a military coup d'état swept away the re-elected president of his party and ended civilian rule in the country. After a decade of military rule, General Ibrahim Babanginda came under pressure to return democratic rule to Nigeria. After an aborted initial primary, Abiola stood for the presidential nomination of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and beat Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to secure the presidential nomination of the SDP ahead of the June 12th 1993 presidential elections. Abiola had managed to work his way out of poverty through hard work and symbolised the aspirations of many downtrodden Nigerians. His commitment to the plight of ordinary Nigerians included establishing Abiola bookshops to provide affordable, locally produced textbooks in the 1980s when imported textbooks became out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians as the naira was devalued. He also made available daily necessities such as rice and soap at affordable prices in the market.[17]
Presidential elections[edit]


Moshood Abiola's Hope '93 political manifesto
For the 12 June 1993 presidential elections, Abiola's running mate was Baba Gana Kingibe. He overwhelmingly defeated his rival, Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention. The election was declared Nigeria's freest and fairest presidential election by national and international observers, with Abiola even winning in his Northern opponent's home state.Abiola won at the national capital, Abuja, the military polling stations, and over two-thirds of Nigerian states. The reason why the election was so historic, was because men of Northern descent had largely dominated Nigeria's political landscape since independence. The fact that Moshood Abiola (a Southern Muslim) was able to secure a national mandate freely and fairly remains unprecedented in Nigeria's history. However, the election was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida, a political crisis that ensued which led to General Sani Abacha seizing power later that year.[18] During preparations for the 2011 Nigerian Presidential elections there were calls from several quarters to remember MKO Abiola [12].
The famed Nigerian Pastor Tunde Bakare is said to have predicted the annulment to Abiola and warned him against contesting.[19]
Imprisonment[edit]


Moshood Abiola leaving a Black Maria van under heavy armed guard
In 1994 Moshood Abiola declared himself the lawful president of Nigeria in the Epetedo area of Lagos island, an area mainly populated by impoverished Nigerians. He had recently returned from a trip to win the support of the international community for his mandate. After declaring himself president he was declared wanted and was accused of treason and arrested on the orders of military President GeneralSani Abacha, who sent 200 police vehicles to bring him into custody. MKO Abiola has been referred to as Nigeria's greatest statesman[20]
Moshood Abiola was detained for four years, largely in solitary confinement with a Bible, Qur'an, and fourteen guards as companions. During that time, Pope John Paul II, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and human rights activists from all over the world lobbied the Nigerian government for his release. The sole condition attached to the release of Chief Abiola was that he renounce his mandate, something that he refused to do, although the military government offered to compensate him and refund his extensive election expenses. For this reason Chief Abiola became extremely troubled when Kofi Annan and Emeka Anyaoku reported to the world that he had agreed to renounce his mandate after they met with him to tell him that the world would not recognize a five year old election.[21]
Death[edit]
Abiola died under suspicious circumstances shortly after the death of General Abacha. Moshood Abiola died on the day that he was due to be released, on July 7, 1998.[22] While the official autopsy state that Abiola died of natural causes, Abacha's Chief Security Officer, al-Mustapha has alleged that Moshood Abiola was in fact beaten to death. al-Mustapha, who is still being detained by the Nigerian government, claims to have video and audiotapes showing how Abiola was beaten to death. The final autopsy report, which was produced by a group of international coroners has never been publicly released.[23] Irrespective of the exact circumstances of his death, it is clear that Chief Abiola received insufficient medical attention for his existing health conditions.
As recounted at the time in a BBC interview with special envoy Thomas R. Pickering, an American delegation, which included Susan Rice, visited Abiola and during their meeting with him, Abiola fell ill,[24] with what was presumed to be a heart attack which caused his death.