₦airaland Forum

xynerise: Chai! She is lost

So naive...People change religions (Christianity to Islam and Islam to Christianity) on the basis of love, conviction, etc. It didn't start with her and it won't end with her! We are in a free world. Some of us have many close relations who changed their religions, and that has not in anyway affected our mutual love and respect.

Your statement about being lost is so unkind. This is one of the reasons we are where we are as a nation! Religion! Religion!! Religion!!! And heinous crimes go unabated...

pistol: We are just making noise over nothing.
Creating a storm in a tea cup.
We always say the office of the first lady is unconstitutional.
Let me ask,
Is the NGF constitutional,
Nigerians generally suffer from selective amnesia.
Always trying to pick the wrong fight.
The budget alone and secret service personnel that follow the american first lady is a mincemeat when compared with that of Gej.
Don't underestimate the power of ACN propoganda machinery

@pistol, you got this wrong. This is not about constitutionality (and mind you NGF is legal and is registered under CAMA). The argument is about Patience Jonathan using a "SEAL OF THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY" on a podium. No Nigerian First Lady ever did that! Not even Maryam Babangida who effectively gave life and glamour to the First Lady thing...

Gbawe: Whatever my wife is she is not an uncouth, loud and pugnacious semi-illiterate who delivers grammatical errors a 5 year old child would be ashamed to hear. Again, displayed here is the typical materialistic and supinely subservient attitude of worshipping money and power that has blighted Nigeria. So, being first lady means we are automatically all beneath her? Being first lady now automatically makes her better than learned individuals and achievers who are respected in their field of endeavour? Shameful backwardness.

Good prose! I clap...

I laugh in Swahili whenever I read the vituperation and insults exchanged between the so-called ’40-laptop’ gang of GEJ/’Jonathanians’ (apology to El-Rufai) and APC/ACN/Asiwaju Tinubu gang on Nairaland.

All politicians (in ACN, APC, PDP, CPC, DPP, APGA, Accord, etc) are one and the same people. The only thing that binds them (or most of them) is political interest. These guys wine and dine in their closets while supporters of both sides ‘kill’ themselves with insults on Nairaland and elsewhere (blogs, websites, etc).

The other day, before 2011 elections, after GEJ met with the Chairmen of all parties, he singled out Tinubu, held his hand and led him to the inner recesses of the Villa- we all knew the result: PDP (and GEJ) won in Lagos overwhelmingly!

Today, Chief Femi Fani Kayode (FFK) is in APC, dining with Tinubu, Aregbe and Ajimobi (at the pool side of Bourdillon, last weekend, as he personally reported on his facebook timeline). This same FFK that called Tinubu and AC/ACN all sorts of names when he worked for OBJ! Who would have thought that an OBJ core acolyte will ever dine with Tinubu?

Senator Ashafa had his son’s wedding in Lagos a few years ago; the entire political class (PDP, CAN, CPC, APGA, etc) was there! Why? Of course, Ashafa as Lands Bureau Chief in Lagos has a huge resource base to dispense patronage across party lines.

Tinubu is Kwankwaso’s friend because when he (Tinubu) was Senator in 1992/1993 and Chairman of the most powerful Senate Committee- Committee on Banking, Finance, Appropriation and Currency (by virtue of being a Chartered Accountant- CPA of the US), Kwankwaso was the Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives. The have come a long way…

GEJ and Tinubu are no strangers…As host of the Southern Governors Forum in his (Tinubu’s) first term (before OBJ gave him hell on earth in the second term), GEJ attended meetings of the Forum on behalf of Alams as Deputy Governor.

The other day, Olisa Metuh and Lai Mohammed were sharing groundnut in public…Yet people (the un-initiated) want to ‘kill’ themselves online… A friend who worked in an office involving meeting politicians across party lines once told me this: “if you hear what our Senators and Reps and the other top guys discuss among themselves (across party lines), the ordinary Nigerian will weep. They are all friends bound by interests and quest for power. Nothing more!”

It is high time Nigerians knew that we should think of galvanizing rich ideas for national development and stay united, because when push comes to shove, politicians will ferry their families to their castles in Western Europe, USA, Dubia, SA, etc!

Billyonaire: Lagos is actually Over-hyped. We have few good roads compared to other states in Nigeria that I have visited and the traffic situation is unforgivable. Even Osun and Ekiti States have excellent roads on the hinterland. Apart from VI/Lekki/Ikoyi axis of Lagos, the rest of Lagos is just terrible. This is not politics, it is the truth.

This is the most ignorant (and wilfully dishonest) post I have read in recent times...Have you heard about these wide, well-constructed roads outside VI/Lekki/Ikoyi axis?

Eric Moore, Bode Thomas, Adeniran Ogunsanya, Census-Babs Animashaun, Ogunlana Drive, Tejuosho connecting Iddo, several CBD Lagos Island inner roads, Ikeja GRA inner roads, Funsho Williams, Ijora Olopa/7Up....etc, etc

Your access to a keyboard should not lead you to writing glaring lies nah...

xtianh: These pictures depict the true look of streets in Lagos where people believe its a paradise going by what they read and hear on the radio and here in Nairaland.

This is sheer ignorance, mischief or both...So, in your warped mind, you expect every part of Lagos to be sparkling clean and evenly developed? Even in SA (where some Nigerians wish to live and die), these kind of roads abound.

I've lived here (Lagos) for just under 20 years (but I am not an indigene), and I can boldly say that Lagos has been transformed by Fashola! I don't belong to (and I don't have sympathy for) any party, but truth is constant. Always. Having visited about 28 states (out of the entire 36), I must say that Lagos is miles ahead of most other states in terms of infrastructure.

It is not everything that should seen from the prism of politics or ethnicity. Lagos under Fashola is a good story any objective person can tell anywhere!

This analogy is safe to make...In Oyo state, once a Governor focuses on Ibadan, Ogbomosho, and Oyo town everyone will hail the Governor. Same thing in Osun (Oshogbo, Ile-Ife, Ilesa); Ogun (Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode/Shagamu, Ilaro, Otta); Ondo (Akure, Ondo town, Owo, Idanre); Kaduna (Kaduna city, Zaria); Nasarawa (Lafia and Keffi), Kwara (Ilorin, Offa, Omu-Aran, Lafiagi); Edo (Benin, Auchi, etc); Imo (Owerri, Orlu, etc) BUT in Lagos State, every street cries for Fashola's help! I read some newspaper comments and I laugh at some instances. People should see the rot in most states in Nigeria! Most Governors focus on the state capital and it ends there... Governing Lagos is not an easy pie, people...

There are some local governments in some 4 states that I know where no Governor has ever visited from date of creation till now (April 2013) and they usually vote during elections!!! Can any Lagos Governor try that?

Fashola remains one of the poster boys for good governance in Nigeria (as well as Akpabio, Mimiko, Oshiomhole, Fayemi, Amaechi, Aregbesola) and no objective mind can say otherwise...

I suggested earlier that someone should commission a study on the man’s political leadership.

One does not necessarily have to like him, but the following is true about him:

1.He effectively transited from being a Board room professional (he was Treasurer at Mobil Nigeria for almost 10 years, having worked earlier in accounting firms in the US, after obtaining CPA qualification and a Bachelor’s degree Business Administration from Chicago State University, Illinois in 1979, to a street-wise politician on the backdrop of his election as a Lagos Senator, his position as the powerful Chairman of Senate Committee on Banking, Finance, Appropriation and Currency, and one of the arrow-heads and founders of the main party to beat at the time -SDP, the other being NRC; his role in the June 12 struggle, closeness to MKO, and one of the main financiers of NADECO, the powerful movement of patriotic Nigerians that effectively led to the democracy we’ve had since 1999.

2.He knows how to attract, and obtain near absolute loyalty of brilliant professionals; the list is endless:

Dele Alake (Ekiti indigene, brilliant journalist of the Concord fame who became his Commissioner of Information & Strategy)

Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti indigene, a former US-based lawyer, now House of Rep. member who was his Commissioner of Information & Strategy too)

Yemi Cardoso (Lagos indigene, Tinubu’s former Commissioner for Economic Planning & Budget, sound professional, Bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from Aston University UK, Masters degree in Public Administration from Harvard University; ex top Executive at Chase and Citibank, and now Chairman of Citibank)

Wale Edun (Lagos indigene, Tinubu’s former Commissioner of Finance, sound professional, co-founder of a top-rated investment and advisory firm in Lagos, and well sought speaker at company events)

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (Ogun indigene, SAN, author, Tinubu’s Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice)

Prof. Kunle Lawal (Lagos indigene, author, researcher, renowned History scholar, Tinubu’s Commissioner for Education)

Mr. Fola Arthur–Worrey (Lagos indigene, Solicitor General of Lagos under Tinubu, and later Tinubu’s Commissioner for Lands, respected legal practitioner)

Senator Oloruninmbe Mamora (former Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly, brilliant member of the past Senate, owner of a popular hospital)

Dr. Leke Pitan (Lagos indigene, Tinubu’s Commissioner for Health and later Education, well regarded Doctor in the medical circle)

Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adewusi (Oyo indigene, PhD holder in International Monetary Economics, ex Ife lecturer, ex banker, cerebral consultant, Tinubu’s Commissioner for Finnace)

Otunba Akin Doherty (Lagos indigene, pioneer Commissioner for Science and Technology and later Commissioner of Finance under Tinubu, is a forensic auditor)

Dr. Muiz Banire (Lagos indigene, Unilag Law lecturer, PhD holder, Tinubu’s Commissioner for Transport, now CAN National Legal Adviser)

Dr. Lanre Towry-Coker (Lagos indigene, Tinubu’s Commissioner for Housing, PhD holder, an Associate of the UK Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, well-respected, nationally acclaimed architecture guru)

Mr. Tunji Bello (Lagos indigene, Tinubu’s Commissioner for Environment, respected journalist, was the Chairman of the Editorial Board of ThisDay newspapers)

Prof. Idowu Sobowale (Lagos indigene, Tinubu’s Commissioner for Education, pioneer Dean of Communications Faculty at LASU, well-regarded in the academia)

The 6 ACN Governors:

Fashola, SAN (nothing to be added about him, he is well known!)

Ajimobi (former MD/CEO of foremost oil company, National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company, a subsidiary of Shell, having spent 26 years in the oil sector, with multiple degrees from US universities- B.Sc. and MBA)

Fayemi (former Director of the Centre for Democracy & Development, Visiting Professor in the African Studies Programme at Northwestern University, Evanston, USA, University of London Ph.D. holder and well-known activist, brilliant public speaker)

Amosun (Chartered Accountant, FCA since 1996, co-owner of an accountancy firm, Ibikunle Amosun & Co. which he co-founded in 1990, MA International Finance, University of Westminster, Senator)

Aregbesola (Chartered Engineer, Tinubu’s former Commissioner of Works and Infrastructure, one of his most impactful Commissioners, known activist)

Oshiomhole (nothing to be said about him too, he is well known!)

3.His success at defeating OBJ to his own devious game before, during, and after the 2003 election was a master-stroke so much that his fellow AD Governors of the 1999-2003 era are the ones following him all about now and he acts as their Leader!

4.He seems to have a way of making and keeping friends across all parties…I read the statements from Kashim Imam (OBJ boy and current PDP Board of Trustees member) during Tinubu’s recent 61st birthday. He praised Tinubu to high heavens (even to the detriment of his own party, PDP!). Despite his spat with Atiku after the failed Presidential bid, they remain friends; even President Jonathan issued a congratulatory message to him during his birthday last week.

Fashola’s current Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wale Ahmed, a medical Doctor turned politician, was the immediate past Lagos PDP Publicity Secretary and he was a very loud and extreme critic of Tinubu at the time. When Tinubu attracted Demola Seriki, pioneer PDP member, former Vice Chairman of PDP Lagos, former Minister of State Interior, former Minister of State for Agriculture and Water Resources, former Minister of State for Defence, under a PDP Government of Yar’Adua, shortly before the 2011 elections to ACN, he gave him a Commissioner slot and Seriki’s well-known acolyte in Lagos PDP, Dr. Wale Ahmed is Commissioner today under the ACN.

5.He is the typical Nigerian politician, he hammers PDP and other opposing parties during the day, using his foot soldiers, but he remains friends with the same people, who will protect his interest now or in the future!

6.He knows how to distribute patronage across party lines, throughout Nigeria. It showed clearly when the son of Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Tinubu’s ally (who was the Secretary of Lands in Lagos until he became a Senator) got married. Virtually every politician with any clout worth the name was present at the wedding, including PDP, ANPP, APGA bigwigs! And this happened before Ashafa became a Senator…

7.Again, he scored so many firsts as Governor of Lagos that other states in Nigeria have copied and/or copying. The list is endless: LASTMA, LASEMA, LASEPA, LAWMA, street sweeping, LASAA, State Government initiated IPP, e-TCC (electronic tax clearance certificate), expansion of the tax net, etc, etc… At the last count, some of the states that had copied these institutions and practices include Rivers, Cross-River, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Kwara, Plateau, Delta, Kano, Kaduna. Recently, Plateau State officials, a PDP state, spent some months in Lagos State Internal Revenue Service to study the comprehensive tax system.

8.He is at home with the constituencies that actually vote and not necessarily ‘elites’ and people with access to good ICT like you and I who will run from the polling booth on account of rainfall or biting sun! That was why he is well regarded by the transport unions NURTW, RTEAN, market leaders, artisans, etc, and they take their internal misgivings to him to solve. And for someone coming from the professional background he has, that is telling…

9.He has succeeded in shielding his immediate family (except the wife who is a Senator) from public scrutiny and media harassment.

10.Aside from South-West and Edo state, his party, ACN, actually has elected members in all the other five Zones of Nigeria, as councilors, Local government Chairmen, House of Reps members, Senators, Houses of Assembly members, etc. In fact, it is second only to PDP, the ruling party, in having elected members in every Zone in Nigeria. Some of these people include:
House of Reps- Ekpeyong Etim (Akwa-Ibom), Ananiya Francis (Adamawa), Ganama Kurage (Adamawa), Charles Chukwendu Odedo (Anambra), Benjamin Aboko (Benue), John Dyegh (Benue), Matthew Omegara (Imo), Sunday Steve Karimu (Kogi), Idris Ahmed (Plateau).

Senate: George Akume (Benue), Chris Ngige (Anambra).

11.His party’s (ACN’s) National Officers actually reflect the entire country! Check the list:

Chief Bisi Akande National Chairman Osun
Mr. Boss Mustapha Dep. National Chairman Adamawa
Senator Lawal Shuaibu National Secretary Zamfara
Alh. Kalli Al-Gazali Nat. Vice Chairman - North East Borno
Capt. Joseph Din Nat. Vice Chairman – North Central Plateau
Rabia H.A. Eshak Nat. Vice Chairman – North West Jigawa
Dr. Chudi Nwike Nat. Vice Chairman- South East Anambra
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu Nat. Vice Chairman – South South Edo
Sen. Kolawole James Olagunju Nat. Vice Chairman – South West Ekiti
Barr. Amba Unanaowo Dep. National Secretary Akwa Ibom
Alhaji Lai Mohammed Nat. Publicity Secretary Kwara
Hauwa Shu’aibu Galma Dep. Nat. Publicity Secretary Kaduna
Abubakar Inuwa Kari Nat. Organizing Secretary Gombe
Barr. Tonia Adol-Awan Dep. Nat. Organizing Secretary Ebonyi
Mr. Kenneth K. Kobani National Treasurer Rivers
Samuel Durojaiye Dep. National Treasurer Ogun
Mrs Helen Bendega National Auditor Benue
Hon. Ngozika E. Ogbolu Dep. Nat. Auditor Delta
Hajia Hafsat Moh’d Baba Nat. Woman Leader Kaduna
Miriki O.V. Ebikibina Nat. Youth Leader Bayelsa
Barr. Ndionyenma Nwankwo Nat. Financial Secretary Abia
Umar Yusuf Garba Dep. Nat. Financial Secretary Kano
Hon. Uche Onyeagocha Nat. Welfare Officer Imo
Antibass El-Nathan Dep. Nat. Welfare Officer Taraba
Dr. Muiz Banire Nat. Legal Adviser Lagos
Barr. Abdullahi Haruna Dep. Nat. Legal Adviser Kogi

12.There is a legion of politicians and individuals who today, might have not reached the dizzy heights but for Tinubu (and God first, of course!). Such persons include Hon. Abike Dabiri (from NTA Network service straight to House of Reps), Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the Muri Okunola brothers- Hakeem and Rasheed, Sen. Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Dr. Muiz Banire, etc. These guys, and many more, are very loyal to Tinubu!!!

Even Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Lagos PDP chieftain, former Minister of Works under OBJ, who fought Tinubu so fiercely and mercilessly during Tinubu’s second term as Lagos Governor, using FERMA and thugs, said this about the man on February 2, 2013, in an interview with Punch newspaper, in a response to the question: “Now that you and Tinubu are out of government, have you come back as friends?”:

“We have never been enemies. We only disagreed on issues but we must give it to him, Tinubu is a good strategist and it is working for him even if you don’t like him. His strategy is worthy of studying. How was he able to discover a Fashola? He could have pushed for a normal politician and they were many in his cabinet then, about 12 of them, but he didn’t; he must be a cerebral person. If you don’t like him, it’s your business but me, I watch him.

Hate him or like him (for his style and 'intellectual arrogance'), you can't take away Sanusi's integrity, demonstrated competence, sense of conviction, and strong character.

Read what people, whose views are well-regarded, said about the news of his wish not to seek a second term:

1. Bismarck Rewane, respected senior Economist, analyst and public commentator, CEO Financial Derivatives Co. Ltd, yesterday said: “That quality of character, that boldness is a quality that will be difficult to find amongst policy makers in Nigeria.”

2. Samir Gadio, PhD Economics, respected global Economist and emerging-markets strategist at Standard Bank Group Ltd said: “He has a strong personality and a lot of people invested in the country just because of the personal relationship and the trust in Sanusi, and the confidence that Sanusi inspires”.

Aside from the jaundiced views of ethnic jingoists, the large army of ignorant commentators, and religious bigots, Sanusi has acquitted himself very well and responsibly in the banking sector, considering the enormity of the challenges he has had to face...

Those who are real operators in the banking industry and those who have had close professional relationships with him (not uninformed arm-chair critics, road-side analysts, and those who benefitted from the years of the locust when banks ran on 'virtual capital'), agree that he has impacted on the financial service industry in remarkably good ways...

I sincerely wish that he should record his experience at the CBN in a book after his tenure.

We wish you well SLS, man of high impact!

Hate him or like him (for his style and 'intellectual arrogance'), you can't take away Sanusi's integrity, demonstrated competence, sense of conviction, and strong character.

Read what people, whose views are well-regarded, said about the news of his wish not to seek a second term:

1. Bismarck Rewane, repected senior Economist, analyst and public commentator, CEO Financial Derivatives Co. Ltd, yesterday said: “That quality of character, that boldness is a quality that will be difficult to find amongst policy makers in Nigeria.”

2. Samir Gadio, PhD Economics, respected global Economist and emerging-markets strategist at Standard Bank Group Ltd said: “He has a strong personality and a lot of people invested in the country just because of the personal relationship and the trust in Sanusi, and the confidence that Sanusi inspires”.

Aside from the jaundiced views of ethnic jingoists, the large army of ignorant commentators, and religious bigots, Sanusi has acquitted himself very well and responsibly in the banking sector, considering the enormity of the challenges he has had to face...

Those who are real operators in the banking industry and those who have had close professional relationships with him (not uninformed arm-chair critics, road-side anaylsts, and those who benefitted from the years of the locust when banks ran on 'virtual capital'), agree that he has impacted on the financial service industry in remarkably good ways...

I sincerely wish that he should record his experience at the CBN in a book after his tenure.

We wish you well SLS, man of high impact!

Hate him or like him (for his style and 'intellectual arrogance'), you can't take away Sanusi's integrity, demonstrated competence, sense of conviction, and strong character.

Read what people, whose views are well-regarded, said about the news of his wish not to seek a second term:

1. Bismarck Rewane, repected senior Economist, analyst and public commentator, CEO Financial Derivatives Co. Ltd, yesterday said: “That quality of character, that boldness is a quality that will be difficult to find amongst policy makers in Nigeria.”

2. Samir Gadio, PhD Economics, respected global Economist and emerging-markets strategist at Standard Bank Group Ltd said: “He has a strong personality and a lot of people invested in the country just because of the personal relationship and the trust in Sanusi, and the confidence that Sanusi inspires”.

Aside from the jaundiced views of ethnic jingoists, the large army of ignorant commentators, and religious bigots, Sanusi has acquitted himself very well and responsibly in the banking sector, considering the enormity of the challenges he has had to face...

Those who are real operators in the banking industry and those who have had close professional relationships with him (not uninformed arm-chair critics, road-side anaylsts, and those who benefitted from the years of the locust when banks ran on 'virtual capital'), agree that he has impacted on the financial service industry in remarkably good ways...

I sincerely wish that he should record his experience at the CBN in a book after his tenure.

We wish you well SLS, man of high impact!

The PDP megaphone in Lagos is as dumb as they come...How could he compare a tour executed by a Governor in his own state with that being conducted by a Federal Minister across the entire country Maku is conducting a national jamboree with 120 brown-envelope collecting journalists! Prof. Jerry Gana did the same thing years back as Minister and guess who he declared the 'Best Governor'- ODILI of Rivers!!!

I've heard the Gani guy speak on TV a couple of times and he sounded and behaved like a clown. Dr. Wale Ahmed (former PDP spokesman) had better presence than this clown called Taofik Gani.

And to the irritating Maku/PDP supporters, who responded without thinking, what wrong did Fashola do here? No state government needs wasteful Federal Minister to access development in states. Where is consitutionalism and federalism?

When some of us stated that Osaze is just a silly immature boy, some rabid supporters came down on us....What hasn't this boy done? From publicly fighting and insulting all his national team managers- Lagerback, Siasia, and Keshi, to insulting his co-players in the national team, to insulting past players!

Now, he has become the butt of jokes on twitter and elsewhere (even from his own players at West Brom and other parts of the world).

It's so sad that the boy thinks he is an activist, shouting everywhere without thinking. So disgraceful- refused entry at QPR, squatting in his car outside the premises, praising Harry already as his Manager (when his club had not given permission to travel), slating his own Albion fans on twitter, etc.

Let him rot on the bench at West Brom...He should just grow up!

I think it is better these clowns are eliminated to avoid a major hammering from Cote d'Iviore...This is the weakest Super Eagles we have assembled in a long time! Bereft of coordination and game plan...

thisisayus: hearitherefirst
Great Tasudite!
Amosun nevar have a university education, how will he knw university settings?

@thisisayus, you are spreading lies here- it's either you're mischievous, or clearly ignorant. This is Amosun's brief profile:

Ibikunle Amosun, born on 25 January 1958 to a Muslim family, attended African Church Primary School Abeokuta (1965–1970), and African Church Grammar School, Abeokuta (1971–1977). He also attended Ogun State Polytechnic, graduating with a Higher National Diploma (HND) in 1983. Amosun gained an Associate membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in 1990. He became a Fellow of the Institute (FCA, ICAN)in 1996. He also became an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (1998)- (ACIT). Amosun also attended the University of Westminster in London, United Kingdom, where he acquired a Masters of Art in International Finance (MA Int. Finnace) in 2000.



He his career as an audit trainee with Lanre Aremu & Co. (Chartered Accountants) 1984. Later he joined XtraEdge Consulting as a managing consultant. From 1990 he was Principal Partner of Ibikunle Amosun & Co. (Chartered Accountants) in Lagos.

thelastPope: Am not saying the 4 mins drive distance is bad. am just saying why announce to us as major news, a step of 4 mins drive that is not even done yet? The orile-mile 2 track will be concluded by june according to the article. Am not against the project, only against the propaganda the project is being used for. Let them complete a significant part, then they can blow their trumpet, no questions asked. For now, it is an ongoing project just like the FG projects. The FG is even actually ahead because their is already functioning and in use. The Lagos-Kano route is live. The Abuja City is being laid and is far more than 4 mins drive. The Enugu-PH is being laid. The lagos-Ibadan fast track is being laid. I don't need to hold brief for the FG but the point is, if we are being bombarded by the FG the way ACN cronies are opening 5 threads per day on this lagos light rail, the politics section will need 12 moderators.

@thelastPope, you should please refrain from deceiving people here. All the so-called rail lines you mentioned (Lagos-Kano, Enugu-Port Harcourt, etc) were inherited from the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC). They were the old rail lines that deteriorated and are being re-laid by the FG. What Fashola is dong is quite different- he is starting from scratch, laying completely new tracks!!! Let us be objective and compare apples with apples.

I am not a card-carrying member of any party and I have no allegiance to any party (they are ALL the same, anyway), but I've lived in Lagos and I've witnessed ALL the 13 Governors/Administrators Lagos has ever had: Johnson, Lawal, Kanu, Ukiwe, Jakande, Mudashiru, Akhigbe, Rasaki, Otedola, Oyinlola, Marwa, Tinubu, and Fashola (in that order), but I say without any equivocation that Fashola deserves all the accolade he gets.

Certainly people living in Abuja (or elsewhere) or the younger generation who probably never saw beyond Akhigbe or Mudashiru (no offence meant) might not appreciate the transformation, the fine thinking, the methodical approach this man has brought to governance in Lagos.

Anyone who has lived in Lagos for between 35-40 years (who knew what Lagos used to be and who appreciates the peculiarity of ruling Lagos- being a city within a state) will know that Fashola merits all the attention and praise...I have never met him personally (and don't crave meeting him) but the truth has to be told. He is an excellent performer. Lagos will know his worth more when he leaves in 2015...Plain truth.

I laugh in Swahili...How could Mimiko mention Trubune newspaper and truth in the same sentence? Tribune of Daniel and Alao Akala? Tribune messed up its reputation long ago and I wonder the actual number of readers it has. It sold its values to the political dogs long ago. Pathetic.

merengue: H.I.D Awolowo is just a glorified A.G.I.P (Any Government In Power)troll who has been feeding fat on her husband's legacy for her comments to be taken seriously. Every S.W governor of whatever hue or colour since 1999 have been greasing her palms to get a vote of confidence. I put her in the same category as people like Ojo Maduekwe, Jerry Gana, Emmanuel Iwanyanwu, Ebenezer Babatope and co.

I agree 100% Well said...

Osaze should grow up! The guy is a little baby...He's had issues with so many coaches lately: Eguavoen, Lagerback, Siasia, and now, Keshi...

Tony Spike: Was this same Sanusi Lamido not appointed CBN governor based on federal character or am I missing something here?

I don't normally do this, but this is the most stupid comment I have read online in a while...You really meant that someone (Sanusi) who was DGM/Head of Risk Management at UBA, Executive Director at First Bank, and later Group MD/CEO at First Bank (two of Nigeria's biggest banks and most recognized brands) attained these positions through Federal Character How dumb?

Have you spoken with discerning former and current employees of UBA and First Bank and hear how they speak glowingly about this man? Please do…

I'm Yoruba but we should just take out tribalism and religious sentiment from our system. It is our major albatross.

This regular flip-flop attitude does not do the President's image any good.

For doubters, the President's spokesman can NEVER issue a public statement without the President's approval! Segun Adeniyi, who held the same position during the Yar'adua era stated in his book the many instances where he had to review his press statements with President Yar'Adua over and over again before they were issued to the public.

Sometimes, I feel that there are quite a number of blind supporters of the President on Nairaland who will never see any thing wrong in the President's glaring mistakes. Admitting to clear blunders (which the President and his aides committed this time) would have been more honorable...

The President came across as a liar during that media chat. If it was one instance, it could be assumed as a slip. But on three (3) different issues! That was outright dishonesty. And I am not his supporter or otherwise...

Olalekan 0: This assertion is not incorrect.A typical example is Hon.Rotimi Makinde from Osun. The yoruba genre actor turned politician representing the ACN is a disgrace to the state of the living spring.

Olalekan, stop this deceit, please. Lies. Lies. Lies. But for anonymmity which is major feature of online postings, some people should have been lynched. It's a good thing to have access to the internet, but it's unforgivable to use it to spread unbridled falsehood. What has being a Yoruba actor got to do with Rotimi Makinde's ability to write his name?

I do not know Hon. Rotimi Makinde, but TRUTH IS SACRED! Hon. Makinde has the following qualifications: MSc. Finance, HND Accounting, OND Accounting. He worked for 20 years in NNPC and he retired as Assistant Chief Accountant!

This is someone who is a Deputy Chairman of a major House Committee, and also a member of several other Committees, including House Committee on Finance, owing to his qualifications.

It’s better to shut your trap when you’re ignorant about a thing than to show your crass ignorance and perfidy on such an open forum as Nairaland.

@Jarus, your piece: "Momodu: Abuse of columnism" is so apt...I'm also writing one and it should be published in the dailies in a few days. Momodu's column of last weekend was the most watery journalism piece I have ever read! He writes terribly bad, but the one on Sanusi was the nadir of stupidity. The guy should just shut up and face his glorified photography job at Ovation!

For all of Sanusi's weakness in having a caustic tongue and less diplomacy, well informed people, especially those very familiar with the internal activities of the banking industry (either at operators' level, Bankers' Committee, Monetary Policy Committee- MPC, Economic Management Team- EMT), etc know that Sanusi knows his onions, and is eminently qualified to assume his CBN role.

HISTORY WILL BE VERY KIND ON SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI! Some daft, ignorant, tribalistic, uninformed commentators will praise Sanusi after his exit in 2014 (mark my word).

Saw the Governor's visit on Channels TV yesterday and this man's approval rating goes on higher and higher. I know that the Governor of my own state would have stayed in an upland area giving orders from his status car or helicopter! When you are connected with your people, it just shows. No matter the political party one has sympathy for, Oshiomhole is a people's man and deserves his mandate 100%.

No wonder his people love him. Certain Governors will be jeered at and pelted with 'missiles' if they attempted this. Nice one, lucky Edo people!

Gervinho caused this 1-1 draw. Arsenal should have had it at 4-2 (at least). What about that last minute chance missed by Gervinho from almost 6 yards out? Terrible finishing by Gervinho...Tragic.

Not a Liverpool fan, but any neutral fan will feel so bad for them today. Man Utd proved once again that they have the referess in their pockets. Criminal bad decisions by the referee today: red card in the first half and the daft penalty? You must be having a laugh! Man Utd is the 'PDP of the Premiership' and they keep reiterating that fact season after season...Sad!

I totally agree with the commentators and analysts: "Man City has never been this dominated at the Etihad under Mancini as Arsenal had done so far at the end of the firs half, and they (Arsenal) should clearly have been 2-0 up but for Gervinho's, Gibbs' and Podolski's wastefulness". So true.

Ironic. Our girls should have won this game by 7-1 (at least)!

Our wasteful girls! Canada has now scored with their first shot on target all-game! What an irony...

Our girls need to improve on their finishing! 16 shots in goal, with 4 gola-bound shots hitting the bar and the post so far (after 54 minutes played)!!! The U20 girls were less wasteful...

Our girls need to improve on their finishing! 16 shots in goal, with 4 goal-bound shots hitting the bar and the post so far (after 54 minutes played)!!! The U20 girls were less wasteful...

Some of us deliberately post on Nairaland on very few occasions; the reason being that there is so much hateful venom, largely fuelled by ethno-religious sentiments on major national issues, even when such issues are so unrelated to ethnicity or religion. Also, many Nigerians are generally 'experts' in so many things on which they don't have any idea, or those in which they have the most little knowledge.
Every Nigerian is a football coach, they know the best playing position and they won't allow the coach to do his job. We are the 'best economists'; we won't allow the Minister of Finance, National Planning, CBN Governor, Chief Economic Adviser to the President, etc to do their job. We are the best 'structural experts'; we hardly allow engineers, builders, town planners, etc to do their job.
And again, we are so pathetically ethnicity-biased. It is even sad that the 'educated younger generation' is the worst culprit.
My posers:
1. Did you know that the CBN has a Board? The 11-man Board has 5 Executive Directors (Sanusi and his 4 Deputy Governors) and 6 Non-executive Directors, namely: Dr. Joshua Omuya (the renowned author), Haliru Mohammed, Stephen Oronsanye, Danladi Kifasi (Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance), Mr. Jonah Otunla (Accountant General of the Federation), and Prof. Samuel Olofin.
2. Did you know that there are seasoned professionals, Economists and related experts on the 28-man National Economic Management Team (NEMT) headed by President Jonathan which approved the new N5,000 note?
They include the Minister of Finance (Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala), who is the Coordinator; Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Prof. Nwanze Okidigbe; President Nigerian Economic Society, Dr. K.S Adeyemi; DG Budget Office, Dr. Bright Okogu; Minister of Trade, Dr. Aganga; former CEO of IBTC, Atedo Peterside; Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsideen Usman and former CBN Deputy Governor and CEO of NAL Bank; Minister of State for Finance and former Executive Director at First Bank, Dr. Yerima Ngama; DG Debt Management Office- DMO-Dr. Abraham Nwankwo?
3. Did you know that aside from their membership of the NEMT, the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, the Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Minister of National Planning, all of whom are professional Economists (one of whom was a former bank CEO and Deputy Governor of the CBN), were ALL consulted by the President before the N5,000 note was approved by the President?
4. Did you know that this much vilified Sanusi is the most democratic CBN Governor there has ever been in recent years?
5. Did you know that Sanusi introduced an Annual 3-day full Retreat every December for the Bankers' Committee (members being all bank CEOs and CEOs of all discount houses) since 2009 when he took the reins?
6. Did you know that this same Bankers' Committee under the leadership of Sanusi organizes a full one-day Quarterly Retreat for the same people stated in (4) above?
7. Did you know that during these 2 events stated in (5) and (6) above, topical issues affecting the banking sector and the larger economy, and so many related issues such as power, agriculture, financial inclusion, manufacturing, economic empowerment, etc are discussed and actual deliverables and timelines are determined (and reviewed at the following session)?
8. Did you know that the regular Bankers’ Committee meeting that bankers had always known has never been so engaging and of serious impact as it is in the Sanusi era? Issues such as biometric identification for bank customers, shared services for banks to lower their cost of funds which could impact lending rates, financial inclusion, banking sustainability (and provisions/policies for guiding against environmental degradation, especially in oil and gas, agriculture, and power) are being well-driven (with timelines and deliverables).
9. With my experience with the last 4 CBN Governors, the CBN under Sanusi was the first to practically institutionalize 'Exposure Drafts' for major policy issues affecting the banking industry? 'Exposure Drafts' are drafts of major policies and regulations which are forwarded to all bank CEOs and other stakeholders for their comments and input before final release, as opposed to the old practice of 'rolling out' such regulations and ramming it through the throats of banks as done under previous Governors! Under Sanusi, discussions at these sessions are deep, incisive, and no holds-barred.
11. Under Sanusi, and never during the tenure of any past CBN Governor, the CBN meets ALL banks’ Chief Risk Officers (CROs) quarterly, with a view to preventing the mistakes of the recent past. These meetings are focused, frank, and of high impact.
10. I have sat at Bankers' Committee sessions indicated previously under past CBN Governors, and I can confidently state that Sanusi's handling of the sessions is far ahead of his predecessors in terms of content, approach, delivery, composure, mutual respect, and democracy (inclusiveness).
11. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBN has 11 members aside Sanusi, including cerebral and well-respected Economists such as Dr. Doyin Salami of the Lagos Business School. Other members include the 4 Deputy Governors (Dr. Sarah Alade, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, Alh. Sulaiman Barau, and Mr. Tunde Lemo), Prof Sam Olofin, Prof. Abdulganiyu Garba (Prof. of Economics, ABU Zaria, and a foremost member of African Economic Research Consortium- AERC), Mr. Ochi Achinuwu, Mr. John Oshilaja (expert in Public Finance & Financial Markets Developments in Emerging Markets), Dr. Sheu Yahaya (Executive Director, Africa Development Bank- ADB), and Prof. Chibuike Uche (Prof. of Banking & Finance at University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus).
Salami, Oshilaja, Garba, Yahaya, and Uche are specifically charged with Macroeconomic Policy, Financial Markets, Monetary & Fiscal Policies, Developmental Economics, and Banking & Finance, respectively. The Salami, Garba, Olofin, Uche and Oshilaja I know will and can) never be stooges on the MPC!
In the past, former CBN Governors brought their agenda to MPC meetings and their decision was final. Under Sanusi, members argue and disagree with him on any item on the agenda. In fact, sometimes, Sanusi gets out-voted by other members, including his Deputy Governors!
And to cap it all, all MPC members (including Sanusi) personally vote on major decisions and also type their own input at the meeting and forward to the MPC Secretariat immediately after the meeting. This forms the major part of the MPC Communiqué which is usually fully published in the newspapers and on the CBN website the following morning after the MPC meeting! Nothing could be democratic.
12. No matter how much hatred certain people have for him, largely based on morbid ethnic considerations, well-informed professionals, especially among bankers and other stakeholders, will agree that HISTORY WILL BE KIND ON SANUSI, because he is competent, and focused. He may be vocal and controversial, as I am aware he had always been back from his days at King's College Lagos, where I was told he was the 'smallest' but 'most vocal' in class, but you cannot impugn his integrity, scholarship, firmness of thought, and professionalism.
Sanusi couldn’t have headed Risk Mgt at UBA as DGM, and become the Executive Director in charge of Risk Mgt and later GMD/CEO at First Bank, Nigeria’s biggest bank (which is clearly the market leader in the past and now), without being competent!
13. To appreciate Sanusi, let us take an objective course of study. Let us speak to several people who have worked with him at UBA and First Bank, and those who work with him currently. When some clowns talk about ethnicity and religious bigotry and Sanusi in the same breath, those who know him will simply have a hearty laughter. So many Nigerians, especially those who make ignorant remarks about Sanusi, do not know the man- AT ALL...
The spokesman of the Ekpo family stated when asked about the implication of the new N5,000 note: 'I am an Engineer, I am not an Economist; let the Economists discuss that issue as they have full grasp of the issues. All I know is that our family is grateful to Government for the honour on our grandmother'.
To rabid commentators, I have no special interest in this matter. I have met Sanusi only on an official capacity (as described above and in my comments elsewhere online) but I know people who have worked (and who still work) with him- most of whom are not Muslims, not Hausa-Fulani, not Nigerian.
Also, I am not Hausa-Fulani, and I am not a fan of the Federal Government!
The time to kick ethnic hatred from our hearts, especially from the hearts of our youths- the leaders of tomorrow- is NOW! Tribalism and mutual ethno-religious hatred is a major reason for where we are today as a nation…
God bless Nigeria!!!

Electricity has gone worse in most parts of Surulere, Lagos. Now, for over 2 weeks, it's just about 6 hours a day.

The reason I was a bit circumspect when everyone went dancing away about 24-hour power supply....So, it was more about rainfall (and a little repair) than any significant work by the Federal Government.

See below: PUNCH Newspaper, 26 August 2012: ELECTRICITY WILL DROP BY 300MW AFTER RAINY SEASON-NERC. Link: http://www.punchng.com/news/electricity-will-drop-by-300mw-after-rainy-season-nerc/

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has said power generation will drop by 300 megawatts after rainy season and this will partly cancel the improvement in electricity supply experienced recently in some parts of the country.

While answering questions during a recent e-conference on power sector reforms, organised by Spaces for Change, a human rights organisation, the Chairman of the NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, said the recent improvement had been due to repairs of some power plants and high water volume occasioned by the rainy season.

Amadi told the moderator of the e-conference, Zainab Usman, of the International Crisis Group, Brussels, that it was unrealistic to expect more than 5000MW by December.

He urged Nigerians not to be too hopeful about the recent improvement, stating that a massive haulage of power will come in the near future.

“The current improvement in generation is because of repairs on plants which resulted in the recovery of lost capacity, and of course, the rise in rainfall has helped us to recover about 200 to 300MW lost during the dry season.

“We have over 20000MW of licensed power. If we succeed in creating a market that allows for these licensees to get to bankability for their projects, then we are home and dry. So, we should not invest much hope on this small improvement.

“The key thing is to let Nigerians know that although in the next eight months or so, we may not see a major haul of new power, in the subsequent eight months, we will make significant and sustainable progress,” he said.

Amadi noted that the capacity building embarked upon by NERC was yet to yield results in terms of improvement in power generation and distribution.

Amadi also noted the bane of the power sector has been corruption, which had continued to undermine the investments made in the sector.

He said, but for corruption, the National Integrated Power Project initiated by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration would have provided at least an additional 5000MW of power.

Amadi also reiterated that the prepaid meters were to be distributed to customers free of charge.

“Meters are no longer to be paid for by customers. That is the law. But practice may be different in many different places. Please refuse to pay for meters and report anyone who asks or collects money for meter to NERC and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,” he said.