OVER 150 traders of Progress Market Extension, trading at Haruna, Niger and Ifejika Streets, Odoakpu Onitsha, Monday called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo, of Anambra State to prevail on the Chairman Transition Committee, Onitsha South Local Government Area, Mr Emeka Orji, to halt his planned demolition of their legally acquired shops.
The traders also told the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, not to allow the Police Area Command Onitsha, the Commander 302 Artillery Regiment Onitsha and the Commander Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp, NSCDC, carrying out the alleged illegal demolition.
The traders vowed to resist any attempt to demolish their shops by the Council area authority, it alleged wants to disposes them of their legally acquired shops on the pretest of decongesting the shops on the drainage system, with the intention to give same to the highest bidder, following the rising business profile of the area.
The Onitsha South Local Government Authority had in a letter to the traders dated June 15, 2023 signed by Mr. P . Onuachala, Special Duties Adviser, for Onitsha South Local Government Chairman, given the traders 48 hours told owners / occupiers to dismantle the shops to safe their goods and materials from demolition/enforcement action.
However, the traders in reply to letter through their lawyers, Chief Ikenna Egbuna, SAN, and Mr. C.M. Obijagwa, Esq, respectively, entitled Re “Final Notice to Remove shops at Progress Market Extension near Haruna Street Odoakpu Onitsha, said their shops were not built on the drainage system where the state government is carrying out expansion work, neither are they obstructing the ongoing construction of a bridge in the area.
The traders also in their letter through Mr. Obijagwa, copied to the Governor, the Police, Army and NSCDC, told Governor Soludo, the Commissioner of Police, the Army Commander in Onitsha and NSCDC Commender in the state that the State Government and the contractor handling the projects marked out and demolished the structures in the market built on drainage system and the ones obstruction work in the area.
According to the letter neither the state government nor the project contractor have informed our clients of any further demolition, as they have already demolished some stalls that are on the drainage system, we wonder why the Onitsha South council authority wants to carry out further demolition if not for selfish end.
The traders therefore, appealed to the Governor, the Police, Army and NSCDC to call the Onitsha South LGA authority to order, while asking the security agencies they are planning to use for the job to avoid involving in any act that will cause brake down of law and order in Onitsha.
“We are therefore, asking Onitsha South Council boss to give peace a chance in our market, we are paying all the necessary levies and taxes to the State and local government and we are ready to stop any body trying to dispossess us under any guise of our market shops.”
In another letters by Chief Egbuna, SAN, the traders said, “We got approval of both the Onitsha South Local Government and Anambra State Government to construct our shops after the Town Engineer and HOD, Works and the then Unit Head, Environmental Health, in the council area had given their approval for construction of the shops, so we wonder why anybody will be planning to dispossess us our shops on the pretest of decongestion of drainage.
The traders provided the Onitsha South Local Government Shop Construction Approval letters for Progress Market Extension, dated September 5, 2013, May 12, 2015, and Application for reconstruction of 14 shops dated February 5, 2018, just as they gave newsmen, the Council Area, Confirmation of the Ownership of Shops letter dated July 24, 2020, issued by the LGA authority to some traders including, Mr. Edozie Orji, Facemore Nigeria Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Idoko & Leonard Okorie, Mr. Eric Uwaoma, Mr. Christian Orji, Mr. Agu Onyeka Joseph and Mr. Monday Nwokoye and seven others.
Chief Egbnuna, SAN, told the Council Transtutoon Committee Chairman that he had to write him before taking any personal legal action against him, to let him known that the traders are in receipt of Clearance/Approval letters for construction dated 12th May 2015 and other documents from the LGA and the State government granting them permission to construct their shops.
“May we bring to your notice that the subject matter of your letter is subject of litigation in Appeal No. CA/AWK/263/2021, which Onitsha South LGA testified in the High Court 1 Onitsha. We are surprised that the Respondent in that Appeal is sponsoring the your Council Area to demolish our clients market shops.
“He is trying to use Onitsha South Local Government to obtain a remedy that he knows is not attainable to him in Court.
Be reminded that every construction in the market were done with the approval of the Council Area and the State government. You will be in contempt of Court if you dare carry out the demolition, and we will have the option of proceeding to court against you in your personal capacity.”
Tea pickers in Kenya are protesting the automation of agribusiness and other challenges faced by workers.
Around ten tea-plucking machines worth $1.2 million have been destroyed in the past year in attacks on Ekaterea Tea Company.
A government task force has proposed a human-machine tea-picking ratio of 60:40 and a reduction in the number of imported tea-harvesting machines.
The automation of tea harvesting increases the global competitiveness of Kenya’s tea and helps reduce the cost of production. Analysts say the recent opposition to mechanization will not stop the adoption of machines where necessary.
In Kericho county of Kenya, tea pickers are engaging in a massive protest over the automation of agribusiness and other challenges faced by workers.
According to a local report, around ten tea-plucking machines worth around $ 1.2 million have been torched belonging to Ekaterina Tea Company (formerly Unilever)- producers of Lipton over the last year in different attacks.
This recent spate of protests has resulted in the death of one protester and several injured. Earlier in March, a local government task force proposed a human-machine tea picking ratio of 60:40. The task force also wants a reduction in the number of tea harvesting machines imported into the country.
The Disagreement between Tea-pickers and Producers Speaking to the press, a task force member Nicholas Kiruis Kirui said tens of thousands of jobs have been lost to mechanisation in the past decade. In his words “We did public participation in all the wards and with all the different groups, and the overwhelming sentiment we were hearing was that the machines should go”
However, a top official of one of Kenya’s major tea producers noted that mechanisation was critical to the company’s operation and how competitive Kenya tea would be in the international market.
Analyst Reports According to a study, some machines can replace around 100 people and one machine reduces the cost of harvesting tea from 11 cents to 3 cents.
Analysts say automation will not stop and will continue to spread beyond agriculture to other industries across Africa. According to the managing director of the African Commodities Exchange AFEX in Kenya “We find the disruption caused by the integration of technology and mechanization seem initially threatening, however, it is important for all stakeholders (agricultural organisations, farmers, processors) involved to see these as increasingly imminent and unavoidable”
Kenya’s Tea Industry Kenya is a major player in the global tea market. In 2021, it exported tea worth $1.2 billion. Only China and Sri Lanka exported more in the period.
A former deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, has dismissed claims that he is looking for appointment under President Bola Tinubu, saying he is too old for such.
He noted however that if he was approached or offered such, he would only assist in nominating competent candidates from his party.
George, who had been an ardent critic of Tinubu, told our correspondent in a telephone interview on Thursday that he ended his rift with the President, not for appointment, but for peace to reign, and in deference to those who intervened in the matter, at the behest of Tinubu.
He stressed that after some senior indigenes of Lagos State and a delegation from the All Progressives Congress visited him to end the longstanding dispute and solicited his support for the Tinubu government, noting that he could never have desired anything more at his age.
He stated, “On this, people are only talking rubbish and they need to shut up. This man (Tinubu) is just starting and we said my party was still in court. They said we should let bygones be bygones. In the Bible, it is very clear that vengeance is only with God Almighty and you don’t continue fighting when everybody has persuaded you that it’s enough.
“All those saying I want an appointment don’t know what they are saying. What exactly do they want to happen to the young ones coming up? I said I have forgiven him. We had an issue and people settled it for us and I have forgotten about it.”
Asked whether or not he would accept an appointment from the government if offered, he stated, “I will give him people that have the knowledge from the party having been a manager of the party for years. If he says he wants me to help him get someone, there are millions of young people who still have all the energy to run around and not me.
“It is not for me, because I am not looking for a job. But if he calls me, we will discuss it before the party leaders, put heads together and nominate from our side somebody who is still young, agile, has the knowledge and can add value to this country.”
He said he could not congratulate or visit Tinubu at the villa while his party, the PDP, was still in court challenging the outcome of the presidential election. This, he said, would amount to betrayal of his party.
Guinness World Records: Ekiti chef, Dammy announces move to cook for 150 hours
After successfully completing her 120 hours of cooking in Ekiti State, Damilola Adeparusi, popularly called Chef Dammy, has disclosed her next line of action for the Guinness World Record (GWR).
The 22-year old chef, who spoke with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Friday, said the concluded 120-hour cook was not registered GWR, but added she is open to exploring other opportunities and experiences.
While acknowledging the support of stakeholders within and outside Ekiti State, the 300-level Mass Communication student of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), noted that she is determined to break the world record with the 150-hour cooking marathon she is planning to do soon.
She said, “I know the question that has been surrounding the minds of many people online and offline is what is next for Chef Dammy after the 120-hour cook-a-thon? What will become of Chef Dammy after the world has known her and she has been put in the spotlight? Well, Chef Dammy is open to exploration! I am open to new opportunities and new experiences in life. Now that the world knows what I am capable of doing. I think it’s high time everyone started giving me a chance to explore in diverse ways and capabilities.
“Finally, I know there have been many speculations about me not registering this just-concluded cooking, but my team and I have decided to embark on this new challenge next month.
“After the support I have received from fans, well-wishers, and many highly notable individuals in the society. I, Adeparusi Damilola popularly known as Chef Dammy and my team have decided to hold another cook-a-thon programme next month.
“This time, it will be held for a 150-hour, and it will be duly registered with Guinness World Records. Chef Dammy is coming back!“
"We apologize for everything, and thanks for the scholarship. But we're not coming back to Nigeria" - Happie Boys to Apostle Ugochinyere of OPM.
“We no dey come back Nigeria, e no tell us before him go buy ticket. We no need any scholarship for Nigeria, we no dey come back make everybody dey their dey,”
And how dat one take concern you? My wife come complain to you? Dis one wey you dey stalk me upandan so, hope say you no be fagg*ot. Gtf off my mention.
‘I spent over N80m of my hard earned money for my cookathon’, Hilda Baci reveals Hilda Baci, who holds the record for the longest cookathon, has revealed how she spent more than N80 million on her cookathon.
In response to a brand’s claim that she broke an N3 million agreement for a meet-and-greet event in Abuja.
Baci said that she spent more than N80 million on her cookathon event and denied having such an arrangement in place.
Recall that on May 11 at 4:00 pm, the Hilda Baci Cookathon, a four-day cooking marathon that aimed to break the Guinness World Record, officially began.
She said, “I spent over N80m of my hard earned money for my cookathon so people could eat and drink for free”.
The Nigerian stock market rose to its highest level since July 2008 on Tuesday, the first day of trading after the suspension of the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
According to a report by Bloomberg, investors are betting on a currency devaluation and sent the main index of the Nigerian Exchange to above 57,437 points, which contrasted with a flat performance for MSCI’s main emerging equity benchmark.
The report stated that this move takes the country’s stocks’ year-to-date gains to 11.8 per cent, almost double the six per cent return on the MSCI index.
It noted that the rally, which followed increased gains on Nigerian dollar bonds on Monday, reflected optimism over the policy signals from the newly elected President, Bola Tinubu.
The head of research at Chapel Hill Denham, Tajudeen Ibrahim, stated, “An improvement in the economy will enhance the performance of companies operating in the market.”
Since resuming office, the new president has scrapped fuel subsidy and recently suspended the apex bank’s governor, Emefiele.
The NGX Banking Index has since risen by 8.5 per cent to 570.64, its biggest advance in more than eight years.
Ibrahim, added, “The exchange rate convergence is expected to lead to improvement in liquidity in the foreign currency market and will increase trading activities for the banks.”
Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the naira to fall towards its market value. The currency has fallen to 474 per dollar, with traders betting on further depreciation.
A man identified as Ayodeji Arojo has offered chef Damilola Adeparusi, who is attempting to set a Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual with a 120-hour cooking marathon, a two-week cooking tour in the United States.
Arojo announced this in a post shared on his Facebook account on Monday.
He shared pictures of the chef from the marathon cooking and wrote, “Chef Dammy will be invited for a 2-week cook tour in the United States. I can't wait for her to start the process! Yayyyyyyy”
The Lagos State Government has disclosed plans to improve power supply up to 20 hours daily in communities to further stimulate investments and boost standard of living, among others.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu, recently signed the passed Electricity Act into law, marking a significant update to the 2005 Electricity and Power Sector Reform Act in Nigeria.
Originally enacted in July 2022 during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the new legislation aims to stimulate private sector investments in the country’s power sector and break the monopoly in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution on a national level.
Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ms. Sholabomi Shasore, disclosed this at the weekend at an organised stakeholders’ engagement in Alimosho Local Government Area in the state as part of continued efforts to ensure adequate power supply to Lagos residents through various interventions.
Shasore, said the meeting was organised in line with the inclusive policy of the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who believes that the contributions of every resident in the state are essential to achieve the “Greater Lagos vision.”
According to her, the Light Up Lagos Community Electrification Programme is an initiative of the present administration aimed at unlocking electricity distribution, transmission and metering infrastructure to deliver reliable power supply to high-impact, high-population, low-income communities in Lagos.
Shasore stressed that the pilot implementation of the Power Infrastructure upgrade at target communities is nearing completion at Alimosho, Orelope and Okunola; Agege, Oko-Oba and Abattoir, as well as in Ajah, Eleko, Magbon and Ibeju Lekki.
“This initiative was borne out of the desire of the State Government to improve the standard of living of Lagos residents, contribute to their economic activities; increase in productivity; job creation and ultimately boost the businesses of small and medium scale enterprises including artisans who rely primarily on electricity for the survival of their businesses, as well improve the overall wellbeing of all residents in the state,” she added.
While informing that the expected impact is to improve power supply (up to 20 hours) to target communities and create a catalyst for further investment across low-income communities in Lagos State, Shasore stated that a total number of 8,613 Service addresses connected to the feeders being installed will benefit from the improved supply covering almost 10,000 households.
According to her, “While the State Government had intervened in the functionality of electricity supply to various communities within Alimosho as a whole, the Sanwo-Olu administration is now taking it a step further by engaging with residents who are the critical stakeholders in this power intervention.
“Your participation is required to ensure that you reap the benefits of this Power Infrastructure upgrade.”
“With this engagement, the state government seeks to ensure that you know your role in realising the goal of this intervention and look out and protect the infrastructure as your own. I implore the leadership of relevant CDAs, who are direct beneficiaries of this power project, to take ownership of this electrification infrastructure and protect it against vandals,” she stated.
Shashore stressed the importance of prompt payment of electricity bills, protection against energy theft, discouragement of meter bypassing and other illegal acts that might jeopardise the overall intention of the state government to improve power supply to Alimosho and its environs.
She explained that the developments in the power sector with the recent amendment of the Power provision in the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 are indicative that great things are to come with regard to power and Lagos State is at the forefront.
Shasore submitted that the electricity infrastructure that has been put in place in the communities would guarantee reliable power supply as incidents of power failure, faulty transformers, cables, high and low electric current and inadequate electricity poles among others have been fully addressed.
“It is worthy to note that Alimosho Local Government and its environs have always been identified as an integral part of the Greater Lagos Rising project under the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu and as such it is set to enjoy more dividends of democracy and good governance going forward,” she said.
Another investor, Oyinkan, a banker, said he lost more than a million naira.
Said she: “When I started the investment in April 2021, I would always receive a payment of N50,000 at the end of every three months. That was like 10 per cent quarterly payment on my capital.
“By the beginning of 2022, when I was supposed to receive my third quarterly ROI, nothing came in for me. Since then, the firm has not paid me a dime.
“It is not even certain that I would get my capital back.”
He said he was encouraged by the timeliness of the initial profit payment to invest in another product that was on offer by the firm.
“I put N700,000 capital on Agropartnership's Poultry 02 Investment, and another N400,000 capital on the firm’s Rice Value Chain.
“The only ROI I got was N72,000 on both investments. I am concerned that we have seen different patterns like this before, where the CEOs run off with investors’ billions.
“This is Nigeria; I have seen huge investments disappear.”
Lawal Seyi, another investor, related how he lost out after investing N96,000 in the firm’s Poultry 02 plan in 2001, and N250,000 in its Cashew Value Chain in January 2021.
60,000 investors’ money gone
A visit to Agropartnerships’ Instagram page showed the enormity of investment monies stolen. It is filled with comments from angry investors swindled of their monies, and they are in hundreds.
Their Facebook account shows hundreds of investors bemoaning their losses. On their Twitter and Instagram pages, there are hundreds more who are yet to come to terms with the fact that their monies were gone.
Osayimwense, during the Zoom meeting with investors, claimed that the firm had over 60,000 subscribers with 20,000 paid off.
If his words were to be taken seriously, 40,000 investors must have lost various degrees of capital and interest, translating to billions of naira.
Mode of operation
From the investors’ explanation, there is a clear pattern in Farmforte’s operation. It was able to hoodwink investors with a promise of unbelievable Returns on Investment (ROI).
Ayoola corroborated the notion, saying: “At times they would say 15 per cent or 26 per cent and up to 40 per cent depending on the duration of the investment.
“One year’s investment could attract 46 per cent. It is normally graduated and it goes on like that.”
Another pattern is to spur unsuspecting investors with prompt payments to make them commit enormous capital.
“Initially, I was getting my returns exactly on due dates. They would be the ones to even call me to check my wallet, that money had been deposited there.
“They were so professional about it and that is why I put my life savings into it. I did not know they were merely setting me up,” informed Ayoola.
He said living had become a tough experience for him.
He said: “I’ve lost everything. I can’t buy fuel in my car. My children are out of school.
“Each time I think about it, I cry. My life savings are gone.
“What kind of country are we in? You cannot invest, you cannot trust anybody.”
Ayoola, who said he had three children in the university, added: “I can’t fend for them or provide for their needs in school. My wife, who works in a ministry, is the one helping out now. That is what is keeping me going.
“I should be enjoying years of labour in retirement, but I still hustle to make ends meet. I am in pain.”
Ayoola believes that investors’money trapped in Farmforte would be in excess of N2 billion.
“I have over N20m with the company. I’ve met other people that have invested more than that. Imagine the thousands of people who have invested millions.
“This company cannot be allowed to go scot-free or allow other Nigerians to suffer this problem.”
Ayoola said if he had not printed out his investment details on his account in December 2021, the only proof that he and most other investors would have of their dealings with the firm would be the email addresses they were assigned at the point of registration.
“Now, you cannot log into your account, thereby erasing all the dealings you had with them. They planned all these from the beginning.”
The sec angle
A new dimension was introduced into the matter on March 11, 2022 when the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sealed off Farmforte’s office.
According to a statement issued SEC, Farmforte “is one of the companies sealed for engaging in fund management-related investment activities without proper registration.”
Investigation
Claims on Agropartnerships’ website that all their portfolios were insured by Leadway Assurance Plc also proved to be another lie. While Farmforte, the parent company of Agropartnerships, is under Leadways’ Agri-Techpartnership, Agropartnerships is not.
Even for Farmforte, very few of the products they dealt in were insured.
Efforts made to reach Agropartnerships through text and calls were futile.
Attempts to get an insight into the operations of Farmforte led the reporter to thecompany’s former Human Resource Manager, Seyi Soremekun, who confirmed that Osayi and Osayimwense defrauded the company.
Soremekun said: “I left the company in 2021 when the owners began to cut corners. They became evasive and stopped paying the salaries of staff in June 2021.
“I had to leave them because I did not see a good ending in the way they were running the company. I received calls from investors every day.
“If I had not left long before the problems started, I would have been culpable too.”
Soremekun reasoned that the CEOs ran the company aground.
An email to Andre Schaap, former CEO of Farmforte Europe, their parent company, also turned up valuable information on the conmen and how they ran the company.
According to André Schaap, who played an advisory role when Farmforte started operation in Nigeria, the company was not set up for digital investment. The owners had other plans for going in that direction.
He said: “That my name came up during your investigation is not strange, as I was the CEO of Farmforte Europe BV. I was in Nigeria many times at the Farmforte head office and advised them in the development of the farming operations. This is regarding the packaging and processing of products that were grown at the farm in Benin City.
“I know that all the phone numbers are not working anymore from Farmforte Agro Allied and From Farmforte Europe BV.
“I left the company in March 2021 as I was not paid for several months, and I did not want to continue anymore.
“There was such an issue with the trust of the brothers (Osayi and Osayimwense), as I was not ever even notified that anything was not going the right way.
“Farmforte Europe BV is still at the address in Meppel but fully abandoned and there is no staff working there anymore. The company is on the edge of bankruptcy.
“Farmforte Europe BV was set up for different reasons, and not as a scam!
“The first was to develop an access market into the EU for sweet potatoes that were grown on a farm near BeninCity.
“The second was to develop products that were made from sweet potatoes like sweet potato beer and sweet potato crisps, sweet potato fries, sweet potato flower, etc.
“The third reason was to organise an off-take of processed cashew nuts in Nigeria.
“The fourth was to build an organisation that was able to sell fruits and vegetables that were grown in Africa and other countries in theworld.
“The fifth and last was to build a market for African food products like fufu and gari, etc, and to export and distribute these from Nigeria and other African countries through the Netherlands into the supermarkets in the EU.
“The announcement on the 15th of December 2021 to the investors came for me as thunder and lightning, totally unexpected as a huge surprise.
“Suddenly, they announced they could not pay investors funds with interest that they should pay that date.
“Six days before that, they were in Holland and did not ever mention there were any problems!
“Looking back, I think thencompany was set up with the best of intentions. However, it was mismanaged by the owners and things could have gone totally differently with different decisions.”
[b]To put a nail in the coffin, Schaap said the CEOs are somewhere abroad living large with investors’ monies and unpaid salaries of workers, suppliers and builders.
“I am quite sure the owners are not the losers in the whole story, and they are still having a very good life living outside Nigeria.
“The people that suffered were the staffs that were not paid for months of the labour they did put in, the investors that lost their money, as well as some suppliers that lost money. For example, the building company that did the construction.
“I hope this gives you some insight into what has happened.”[b]
It is apparent that Osayi and Osayimwense have bolted with billions of naira put in their trust, and investors are not the only ones gnashing their teeth. Scores of employees, suppliers and builders are also writhing in pain for ripping them out of their daily living.
Ayoola warned: “I have petitioned the Economic and Finances Crimes Commission (EFCC) with evidence several times, but I did not get any reply. I don’t think the government is doing anything about this matter.
“These people are fraudsters, and if they are not brought to book, they will return again with another name and company.
“We are calling on the EFCC to investigate this case and bring Osayi and Osayimwense to book."
THEIR plan was hatched and carried out with brutal precision. They opened shop in 2012 as “a value chain development firm focused on transforming the agriculture landscape of Nigeria”. They came out loud on both traditional and social media, showcasing their activities in newspapers and on radio and television stations, not forgetting Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and other popular online platforms. For effect, they claimed affiliation with an agro-allied company in Europe.
The design of their company’s website, www.farmforte.com, was creative, eye-catching and mobile-friendly.
Playing to the rules for five years, Osazuwa Osayi and Uyi Osayimwense, co-founders and co-CEOs of Farmforte Agro Allied, gathered strength and patronage in government circle and the community.
By this time, they had acquired a state-of-the-art cashew processing facility in Edo State and attracted the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, to commission it alongside other influential figures home and abroad.
The commissioning received flamboyant hype in the media. Like hunters, they set their trap and waited patiently for their prey. The groundwork settled, they came out in their true colours. First, they branched out of the buying and selling of agricultural products and launched Agropartnerships Technology Limited, a digital investment subsidiary of Farmforte. According to them, “the fund and portfolio management company is licensed by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC)”.
At the same time, they announced that Forest Capital, another subsidiary of Farmforte, had acquired Kayvee Microfinance Bank, “to create greater synergy between socio-economic empowerment, agriculture and the finance sector.
Thus, Farmforte became a digital investment platform, where investors are attracted to investing in farm produce with mouth-watering returns on investments (ROI).
According to the company’s website, “Agropartnerships is a simple and secure collaborative platform that enables you to engage in profitable agribusiness opportunities from your home. You can invest in farms, trade in commodities and count your profits in no time.”
This, it seemed, was the original plan of Osayi and Osayimwense. With a strong digital presence, they gradually reclined into the shadow as investors fall on themselves to invest millions of naira in their mouth-watering products called portfolios, with the hope of doubling their investments within a few months.
People of letters and professionals like bankers, doctors, civil servants, teachers, accountants and retirees fell into their trap.
By December 2021, Farmforte suddenly stopped capital and ROI citing “some challenges”. Two months later, they came out via Zoom conference to allay investors’ fears, and that became the last time anyone heard from the joint CEO.
They shut down their Lagos office, plants, investors’ accounts and all contacts and literally vanished into thin air with billions of naira of investors’ funds.
‘How I lost my N21m gratuity to scam outfit’
Olukanmi Ayoola is yet to come to terms with how a certified accountant like him could fall into the hands of fraudulent young men who conned him of his retirement benefit up to the tune of N21,600,000. He came out in frustration to tell his story “so that people can be aware and they will not go on to scam other innocent people.”
Even at that, he could not afford to use his real name in print for the societal and economic backlash.
He said: “I am a respected person in my community and people come to me for investment advice because I’ve been an accountant all my life,” said Ayoola, who retired in 2021 after more than 30 years in service.
The 62-year-old did not have any premonition of what was about to befall him until he was caught in the web of lies and deceit.
He started by putting small amounts into the Agropartnerships digital platform powered by Farmforte and receiving huge profits on his capital as and when due.
Upon receiving his gratuity, he decided to multiply his investments for bigger profits. Instead, he lost the capital and expected turnover.
Ayoola said: “I came across Farmforte in 2018 when a friend introduced their product called Farmforte Food Valley to me. He said they were reliable and responsible and were into agric.
“Then, the government was talking about agriculture and the huge investment that was going into it. I picked an interest and began to do an independent investigation.
“I checked out the company’s website and it seemed genuine. So, I started with N500,000. I got my money and ROI after one year.
“Thereafter, I decided to increase the money to N1 million, and any time I had excess cash, I would put it in.
“I had money in another investment outlet -money market, and due to government policy, the interest became flat.
“At the same time, I was nearing retirement where I worked. I reasoned that I needed to take a decision now to stand on my own. So, I requested for my retirement benefits and was paid. This was in 2019. I retired same year.
“That was how I invested the whole money into the business, which is exportation of agricultural products. As a son of a farmer, I know a little about it, that there is huge profit in it.
“Agropartnerships claims to be in agro-processing and export with affiliation to a company in Holland. I saw one of it videos where Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki commissioned a large expanse of farmland and a cashew processing plant and there were many local farmers saying they had been selling their products to them. It was very believable.
“I also investigated the SEC website and saw that they were duly registered with a registration number.
“On top of that, they had not failed to pay up on due dates on my investments. All these gave me confidence that the company was real.”
At this point, Ayoola decided to push all his earnings into the business.
He said: “I started buying all their products: Poultry 02 Investment, Rice Value Chain, ChickenUp Scale, Palm Oil Processing, Cashew Exporting Scheme, and all sorts of products.
“They were aggressive in the way they advertised their products. Within six hours, if you didn’t invest in it, they would say it had sold out. Any reasonable human being would want to invest.
“They were well organised. I call it organised crime.
“I spread my investments in such a way that as one was getting due, another one was starting.
“I invested N21,600,000 of my money and my ROI also runs into millions of naira. I’ve not received a kobo.”
By December 15, 2021, the due date for one of Ayoola’s investments, the proceeds did not come.
“I was alarmed at first, but they wrote a letter to me that they were having some challenges and would pay me in due course.
That, however, became the beginning of Ayoola’s travails.
“I immediately went to their office and met other investors who were agitated and needed answers,” he said.
Office shut down
In a video on Agropartnerships Facebook page on February 16, Osayimwenme explained the problem: “For a fact the delayed circle payout happened due to two major reasons: first, the global chain supply disruption, which impacted on our ability to obtain parts of our machinery for our processing facility.
“Secondly, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business operation affected us… We have taken corrective measure to ensure that this never happens again.
“We appreciate your passion, your endurance, and we take seriously our responsibility to ensure the safety of your investment.
“To this end, we have designed specific payout timeline, and we look forward to sharing this with you on the 18th of February.”
Ayoola said: “Two days later, the company addressed us in a town hall meeting on Zoom, and raised our hopes that we would get our money soon.
“That was the last time we heard from them. They closed down their office, shut down their lines and investors’ accounts, and disappeared.”
‘I lost N40m’
Ayoola is not alone in his ordeal. A businessman, who wants to be known simply as John, also joined the scheme in 2019.
John said: “I started investing in the company in 2019, and by late 2021, I had just doubled my investment by N20m when the problem erupted.
“I was in their office where I met Ayoola and we started sharing notes.
“Because the transactions are done online, individually, and with no access to other investors, we don’t know ourselves or able to share our stories until it was too late.”
Altogether, John has N40 million locked up in Agropartnership's account.
Another victim, David, who had invested in three portfolios worth over a million naira with Agropartnerships, has a similar story to tell.
He said: “I started with N500,000 in April 2021 and received the interest promptly on the due date.
“The ease with which the profits were paid spurred me into opening two additional portfolios with the firm.
”However, things took a different turn when Farmforte stopped paying capital and interest at the end of 2021.
Another investor loses N300,000
The loss of another investor, Serah Lawal, is small in comparison to those of Ayoola and John.
Lawal said: “I invested in Agropartnerships Potato Scheme in January 2021 and I was supposed to get my investment and ROI by October 27.
“On the due date, I sent an email to the company and got a reply. They told me that they were going through some challenges and needed to reconsider how they made their payouts.”
She noted that the company promised to pay her by February of the following year (2022), but failed tofulfil the promise, and multiple attempts she made to reach them were futile.
According to Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), she lost N300,000 after investing in three units of the scheme, while Adetoun Adekanmbi, a Lagos State-based medical doctor, lost close to N600,000 after investing in the company.
“I started investing in Agropartnerships in 2020 and I invested over N800,000 in various cycles.
“Some of the cycles lasted nine months and some 12 months. I was promised an ROI of 36 per cent.
“Initially, I got my ROI and capital as and when due. But by 2021, investors started complaining about the inability to withdraw pay-out funds from their wallets.
“When the admin of the company was contacted, they apologised and blamed it on technical errors.
“However, in February 2022, it was apparent that there was more to the issues than the earlier stated reason.
“Thereafter, we were told in a Zoom meeting that some pay-outs would be delayed because of the loss the company incurred during the Covid-19 pandemic. They said they were structuring their investments so that pay-outs could recommence in July 2022.
“However, since that meeting, no more updates have been given to investors, and people can no longer log in to see their records of investments and expected returns.
“Also, their numbers and emails have been unreachable.
“I know I still have an estimated N400,000 investment in the company and likely an expected ROI of about N200,000, but I can’t log in to validate this.”
Adebayo Adeleke, popularly known as B-Red has said Burna Boy chased after his renowned hip hop superstar cousin, Davido’s car the first time they met in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Bred, the son of the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, disclosed in an interview at Echo Room on Friday that Burna Boy was very excited to see both his cousin.
In a recent interview that got social media agog, Davido revealed that he and Wizkid were significantly the first Nigerian music artists to break into the global stage and take the music to an international audience.
He then went further to mention some new talents like Rema, Fireboy, Mayorkun, and Asake as new cats while also including Burna Boy on the list, describing them as new cats who are taking Afrobeats to a global audience.
In what seemed like a corroboration to Davido’s claims, Bred said, “The first day I met Burna Boy, it was in Port Harcourt and he was running after me and Davido’s telling us he loves our music.”
Bred also talked about his journey into music and his early struggles in Atlanta, in the United States, where he revealed how he hustled hard with his brother Shina Rambo.
He said he was the one who asked Davido to start singing and after Davido became popular, while he was singing his praise and this was how he also gradually became known and started his music career.
Bred would eventually put out music with Davido and gradually get into the mainstream and enjoy some success.
Davido’s statement has since generated massive reactions across social media as some people agreed with the classification affirming that 2018 and ‘YE’ as the beginning of Burna Boy’s stardom.
On the opposing side are people who disagreed citing Burna Boy’s early success with his 2012 hit single ‘Like To Party’ as evidence that he cannot be classified as a new cat.
EXTRA: Magic happened to PDP’s votes at Anambra collation centre, Atiku’s witness tells court
Ndubuisi Nwobu, a witness of Atiku Abubakar, has told the presidential election tribunal that “magic happened to the votes of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the collation centre in Anambra state”.
Nwobu was the state collation agent of the PDP in the February 25 presidential election in Anambra state.
He is also the chairman of the PDP in Anambra.
During proceedings on Wednesday, Nwobu told the court that after the counting of votes, presiding officers refused to upload the results.
He also said he visited about 30 polling units out of the 4,720 polling units in the state on election day.
He said he was forced to sign the result sheet of the election at the state collation centre, because he wouldn’t have been given a copy if he didn’t.
“I signed the result sheet when it was obvious that without signing, a copy would not be made available to me,” Nwobu said.
“Results were entered at polling units. But, every effort made to get the presiding officer to upload it on IREV proved abortive.”
When asked if result sheets were signed by agents of the PDP at polling units before they were taken to the collation centre, Nwobu said “yes”.
“There were taken to the collation centre at the ward level. That is where magic started happening,” he said.
“There were problems at the polling units with presiding officers.”
He said in some instances, he had to intervene to prevent voters and other party agents from attacking INEC officials.
“Even at certain instances, I had to intervene to ensure that some of the polling officers were not attacked by voters and other political party agents,” Nwobu said.
Nwobu is Atiku’s eleventh witness to testify before the five-member panel headed by Haruna Tsammani.
Subsequently, the petitioners sought to present three subpoena witnesses before the court.
The respondents, however, asked the court for time to go through the statements submitted to the court by the witnesses.
Abubakar Mahmoud, counsel to INEC, told the court they will need to verify the identities of the witnesses and whether they truly participated in the election.
The panel granted the request of the respondents and adjourned the case to June 8.
Bola Tinubu, the standard bearer of the APC, was declared winner of the February 25 election with 8,794,726 votes.
The outcome of the election is being challenged by Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the PDP in the election, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, Tuesday, disclosed that the state would promulgate laws for the protection of its indigenes.
Obasa, who was elected speaker of the 10th Assembly for the third consecutive term, said as part of its legislative agenda, there would be laws and resolutions in the areas of economy and commerce, property and titles and reversal of “all that are reversible to protect the interest of the indigenes”.
Obasa, who hinted at some of the controversies in the build-up to the 2023 elections, including the argument that non-indigenes wanted to take over the state, declared that Lagos is a Yoruba land. “Lagos is Yoruba land as against the assertions of some people that it is a no man’s land.
“Therefore, part of our legislative agenda is to ensure the translation of laws passed by this House to the Yoruba language.
“We also aim at achieving our collective goals of creating a robust legislative framework that protects the interest of our people.
“Going forward in this wise, we are going to employ all legislative instruments for the support of the indigenes of Lagos.
“There would be laws and resolutions in the areas of economy and commerce, property and titles and we will reverse all that are reversible to protect the interest of the indigenes,” he said in his acceptance speech after he was unanimously elected as speaker of the assembly.
Ifa backs subsidy removal, predicts better future — Traditional religionworshippers
Shina Abubakar, Osogbo
Traditional Religion Worshippers in Osun state have disclosed that the removal of fuel subsidy was endorsed by the Ifa oracle.
Speaking on behalf of the association under the aegis of Traditional Religion Worshippers Association, TRAWSO, at a medical outreach organised for its members in Osogbo on Tuesday, the President, Dr Oluseyi Atanda said Ifa supported the decision of President Bola Tinubu but harps on transparency in the process.
According to him, though the decision is a difficult one and its effect is painful on the people we must ensure to enjoy the tremendous benefits that will come with the decision.
“Ifa supported that the decision to remove subsidy is a good one, but the government must be sincere and do things the proper way so that at the end of the day, you don’t act in a way that shows or seems that the people who are enduring the pain feel taken for granted.
“It (Ifa) further revealed that what follows the tough decision of subsidy removal is a tremendous blessing if the people can persevere, hence, we urge the populace to support the decision of President Bola Tinubu and should collectively monitor the actions of public office holders in order to cater for the critical needs of the people”, he said.
He also urged traditional religious adherents to take proper care of their health, saying the rampant issues of sudden death is a result of negligence by the people.
He said, “We realize that over the last few months, the issue of sudden death has become a societal problem which affects everyone and could be due to diabetes and high blood pressure.
“We feel that traditionalists should also be aware that there is a need for them to check their blood pressure and know what is happening in their body, hence the reason we decided to organise the medical outreach in celebration of the second year anniversary of the current executive members of the association”.
The Nigeria Labour Congress says it has no plan to hold any nationwide protest on Friday against the present hike in price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol caused by subsidy removal.
The Congress said though it was outraged by what it described as “mindless price increase which is intended to bring untold hardship to ordinary Nigerians” no protest yet.
Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of NLC, in a statement on Thursday signed by the Congress’ Head of Information Unit, Benson Upah, reacted to reports in some quarters that the organised labour had scheduled a protest for Friday.
Daily Trust had reported that the meeting between the organised labour and the federal government representatives on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja, on the removal of subsidy ended in a stalemate as no agreement was reached.
Clarifying the labour’s position, Ajaero explained that the union would hold meetings tomorrow (Friday) to deliberate on the issue.
He said, “Our attention has been drawn to stories circulating in the social media space claiming that the Nigeria Labour Congress would commence protest action tomorrow (Friday, June 2nd) against the increase in the pump price of PMS.
“In as much as we are outraged by this mindless price increase which is intended to bring untold hardship to ordinary Nigerians, we have no plan to start any action tomorrow.
“What we do have for now are organ meetings slated for tomorrow, Friday, June 2nd, 2023 to deliberate on the price issue. We promise to keep Nigerians informed on our next line of action after our meetings.
“In light of this, we advise the public to disregard these stories. They did not emanate from the Congress.”
Ibrahim Muhammad, a native of Minna, Niger state is heard dedicating his goal against host Argentina in ongoing Under-20 World cup tournament, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The defendant was arrested by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after intelligence linked him to suspicious internet fraud activities around the Karji area of the state.
Justice A. A. Bello of the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kaduna has convicted one Nnamdi Orji Innocent, aka Christian Dominic Allen on one count bordering on cybercrime.
The defendant was arrested by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after intelligence linked him to suspicious internet fraud activities around the Karji area of the state.
Upon his arrest, the defendant confessed to having created a Google chat account with his iPhone 11, using the identities of one Christian Dominic Allen, Hobson Lunsford and Genero Westpal in chatting with his foreign victims and receiving a gift card worth two hundred dollars ($200), Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The one count reads: “That you, Nnamdi Orji Innocent (aka Christian Dominic Allen) sometime in April 2023 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an offence, to wit; falsely presented yourself as Christian Dominic Allen in that assumed character cheated one Yasha the total sum of $200 USD and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
Justice Bello convicted him but gave him the option of paying a fine of N100,000.00.
He is also to forfeit an Apple iPhone 11, Sanyi Sound System and Skyrun Refrigerator.
The convict has restituted the sum of $200 (Two Hundred USD) to the victim through the EFCC.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has busted a drug market reputed to be the largest in West Africa, after months of undercover monitoring.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the agency was able to mobilise necessary assets to trace the illicitly manufactured drug to the Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge in Anambra State.
He also said two members of a syndicate were involved in the illicit importation and trafficking of the lethal synthetic opioid, Fentanyl.
Identifying the suspects as Odoh Collins Oguejiofor and Oliver Chigozie Uzoma, the NDLEA spokesman said the arrest followed “credible intelligence and synergy with local and international partners.”
Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than Tramadol and capable of causing mass casualty among the youth population being targeted by the cartels, Babafemi said.
“Two members of the syndicate: Odoh Collins Oguejiofor and Oliver Chigozie Uzoma were arrested at Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge, Onitsha South LGA, Anambra State, in well-coordinated and clinical operations,” he stated.
“The arrest is coming on the heels of an alert issued by the anti-narcotics Agency on Tuesday 22nd November 2022 that some criminal elements were plotting to flood the Nigerian market with the drug, which is currently responsible for over 70% of overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and non-fatal overdoses in the United States”.
“Following credible intelligence and synergy with local and international partners, the NDLEA was able to mobilize necessary assets to trace the illicitly manufactured drug to the Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge, reputed to be the largest drug market in West Africa, after months of undercover monitoring.”
Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor has appealed to President Bola Tinubu not to inherit former President Muhammadu Buhari’s flagrant violation of the rule of law.
Ejimakor made this statement on Twitter on Monday shortly after Tinubu was sworn-in as the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Kanu’s lawyer made an urgent request to Tinubu to release the IPOB leader from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), adding that he should not follow in the path of his predecessor.
Ejimakor wrote, “Dear President Bola Tinubu: I have an urgent request: Free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, today or tomorrow. Don’t drag it. Don’t inherit Buhari’s misguided animus, hubris and his infamous disdain for the rule of law and for Ndigbo. Chart your own path. Thank you, sir!”
Kanu has been in detention since June 2021, and the government arraigned him on a terrorism charge.
However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja struck out the terrorism charge filed against Kanu. The appellate court held that Kanu’s extradition from Kenya to Nigeria to stand trial was illegal.
Yoruba Nation agitators who invaded Radio Station in Ibadan are criminals - Akintoye
Prof. Banji Akintoye, the founder and leader of the Yoruba group, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, has condemned the invasion of a radio station in Ibadan by Yoruba separatist group.
This is contained in a statement signed by Akintoye’s Assistant Director of Programmes, Olatunde Amusat, and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the separatist group on Sunday, invaded the premises of Amuludun 99.1 FM in Moniya, a community radio of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), around 6.00 am.
Five of the agitators were arrested by security agents and paraded by the Nigeria Police Force on Sunday.
Akintoye disowned the group, describing their action as lawless and profoundly criminal.
“Our attention has been drawn to the activities of a group led by a Woman, who claimed to be running a totally different agenda for Yoruba emancipation.
“The group has been engaging again and again in criminal activities. The group has been warned repeatedly, but has refused to change,” he said.
He said that the Yoruba group he is leading runs a struggle that is totally peaceful and law abiding.
According to him, “we have written a 34-page manual to guide our followers and all Yoruba people about peaceful and law-abiding, self-determination struggle.
“We have written the outgoing President of Nigeria and UN Secretary-General about our legitimate demand for self determination for our Yoruba nation.
“We have emphasised in everyone of those letters that our struggle is peaceful and law abiding.”
Akintoye said his group has no relationship whatsoever with the group that has repeatedly engaged in crime, adding “we have no hands in their criminal conduct.”
#RenewedHopeConcert: Pasuma, Asake, Timaya, 43 other musicians thrill fans at Tinubu’s inauguration concert
No fewer than 46 musicians including Buju, Waje, Brymo, Fireboy, Kaycee, Asake, Timaya, Pasuma, Naira Marley, Tony Tetuila, and Seyi Vibes, among many other music industry heavyweights, thrilled fans with electrifying performances at the Renewed Hope Concert in honour of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and his Vice, Kashim Shettima, at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
The PUNCH reports that leaders of the youth wing of the All Progressives Congress, including Tinubu’s son, Seyi, announced the show to celebrate young people for their contribution to the party’s victory during the general elections.
Elated by the scintillating performances from guest artistes, an eyewitness, David Offor, in a post using his Twitter handle, @DavidsOffor, wrote, “Buju performing by 1.16 am, Agbado community no dey sleep!! We outside!! #RenewedHopeConcert.
Another eyewitness, Michael Zucci, while commenting on the development with a laughing emoji, using his handle on Twitter, @MichaelOkwegba, wrote, “Timaya don spoil this Renewed Hope Concert with As E dey sweet us, E dey pain dem.”
Also commenting, another person, Qudus Akanbi, using his Twitter handle @EleyiLagos, revealed that no fewer than 46 artistes would grace the stage of the concert.
His post read, “46 Nigerian artists from different parts of the country God #RenewedHopeConcert.”
Videos of Akanbi backstage making the artistes give a shout-out to their fans in anticipation of their performances were attached to the post.
Another elated fan, Saheed Adesope, while basking in the ambience of the exhilarating performances of artistes gracing the mammoth stage, said in a post using his handle, “Pasuma don burst my head. #RenewedHopeConcert.”
The Chairman, Renewed Hope Concert Media Committee, Ademuyiwa Taofeek, had in a statement, said the event was planned as an inclusive celebratory activity for young people who contributed to the party’s victory.
“It is an inclusive celebration of young people across the country who knocked on doors, persuaded friends, braved great risks, and stood firm to ensure the safe delivery of the Renewed Hope agenda of our next President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,” the statement said.
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