₦airaland Forum

The Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, yesterday said he was disappointed that a private memo he sent to President Muhammadu Buhari on the state of the nation was leaked to the public.
He said those who published the document revealed the identities of those who leaked it to him.
The Kaduna governor spoke with State House correspondents shortly after he joined Buhari for the Juma’at prayer at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Recall that El-Rufai had in a 29-page memo dated September 22, 2016, told Buhari that his administration has not only failed in meeting the expectations of Nigerians but equally fell short of delivering on mundane issues of governance.

In the memo entitled, “Immediate and medium-term imperatives for President Muhammadu Buhari,” he also claimed that inexperienced and clueless officials, who don’t share in the vision of the ruling All Progressives Congress, surround the president.
El-Rufai also noted that he was conscious of the fact that his memo might be misunderstood but willing to accept the consequences.
He told State House correspondents that he didn’t have any wrong motive over his memo to the president.
While saying he has no regret for writing the document, the governor said he would not hesitate to write another memo to the president if the need arises.
He said, “I am disappointed that a private communication to the highest office in the land can be leaked and it was leaked from the villa. I am told by those that published it, but this is a fact of life.
“We live in an age where anything you write or say can be leaked. It is ok, my intentions are clear, I have no ill motive but I wanted to communicate with the president what many Nigerians are talking about and what steps can be taken to improve governance of the country and move the country forward.
“That was my motive and if tomorrow, like I said, I see anything that the president needs to know I will discuss with him and I will articulate and put it into writing and on the record for him to have a reminder document to work on.
“I have no regrets and I have no apologies”.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/04/buharis-men-leaked-my-memo-el-rufai.html

The Personal Assistant on Social Media to the President, Lauretta Onochie, has insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari will not take any drastic measures against the National Assembly.
In a statement on Facebook, Onochie said Buhari would not behave like former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan amid the face-off between the executive and the legislature.
She said: “I understand when well-meaning Nigerians call on President Buhari to ‘descend’ on the National Assembly, the Senate in particular. After all, that’s what Presidents Jonathan and Obasanjo did.
“With all due respect, it would appear, and was very clear, even to the blind that what Nigeria had under President Obasanjo was democracy tinged with autocratic tendencies.
“President Buhari is a man of honour. He has vowed to give Nigerians a democratic leadership and he will not be pressured into breaking that vow.”
Onochie said Nigerians should descend on the Senate, instead of asking the President to do so.
“This idea of wanting our President to break constitutional provisions that recognise separation of powers is nothing but a total cop out on the side of Nigerians. We must have democracy in a democratic setting.
“Nigerians did it in January of 2012. That was when we recovered the executive arm of our government. The elections of 2015 merely confirmed that Nigerians actually recovered their government.”
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/04/buhari-will-not-act-like-obasanjo.html

A United States District Judge, Paul W. Grimm has sentenced Gbenga Ogundele aka Benson Ogundele, age 58; of Laurel, Maryland to 234 months in prison, and sentenced his wife, Moji Popoola, aka Mojisola Oluwakemi Tin Popoola/Moji T. Popoola, age 42, also of Laurel, to 18 months in prison, each followed by three years of supervised release.
They were jailed for conspiracies to commit wire fraud and money laundering arising from a scheme to defraud vulnerable victims of millions of dollars. Ogundele was also convicted of aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme.
Judge Grimm ordered that Mojisola Popoola’s supervised release is to be served in home detention. He also ordered Ogundele to forfeit $2,195,103.36, and ordered Mojisola Popoola to forfeit approximately $165,000 and to pay restitution of $34,100.

On March 20, 2017, Judge Grimm sentenced Moji Popoola’s brother, Babatunde Emmanuel Popoola, aka Emmanuel Popoola/Tunde Popoola, age 34, of Bowie, Maryland, to 12 years in prison, on the same charges.
He ordered Babatunde Popoola to pay restitution of $465,170.76. Ogundele and the Popoolas were convicted on November 18, 2016, after a 17-day trial.
In a related case, Funmilayo Joyce Shodeke, age 67, of Burtonsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty on March 22, 2017 to conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business, and was sentenced to 13 months’ probation, and ordered to forfeit $29,900.
The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to the evidence presented at trial, and co-conspirators’ plea agreements, from January 2011 to May 18, 2015, members of the conspiracy searched online dating websites to initiate romantic relationships with vulnerable male and female individuals.
They phoned, emailed, texted and used internet chat messenger services to form romantic relationships with the victims, who lived in Maryland and around the country.
Members of the conspiracy used false stories and promises to convince the victims to provide money to the conspirators, including fake hospital bills, plane trips to visit the victims, problems with overseas businesses and foreign taxes.
Ogundele, the Popoolas, co-conspirators Olusegun Charles Ogunseye, Olufemi Wilfred Williams, Adeyinka Olubunmi Awolaja and others opened bank accounts, called “drop accounts,” in order to receive millions of dollars from the victims.
The victims provided money to the defendants as a result of the false stories and promises, either depositing money directly into drop accounts controlled by the defendants, or by checks sent to the conspirators.
The payments from victims ranged from $1,720 to $50,000. Ogundele, Babatunde Popoola, and others used victims’ names, bank account numbers or driver’s licenses in furtherance of the fraud scheme.
Ogundele, the Popoolas, Ogunseye, Williams, Awolaja and their co-conspirators dispersed money received from the victims by transferring funds to other accounts controlled by the conspirators, by obtaining cashier’s checks, and by writing checks to individuals or entities, in order to conceal the nature, source, and control of those assets.
Co-conspirator Victor Oyewumi Oloyede, age 42, of Laurel, Maryland, was also convicted at trial for his role in the fraud scheme. Oloyede was sentenced to 234 months in prison.
Co-conspirators Olusegun Charles Ogunseye, age 59 of Laurel, Maryland, Olufemi Wilfred Williams, age 28, of Owings Mills, Maryland, and Adeyinka Olubunmi Awolaja, Jr., age 34, of New Carollton, Maryland, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Judge Grimm scheduled sentencing for Awolaja on June 12, 2017, for Ogunseye on July 25, 2017, and for Williams on July 27, 2017, all at 2:30 p.m.

The Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors.
This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.

The conviction is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the US President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.
With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/04/nigerian-family-jailed-252-months-in-us.html

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari as “insensitive and clueless.”
The opposition party said that the ruling party has not achieved anything tangible in two years but has only survived on blaming the past government of the PDP while failing to provide Nigerians with the “change” it promised them during the electioneering campaign.
In a statement signed by the spokesman of the National Caretaker Committee (NCC), Prince Dayo Adeyeye, yesterday, the opposition party said the APC government should have been done with complaints about past administration and show to Nigerians it has the capacity to provide leadership.

The PDP had on Wednesday issued a statement to criticise the APC government and its policy in two years but the APC in a response accused the PDP of being the brain behind the nation’s problems.
But the PDP in another reaction to the APC said the PDP had better records than the APC, urging the ruling party to wake up to the responsibility of proving its worth and stop behaving like an opposition party.
The statements read in part: “It has been two years since the ‘ruling party in opposition’ took over power in May, 2015 and all the APC has done since assumption of office is complaining and whining, instead of governance and delivering to Nigerians its campaign promises.
“Nigerians have not also forgotten how the APC in opposition politicized all issues of governance without proffering a single solution to any of them, but remained adamant, condemning the sincere policies of previous PDP administration.
It continued: “Nigerians thought the only reply by the APC to our statement of Wednesday, March 29, 2017, would have been for the party to roll out its achievements in the last two years instead of another shameless descent into the abyss of propaganda, blame-game and media trial of previous PDP-led administration.
“However, we are not surprised because the APC has no achievement to flaunt before Nigerians than the boring rehash of what the PDP did or did not do.
“We still maintained that Nigerians should take critical look at the mid-term report of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and compare it to that of the current APC-led government and access them on performance and achievements.
The opposition party also faulted the much- touted anti-corruption war of the APC government saying it was one-sided unlike what was obtainable under the PDP government.
The party went further to declare the anti-corruption war as a farce because it allegedly gave protection to members of APC who were caught up in the web of corruption,
“On the much celebrated anti-corruption fight of the APC, it must be noted that it was previous PDP governments that created and sustained all the institutions for fighting corruption such as the ICPC and the EFCC.
“Under the PDP administrations most of those who were tried by these agencies were PDP members. There was no effort to shield PDP members from prosecution and investigation, as is the case with the APC government, which has made it a policy to sweep all the dirt of its members under the carpet.
“Recall the grass cutting allegations against the SGF, the awards of contracts to ghost companies by the Federal Government Committee on Northeast, allegation of attempted bribery of Judges by the Minister of Transport and that of Science and Technology, the CBN forex racketeering and most recently, the DSS indictment of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu and many others.
“On the war on Boko Haram, the APC spokesman forgot to mention that it was the same weapons bought by previous PDP administration that the present government is still using to prosecute the war on insurgency in the Northeast.
“He also forgot to mention that despite his corruption claim on the PDP-led Government, the PDP made Nigeria’s Economy the largest in Africa and the fastest growing in the world. Where are we now? In less than two years, our economy is in recession.
“May we again remind the APC that the Dollar under the PDP Government was 165 Naira to one dollar. Today, the difference is there for everyone to see. The 18,000 Naira minimum wage could buy two bags of rice and still had some change in the PDP led government, but today, where are we?
“Nigerians have never been so hungry in their entire lives, except during the civil war as seen in the last two years. The APC spokesman forgot to add that, the Federal Government under the PDP created 500,000 jobs a year for our teeming unemployed youths. Since the APC led administration took over, more than 4.5 million people have lost their jobs.

“During the era of the PDP under President Goodluck Jonathan alone, 12 new Universities, and Almajiri schools were established. What is the APC achievement in education, agriculture, sports development, job creation, economy etcetera.
The PDP, therefore, urged the APC to stop complaining but deliver on its election promises.
“The APC should stop complaining and do what they promised Nigerians. The party promised to fix Nigeria and solve all the problems in less than two years. All the Party has done is to blame the PDP and give excuse for its failure.
“Nigerians are no longer excited with the APC’s selective fight against corruption when its house is smelling and oozing with the stench of corruption and reckless looting of our common wealth. This reminds us of the statement credited to Senator Shehu Sani of Kaduna state, that the APC led government is using insecticide to fight corruption
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/04/pdp-challenges-apc-to-list-achievements.html

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said only tax payers with Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) issued Tax Identification Number (TIN) would be eligible to participate in a new auction sales of seized items.
This is part of the guidelines in a new e-auction portal to be deployed for the disposing of seized goods that have undergone the process of court condemnation.
The portal would require applicants to input their recent passport photographs with a payment of non-refundable administrative fee of N1000.

The new e-auction portal for the sales of seized items at Customs Commands across the country is expected to reduce congestion in the various government warehouses and increase revenue from the sales.
Controller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd) introduced the process as a way of enhancing transparency, reducing human contacts and ensuring that only the highest bidders for any auctioned item takes it.
Aside the TIN by prospective bidders, other terms and conditions include exclusion of customs officers and their families from participating in the bidding process either directly or indirectly.
The guidelines also indicate that auctioned items cannot be replaced or funds paid refunded to the bidders. Successful bidders are expected to make payments within five working days as auctioned items whose winners fail to pay within the period would forfeit the auctioned item to the second highest bidder.
Successful bidders will be given a period of 14 days from the date of payment to remove the item bidded for or forfeit it at expiration of the period.
Any auctioned item not removed from the warehouse within 14 days from the date of payment shall revert to its pre-bidding status which makes such item open for sale again.
Winners in the auction process are also expected to pay 25% of the auction amount to the Terminal Operator with another 25% of the auction amount to the shipping line operator.
Confirming the development, Customs spokesman, Joseph Attah said Ali took time to entrench the new method that requires deploying of ICT to avoid human contact and influences. He said apart from increase of revenue for government, the online platform would ensure integrity of the process.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/04/customs-to-commence-online-auction-of.html

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora has urged Nigerians in India to remain calm and be watchful of their surroundings.

Her appeal followed multiple distress calls by Nigerian students in India on concerns over their safety as a result of renewed attacks on them.


Dabiri-Erewa said in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday that the renewed Tuesday attacks on Nigerian students’ in India was uncalled for.

While condemning the mob action as unwarranted and deplorable, the SSA noted that the Indian authorities currently had five suspects in custody.

Dabiri-Erewa noted that though the situation was calm at the moment, the Indian government has a responsibility to protect Nigerian students in India going about their normal duties.

She urged the Indian government “to ensure that any alleged suspect should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law”.


She said the Chargé d’affaires in India, Amb. Mrs Queen Worlu has promptly visited the scene of the incident and also visited the three patients in hospital.

Abike discloed that “I have also spoken with Mr Charles Kennedy, President of the Students’ association in Greater Noida where the attacks occurred.

“He said though a Kenyan girl who was working alone in the early hours of today was attacked, more police patrol vehicles have been deployed to all areas.

“He confirmed that the situation is calm and is pleased with the prompt actions of the Nigerian Chargé d’affaires in India and the Indian government so far”.


Two of the victims are two brothers, Precious and Endurance Amalawa and Chukwuma Igboamalu.

Other reports have it that nine Nigerians were attacked, all students of Noida International University in India.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/presidency-begs-nigerians-in-india-to.html

Comptroller-General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) has approved the redeployment of 337 Assistant Comptrollers of Customs to various Commands across the country with immediate effect.

Abubakar Dalhatu, Customs Deputy Public Relations, in a statement said the development was part of the ongoing repositioning of the Service.


The redeployment exercise which also confirms AC Joseph Attah as the substantive Public Relations Officer of the Service, moved AC Babadidi B from FOU D to Apapa, AC Udenze A from ICT to TCIP, AC Ilesanmi K.D from Apapa to Kad/Kt, AC Ugorji, O.A from ICT to PH II among others.

Hameed Ali charged the affected officers to support the leadership of their new Commands in the renewed efforts to entrench a more transparent culture of service delivery.

The statement quoted him as saying “so much is expected from NCS in terms of economic and security wellbeing of the country, we cannot afford to fail the nation”.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/customs-redeploys-337-assistant.html

In line with its resolve to achieve a rate convergence, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Tuesday lowered the rate at which dollar inflows from International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) are sold to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators to N360/$1, from N381/$1.

With this directive, BDCs are now expected to sell the greenback to retail end-users at not more than N362/$1, lower than N400/$1 it was sold in this segment of the market.
This emerged barely 24 hours after the central bank directed commercial banks in the country to sell FX obtained from it to retail end-users at not more than N360/$1 for invisibles.


CBN acting Director of Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, confirmed the new directive.
Okorafor said the objective of the new FX policy was to ensure a convergence of the rates in the interbank and BDC segments, stressing that the CBN remained committed to ensuring transparency in the market, as well as fairness to end-users, many of whom hitherto experienced challenges in accessing foreign exchange.

He urged licensed BDCs to play by the rules, cautioning that the CBN would not hesitate to sanction any erring dealer.
The CBN spokesman also disclosed that the sum of $100 million offered to authorised forex dealers in the interbank wholesale window to meet the requests of wholesale customers was fully subscribed on auction on Tuesday .
Okorafor also reiterated his call to all stakeholders to play their respective roles in the smooth running of the FX market for the benefit of the Nigerian economy.

Commenting on the new FX rate for BDC operators, the President, Association of Bureau De Change of Nigeria (ABCON), Mr. Aminu Gwadabe, expressed satisfaction with the directive.
“We are happy about it because it is the right step to harmonise the various rates in the market that have been affecting our operations. Now that the harmonisation has been achieved, we are sure that the naira will gain strength.
“We expect that the parallel rate will appreciate to about N370 to a dollar in the coming days,” Gwadabe said in a phone interview.

On his part, the acting Managing Director, Afrinvest Securities Limited, Mr. Ayodeji Ebo, said lowering the rate for BDCs showed that the intervention by the CBN was yielding the desired results.
“It is now pointing to a direction: the CBN may converge the rate at N360/$1. But to consolidate the gain, I think the CBN needs to move the benchmark band for interbank rate from its current rate to somewhere close to N360/$1 to help conserve external reserves.

“By doing that, it will send a positive signal to foreign investors who are still sitting on the fence, because the CBN is not expected to remain the sole supplier of foreign exchange.
“We also feel the CBN needs to look at corporate investors who want to take out their funds that are still trapped and see how to support then. So, lowering the rate for BDCs is good news for retail FX end-users,” Ebo added.
The naira traded at N380 to the dollar at some parallel market points in Lagos on Tuesday.

Also, external reserves stood at $30.340 billion as of last Friday, down from $30.489 billion last Thursday.
Meanwhile, following concerns that banks with so much dollars for retail invisibles in their vaults might incur losses following Monday’s directive that the adjustment of the exchange rate by the CBN for PTA, BTA and medical fees should be implemented immediately, a senior banker on Tuesday allayed any apprehension.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/cbn-lowers-dollar-rate-for-bdcs-to-n3601.html

Residents of the Assin Fosu township in the Central region of Ghana are presently mourning the tragic death of a popular prophetess in the area. Prophetess Ewura Esi Amanda, the spiritual leader of the International Christian Bible Church was struck dead by lightning in front of her home Sunday evening when it began raining.


According to reports, Prophetess Amanda who had missed the Sunday service in other to attend some personal business was found unconscious after the incident.

She was rushed to St. Francis Xavier Hospital where she was declared dead on arrival. The deceased who was in her 30’s has since being deposited at the hospital morgue.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/lightning-allegedly-kills-prophetess-in.html

All Progressives Congress (APC) legislators and their Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterparts in the House of Representatives were sharply divided, on Tuesday, over the inclusion of Electronic Card Reader in the Electoral Act.



This was coming as a Bill seeking to alter the 2010 Electoral Act to empower Nigerians living in the Diaspora to vote in presidential elections in the country among other matters, passed second reading in the House.

The Bill which is sponsored by Sunday Karimu and three others is also seeking to empower vice presidential and deputy governorship candidates to assume the position of their party candidates, if the candidate dies before the completion of an election.

It also seeks to incorporate Electronic Card Reader into the Electoral Act as a credible means of voter accreditation and voting and provide for strict compliance with Election Guidelines and Manual to make elections free, fair and credible.

The Bill, which ultimately seeks to amend sections 9,12, 26, 33, 36,117 ,118 and 119 of the 2010 electoral act, also seek to provide a timeline for substitution of candidates, disclosure of source of funds contributed to political parties and empower INEC to uphold results of party primaries, where there is a change in the result.

Speaking during the debate, Minority Leader, Hon Leo Ogor dismissed the Electronic Card Reader, which was used in the conduct of the 2015 general election as an instrument used in disenfranchising Nigerians during elections.

The lawmaker said if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wants to introduce electronic voting, it should do so, stating that the PDP will oppose any attempt to introduce card readers into the Electoral Act.

“Card reader is an instrument of disenfranchising Nigeria. INEC should wake up to their responsibility. We should go for clear electronic voting. Any attempt to introduce the card readers into the electoral act, we will go fully against it,” he said.

Lending support to Ogor, a PDP member from Enugu State, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, said a device like the card reader that failed to recognise the finger prints of somebody in the calibre of the country’s president in the last should be looked at critically .

However, the Majority Whip, Hon Alhassan Ado Doguwa in his contribution said the Electronic Card Reader is meant to stop political corruption in the country, noting that it must be included in the Electoral Act.

“No amount of argument can convince me that card reader is not a electronic device. The usage of the card reader is a deliberate attempt to fight electoral corruption. It is a very good bill. Card Reader must survive and be included in the electoral act.

“Whoever found himself as a victim of card reader should have himself to blame,” Ado- Doguwa said.

Earlier in the debate,Karimu said if the proposed amendment to the 2010 Electoral Act sails through, it will among other issues address the controversy that arose during the last gubernatorial election in Kogi State where the APC candidate, late Abubakar Audu died while the election was on.

He said the amendment became necessary because the Supreme Court which was expected to address the issue ended adding to the confusion.

In his contribution, Hon Pally Irise from Edo State described the bill as a proactive attempt to deepen the nation’s democracy.

The lawmaker, who is also the deputy majority whip said the bill will enable the House to take a holistic view of the 2010 Electoral Act and make necessary amendments.

He urged the Presidential Committee on Electoral Reforms headed by Senator Ken Nnamani to speed up it’s assignments, so that its recommendation can be incorporated into the Electoral Act preparatory to the conduct of the 2019 general election.

On his part, Hon Shehu Garbage Sani said there is a high population of Nigerians in the Diaspora, noting that there is need to amend the electoral act to enable them participate in the presidential election.

However, Hon Nnenna Ukejie said in as much as she recognses the right of every Nigerian to participate in electing the leadership, the absence of accurate data on Nigerians in Diaspora is a drawback on Diaspora voting.

Ukejie said the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) should be invited to address the House on the structure it has in place to support Nigerians in Diaspora participating in the country’s presidential election.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/apc-pdp-reps-disagree-on-card-reader.html

In recognition of its contribution to the growth of Islamic banking in Nigeria, , the non-interest banking unit of Sterling Bank Plc has attracted a $15 million facility from the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), a multilateral development financial institution and a part of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group.
Recall that the bank in 2014 and 2015 also received US$25 million from the International Islamic Finance Trade Corporation (ITFC) and US$30 million from the ICD. Both institutions are members of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group. In the same vein, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had approved an array of innovative non-interest financial instruments which will keep the franchise ahead of industry performance.
ICD was established in November 1999 to support the economic development of its member countries through the provision of finance for private sector projects, promoting competition and entrepreneurship, providing advisory services to the governments and private companies and encouraging cross border investments.
The bank, in a statement, noted that ICD extended the facility in view of its ability to use non interest banking contracts to structure transactions in innovative ways and the judicious use of past facility extended to it, adding that the fund would provide much-needed liquidity to finance additional projects for the benefit of the public.
While assuring that the bank would make good use of the facility, it also stated that the bank would continue to support the overall objectives of ICD which is mainly to finance projects and provide a wide range of financial products and services, support the development of Islamic financing in Nigeria and beyond through business expansion and complement the role played by ICD in the promotion of the private sector as a vehicle for boosting economic growth and prosperity.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/search/label/BUSINESS

The Federal government has proposed to through the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Onwuka, yesterday a new policy that will enable Vice Chancellors of various institutions to expel students with as low as 0.5 CGPA.

He disclosed this at the 31st convocation ceremony of the University of Port Harcourt, said students with as low as 0.5 CGPA have no business in the University and should no longer be accommodated.

He said, “We must stop to continue housing adventurers, who have no business remaining in the universities beyond the time specified for their studies in the universities. In that wise, it is being proposed that at the end of this academic year, any student with less than 0.5 CGPA should cease to be a student of the university and should be shown the way out. The universities must continue to have people who are serious in what they have come to do. If you have less than 0.5 in your CGPA, you are out. You are out for good so that the space will be left for those who have come to do serious business.”
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/fg-propose-students-with-05-cpga-to-be.html

Africa got the talent
More at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/checkout-this-power-bike-made-with.html?m=1

Borno Police Command on Thursday confirmed that a police sergeant was killed in Wednesday’s terrorists attack at Magumeri in Magumeri Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s spokesman, Mr Victor Isuku, confirmed the incident in a statement in Maiduguri on Thursday.
“On Wednesday evening, information was received that Magumeri town was under attack by Boko Haram elements.
“On receipt of the report, teams of Anti Robbery Squad and other personnel were quickly mobilised to the scene.
“A mobile police sergeant, Haliru Aliyu, deployed with the military in Magumeri on special duty, was killed while Sgt. Lawrence Ayeni sustained gunshot injury and is currently at the military hospital receiving treatment,” Isuku said.

He added that a water tanker and a bus belonging to Magumeri Local Government and two other civilian vehicles were burnt in the attack.
According to the police spokesman, military reinforcement from Damasak and Maiduguri engaged the escaping terrorists and recovered one Hilux vehicle mounted with anti-aircraft gun from the terrorists. (NAN)
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/boko-haram-kills-police-sergeant.html

The Yobe State Government has made a giant stride in repositioning the state’s education sector by spending N3billion in the last couple of months.

The state is appraised as one of the most disadvantaged states in education in the country.
This has necessitated why the state government is spending massively in the sector in order to bridge the gap.


Disclosing the amount in the education sector in the last couple of months in a statement, the Director of Press Affairs to the state Governor, Mallam Abdullahi Bego, said over N3 billion was spent in various education-related expenses, including the rehabilitation and expansion of three secondary schools, feeding of students in boarding schools, payment of fees for students writing the West African School Certificate Examination (WASC).

The fund also covers payment for special remedial programme for Yobe students in the University of Maiduguri as well as fees for Yobe students in various Nigeria-Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) in Mamudo, Kano, Kaduna, and Abuja, among others.

Bego revealed that the governor “gave approval for the various payments as part of his determination to bring quality education within the reach of Yobe students.”
He said: “A breakdown of the funds spent by the government in the recent period shows that around N1.3 billion was committed to renovating, expanding and upgrading Government Secondary Schools Fika, Gwio-Kura and Yunusari, N408,867,650 was spent in the feeding of boarding school students during the last academic term and N188,932,300 is being spent in the current (ongoing) academic term.”

Bego said: “The state government has also made a 50 percent down payment to WASC for the 2017 WASC exams; a condition that must be met for any state government to have its students participate in the year’s WASC examinations.

“The remaining 50 per cent will be paid during the year as Yobe students sit for the exams.”
He added that: “Under a special arrangement with the University of Maiduguri, Yobe students undertake a remedial programme each year to enable them fully qualify for admission to various courses in the university. A total sum of N52,565,000 was therefore paid by the government for up to 5,000 students to participate in this year’s remedial programme.”
He said: “The Gaidam administration also spent N971,598,000 as fees for the 2016/2017 session for Yobe students enrolled in the Nigeria-Tulip International Colleges (formerly Nigeria-Turkish International Colleges) in Mamudo, Kano, Kaduna and Abuja campuses.

“The state government has also paid N27,732,250 in registration, examinations and upkeep of Yobe students admitted under a special Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) into Fountain University, Osogbo.”

The governor’s spokesman said his boss has also granted approval for a monthly standing payment of N18.7 million for the purchase of cows to be slaughtered and used for boarding school students across the state.

He added: “The public may also note that the governor has approved N33 million for the drilling of boreholes for potable water supply in the three secondary schools currently being upgraded by the government (in Yunusari, Gwio-Kura and Fika towns).
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/yobe-upgrades-education-sector-with-n3bn.html

Four female suicide bombers yesterday denoted explosive devices at a crowded community on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Borno’s capital, killing two persons.

Sources said the female teenage bombers came at about 1am and started knocking at doors of houses at Usmanti, behind Police Hospital, Muna area along Maiduguri-Dikwa road. The bombers detonated the explosive devices strapped to their bodies, killing two persons and injuring 16 others.


Spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the North East zone, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, while confirming the incident, said the multiple blasts occurred at about 1.15am yesterday.

Said he: “Four female teenage suicide bombers and two other men died when they detonated explosives at Usmanti along Muna Garage road at about 1.15 am.

“Sixteen people, who were injured, have been administered with first aid by rescue workers before being transported to the state specialist hospital and University Teaching Hospital (UMTH) in Maiduguri.”

Yesterday’s incident was the fifth bomb attack in Muna area this year, even as the military said it had deployed personnel in the area.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/female-suicide-bombers-kill-2-in-borno.html

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), in Ebonyi has suspended its Chairman, Mr Ikechukwu Nwafor, indefinitely “for gross misconduct and financial misappropriation.’’

The 2nd Vice Chairman of the congress, Mr Leonard Nkah, was named Acting Chairman.

These decisions were reached at the end of its State Executive Council (SEC), meeting held in Abakaliki on Wednesday.

The communiqué was signed by the meeting’s Presiding Officer and First Vice Chairman, Mr Abel Ngwuta and Acting State Secretary, Mr Chukwuma Onwe.

According to the communiqué, Nwafor was suspended for failure to account for all the monthly stipends and subventions received on behalf of the congress from the State Government and other sources.


“He failed to account for all the monies received in respect of Democracy Day, Independence Anniversary and Workers Day celebrations, among others.

“He failed to account for all the monies received in respect of Ezillo Peace Tree Planting and failure to account for the proceeds to NLC from the government’s donation of four commuter/mass transit buses with additional N2million.” They said.

They added that Nwafor openly informed the governor that the motion, which directed public servants to embark on strike over the N18,000, was moved by Nkah, Chairman of the State branch of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

“This was intended to make Nkah a sacrificial lamb/scapegoat instead of owning up to the collective decision of the entire SEC of the congress.

“He also tried, though unsuccessfully, to poison the mind of the State Head of Service (HOS) not to recognize the leadership of the Public Service Negotiating Council (SJPSNC), Trade Union Side (TUS) under the pretext that he was not invited to the council’s election that produced them.

“He used his privileged office to witch-hunt and oppress leaders of industrial unions such as NULGE, Nigerian Union of Teachers, National Union of Road Transport Workers, among others despite being stakeholders and leaders of their respective affiliate unions’’, they added.”

The SEC in the communiqué said “Nwafor ceases to represent the congress as chairman while he faces full investigations.


“He is hereby directed to surrender all congress properties and monies in his possession to the acting chairman within seven days.”

Nwafor told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that he was studying the situation and would respond soon.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/nlc-suspends-chairman-in-ebonyi.html

The Federal Government’s ban on helicopter services on the Kaduna-Abuja route yesterday threw the aviation sector into disarray as investors and operators began to count losses.

The losses, running into billions as at yesterday, were due to several helicopters idling away in Lagos and Abuja while air operators failed in their commitments to passengers that had booked on both shuttle and charter services.
The Guardian learnt that foreign investors and their local partners who have invested millions of dollars and deployed for the botched services are currently considering immediate withdrawal of their helicopters from Nigeria.
According to industry sources, the development may precipitate the end of quality investment in helicopter services and contributions of the aviation sector to the troubled economy at large. As long as the ban stays while the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) lasts, the government may have made access to the seat of government (Abuja) by the rest of the world much more difficult.
Helicopter service operators in the country had expected and prepared for a boom time on account of the temporary closure of the NAIA for its runway’s repair.
The operators had deployed both charter and shuttle service helicopters for different categories of people on various routes (Lagos, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Minna) inwards Abuja.
The Guardian last week reported that the costs of the shuttle services ranged from N100,000 to N200,000 per head, depending on the boarding location and time of booking.
A direct helicopter shuttle service from Lagos to Abuja went for between N150,000 to N200,000 per head. A similar flight on Kaduna-Abuja or Minna-Abuja route cost between N50,000 and N100,000.
The market was living up to investors’ expectations when the Federal Government issued a memo, imposing the ban on chopper services in and around Abuja airport.
Sources yesterday confirmed that none of the operators has been able to carry out scheduled services since Friday, when President Muhammadu Buhari flew in from London after his medical holiday.
The chief executive officer of one of the airlines was moved to tears when he said: “This is not what we planned for at all. They have just ruined business for all of us. Helicopters worth $20 million are just sitting down doing nothing, while operators continue to incur the cost of parking, crew and maintenance.
“What kind of country is this? And what manner of leaders are we having? If you don’t call this a devilish act, then I don’t know what else to call it.”
It was learnt that the airline of our informant has been cancelling scheduled flights, both shuttle and chartered, and refunding money to customers who paid up front.
Another operator described the ban as overzealousness on the part of government “that is just bent on scaring investors away while mouthing their invitation to Nigeria.”
The Guardian learnt that operators have been in talks with the Federal Government to reverse the order, but with little response yet from the authorities.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Munguno, on Sunday banned chopper services in and around Abuja citing security concerns.
The NSA gave a directive banning helicopter shuttle services on the Abuja- Kaduna route through a memo in which he said, “In view of the closure of the airport, air travelers will be required to travel by road/train to Abuja from Kaduna International Airport. This will undoubtedly cause constraints on the movement of some passengers who will aim to travel using other means, notably the use of commercial ferry helicopters.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/billions-lost-to-helicopter-ban-on.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to head the special presidential delegation charged with the task of resolving the crisis in the Niger Delta region.

The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh disclosed this to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.

Boroh said the choice of Osinbajo as leader of the government’s fact-finding delegation to the crisis-ridden region was informed by President Buhari’s strategic plan to engender peace in the region.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that before now, the Niger-Delta elders were leading the delegation on the resolution of the crisis.

However, with the new presidential directive, Boroh said that the Vice President would henceforth head the delegation.


According to him, this will meet the President’s expectations of not only building confidence among the people on government’s intentions but also help in its fact-finding mission on a workable and lasting solution.

“President Buhari knew what he was doing when he directed the Vice President to head the delegation.

“You need to see him in action when he visited different communities in the oil-producing states.

“There is no doubt that the President knows that peace in the Niger Delta region is crucial to the development of the entire country,’’ Boroh said.

He said that the visit of the vice president to the Niger Delta was in phases to cover all Niger Delta states.

According to him, So far we have visited Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers and Imo states.

“The next phase will be Cross River, Abia and Ondo states. By that, we would have covered the entire Niger Delta states.


“This visit is in two folds. It is both a confidence-building and a fact-finding mission because a lot of information has been heard about the Niger Delta but no single person can claim to know all about the Niger delta.

“It requires effort by all stakeholders toward ensuring that issues of the Niger delta are resolved,” he said.

He also explained that efforts were on to pay beneficiaries of the amnesty programme studying abroad.

Boroh said that the problem arose due to the inability of the Federal Government to meet its financial obligations in the various countries.

The coordinator said the Amnesty Office would have to offset a lot of liabilities when funds allocated to it were eventually released.

He, however, said that priority would be given to the foreign beneficiaries, especially those graduating soon.

Boroh said that the Amnesty Office daily deals with false allegations made against it by some aggrieved youth craving to benefit from the programme.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/buhari-directs-osinbajo-to-head.html

From experts and economic actors, came a verdict that collective efforts are the requisite to turn the ailing economy back to the path of growth. The consensus was reached at the Vanguard Economic Discourse tagged, “The Hard Facts To Rescue Nigerian Economy”.

Starting the discourse was former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Charles Soludo, who said that Nigeria is a fragile state that needs the private sector’s involvement in getting it out of the challenge. Citing experts opinion, he said that the economy is now in dire need of rescue and was still at the same point where the colonial masters left it more than fifty years after independence.

He said there was no doubt that the Federal Government inherited debts by May 2015, which was further compounded by insecurity issues, corruption and disruption in the Niger Delta. He admitted that the previous government had an unprecedented rate of debt accumulation, even at a time of unprecedented oil boom, yet the foreign reserves was depleting instead of doubling.



The former banker said all these had wrecked havoc on economic confidence as well as private investment.However, he blamed the present administration for the worsening situation, saying that since two years, foreign exchange controls have wreaked havoc on business confidence and private investments, with massive capital flight and have driven the macro economy into recession.

On fiscal policy, he noted that the Federal Government has continued to spend over 100 per cent of its revenue on recurrent expenditure, just exactly as it was done by the previous government.

While commending the government for the release of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, he queried whether it is scripted as a post-oil economy. But the former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole said that Soludo’s claims are more of paper work, as growth can only be useful if it impacts the lives of many.

He queried: “CBN was borrowing money at 12 per cent where as the interest rate was cheaper outside Nigeria. Soludo promised seven million jobs to Nigerians and never delivered. How do all these translate to improving the life of an average Nigerian?”

He concluded by alleging that Nigeria’s challenge started from the time Soludo was in governance and could not offer any solution to it.Reacting, Soludo accused Oshiomhole of lying against him, adding that he had little or no knowledge of what happened then.

Minister of Solid Minerals and Development, Kayode Fayemi in a panel discussion said that plan was to ensure the sustainability of development, admitting that planning has never been Nigeria’s problem, but implementation.

Former Deputy Governor of CBN, and co-panelist, Obadiah Mailafiya, stated that some major problems of Nigeria were the absence of a national consensus, as it is now divided more than ever, with lack of regional and town planning, poor involvement of youths in national matters, as well as unemployment.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/soludo-past-administration-was.html#more

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court, Abuja, has dismissed an application by the Federal Government asking that the case filed by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, be quashed.


The Federal Government had asked the court to dismiss the case because it is a subject matter before the Federal High Court and the Appeal Court.

The government said as a result, Kanu’s application constitutes an abuse of court process.

The presiding judge, Micah Wright-Williams, dismissed the application of the government for lack of merit.

Meanwhile, IPOB has warned some politicians and traditional rulers from the South East and South South geopolitical zones to desist from sabotaging the efforts of its leader, Kanu in restoring the Biafra state.

The group said it was aware of the stiff opposition by two of the five South East governors against the restoration of Biafra state and release of its leader, Kanu in detention.

A statement by the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful warned that when its wrath would be visited on the politicians, the group would not listen to all those who have failed to caution them, when they come to plead on their behalf.

It read: “It has become absolutely necessary to warn political actors of varied shades and characters such as traditional rulers and politicians who have been identified as enemies of progress, to desist forthwith from sabotaging our people’s freedom which has come around the corner.

“We note the frenzy of activities presently ongoing as almost everybody is keying into the correct line of identifying with the truth by calling for the immediate release of our leader and the prophet of our time, Kanu and others detained illegally in all the prisons and security cells across the country.

“Nonetheless, we are told of the stiff opposition by two of the five South East governors. Accordingly, we are constrained to sound a note of warning to these two governors who have constituted themselves enemies of the people.

“There is anger stored up in the hearts of our people. For about 50 years of slavery and humiliation, we have suffered as a people for decades now. And the pain in our souls over the murder, massacre and subjugation of our people, which have all translated into hot volcanic lava, will be poured on these fake leaders in no distant future, who are still tied to the apron strings of their Northern masters.

“It is tragic that these two governors and some traditional rulers in our land are still held in psychological bondage at a time, all of our people have been set free from mental slavery by IPOB led by Kanu.

“Those who the gods want to destroy, are first made mad. Those eastern leaders masterminded the killing of our members in two states and are now secretly opposing the release of our leader Kanu.

because they are scared of his electrifying popularity with the down trodden masses.

“The cries of our people have gone up to heaven and God Almighty (Chukwu Okike Abiama) who rules in the affairs of men has set an agenda and a time table for us. No man can alter it again.”


because it is a divine project its time has come.

“Those patently afraid of Kanu’s popularity should repent now and take the same position he took on the slavery and persecution of our people. They should key in now, while there is still time.

“The only reason these characters are busy conspiring against the truth, is simply because, we are yet to bare our fangs. We assure them that we will soon show our teeth. They would be the scapegoats.”

The oppressor has run into a curved sac, he has nowhere else to run to, truth has finally defeated falsehood. Our people shall be free. He who has ear, let him hear,” he stated.


Kanu defeats /sd

Kanu defeats FG at ECOWAS Court

From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha

The ECOWAS court sitting in Abuja, has reportedly dismissed the application filed by the Federal Government asking that the suit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) be quashed.

The Federal Government asked the court to dismiss the case because it is a subject matter before the Federal High Court and the Appeal Court.

The government said as a result, Kanu’s application constitutes an abuse of court process.

The presiding judge, Micah Wright-Williams, dismissed the application of the government for lacking in merit.

Meanwhile, IPOB has warned some politicians and traditional rulers from the South East and South South geopolitical zones to desist from sabotaging the efforts of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu in restoring the Biafra state.

The group said it was told of the stiff opposition by two of the five South East governors against the restoration of Biafra state and release of its leader Kanu in detention.

A statement by the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful warned that when the wrath would be visited on the politicians, the group would not listen to all those who have failed to caution them today, when they come to plead on their behalf.

It read: “It has become absolutely necessary to warn political actors of varied shades and character such as traditional rulers and politicians who have been identified as enemies of progress, to desist forthwith from sabotaging our people’s freedom which has come around the corner.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/kanu-defeats-fg-at-ecowas-court.html

Government’s efforts at promoting local manufacturing got a boost on Monday as a trade fair showcasing made in Aba products dominated business activities in Abuja.
Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu who presided over the opening ceremony disclosed that there are 15,000 shoemakers in Aba, who produce 300,000 shoes per day, while one million of those shoes find their ways to Europe and other parts of the world on a weekly basis. The exports are estimated at about N1 billion weekly.

The governor said the state is happy that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has approved the garment making industry of the made in Aba sector.The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, represented by Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah said that the Senate would continue to do everything to promote made in Nigeria goods.
He said that the Senate had taken it upon itself from last year to amend the Procurement Act to ensure the local manufacturers benefit from the over N2 trillion government expenditure on procurement.
“On our part, we in the Nigerian Senate, and the National Assembly will continue to do everything within our mandate and powers to ensure that our domestic manufacturers and service providers have the enabling environment that they need to thrive,” Saraki said.

Na’Allah said that “If there is anytime Nigeria needs the Igbos, it is now.”According to the Senator, the ingenuity of the Igbos have enhanced Nigeria’s production capacity over the years.

Initiator of the fair, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who represents Abia South Senatorial District was happy that the idea was spreading across the country like wide fire adding that it was a no go area in 2013 when he floated the idea.

He thanked the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) for remaining steadfast to the idea of promoting made in Nigeria, just as he encouraged other lawmakers to situate their zonal intervention projects in SMEDAN.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/saraki-government-will-continue-to.html

Zlatan Ibrahimovic faces a three-match ban after being charged with violent conduct by the FA.

The Manchester United striker appeared to elbow Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings during the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Mings has also been charged and faces a lengthier ban for appearing to stamp on the Swede in an earlier incident during the Premier League clash.

Both players have until 6pm on Tuesday to reply to the charge.

Ibrahimovic could miss Manchester United’s FA Cup sixth-round tie against Chelsea next Monday night, as well as Premier League fixtures against West Brom and Middlesbrough.


Ibrahimovic maintains elbow on Mings was an accident as violent-conduct ban looms

The Swede said the clash was accidental following the game. “It was unlucky, he jumped into my elbow. But it was nothing on purpose.”

Mings said he was expecting a physical battle against United’s leading scorer in a match which saw Ibrahimovic miss a second-half penalty.

“He is a physical player,” said the Cherries defender. “I knew what sort of battle I would have playing against him. That’s what we had.

“There might have been an elbow when the ball came in. I didn’t see it but I felt it! I had a feeling he might be coming for me for the whole game. He’s a physical guy and it was a good battle all day.”

A statement on the FA’s website said: “Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Tyrone Mings have both been charged with alleged violent conduct following the Manchester United versus AFC Bournemouth game on Saturday [4 March 2017].

“The players were involved in two separate incidents in or around the 44th minute which were not seen by the match officials at the time but caught on video.


“Furthermore, The FA has submitted a claim that the standard punishment that would otherwise apply for the misconduct committed by the Bournemouth defender is ‘clearly insufficient’.

“Off the ball incidents which are not seen at the time by the match officials are referred to a panel of three former elite referees.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/fa-charges-ibrahimovic-faces-three.html

Leo Sobechi and Samson Ezea, met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as part of his 80th birthday celebration. He decided to take them with him on a memory lane, through his growing up years, military life and thoughts for Nigeria.


Your Excellency, you are 80 years in numbers, but you don’t look it. What is the secret of your strength and stamina?
Grace of God! I told an interviewer from the BBC, when he asked me what I have discovered about myself, that one of the things I discovered about myself is my stamina to go on. I said, ‘look, I never knew I could start work at 8 o’clock, sit down until five, come home and play squash and go on till 2 am, and then try to sleep; wake up at five am, go and play squash again, go for devotion and be at work at 8 o’clock in the morning. Or phone a minister at 1a.m and say, Mr. Minister, what have you done about A B C D?’ I said in that job, I discovered that, and it has become a part of my way of life.

After leaving office, your routine seems not to have changed. How does it feel being out of office?
I am what I am— a stupid village boy, born in the village, raised in the village, grew up in the village and did a number of things by accident. I went to school by accident, joined the army by accident, rose up in the army by accident, went to Congo, came back, and did what is right or what is wrong there. Then, I continued to rise in the army.

What do you mean when you said by accident?
Because some people would say, ‘yes, I came from a military family.’ But I didn’t come from a military family. Some people would say, ‘yes, I planned it and it took me two years to do so, but I didn’t plan it. I didn’t plan going to school. I was going with my father to the farm and one day, as we were returning from the farm, he just said, ‘look young man, is it this farming thing I am doing that you will continue to do for the rest of your life?’ And I replied, ‘yes, baba.’ Then, I had a cousin, who had left the village and went to Abeokuta to become a motor mechanic. So, he asked, ‘you don’t have an alternative?’ I said I had an alternative; that I wanted to be a mechanic. Then he said, ‘you don’t want to go to school?’ School had not crossed my mind, and I said, ‘baba, if you send me to school I will go.’ So, that was an accident. And he brought me to Abeokuta from the village.




I went to five different schools, because we came late, and I was not admitted. So, I stayed with my uncle in-law, my aunt’s husband. After three months my father came and said, ‘Sobo, don’t turn my son into a lazy man like you.’ He said this because I was going with the man to the river to catch fish every night. But my father came and took me with him. That was an accident. At that time, around the end of the year, people in the villages would go round for harvest. When they got to my village, the headmaster of the nearby village school came and after entertaining them, my father said, ‘can you give my son admission in your school?’ The headmaster said, ‘oh yes.’ That was the end of year, so I went. When I got there, the teacher registering new students asked, ‘what is your name?’ I replied that I am Olusegun. He said, ‘Olusegun, what?’ I said I am Olusegun Matthew.’ ‘Matthew Olusegun, what is your father’s name?’ I said, ‘my father’s name? That’s an insult!’



That would have been my first and last day in school, but for the understanding of the head teacher, because I attempted to slap the teacher. How could you insult my father by calling his name? But when I was called, the head teacher said I should lie flat on my stomach, while the teacher should give me three strokes of the cane. I might not have continued; I might have ended my school on that first day. So, when I talk of accidents, these are things you don’t and cannot say I planned.

I didn’t even plan going to war by virtue of the fact that I belonged to the Engineering Corp in the army. I was in Ibadan, when I was called. One Justice Akin, whose house was not far from mine, said after my name was announced, ‘if he is an army engineer, how could he be called to go to the war front?’ But then, at a certain stage in your military career, they did what was called staff and command training, which means it didn’t matter your area of specialisation, as you could go into normal military runs. So, you could be an engineer and command a brigade; you could be an armoured corps and command a brigade or you could be an artillery and command brigade, and so on. I said, ‘well, you (Justin Akin) haven’t offended me, you only expressed yourself because of the limit of your knowledge.’

If you were to recommend a particular lifestyle for today’s young people, what specifically would that be?
A late friend of mine that I used to marvel about his intellect and ability, including longevity, was Helmut Schmidt, the former German chancellor. He died at the age of 96. Helmut was physically and mentally strong and robust, but he did everything you may not want to do. He smoked, used snuffs. He also drank and if a good looking woman went by, my friend would probably say hi to her. When he turned 90, I went to celebrate his birthday with him. And I said, ‘Helmut, well, we thank God for your life.’ He said, ‘this thing they call old age is a bad thing.’ But how can it be a bad thing? We all want to be old. He said, ‘no, it is a bad thing. When you are old, you can’t hear without hearing aid, you saw me put on my hearing aid; you can’t see without wearing glasses, you can’t walk without stick, you can’t eat without dentures,’ but I don’t have dentures yet. He continued, ‘you can’t make love without assistance,’ but I don’t know what he meant by that. So, I think it is the grace of God.

On the 5th of this month, when I will officially celebrate my day, I will play squash. They are doing the squash court and they will have a tournament, which they will cut that morning. And on that morning, between 7 and 9 o’clock, I will be there to play with veterans for 15 minutes. I want to play with the Bellboy for 15 minutes and with the Bell girl for 15 minutes. That is a total of 45 minutes.

Looking back, how did you feel the first time you saw a strand of grey hair on your head?
It didn’t worry me. Why should grey hair bother me? It is part of the ageing process. And except you are a fool, you should know you have to age. So, what you should be praying and working for is to age gracefully and responsibly. Ageing is a process you cannot do anything about. But since I completely shave my hair, I don’t know whether it is grey or white. So, you have grey hair and it is bothering you? You better stop worrying.

At 80, what regrets do you have?
I used to have a friend, Howard, in the UK. He is dead now. When he turned 65, I was in the UK. I said, ‘Howard, I want you to go with me to dinner tonight to mark your birthday.’ And he said ‘ok, you come and pick me at my clinic on Harley Street. I will leave my car for my wife and daughter, because they won’t be joining us.’ So, I went to pick him and we were waiting in front of the restaurant, and I asked this particular question you just asked. I said, ‘Howard, do you have any regrets at 65? He hesitated for almost 30 seconds and then replied, ‘you know I have never thought of it, until you asked this question. But now that you have asked, do I really have any regret;? No, because God has blessed me abundantly. I went to one of the best universities in the world, I went to Oxford.’ At the age of 22, he qualified as a medical doctor.

This was during the Second World War. He joined the army and rose to the rank of a colonel. Before he was 30, he was riding a Rolls Royce. He made money in stock exchange, where he bought shares and stocks. As a doctor, he was fairly successful, and he had three children. He counted and he said, come to think of it, you regret what you should have done, which you did not do and which you can no longer do, either because for whatever circumstances. Then, he started recounting what he had done, and he said to me, ‘the only regret I have is that I had wanted my son to be a medical doctor like me, but he turned out to be a hippie, something like an area boy.’ But that was not of his making, but that of his son.

So, do I really have any regrets? Is there anything that I should have done that I didn’t do, when I had the opportunity to do it? No. Is there anything I would have wanted to do that I did not do? No. Is there anything I have done, which with the benefit of hindsight I wish I hadn’t? No. I always say to my children, ‘my prayer is that I may never do anything that I cannot own up to you.’ And if I can own up to my children anything I have done, I can own up to anyone and even God. When I had the opportunity, I did my best, though you may say my best is not good enough, but that is entirely up to you. Have I done my best? Yes, I have done my best, and have satisfied my conscience and my God.

How you’ve kept such documents as your primary school and entrance results gives the impression of one who is good at record keeping. Right from day one, you knew where you were going. That could not have been by accident…
I didn’t know what I would be in life. Like I said, I went to school by accident, but if you ask, I said here is my card. My interviewer from BBC said he could not even remember where his secondary school card is, not to talk of primary school. It is part of the things one began to do… normally I am very careful, I believe in taking care of small things. My belief is that if you take care of small things, big things will not elude you. That is number one. Number two; I believe that history is very, very important. And what we have done there, which is also our slogan or our mission is: Preserve the past, capture the present and design the future and of course, maintain our culture.

As you can see, all these are aspects and the whole content. If you do not know history or you are careless about history, remember that history is your memory. And you don’t want to lose your memory, because if you do, what you ate yesterday, you won’t know. I think it would be tragic not to remember what you ate yesterday. And one of the things we don’t normally take care of, which we take for granted and we are careless about, is what I call institutional memory. We don’t have it; we don’t keep it, as a country. Most of our institutions, like the so-called National Museum, do you see the state they are? So, you see why we have done what we did here, it is not only me. Anybody can build anything and we are never short of buildings or the idea of building, but they are not maintained. So, how do we obtain history? How do we have access to information? How do we retrieve and we treat them as important?

When I became the head of state, I went to Britain and said, ‘look, get me a bureau of statistics, whereby I can press a button and I know how much or how many barrels of oil we have produced in Nigeria since 1965. There is nowhere you can do that in Nigeria today, but if you go to London you will get it. This is leadership. Nigeria sold many barrels of oil in 1970. So, you need information, you need the records, you need the history. In America, they have NARA, which is a government organisation, which once a president builds his presidential library, NARA takes it up to oversee, operate and maintain. Only yesterday, Obama took the decision on the same consultant, RRA and associates that consulted for us. They now consult for Obama in his Presidential Library. Only yesterday they phoned me and said one of the things they presented in their bid is what they have done in our own presidential library. And I said, ‘well you are in good company.’

Looking at the present dispensation, what do you think is currently lacking?
The entire problem is leadership problem. We are just dancing around. In 1998, people came to me, saying you are trying to be President of Nigeria, you may be the last President of Nigeria. Why? They believed by the time I stepped out of office as president of Nigeria, there would be no Nigeria any more. Why, because we had Abacha. And I said, ‘well, I will be president, because, I believe in Nigeria and I have nothing to offer Nigeria other than leadership, which I have offered. They believe if at the end of the day I failed, I would return to my farm. But they were wrong, and I was right, because after me, we have had Yar’ Adua, Jonathan and we now have Buhari. So now, we have had how many years of unbroken democracy? This is the first time we are going to have such a thing. The first time in the history of Nigeria as an independent country, that we would have a peaceful handover from one personality to another was in 2007, in the same party; in 2015 from one personality to another, from one party to another, from ruling party to opposition party, such history is not easy to come by. We should rejoice at that.

When people say, ‘oh they have problems there. Yes, we should have achieved a lot more than we have, but we should also know it could have been worse. I said to my interviewer that people should stop saying Nigeria has not done anything since independence as a country. The generation that gave us independence, you may say whatever you like about them, I may even join you in saying whatever you have to say about them. But they gave us independence; they did that. My own generation, which is the generation that followed, you may say what you like about it, but we fought for the unity of Nigeria. And that should not be taken for granted. How many countries have gone through civil war? So, say what you like. Now we have a democratic dispensation for almost 18 years. We should celebrate that.

How do you feel, when you hear such things as, the last 16 years were a waste and all that?
I just believe it is the height of ignorance and un-appreciation of what God has done for this country. Yes, as I said, I would be the first to admit that we haven’t been where we should have been. But we have also been far from where we could have been.

Ondo State Police Command has arrested no fewer than 14 people in connection with last Saturday’s cult clash in Ondo, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area of the state.

No fewer than nine people reportedly lost their lives while several others sustained injuries in the town during the clash.


The suspected cultists were allegedly working for a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the town.

It was learnt that the clash was between cult groups known as Afee Cult and Eiye confraternity, each of which lost its members during the clash.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Femi Joseph, who spoke with Sunday Sun on telephone, said all the suspects would be prosecuted.

Although the PPRO did not disclose the names of the suspects, he said they were arrested at various locations in the town after the incident.

He said: “We have so far arrested about 14 people. We are still arresting and we will continue until we arrest all of them. We are preparing to take them to court.”
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/14-arrested-over-ondo-killings.html

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, yesterday, congratulated former President Olusegun Obasanjo on attaining the age of 80 and described him as a “beacon of national unity, peace and progress.”

Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in a tribute to mark Obasanjo’s 80th birthday anniversary today, said he is delighted, on behalf of the 8th Senate, to join family, friends and numerous well wishers of Chief Obasanjo, in celebrating his entry into the elite club of octogenarians.

He said that apart from having served the country “diligently, passionately and conscientiously” for many decades, Chief Obasanjo has remained one of the dominant figures in national discourse.
“Baba, for several decades, you have been one of the dominant figures in our national discourse,” Saraki said. “On several fronts, you have served the nation diligently, conscientiously and passionately. In fact, you remain a beacon of our national unity, peace and progress.”
Similarly, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has lauded former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s roles in successful hosting of the historic FESTAC ‘77 as the military Head of State.

Also, Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has felicitated with the former President, describing him as a quintessential leader and passionate lover of his fatherland.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/saraki-obasanjo-beacon-of-national-unity.html

Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has expressed joy over the role the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, by dispatching the special squad that worked in tandem with officers and men of the Imo Police Command that finally ended the ugly story of the notorious kidnapper, Mr. Henry Chibueze, a.k.a Vampire.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Sam Onwuemeodo, the Governor said the extermination of Vampire’s life is a milestone on the capability of the police.

Okorocha also commended officials of the Directorate of Security Services (DSS), who had arrested Vampire in Owerri in 2015, creating the consciousness on the roles of all.

On the reported threat against him and his family by Vampire over the N5m ransom he placed on his head, the governor said that such threat was an empty one, because he knew that Vampire, having stepped into Imo State to carry out criminal activities, would soon become history and a bad one for that matter.

Okorocha expressed optimism that with the development, Imo was safe for living. Crack squad from the IGP killed Vampire after several hours of gun battle in a forest in Ikwerre, Rivers State on Thursday.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/okorocha-commends-igp-over-killing-of.html

Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Friday sentenced two men to five years imprisonment each, for dealing in Cannabis Sativa, popularly called Indian hemp.

The convicts, Taiwo Ifeanyi, 22, and Akin Adeoye, 21, were handed the jail terms, following their guilty plea to a one count charge of unlawful dealing in banned weed filed against them by the National Drugs Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

While urging the court to sentence the duo, who were charged separately, prosecution counsel Jeremiah Aernan said the convicts were arrested by the agency’s operatives at different locations in Lagos.

Aernan said while Ifeanyi was arrested in November 25 last year at Igbolowu area of Ikorodu, with one kilogram of the weed, Adeoye was arrested a day earlier at Trailer Park, Haji Camp, NAHCO, Ikeja, Lagos, with the same quantity of the substance.

He added that upon analysing the weed, it proved to be Cannabis Sativa.


Aernan said the offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

The duo, who had no legal representation, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy and promised not to return to drug dealing.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/two-hemp-sellers-jailed-five-years.html

The United Nation on Friday denied receiving a letter reportedly written by a former President of the Senate, Chief Ameh Ebute, in which he accused some of Nigeria’s neighbours of complacency in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency.

Ebute wants such countries sanctioned.

The letter was supposed to have been addressed to the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, and a copy sent to the Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court, Hague.

However, Mr. Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the Secretary-General, denied knowledge of the letter.

“I’ve seen the press reports. I have not seen the letter,” he said.


“Obviously, the question of sanctions is up for the Council.

“And I think for the UN, for our part, we’ve always counted on the cooperation of all countries in the Lake Chad Basin in the fight against Boko Haram.”

Ebute had said in the letter “that each time the insurgents strike in Nigeria, they escape into either or all of these countries for refuge, during which time, they recuperate, re-energise, re-arm and surface to attack new targets in Nigeria.

“It must be emphasized that the three countries have always been the entry and exit points for terrorists into and out of Nigeria.

“Since the fall of Sambisa forest, their safest haven in Borno State, residues of insurgents have relocated to these countries, from where they stray into Nigerian territories to launch random attacks on soft and obscure targets.”

The former Senate President urged the UN Secretary-General to invoke relevant instruments, particularly Article 99 of the UN Charter.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/03/boko-haram-un-yet-to-receive-sanction.html