₦airaland Forum

In the United States alone, Religion-related businesses contribute approximately 500 Billion Dollars to the country’s economy annually. In China, the figure is more as most bibles and religion-related products such as clothing and ornaments are produced in China. TB Joshua is one of Nigeria’s most notorious Pastors, in line with Enoch Adeboye. Below, we list the top 3 greatest scandals of Temitope Balogun Joshua as a leader of a religion-related business:



The SCOAN Synagogue Collapse: In 2014, a guesthouse at TB Joshua’s church premise in Lagos Nigeria collapsed killing 112+ people. During the course of the scandal, TB Joshua was recorded offering bribes to journalists to falsely portray his church positively despite the inhumane conditions and loss of lives. To date, TB Joshua has faced no jail time or prosecution for his lackadaisical role in the death of over 112 Africans at his church premise.
The “Snake Pastor” Scandal: ‘Snake pastor’ Penuel Mnguni of End Times Disciples Ministries publicly declared that when he was invited to Nigeria by TB Joshua for “deliverance”, he was used as a tool to deceive the congregation. He claimed his passport was taken from him and he was threatened to do whatever TB Joshua and his cronies demanded from him to deceive the audience.
The Jim Iyke Scandal: In 2017, a Nigerian actor, Jim Iyke claimed that TB Jushua took advantage of him when he was going through the travails of his mother’s sickness and eventual death. Jim Iyke mentioned he found certain affairs of TB Joshua’s church laughable and embarrassing.
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https://olatorera.com/the-greatest-scandals-of-pastor-temitope-balogun-tb-joshua-of-nigeria-religion-industry-analysis/

Top 5 Reasons The Flaunt Of Materialistic Wealth Diminishes Your Brand Positioning In Today’s Africa: The Case Of Dino Melaye, Mbuvi Gidion Kioko Mike Sonko, Linda Ikeji, Others


With the increased repatriation of educated Africans from around the world with development-centered goals, Africans are increasingly less materialistic and more pro-developments. Majority of the intelligent and educated population prefer to see finances invested into growth-induced projects. Posting pictures of your homes, cars and other properties are becoming much less of interest to the general public. Dino Melaye, what the world would rather see, is the developments that have stemmed from your tenure in the senate of Nigeria, the increased infrastructure, better educational systems and the likes. Mbuvi Gidion Kioko also known as Mike Sonko, Kenya’s economy craves more growth to contribute to the nation’s gross domestic products. Why not invest in converting locally sourced gold to finished products worthy of exportation? Linda Ikeji, Nigerians are probably more interested in development-focused achievements rather than your I-have-arrived-from-poverty newly acquired ability to buy cars and other materialistic assets. The below are Top 5 reasons the flaunt of materialistic wealth is much less significant to Africans today:

Many African countries are experiencing economic down times. For example, Nigeria is still pulling out of one of the worst recessions ever. Sharing these images publicly on your own isn’t becoming of a successful person who worked hard for his/her wealth. It’s more a trait of someone who acquired wealth by illegal means. Enjoy your wealth privately and do more good publicly.
You are idolizing materialistic wealth in an era whereby Africans needs to focus on increasing local production and developments. Over 50% of Africans are living below the poverty line. The continent needs more investments pumped into creating jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities.
The import-export ratio between Africa and the rest of the world is extremely uneven. We know all your cars are imported. Not exactly a direction the continent is proud of today. Buy it where needed but why flaunt it?
Flaunting your wealth says this about your brand positioning: “I bought it to show off.” Enjoy the proceeds from your hard-work quietly. At this time, when corruption-induced recession is causing thousands of deaths in Africa daily, no one cares about Range Rovers or Ferraris. Intelligent people who worked hard for their wealth, prefer to enjoy it privately and ward off criminals.
Africa needs more leaders and role models. Can you be one? Flaunting wealth is not a trait of real leaders. Ask Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama and others.

http://olatorera.com/dino-melaye-mbuvi-gidion-kioko-mike-sonko-linda-ikeji-others-top-5-reasons-the-flaunt-of-materialistic-wealth-diminishes-your-brand-positioning-in-todays-africa/

Amebo go and read your book. [img][/img]

It is a matter of record that on the 7th of August, 2018, lawmakers and staff of the National Assembly were prevented from entering the National Assembly Complex by heavily armed security agents of the Department of State Services (DSS). All entries to the Complex were blocked. The National Assembly, the seat of democracy in Nigeria, was under lockdown. Senators and Members of the House of Representatives were prevented from gaining access. 

The ensuing standoff was a show of shame that played itself out over several hours in full view of the country. In no circumstances should this have happened. And we as a nation reaped the bitter fruits instantaneously, as evident in media images relayed around the world, images that shame us as a democratic nation. The siege was also an act of cowardice by those seeking to carry out an illegal impeachment of the leadership of the Senate in flagrant disregard of the law. People who seek control at all costs, by whatever means, never minding the injury to democratic norms. 

I have to say that this is not about me – Abubakar Bukola Saraki as an individual. It is not about Ike Ekweremadu, nor is it about Yakubu Dogara. I am speaking for my colleagues when I say that this is about the soul of Nigeria, what we represent as a country and our standing in the comity of nations. This is a country where so much is expected of us, so many rungs of the ladder that we are supposed to have ascended as a nation. Instead, we are wallowing in impunity and illegal show of force, all of which slowpoke our progress. 

This is most disheartening. I don’t get any joy in saying: I said so. I don’t. However, some of you may recall that about two years ago, I stated that there was a government within this government, to a purpose that was not in the interest of what the people voted for. I said it then, and now we are beginning to see the manifestations of that government within a government. It beats one’s imagination how the head of an agency could have authorized the brazen assault on the legislature that we saw yesterday. Despite the threat to our lives, we shall continue to fight impunity and injustice in this country. 
 Happily, by the actions that Nigerians took yesterday, they demonstrated our strong resolve as a nation not to give ground to oppression. The legislature, more than any other institution in this country, more than any other arm of government, represents the will of the people. We are elected by the people, and an assault on the legislature is an assault on the people of Nigeria. The forcible shutdown of the legislature was an unconscionable assault on a national institution, and thanks to all your efforts, the aggressors have been put to shame. 
The resistance mounted by the staff of the National Assembly, my colleagues in both chambers and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) who refused to leave the entrance of this Complex until the siege was broken, strengthens my faith in the people of this country. The rain fell, the sun rose, but Nigerians stood their ground in defence of democracy. With the strength of will demonstrated by everyone against unwarranted and unconstitutional militaristic might, the siege could not stand. 
By this, we have shown that Nigerians can resist government within the government in whatever guise, and this is humbling for me. Those who sought to attack the National Assembly under my leadership for their selfish ends have only affirmed my belief in this country. They attempted to execute an illegal impeachment of the leadership of the Senate without the backing of the law, but they faltered. I am confident that, together, we shall always defeat acts of unconstitutionality. The rule of law shall always prevail. 
 I want to thank Nigerians, Senators, Members of the House of Representatives and National Assembly Staff, for standing up to be counted for democracy during yesterday’s siege. I thank the thousands who monitored the situation on radio, television and social media, voicing their outrage at the siege, thereby sending a clear message to those that hatched the plot that the Nigerian public would not buy this act of gangsterism using instruments of state such as the DSS. 
I also thank the international community – particularly the European Union – and the international press, for their prompt reactions to the invasion of the National Assembly. CSOs and Socio-cultural groups were emphatic in their statements during the crisis, and we very much appreciate their vigilance. 

 Among the many that come up for special mention, I believe that Honourable Boma Goodhead, a member of the House of Representatives, stands out. She looked like a masked security operative in the eye and dared him to shoot. She let it be known that Nigerians would not stand for the barricade at the National Assembly, that we would not be cowed. It was another pointer to what is possible in this country when women take their place in leadership. 

I applaud all who kicked against the atrocity and who stood firm until sanity prevailed. I am proud of how everyone conducted themselves in what was no doubt a tense standoff. The principled stance and defiant reactions to the ugly incident proved crucial to the failure of the plot. This is what we have been saying about the power of the people. The role of the people in defending democracy is paramount. 
 I thank the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for his handling of the situation we were all confronted with yesterday. His decisive action went a long way towards restoring confidence. It sent a powerful message – that the DSS cannot be recklessly deployed against institutions of our democracy. The path of leadership is not by party, and we must commend it wherever it is found. Mr Acting President did the right thing. However, the damage control so far does not address the question of how this atrocity happened in the first place. 
This is an incident concerning which we have it on good authority that it has been in the planning for months, and yet it was allowed to happen. How is it that such an atrocity was not prevented? How is it that the masterminds were not deterred? Very serious questions remain that can only be answered by a full investigation. We call for an investigation, and we demand that all perpetrators are brought to book. We owe it to ourselves to ensure that such a situation never occurs again. Many agencies have abused their powers and acted outside the ambit of the law on occasion. Where abuses occur, similar actions must be taken immediately and full investigation instituted. 

I must say that when we fought for Change, we could not have envisaged a scenario such as unfolded yesterday – an atmosphere where people cannot tolerate dissent or mere differences of opinion as to the future of our dear country. This is not the Change we fought for. We did not fight for instruments of state to be used to oppress Nigerians and their lawmakers. I know that I, certainly, did not fight just so the legislature could be undermined and subjected to this onslaught. 
 There are many lessons to be drawn from the ugly incident we all witnessed yesterday. For one, the government must ensure that security agencies remain neutral and act in line with the position of the constitution as well as their enabling laws. Heads of Agencies should be accountable, and those who step out of line must be held responsible for their actions. Enough with impunity. Enough with the reckless and senseless deployment of militaristic force. Enough. 
In this dark cloud, we can see the silver lining, and that silver lining is the commitment of Nigerians to defending their hard-won democracy. I am more than encouraged by the strength, the determination and the resolve of ordinary Nigerians to see to it that democracy survives and thrives in this country. I am also strengthened by the determination of the media to report and analyse the truth as they see it. 

I want to reassure Nigerians that, on our part, we remain committed to working for a country governed by the rule of law. Our desire is to have a society where there will be equity and justice, not oppression. We stand committed to doing our utmost as lawmakers to ensure that the responsibility and functionality of governance are met. Although we are on annual break, we are daily reviewing the situation and are alive to the responsibility to take action as necessary. Unfortunately, yesterday’s shutdown prevented us from meeting with INEC, as scheduled, to address funding concerns. We will continue to look into the matter. In the spirit of that, we also appeal to Mr President to sign the 2018 Electoral Act Amendment Bill which has been sent for his assent. 

I remain confident in the support of my colleagues and their focus on the job at hand, which is to serve the Nigerian people. My confidence is unshaken. I remain committed to the success of the historic 8th National Assembly, and to the continued progress of our count.
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The National Youth Service Corp is undoubtedly a rigorous phase of being a Nigerian graduate. Coupled with the lack of basic amenities for all Citizens, Nysc camps are no different. We have compiled a list of the worst Nysc camps in Nigeria. The essence of this article is to guide students going for their NYSC service about the worst states and cities to serve considering factors like security, the standard of living and pay.

Kaduna
Ms Tira Paul recounted her ordeal in Kaduna camp, according to her, there was no light, they had bad toilets and the hostels allocated to corp members were not conducive.

Sokoto
A former corps member, Titi Bada, recounted her ordeal thus; “I served in Sokoto in 2013. The conditions there were horrible. They do not have a camp there, they use Government Technical College, Farfaru. When we first got there, I vehemently argued with my fellow corps members that the school was not inhabited by students before we got there. I took my stand based on the conditions we met there. “The ceiling boards were all broken. There was no bunk in my block, we had to look for stones to suspend our mattresses on planks and other surfaces we could find. Two girls managed to get the semblance of a bunk, one was on top and the other at the bottom. “Eventually, the top bunk collapsed on the lady at the bottom in the middle of the night. There was no bathroom. The entire dormitory area had just 4 pit toilets. If I was told, I wouldn’t have believed such conditions exist in modern day Nigeria. There was no water. The big reservoir had dirty water in it. Eventually, NYSC had to bring tanks that were filled once a day by tankers from outside the school.”

Osun State
Taiye Adenugba, lamenting the poor quality of food in Osun camp, said; “The standard of food and the quantity has made me and several of my colleagues rely on food joints in Mammy Market, a sales and service area within the camp, for feeding. The food is not impressive. I hardly go to the kitchen because it feels like a waste of time.

Adamawa State
The major issue with Adamawa camp according to Corp members basically is insecurity. Corp members were allowed to redeploy from this state. The camp was closed for three years before it was reopened. Recently, Yobe and Adamawa Corp members had to undergo their orientation camp in Bauchi.

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http://olatorera.com/the-worst-nysc-national-youths-service-corps-camps-in-nigeria/

Forbes has revealed the net worth of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, worldwide, Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

According to Forbes, his net worth is valued at between 39 to 65 million dollars. His churches give him at least two million dollars in revenue per year.

Pastor Adeboye and his family own about 65 million dollars, a private jet and several houses. Forbes also revealed his three top cars ranging from Rolls Royce Phantom, with a starting price of $400, 000. Land Rover Discovery worth about $80, 000. And Mercedes Benz Gelandewagen with starting cost of $100, 000. Forbes also reports that the revered pastor has several houses and at least one in Great Britain. Pastor Adeboye also owns a new 65-million-dollar private Jet, Gulfstream G550 made in Georgia USA. This makes us wonder why the government do not tax the churches since it is now a business enterprise.

Atiku Abubakar:

Atiku Abubakar is a Grand Commander, Order of The Niger (GCON). A former Vice President of Nigeria under the leadership of Olusegun Obasanjo, he has been involved in Nigeria’s politics for over 25 years. Aged 71, he is a Nigerian politician with business interests in diverse industries. He is a member of the People’s Democratic (PDP) Party.

Rabiu Kwankwaso:

Kwankwaso is currently serving as a senator in Nigeria’s National Assembly. In previous years, he was elected Governor of Nigeria’s Kano State for 2 terms and as Defense Minister under then President Olusegun Obasanjo for 2 terms. In 2015, Kwankwaso contested the Nigerian presidential primaries nomination under the All Progressive Congress (APC) party and lost to Muhammad Buhari.

Kingsley Moghalu:

55 years old former Deputy Governor of The Central Bank of Nigeria is an OON (Officer, Order of the Niger). He has published several books including “Build, Innovate, Grow: My Vision for our Country”. He is the founder of Tobuildanation.com and The Kingsley Moghalu Foundation with plans to sponsor 50 Nigerian entrepreneurs in 2018.

Please comment with the name of Nigeria’s better candidate. In this debate, select only 1 candidate and optionally give your reason(s). Please be ethical and fair. Nigeria deserves the better leader. In openly and anonymously selecting your choice, evaluate the candidates:

Character, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Stand
Political Experience & Strong, Growth-Focused Leadership
Educational Background
No Godfather – Self-made, necessarily confident, able to make the smartest decisions for over 160 million people.
Allies – Is he loved by fellow leaders, other citizens, other countries etc.
Most likely to serve only 1 term or maximum 2 terms. Will not attempt to rule for life.
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http://olatorera.com/official-2019-nigerian-elections-debate-1-moghalu-or-kwankwaso-or-atiku-for-president-of-nigeria/

Piper Kerman was a 24-year-old Smith College graduate in 1993, when she flew to Belgium with a suitcase of money intended for a West African drug lord, BURUJI KASHAMU.

This misguided adventure started when she began a romantic relationship with a woman who was part of what Kerman describes as a “clique of impossibly stylish and cool lesbians in their mid-30s.” That woman was involved in a drug-smuggling ring, and got Kerman involved, too, though Kerman left that life after several months.

Five years later, Kerman was named as part of the drug ring and, in February 2004, she reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Conn.

In 1998, Kerman was indicted for money laundering and drug trafficking. She subsequently pleaded guilty. Beginning in 2004, she served 13 months of a 15-month sentence at FCI Danbury , a minimum security prison located in Danbury, Connecticut.

During her sentence, the website “The Pipe Bomb” was set up to document her life behind bars.

http://olatorera.com/meet-piper-kerman-the-woman-who-laundered-money-for-nigerian-senator-buruju-kashamu/

Senate President BUkola Saraki officially announce his defection to PDP

APC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abudlahi, Resigns, Joins PDP, ahead of Senate President Bukola Saraki announcement to finally join a party of his choice.

Next are Sokoto state governor and Minister for Information, Lai Muhammad

Eight lawmakers of the Benue State House of Assembly under the All Progressives Congress, APC, have served impeachment notice to the Governor of the state, Samuel Ortom.

According to Ortom’s spokesman, Tahav Agerzua, the lawmakers took over the Assembly complex to sit and pass the impeachment notice while the police blocked further access. Meanwhile, a detachment of heavily armed policemen has currently shut down the Benue State House of Assembly. The policemen blocked the entrance to the Assembly complex, denying workers access. Meanwhile, youths from Benue state have, in the early hours of Monday,30th of July  as at 5:am, trooped en masse to block the Benue Assembly complex over what they claimed was plots by some politicians loyal to the All Progressives Congress, APC, led Federal government to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom who has dumped the party for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Reports not yet very clear claim the security personnel are currently in a clash with the Benue youths over the alleged invasion of State’s Assembly complex as well as the planned plot to impeach the Governor. Reports also claim the police team is firing tear gas to disperse the youths. Governor Ortom had given reasons as to why he dumped the APC to include that his people, the Benue state youths, had forced him to leave the party or cease to be their governor.

The populace of the most populous nation in Africa has known no greater tragedy than the tragic president they currently have. One who has no clue in running a state, talkless of a whole nation. Over the years Buhari has proven to be incompetent. It came as a great shock to the people of the nation Nigeria, that a president who has failed woefully has sought re-election. It is also a great shame to see the Famous Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, performing at the campaign in Abuja.

It makes us wonder if Nigerian politicians and the people who have a say in the development of her nation really care about the way to move the country forward. Recently a youth corp member was shot by the police a night to her nysc passing out parade. She was laid to rest on the 29th of July 2018. No government official attended the burial.

Zamfara state is in a state of chaos, the Fulani herdsmen are still going on with their killings, but the incompetent Buhari wants a second term and he promises to bring peace and stability back to the economy, what he couldn't achieve in three years.  He has Failed in areas of respecting human rights,  protecting human lives, respecting principles of separation of powers.

This is a clarion call to urge all Nigerians to vote wisely. Let the educated individual who has a clear-cut vision lead the country.

http://olatorera.com/a-tragedy-called-buhari/

On the 27th of July 2018, we made a post about the abduction of the Kogi state senator, Dino Melaye. It has been confirmed that he was never kidnapped from the onset.

Although Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West, resurfaced on Friday to claim he “spent 11 hours in the wilderness”, SaharaReporters has confirmed that he was never kidnapped.

Melaye was scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday before the Magistrate court in Abuja for alleged gunrunning, but the trial could not hold due to the claims by Senator Ben Bruce, quoting Melaye’s brother, that he had been abducted by unknown gunmen.

On Friday, he wrote on Twitter: “I thank God once again for escaping another dangerous attack. I also thank Nigerians for their prayers and show of Love. Spent 11 hours in the wilderness traumatized but God preserved me. God is the best and in whom ONLY I trust. They will continue to try. WE SHALL OVERCOME!!!”

Contrary to those claims, Melaye’s relatives and many senators have told SaharaReporters that he was never kidnapped but only staged a walk into a bush to avoid being charged to court.
http://olatorera.com/update-senator-dino-melaye-was-never-kidnapped/

If we want a GREAT Nigeria, we can't avoid the questions.

1. What will Nigeria sell to the world in large quantities apart from oil? When will Nigeria's foreign exchange fluctuation and economy swings be no longer linked to oil?
2. What's the future of manufacturing in Nigeria? With Nigeria's large population, the easiest way to put unskilled people to work is to expand manufacturing. How will this be managed with threats of automation and robots?
3. What's the fate of our education system? How can we reinvent our education system to harness our best and also provide competitive skills to our youth? How can Nigeria build a technical base of talents on a large scale?
4. How does every Nigerian have access to quality healthcare? What should be a standard PHCs, the escalation process to secondary and tertiary institutions? When will a Nigerian stop dying of lack of oxygen, blood and diagnostic equipment?
5. How do we stop the radical migration of our doctors as well as our professionals who are losing hope in their dream of Nigeria?
6. Nigeria has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP in the world. This means it's either the people aren't wealthy, the wealthy aren't paying enough or there isn't a holistic method of tax collection. How do we resolve this?
7. How do we resolve the question - Who is a Nigerian? It's said anyone with a black face can bribe an immigration officer to get our passport. How do we account for every Nigeria? How do we get every Nigerian a single user ID?
8. Our power system is in crisis. The gas infrastructure is inadequate, the power plants are poorly sited, the national grid is weak and over-centralized, opacity in DISCO operations and poor collection mechanism. What's the way to 15,000MW steady distribution?
9. When will Nigeria demolish the FAAC template as we know it? How can our states be competitive if they are meant to appear in Abuja for monthly share? How can competition among states be incentivised?
10. What's the fate of NNPC? A National Oil Company with conflicting roles. When will Nigeria set an agenda for its oil industry with the passage of PIB/PIGB/etc?
When will NNPC become just another oil company paying taxes and dividends?
11. When will Nigerians possess the full technical expertise to build roads, rail and industry? When will the fundamentals of Nigeria industry be resolved through investment in skills? How long will Nigeria always wait to monetise a barrel of oil before it can construct a road?
12. What will Nigeria do with the strength of its diaspora? You have skilled people all over the world but unlike the Chinese or Indians, you deliberately do nothing about them?
13. When will public office be about service not opaque allowances of legislators, discretionary security votes and abuse of institutions by the Executive?
When will be impossible for a public officer to steal because every institution is alive to put him/her in check?
14. How do we secure Nigeria with an overstretched security force, increasingly serving a small elite.
How can we boost community intelligence systems, escalation systems and also ensure state policing without being prone to abuse?
15. What's the way out of farmers-herdsmen conflicts and rural banditry? How do we escape the Boko Haram trap and the large pool of potential recruits in our employed youth?
16. How does public spending become transparent and fully accounted for? How will our procurement process be simplified for small business to participate or are we to continue with current opaque box-ticking exercise?
17. How about our music, movies and arts? What makes it more global? What makes it greater in terms of quality and revenue take?
18. Why will anyone want to come to Nigeria for tourism? What will our reception desk (airport) look like?
Where exactly will they go and how do we build experiences out of Nigeria?
19. How will Nigeria be a magnet for foreign investment? When is our true hype coming because the world accepts we have found our North star?
20. How will Nigeria's political system throw up its best with the capacity, competence and character to deliver greatness for its people?
21. When will an average Nigerian get access to credit to expand business, a decent 9-5 worker have access to long-term mortgage and ramp up occupancy in Lekki and Maitama?
22. Finally, what's the long term vision for Nigeria that accepts our diversity and potential for growth? These things won't happen in 4-8 years. How will every Nigerian leader be disciplined to stay through a single mission of a secure Nigeria with shared prosperity?

.

It is pertinent to note that these men took advantage of their positions in office to divert public funds to their private purses. Some of these looters still decide how things are run in Nigeria as they have influence over things in Nigeria.Let us avoid voting them into office or endorsing any of their candidates.

Gen Abdusalami Abubakar

Although he transferred power back to Olusegun Obasanjo on 29, May 1999, he looted a lot of money from Nigeria’s treasury. It was said that he looted 1.31bn pounds, 2.33bn Swiss franc and 800M USD. After General Sani Abacha died, he took over and it was during Abubakar’s regime that Nigeria adopted the 1999 constitution.

Gen Sani Abacha


In Nigeria’s history, he was termed a dictator who never valued human rights. The money he looted while in power was difficult to put together as more facts of the money Abacha’s stole still emerges today. He looted 9.01bn pounds, 4.09bn Swiss franc, 800M USD, and 3.01M Deutschmark. He was the de facto Military head of state of Nigeria and reigned from 1993 to 1998 after he overthrew IBB.

Mohammed Abacha


Just like his father, he too was involved in looting funds from Nigeria treasury during his father’s regime. He is the eldest surviving son of the late Dani Abacha’s. He looted 300M pounds, 1.2bn Swiss franc, 150M USD, and 535M Deutschmark.

Gen. Jerry Useni

He was a Lt. General in the Nigerian Army and was once the appointed minister responsible for the administration of the Federal Capital Territory under Sani Abacha military regime. He served in other political positions. He looted 3.04bn Pounds, 2.01bn Swiss franc, 1.01bn USD, and 900M Deutschmark.

Alh Ismaila Gwarzo

Under Abacha’s military rule, Ismaila was the National Security Adviser. He was a senior police officer until his retirement. He looted 1.03bn pounds, 2.00bn Swiss franc, 1.3bn USD, and 700M Deutschmark.

Ibrahim Babaginda

Babangida has been stealing money since the civil war and is always very discreet about where he kept the loot. It has been almost impossible for anyone to come up with a total of Babangida's money; no wonder, he has never come up on the Forbes rich list. However, as of 1999, Babangida had $24.67 billion in Western banks alone. According to the Financial Times, in a confidential report submitted to President Olusegun Obasanjo by the World Bank, the breakdown of the money traced is as follows:

London: £6.25 billion
Switzerland: $7.41 billion 
USA: $2.00 billion
Germany: Dm 9.00 billion

Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu also known as the largest landlord of Lagos The annexe of the Lagos State Guest House in Asokoro, Abuja was bought by the State Government in 2006 for N450 million, purportedly to protect the main house from a security breach. Shortly after Tinubu left office, the property was transferred to him under the pension plan he signed into law before leaving office. The 250-hectares of land valued at about N35 billion and strategically located at the Ajah junction on Lekki Road was initially meant for a General Hospital for the people of Eti-Osa Local Government but was acquired by Tinubu and handed over to Trojan Estate Limited – a company owned by Deji and Wale Tinubu – to develop as Royal Garden Housing Estate at the expense of the taxpayers of Lagos. The 1,000 hectares of land valued at about N75 billion located at Lakowe, near Abijo at Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area and given to Lekki Concession Company, which is partly owned by Tinubu and Fashola, is being developed as a golf course and housing estate by Assets and Resource Management Limited as ADIVA project. To mention a few.

Rochas Okocha
Current Governor of Imo state is also a certified thief. He looted 16 Billion Naira Imo 13 percent oil derivation funds in 3 years. Imo State has become one of the most unequal societies in the world, with the richest 20% of Imolites getting 55.7% of the state’s total income while the poorest 20% are left to struggle for just 4.4%. Currently, Imo faces gargantuan problems in all areas of socio-economic and political endeavours. The State has further nosedived under the Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s government, lower than any other time since 1999. In every area you look at the only conclusion you will come to is that the Okorocha’s government has failed Imo people resoundingly.

James Ibori
Former Delta State Governor James Ibori rise from DIY store worker to an international playboy with a £250m fortune is the stuff of dreams. There was also a property in Dorset, a £3.2m mansion in South Africa and further real estate in Nigeria. He owned a fleet of armoured Range Rovers costing £600,000 and a £120,000 Bentley. On one of his trips to London he bought a Mercedes Maybach for more than £300,000 at a dealer on Park Lane and immediately shipped it to South Africa. He bought a private jet for £12m, spent £126,000 a month on his credit cards and ran up a £15,000 bill for a two-day stay at the Lanesborough hotel in London. Prosecutor Sasha Wass told the court Ibori concealed his UK criminal record, which would have excluded him from office in Nigeria.

Visit: www.olatorera.com for more articles

http://olatorera.com/greatest-thieves-top-5-looters-in-the-history-of-nigeria/

Fred

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NOT since the creation of the World Trade Organisation in 1995 has a free trade deal involved so many countries. On March 21st in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, 44 African leaders signed an agreement to create a “Continental Free Trade Area” (CFTA). The pact will eliminate tariffs on 90% of products, liberalise services and reduce non-tariff barriers. The second phase of negotiations, to begin later this year, will focus on investment, competition and intellectual property rights. Enthusiasts say that free trade will join up Africa’s fragmented markets, ignite industrialisation and create jobs. But 11 African countries, accounting for 37% of the continent’s GDP, sat out. Among them were Nigeria and South Africa, the two largest African economies.

Nigeria was not part of the deal. It is not implacably opposed. It chaired the negotiating forum and hopes to host the CFTA secretariat. Its Federal Executive Council had approved the signing of the deal. But Muhammadu Buhari, the president, cancelled his flight to Kigali at the last minute. There is an election next year, when he may run again, and he needs to keep powerful interest groups onside. Labour unions have called the trade deal a “radioactive neo-liberal policy initiative”. The manufacturers’ association has warned that imports from other continents will be traded under African labels, undercutting Nigerian business. This is not all a paranoid fantasy. Thai rice, repackaged as local produce, is already smuggled in huge quantities through Benin. Yet most of the confusion around the deal comes from a lack of consultation, which is the main cause of ire. Chiedu Osakwe, Nigeria’s chief negotiator, says that many concerns are “caught up in the whole populist globalisation blowback” (union leaders approvingly cite the policies of Donald Trump). Given time, he thinks, Nigeria will come round.

Nigeria is a harder case. It is not implacably opposed. It chaired the negotiating forum and hopes to host the CFTA secretariat. Its Federal Executive Council had approved the signing of the deal. But Muhammadu Buhari, the president, cancelled his flight to Kigali at the last minute. There is an election next year, when he may run again, and he needs to keep powerful interest groups onside. Labour unions have called the trade deal a “radioactive neo-liberal policy initiative”. The manufacturers’ association has warned that imports from other continents will be traded under African labels, undercutting Nigerian business. This is not all a paranoid fantasy. Thai rice, repackaged as local produce, is already smuggled in huge quantities through Benin. Yet most of the confusion around the deal comes from a lack of consultation, which is the main cause of ire. Chiedu Osakwe, Nigeria’s chief negotiator, says that many concerns are “caught up in the whole populist globalisation blowback” (union leaders approvingly cite the policies of Donald Trump). Given time, he thinks, Nigeria will come round.



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There is an ongoing discussion on the effectiveness of foreign aid in helping the economic development of Africa. One thing is obvious: the results are not exactly what Africa’s development partners have expected, and the reasons are not far-fetched. Dambisa Moyo, global economist and author, contends in her book Dead Aid that while foreign aid that addresses humanitarian needs caused by drought and conflict is helpful, most of the aid given to African countries is rather harmful.

For far too long, Africans have tried to push away global actors from interfering in regional conflicts under the guise of African solutions to African problems.

Leaders have only asked for money and not strategic assistance. This is cancer destroying the region, home to almost a billion people. The discourse of African solutions to African problems was promoted by Thabo Mbeki during his tenure as South Africa’s President.

He fought hard to stop bodies like the United Nations and countries like U.S and Britain, for example, from trying to find a lasting solution to the Zimbabwe crisis. The crisis has persisted and many wonder if his strategies did not help to worsen the crisis. This approach does not work, at least, looking at it empirically.

Africans have continuously proven their inability to deal with regional crises, at the very most; regional African Union and SADC summits held over the past decade and a half have been nothing but talk shops. Critics say these bodies are void of solutions, with the African Union being regarded as the old boys club. Of course, this makes sense with the average age of African Presidents at the age of 70, with the unusual case of Zimbabwe whose President is 92.

Burundi is in a crisis which is over a year old now, DRC and Zambia are facing elections which are going to be contested due to skewed political and electoral infrastructure, Zimbabwe is facing social unrest that threatens to destabilise the region and nothing is being done beyond the country’s four borders.

South Sudan is another case in point bordering on a civil war. Beyond issuing statements the African Union hasn’t done anything, if at all. Over 100 people have been killed in the past four days and African leaders meeting in Kigali will leave, at best, with statements calling for peace while more people will lose their lives.

This is not only worrying but also indicative of poor leadership. As South Africa’s Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma exits the African Union block, many believe she leaves the organisation weaker than when she joined. But she is not alone; she is with 54 other leaders failing to lead.

Her failure to bring transformation at the A.U. is not a reflection of her credentials as a person but the manifest failure of African leaders as a holistic body to intervene in turmoil and arrest challenges. This is true of the Ebola outbreak that a few years ago ravaged West Africa nations of Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Liberia.

The failure by African leaders has made it even harder for multilateral bodies bringing recommendations on troubled regions.

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Nigeria’s minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun is currently embroiled in a serious certificate scandal. Adeosun is alleged to have forged her National Youth Service Corps Certificate(NYSC).



The Minister did not participate in the mandatory one-year national youth service scheme. Instead, she allegedly forged an exemption certificate many years after graduation.

The year-long service, organised by the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), is compulsory for all Nigerians who graduate from universities or equivalent institutions at less than 30 years of age. In addition to being a requirement for government and private sector jobs in Nigeria, the enabling law prescribes punishment for anyone who absconds from the scheme or forges its certificates.

Mrs Adeosun’s official credentials show that the minister parades a purported NYSC exemption certificate, which was issued in September 2009, granting her exemption from the mandatory service on account of age.

Mrs Adeosun graduated from the Polytechnic of East London in 1989, at the age of 22. According to her curriculum vitae, Mrs Adeosun was born in March 1967.

The institution changed the name to the University of East London in 1992. Mrs Adeosun has her certificate issued in the new name. Having graduated at 22, it is obligatory for Mrs Adeosun to participate in the one-year national service, for her to qualify for any job in Nigeria.

However, at the time of her graduation, the young Folakemi Oguntomoju, as she then was, did not return to Nigeria to serve her fatherland. Upon graduation in 1989, the Applied Economics graduate pursued a fast-paced career in the British public and private sectors.

In 2000, Mrs Adeosun was hired by PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she worked for two years. When she eventually returned to Nigeria in 2002, Mrs Adeosun still did not deem it necessary to participate in the NYSC scheme. She simply accepted a job offer at a private firm, Chapel Hill Denham.

However, ostensibly concerned that she might run into trouble for skipping the mandatory scheme, Mrs Adeosun, sometime in 2009, procured a fake exemption certificate.

It was further gathered that Mrs Adeosun’s ‘certificate’ is dated September 9, 2009, and was purportedly signed by Yusuf Bomoi, a former director-general of the corps. Bomoi stepped down from the NYSC in January 2009, and could not have signed any certificate for the corps eight months after. The retired brigadier general passed on in September 2017.

An official of the NYSC also described the certificate as an ‘Oluwole Certificate’ adding that they “did not issue it and we could not have issued it”. Oluwole is a location in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, where fraudsters possess an amazing dexterity in the act of forging all kinds of documents.

Several current and former officials of the scheme told this paper that the NYSC would never issue an exemption certificate to anyone who graduated before age 30 and did not fall into the categories of persons exempted by the corps’ enabling Act.

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KARL MARX’S CELEBRATED dictum, “religion is the opium of the people”, had a quiet genesis. He wrote it in 1843 as a passing remark in the introduction to a book of philosophical criticism he never finished. When he did publish it the following year, it was in an obscure radical journal with a print run of 1,000. It was not until the 1930s, when all things Marxist were in vogue, that the maxim entered the popular lexicon.

A consideration of the historical context in which Marx used the metaphor provides a different picture. In nineteenth-century England, opium was seen as both a blessing and a curse. For many among the poor, it was a cheap and effective medicine. Poets and artists found it a source of inspiration. And for the commercial lords of the British Empire, it provided a sizeable portion of its wealth and power. But it was also seen as a significant problem, with increasing attention towards the end of the century focused on its addictive properties, the tendency to deal with symptoms and not the core of an illness, and the devastating effects of the colonial opium policies (especially in China). Opium was thus a very ambivalent metaphor to use.

Nigeria is endowed with unbelievable wealth, but resources without a system, structure and lasting institutions are dangerous. Religion, poverty, ignorance & illiteracy have destroyed our value system in Nigeria. Religion is clearly the opium of the oppressed and keeps Nigerians addictively high with illusions that things will get better as long as they fast and pray.

It’s been observed from the ongoing problems Nigeria has been facing can be traced down to religion. Be it Muslims, Christians or any other religion in Nigeria. Religion itself is very confusing with more than 20 documented religions existing in the world and all battling for supremacy of their messiahs. It is this confusion that the religious leaders capitalize upon to sedate their followers, oppress and extort them of their meagre salary and hold them hostage with promises from above (Heaven) and hopes for miracles.

Churches is seriously turning into social gatherings. For instance, most churches are now places where the unmarried go to seek for marriage, the jobless go for job seeking instead of filling out applications, actions that should be taken against our corrupt leaders are tabled in the church in prayers. Students come to pray for success in exams instead of studying, the weirdest thing I have seen was at a gathering in the University of Lagos where the pastor was blessing the students exam docket will use in writing exams and asking the Holy Spirit to take control in the exam hall. Nigerians forget that faith without works is dead, little or no input of energy leads to less or no force output and “he who do not know that he doesn’t know it will never know it expect you try to know it”.

There are many things that require our physical actions to change positively but instead, we Nigerians hide in our rooms, churches, night vigil, religious conventions etc. pretending to be praying for a solution. It is no rocket science to turn the bad situation around for better but our collective physical efforts to get in tune with our community, what is going on around us and know our rights.

Nigerians only believe in prayers without any physical action whatsoever, which is the result of the stagnant growth the country is facing today. We spend most of our time praying for things that need our efforts and actions (Example: please God touch the heart of our leaders, please God make Nigeria a better place, please God touch the heart of our corrupt police men, Fire of God burn our corrupt leaders, the list goes on). Leaving our corrupt leaders unchallenged and grant them the freedom to run the country down because the followers are not concerned with the politics of the country rather waiting for an Act of God to turn Nigeria to a beautiful utopia. Why can’t we call a spade, a spade and stop letting sleeping dogs lie?

If Martin Luther King didn’t fight as hard as he did to make a change, only spent his time in the church and preferred to be instructed by most uneducated religious leaders we have in Nigeria who are money minded, he wouldn’t have had a “Dream”. If Nelson Mandela prayed once and asked the Holy Spirit to stop apartheid, and didn’t sweat, bleed and go to jail for it what would have been the fate of South Africa? If Obama decided to be a junior pastor whose duty is to carry the senior pastor’s bible around and preach false messages of change only to enrich his pocket than working hard to make his famous and Victorious Change Speech, I guess a USA black president would have been a Greek myth.

A revolution doesn’t have to be bloody to be a revolution. If the young generation, educate and not destroy, work towards bringing positive change to be able to revolve around Nigeria’s current political and economic situation, that is what is termed a “Revolution”. Education is the foundation to build an economy and not a bruising knees praying and shouting on top of our voices in the act of prayer; as if God is deaf and needs to be shouted at before he hears or braking our foreheads praying at the mosque. If Nigerians can only face reality and know that faith without works is nothing.