₦airaland Forum

Laughs!

[quote author=Okiki_Oluwa]Is that all about his early life?[/quote]Definitely not,those facts do not claim to be exhaustive.However,to preempt cynics of your ilk, the title has been amended.

1.He was born in a polygynist family of four(4) wives on July 18 1918.His mother was the third(3rd) wife and affectionately referred to as the right hand wife.His father had thirteen(13) children,four(4) sons and nine(9) daughters.He was the last son of the family as well as the first(1st) child of his mother.His would later give birth to three(3) daughters.(Page 6)

2.He was the first(1st) child of the family to attend school at the age of seven(7) which was owned by the Methodist Church or Wesleyan as it was then known.He had earlier been baptized into the Church.On his first(1st) day at school,his teacher,Miss Mdingane gave him the English name, Nelson.His native name is Rolihlahla.In Xhosa,Rolihlahla means “pulling the branch of a tree” but its colloquial meaning more accurately would be troublemaker,perhaps an indication of the battles and storms he will fight and weather in later years.(Pages 3,13 and 14)

3.His father died when he was nine(9) years old.(Page 14)

4.The name of the first(1st) girl he wooed in his life was Winnie Matyolo,not the Winnie he would later marry and divorce.(Page 24)

5.He was circumcised at the age of sixteen(16).(Page 25)

6.While he was in a school called Clarkebury Institute,also owned by the Methodist School,a female classmate by the name:Mathona told him that the meaning of a B.A(Bachelor of Arts) is a very long and difficult book.He didn’t doubt her because he was ignorant of what a B.A was.(Page 33 and 34)

7.He acted in a play about Abraham Lincoln while he was a student at University College,Fort Hare.He played John Wilkes Booth,Linclon’s assassin .It was at Fort Hare he wore pyjamas for the first time,finding them uncomfortable in the beginning,but gradually growing used to them.He had never used a toothbrush and toothpaste before at home.In his words,we used ash to whiten our teeth and toothpicks to clean them.The water-flush toilets and hot-water showers were also a novelty to him.He used toilet soap for the first time not the blue detergent that he had washed with for so many years at home. He didn’t complete his studies at Fort Hare,where he voluntarily withdrew because of an altercation he had with the school authorities over his decision not to serve in the Students Representative Council.He would later acquire a B.A(Bachelor of Arts) from the University of South Africa via correspondence in 1942.(Pages 46,48,53,71 and 85)

8.He worked as a clerk in a law firm known as Witkin,Sidelsky and Eidelman.It was owned by Jews.(Page 70)

9.The name of his first(1st) wife is Evelyn Mase.Finding a place to live was their most immediate problem in the early days of their marriage.They first stayed with his wife’s brother and later stayed with the wife’s sister over a period of time.They had four(4) children with three(3) reaching adulthood. Their first(1st) son,Madiba Thembekile was born in 1946.Shortly afterwards in 1947, a daughter named Makaziwe was born but died when she was nine(9) months old.In 1950,a second(2nd) son named Makgatho Lewanika was born named in memory of Sefako Mapogo Makgatho,the second(2nd) President of African National Congress(ANC) from 1917 to 1924 and Lewanika,a leading chief In Zambia.In 1953,Evelyn gave birth to a girl named Makaziwe in memory of the daughter the lost six(6) years earlier.The couple would later divorce in late 1957 after being separated since December 1956.The grounds of their divorce was anchored on the fact that Evelyn joined the Jehovah Witnesses sect and she could no longer stand the political and revolutionary bent of her husband.It is common knowledge that members of the Jehovah Witnesses are apolitical.Nelson would later marry Nomzamo Winifred Madikizela,later popularly known as Winnie.Their wedding took place on June 14 1958.They had two(2) daughters,Zenani and Zindziswa born on 4th February 1958 and December 1960 respectively.The younger sister was named after the daughter of the poet Laureate of the Xhosa People,Samuel Mqhayi.(Pages 119,206,215,226 and 255)

10.In August 152,Nelson Mandela opened his law firm.A few months later he invited his bosom friend,Oliver Tambo to join him.”Mandela and Tambo” was the first(1st) black law firm in Johannesburg.(Pages 148 and 149)

Compiled from his autobiography:Long Walk To Freedom,1995 Paperback Edition

Reptyle: I wish he hadn't written his last publication before his death. In my opinion, that is the only blight on an otherwise illustrious career. There are some stories that need to go to the grave with the story teller especially one that has bestowed the world with his extraordinary sagacity over the decades.

A lot is wrong with this country as is presently and we do not need anyone reminding us of a past best forgotten.

May his soul find repose with the Creator.

Achebe called it a personal history so he has the right to state every opinion or fact he wrote in it. And you have a right to disagree respectfully.

1. Achebe somehow contrived to make it seem as if all of of Nigeria had and has a visceral hatred for the Igbos. That is not true. Biafra may have had an Igbo majority yet Ijaws, Efiks, Ibibios etc were part of that state. He made mention of this fact a few times, agreed, but his general tone and even a line about all of Nigeria's tribe hating the Igbos speaks more of his opinion.

2. The hoopla about Achebe on Awo has been overblown but yet the point must be made that Achebe over reached. Achebe declared Awolowo a murderously malicious criminal without giving evidence for that. Awolowo advocated Starvation as a weapon of war, but it was not the first resort for him. It was a confluence of bad decisions by Dim Ojukwu, irrational expectations and misplaced priority by biafra, external influences and admittedly an ammoral decision by Awo that led to it. Does this absolve Awo from the responsibility of that policy and its consequences or defend the policy? Definitely not, but available facts, historical antecedents do not back up Achebe's claims as well. As to the fact that Achebe had earlier made this same allegation in the 80's does not make it any more true, it only tells of the age of that impression of Achebe.

Nonetheless,a great man.

Achebe and the Idiots At His Funeral!
May His gentle soul rest in peace so perfect. His philosophy was alien to what those who would make his burial ceremony a carnival believe. In death, what he abhors and disregarded will adorn his exit into the celestial world. What a paradox it would be when his enemies will begin to eulogise him, when those whose gifts of undue influence he refused, would shower upon his grave, the proceeds of corrupt fingers. Idiots, I know will be at his funeral. This, I once witnessed when my eyes beheld Enahoro's funeral.

AFTER hearing the appeal of the former wife of one of Britain’s richest men for over two days last week, seven Supreme Court Judges of the United Kingdom (UK), including the President of the Supreme Court – Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbuty – will, over the next few months, deliver what could be a landmark judgement in the bitter divorce suit between Itsekiri multi-millionaire oil tycoon, Michael Prest, and his former English wife, Yasmin Aishatu Prest.

The couple, who have four children, oldest is 15, met and married in London in 1993. They lived happily thereafter till a bitter split in 2008.

In what is the third and obviously the final round of the legal tussle that has cost Prest and his former wife about £3 million in legal fees to divorce lawyers, Mrs. Prest, 50, has prayed the highest court of the UK to quash the ruling of the Court of Appeal (England and Wales), which ruled that 51-year-old Prest could use Nigerian Customary law to shield his multimillion assets from being split with his former wife. The judges, six men and Lady Hale of Richmond, will, in the coming months, give the ruling, which will set legal precedence for similar cases involving legal disputes between husbands and wives in Great Britain.

On Friday, Supreme Court sources told The Guardian that the “judgement doesn’t come that quickly. It takes a couple of months for the Judges to deliver their judgement after a case has finished,” when asked how soon the judgement would be delivered.

Prior to dragging her former husband before the Law Lords last week, the High Court had, in October 2011, ruled that Prest should give a lump sum of £17.5 million of his wealth and some London properties as settlement to his former wife, after she asked for over £30million maintenance payout and £730,000 per annum to cover “reasonable needs” for both herself and their four children.

However, he headed straight for the Court of Appeal and in February last year, citing Itsekiri Customary Law. In October, his lawyers won the appeal and got an order slashing the High Court ruling by almost £9 million. Thereby, reducing his wife’s payout to over £8 million.

Citing the customary Nigerian law, lawyers representing Prest said the oil tycoon, having lost his father – who set him up in business with a seed gift of £10,000 before his death in 1992- is not only the head of his extended family, but also responsible for the welfare of his four brothers and their children.

Besides, Prest’s lawyers argued that by virtue of the same Nigerian Customary Law, the assets of their client belong to the family and not solely those of their multimillionaire client.

In essence, what Prest’s lawyers and those of the three companies - Petrodel Resources Ltd, Petrodel Upstream Ltd. and Vermount Petroleum Ltd - he owns, said last week was that, under Nigerian Customary Law, those three oil companies and their assets belong to their client’s family and not solely his.

The companies are all registered in the Isle of Man.

But Mrs. Prest’s lawyers based their arguments on Section 24(1)(a) of Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, to ask the Judges to reverse the order, which Prest got at the Appeal Court in October last year, where his lawyers had invoked Nigerian Customary law to quash the order of the High Court.

Also added to the prayer of his former wife is the fact that Prest, who resides in Monaco, had not even paid the mother of his four children neither the lump sum, which was slashed by nearly half nor the £270, 000 –a –year allowance, which the Court ordered him to pay her. Her lawyer argued that if his client lost this case, other husbands would similarly be able to dishonestly use this legal precedence to hide their assets behind a corporate veil, thereby denying their wives a fair slice of their fortune.

Mrs. Prest’s legal team also underlined the fact that if the case went against their client, the Marital Causes Act – a legislation meant to give divorcing spouses a fair share of their assets – would become meaningless.

Although the court was told that Mrs. Prest still lives in their £4 million marital home in Bayswater, West London, and that her former husband is paying over £100,000 per annum in school fees for the couple’s four children’s education in private schools, he has refused to obey courts orders that he should pay her massive legal costs.

Moreover, he has been handing out just a meagre £150 per week as maintenance allowance. Her lawyers went further, accusing him of using a “cheats charter” to hide his oil money in offshore companies.

Mrs. Prest’s barrister, Richard Todd QC –Queen’s Counsel, the equivalent of SAN - told the court on Tuesday that: “It is not hyperbole to say that this is a case where, if the companies succeed, this wife will be rendered destitute. They say it is not the case that this is a “cheats charter,” even though it would result in Mr. Prest and his companies coming away with tens of millions of pounds, while the wife is reduced to claiming benefits. They say it is not a “cheats charter’ because there are potentially other remedies available to the wife. We say this is not so.” He described his client’s former husband as someone who has exhibited a strong desire to “thwart the intentions of the court.”

Todd also said that coupled with this is the wrong signal that this judgement –if it went against Mrs. Prest - would send out to other warring couples across the UK. “It would be a simple matter to incorporate a company, or better still use a company already incorporated, in order to retain assets and make them judgement –proof in a case such as this. This would be that very “cheats charter,” and more importantly, “it would reduce the Matrimonial Causes Act to being nothing more than a scarecrow.”

Although Prest claims he wants to give his former wife shares in the companies, her lawyer would rather his client have nothing to do with that. Todd told the court that waiting to get a slice of the companies would be a wasteful exercise for his client. Basing his argument on the way the companies’ ownership is structured, Todd noted that Prest had already woven such a “web of deceit in respect of ownership of these shares that it would be impossible to ever work out what the position is.”

He compared entering into any agreement with his client’s former husband as being equivalent to her “being led in a merry dance without any reward.” Continuing, Todd added: “The husband who is resident in Monaco, simply uses these companies as his piggy bank,” noting that although “he is supposed to be paying Mrs Prest £270,000 per annum, but he simply chooses not to pay that.”

Todd made it clear that Mr Prest “is paying Mrs Prest £150 cash per week - £7,800 per annum , a little bit less than the minimum wage.”

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115797:supreme-court-to-rule-on-bitter-divorce-case-between-nigerian-oil-tycoon-and-british-wife&catid=3:metro&Itemid=558

Everytime I mention Pastor E.A Adeboye in a statement, usually advising that he should take some time to teach about the impact of corruption on society and God’s stance on corruption, there are those who run to my page and begin to say all sorts of things such as “ Touch not my anointed” and some have even gone as far as saying that I cannot advise him as he will be advised by God. Some have even said I should first pray to God and then God will advise him. These people are the sycophants and hypocrites who are destroying this nation. They will not enter the door and will not allow others to enter. Let me ask a question. Was it God that told Pastor Adeboye to declare on his facebook page recently that he had asked to God to make 71 people billionaires? If you answer this truthfully, you will understand that indeed Pastor Adeboye can be advised and he certainly does have his own mind and utterances that come from himself. If Pastor Adeboye wanted to learn French will he not have to go to school to learn it? If Pastor Adeboye does not fully understand the relationship between Democracy, Transparent Governance, Accountability, Social Justice and Community prosperity , will he not have to be counselled or advised about it? After all did he not have to study the bible to become a preacher?

Please Listen, The Church is well positioned today to help Nigeria achieve the Moral Revolution it so desperately needs. But until the Church takes an unambiguous stand on Corruption and yields itself as an instrument of change in the hands of God, Change that we so eagerly desire may just be a distant mirage.
That Moral Revolution that people like Obiageli Oby Ezekwesili mentioned will elude us except the Church takes a stand.

Once again I ask that if you have access to Pastor Adeboye and co. Please ask them to sit down and clearly identify their role in the Moral Revolution that Nigeria needs now and embrace it fully.

http://www.facebook.com/kemi.martins.12

For you to maintain connections with others globally and within, the social media cannot be ignored. Despite the fact that these interactions occur on the computer, what you share is not always private. Here, certain etiquette rules should be observed. What are they?

Use appropriate language

When you curse or use derogatory language on social media networks with friends, you paint a bad picture of you. According to www.wikihow.com, re-read each comment or post to ensure it is not offensive or contains offensive language.

Select interesting topics

Keep people interested in reading your updates by discussing interesting topics, but avoid controversial subjects. Complaints and overly personal details about negative events in your life are not recommended.

Be helpful

People want a personal connection, so listen well, and appear genuinely interested in others. Remember to post greetings on people’s birthdays, congratulate them when they write about accomplishments or milestones and offer advice when you can. If someone asks you a question, answer it promptly. Always follow up when others leave comments for you.

Watch your frequency

While it is good to post regularly, you do not want to post new updates so frequently that people get tired of seeing posts from you.

Be vigilant

It is not just enough to watch what you post on social media networks. You must also maintain vigilance about what others are posting about you and on your profile. If people are posting inappropriate pictures of you, you can remove the link to you or ask the person to take down the picture.

Avoid sharing emotionally, religiously or politically charged statements

If you would not do this in the workplace, do not do it online either. Do not make statements that could offend or turn off other people. Avoid getting on your soapbox about political candidates, religions or starting emotionally charged arguments or heated discussions.

Do not share personal information

Your personal life is not for public consumption. Refrain from sharing such on any social media as it can be used against you.

Never comment about work online

Whining or complaining about work on social media is akin to announcing that you are not a professional. The only cases where talking about work online is acceptable is to perhaps congratulate a colleague or client for an accomplishment.

Be grammatically unimpeachable

Double-check your statements for typos. Before you post, edit your comments. If you want to be taken seriously, make sure everything you write is grammatically correct and void of typos.

Be mindful when posting any photo

Any photos posted by you should be clean and “G” rated, no matter where it is in your profile. Delete inappropriate photos or do not post photos displaying sexually charged situations or where alcohol or drugs are involved.

Be cautious of sharing links

Share links or other friend’s information that may be considered universally acceptable. Remain neutral or uncontroversial by not posting links or liking pages that might be considered questionable or inappropriate.

Do not “like” controversial characters or celebrities

Liking political candidates, religious groups, certain musical groups, controversial movies, and television shows may tarnish your reputation with certain people. It all depends on the kind of circles you move in and how conservative a career path you are following.

Avoid angry or controversial conversations

If a friend or colleague posts something angry or emotionally charged on your page, delete the comment and caution him privately. Also, if a friend is fighting with someone on a social media channel, never participate or add a comment. This is simply good etiquette, to avoid adding fuel to the flames.

Unfriend friends who cannot abide to your wishes

Friends who consistently post inappropriate information or comments on your wall should be warmed to desist from doing so. In a situation they do not abide, unfriend this person.

Only link, follow, or friend people you know and trust

Only associate yourself on social media with people with whom you have a relationship and are aligned with your goal of keeping a professional presence on social media.

I must not burn my parent's money!

bayooooooo: And what's the message? That ACN should have supported Buhari blindly or for free?

It is pointless entering into a debate with you.Keep wallowing in your sophisticated ignorance.

I think we should holistically digest the message passed and leave the messenger alone.

I hope you find it funny.

So Nigeria has now reached a situation where even an individual has imposed sanctions on us for our corruption-friendliness?

Dear Bill Gates,

We are remorseful and we promise not to patronise pirated Microsoft products henceforth. Please grant us "CLEMENCY and PARDON"!

Lordwize: It's not quite long, that thier president grant presidential pardon to 17 criminals and they didn't protest. why is it our own? They want to lord over the world, I believe we can do without them, if we are serious. We are a sovereign state for God's sake, is sinners that are suppose to be pardoned. Governors do grant pardon to some petty criminals and we don't raise eyebrow, is it because GEJ oga at the top is among them? I think he tried by respecting the fingers that fed him, lets forget this Bill Gates forming.

America has a designation called "state sponsors of terrorism". Looks like they have spotted a new category, "state sponsors of corruption", and our friends in Abuja are have Usain Bolted their way into it! Bill Gates, apparently, wants no dalliance with the moneychangers defiling the temple!

Latest entries in the Nigerian Urban Dictionary:

1. Alams: noun,
(i) An Oga At The Top who is much higher than a mere political god-father; he is generally believed to have the swagger of a tribal deity.

(ii) Anyone who is very intimate with an Oga At The Top.

2. Alam: verb, To pardon someone of corruption. E.g., "Our Accountant was sacked for embezzlement of company funds but the Board has alamed him".

Cele Pope!

"If GEJ get liver, he should invite his #OgaAtTheTop, #Alams, on his next state visit to the United Kingdom."

Russia-trained medical doctor and radical Northern Nigeria politician, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, this morning on a radio show in Abuja said that for his acts of insincerity and dishonesty in Aso Rock, former President Olusegun Obasanjo once beat up Dr. Doyin Okupe, who is now President Goodluck Jonathan’s defender-in-chief.

He also hit at Jonathan’s political adviser, Ahmed Gulak, whom he dismissed as a desperate and illogical politician sailing on the capsized boat of a failed presidency.

“I was there when President Olusegun Obasanjo physically beat and assaulted him because of his attitude and lack of honesty,” he said of Okupe. “I was also there when Chief of Staff to Obasanjo, Maj.Gen. Mohammed called him and scolded him because of his behaviour. And the same character is today entering what he doesn’t know, is a PR practitioner? Is he a journalist?”

Mohammed further described Okupe as “shameless,” adding that he has ignorantly been defending President Jonathan without being privy to the reality of Jonathan’s atrocities, as a result of which Okupe will continue to face morality and credibility challenges.

“I know how he kept troubling Obasanjo and he was given the job, later on he showed his [true] colours and was kicked-out…He is busy doing harm again to his remaining person. Even Gulak with his proud moustache is doing same, shamelessly because of Jonathan.”

When the moderator asked Junaid, what did Okupe did to defend himself when Obasanjo was beating him up, Mohammed responded, “What would he do? Do you know who were there? There were deluges of security operatives, no matter [his being] younger than Obasanjo, he could not help himself but just received the beatings.”

He challenged Okupe to deny his account. “I was there and saw it, let him come out and deny it, let’s see.”

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/obasanjo-once-physically-beat-doyin-okupe-being-dishonest-junaid-mohamed

babyosisi: is there a Mrs Soyinka?
I have never heard of one
Does he have children?

The man has always been sexy
I hope there is a male child that inherited his good looks

Yes,there is a Mrs Soyinka.Her name is Folake.She was acknowledged by the Nobel Laureate in his 2006 autobiography titled:YOU MUST SET FORTH AT DAWN.

babyosisi: is there a Mrs Soyinka?
I have never heard of one
Does he have children?

The man has always been sexy
I hope there is a male child that inherited his good looks

One of his sons, Dr Olaokun Soyinka, is the current Commissioner of Health in Ogun State.A chip off the old block.Ilemakin is the name of the other son.

If I were that Oga at the top dude, I'd issue a short statement on facebook, nothing formal. I'd start by saying that when I woke up that day I had no idea I would end up being so famous. Continue by saying that this has shown me how important it is to have all my facts and realize that there is nothing like a small error. Particularly in positions of leadership. I'd proceed by praising Nigerians for their quick wit, good humour and ingenuity. I'd express my amazement at all the different dps, videos and music videos I have seen. I'd insert that I am expecting royalties from those selling tshirts or otherwise making money from the incident. I'd round up by restating that I've learned an important lesson which will make me a better leader and more valuable to my country. I'd thank Nigerians and end with "dasall".
Change the perspective from being ignorant to making a mistake. Make myself part of the joke and defuse it. Wish Nigerian organizations were more PR savvy. There's nothing you can't spin. Not everything must be responded to seriously. Read the prevailing mood and then ride it.

~Arit Okpo~

If I were that Oga at the top dude, I'd issue a short statement on facebook, nothing formal. I'd start by saying that when I woke up that day I had no idea I would end up being so famous. Continue by saying that this has shown me how important it is to have all my facts and realize that there is nothing like a small error. Particularly in positions of leadership. I'd proceed by praising Nigerians for their quick wit, good humour and ingenuity. I'd express my amazement at all the different dps, videos and music videos I have seen. I'd insert that I am expecting royalties from those selling tshirts or otherwise making money from the incident. I'd round up by restating that I've learned an important lesson which will make me a better leader and more valuable to my country. I'd thank Nigerians and end with "dasall".
Change the perspective from being ignorant to making a mistake. Make myself part of the joke and defuse it. Wish Nigerian organizations were more PR savvy. There's nothing you can't spin. Not everything must be responded to seriously. Read the prevailing mood and then ride it.

~Arit Okpo~

This is a hilarious time for the Nigerian community online. The #OgaAtTheTop video has gone viral.

The ignorance of the Lagos State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps is now a common internet joke.

The video clip shows Obafaiye Shem the Lagos State NSCDC commandant unable to give the web address of his organisation during his appearance on Channels Television’s flagship breakfast show Sunrise.

The creative humour of the young Nigerian is on rampage with the joke now interpreted with several images courtesy of Photoshop splashed all over Facebook, Twitter and BBM.

While we may be having a good laugh over my oga at the top at the moment, the reality behind this public show of shame surpasses the humour by far.
Before we even go any further, has anyone realised that many top politicians, CEOs, and men of the Armed Forces these days can’t grant interviews without the exercise turning into a media gaffe? However you choose to look at it, this problem is a national crisis, in my opinion, especially since even our president is guilty in this regard, anyone in doubt please watch the Amanpour interview again.

My concern though is what our definition Leadership has become in the Nigeria. Our definition is simple: My ‘Oga at the top’.

What we have adopted as a nation, intentionally or otherwise, is the ‘Great man theory’ of leadership. The theory states that the leader is the great man we all answer to and he can do no wrong. This theory is perhaps why our country is the way it is.

The ‘oga at the top’ is the one who calls the shots, no one else. Every decision is taken solely by him, delegation is a foreign word. Followership in Nigeria is thus described as an uncompromising resolve to be loyal to a leader in any circumstance, following blindly.

Indeed promotion in the Nigerian Civil Service is hugely dependent on your loyalty to ‘the oga at the top’ initiative does not really count. If a follower shows any hint of initiative, he may be considered ‘too wise’. From that day forward, the Oga at the top would likely label him an enemy who is after his job.

So when the Lagos State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) cannot give the website of this organization correctly, don’t be surprised. Complacency is at work, the ‘great man’ doesn’t need to be at the top of his game, as he is now an oga at the top, even though he has an Oga at the top, who may likely not know the address himself, as we speak.

I personally believe that Leadership is communication, collaboration and continuity. However the leadership structure in the Nigerian setting lacks all three. If the leadership of the NSCDC take communication seriously, the web address would be at the commandant’s fingertips.

The Oga at the top mentality can even be found in religious circles. The religious leader is seen as an anointed man who is superior to others because of his anointing. It becomes a problem to address James by his first name, now he is Pastor James and if he has founded many parishes he is now Daddy.

This ‘man of God’ replaces God for several people and they take what he says wholeheartedly without embarking on a research on their own. This is why fake churches defraud members and fake prophets sleep with female members, if you are wondering what charm is at work, it is the Great-man theory of leadership.

“Our Pastor, the ‘Oga at the top’ said we should do it. What choice do we have?” they would say. You then wonder if these people consult their bibles at all, to check what they are being told.

The father at home is the ‘Oga at the top’ who is out to rule his family with a high-hand, punishing at will without taking time to explain what wrong the children did. He enjoys how he is feared by even his wife, confusing fear for respect, and in the end the children grow into dysfunctional adults eventually repeating the cycle which their parents began.

Please don’t get me wrong, leaders deserve a whole lot of respect, but leadership does not make one man superior over another. Leadership is collaboration and followers play a huge role in the success of any team.

In Nigeria, now is the time to redefine leadership, the ‘oga at the top’ great-man ideology needs to die fast for this nation to move forward.
Some of this ideology is rooted in our tradition with strange beliefs, for example, that ‘it is wrong to correct an elder’ or that; ‘old people don’t lie’. In certain contexts, this ideology applied can work well, but in practice Nigeria must move beyond this belief, a younger person can caution an older person with respect and yes old people do lie sometimes!

Leaders and potential leaders must have enough self-esteem to separate the position they occupy from who they are. A leader should be humble enough to admit ignorance, and where a follower bails the team out of a problem, a leader should give credit to that person.

Can you imagine what would have happened, had Obafaiye Shem simply said: “I can’t recall right now what the website is, but once you get on Google and search for us, you won’t miss it.”?

This ‘Oga at the top’ mentality must end fast!

It is not the president's fault. His oga at the top did not inform him about that 1999 stuff.

"I hope fact checkers vetted President Jonathan's congratulatory message to the Pope, to be sure he didn't address it to John Paul II or Gregory the Great. Didn't he just pardon guys who had been pardoned 14years ago?"

OUR DISTURBED PRESIDENT: I understand from a reliable source that President Jonathan is seriously considering closing down his facebook page. Why? In the last 24 hours, I was told by my source that Mr President is very disturbed about the insults and curses that people were hauling at him on his facebook wall. Should he close it down?

I love my oga