₦airaland Forum

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is proposing
a N50-per-leaflet charge on every cheque
leaflet obtained and used at the deposit
money bank’s counter.

This is not the same as the collection charge on
cheques, which is also proposed to be “one
percent of cheque value or Naira equivalent of US
$10 whichever is lower”.

The apex bank is also proposing a N100-per-
month charge on every debit card (your typical
ATM card) – separate from the existing N65
charge after the third withdrawal within the same
month.

In its draft on the “guide to charges for banks
and other financial institutions in Nigeria”,
CBN also proposed a N4,200-per-annum charge
on foreign currency denominated cards as
maintenance fee.

For naira dominated cards, a monthly
maintenance fee of N100 was also proposed for
every month a debit card is used, and a N50
charge for other months when card is used or
not.

The proposal is coming only 13 days after
Nigerians protested excessive bank charges,
declaring a ‘No Banking Day’ on March 1, 2016.
For foreign exchange related transactions, where
Form M or Form A is needed to request forex
from CBN, charges that were hitherto not
applicable have now been proposed.

The CBN is proposing a charge of a N100 on Form
A, which is used by students to apply for forex on
school fees, medical bills, and travel allowances.
Form M, which is predominantly used by
manufacturers to import goods (not on the CBN
prohibition list), is proposed to henceforth cost
“N1,000 in addition to maintenance fee on e-Form
platform in line with CBN directive”.
The central bank also added that Nigerians could
send in their comments on the proposed charges,
seeking clarification and notifying the bank on
excluded financial institutions.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria is currently
reviewing the extant Guide to Bank Charges,
which came into effect on April 1, 2013,” the
circular, signed by Kevin Amugo, director
financial policy and regulation department, read.

“The review, which is in line with the philosophy
of periodically ensuring that the provisions of the
guide accord with current realities, also seek to
address complaints from customers of financial
services, requests for clarification on provision of
the guide and absence of a tariff regime for other
financial institutions in Nigeria.

“Kindly send hard copies of your comments by
March 29, 2016 to the director, financial policy
and regulation department with soft copies
mailed to gbcreview@cbn.gov.ng.”

Checks by TheCable revealed that deposit money
banks currently charge an average of N1,500 for
the issuance of a 50-page cheque book.

Decibel:
Some people are justifying the outcome of Jollof Rice Summit from @aishabuhariGMB

joseph1832:
He should remain where he is. Political prostitution has never gone well with those who prostitute themselves from one political party to the other.

Atiku, FFK and our very own TonyeBarcanista comes to mind. Sen. Ben Bruce should stay put.

Midolian, passingshot, are you see what am saw?

International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria is outraged by Senate Leader, Ali Ndume’s call on Senate President, Bukola Saraki and others to marry second wives describing the call as ‘disparaging and meant to demean Nigerian women’.

In a statement issued yesterday by FIDA Country Vice President/National President, Mrs. Inime Aguma, the lawyers said they were outraged by Ndume’s utterances on the floor of the hallowed chambers of the Senate.

According to them, the remarks portrayed women as ‘sex objects’, whose clamour for gender equality could be realised by being married off by men.

The statement reads: “May we remind the Senator that Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and his utterances negate the provisions of Article No 16 that ‘State parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations’ and the General Recommendation in Article No 21 which states that ‘polygamous marriage contravenes a woman’s right to equality with men, and can have such serious emotional and financial consequences for her and her dependents that such marriage ought to be discouraged and prohibited.'”

FIDA also stated the Marriage Act which defines monogamous marriage and Sections 33, 39, 45, 46 and 47 which prescribe punishments for polygamy for persons married under the Act.

The women lawyers said: “The Holy Bible which Senator Ndume referred to does not recognise polygamy as the wording of Mathew 19: 4-6 refers to the union of one man and woman to the exclusion of any other being.

“FIDA Nigeria states that on March 8, 2016, men all around the world adopted policies to accelerate gender equality in support of the theme, ‘planet 50-50 by 2030:Step it up for Gender Equity.’

“We urge Senator Ndume and other distinguished senators to pledge for gender parity and not trivialise the role of women in the society.”

Ndume, had during a debate at the Senate earlier this week asked Saraki, to consider taking another wife.

The senate leader also asked Nigerian men to marry more than one wife so as to show care to them.

Making his contribution to the debate on a motion to mark International Women’s Day presented by Oluremi Tinubu, a senator from Lagos State, Ndume emphasised that the “first care” of a woman was marriage.

“I urge men to marry more than one wife. The first care of a woman is marriage,” he said.

Men should take care of women by not just befriending them, but by going further to marry them. I know there is nowhere in the Bible that prohibits marrying more than one wife.

“Starting with the senate president, I ask him to consider marrying more than one wife.”

Ndume, thereafter, made a formal request to the senate to declare that Nigerian men should marry more than one wife.

“As a sign of respect for women, let’s urge men to marry more than one wife,” he said.

His prayer was seconded by Suleiman Nazif, a senator from Bauchi State, but it did not sail through as the “nays” had it.

Earlier, presenting her motion, Tinubu said: “We represent courage and resilience. Without us I don’t think this country will move forward.”

Theatrically, Binta Masi Garba, a Senator from Adamawa State, took a shot at Ndume and said: “We are not sex objects. The Bible is in support of one man, one woman.

“We want gender parity where women and men can work side by side.”

Following the death penalty judgement to be executed on the General Overseer of Christian Praying Assembly, Rev. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo a.k.a Rev. King, a human rights group, Integrated Coalition for Human Rights, weekend called for commuting of the sentence.

The group, while reacting to the death sentence, said it was a travesty of justice and not in tune with modern day trials.

The Coalition in a statement signed by Dr. Raphel Umore n said the trial, prosecution and the eventual conviction by the Supreme Court of Nigerian fell short of all known legal procedure which warrant death sentence and called on the powers that be to commute the sentence without delay.

They noted that from the first day, the arrest of King after the ugly incident in 2006, was fraught with excessive power and indiscretion by the police.

Umoren said, “We will lose sense of history if we fail to record the misdemeanor and abuse of power by the police from day one

“It is on record that the SARS team that invaded his house after the allegation made away with over N5.5m church harvest without warrant.

“Even after he was arraigned at the magistrate court on a 2-count charge of conspiracy, attempted murder of seven members of his church, one of the female prosecution witnesses conspired with police and slammed an assault suit against him inside the court room.

“While another witness said on oath that Rev. King never poured fuel on anybody and that was why she was not used at the trial in the high court.

“It is also on record that some of the witnesses told the medical doctor at the clinic where they were rushed to after the incident that the deceased sustained the injury through generator accident.

“However, this was ignored by the trial judge who hinged his judgment on fabricated fallacies even when the deceased maintained in her statement that Dr. King was not at the scene of the incident.

“One of the interested parties in the case who earlier claimed that Kings abducted his wife is on record as the first person that visited the deceased in the hospital begging her to implicate Dr. King promising to fly her overseas for medical treatment yet she declined.

“However, after her death, her two statements in police letter-headed papers disappeared mysteriously and in its place, a foolscap sheet was used to fabricate what was said to be her statement.

This is in spite of the fact that no police station recorded any case of murder against Dr. King.

“One of the witnesses was coerced to testify against Dr. King for her freedom but after that, she came to Ikoyi prison where Dr. Kings was being detained to beg for forgiveness.

“All these salient but weighty points were tabled before those that adjudicated in the case yet they ignored them and sentenced the Rev to death at various stages of his trial.

“Our concern is the yawing judicial lacuna created by the entire procedure which smacked of trial through public opinion and not backed by any known, cherished and respected judicial precedence.

“Worse still, the glaring ethnic colouration may not be wished away by discerning minds going by the kids-glove applied in the treatment of a similar but, nevertheless, more damaging case that involved another popular pastor in Lagos in which many souls were lost.”

The coalition, therefore, called for the immediate commutal of the death sentence without any strings attached with a view to not only ensuring that justice was done but, disabusing the minds of the general public over the entire trumped- up charges against the accused.

greatiyk4u:
Na judiciary dey prosecute not EFCC oga.

DonCortino:
Because them never carry u abi?

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for measures to make the anti – corruption war of the federal government more effective and ensure the safety of Nigerians in midst of security threat.

Obasanjo spoke on Saturday in Abeokuta, Ogun state, at a gathering to mark his 79th birthday during which many eminent Nigerians eulogised him.

The ex – President who took a brief look at what used to be the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under the Pioneer, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, and what it is today, concluded regrettably that the Anti – graft agency has become a “toothless bull – dog.”

He explained that there was the need to do an appraisal to know why the EFCC which was dreaded because of its effectiveness during his administration, began to lose courage.
According to him, the appraisal is crucial so that the nation does not take one step forwards and take three steps backward.

Obasanjo also recommended the deployment of technology to fight insurgents both at local and global levels.

He said: “the good thing is that we all enjoyed the work and we all felt that we were contributing our own meaningful quota to the development of the country.

“As all know, when Nuhu Ribadu was handling the EFCC, he handled it in such a way that people coined the saying that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of Ribadu.

” And the thing you will ask is how did we go down, how did we lose that, how did we? Nuhu Ribadu is still here, he is still alive, the institution that we started together is still there, what made the institution to become a toothless bull dog.

“We need to work things out so that we don’t take two steps forward, one step and three steps backward.”

On issues of terrorism, violent ectremism among others, Obasanjo says the solutions lie at home, the church, mosque, society, state and the International community

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has learnt nothing but the PDP must not die. It’s unfortunate that a party that ruled the biggest black nation for so long has not managed to acquire a soul. Wanton wastefulness, whether of goodwill or of financial resources, be it private or public, should have a saturation point. The point beyond which the consequences of prodigality, satiation of vulgar appetites and burnt out taste buds, and forces of regret begin to exert a determined pull towards reason. It is perhaps also the point at which those who will never recover, who are refractory to sobriety, fall off the cliff.

https://d19lga30codh7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PDP-Governors-Forum.jpg
A cross section of PDP Governors Forum

It’s true that PDP’s core approximated the amalgamation of treachery, greed and vainglory. The thin covering layer of peace, freedom and national unity may not have been deliberate altruism. Could it have been mere camouflage? Or was it the minimum condition for all inclusive, optimum exploitation of the country by a ruling class committed to denying the military a reason to return? They muttered, bickered and jumped from place to place but never touched the cords of national unity. They avoided a cataclysm but not the inevitable decay.

It is true that the founders were driven by self interest but it is doubtful they contemplated the sort of free for all trampling on moral ideals that the party’s rather precipitate degeneracy threw up. No contests of ideas, no principled controversies, just naked sharing and grabbing. Before long, a pathetic general descent into anti intellectualism, the sort that a late Ibadan political emperor and Obasanjo’s boys in Anambra typified , ensued. Whenever the party convulsed it was down to a clash of spiked egos propelled by selfishness. ‘Dividends of democracy’, ‘poverty alleviation’, ‘free and fair elections’ and ‘glory be to God’, became comical pieces of political buffoonery.

It was therefore predictable that any political field dominated and defined by the PDP and its ethos would naturally be a theatre of skullduggery. An infantile party of old men with constipated ideas had neither the tradition , nor the culture to save itself from derailment. It was an unending gluttonous jostling for private advantages. Inorganic, hurried, contraptions like the PDP are common post military rule tragedies in Africa. People who have never fought for any cause, who have no positions on moral and social issues bumble their way to power .

But anyone can argue that Obasanjo was well intentioned besides the demons of tenure elongation. And that Yaradua was simple and honest besides certain criminal elements he allowed to desecrate holy places. And that Jonathan was humble and meek besides perhaps Dasukigate and such like. The truth is that none of these good people had a vision for the PDP and none tried to instill moral values in that institution.

The PDP therefore didn’t and couldn’t have had any political ideology. It didn’t need to have the kind of ideologies prevalent in the politics of the West. But tragically it lacked any shared moral and political values. Without such values , the principles upon which the party should be built were non existent. So the PDP remained a fluid party of shifting opportunistic tendencies. The system fostered political exigencies that made intellectualism and integrity redundant.

Doves served hawks, brutes dominated thinkers. Loads of money , penchant for violence, familiarity with the judiciary were all that mattered . The power that belongs to the people was usurped by political prostitutes who turned up as party delegates and ballot boxes that could be snatched and stuffed. Tampering of results sheets, perpetration of deadly violence and manipulation of the judiciary became ropes new entrants must learn.

Those who came into power would surround themselves with woolly minds and sycophantic hands. And dissent was banished at all levels by dictatorial tendencies prevalent in many capitals. Little wonder then that legislative houses were turned into houses of zombies, making a mockery of separation of powers. Besides win at all costs, rent seeking mentality and prebendalism, what did the PDP teach the youths? And because the PDP was such a behemoth, and because the citizens were so prostrate with desperation, the opposition had to beat the PDP in its own game. The political field became thoroughly polluted.

But the PDP wasn’t all evil. In a sense, PDP was Nigeria. It may have closed its eyes to corruption but it allowed sufficient freedom. If it had the likes of Mugabe or Museveni , it could have been a different proposition. It may have been morally dissipated but it tried not to disrupt national peace. Because the PDP was such an umbrella that admitted all kinds , no ethnic or religious group felt excluded. No one ever accused the PDP of exclusionary politics.

The poor may have been raped by their leaders but nearly every village had one such rapist. In a fractious agglomeration of ethnic nationalities complicated by divisive religious politics ,PDP has ,in being a free wheeling and dealing vehicle, lubricated national unity. Many African nations are set ablaze not by corruption but by divisive and exclusionary politics that exiles certain groups from national leadership. The traditional trouble makers and political pyromaniacs who would feast on primordial sentiments and revel in conflagrations were waited on by a prodigal PDP. Except perhaps Yusuf and Shekau.

The defunct Action Congress was decidedly in a private pocket. It was a house of arbitrariness. The ANPP was not really a party. The ANPP was so shortsighted it flirted with religious fundamentalism. APGA was a tiny house of perpetual commotion. Labour party was where those suffering from the political diarrhea caused by toxins of ‘godfatherism’ went to relieve themselves. At some point no one would have been shocked if all the parties had run under the big umbrella ‘in the interest of national unity’.

Like an infantile self absorbed adult, PDP’s ambition was to rule forever. A self indulgent bag of egos , it never had the capacity for sober self reflection. Buccaneers came and buccaneers left and PDP remained , in there own words , the greatest party in Africa. The ANC has a rich history, the experience of a protracted struggle , the benefit of the exemplary selflessness of Mandela and Walter Sisilu, Govan Mbeki and others. And yet that party is floundering. The PDP’s performance perhaps wasn’t totally woeful. The heroes of the first republic had since left.

The second republic was too short to allow any character milling and political maturation . So many actors of PDP’s third republic were coup plotters and their cohorts, money bags and inexperienced political hustlers. The money politics that followed swept aside integrity, experience and patriotism.

PDP’s greatness was hollow. Rich in numbers , actual and contrived. Destitute of values and virtues. From Ekiti to Borno, from Rivers to Osun, it’s a motor park collection. Obasanjo claims he has resigned from the madness of the PDP but he contributed immensely to its sorry state. He owes the PDP so much yet unrequited. We can’t forget easily that it was a sanctimonious Obasanjo who handed some state chapters of the party to political touts, moral reprobates. His close friendship with those characters spoke volumes about opportunism, greed and contempt for history. He set bizarre political precedents in adoption , sanctification and promotion of political brigandry by proxy. Jonathan, they say, is a strong leader too.

But how would a president who left office a few months ago allow the party , whose defacto leader he should be, be in such wretched tatters now? You look at the fellows, tearing their dresses, struggling to take control of the PDP and you weep for the country. The PDP is a national institution in which the nation has invested resources and men. Who inflicts on us leaders who can’t leave any political legacies ? What did the PDP gain from touted combined visionariness of three presidents besides ephemeral power, its intoxication and stacks of money?

The APC doesn’t appear to have learnt from the misfortunes of the PDP. It doesn’t appear to have the capacity for self reflection either. Besides Buhari , besides hypocrisy, how is the APC of today significantly different from the PDP? The APC lacks the all inclusiveness of the PDP and perilously has its fortunes concentrated in the hands of two men. But since the APC has managed to build an oversized reputation, it must quickly devote itself to solidifying its ethical foundations .

The immediate negative cost implications of instituting principled party politics must not deter it. Political parties are vehicles for nation building. While in opposition it had to play the game of the PDP, now it can lay down new markers. It can sanitize the whole electoral process. Buhari’s performance would be adjudged more woeful than that of Jonathan if he fails to stamp out corruption in his party’s nomination processes. Practical expression must be given APC’s talk not only at the federal level but also in the states they control.

But none of these would happen if the nation slipped back into a one party state. The nation was perhaps particularly fortunate that the PDP was blessed with unending internal wrangling. The opposition parties at some point were too weightless to irritate let alone hinder the PDP. Obasanjo and Atiku clashed and tenure could not be elongated. Jonathan and Amaechi &co wrestled, and a strong electable opposition was built. Okadigbo, Tambuwal and some others helped accountability with their rebelliousness.

While such dissents served well, we cannot organize oppositional politics around such luck. A reformed PDP with it’s rich history and national foundation will be not just a check on the ruling party but also a veritable electable alternative. A new party may be fashionable but realistically that’s a long term project. The country needs an immediate robustly competitive opposition. An alive and reformed PDP is of paramount national importance. President Buhari must help to keep the PDP alive ,well and competitive. He belongs to no one and belongs to everyone.

mascot87:
We upright and reasonable Yoruba sons and daughters know that Fayose is a true bastard. He is not a Yoruba son, he is a Igbo boy. I have no apology whatsoever to anyone

Evangelist Bamidele Olomilua, former Governor of the old Ondo State and a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, in this interview spoke extensively on many topical and controversial issues including the formation of the APC and its presidential election victory, President Mummadu Buhari’s approach to governance, rule of law, anti-corruption crusade,  the economy and the attitude of Governor Ayo Fayose.


Do you think Gov. Ayodele Fayose’s consistent criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari is right?

On the contrary, we respect elders in Yorubaland. It is in other places that some people think that all animals are equal, whereas in actual fact, not all animals are equal. In politics a young man can stand up to raise an issue, but I personally think that it is not right to abuse the President or to insult him.

You are insulting the whole nation, when you are insulting the president, or when you are abusing him, you are abusing the whole range of people who believe in him and put him there. I don’t think it is right    for any governor or anybody at all to abuse the country and abuse the president.

You can make suggestion to him as to what you think should be done in certain areas, but nobody, either culturally and whichever consideration you put it, should abuse the President.

But we must respect those in higher authority, even if it is your opponent, you must try to respect and accommodate them. I don’t think it is right to abuse or make negative remarks about a well know leader. I don’t think it is proper.

 

Governor Fayose has been raising alarm for some time now that President Buhari is planning to use the outcome of the Military probe into the alleged partisanship of its officers in Ekiti 2014 governorship election to unseat him, do you think this fear has basis?

I learnt that the military disciplined their men as regard some misdemeanour, which means they must have got certain facts.

The only thing I feel is that if the Federal Government feels that the election had been wrongly interpreted to bring the wrong man here, they would start with the Independent National Electoral Commission, if INEC now admit that they use terrorism or oppression of somebody to declare the wrong candidate.

Or if they found a fault in the process, intimidation, oppression, can that be used as a basis for removing the Governor, would that be sufficient reason for removing him. Because he says they are threatening to remove him. How are they going to remove him? Who will make pronouncement for his removal? Is it the court,    the Federal Government or INEC? The fear of the Governor, would definitely create an atmosphere of fear for all the members of his Government. I think his fear is unfounded.

HzRF:
Continue to delude ursef
It's allowed


By that tym u will knw pdp is still in power but under the name apc

joseph1832:
Imagine. Feeding off the gullibility of the un suspecting masses.

Midolian, abeg who tie the goat? Hope no be Oga Jona? Lol.

chukwudi44:
Time is your greatest enemy!! You only have from now till 2019

Adaure4ever:
I may be naive about political issues, correct me if I made a mistake somewhere in this post. but I want to ask that :
Had it been that it was Goodluck jonathan that promised the #5000 money for unemployed and failed to pay it.
- will he not be criticized by APC and their members? Will Lie Mohammed and El rufai not be abusing him now?
.. Buhari should apologize for promising things that he can't fulfill.
Am still waiting for One dollar to 1naira that APC promised.
Thankz.

doctokwus:
We can always agree to disagree.I also welcome mature comments,no matter the side of the political divide one is on.I am happy on this we both agree on d final goal.
But my broda,eventhough i may have stretched the timeliness,i still feel it's the stay of execution thing that is Saraki's joker,because I don't see where else his confidence comes from.
It cannot be from his meeting from the VP because that will be political suicide on the part of an osinbajo with still little political base.
It definitely cannot be from the CCT.
Where else,if not his banking on twisting the court processes thru stay.When u figure in the fact that PMB seems to take too long a time to take decisions,you get to understand my fears.
I wish someone can just give me a guarantee that before March ending,saraki wud be a goner because everyday he seats on that chair as sp,he affronts our senses.
Right from the incalculable havoc him and his father wrought on Societe general bank to his daylight raiding of the vault of the kwara state treasury and his forgery of documents at the assembly,the man has committed all the offences known to man.Yet he seats not just as a senator, but our number 3.
So can u give me an assurance that by next month Saraki wud have left that seat to prison?
It's d only news that wud make any sense to troubled souls from Societe account holders to pensioners in kwara and the Nigerian state right now.

chukwudi44:
That was how you folks were masturbating last September that he was going to be removed finally what has happened.

bettercreature:
It's true anyway,if Wike could win at the supreme court anything else is possible

joseph1832:
Only time will tell if something will happen to him. I bet Rev. King also thought nothing will happen to him.

Lalasticlala

I am holding unto what my daddy told us three to four years ago, that he ‘has not come back to this world to be hanged by anybody again except he hangs himself’

In spite of the death sentence slammed on the General Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly (CPA), Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo (aka Rev. King), one of his diehard godsons, Austin King, has said that it is humanly impossible to hang the condemned cleric.

Austin made this claim in an exclusive interview in Ajao Estate, Lagos, Saturday.

The claim comes as a swift reaction to the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the death sentence by hanging earlier handed down by the Lagos State High Court and affirmed by the Court of Appeal.

Austin said: “I am holding unto what my daddy told us three to four years ago, that he ‘has not come back to this world to be hanged by anybody again except he hangs himself’! I joined this church as a little child; I am now 33 and married. I have no reason to doubt my daddy because I can testify that many of his prophesy concerning my personal circumstances that have come to pass.”

joseph1832:
Abegi shut up joor! Fear let you?

Na your own go be juju music after I finish with you.

Midolian, come warn dis your babe oh. Dolusegun and joseph183.2 na different person oh.

After she go come open thread for here dey rant about how I break her heart. Lmfao.

frankyychiji:
I have bookmarked this and I have also told you the so called fight against corruption is not a sincere one but a witch-hunt! You may wait till eternity cos if as little as a strand of his hair is missing, i swear no marabout can shield Buhary from the sledgehammer. You THINK BUHARY DOES NOT KNOW THIS?

•Insist case was a frame-up
•Neighbours: it’s a big relief
•Say we went through hell while he held sway

Members of the Rev King-led Christian Pentecostal Assembly (CPA) woke up yesterday in high hopes.
They were sure that after almost 10 years incarceration, their beloved church founder would finally breath an air of freedom with the Supreme Court expected to quash the death sentence received from the lower courts.

As early 7:00am, some female members were already in the church. They were wearing green T-shirts with black skirts and green berets to match.
Another group wore white T-shirts and white berets.

They swept the floor, arranged the white plastic chairs in rows and generally tidied up the church, all in anticipation of holding a victory service.
However, the planned celebration was not to be: the apex court insisted that the man his followers call “His holiness” must end on the gallows.
By 3 pm, the church gate had been shut,the crowd thinned down, their hopes of ever seeing their G.O gone.

On adjoining streets, some residents gathered, discussing the conviction in low tones.
Some were using their phones to browse through the net to confirm the authenticity of the news.
There was not a single member of the church around.

But even a first timer would not miss the larger than life image of Rev King on the church signboard and the huge, gold colour inscription of CPA on the black church gates.

Some of the residents spoke toThe Nationstill looking over their shoulders for King’s followers who are reputed for harassing people in the area.
The residents described King’s incarceration as a blessing to the street,recalling their not too pleasant experience in the hands of the church members before his arrest and subsequent trial.
One of the residents said: “One day his members beat up my wife.

“I went into the church to ask them what happened. Immediately I went in, they rushed at me. They beat my wife so badly that she ran to the police station naked. At the police station, they told us to go and get a medical report from Isolo General Hospital. I went and got the report.

“I later asked my wife why the CPA members beat her up. She said some children threw a banger inside the church. When the members came out, they did not ask who did it, but tried to take two of our children back into the church.

“She begged them not to take them away, but they refused. As a mother, she would not allow her children to be taken away. That was why they descended on her. I wanted to follow it up, but my uncle advised me not to go ahead with the case.He told me they were very dangerous. That was how I dropped the case.”

Residents said passers-by used to thread the street with trepidation when King still held sway, as his supporters were always suspicious of people and ever ready to vent their aggression at the slightest provocation.

People were routinely forced to remove their shoes to be allowed to walk through the area.
Asked if that was till the situation now, the man replied: “No, it is much better now. People have peace in the street. The street is peaceful now. The CPA members don’t molest anybody anymore. ”
A landlord in the area said: “He who lives by the sword, will die by the sword” when told that the Supreme Court had upheld the death sentence given to King.

Relating his own experience with the church members,the landlord said: “I know many of them because the buy things from me.
“I knew Ann very well before her death. Before the incident, it was harrowing for all of us staying in this area.

“At that time, some of the houses you see here were under construction, so some of the bricklayers would sleep in the buildings. The members of the CPA would move from house to house on Sundays and forced people to attend service.
“They had no bathroom.It was just recently that they made provision for some.

“The church members would come out and bath outside in broad daylight. To us, that was an abomination. Even up till now, some of them believe he would soon come back. I have heard them boast that when Rev King comes back, they would deal with us.

“It is unfortunate that he has been convicted, but those who live by the sword will die by the sword.If he had been released,we would have abandoned our houses.”

King’s followers are confident that he would not be hanged.

One of them who spoke withThe Nationsaid: “His holiness cannot be killed even with the Supreme Court judgment. He said it long ago that no man is capable of touching a strand of hair on his head.

“The whole drama is a calculated plan by some people to bring his ministry down. It started in June 2006 when His holiness asked cult members, herbalists and other people with shady character in the church to either declare for God or leave the church.

“After making the statement, some people who believed they were highly connected came to him and told him that they would blackmail him and make sure the ministry was brought down.
“Thereafter, this ‘frame-up’ came up. For you to know that the case was a frame-up, did they bring the dead bodies of the seven people that were allegedly killed to the court to serve as evidence?

“It was all a ruse. Those seven people in question are roaming about the street and we do see them here in Ajao Estate. It was only Ann that died and it was these seven people that killed her. It wasn’t His holiness that killed her as alleged.

“She was going to put on the generator when they set fire on it. When she was eventually taken to the hospital, they went there and used pillow to choke her to death. That was how those people who vowed to deal with His holiness started carrying out their plans. But the truth is that they cannot kill him.”

Another member, who simply identified himself as Sunny, said though the judgment was contrary to their expectations, they remain confident that he would come out unscathed.
“His holiness cannot be killed. He is more than a mere human being and cannot be killed by any mortal.

“We were waiting with high expectations that the case would be struck out. We held a vigil yesterday and went ahead to clean the church premises waiting for his return. We didn’t have to pray for the case to be struck out at the vigil because we were convinced that he would be released.

“The Supreme Court judgment cannot dampen our morale because we are convinced that he would not be killed. He is not a mere mortal like the rest of us. He will come back home at the appointed time and by then, the people behind this whole thing will bury their heads in shame.”

Another member of the church called Obi said: “The judgment which is a human decision is not the final. A judgment that will supercede this one will come. We have total confidence in our leader and this is why we have not relented in our efforts to hold service.

“In spite of the judgment, we are going to have service on Sunday and celebrate him. For you to know how powerful he is, he has been providing solutions to numerous people’s problems right from the prison walls.

“He does this using online medium. Right there in the prison, the officials don’t go close to him because of the enormity of the power he wields. If they can’t go close to him in the prison, how would it be possible for them to kill him? It is impossible. I personally received divine healing through him before his arrest. I was having a terminal ailment and when he mounted the pulpit and pointed at my direction, the sickness vanished. This was in 2006 and till date the sickness has not come back.”