The same way "VICTORIA ASCERTA" means UNTIL VICTORY IS CERTAIN.
aluta continua, victoria ascerta

Please how do I save this picture. Have tried to download but after then it can't be viewed. Someone should help out please

It's tagged da owo mi pada

My brother was born on the 27th september so is youir birthday mate.

YungMike:
Legends are born in SEPTEMBER.

If you're not born in SEPTEMBER, then you need to be born again.

Where the SEPTEMBER people @??

Looking for ma bdae mate... SEPT27th

Nigerian Controversial singer and writer, Etcetera, has in a new article slammed Vice President, Prof. (Pastor) Yemi Osinbanjo, and the President Buhari-led administration, owing to the present economic state. His article (in caps) below:


HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT NIGERIANS LOSE ALL OF THEIR SENSES WHEN THEY GET INTO GOVERNMENT?

YOU CALLED GOODLUCK JONATHAN A DUMB PHD HOLDER, HOW IS MR. OSINBAJO A PROFESSOR, IF HE CAN’T SIMPLY DEFINE PRIORITY?

WHAT A PROF CAN’T DRAW UP A SCALE OF PREFERENCE?

EVERY DUMB, DICK AND HARRYsong KNOWS THAT FOR ANY GOVERNMENT TO BE REMOTELY EFFECTIVE, THEY HAVE TO WORK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRIORITIES OF THE PEOPLE.

HOW DOES PHASING OUT MUD HOUSES A PRIORITY FOR NIGERIANS IN THIS PRESENT ECONOMIC HELL?

DOES MR. OSINBAJO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT IN THIS ELECTRICITY-LESS COUNTRY, OUR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS IN THE VILLAGE ARE SAVED FROM BEING PLAGUED BY HEAT-RASH AND LAPALAPA BECAUSE OF THE COOLNESS OF THEIR MUD HOUSES?

MR. VICE PRESIDENT, FIX THE DAMN ECONOMIC MESS AND LEAVE US TO FIX OUR MUD HOUSES OURSELVES. THAT IS IF WE SO CHOOSE TO.

IT FURTHER PROVES THAT BUHARI AND OSINBAJO’S GOVERNMENT IS CLUELESS AND DUMB IN ALL RAMIFICATION.

YOU MAY WANT TO REMIND ME NOW TO THREAD SOFTLY OR OF THE FACT THAT OSINBAJO IS A PASTOR AND I SHOULD “TOUCH NOT MY ANOINTED”.

MCHEEEEW… NANSENSE!!!

ANY FOOL CAN BE A PASTOR?

YES, ANY FOOL CAN BE A PASTOR BECAUSE GOD CAN USE ANYONE TO DO HIS WORK.

ISN’T IT A SHAME THAT NIGERIA AND HER LINGERING ECONOMIC MESS IS BEING REFERENCED IN OTHER COUNTRIES AS THE REASON WHY FOOLS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED INTO GOVERNMENT?

I CHOSE TO WRITE IN CAPS FOR THOSE BLIND SUPPORTERS OF THIS PRESENT GOVERNMENT, WHO DESPITE THE SIGNS BEFORE THEM, CANNOT SEE THAT THIS GOVERNMENT IS PLUNGING US INTO THE DARKEST PART OF HELL.

AND BEFORE I FORGET, ETCETERA IS A NUISANCE…. I HAVE HEARD IT ALL. Link: http://www.nigerianeye.com/2016/07/etcetera-blasts-osinbajo-any-fool-can.html. @lalasticlala do justice to dis post

Its always darkest close to dawn. Though I never supported or believed in Buhari before the election, he is the president now and all hands must be on deck to support him. I pray for him to succeed every time for the good of this country and I urge everyone to do same. Happy Good Shepherd Sunday folks

DSTV has removed major sports stations and movie channels from the dstv Walka. They have added some useless channels like the Ghanian channels. This is unbecoming and this was done without prior notice to their customers yet the prices for this packages keep increasing. Please does anyone know why this was done and if it will be reverted back because the Walka seems useless to me now without those channels becuase I can't watch premiership matches on it again or even watch African Magic Yoruba. This feels like injustice to me and I also have some friends who are angry with this

It doesn't work on calls or text. I even called their customer care few days back to compplain and dey said I should ignore that its a mistake from them. Since then it keeps accummulating yet I can't use it. I think its just a dummy credit that can't be used

No cause for alarm. There are far better defenders around. A defender that was voted by middlesbrough fans as the worst player to have ever played for them should not be commanding a regular shirt in the Nigerian team. I wish siasia goodluck as he picks a far more worthy replacement. #Nigeriawouldsoaroveregypt

I have come to realise that hypo(JIK) no longer has much effect on my whites no matter the quantity I use or the time I soak them in it. I also read in an article where the usage of lime with hot water can make them whiter. I tried that technique but to no avail. Please does anyone has a better solution because white shirts are my favourites and I love to maintain them. How can I improve their brightness and whitten them more. Someone else may learn from this also so I need advice. @Lalasticlala please this may educate people out there who are also in state of confusion like me. Please help push to fp. Thanks

Pastor Uguru Usani Uguru from Cross River State was just sworn in as a minister of the federal republic of Nigeria, yesterday, but he already has a case to answer.



According to a petition signed by Jenny Iwara Osuaya, wife of one Mr. Iwara Osuaya, a Chairmanship contestant in May 1996, in Cross River State, Usani and others murdered her husband in 1996.

In a Wednesday report by Pointblanknews, a petition, numbered 673, on the allegation had been filed at the Oputa Panel in 2001.

Usani, who allegedly supported another candidate in the 1996 election, was said to have promised offsetting Osuaya’s election expenses. But when Osuaya went to collect the promised compensation, a fracas ensued which resulted in his death.

The assailants were said to have been arrested by the police but Mr. Usani who was a member of the Cross Rivers State Executive Council used his influence to suppress investigation into the matter. However, the preliminary investigation report indicted Usani and others but the police did not prosecute them. The preliminary report was admitted in evidence as Exhibit 2.

In view of this, the Commission reportedly ordered the Inspector-General of Police to constitute another panel to conduct fresh investigation into the matter. But as Pointblanknews reported, the case became a “cold case” after the Oputa Panel.

No dust has been raised yet by the revelation but with the anti-corruption and anti-impunity stand of the present administration, security agencies are expected to look into the matter and reopen the case if they find any substance in it.

Usani, who was once a commissioner in Cross Rivers State was, yesterday, sworn in as Minister for Niger Delta. Source: Information Nigeria. Cc lalasticlala, obinoscopy

Tinyemeka:


And what would they need your BVN for?

Your ownership of a BVN is simply a confirmation that you've completed the Biometric data capture needed by the banks to properly tie your account(s) to your identity. Basically to drastically minimize fraud.

BVN does not grant access to your account. Only aids in identification.

My opinion sha.

I get your view BUT don't you think even getting ones personal details including permanent address and all is also a risk. Remember its said this BVN would finally replace the National identity card. Moreover I don't trust Nigerians. Their ingenuity when it comes to fraud cannot be overemphasized. The way fake messages were sent to people by some hackers in order to obtain their bvn gives me cauise for concern. I feel that phone checking is too easy. Let it be left to the banks. I may be wrong but my gut feeling is that its a risk.

Ochillary:
@ MIKELELETA seems like you have no idea what bvn is all about.

That's what I said in my post if anyone has a contrary opinion. Many people need enlightenment about the stuff so no hating. Just say your mind and move on

lalasticlala:
Op kindly edit your topic, the letters should not all be in capital.. Capitalize only the first letters

Alright I would do just that but please this has to be put in front page

Has anyone wondered about the dangers of using your phone to get your BVN number. All I see is how excited everybody seems to be. Though its a laudable initiative BUT I feel it would give room for criminals and hackers to easily obtain the BVN number simply by collecting ones phone and using it to send the code thereby obtaining the BVN number. Something urgently needs to be done concerning this OR in the meantime let it be stopped by the NCC. I fear for the repercusions of this. Does anyone concur to what am saying or has a contrary opinion? Please I would like to get contributions. Cc Lalasticlala, Obinoscopy, Ishilove and all other mods please push this to front page let the authorities hear us.

Lai Mohammed, APC National Publicity Secretary, is one of President Buhari’s ministerial nominees. When he appeared for screening before the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio made a wry observation. He said: “If I know (Lai Mohammed) very well, he may have one or two propaganda to drop before he leaves here.” His Senate colleagues burst into laughter because they understood what he meant.

Lai Mohammed is a master propagandist. He is well-known to be economical with the truth. During the election season, he cried wolf every other day, claiming to unearth new “fantabulous” PDP plans to rig the election. One of the most outrageous was his allegation that PDP used disappearing ink on the ballot papers of APC supporters in Ekiti. He also alleged PDP imported one Gyora Berger from Israel, with the mandate to jam all the card-readers in the North-West and the North-East.

Our distinguished Senators failed to ask Mohammed about these tall-tales for which he is known and loved. They failed to determine if we are to expect more of the same from him as Honourable Minister, or whether he intends to tamp it down a little.


Anti-corruption APC

The APC is now Nigeria’s self-styled anti-corruption party. Five months after the elections, the only recognised public policy of the new Buhari administration is anti-corruption. The government’s economic policy is anti-corruption. Its social policy is anti-corruption. Its foreign policy is anti-corruption. Buhari plans to revive our ailing economy with anti-corruption. He plans to fix our broken educational system with anti-corruption. He also plans to fix our health and social services with anti-corruption.

Hear him: “The monies we realise from anti-corruption campaign will be adequately used to improve education in the country.” “The money saved will finance jobs, health-care and the provision of social safety net for the needy, weak and vulnerable of our land.” When can we expect these dividends of anti-corruption to start competing with our proceeds from oil?

Fabrication of data

The APC has consistently exploited the gullibility of Nigerians. Recognising the low level of education in the country, the party has gone all out to promote its anti-corruption policy with lies. It went to town with the CBN governor’s bombast, first that $50 billion was missing from the nation’s coffers; and later that $20 billion was missing. Any Nigerian with a modicum understanding of economics knows it is impossible for such huge sums to be missing in an economy the size of Nigeria’s.

Professor Soludo declared that, in the five years of Jonathan’s administration, no less than 30 trillion naira had been stolen. The APC again went to town with this, not minding that the total annual federal budget under Jonathan was a little over 4.5 trillion naira. In short, more money has been allegedly stolen under Goodluck Jonathan than there was money to steal.

This fabrication of data did not stop once APC came to power. The APC claimed it met an empty treasury. However, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, Deputy Chairman National Planning Commission debunked this claim by revealing that Jonathan left behind $30 billion. There was also some $2 billion left in the Excess Crude Account and the Sovereign Wealth Fund; amounts that would have been more had the governors not insisted some of it should be shared.

Buhari says: “Jonathan’s ministers stole 150 billion dollars.” How exactly did Mr. President come by this outlandish figure. These figures are just plucked out of thin air. APC chieftains say one million barrels of oil was stolen everyday under Jonathan. That cannot be because it is virtually half of Nigeria’s daily oil-production.

Oshiomhole says a senior official of the Obama administration revealed that a Jonathan minister stole $6 billion dollars. How can one single individual possibly steal that much? This claim has since been denied by the Americans. Oshiomhole also claims a consultancy fee of 140 billion naira was paid for the Second Niger Bridge when the total cost of the bridge is only 108 billion. APC chieftains just keep coming up with outrageous figures, in order to keep burnishing their bogus anti-corruption credentials.


Promises, promises

During the election, APC ignored the parlous state of the economy and went to town, promising Nigerians heaven on earth. It promised to pay a stipend of 5,000 naira monthly to the 25 million poorest Nigerians. This would come to 125 billion every month and 1.5 trillion every year. The party must have known it was impossible to do this with a 4.5 trillion annual budget, least of all at a time when oil is now selling for less than $50 a barrel. Nevertheless, it used this promise to deceive the gullible.

APC promised to provide free education; free daily meals for millions of Nigerian public school children; free tertiary education; free healthcare and free houses. All this have turned out to be fictitious. Buhari promised to create 740,000 jobs within a year in the 36 states of the federation, as well as one million jobs for Igbo youths by revamping the huge coal deposits in Enugu State for electricity generation. However, in five months, his administration has created no new jobs. Instead, it has lost many by its go-slow and do-nothing stance.

Reneging on promises

Once the election was “won,” Buhari declared on TV Continental that, unlike the Quran and the Bible, the APC position during the election is subject to change.

Suddenly, the APC found it necessary to deny the two key documents on which it had based its presidential campaign: “My Covenant with Nigerians,” and “One Hundred Things Buhari Will Do in 100 Days.” These documents bore the official APC logo, were promoted on the APC website and were used extensively on the campaign trail by APC officials. But once the election was over, the APC reneged on the promises made in them.

Garba Shehu said: “I did not fund or authorise any of those. I can equally bet my last kobo that candidate Buhari did not see or authorise those publications.” Lai Mohammed swore that: “Buhari never promised to do anything in 100 days, that’s the honest truth.” However, the 100 days document was the handiwork of the policy and research directorate of the APC presidential campaign, headed by former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Buhari himself introduced the Covenant document in the first person. He said: “This covenant is to outline my agenda for Nigeria and provide a bird’s eye-view of how we intend to bring about the change that our country needs and deserves. The covenant is derived from the manifesto of my party, the All Progressives Congress. It however represents my pledge to you all when I become your president.” But once he became president, Buhari now claims he had nothing to do with the document.

ASSET DECLARATION

In a document titled, “I Pledge to Nigeria,” Buhari declared: “I pledge to publicly declare my assets and liabilities, (and) encourage all my appointees to publicly declare their assets and as a pre-condition for appointment.” However, after the election, Femi Adesina, the president’s special adviser, denied the president ever made such a promise.

He said: “You need to get his words right, go and check all that the president said during the campaign, in no place would you see it attributed to him as a person. But then there is a document by his party, the All Progressives Congress, saying he would declare publicly, so we need to set that right, it’s a declaration by his party.”

When the president finally succumbed and declared his assets publicly, he failed to disclose their value. The president had led Nigerians to believe he had barely one million naira to his name. He claimed to be so cash-strapped, he had to borrow 27.5 million naira to pay for his APC presidential nomination papers. But then 30 million naira suddenly appeared in his bank account in his assets declaration.

We were told he has only two houses; one in Daura; the other in Kaduna. But then his assets declaration show he not only has a house in Abuja, he has four other houses as well. It was also disclosed that he has an undeveloped land in Port Harcourt and an undisclosed number of shares in banks. The president also has farms, a ranch and livestock. Before his election, Buhari had only 150 cows: after his election, these had jumped to 270.

LYING IS CORRUPTION

What is obviously lost to the APC is that there is a definite contradiction between fighting corruption and telling lies. Corruption cannot be fought with deception. It is a classic principle of jurisprudence that “he who comes into equity must come with clean hands.” But APC clearly does not understand this at all. It is remarkable that the very party that fought an election by taking the moral high ground of being anti-corruption is the one that has shown the most blatant inclination to twist, bend, distort and obfuscate the truth at every turn.

By its actions, the APC is a party of lies and liars. The party claims to be a vehicle of change, nevertheless, it presented a 72 year-old as its presidential candidate, a man who had been in power 30 years previously. Buhari himself accepted the mantle of progressive change, nevertheless he nominated Audu Ogbeh as minister, a man who was minister some 30 years previously.

For APC, change means recycling old PDP politicians; avoiding the young; and relegating women into obscurity. Change means ensuring the principal organs of government: the executive, legislature and the judiciary, are now all monopolised by the North. It means the key staffers of Aso Rock are now virtually all Northerners. It means the INEC Chairman is now from the North, the same region as the president.

Change for the APC is declaring Rotimi Amaechi innocent until proven guilty; while declaring Diezani Allison-Madueke guilty until proven innocent. Change means the president can overlook the South-East in appointments.

Clearly, this is not the change Nigerians were led to expect. This is not the kind of change APC promised Nigerians while seeking our votes. What the party has done is to betray the trust of Nigerians. To put it bluntly, Nigerians were deceived into putting the APC in power. This makes it all the more anomalous that the same APC claims to be the party of anti-corruption. Someone needs to tell APC chieftains that telling lies is CORRUPTION. CC: Lalasticlala, Obinoscopy, Ishilove please do the needful

The Department of State Services (DSS) foiled a Boko Haram attack on one of Nigeria’s highbrow residential areas, Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi, Lagos, it was revealed yesterday.

Forty-five alleged members of the sect have been identified as masterminds of the plot.



They were arrested by the DSS following intelligence reports about their activities.

The suspects were ordered to be remanded at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons yesterday by an Isolo Magistrate’s Court pending arraignment.

Names of the suspects in custody was given as: Abuyi Sheriff, Babagana Ali, Abass Ibrahim, Abubakar Grema, Kabiri Ibrahim, Mustaph Mohammed, Usman Mohammed, Modu Amsami, Isa Agafi, Adamu Jebili, Saja Kamba, Abba Sagoma, Mallam Buchu, Abdul-Kareem Abba, Babagana Koloye, Usman Buka and Adamu Mohammed.

Others are Lawal Mohammed, Tela Abana, Mustapha Mohammed, Isa Agafi, Belo Modu, Kachala Babagana, Modu Abu and Alhaji Modu Mustapha.

The attack was supposed to have taken place last month soon after the arrival of the suspects in Lagos.

However, the DSS thwarted the plot by first mounting surveillance on them followed by their arrest.

Recovered from the suspects were arms.

It was gathered that the DSS also obtained confessional statements from them.

The suspects will remain in detention pending conclusion of investigation and filing of charges.

Recall that in August, Nigeria’s secret police announced the arrest of 19 suspected terrorists in Lagos, Enugu, Plateau, Kano and Gombe States.

They were described as commanders and frontline members of the sect who had played key roles in Boko Haram’s bloody campaign in the Northeast.

One of the suspects, Usman Shuaibu (alias Money), claimed to have co-ordinated the attacks with N500, 000 which was provided by his Amir, Isa Ali.

The DSS in a statement, said: “Shuaibu claimed that the said Isa Ai has links to the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, from where he collects monies to fund operations undertaken by their Markaz.

“Also, he revealed that he has participated in several Boko Haram attacks, including the attacks at Gwoza Divisional police Station in 2014”.

He was also alleged to have admitted being the leader of a nine man Boko haram cell dispatched from Sambisa forest to carry out the attacks. Cc Lalastical SOURCE: http://www.informationng.com/2015/10/dss-foils-boko-haram-plot-to-bomb-popular-residential-estate-in-lagos.html

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described the appointment of yet another northerner, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a vindication of his position that “President Mohammadu Buhari is a sectional leader, who sees himself mainly as leader of the Hausa/Fulani, and not that of the entire people of Nigeria.”



The governor, who said he had expected that the new INEC Chairman will be chosen from one of the three Southern geo-political zones, especially the South Western part of the country being the only zone yet to produce chairman of the nation’s electoral umpire, posited that; “Nigeria has entered a one chance bus and it remains to be seen who will save the country from its sectional President.”

Reacting to the appointment of Prof Yakubu as the new INEC chairman, Governor Fayose said, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka that even the Yoruba leaders who promoted and made the Buhari’s Presidency possible had been short-changed.

The governor asked; “Shouldn’t he have considered someone from either South-East, South-South or South-West as Chairman of the Electoral Commission now that we have a President from the North?

“For reasons of perception, equity and fairness, don’t we have credible people from the Southern part of Nigeria that can conduct credible elections as INEC Chairman? Or do we assume that the 2019 elections have already been won and lost by the appointment of this Hausa/Fulani professor as INEC chairman? Or isn’t it regrettable that even in 2015, it is only in PDP controlled States that elections arebeing upturned?”

He said he was worried that the three arms of government; namely Executive, Legislative and Judiciary were being headed by northerners, leaving the three zones in the Southern part of the country with nothing.

Speaking further, Governor Fayose said; “When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was the President, he never appointed a Yoruba man as INEC chairman. Dr Goodluck Jonathan too did not appoint an Ijaw man as INEC Chairman.

“Former President Shehu Shagari too did not appoint a Hausa man like himself as Chairman of the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO). Rather, he appointed late Justice Victor Ovie Whisky.

“During the Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha regimes, no Hausa/Fulani man was appointed as Chairman of the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria and General Abdulsalami Abubakar who established the current INEC did not also appoint his fellow Hausa man as chairman.

“How then can we have a President from the North and at the same time have INEC Chairman from the Hausa/Fulani Northern Nigeria?

“Obviously, what is being witnessed is more like a situation where it appears the President is more interested in having someone malleable to him than serving the interest of Nigeria and its people.” SOURCE: Nigerian Eye. Cc lalastical

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described the appointment of yet another northerner, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a vindication of his position that “President Mohammadu Buhari is a sectional leader, who sees himself mainly as leader of the Hausa/Fulani, and not that of the entire people of Nigeria.”



The governor, who said he had expected that the new INEC Chairman will be chosen from one of the three Southern geo-political zones, especially the South Western part of the country being the only zone yet to produce chairman of the nation’s electoral umpire, posited that; “Nigeria has entered a one chance bus and it remains to be seen who will save the country from its sectional President.”

Reacting to the appointment of Prof Yakubu as the new INEC chairman, Governor Fayose said, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka that even the Yoruba leaders who promoted and made the Buhari’s Presidency possible had been short-changed.

The governor asked; “Shouldn’t he have considered someone from either South-East, South-South or South-West as Chairman of the Electoral Commission now that we have a President from the North?

“For reasons of perception, equity and fairness, don’t we have credible people from the Southern part of Nigeria that can conduct credible elections as INEC Chairman? Or do we assume that the 2019 elections have already been won and lost by the appointment of this Hausa/Fulani professor as INEC chairman? Or isn’t it regrettable that even in 2015, it is only in PDP controlled States that elections arebeing upturned?”

He said he was worried that the three arms of government; namely Executive, Legislative and Judiciary were being headed by northerners, leaving the three zones in the Southern part of the country with nothing.

Speaking further, Governor Fayose said; “When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was the President, he never appointed a Yoruba man as INEC chairman. Dr Goodluck Jonathan too did not appoint an Ijaw man as INEC Chairman.

“Former President Shehu Shagari too did not appoint a Hausa man like himself as Chairman of the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO). Rather, he appointed late Justice Victor Ovie Whisky.

“During the Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha regimes, no Hausa/Fulani man was appointed as Chairman of the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria and General Abdulsalami Abubakar who established the current INEC did not also appoint his fellow Hausa man as chairman.

“How then can we have a President from the North and at the same time have INEC Chairman from the Hausa/Fulani Northern Nigeria?

“Obviously, what is being witnessed is more like a situation where it appears the President is more interested in having someone malleable to him than serving the interest of Nigeria and its people.” SOURCE: Nigerian Eye. Cc lalastical

I have quickly turned on my dstv walka 7 to follow up even though there's no light I can watch it live. Today should be the deal day. I sense Amache would scale through BUT not without much drama and controversies. @ op pls which station is showing it because NTA International where I watched previous ones is showing commisioning of ultra modern nnpc gas lines

Oh oh this is preposterous, alarming and flabergasting. Nafdac where @ dou

Where are the pictures of the irate youths. I hate seeing youths killed. No war ever gives what we want. We must still return to thr round table to achieve our aims #Team Peace

For over four decades, he held the nation spell-bound with his activ ism and catechism. Ordained first as a priest on December 11, 1966, consecrated as a titular Bishop in August 1971, Archbishop in 1973 and a Cardinal in October 2003, Anthony Olubunmi Okogie became the voice for the voiceless and for years took advantage of his leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) as well as Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria to speak against the ills in government and even dared the military regimes of Gener­als Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha that many leaders dreaded to cross their path then.


Without mincing words, his activities and episcopal status attracted to him the high and mighty in the society. His home and office were like a pilgrimage site besieged by all shades of Nigerians; from the lowly church members, family relations to business tycoons and heads of governments across all tiers.

At 79 and retired since May 2012, Okogie appears to be facing the other side of fame; loneliness. Indeed, he confirmed this in this with Saturday Sun. But beyond this, the cleric remains as fiery and critical as ever. To him, events of the last four months in Nigeria have shown that there is no difference between the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and incumbent President Muham madu Buhari. He spoke with VERA WIS DOM-BASSEY. Excerpts:

At 55, what are those things you think the government should put in place for us to be a good and prosper ous nation?

Any time I look at Nigeria, I feel like weep­ing, you are asking me of celebrating at 80, am satisfied the way God has kept me, the way am going, people don’t believe am still strong. In the nation, we have to be careful just like crossing the road. You look left, right and look again before you move, otherwise you will be crushed. That has been my principle, what is money after all, what do you gain from it, women what do you get from it. Women, what do they get from the men? When you look at someone and you fall in love with the person and the next moment you said you don’t like her again. She is not a cloth, it’s not a cloth that you can say this is old. No, she is a hu man being like you, why can’t you use your head before going into it. A man walked into my office one day and was talking that his wife is old, and I said you too you’re old. The way the woman is today is not the way you met her many years ago, so why won’t you want her. So, when you look at Nigeria at 55 and those who are long enough in this world, as Nigeria is, you will feel sorry for the coun try. So also there was a time Ghanaians were even laughing at us, when things were going well, they were all in Nigeria even the days of Nkrumah, so it’s selfishness and the root cause of that is money, and greed, because when you have money and others who have it and they are wasting it, you who have it, they want to kill you, and destroy you. These are examples. Our heavenly father is there and standing with arms akimbo watching us as Nigerians, saying look at my children the way they are killing themselves. Everyone wants to make it, the good Lord that brought me out of my mother’s womb as small as I was then, the same person will take care of me. So, as parents, we are to bring up our children the right way to go and show them the way, but they won’t. So, many things are now standing on the way, favourit ism, people lobbying to become the friend of this and that. For instance, look at the ministe rial nominees.

I was coming to that, how do you see the ministerial list, especially af­ter the long wait?

When I was listening to the broadcast of the incumbent president during his swearing–in, I beat my chest, can this man say, those things were written by him? I ask myself is this the Buhari I knew 2011, that wrote this? Even though it was written for him, can he not sit down and read and re-read again, and ask him self, if he can follow all those things written down. Looking at the statement he made ‘I belong to everybody but nobody’. Look at the list of ministers, he belongs to nobody, I laughed. It means he belonged to APC.

And with the list, they are now trying to pay back those who were their bag carriers, that is what am seeing, that is not Nigeria which we fought for, it’s painful. So, what is com ing ahead if care is not taken and this crop of people if they don’t work hand in hand, we are going to have a bad future, because the youths now, they are just waiting, they are now say ing that the elderly ones in this country, can’t be trusted, they are looking for their time and when that time comes, they will not carry arms, they will do it in such a way that you will not even know that they are the one.

The people who have served in different ca pacities should have given room for the young er ones to go in and serve. OBJ used to say I sit down dey look (laugh), I don’t know what he has to say to all this, but I know he has a part in it. I said it loud and clear, how come this one say I brought my list, am hearing this from the common people. I know when they come down they say all sort of things, how many list do you want, how many different people brought their list? And yet you said, you be long to nobody, how can you not be confused, when you said you’re waiting for an angel, to come and rule the nation, I laughed. Out of the abundant of the heart, the mouth speaketh. If I were in his shoes, (Buhari) I tell you, this is his last time. He tried it thrice and now that the good Lord brought him back, can’t he use this opportunity to do something better?

One thing am seeing again from what is go ing on, there is acrimony, during the campaign they were just attacking one another, that hap pened then. People who said they have gone to secondary school, not to talk of university are behaving this way, is it how to keep the nation together? Where is the patriotism in that list? How can you tell me that these people are go ing to work?

How do you see their integrity?

I am not God, but from their previous per­formances, am afraid. When you see the states the way they operated then, not to talk of now they are putting on a bigger scale that they are going to do well, it doesn’t follow, Nigeria is a big nation. Looking at this from the spiritual angle, there are a lot of killings on-going, and it’s becoming more than what we could chew.

As a minister of God and elder statesman, what is your advice to the president regarding insurgency. Has he done his best so far?

No, no, it’s not the best, I know that he’s going to win, because I already see the signs, he will win, anyway that was one of the rea sons why, those that elected him, did so. The leaders and the party members did so, I don’t know, because the killings are getting too much and not only that foreigners and foreign nations were coming but sooner or later, it will come to an end. What the Boko Haram peo ple are doing is that they are diminishing fast, but what they are doing is sending the small number they have to go to sensitive places to throw their bomb to show they are still alive but very soon, by the grace of God they will be combated.

That means you give kudos to Bu­hari’s administration for at least achieving something?

That is one of the things I think, so far so good, as I can see.

And you’re optimistic about the December deadline?

I don’t look at deadline, he’s not God, I knew that sooner or later, with the way they are going about it, they will win. There have to be causalities here and there, but signs of victory are there, more than before.

Looking at the tussle going on in the National Assembly, what would you say regarding the credibility of the present leadership, what is your take?

They are unpatriotic, that is the major thing, they are more or less partying (that is party members) they don’t look at this nation at all, they seem not to know that without Nigeria, they will not have a party. That is the trou ble. Am of this one, this one brought me into the party and I must serve this person. Putting blame on others, it is uncalled for. Election has come and gone, it is now time for them to seat down as a body and look at Nigeria and then work, but they are not doing it. Other things will come in, we should try and be reading the back page of The Guardian and hear the youth talking. What are the older ones looking for there in the government seat in the first place?

When OBJ was looking for third term, sor­ry I have to mention him, what did he forget that he’s going there to take, and after that, they (old leaders) are coming back, what are they looking for? This beats my imagination, he himself (Buhari) has been there thrice and failed, and now that God has brought him back, APC has brought him back and look at what is happening. They have tried PDP and now decided to try APC and know what they can do.

Are you disappointed?

Yes, am disappointed in both parties, not just APC alone. When you look at what is going on, what is happening is just the tip of the iceberg. They have not started work at all. Look at the way they selected their members, there are some people who put on APC cloth, they are wolf in sheep clothings, they are PDP down, down their mind and they came out as APC. That is why they are now having the Saraki and there are so many of them still there, are we having an Assembly and sena tors as gang of robbers or gang of rascals. Is it what we are having now? If someone is to do that to their family, would they be happy, not to talk of a big nation like Nigeria. Buhari is going to have a tough time with this set of people, am telling you, am not a prophet. The game of Saraki, I put it in the middle. If these people begin to work, we will see and hear wonders. I hope they won’t drag us down to the earth. Look at our football team, the only thing that brings us together, look at the good old days, you hear Nigerian football as one of the best in the world, but today what has become of it?

Would you want to recommend ways we can achieve some synergy, so that this administration will not fail between the executive and the legislative arms of government?

The only synergy we can have, is for both to agree to work together. If they don’t work together, the unity is at stake. They should not see themselves as a PDP man or APC man, that is what they are doing now, unless they agree to work together, if they work as a party person there will be problem. Honesty, they say is the best policy, we need honest men that can rule this country and take us to the prom ise land. Am not condemning all of them, No. Now the talk of petroleum, the president is talking of handling the sector himself, there is nothing bad there, afterall OBJ tried it, soldier to soldier, it’s in their blood.

Is that not the reason he can’t trust anybody to manage it, seeing what happened to the former petroleum minister?

What I will say to that is this, it is very, very bitter to see somebody we have been reading about carrying such amount of money being laundered, that is enough to kill one. For me, I don’t just sit down at home, I also relate with the people in my environment when I want to cut my hair, I go to the barbers shop, be cause I want to see how people live and make their money, and feel what they go through and what they talk about the nation, so I don’t just sit down at home all the time. From the public you get the truth about the state of the nation. I learnt so much from my father, I could have been turned away from the war front, but God refused it. The way things are going is not good for us as a nation. It’s not right the way things are going, and they are parading themselves as minister, with some saying, this is my third term in office, even those who have been there before this régime. And some mak ing comments of what they will have in their ministry and what they will not have in their ministry. Are they God or head of State? That is what is happening now. People are already challenging him of wanting to be the minister of petroleum, eventhough the constitution is there to be followed.

What are those things in our system, that make those in power to be cor rupt. Is there anything about the sys tem that promotes corruption?

Sorry madam to cut you short, the scripture is there, love of money, when one is in power and you are in charge of money, frivolity is number one, you want to favour people, always try to show off, of what they have or wear, and any thing you have, you want to throw it away, and if you don’t get it, you’re not happy. Tribalism is another. And the money you haven’t gotten, you begin to spend. Another is party system, we are in the same party, they have not helped our party people, dishonesty, the devil is very, very bad, and powerful, he knows our weak points, that is why we have to guide ourselves, this flesh we have is where most of our problems lies, we have the spirit and we have the body. We have the good spirit and the bad. As St Paul told us, the good spirit will talk in low tone, and the bad one will be high. For how long, that is why I said am afraid of this present group of ministers, they per­formed well in their various states. Okay, this is the reason some of them are being appointed, be cause this one has been with me, he has worked with me, listens to me and now we must bring him to come and work with you. This is the one I know, whether he can do it or not, and if the person disappoints you, you said I never knew he is like this. He has to hide himself, so as to get to the position he is requesting for. Some of them nominated are saying, don’t worry we are wait ing for them, until we get there, that has been the comment I have been hearing and some of them say yes, this opportunity, we have been waiting for, and we must make it. These are people who will rule Nigeria and are saying they want to help Buhari, they just sit down somewhere and are talking of how they will make it when they get to power.

Is it not because this gov ernment makes money avail able for governance?

That is one thing I said, cutting down on others is not healthy, rath er look at other nations they are the richest. Look at what other nations are getting; compare it to what we have in Nigeria. Look at some of our graduates who want to work in stead no job, they rather go into rob bery, and on this, they try to escape, this are cases of people who want to make it by all means.

When Okonjo Iweala was also critized, she was satisfied with what she was doing in the World Bank before OBJ went to bring her down to Nigeria. And as they said there is corruption in the country and if not handled well, it will destroy the na­tion. To buttress your question, did they not rob it on her, that she is cor rupt? And as the good Lord will have it she is now elevated to another po sition. Let them go and bring her, she will never come back again. She has learnt her lesson. So, this is it.

Sir, how is life after retire ment?

Look at it now, I won’t say am en joying every moment of it, because people keep coming in and asking me questions, wanting my attention here and there. Apart from that, I have more time to look back into my life which is more important to me. Every evening before I go to bed, I just ask myself question, ‘Tony, how have you faired today?’ How did you spend the day, these are the things, this is how life is. You must always try to look back. I will come like a thief in the night that is what God says. One billionaire, who died recently, where are all his money, what did he do to his own nation, Nigeria?

(Culled from The Sun)

marv1:
u be Olodo? How many yrs have Pmb or Fayose spent that u will be comparing them together?.

Am sure your a bigger Olodo. I made my comments on the basis of what the op wrote.

marv1:
U cant deside for her. If she wanted a safe landing she would not hesitate to do that. That shows how greed can kill a man.

Your totally spot on. I pray they make her return all stolen funds because it would go a long way in solving a lot of problems. That's the most important thing

Jos – Citizens of Plateau State have urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Sultanate not to interfere in the activities of the Election Petition Tribunals in the State but rather intervene in the persistent clashes between Fulani and Berom in the State.
The citizens identified as Greater Together Voice, GTV who passed a “vote of no confidence” on Governor Simon Lalong on his four months of governance also faulted the Governor on the manner he is handling the lingering crises in the State.
In a statement issued in Jos at the weekend and signed by Mssrs Azi Madaki and Nanpak Gono, the group’s Public Relations Officer and Assistant Public Relations Officer respectively, they called on the Governor to balance the “lopsided and infamous appointments so far made in the State.”
The statement reads, “We lend our voices to the maladministration, misrule, misgovernance and the total abandonment of the rule of law by the four months old All Progressives Congress, APC government of Governor Simon Lalong.
“We call to order the Governor’s directionless administration to not only retrace its steps but take urgent initiatives to provide good governance in the State and fulfill all campaign promises made to the populace.
“The Greater Together Voice is hereby passing a vote of no confidence on the Lalong administration in its 100 days in office and therefore call on President Buhari and the Sultanate not to interfere in the activities of the Election Petition Tribunals in Plateau State.
“They should come to the rescue of the people of Plateau North, particularly the Berom ethnic group which on the verge of extinction through the genocidal activities of the Fulani militia who believe that with the President as their grand patron, they are infallible.”
The duo further called on Governor Lalong without any delay to settle the backlong of workers’ salaries and pension arrears since he has collected “N10.8 billion loans from UBA and Zenith banks, access N4.2 billion LNG fund released and received N5,3 billion CBN bailout, among others.”. Source: Vanguard News

O God Mr Reporter please direct all questions to me. I pray my Oga does not spoil all our good work by speaking rubbish English

That's not a problem. Let the trial begin and if found guilty let her face the music. Why have the UK not also assisted the FG in getting Atiku even after he has been indicted in the Halliburton scandal. I remember OBJ even daring him to go to US if he won't be arrested. Meanwhile before gullible Nigerians think otherwise, ask deltans and they would tell you that James Ibori still commands influence and decides who gets what in Delta State even in prison. Am more interested in her bringing back all the looted funds than her going to prison

There's no dare here. All I see is Fayose saying the truth. He has delivered more change than Buhari