Alleged Rape: Libel Suit Against Former Nairalander, Sugabelly, Dismissed In The US
A lawsuit against former Nairalander, Lotanna Igwe Odunze, better known as Sugabelly, has been dismissed with prejudice.
Sugabelly was quite popular on Nairaland's Art & Graphics Section where she drew people and sold her sketches and phone cases and also on the Culture Section where she discussed Igbo culture. I also remember her epic battle with another Nairalander over Big Brother Africa shower hour in 2009. She deactivated her Nairaland account c2014.
She was also very famous/infamous on Nigerian Twitter. She had quite a lot of enemies on Twitter and she trended almost every weekend.
Her enemies hated her because
1) She once said that she went 3 weeks without bathing (because she was at NYSC orientation camp). Citizens of other countries that were engaged in twit fights with Nigerians used this claim as an example to show that Nigerians are dirty.
2) She claimed that she learnt HTML and CSS and how to code a website at age 9 in 1998. Her enemies claimed that this was a lie because CSS was only released in 1996 and registered for use in 1998. They claimed that she could not have learnt CSS & HTML at age 9 in Nigeria in 1998.
3) She further angered a lot of people when she posted a list of "Poverty Stricken People". The list contained the names of some of the most popular people on Nigerian Twitter.
Sugabelly had previously alleged that she had been raped, but her allegations did not trend on Twitter until 2015.
Prince Abubakar Audu had twice been the governor of Kogi State from January 1992 until November 1993 and the second from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2003. He was running for governor again in 2015 on the platform of the APC.
In 2015 Sugabelly tweeted a heartfelt appeal to Nigerians not to vote for Abubakar Audu. She said that Audu's sons and their friends had serially raped her in 2007 when she was 17 and that members of that kind of family do not deserve to be elected into positions of authority. She mentioned Mustapha Audu and Abdul Ogohi (son of former Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ogohi) as the ring leaders in the alleged rape. Here is her blog containing her allegations.
Nigerian Twitter caught fire after she twitted her allegations. Some Twitter users sympathised with her, but others, particularly her many enemies, used it as an opportunity to attack her. Here are some of the Nairaland threads about the allegations.
In 2017 Mustapha Audu sued Sugabelly for libel in the United States (where she lives) and the court eventually dismissed the charges with prejudice. Costs were also awarded to Sugabelly. Sugabelly has not tweeted since May 2017.
The former Chairman of the Nigerian Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, tweeted about the case.
"Sugabelly Vindicated"
Chidi Odinkalu @ChidiOdinkalu
A little over 10 yrs ago, a teenage girl began keeping electronic diaries of harrowing sexual abuse. This later broke onto #Nigeria's social media. She was known as @sugabelly. Many ppl did not believe her. Today, I'd like to tell a little story I call #SugabellyVindicated
When it began, she was 17. The chief culprits, who were 1 decade older than her or more were the sons of 2 #Nigerian big men - a state Governor & an Admiral who led the military. The allegations looked too detailed to be made up, surely too serious to ignore #SugabellyVindicated
While some showed her empathy, she also received unspeakable nastiness & abuse form ppl who forgot, as @damiodiachi rightly pointed out, that "it's hard to believe that she wld embrace a country's worth of cyber-bullying for fame." (link: http://www.theramblingsofamadman-afam.com/2015/11/the-sugabelly-timeline.html) #SugabellyVindicated
One disinterested person, @damiodiachi, took the trouble of disinterring this tale of three years' worth of sexual and concluded that @sugabelly was very credible #SugabellyVindicated
On social media, however, @sugabelly was set upon, finally being forced off this space by abuse of that no one shd be subjected to. Having survived sexual abuse, she became the victim of cyber-abuse. Those who physically abused her became her cyber-traducers #SugabellyVindicated
In June 2017, 1 of the persons whom @sugabelly had named as her rapist, Mustapha Audu, son of former Kogi state Governor, Abubakar Audu, filed a suit in the courts in Washington DC, USA against her for libel because she clearly said he was a rapist #SugabellyVindicated
In his suit against @sugabelly, Mustapha Audu, who joined his younger brother, Bashir as plaintiff, claimed the allegations of rape were false. He asked for damages, jury trial & injunctions. The young woman cld have been ruined.... #SugabellyVindicated
Once issues were joined, Mustapha Audu's case began to unravel. Earlier this year, the court dismissed his case with prejudice, requiring him to pay all the costs of @sugabelly #SugabellyVindicated
Essentially, as @damiodiachi suspected over 3 yrs ago, @sugabelly was both right & credible. Mustapha Audu committed rape. This rapist tried to use judicial attrition to export his #Nigeria impunity to the USA. This courageous young woman stopped him. #SugabellyVindicated
Appeals are no longer available against the court decision dismissing Mustapah Audu's spurious case againt @sugabelly. So, the decision is now final & the vindication of @sugabelly is judicially confirmed - Mustapha Audu is a rapist #SugabellyVindicated
Suspicious Packages Sent To Hillary, Bill Clinton And Barack Obama: Secret Service
The Secret Service said the packages contained “potential explosive devices.”
By Marina Fang
10/24/2018 09:49 AM ET
Suspicious packages containing “potential explosive devices” were sent to Hillary and Bill Clinton’s home in the New York City suburbs late Tuesday and former President Barack Obama’s office in Washington, D.C., early Wednesday, according to the Secret Service.
“The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled as such. The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them,” the agency said in a statement.
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the situation and the White House is taking it “extremely seriously,” a senior White House official told NBC News.
“We condemn the attempted violent attacks recently made against President Obama, President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and other public figures,” said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The United States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are investigating and will take all appropriate actions to protect anyone threatened by these cowards.”
Initial reports that a similar package had been intercepted before arriving at the White House were not accurate, Reuters reported, citing a source familiar with the matter who initially said such a package had been found. CNN had also initially reported that a package had been discovered en route to the White House.
CNN’s New York newsroom was also evacuated Wednesday morning after a “suspicious package” was discovered in the mailroom.
The New Castle Police Department in Chappaqua, where the Clintons live, did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment. Spokespersons for the Clintons and Obamas referred HuffPost to the Secret Service for comment.
The New York FBI said it was aware of the package targeted at the Clintons and is investigating, but declined to comment further.
Just two days ago, police investigated a package containing an explosive device at the home of prominent Democratic donor George Soros, a frequent target of right-wing, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. His home is also in Westchester County, in a town near where the Clintons live. It is unclear whether the incidents are related.
Hayley Miller contributed reporting.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
babyblissShop: I remember they visited Enugu and we're hosted by the governor Col. Robert Akonobi. They also commissioned the British council library at NUT house at Otigba junction. Yours truly saw them live. Princess Diana was really beautiful.
naptu2: The farewell ceremonies were held at State House Marina, then the Prince and Princess were seen off at the airport by Admiral and Mrs. Aikhomu. President Babmgida returned to Dodan Barracks via the Ikoyi Road gate. That was the first time I had seen a Head of State use the Ikoyi Road gate since the 1970s. The next time I would see a Head of State use that gate would be in 2012 when President Jonathan used that gate to get to his helicopter.
A few weeks after the Prince and Princess' departure, I was woken by an explosion. There was a second explosion before I could react. The battle of Ikoyi Road had begun (April 22nd 1990). Panhard AML, Scorpion tanks and artillery pieces were used during this battle. There was fighting at Bonny Camp, which was in the direct line of sight of where the Royal Yacht was moored. Some people who were involved in the debate about whether Lagos was safe enough for the Prince and Princess to visit then asked the question, what if the battle had occurred when the Prince and Princess where still here?
naptu2: The Prince and Princess were in Port Harcourt on the 19th were they watched a boat regatta and visited a village outside the city. They then returned to Lagos.
naptu2: On March 17 the royal couple visited Maiduguri where they met the Shehu of Borno, were treated to a Durbar, visited a leprosy hospital and a village just outside the city.
naptu2: The next day, Princess Diana and Mrs Babangida inspected products made by rural women as part of the Better Life For Rural Dwellers programme (the pet programme of Mrs Babangida). The exhibition was held at the Tafawa Balewa Square. Earlier in the day, the Prince and Princess had visited the Lagos University Teaching Hospital where they donated some equipment to the hospital.
naptu2: The Prince and Princess arrived Nigeria on March 15th and they were met at the Murtala Muhammed Airport by The Chief of General Staff, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu and Mrs. Rebecca Aikhomu. They were taken to State House Marina where President and Mrs Babangida were waiting to receive them. They then retired to the Royal Yacht. The Royal Yacht looked absolutely beautiful beside the Marina (particularly at night when the lights were on).
naptu2: The Prince and Princess were offered the use of State House Marina, but they chose to stay aboard the Royal Yacht Brittania, which was moored at Marina (across the road from State House). They were also offered the use of the Mercedes 600 Pullman (W100), but they chose to use one of two Daimler stretched limousines that are usually parked aboard the Royal Yacht (they also used British High Commission's Range Rovers).
naptu2: The different sections of the media covered the story from different angles. British tabloids wrote that the Prince and Princess should not travel to Lagos because they could get mugged there. They wrote that Lagos was one of the most dangerous cities in the world with high rates of crime and violence and the royals should not go there (I thought that the articles were quite laughable and crazy. Who would dare mug the Prince and Princess with the number of policemen and SSS operatives that would be deployed to guard them?). Columnists in the Nigerian mainstream press responded with articles that highlighted the crime rate in London at the time and the violence that erupted during the Poll Tax riots of 1989 (I pointed out that we had also had our own very violent SAP riots [the Ebony Magazine edition] in 1989).
The fashion press focused on Princess Diana and Maryam Babangida. Maryam Babangida was noted for her beautiful attires and she brought glamour to the position of First Lady (something that had not been seen since Victoria Gowon in the 1970s). Some women had a habit of watching the news just to see what Mrs. Babangida was wearing so that they could copy it. The visit occurred during a massive fashion boom in Nigeria that lasted between 1988-1991. Fashion houses like Maufechi, Dakova (David Kolawole Vaughan), Supreme Stitches (Folorunsho Alakija), Labanella (Princess Abba Adesanya), Chic Afrique (Opral Benson), etc witnessed growth and many young people wanted to be either fashion designers or wonder bankers. Some newspapers had established fashion columns and NTA2 Channel 5 showed New Trends, a popular fashion show, on their Super 7:20 belt. Princess Diana was also noted for her elegant clothes which were often auctioned to raise funds for charity. Fashion columns were devoted to the question of who would be better dressed, Maryam or Princess Di?
The entertainment and gossip columns (Vintage People, Weekend Concord, etc) turned their attention to Nigeria's own Prince and Princess - the Prince and Princess of Punk, Charly Boy and Lady Dianne Oputa. The press asked Charly Boy what he thought of the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Charly Boy replied that he wasn't really interested in the visit. They asked him if he would meet with Prince Charles. He told them to ask Prince Charles if he would come to the Punk Palace and meet with him. Charly Boy was still very popular at this time. This was not long after his successful songs Big Bottom and 1990.
Diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, which had been frosty in the aftermath of the attempted kidnapping of Umaru Dikko by the Buhari regime, warmed up quite considerably in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The UK sold several tanks to Nigeria between 1988-1992 (the Labour Party raised questions in Parliament about this sale) and leaders of the two countries exchanged several visits.
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher paid a working visit to Nigeria in 1988 (she visited Lagos and Kano) and a stop over visit in 1989, President and Mrs. Babangida paid a state visit to the UK in 1989, Prince Philip also visited Nigeria in 1989 ( he laid the foundation stone of the Muson Centre in Onikan) and the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Charles and Princes Diana, visited Lagos in March 1990. The visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales is the subject of this thread.
This is not the video that I was looking for, but it'll do.
Yekini gave Nigerian fans a lot of confidence in the early 1990s, particularly from 1991 till 1994. It was almost gauranteed that Yekini would score no matter what happens.
We had a difficult game in Congo c1991 and the match was going to be played in Point Noire. Point Noire is a terrible place because the pitch is like a grazing field for cows and their fans were very violent, but we went there, Yekini scored and we won. The Congolese attacked the Super Eagles bus after the match but the police were able to chase them away.
We also had another difficult game away in Ivory Coast c1993 and Yekini scored again. We only needed a draw to qualify, but Samson Siasia was too selfish and did not pass to Yekini when Yekini was free, so Ivory Coast won 2-1. Westerhof was furious with Siasia.
Below is a video of another away game in 1992. This is against Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo) on a very bad pitch and Yekini scored again and we won.
naptu2: Senegal ’92 Nations Cup Third Place Match (January 25, 1992)
Nigeria lost to Ghana in that painful semi-final of Senegal ’92 and then played Cameroon in the third place match.
Cyrille Makanaky missed a penalty in the first half and Friday Ekpo scored for Nigeria via a 77th minute freekick. Kesack Maboang equalised for Cameroon in the 85th minute.
The Cameroonian defence had heavily policed the most dangerous man in Africa and highest goal scorer of the competition, Rashidi Yekini, but he broke free in the 88th minute for a classic Nigerian counter attack (which would become common between 1991-1994). A long ball from the opponent’s half is played in front of Yekini who is on the run. He outruns the defenders and slots the ball in the goal. Thus it ended
Alloysius Agu (goalkeeper) Nduka Ubade Augustine Eguavoen Abdul Aminu Reuben Agboola Mutiu Adepoju Friday Ekpo Finidi George John Ene Okon Victor Ikpeba Rashidi Yekini
Substitutions
Nigeria
Emeka Ezeugo for Augustine Eguavoen Dotun Alatishe for John Okon.
Cameroon
Jacques Songo'o (goalkeeper) Stephen Tataw Benjamin Massing Victor Ndip Jules-Denis Onana Bertin Ebwelle Emile Mbouh Jacob Ewane Guy Tapoko, Cyrille Makanaky Kessack Maboang
Substitutions Eugene Ekeke for Jacob Ewane Ernest Ebongue for Cyrille Makanaky
This is my favourite goal by Okwaraji. I searched YouTube for a video of this goal from 2008 till 2016 before I eventually found one. That's because most people on YouTube prefer to post videos of the final, which was also between Nigeria and Cameroon.
This is a group stage match at the 1988 Nations Cup (Maroc '88) between Nigeria and Cameroon. Okwaraji scored in the second minute via a rocket shot from outside the penalty box (this is the kind of shot that Ernest Okonkwo would describe as an "intercontinental ballistic missile). It was the fastest goal at the Nations Cup at that time. The player that dribbled down the right and passed to Okwaraji was Rashidi Yekini.
Roger Milla equalised in the 21st minute, via a bullet header that beat Peter Rufai and it ended
Crime › Re: Rape Scandal: Lawsuit Against Sugabelly Dismissed In The US by naptu2(op): 7:53am On Oct 25, 2018*. Modified: 8:42am On Oct 25, 2018
