₦airaland Forum

The state of public education in Nigeria has long been a subject of concern, but recent realities suggest that what we now face goes beyond mere challenges—it is a gradual abandonment. Nowhere is this more evident than in the condition of once-prestigious institutions like Government College, Makurdi, my alma mater.

Over three decades ago, when I walked the grounds of Government College, Makurdi, as a young student, the school stood as a symbol of excellence and discipline. It was not just a place of learning, but a community that nurtured ambition, character, and hope. The facilities, though modest by global standards, were functional and well-maintained. The teachers were dedicated, and the environment was structured to bring out the best in every student.

However, the just-concluded reunion of my classmates from the Class of 1995 exposed a painful truth—little to nothing has changed in the school since we left. In fact, in many respects, things have deteriorated. Walking through the school premises again after 30 years was both nostalgic and heartbreaking. Buildings that stood strong in our time now show visible signs of neglect. Classrooms, dormitories, and basic infrastructure have not seen meaningful upgrades. It is as though time has stood still, while the rest of the world moved forward.

One of the most telling indicators of decline is the welfare of the students. During our time, we were provided with three meals a day—simple but sufficient. Today, students reportedly receive only two meals daily. This is not just a reduction in quantity; it is a reflection of diminished priority. Nutrition is fundamental to learning, and such a cut signals a troubling shift in how public school students are valued.
This situation at Government College, Makurdi, is not an isolated case. It mirrors a broader national trend where public schools across Nigeria are grappling with underfunding, poor maintenance, and declining standards. While private institutions continue to grow and attract investment, public schools—once the backbone of the nation’s educational system—are being left behind. The implications are far-reaching. Public schools traditionally served as equalisers, offering quality education to children regardless of their socio-economic background. Their decline widens the gap between the privileged and the underprivileged, creating a society where opportunity is increasingly determined by wealth rather than merit.

The reunion of the Class of 1995 was meant to be a celebration of shared memories and achievements. Instead, it became a moment of collective reflection and concern. Many of us are left with a heavy sense of responsibility and an urgent question: if we do not act, who will?
Government intervention alone may no longer be sufficient or forthcoming. Alumni associations, private stakeholders, and community leaders must begin to play a more active role in reviving these institutions. Investment in infrastructure, teacher welfare, and student well-being is critical. Government College, Makurdi, deserves better. Its current students deserve better. Nigeria deserves better.

The time has come to move from lamentation to action—to restore dignity to our public schools and ensure that future generations are not deprived of the opportunities we once had. Only then can we truly say that we have not given up on public education. I sincerely thank the exco and everyone who contributed generously to make the occasion graceful. Thank you all for giving back to our alma mater. I am indeed very happy to be part of you guys. God bless you all.

Isiaka Saadu is a member of the Class of 1995 of Government College, Makurdi

https://punchng.com/government-college-makurdi-and-the-abandonment-of-public-schools/

A Lagos State High Court sitting in Osborne, Ikoyi, has adjourned the hearing of a Case Management Conference (CMC) till March 26, 2025, in a suit filed by businessman Michael Ogbole, demanding $60,206.66 as unpaid commission from First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

Hon Justice O.O. Oshin fixed the date when the case came up for mention yesterday.

When the case was called, the claimant’s counsel Taiwo Olawanle, from Falana & Falana Chambers informed the court that they have served the defence the court processes.

FCMB was represented by Gbenga Okeniyi. The court has already issued notices for the Case Management Conference, which requires the physical presence of all parties involved. Ogbole, in suit number LD/ADR/4635/2022, filed by his legal team at Falana & Falana Chambers accused FCMB of excluding him from the deal.

According to the claimant, on June 2, 2016, he met with FCMB’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ladi Balogun, to discuss how he could assist the bank in securing financing from Sky Enterprise LLC, a Florida-based firm specialising in trade finance, risk, and debt management.

Following their conversation, Balogun allegedly directed Ogbole to contact FCMB’s Treasurer, Mr. Gerald Ikem, who introduced him to Mr. Nomso Ezenta, Head of Structured Funding and Correspondent Banking, to coordinate the transaction.

Ogbole claimed that on September 2, 2016, he arranged a meeting between Sky Enterprise’s Global Director for Africa, Mr. Yinka Akinlabi, and FCMB officials at the bank’s headquarters to structure the trade finance deal.
Present at the meeting were senior FCMB officials, including other top executives.

Afterwards, the parties exchanged several emails and phone calls to finalise the transaction.

However, in February 2021, Ogbole discovered that FCMB had proceeded with the deal through Sky British, a subsidiary of Sky Enterprise LLC, without his involvement.

This was allegedly confirmed by FCMB’s Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ending December 31, 2020.

On October 12, 2021, Ogbole, through his lawyers, demanded payment of $60,206.66—representing a one per cent commission on the $6,020,660 facility secured by FCMB from Sky British.

After FCMB failed to respond, another demand letter was sent on January 19, 2022.

Despite these efforts, Ogbole claims FCMB has refused to make the payment.

The claimant is seeking the following reliefs: “A declaration that FCMB’s failure to pay him for his role in the deal constitutes a breach of contract.

“An order directing FCMB to pay the sum of $60,206.66, plus 21% interest accrued since December 31, 2020.

“N20 million in general and exemplary damages, and N5 million for the cost of the lawsuit.

Tthe bank, through its lawyer, Prof. Wale Olawoyin (SAN), contended that the suit is a “gold-digging exercise” by the claimant, describing the claim as vexatious, outrageous, and without merit.

The bank argued that the suit should be dismissed with substantial costs.

Meanwhile, the defendant acknowledged that in 2016, the then Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ladi Balogun, was approached by Ogbole in a public place, where he presented his case, claiming to have the network to broker dollar loans for Nigerian banks, including FCMB.

Subsequently, Ogbole, primarily through telephone conversations, emails, and two physical meetings, engaged in several discussions with other top FCMB executives.

According to the bank, the discussions centred on the possibility of Ogbole and his partner, Yinka Akinlabi of Sky Enterprises LLC, facilitating offshore dollar loans and/or financing for the purchase of one of FCMB’s customers’ vessels.

The bank asserted that during meetings with Ogbole and his partner, it became clear that they lacked the required capacity, experience, and understanding of the international finance market to broker the proposed transaction.

FCMB further claims that at no point did the bank, or anyone acting on its behalf, make any commitment or agreement with Ogbole, his partner, or their representatives regarding commission or any other terms.


https://thenationonlineng.net/court-sets-march-26-for-60206-66-unpaid-commission-case-against-fcmb/

A businessman, Michael Ogbole, has dragged First City Monument Bank(FCMB) before a Lagos State High Court, Osborne, Ikoyi, demanding $60,206.66 as unpaid commission for allegedly facilitating a multi-million-dollar transaction with a US-based company, Sky Enterprise LLC.

Ogbole, in suit number LD/ADR/4635/2022, filed by his legal team, Falana & Falana Chambers is accusing FCMB of circumventing him in the deal.

The claimant alleged that on June 2, 2016, he met with FCMB’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ladi Balogun, to discuss how he could help the bank secure finance from Sky Enterprise LLC, a Florida-based firm specialising in trade finance, risk, and debt management.

Following their discussion, Balogun allegedly directed him to contact FCMB’s Treasurer, Mr. Gerald Ikem, who introduced him to Mr.Nomso Ezenta, Head of Structured Funding and Correspondent Banking, to coordinate the transaction.

The businessman said on September 2, 2016, he arranged a meeting between Sky Enterprise’s Global Director for Africa, Mr. Yinka Akinlabi, and FCMB officials at the bank’s headquarters to structure the trade finance deal.

According to the claimant, those who were present at the meeting were senior FCMB officials, and other top executives. After the meeting, the parties exchanged several emails and phone calls to finalise the transaction.

However, in February 2021, the businessman discovered that FCMB had gone ahead with the deal through Sky British, a subsidiary of Sky Enterprise LLC, without his involvement.

He claims that this was confirmed by FCMB’s Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ending December 31, 2020.

In a letter dated October 12, 2021, the businessman, through his lawyers, demanded the payment of $60,206.66, representing a 1% commission on the $6,020,660, facility secured by FCMB from Sky British. After FCMB failed to respond, another demand letter was sent on January 19, 2022. Despite these efforts, the businessman claimed FCMB has refused to pay.

“The defendant has failed to fulfil its contractual obligation to pay the claimant the agreed commission,” the lawsuit stated. “FCMB’s actions are in breach of the agreement, and they have neglected to settle the amount owed.”

The claimant is asking the court for the following reliefs: “A declaration that FCMB’s failure to pay him for his role in the deal is a breach of contract.

“An order directing FCMB to pay the sum of $60,206.66, plus 21 percent interest accrued since 31st December 2020.

“N20 million, in general, and exemplary damages and N5 million for the cost of the lawsuit.”

However, in a statement of defence, the bank through its lawyer, Prof. Wale Olawoyin SAN, contended that the suit is a gold-digging exercise by the claimant and as such vexatious, outrageous, lacking in merit and liable to be dismissed with substantial costs.

The defendant admitted that sometime in 2016, the then Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Defendant, Mr. Ladi Balogun, was approached by the claimant in a public place and presented his case to him, claiming that he had the network to broker Dollar Loans for Nigerian Banks, including the defendant.

Subsequently, the claimant, majorly through telephone conversations and emails, and two physical meetings, held series of discussions with other top executives of the defendant.

The defendant further stated that the subject of discussion was about the possibility of the claimant and his partner, one Yinka Akinlabi, purportedly then, of Sky Enterprises LLC, to facilitate Offshore Dollar loans and/or financing for the purchase of one of defendant’s customer’s vessel.

The defendant stated that during its meeting with the claimant and his partner it was discovered that they did not possess the required capacity, experience and understanding of the international finance market to the extent that they would be able to broker the transaction for which the meetings were convened.

The statement added that the defendant or anybody acting on its behalf did not, at any time, make any commitment or agreement, whether in terms of commission or any other method, with the Claimant, his partner or anybody representing them.

The case, which is before Justice O.O. Oshin, has been scheduled for hearing on October 28, 2024.


https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2024/10/17/unpaid-commission-businessman-sues-bank-demands-60206-66/


Pix: Former FCMB’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ladi Balogun,

AdvanceDNA, pls move to front page.

DADDY FREEZE SECRETLY MARRIED IN LONDON TO ESCAPE DOUBLE ADULTERY COURT JUDGEMENT IN NIGERIA.

An open Letter to Daddy Freeze, by Chukwunonso Ndule.


Dear Daddy Freeze,

Congratulations to your new wife and you on your recent wedding. However, it seems that you planned the wedding to be discreet and it turned out to be not so discreet after all.

I am writing you this letter because I am disturbed by your handling of the negative reception of the news of your wedding by a section of the social media. Your explanation for being caught up in allegations of adultery is inadequate, to say the least. To be frank with you, it is too superficial, flimsy, too weak, for the weighty issues of adultery, marriage and family with which they are concerned. Your claim that you started dating your new wife in 2014 after she filed for divorce in 2012 which did not make sense. You avoided stating that she was divorced. It is worse that you said "You didn’t just go into Benedicta's ex husband's house to take over his wife". This means, it was the woman who came to you. In effect, you are throwing her under the bus, opening her up as a wayward woman.

You are not helping yourself by playing to the gallery. Whether you like it or not, the fact is that there is a judgment against your wife and you today, delivered by a River State High Court of competent jurisdiction finding both of you guilty of adultery. The same court ordered you to pay N5M to the ex husband of your wife Whatever you say is immaterial as the Court judgement is in the public domain.

However, in order to write you this letter, I have interrogated your responses and mined the social media for all available information, and my conclusion, sir, is that your situation is not tidy.

My findings are the following:

1. In 2014, you were still married to and living with your ex wife and she later moved out as you mentioned in your radio program on Cool FM. You were not divorced as at then.

2. You impregnated Benedicta in her ex husband's house and she gave birth to your child on 15th May 2015 while living in her husband's house. When it was obvious and glaring that the child was a mix race with no resemblance to her husband as at then, she hurriedly moved out at night into your house with the child before her husband could return from his trip, this amount to double adultery as shown by court papers.

3. Between 2013 and 2016, you accused your ex wife of infidelity, violence and published photos of injuries she supposedly inflicted on you in viral social media publications. In one publication, you actually accused her of sleeping with this same Benedicta's ex husband, who was Benedicta’s husband as at then. It is not rocket science to guess that there is a connection between your relationship with Benedicta and the crisis in your previous marriage? To be clear, there is a social media publication dated 2014 that identified Benedicta as responsible for the collapse of your previous marriage.

4. In March 2015, your wife filed for divorce accusing you of Adultery with Benedicta as reported in the media.

5. Benedica's ex husband sued you, Benedicta and a school in Lagos, alleging that you impersonated him and posed as the father of one of his daughters in order to get his daughter admitted into the school.

7. In January 2018, Benedicta went on Linda Ikeji blog, with her daughter in tow, to make allegations against her ex husband. Two days later, news came out that she was unable to defend those allegations in court.

8. Benedicta's ex husband also published that the heads of Benedicta’s family as well as her father, ordered her to release his children to him.

9. Your ex wife and you were divorced in 2020. Your ex wife fled the country in the course of her adultery case against you taking along your 2 children, claiming that her life was threatened also reported in the blogs.

10. Benedicta's ex husband and Benedicta were divorced eventually in February 2021 by a high court in Portharcourth, Rivers State. However, Benedicta and you decided to appeal the judgment. The case is still on.

11. Benedicta claims that her ex husband used influence to drag and delay the case while her ex husband claims that she caused the delay by missing several court sittings which caused a prolonged adjournments due to her scandalous childbirth.

12. You claimed that you were not served and that the judgment was obtained behind your back. Benedicta's ex husband claims that you were duly served as authorized by the court but you refused to accept the court documents. It must be pointed out that in any case, you must have been aware from Benedicta that you were joined in the case and ought to have requested to appear to defend yourself as any person who has nothing to hide would do. It is common for guilty people to avoid court but the court has its procedures.

13: There appears to also be a business interest in this whole thing. Someone commented that you sought to take over the business her former husband built for her and cited you visiting the premises in Portharcourt, River State which you tried to shut down. I noted that there were advertising her business Dictachi Foods on your Cool FM page much much earlier than 2014, in fact as far back as 2011.

I have brought out these details so that your supporters can see the weaknesses in your narrative. The overlapping dates, the birth of your child by Benedicta while living in her ex Husband's house.

My counsel? Pls find a way to get this issue resolved as amicably and as fast as you possibly can. So far we wait to hear from Benedicta's ex husband and your ex wife.

With the case still in court, the issue is not going away soon and in fact, the very legal basis of your London wedding is in question if your ‘new wife’ remains on appeal against the judgment that divorced her from her previous husband and your ex wife ongoing adultery case against you.


Yours sincerely,

Chukkwunonso Ndula.