₦airaland Forum

Those who have more information we can use to hold this govenror and other govenrors more accoutnable please contact us at info@naijalivesmatter.com

Naija Lives Matter Org Levels 21 Allegations OF Fraud, Crime and Mismanagement Against Gov Dapo Abiodun Of Ogun State….Demands Transparent Investigations By EFCC, ICPC, State Assembly And The People Of Ogun State

From: Naija Lives Matter Movement & Make Nigeria Great Again (MANGA) Initiative

From: Naija Lives Matter Organization NGO & Make Nigeria Great Again (MANGA) Initiative

Dear Governor Dapo Abiodun,
Dear People of Ogun State,
Dear Nigerians Committed to Justice and Nation-Building,

As Founder of Naija Lives Matter Organization [NLM] and the convener of the Make Nigeria Great Again (MANGA) initiative, I write this letter on behalf of our organization as part of our national campaign to Federalize Accountability and Decentralize Responsibility in our states and local governments. One of our key pillars is the #HoldYourGov Campaign, where we urge citizens to stop obsessing only about Abuja and instead turn the lens of scrutiny toward those who manage their everyday realities—Governors, LG Chairmen, and State Assemblies.
And since I, Dr. Ope Banwo, the Founder of this movement, hail from Ogun State, it is only right—indeed, necessary—that charity begins at home as i have been urged by many members of the executive of our orgazniation.

After the 2023 elections, Myself and my organizations decided at our board meeting that we shall no longer be aligned with any party or political aspirant. We will only be aligned with what is good for Nigeria and our states and local governments. So this is not politicking at all. I am not a politician and do not intend ot ever contest for any election in Nigeria.

This call to accountability is a moral, civic, and patriotic obligation to highlight serious and recurring allegations of fraud, certificate forgery, electoral manipulation, and abuse of public trust linked to your administration.

Preliminary Findings By Naija Lives Matter Investigators On THE Situation in Ogun State, Awaiting Forensic Verification:
Let it be clear that the Naija Lives Matter Investigative Unit, along with our Legal Review Committee, is still conducting a forensic audit of all these allegations. We are not automatically concluding that everything alleged is already proved. As I promised in my previous broadcast, This letter is based on preliminary findings from publicly available reports, sworn affidavits, and investigative journalism by our team and others we are not even aligned with.

We will distinguish between:
• Morally troubling actions,
• Politically questionable decisions, and
• Legally actionable crimes—in accordance with Nigerian constitutional and criminal law.

But even at this early stage, the weight and number of allegations demand public attention and transparency. The people of Ogun State deserve answers—not propaganda. So we are formally and publicly calling on Prince Dapo Abiodun as our Governor to respond accordingly.
Hopefully he will see this as a genuine call to accountability by a responsible organization that has been around for more than 15 years and not resort to the usual tactics of having all of us picked up and marched to jail. Either way we assure him and his supporters truth can no longer be silenced by any high-handed state responses.

Summary Of The 21 Most Serious Damning Allegations That We Are Going To Insist On Investigating Through The State House, EFCC And Private Initiative Over The Next Few Months:

1. 1986 U.S. Arrest And Jail for Credit Card Fraud THAT Was Covered Up
• Summary: Governor Abiodun was reportedly arrested in Miami, Florida, in 1986 under the alias “Shawn Michael Davids” for offenses including credit card fraud, petty theft, and check forgery.
• Why It’s Troubling: This raises concerns about past criminal conduct and the lack of transparency in disclosing such history during political campaigns and why leaders with this kind of records should not be leading our state locally or nationally..
• Source: Sahara Reporters

2. Discrepancies in Educational Credentials
• Summary: There are allegations that Governor Abiodun presented conflicting information regarding his academic qualifications, particularly concerning his WAEC certificate.
• Why It’s Troubling: Inconsistencies in academic records can undermine public trust and question the legitimacy of his qualifications for office.
• Source: Premium Times Nigeria

3. Non-Participation in NYSC
• Summary: Governor Abiodun did not participate in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program, leading to legal debates about his eligibility for public office.
• Why It’s Troubling: Non-compliance with national service requirements may reflect a disregard for civic duties and legal obligations.
• Source: Premium Times Nigeria

4. Undeclared Offshore Assets (Pandora Papers)
• Summary: Investigations revealed that Governor Abiodun is linked to offshore companies and foreign accounts not declared in his asset disclosures.
• Why It’s Troubling: Holding undisclosed offshore assets can indicate potential tax evasion and conflicts of interest.
• Source: Premium Times Nigeria

5. Fraudulent APC Primary in Anambra
• Summary: As chairman of the APC primary election committee in Anambra, Governor Abiodun was involved in a controversial primary where the declared winner was alleged to have emerged through fraudulent means.
• Why It’s Troubling: Participation in electoral malpractice undermines democratic processes and the integrity of political institutions.
• Source: Sahara Reporters

6. Alleged Vote-Buying During Elections
• Summary: Governor Abiodun faced allegations of engaging in vote-buying during elections, though he denied these claims.
• Why It’s Troubling: Vote-buying compromises the fairness of elections and erodes public confidence in the electoral system.
• Source: The Nation Newspaper

7. Diversion of N214 Billion LG Funds
• Summary: Governor Abiodun was accused of mismanaging N214 billion allocated for local government development over five years.
• Why It’s Troubling: Misappropriation of such substantial funds intended for grassroots development can lead to infrastructural decay and public disservice.
• Source: Punch News

8. Diversion of N10.8 Billion from LG Allocations
• Summary: The Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government accused Governor Abiodun of diverting N10.8 billion meant for local government allocations.
• Why It’s Troubling: Such actions can cripple local governance and hinder service delivery to the populace.
• Source: Punch News

9. Manipulation of JAAC Funds
• Summary: Allegations suggest that the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) funds were manipulated, affecting the financial autonomy of local governments.
• Why It’s Troubling: Interference with JAAC funds undermines the constitutional independence of local governments and can lead to mismanagement.
• Source: Premium Times Nigeria
Local governments were forced to rely on your “augmentations” with no published breakdown.

10. Inflated Chair Procurement Scandal
• Summary: A local government chairman admitted to spending N5.2 million on 20 chairs, raising questions about inflated procurement under Governor Abiodun's administration.
• Why It’s Troubling: Inflated contracts suggest possible corruption and misuse of public funds.
• Source: Punch News

11. Withholding of Ecological Funds
• Summary: Local governments were allegedly denied access to ecological funds and other federal entitlements under Governor Abiodun's tenure.
• Why It’s Troubling: Denying ecological funds hampers environmental management and disaster preparedness at the local level.
• Source: Nigerian Democratic Report

12. Illegal Impeachment of Whistleblower
• Summary: Wale Adedayo, who accused Governor Abiodun of fund diversion, was impeached by local councilors, raising concerns about retaliation against whistleblowers.
• Why It’s Troubling: Retaliatory actions against whistleblowers can deter transparency and accountability in governance.
• Source: TheCable

13. DSS and Police Intimidation of Critics
• Summary: Security agencies were allegedly used to intimidate and detain individuals who criticized Governor Abiodun, including journalists and political opponents.
• Why It’s Troubling: Using state security apparatus to suppress dissent violates fundamental human rights and democratic principles.
• Source: Sahara Reporters

14. Barring Journalists from Probe Hearings
• Summary: Journalists were reportedly barred from covering legislative hearings on local government fund mismanagement, limiting transparency.
• Why It’s Troubling: Restricting media access to public hearings undermines press freedom and hinders public oversight of government proceedings.
• Source: Wikipedia

15. Heyden Petroleum Bailout via State Funds
• Summary: Allegations suggest that state funds were used to bail out Heyden Petroleum, a company linked to Governor Abiodun, which was reportedly facing financial difficulties prior to his tenure.
• Why It’s Troubling: Using public funds to rescue a private company associated with a sitting governor raises concerns about conflict of interest and misuse of state resources.
• Source: Wikipedia

17. Sagamu-Siun-Abeokuta Road Cost Inflation
• Summary: The resurfacing of the Sagamu-Siun-Abeokuta road was reportedly executed at a cost of about N8 billion, significantly higher than the original construction cost of N1.5 billion.
• Why It’s Troubling: Such a substantial increase in project cost without clear justification suggests possible financial mismanagement or corruption.
• Source: Wikipedia

18. Abandoned Power Project via Phantom Firm
• Summary: A power project was allegedly handed over to a non-existent company through a memorandum of understanding five years ago, with no progress made since.
• Why It’s Troubling: Entrusting public projects to unverified entities can lead to project abandonment, wastage of public funds, and unfulfilled infrastructure promises.
• Source: Wikipedia

19. Community Land Resold by Private Entities Linked to Government Officials
• Summary: Lands acquired from communities were allegedly resold by private entities purportedly owned by Governor Abiodun and associates, leading to significant financial gains.
• Why It’s Troubling: Profiting from the resale of community lands by government-linked entities raises ethical concerns and potential legal violations regarding land acquisition and resale practices.
• Source: Wikipedia

20. Parading Private Rice Farm as State Project
• Summary: Governor Abiodun was accused of presenting a privately-owned rice farm as a state government project, potentially misleading the public about government achievements.
• Why It’s Troubling: Misrepresenting private enterprises as government initiatives can deceive the public and misallocate credit and resources.
• Source: Wikipedia
A private rice project allegedly branded as a state achievement.

21. Agro-Cargo Airport Project: Allegations of Financial Mismanagement and Lack of Transparency
• Summary of the Issue: The Gateway International Agro-Cargo Airport, initiated under Governor Abiodun's administration, was originally proposed as a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) project, intending to leverage private investments. However, reports indicate that the project has been predominantly state-funded, with costs escalating from an initial estimate of approximately ₦20 billion to over ₦90 billion. Concerns have been raised regarding the absence of clear legislative appropriation for these expenditures and the project's prolonged timeline, as it remains uncommissioned despite earlier promises.

• Why It’s Troubling and Warrants Investigation: The deviation from the BOT model to substantial state funding without transparent legislative approval raises serious questions about fiscal responsibility and governance. The significant cost overruns and delays in project completion suggest potential mismanagement or misappropriation of public funds. Investigating these issues is crucial to ensure accountability, uphold the principles of good governance, and restore public trust in the administration's handling of large-scale infrastructure projects.

OUR DEMANDS ARE CLEAR
We demand:
• Immediate independent investigations by EFCC, ICPC, and CCB.
• Full public disclosure of all state financial transactions from 2019–2024.
• Ogun State Assembly to open public inquiry.
• Post-immunity prosecution if any of these allegations prove true.

TO THE PEOPLE OF OGUN STATE
We need to federalize our agitation for better government
We need to start holding our governor and local representatives more responsible
You deserve better. Your silence is no longer golden. It is complicity in your own oppression
Now is the time to ask your governor the hard questions.

For the rest of the country, we ask that you follow our leads and put your own state governments and local representative under the microscope. I am doing what I promised by starting from my state. You should take up your own state too!

That’s how we can keep moving our country forward towards better government, not just by pointing at the center all the time (though we will not take our eyes off Abuja either)

Dr. Ope Banwo
Convener, Naija Lives Matter
Ogun State Indegene

Seyi Must Tell His Papa Country Hard, But We Must Also Tell Him To Give His Papa Some Flowers On Our Behalf Too! (Dr Ope Banwo, The Mayor of Fadeyi, writes on Nigeria’s Macro Economic Scorecard of the Tinubu Government so far

I know it Doesn’t Feel Like It, But… Is Tinubu’s Government Actually Winning? There is Pain in the streets but there is Progress in the stats, even if too much hunger and anger is not leting us appreciate the good stuff he is doing.

Despite how we feel, it looks like Tinubu’s government may be scoring some goals we’re just too angry to notice. So while sending Seyi to tell his Papa that country hard we must also tell him to thank his Papa for some of the hard work he is doing to turn things around!
Yeah, I can’t believe I’m writing this.

As one of the most vocal and unapologetically combative critics of this government, I didn’t imagine I’d be the one to say these words.
But here we are.

It doesn’t feel like it—but Tinubu may actually be making real progress.

Yes, I said it.

No, I haven’t gone soft.

And no, I haven’t been bought

But as a patriotic Nigerian—and as someone who values facts over sentiments—I must confess: Despite the annoying attempts by some govt economists to insult our intelligence over the price of lunch and their poor attempt to redefine multi-dimensional poverty, which is it still very real in our country, a closer objective look at the data shows it is beginning to speak a different language.

And no matter how hard it is to admit, or how angry we get over some issues with this government, facts do not lie.

So Why Does It Still Feel Like Chaos?
Let’s be honest. Some facts cannot be denied or hidden under the carpet: The average Nigerian is still struggling. Transportation costs are through the roof. Fuel prices are unpredictable. And every visit to the market feels like you’re being punished for something you didn’t do.

From Fadeyi to Lekki, From Lagos to Kano, and Port Harcourt to Maiduguri—life is hard. So, I agree with Idris Abdulkareem that Seyi must tell his Papa that country is hard, but we must also tell him to tell his Papa that his Papa is scoring some goals too!

So yes, emotionally, this administration feels like a disaster. But then, good governance isn’t measured by feelings. It’s measured by results. And sometimes, the most necessary reforms are the most painful in the short term. We can’t escape paying the bills for the past profligacy and incompetence of past governments. You don’t jump from a mess into prosperity as a nation without going through some pain too.

This is where I think many of us, myself included, often short change the Tinubu govt

So let’s examine the actual performance of President Tinubu’s administration—using hard macro economic indicators that many of us can verify for ourselves just spending some time to research if this country really matters to us

And I challenge you—yes, you the reader, whether you love or hate Jagaban—to not take my word or the word of any social media mob. Go verify every one of these for yourself.

1. GDP Growth Scorecard: IMPROVEMENT
From 2.8% in 2023 to 3.4% in 2024, with projections showing 4.17% in 2025.

That’s steady upward movement, even amid global instability.

like it or hate it, THE FACTS SCORE THIS ONE FOR JAGABAN and Seyi should thank his Papa on our behalf .

2. Inflation Rate Scorecard: REGRESSION
Inflation hit a 30-year high at 34.8% in December 2024. It has since dropped to 23.18% or so the stats say, but Nigerians are still grappling with higher food and fuel prices. Despite the drop, cost of living remains unbearable for most.

23.18% inflation is still a killer

Yes, THE FACTS SCORE THIS ONE AGAINST JAGABAN and Seyi Must tell his Papa the truth on our behalf.

3. Unemployment Rate Scorecard: REGRESSION
Official reports say unemployment is at 4.3% but this is just clever statistical manipulation. But let’s be real: from Fadeyi to Egbeda, from Jeddah to Abakaliki, Many are simply underemployed, self-employed out of desperation, or working for survival. Yet our economists like Tope Fasua will tell us this do not count towards unemployment. What a joke

A change in methodology may make the numbers look good—but reality on the streets tells a different story.

THE FACTS SCORE THIS ONE AGAINST JAGABAN AND SEYI MUST LET HIS PAPA KNOW THIS.

4. Exchange Rate Scorecard: REGRESSION
The naira dropped from ₦900/$ to ₦1,535/$ at the official window in 2024.

While floating the currency was a bold move, and even I agree that it’s the right move to make considering how messed up our economy was before Jagaban took over, the shock was brutal for ordinary citizens.

We are now seeing some signs of stabilization, but the damage has been significant.

THE FACTS SCORE THIS ONE AGAINST JAGABAN. SEYI should tell his Papa that we know he tried but nobody can buy rice in oyingbo market with ‘try’ 🤷🏿‍♂️

5. Interest Rate (MPR) Scorecard: REGRESSION

At officially 27.5%, Nigeria’s benchmark interest rate is choking small businesses and discouraging investment.

Though it helps tackle inflation, and I feel Edun and Cardoso’s Pain, fact is it also reduces access to credit for entrepreneurs and families. A no-win maneuver for the economic council

THE FACTS SCORE THIS ONE AGAINST JAGABAN EVEN IF I CANT PERSONALLY THINK OF ANY BETTER MOVE HE COULD HAVE MADE. Afterall, He is the one that said Emilokan and wanted to be president so whatever his eys see there he must take it like that. 🤷🏿‍♂️

6. Foreign Exchange Reserves Score: IMPROVEMENT

Up by $6 billion in one year. Our reserves are now over $40 billion—a strong war chest for currency defense and international confidence.

This shows discipline in the face of tough choice and fiscal intelligence.
THE FACTS SCORE THIS ONE FOR JAGABAN and SEYI SHOULD TELL HIS PAPA WE SAY HE IS DOING WELL HERE AND WE APPRECIATE HIS EFFORTS ON THIS ONE.

7. Balance of Payments Scorecard: IMPROVEMENT

Nigeria posted a $6.83 billion surplus in 2024—a rare and impressive development.

This suggests we are finally living within our means and exporting more than we import. On this one Tinubu Government is killing it . This may not buy us rice and dodo for now but it’s a foundamental shift that will trickle down to Fadeyi eventually

THE FACTS SCORE THIS ONE FOR JAGABAN. SO, SEYI, TELL YOUR PAPA IS DOING WELL ON THIS

8. Balance Of Trade – IMPROVEMENT

$13.17 billion in trade surplus.

Non-oil exports are rising, and our dependency on imports is reducing gradually.

That’s called sustainable progress and while the haters can’t touch this one physically the truth is future economic rebound is built on this kind of positive trend. It will take time but I am persuaded that Seyi’s Papa is on his game here.

THE FACTS SCORE THIS ONE FOR JAGABAN AND SEYI SHOULD BE PROUD OF HIS PAPA

9. Investor Confidence Scorecard – IMPROVEMENT

Portfolio investments more than doubled in 2024 to $13.35 billion.

This one surprised even me . You would think with all the noise and all the vawolence those of us who were originally opposed to this government especially in diaspora are making nobody would want to invest in nigeria . Obviously the foreign investors are seeing what many of us Nigerians are not seeing about our nation and the slow and steady moves of Jagaban and his team .

When investors start betting their money on your economy, you must be doing something right.

THE FACTS SCORE THIS ONE FOR JAGABAN… and SEYI PLEASE TELL YOUR PAPA HE POSITIVELY SURPRISED US ALL ON THIS ONE. SO FLOWERS FOR HIM

10. Economic Competitiveness Scorecard– IMPROVEMENT

Like some of the positive achievements of this government, it does not feel like Nigeria is being economically morally competitive

Everything feels hard and harsh and painful but somehow it looks like Tinubu Govt is crushing it in economic competitiveness . Do not take my word for it , because I know I sound weird right now, but go and google it.

Even Chatham House—not known for throwing compliments—admitted Nigeria is now at its most competitive level in 25 years. What? But facts are facts even if your body don’t feel it

That didn’t happen by accident. It’s the product of real, strategic policy shifts.

THE FACTS SCORE THIS ONE FOR JAGABAN. SEYI TELL YOUR PAPA HE IS A STEALTH BOMBER ON THIS ONE🙌

11. Poverty Rate Scorecard– REGRESSION
Sadly, poverty has increased. Over 38.8% of Nigerians are living below the line.

No economic recovery is complete if the people can’t feel it in their homes and pockets. This one is tough but it’s one big kernel Seyi’s Papa must crack before most Nigerians will give him his dues

Seyi, your Papa is definitely working hard to reduce poverty but your Papa does not need economists gaslighting Nigerians anyhow by telling them that poverty is better because they can get a miserable kwashiokor-prone lunch for N2,000 while Americans need more than $10 for lunch. Its annoying.

While I agree that your Papa may not have directly caused it, Multi dimensional poverty is still real in nigeria and his advisers doing sophistry or annoying arguments to deny it only makes people give your papa less credit for the good things he is doing

SO , THE FACTS SCORE THIS ONE AGAINST JAGABAN. Seyi this is one area you must tell your Papa to warn those funny economic advisers not to play with the intelligence of Nigerians like Tope Fasua just did.
So, What’s my Verdict as Mayor of Fadeyi?
As a citizen, as a lawyer, and yes—as the Mayor of Fadeyi—I say this without fear or favor: Tinubu’s government still has a long way to go but it is performing better than it feels, and its not all fair to just tell Seyi to tell his Papa Country hard without also telling him to take some flowers to him too, no matter how small the bouquette is.

Lets not get Seyi in trouble with his Papa.

To my former friends in the Obidient camp, I say this with love: Yes, I still admire Peter Obi. I still believe he could have brought a fresh approach to governance.

But my loyalty is to Nigeria first, not to any party, movement, or personality.

This is not about who you or I voted for. This is about what is actually happening in our country.

And whether we like it or not, some of the key fundamentals of our economy are starting to shift in the right direction.

So no, I’m not here to praise Tinubu for perfection.

He still has a lot to prove—especially in reducing waste, communicating better, and protecting Nigeria’s most vulnerable.

But in economic terms? He may be getting this Nigerian house in order. Slowly but surely it appears that Seyi’s Papa is turning things around in some key areas of our economy and we must let him know that too. So we should be sending Seyi to tell his Papa both sides of what is happening on the streets.

My closing thoughts on President Tinubu's Macro-Economic Scorecard:

It is a fact that I am a very passionate man (I do wear my passion on my sleeves), but I really don’t deal in emotion when it comes to hardcore analysis. Regardless of how i feel about a situation (and i am still very salty about how the 2023 elections went down), the facts are the facts. I deal in evidence. I always try to not let my passion cloud my analysis.

So if the government is failing, I will say it loud. And if the government is getting something right—I will also say it loud even if i got dragged for it.

We must be principled enough to call it as it is, not as we wish it were.

Because if we all keep acting like loyal cheerleaders to political parties instead of loyal citizens to Nigeria, we will continue to suffer in cycles.

So yes… it may not feel like it. But just maybe, the Jagaban Govt is scoring more goals than we are willing to admit.

Let’s keep watching—and let’s keep holding all of them accountable!

– My name is Dr Ope Banwo and I am Mayor of Fadeyi and I am a legtimate Double Prince of Ijebu Ikala and Odosiwonade Kingdoms in Ogun State

(Dr Ope Banwo, The Mayor of Fadeyi, is an Attorney, Public Commentator, Technpreneur and Ai Enthusiast. He writes on Nigeria’s Macroeconomic indicators )

This whole story is a BIG LIE. This story is fanstasy and this writer should know better than writing or sharing fake news that will tarnish reputation of a GOOD man like Tai Solarin

This fictional account you shared Sounds good, but you should know it's fiction, a big lie, and a total revisionist story that's not even close to what really happened. Some of we were already all already old enough then and knew what happened.

In the first place, Tai Solarin NEVER ran People’s Bank. He was the NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN of the BOARD. The Managing Director, who actually RAN the bank, was MRS. MARIA SOKENU.

Solarin and the board members received allegations that Maria Sokenu and the executives were embezzling money and redirecting the loans to themselves and their pals. He had her investigated by the board.

The board found evidence, and Tai Solarin wrote to IBB and called a press conference to demand that the woman and her accomplices be dismissed and prosecuted for fraud.

IBB started playing games and not prosecuting the woman who was actually close to Tai Solarin before, but Tai Solarin insisted she must be prosecuted and jailed.

Tai Solarin then RESIGNED publicly with a full press release to explain why, when IBB refused to prosecute those who looted People's Bank.

Let’s all be more careful less we inadvertently follow them to spread lies about the memory of a good man.

My is Dr Ope Banwo and I know all this for a fact because I was old enough to follow the story very closely then. I graduated university in 1985.

*Emmanuel Odafe And His Shameful Defense Of Chinese Apartheid And Racism in our Land*
(Dr. Ope Banwo, President of Naija Lives Matter Organization Responds To Emmanuel Odafe of VATLAD on His Press Release On The Chinese Apartheid In Nigeria. FULL STORY AND MORE HERE: https://mayoroffadeyi.com/emmanuel-odafe-and-chinese-apartheid-in-nigeria/)

With all non-due respect to the Chinese and their Nigerian defender, Emmanuel Odafe, president of the Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD), the press release Mr Odafe just issued defending the discriminatory actions of the Chinese against Nigerians in an Abuja supermarket is a most insensitive one to the sensibilities of the people of Nigeria I have ever read in a long time. Nigerians remain outraged that Chinese, who are guests in our land, boldly decided to implement high-tech apartheid and racism in Abuja at a supermarket and estate built on Nigerian land. Yet, Mr. Odafe had the temerity to label such strong reactions as a sign of our inferiority complex as Nigerians?

*We at Naija Lives Matter Organization are outraged by the actions of the Chinese in our Land and the Press Release of VATLAD to justify it, and here is why:*

Firstly, Mr. Odafe and his Chinese apartheid-minded friends forgot that the Abuja estate in question is NOT the Chinese embassy and does not enjoy exclusive Chinese sovereignty. So, the issue of even conceiving, much less implementing a policy in an estate and supermarket that makes it 'exclusive to the Chinese' is wrong, asinine, and gaslighting to Nigerians. You can have amenities exclusive to residents of an estate, and that's normal anywhere, but to say the amenities like the supermarket or housing are exclusive to a certain race called 'Chinese' in our land is blatant apartheid, modern-day racism, and pure disregard for Nigerians as their hosts.

*Truth be told, Can Nigerians build an estate or supermarket in China, and then say ONLY NIGERIANS are permitted to live there or only NIGERIANS can shop in the supermarket but then use Chinese people as their security guards, clerks, and other lowly jobs in those same structures located inside China?* Is that not the very definition of apartheid and racism? Would Chinese have stood for that? Even in USA where they have Chinaland, they cannot say Americans can’t shop in their supermarket or live there. These individuals must think we are all idiots in Nigeria.

*Secondly,* some Nigerians obviously live in that estate because the Press Release even admits that not everyone there is a Chinese man. Nigerians also WORK in that restaurant because we heard them confirming that their bosses gave them instructions to not allow Nigerians to enter or shop there (not that they cannot allow nonresidents to enter or shop which makes a big difference).

*So, it is not just a slap on us as Nigerians for some Chinese economic refugees in our land to now say they have a store that is exclusive to Chinese people in an estate that has Nigerian residents and Nigerian workers, but a very annoying gesture for another Nigerian to now come out and defend that action as okay as Mr. Odafe just did.* What a shame.

Of course you can always have a store or restaurant or business that only exclusive Chinese menu, but you can’t say only Chinese can come and buy it. How do they know some Nigerians don’t like to eat frogs or dogs or whatever strange things they sell in there? Or are the Chinese now going to tell us in Nigeria what we can eat or not eat?

*Thirdly* , the Chinese, through their Nigerian defenders like Mr. Odafe, just told us to our face that they are practicing racism and apartheid right on our land, and to our face, with the  self-contradictory press release from VATLAD. T *hey claimed they have an exclusive Chinese restaurant for exclusive Chinese customers, but they employ Nigerians to work there as clerks, cashiers, and guards. Why? If it's all exclusive to Chinese, why do you have Nigerians in your estate or as your labor force? Is that not slavery and apartheid?* In other words, these Chinese are saying Nigerians can work at menial jobs in a place they can't shop in or live in? Damn!

I thought this stuff only used to happen in the USA in the 50s and 60s where blacks can work in a neighborhood or  restaurant that they are not allowed to eat in, and work in a building where they can't even use the toilet as blacks? Even the Americans have moved beyond this kind of Neanderthal thinking, but these Chinese want to start it afresh in Nigeria? The South Africans took decades to fight off Apartheid that is structured exactly like this and God forbid the Chinese transplanting that Nazi concept here. We will not allow it and *Mr. Odafe was out of line to stand up for them and sell out his own brothers and sisters to the Chinese under the guise of doing Transparency and Leadership. What’s transparent or leadership-like in an Apartheid throw-back policy?*

*Fourthly* , it is even more annoying and gaslighting for a full-blooded Nigerian, in the person of Mr. Igbini Odafe Emmanuel, President of the Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD), to allow himself and his organization to be used or manipulated to defend this unacceptable racism by these modern-day Chinese slave-masters and imperialists. *We are very offended that he would say in his annoying press release, while trying to justify this apartheid policy in 2024, that "the problem with most of us, Nigerian Elites, is that we make ourselves unnecessarily inferior before other Races. We are not proud of ourselves, Who and What we are," WHAAAT! So, we are suffering from inferiority complex now, just because Nigerians are demanding equal access to a property on our land and in our midst?.*

We don't know the kind of elite person Mr. Odafe is, but the real elites and even non-elite Nigerians we know are very proud people about their race and color, and that is why they are not allowing this very clear apartheid and racism to stand in their land. *Seriously, unless you are blinded by the need to defend the indefensible, how can you think insisting on access to a supermarket located in Nigeria by Nigerians is being inferior to the Chinese? Only a confused man will try to spin our outrage at being discriminated against in our own country as evidence that we think we are inferior to Chinese of all people. Inferior to Chinese? Seriously? Give me a break!*

As an organization commiting to better life for all Nigerians, and for which every Nigerian life matters, We are embarrassed at the extent some Nigerians will go to sell out their own people to modern-day Chinese imperialists by outrightly turning logic and common sense on its head in a bid to justify the unjustifiable for their friends. This Nigerian man, Emmanuel Odafe, as president of VATLAD, has obviously crossed over from being an advocate for Transparency and Leadership  to becoming a colluding participant in regrettable racial profiling of his own people and its just a crying shame.

In conclusion, we say without any reservations that we are fully in support of the Nigerian government swiftly shutting down this genesis of an apartheid policy in our land by the Chinese who keep abusing our hospitality as Nigerians on several issues they will never tolerate in their own land.

My name is Ope Banwo, and on behalf of Naija Lives Matter Organization and the citizens of 'Nigerian Fadeyi', say we stand strongly against this new Chinese plot to establish apartheid right under our noses. We the citizens of Fadeyi also will NOT AGREE for any Chinese man on this issue. That policy of excluding people from an estate or supermarket, not just because of residency in the estate, but because of the color of their skin and nationality as Nigerians, as we can all see, cannot stand.

Peter Obi’s Boreholes And The Hypocrisy Of Some Ungrateful Nigerians (Read full story from Dr Ope Banwo here: https://mayoroffadeyi.com/peter-obis-boreholes-and-the-hypocrisy-of-nigerians/)

First to be clear, As Founder of Naija lives matter Organization, I am officially now unaligned to any party after the election as our focus is now on what is best for Nigeria and Nigerians and not any political personality or party.

However, I am somewhat miffed and disappointed that many Nigerians think it’s acceptable to criticize Peter Obi, a FORMER presidential candidate with no official portfolio, for his commendable charitable act of constructing simple boreholes for some communities.

How is this a negative action or something he should be ashamed of?

Is he their elected governor or local government chairman?

If the communities really think it’s beneath them then they should reject it and use the one provided by their elected officials, if any!

Obviously it is becos their local officials failed them that someone like Peter Obi could even be in a position to give them some boreholes.

So, I say Shior to all @PeterObi CRITICS CONCERNING THE WATER BOREHOLE ISSUE, PLEASE BE SILENT!

The truth is only a confused and ungrateful people would criticize a private citizen for using his own money to do what your local government cannot, by providing a basic amenity like water to rural areas.

These are areas previously relying on muddy water from dirty streams. To them, a borehole represents a MAJOR improvement in their standard of living even if that sounds crazy to those of us with comfortable houses abroad or locally . So, it is senseless and uncharitable to criticize him for providing a practical, basic, and inexpensive solution. Or did you all expect him to implement massive piped water systems just because he is a politician, even though he does not hold any elective post or have a budget from the people?

It’s just plain annoying! We elected officials with huge budgets who do nothing, yet want to criticize a private citizen for doing the little he can?

In any case, a borehole, like what Peter Obi provided, is exactly what’s sensible for some rural areas at their current level of development. That’s just a fact and not an insult. Even my own village in Ijebu imushin would probably appreciate more boreholes right now that will give them immediate access to drinkable water than to wait on long promises from politicians that may not be fulfilled for years! Full disclosure: Myself and my siblings DID build a borehole for our village a few years back and they are eternally grateful for it. Or would then say we should go do major pipe-borne water project with our little resources ?

This whole dragging is even nonsensical because many high brow and prosperous areas even in urban cities rely on boreholes for survival!

FYI, even at my lagos house in a prestigious estate off Chevron in high-end Lekki, where the cheapest house is probably around N200 million now or over N8 million rent annually, we still rely on a borehole just like that one Peter Obi gifted those communities at the back for our water because the government piped water does not flow regularly!!!

I also notice that many areas in Lekki, Victoria Island, and Ikoyi have similar boreholes. So why are the hypocrites complaining? Or are you all trying to say your house, village, or city, regardless of where you live, does not have a borehole?

You know, even in areas where you have government piped water, drinking water directly from the tap without a serious anti-dysentery medicine nearby is a risky endeavor.

Of course, our nation and its people deserve better in 2024. We deserve good piped water that is DRINKABLE, but we mostly do not have it due to government corruption and inefficiency. So, wherever we see someone willing to spend their money to provide a borehole, we must applaud it instead of criticizing them, perhaps because we disagree with their politics.

Stop conflating issues, people; it’s misguided and leave Peter Obi alone!

Ope Banwo
Mayor of Fadeyi
Founder, Naija Lives Matter

*Why is Dangote Refinery importing crude oil when it has yet to refine a liter of local crude oil from Nigeria? A Case Of Misguided Profiteering Or Sabotage By NNPC ?*

I was stunned to read in the newspapers that Dangote Refinery, which has barely just commenced operations, is already importing crude oil from abroad even when it has not refined a drop of petrol from our locally produced crude oil.

What's going on here? So, we continue to export our locally produced crude oil, but our own local refineries are importing crude oil from abroad? Somebody help me out. When did we move from a Fadeyi economy being managed by Ikoyi economists, to a full-blown Voodoo economy where nothing makes logical sense again?

I know that before those of us in Fadeyi can even shout ‘foul!’ to this development, our Ikoyi economists and private sector economic apologists will roll out their PowerPoint slides and ‘explain’ to us in the big English they learned from Harvard why nothing is wrong with a ‘private company’ importing its raw materials from abroad.

Well, since I am not an economist, I don't know if it is unusual or not to import crude oil in a country with the biggest production of crude oil in Africa and which exports all its crude oil, but I must say that I am very confused about this development.

In the first place, I thought the problem we all were complaining about before was our lack of local refineries to refine our own crude oil locally, which forced us to keep exporting it only to buy back finished materials from foreign markets at 10X and 20X the cost? I thought this ‘Esau Approach’ to economic management is how we got into this mess in the first place.

My more educated Ikoyi economists can correct me if I am wrong, but I had also assumed that the whole rationale behind building refineries and granting people like Dangote significant foreign exchange concessions (most of which they round-trip anyway) was to enable him to quickly bring his local refinery online to refine *our* crude oil so we can then get finished petrol and other byproducts from crude oil at a significantly cheaper price?

1. So I must call out our Ikoyi-minded economic Siamese twins of Wale Edun and Dr. Cardoso as well as Mr. Heineken Loquobiri and Mrs. Ekpo Ministry of Natural Resources and ask them what’s going on here? What are you all not telling us? Is it that we really don’t have any crude oil for Dangote refinery to refine because our government has mortgaged our crude oil reserves for the next 10 years to borrow money for their largely ineffective “borrow and dump” strategy to deal with galloping inflation and ever-rising rates of exchange of the Dollar to our local Naira?

2. Or could this development of our biggest refinery importing crude oil from abroad in an economy with millions of barrels of locally produced crude oil daily, be a more sinister sabotage of our local industrialists by the NNPC refusing to sell crude oil to Dangote in a most disgusting political power play if rumors on the streets of Fadeyi could be believed?

Since I am not in government, I am not going to presume to know the real facts from fiction, but in a Fadeyi economy where most rumors are often more accurate than officially stated positions, maybe it’s time we start dragging our leaders to explain to us what’s really going on here.

So here are our questions to the coordinator of our economy, Chief Wale Edun, and his brother Dr. Cardoso in charge of our currency, and Mr. Heineken in the petroleum ministry:

i. Why is Dangote not getting crude oil from our NNPC? If NNPC had crude oil and Dangote refused to buy from them, opting instead to buy his crude oil in the ‘free market’ instead, as someone disingenuously posted in a group I belonged to, how come nobody is reminding him that Dangote Refinery is really not a ‘private company’ for him to do as he pleases with?

After all, Dangote Refinery enjoyed preferential rates of dollars for years as part of the whole nation encouraging him to finish that refinery that is a ‘national asset’. The truth that we all know is that Dangote was getting dollars at a little N300 to $1 at a time when other businesses not so favored were getting it at N500 to $1 🤷🏿‍♂️.

Even when Dangote ran out of money for this same refinery, our government designated it a national asset to be supported and invested billions of regular people’s commonwealth in the refinery project to prevent the refinery from going under. So, he definitely cannot now claim ‘private company’ or claim it was his ‘private property’ to do as willed. If indeed Dangote is claiming this ‘independent’ choice of action, has anyone whispered the reality into his ears?

For sure, under the unemotional laws enforced by Ikoyi lawyers and pronounced so by our well-groomed Ikoyi-trained judges interpreting legislation passed by Ikoyi-minded legislators, one could argue Dangote Refinery is private property. However, in the stark reality of the unwritten Fadeyi ethos, if your neighbors contributed money for your education, and your uncles and aunts gave you little garri, and some rice from their scant resources, and gave you ‘pocket money’ now and then while you were going to school as part of the community support for you and your father to help you graduate, unless you are a bastard you will KNOW your degree is not just your ‘private’ property after your graduation, and would be ready to divorce any Ikoyi or Oyinbo wife who gets upset with you for always sending money home to Aunty Dupe or Uncle Femi to help them out, or for buying lots of presents to give to your ‘uncles and aunties’ every time you visit Nigeria.

There is a reason you don’t argue when your father collects 100% of your first salary from you and then distributes it to different elders in your family and on your street. My father explained that one to me very clearly when it was my turn to drop my first salary, and I never forgot the lesson. It’s what makes our Nigerian community very different from the New York one.

It’s an unwritten rule in Fadeyi economics. It took the whole of Fadeyi (poor and rich) to train you, and when you finally make it, you also understand you must take care of the Fadeyi elders and help out when the community needs you to donate at a fundraiser to clear the gutters. Nobody will even need to remind you of your obligations if you are not a bastard. It’s what made our culture unique.

My point? The entire ‘village’ of Nigeria contributed to making Dangote Refinery a reality (we all did, through our government giving him favorable forex rates from our collective wealth and the Lekki land deals allowing him to acquire land at massive discounts), so he cannot just wake up after the fact and claim the refinery solely belongs to him and his family as 'private property' and tell us he has the freedom to ignore patronizing our local crude oil for foreign ones even if ours is more expensive! He also cannot tell us we must all buy from him at the same international market rates without any concession. Lai Lai.

II. If, on the other hand, he denies allegations of refusing to buy our local crude but claimed that we simply don’t have enough crude oil locally to satisfy his ‘huge’ refinery, then we need to know if indeed the capacity of this Dangote refinery is so much greater than the crude oil we produce locally that Dangote now needs to import more crude oil to meet his huge production capacity, less than 3 months of being operational?

Can a refinery that has not even produced 1 liter of petrol or 1 liter of byproduct of crude oil have consumed all our daily crude oil production that it now needs to import more to remain operational? This explanation also makes no sense unless they think we are all idiots because we didn’t go to Harvard or live in Ikoyi.

iii. Or could the reason Dangote is importing crude oil be that we really don’t have any crude oil to sell to his Dangote refinery, thereby forcing him to import crude oil from abroad with the same forex that the duo of Edun and Cardoso and every bank executive keep telling us we don’t have? Or are they just winding us?

If this possible explanation is true, and we really didn’t have crude oil to sell to Dangote refinery because, like Esau, we have already sold all our future inheritance of crude oil for the next 10 years in exchange for borrowed dollars to use in our ‘borrow and dump’ strategy for dealing with currency fluctuations, then what’s the whole point of rushing to commission a refinery that our government knew will have a negative or zero net effect on our local PMS consumption? After all, it’s hard to argue that forex-backed imported crude oil will be cheaper than the one produced in Dangote’s backyard with the Naira. 🤷🏿‍♂️

Or is any one of those Harvard-trained Ikoyi economists going to seriously argue that the local prices of finished fuel made from imported crude oil will be cheaper than finished fuel made from locally sourced crude oil?

iv. Or maybe all the thoughts above are not the even real reasons Dangote is now full-chest importing crude oil. Could it be because those who are holding our country hostage, in and out of government, are simply just frustrating the efforts of Dangote refinery to acquire crude oil from Nigeria through NNPC?

As incredible as this possible explanation may sound, this is the loud rumor we are now hearing at Mama Modinat’s buk ka from sisi Amebo, who seemed to know everything going on even before it happened😎😎😎

As crazy as it sounds, I am now inclined to believe this loud rumor that there is some disgusting political play going on here, where NNPC is refusing to sell crude oil to Dangote for whatever reason.

Yes, I say I am inclined to believe this seemingly absurd rumor because we all watched as a government that is struggling with forex reserves, and a government that inherited a dying local production sector with many manufacturing companies folding up daily, chose to spend millions of our scarce dollars in importing foreign cars for its legislators and government functionaries when there are local car manufacturers like Innoson literally begging and bending over backward to get their business. If our government could choose not to patronize local car manufacturers, it’s not unreasonable to believe that some of our government officials or operatives of NNPC may choose to frustrate Dangote refineries for whatever petty reasons they have.

Our government of Renewed Hopes chose to dash the hopes of local car manufacturers by patronizing foreign manufacturers at the expense of its own struggling local manufacturers of vehicles. It’s the most unreasonable politics of victimization against Innoson motors, and very few people called it as it is. Now could it be the same lack of patronage by our NNPC or government officials playing dangerous political games with our collective welfare, that have forced the hands of Dangote to look towards the importation of its needed crude oil?

I don’t know what’s true or not, but I think we should all care less if Innoson is owned by Igbos or Hausas or Kanuris or if owners supported a different candidate or not. It should have been a priority national asset that the government should have gone out of its way to support. If they could deny Innoson and other car companies in Nigeria the much-needed support for whatever reason that was never made clear to us, then I can definitely believe that some people in this government and other powerful people outside of it may not want Dangote refinery to succeed.

Reading about Dangote importing crude oil when we are still exporting our own crude oil just gives me a headache because I can’t find any logic in that scenario. Our local refineries have not met the demand for even one liter of finished product from locally sourced crude oil, yet we are now talking about it being ‘normal’ for our newly commissioned local refineries to import crude oil from abroad with dollars we don’t have?

Anyway you look at this national saga of Dangote importing crude oil in Africa’s biggest producer of crude oil, it makes no sense and we demand an explanation!

So, while I hesitate to drag President Buhari himself on this at this time until I get more clarity, we must nevertheless ask the ministers he appointed first before we come for him. So, Chief Wale Edun, our coordinator of economy, Mr. Heineken Loquobiri and Mrs. Ekpo, our ministers of state for petroleum, and of course my favorite man of the hour, Dr. Cardoso, our Forex Czar, what’s really going on here?

Until we can get clear answers that make common sense, it’s like our Nigerian economy is about to transition from a Fadeyi economy to a Voodoo economy, where nothing makes sense to a rational person. 🤷🏿‍♂️🤷🏿‍♂️🤷🏿‍♂️🤷🏿‍♂️

My name is Ope Banwo. I am not an economist but as a self-appointed Mayor of Fadeyi, I demand answers on behalf of ‘my people’. 🚶🏽‍♂️🚶🏽‍♂️🚶🏽‍♂️🙌🙌🙌

I think people really are interested in this. Also some of the proceeds is to be given to his family and to a foundation to help young artistes. I think that is better than the way alaba people have been releasing his songs without paying any rotyalty to anybody or his parents. Bottom line is that this movie will be done by somebody at some point. It may as well be done in a way that will be beneficial not only to his parents but also some struggling artistes.

Nationwide Search For Who Will Play Dagrin In ‘Ghetto Dreams’
….Wande Coal, Dj Zeez, Trybson, Konga Lead 22 Other Contenders In The Role For The Big Role

As the countdown begins for the shooting of the much talked about movie on the life and times of the popular late rapper, Dagrin, titled Ghetto Dreams, the award winning Director of the movie, Lancelot Imasuen and the Producer, Ope Banwo of Stingomania Entertainment have started a nationwide manhunt for the actor that will play the all important role of Dagrin himself in the movie.

According to Mr. Lancelot Imasuen, ‘we need to search carefully and diligently for the actor that is not only a Dagrin look-alike but one that can also act very well and mimic the mannerisms of the late rapper. Since the search began about 2 weeks ago, we have had lots of names suggested and nominated by industry practitioners for consideration of the role of Dagrin’.

Some of the names that are being pushed by different interest groups, producers and artiste managers to play Dagrin in ‘GHETTO DREAMS’  include many unknown names as well as some big names in the entertainment industry. Some of the names presently being considered include Wande Coal, DJ Zeez, Konga, Trybson Dudukoko, Whichlevelz, and Sunkanmi Omobolanle. As of last count, there were about 22 names under consideration.

According to Lancelot Imasuen, the Director of the Movie, ‘we will look at these people thoroughly and eventually invite most of the interested people for an auditioning that will allow us to pick the best person’. Lancelot is excited at the opportunity to direct a movie that will immortalize the dreams, struggles and inspirations of one of the young upcoming stars who tragically died just as his sun was rising.

On a parallel level, while the search for Dagrin hots up, there is also a careful search for 3 critical people in the movie including the person that will play Dagrin’s father, Mother, sister and a love angle to the story. As for who will play Dagrin’s mother, the leading contenders appear to be Bukky Wright while Funke ‘jenifa’ Akindele and Omoni Oboli appear to be odds on favorite to be the sister or the love angle based on their relationship to Stingomania Entertainment. Lancelot Imasuen however insists that that is not necessarily the case since he intends to pick the best people for the different parts subject to their availability and budget.

The Ghetto Dreams project is the initiative of Ope Banwo of Stingomania Entertainment and it involves 3 different stages. The Ghetto Dreams movie part will give some of the proceeds from the movie to the Dagrin family while part of it will go towards a foundation to help young and upcoming artistes to get off the ground and remain grounded as their careers take off. A Ghetto Dreams Award is also being organized for up and coming musicians as part of the annual ritual to memorialize what Dagrin represented for young, struggling and aspiring musicians.

Now it appears everybody is going DUDUKOKO with Trybson, Apparently a new phenomenon appears to have been introduced into the naija music scene with a new song and hit album from a previously unknown guy called Trybson titled DUDUKOKO. The album was unveiled recently to top industry insiders and decision makers. Since then the song appears to have developed a life of its own. What do you guys think of this fresh song? Is it worth the excitement it is generating? Post your comments!

GENEVIEVE NNAJI's is taking this rebranding thing really serious o, She just signed up with a new management outfit from the U.S and within a few days they have launched a very hot new Social Networking Forum for her and her fans at www.genevievennajifanbook.com? The site actually looks and feels better than facebook with a lot of personalization options, simply awesome, Members can network directly with her and with each other, Post pictures, videos, blog and chat both privately and publicly with others,

Its such a beautiful site I actually spent over 5 hours on it yesterday and met lots of people from all over the world. Genevieve on the site for about an hour herself responding to members chat online, really cool. During her LIVE CHAT Genevieve says she will like to hear from people on what they think about the site, Check it out at http://www.genevievennajifanbook.com and let her know what you thik!

What do you guys think of GENEVIEVE NNAJI's hot new Social Networking Forum at www.genevievennajifanbook.com? Its such a beautiful site I actually spent over 5 hours on it yesterday and met lots of people from all over the world. I was even lucky to CHAT DIRECTLY with Genevieve on the site for a few minutes. Genevieve says she will like to hear from people on what they think about the site, Check it out at http://www.genevievennajifanbook.com