₦airaland Forum

Don't mess with Bakare.

How will they do it if there are no social security numbers for Nigerians?. Subscribers can give them names like they are choosing a screen name on nairaland.

Sunday, March 1, 2009
CBN top job: A dark horse may succeed Soludo

By LAYI ADELOYE

Without doubt, Professor Chukwuma Soludo was one of the stars of the Obasanjo administration. He metamorphosed from the post of chief economic adviser to the president to become the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the country's apex bank. His performance on the job has left even his critics to marvel at his magic wand, with a midas touch in everything he does.





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Soludo did not rise through the ranks in the CBN echelon. He got appointed from outside, where he combined teaching and high profile consultancy jobs. His astute performance as the chief economic adviser, informed banking sources affirmed, earned him the prestigious Institute of Directors award as the Public Sector Reformer of the Year 2004.

Following his appointment as the CBN governor, Soludo carried the same success recorded as the chief executive of the National Planning Commission to the CBN. He carried out far-reaching reforms in the Nigeria's financial sector, including the ambitious recapitalisation programme in the banking and insurance sub-sector. These reforms, seen as the most impactful in the financial sector in recent past, earned him numerous local and international accolades.

In 2008, Soludo indicated that he would be going back to the university community to continue his teaching career at the end of his five-year tenure at CBN. Although he still stands the chance of having a second term, Soludo hinted that he might not be going for another term as his soul has always been with the academic community.

Since Soludo gave this indication, lobbyists have gone to work, lobbying and peddling influences over who would succeed him when he finally steps down in May 2009. Arguments have been advanced in favour of some people for their experience at the CBN, the World Bank, academic community and other grounds. Definitely, were Soludo's credentials the only reason he succeeded this much, then most of the perceived and other unknown aspirants could not be deemed fit enough to fill the gap he would leave behind at the end of his tenure, as it might be difficult for anyone to match the same credentials as he possesses.

Notwithstanding this view, the vacancy must be filled, and this has been a big challenge for the government. Soludo performed well, no doubt, but does it mean that no other Nigerian is worthy of the role? Definitely no! But while not restricting focus to Soludo's exemplary qualities, it is expected that the Federal Government would not appoint anyone with less excellence in his academic qualification, career background, drive, ambition and clout, if only to make a mark in the country's economy. Of import for such a candidate are intellect, excellence in service, global exposure, experience in consultancy (especially at the World Bank level), and a career success, merged with a strong personality.

The finance sector operators and other economic watchers believe that in making the next appointment, it is expected that the government would look, not just into credentials, but also consider experience and clout.

Soludo's exposure, gained in consultancy with first-class international finance institutions, aided his performance at the CBN. His authoritative speeches, defending the N25bn recapitalisation requirement for banks, despite stiff opposition, were hallmarks of clout and experience.

These attributes, arguably became the refrain on Tuesday night in Abuja, at the "Friends' Forum," floated in honour of Tosa Ogbomo, one of the contestants being milled around as one of the likely successors of the CBN governor. Described as a foremost intellectual, Ogbomo's credentials appear intimidating. His citation, read by Dr. Isichie Aformo, a consultant engineer, posited Ogbomo as a product of two renowned United States business schools - Harvard and Bentley - which culminated in an MBA in Business Administration and an MS in Finance, respectively. According to Aformo, these provided the right opening to greater achievements, having had a B. Sc in Accountancy from the University of Benin earlier.

Other contestants for the post are Tanimu Kurfi, the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, the Finance Minister, Mhuktar and Samshudeen Usman. Usman is considered an old hand. Throwing the catch net wide, the existing bank managing directors are also believed to be possibles.

Ogbomo is currently the Managing Director, Mergers and Acquisitions, Goldman Sachs and Co., a bank holding company that engages in investment banking, securities services and investment management. At Goldman and Sachs, Tosa Ogbomo advises and administers financing for clients in the health care industry including Merck, Boston Scientific, Stryker, and Pfizer. He was in charge of the $90bn hostile takeover of Warner Lambert by Pfizer.

The citation read further, "Prior to Goldman Sachs, Tosa rose from associate to Vice-President and finally, a director in Merrill Lynch & Co, a global financial services firm, which was acquired by Bank of America. Merrill Lynch provides capital markets services, investment banking and advisory services, wealth management, asset management, insurance, banking and related financial services worldwide.


http://odili.net/news/source/2009/mar/1/408.html

After all they are in power. They are answerable to no one even if they butcher the whole southern nation.

Sunday, March 1, 2009
Jos crisis: Hausa community shuns Ajibola panel

By Jude Owuamanam

The Justice Bola Ajibola judicial commission of inquiry into the November 28 crisis in parts of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State formally started public sitting on Tuesday.







It is to examine the more than 155 memoranda submitted to it by individuals and groups on the crisis. At the inaugural sitting, the eminent jurist, who made no pretension about his desire to get to the root of the intermittent crises on the Plateau said the commission would visit all the places affected by the crisis. In his words, the visit would 'engender in us the purpose of our mission, which will take us around the affected areas from time o time.

He added, "We share a common saying that seeing is believing. Our visit to all these places will afford us the opportunity of perceiving physically a lot of the destitution that occurred on the aforesaid horrible day."

But much as the eminent jurist shared this optimism, a lot of red herring had been laid on the path of the commission. First is the avalanche of administrative investigative panels set up by both the executive and the legislature. The most contentious is the Gen Emmanuel Abisoye panel set up by the Federal Government to look into the crisis. Though the Plateau State government has gone to the Supreme Court to seek an interpretation on who, between it and the Federal Government had the right to inquire into the Jos crisis, Justice Ajibola made spirited efforts to distance himself from the controversy. Indeed he started by debunking a newspaper report, which quoted him to have condemned the Abisoye panel.

He said, "We are unaware that there are many administrative investigations and inquiries going on in other parts of Nigeria as a result of the incident, but we wish to make it abundantly clear that this is not a political commission of inquiry. It is a legitimate commission of inquiry coupled with its constitutional and statutory footing. Our mission here is to seek nothing but the truth."

The eminent jurist said that instead of being antagonist to the federal panel, the work of the Abisoye panel should be part of what his own commission would use in its assignment.

The second is the cynicism shown to the commission by the Hausa community, which had declined to participate in the commission's proceedings. The community also appeared to have made good its threat by not submitting a single memorandum to the commission. But the spokesman of the Hausa Community in Jos, Alhaji Sani Mudi, said that the Hausa have maintained their stand not to send any memorandum to the commission.

He said that Governor Jonah Jang had already prejudged the outcome of the commission when he said that the crisis started in Ali Kazaure area of Jos when some youths chanting 'Allahu Akbar' burnt down houses and killed many people.

Moreover, he said that the government did not put up proper security arrangement conducive for the Hausa community to make any submission to the commission. He, however, said that the Hausa are waiting for the Gen Abisoye panel set up by the Federal Government where they hope to ventilate their grievances.

"We have maintained our stand that we will not appear before the commission and that is why we will not send any memorandum to it. You also remember that when the crisis started the governor said that he had identified the source of the crisis and that it started from Ali Kazaure area when some youth chanting 'Allahu Akbar went on the rampage.

"And you also remember that one of the terms of reference of the commission is to identify persons responsible for the crisis and since the governor had already identified them, he is now a judge in his own case and we don't think we will get fair hearing.

"And whether we appear or not, they have already prejudged the outcome and we don't think it is right for us to appear before the commission and our position is that there is no need for the commission in the first place," Mudi added.

In the few days the commission has sat, a lot of revelations have been made with various groups pointing fingers at who they thought was the agent provocateur of the crisis. The most revealing had been that of the indigenous Muslims, led by Alhaji Miango. They had accused a former minister and a serving lawmaker as being behind the crisis. For now, the commission has invited the duo to come and defend themselves.

But what is interesting about the submission of this group is that they have taken up arms against their spokesman. The group said that he was not mandated to speak on their behalf or accuse anybody. The riddle is yet to be resolved. Indeed, it was gathered that a meeting called by officials of the state government to resolve the issues ended in a deadlock as some members of the indigenous Muslim community said that they were not aware of the submission before the commission.

Another problem the commission may be facing is the issue of credibility and whether anything worthwhile will come out of it considering the fact that many commissions of inquiry had been conducted in the past in the state, but its findings and recommendations are still gathering dusts in government cupboards. But Ajibola in allaying the fear, had said that he would not have accepted the job if he knew that at the end of the day, it would be thrown to the trash basket. His optimism was also shared by Jang, when he promised that the November 28 crisis would be the last in the state.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/mar/1/405.html

i just cant imagine being forced into marriage not to talk of someone as old as that, lawd i solemnly swear i will poison the man to death. cant stand it, what would a 56 yrs man who should be thinking of death be doing with a 12 yrs girl as a wife?. just pure child abuse.

Thinking of death or kitten?

Shrine where twins are worshipped
By Biodun Muhammed and Kehinde Oyetimi
Sunday, March 1, 2009

THE birth of twins in various parts of the world is as primordial as human existence. This seems to be in consonance with the religious belief prevalent in Christianity and Islam that humans should go into the world and multiply. In science, it has often been explained that twins are product of cell division which is referred to as mitosis.

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One of the worshippers, presenting her

request before the god (twins).









Also, in Yoruba cosmogony there is a cosmic continuum comprising the world of the living, the dead and the unborn. The interaction of these three worlds and the mystery surrounding the activities that take place in them is such that has evoked awe. This phenomenon led to ancestral worship which has its stipulated code of conduct, highly imbued with music and performance.

Sunday Tribune went on a fact-finding mission, in an attempt to demystify and demythify the cryptic mode associated with the worship of twins in Yoruba traditional religion. According to Mr. Akinwale Gafar, the secretary of Egbe Onibeji, Apata Eboade (a group which engages in the worship of twins) “Twins are gods. Their worship has nothing to do with Islam or Christianity as they can be worshipped by anyone who is related to them”.

The birth of twins can be a blessing or a blight. Like other gods of the Yoruba pantheon, they are ambivalent, possessing both good and bad qualities. Mr. Gafar explained while throwing more light on the issue, “the spirit of twins can bless and punish. Their spirit is associated with affluence. It is a spirit that brings favour. That is why twins love the poor. They go to the poor with a view of changing their fortune”.

On the issue of how they mete out punishment to their offenders, he says, “once twins are ill-treated and they feel bad, things start going wrong for the affected person. Such person’s business can fail, illness can set in and so on. But once the spirit of the twins is appeased, relief comes immediately.”

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This woman, Ayagbado goes into trance

to bring messages from the gods.Sunday Tribune met Mr. Gafar in his house at Egbende, a village at the outskirts of Ibadan where he gave mystical explanations of the world of twins such that at a point he became reluctant, explaining that he would not reveal anything unless the meeting of the twins would be attended at Apata Eboade. Sunday Tribune followed him there.


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Having been advised to embark on the journey to Apata-Eboade early, Sunday Tribune took off as early as 6.00am. Although Apata-Eboade is said to be known as a very strong centre of African traditional religion. The power house of this enigmatic place is situated in Iya-Atorise’s residence. She is also known as Madam Oyinlola Agboola. This place also houses other gods like Sango (the god of thunder) and Osun (the water goddess).

Iya Atorise is an aged woman, who is revered by her followers. At the entrance of the house, there is a bowl-like depression on the floor. This depression is filled with palm oil and everyone who goes in there bows to the bowl. Some wait for fairly long periods as they lay their petitions before the oil filled bowl. The bowl houses the spirit of twins.

The worshippers came in one after the other until a quorum was formed. As soon as Sunday Tribune was introduced, the rites commenced. It was stated that twins are special gods and every member of the group is either a twin or a close relative of one.

The first assignment had to do with identifying members of the meeting one after the other and it was discovered that almost every god in Yorubaland was represented. Ogun, Sango, Oya, Obaluaye, Obatala, Osun and Esulaalu.

Iya Atorise carries an idol of a dead twinAfrican traditional religion is known to entail lots of ritual which has elements of the dramatic. This spiritual affair may appear to be some form of spectacle to an onlooker, but for the adherents of the religion, it is serious business.

This was portrayed when the Ayagbado ( a person who dramatises the nature of Edun, a monkey family, steals corn from the farm during twin celebration rites) introduced herself. She made it known that since edun and twins are believed to be of the same family, acting like edun is an important part of the ceremony. She said her role as Ayagbado demands that she imitates the corn-stealing-action of edun. At the request of Sunday Tribune, she demonstrated the act. Corn was brought forward. As a woman was holding the corn, the Ayagbado jumped like a monkey and snatched the corn from her as the chorus “Edun moloko, Edun yagbado hoi” was chanted.

At the sound of hoi!, it was as though a great force descended on the Ayagbado. She staggered while people quickly rushed to hold her. She struggled like someone in a frenzy. She was eventually tamed as she was forced to lean on someone. She went into a trance. It was like a scene from a movie when the Ayagbado started delivering messages from the gods. A mere demonstration of the role of Ayagbado turned out to be a time for delivering messages before she regained consciousness.

Sunday Tribune inquired if the spirit of the twins descends upon people while worshipping. Mr Gafar’s response was, “the spirit of the twins can descend on a man and cause him to go into trance but apart from the spirit of the twins, the different beats that are peculiar to each god is beaten as a mark of respect for the gods. So when Sango’s beat is rendered, adherents of the god are arrested by him, then they go into trance to bring messages from the god.

The worshippers present explained why it was necessary for the gods to be present during the celebration of twins. According to one of them, ‘twins are precious children of Sango. You can’t celebrate them without paying homage to Sango. Not Sango alone, other gods, including Esu (devil), holds twins in high esteem.’

An expedition which was originally meant to investigate the intricacies involved in the worship of twins turned out to be an exploration of Yoruba deities and the different roles they play in the lives of their followers. After speaking with the representatives of the gods at the meeting, a recess was observed as they sat round plates of cocoyam in groups. The break followed with a sacrifice to Sango - the blood of a hen. The flesh was cooked with gbegiri soup. This was served in the afternoon with Amala. They ate.

Worshippers of twins at Apata-Eboade.After the meal, they brought the effigy of a twin. The effigy is believed to represent the spirit of one of a set of twins who is dead. According to this belief, the spirit of the dead twin is worshipped so that it will bring good fortune to the partner that is still living.

Pa Osemekhan, gave an insight on how twins are viewed in Edo State.“The myth surrounding twins is gradually fading off but I must say in some villages that the old system still operates. Twins are believed to be from the gods, so the pot used in sacrificing to any god is packed by the roadside to cook for the twins. Twins are also fed with foodstuff from sacrifices. The assumption is that when twins eat from the gods, they feel better”, he opined.


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Commenting further on the issue of mothers who beg by the roadside with their twins, Mr. Gafar gave this admission, “in some cases, the spirit of the twins would want to teach humility, especially when the affected individual seems to be too full of herself. In such cases the woman is forced to beg as an alternative to losing the kids or incurring the wrath of the gods. But it is wrong for anybody to take to begging in the name of twins when the gods did not give such instruction.”

It was later gathered that different people, irrespective of their class or status engage in the worship of twins, including people in the higher rungs of the social ladder. Mr. Gafar further revealed that, “people are hypocrites. Many rich people who claim that they do not engage in the worship of twins secretly call us to worship their twins for them when they run into trouble.”

In a nutshell, the worship of twins is just an aspect of the interwoven and intricate narrative of African traditional religion.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/mar/1/600.html

Housewives happy with Bauchi curfew
From Ali Garba, Bauchi

IT is honeymoon all over again for several hitherto lonely married women in Bauchi State, courtesy of the curfew imposed on the state following recent disturbances in the area.





And for many reveling in rekindled conjugal bliss, they couldn't care less if the dusk-to-dawn curfew continues eternally as the development has compelled their husbands to stay indoors from 5p.m. to 7a.m. the next day

Governor Isa Yuguda imposed the curfew on the entire Bauchi metropolis to curtail a religious crisis that erupted in some parts of the state capital last Friday.

One of the married women told The Guardian: "If not because of the food items in the house that will finish and we will have to buy them again, and we need money to do other things and the children are still going to school, my wish is let the curfew be increased to 24 hours; no going out completely, so that I will have my husband in full."

Another one, Mrs. Amina James, said: "Thank God for the curfew! My husband never had time for his family; every day is work. He wakes up early in the morning and gets set for work when the children are still sleeping and comes back home at 10 or 11 p.m. when the children are sleeping. The children are not used to their father; same for me. To be sincere, I am enjoying the curfew; I wish government would extend the time of the curfew from 4p.m. to 7am and let it remain like that for a year."

After closing at work, many married men in Bauchi often hang out at pepper soup joints and beer parlous where they are joined by their girlfriends and mistresses for a good time till late in the night before they head home to tell tall tales to their often worried wives.

Defending this, a Bauchi resident, Mr. John Barau told The Guardian that, "it is good for a man to hang around with friends after closing from work.

According to him, many married men head for fun spots after closing from work because of problems at home.

His words: "Women are always demanding; they are just like children and don't know when you have enough money or when you are broke. For me, coupled with work stress, staying out is to douse tension before going home."

However, to a clergyman, Pastor Ishaya Jatau, responsible men should go home after finishing the business of the day.

He said: "Who will take care of your children properly when you are not there? It is very imperative for husbands to go home after closing from office.

"If they will use the time and money wasted in the beer parlous, pepper soups joint and gambling houses, wasted on prostitutes and unnecessary things that are not beneficial to their families, to play with their children at home and prepare them for the great challenges of life, it would be better for them and the country in the future."

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/feb/28/5.html

But why would he give out a 12-year-old girl to a 56-year-old man? Umoru insists that it is all lies, claiming that he gave the girls out to those who could fend for them and take good care of them.

Men men men *shakes head***

Sunday, March 1, 2009
Agonies of two 'baby wives'

By SAM AWOYINFA

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Sam Awoyinfa
Haramu and Rashida.





The two girls, dubbed 'baby wives,' by neighbours are Rashida, who is 12 years old and her elder sister, Haramu who claims to be 18.

Dark-skinned Rashida, who tells SUNDAY PUNCH her own story first, says her father had given her and her sister to two different men, who are Nigeriens like her parents, but that "it is rather absurd and callous for our father to abort our destiny abruptly without our consent."

"My father did not even tell us that he had collected our bride prices from the suitors we never knew," she says. "We were surprised to see some guests in our residence, who came and took us away to different locations, which they say were our husbands' houses."

She stresses that she was surprised to see her parents erecting canopies and hiring chairs on that fateful day.

"My father rented canopies and rented chairs, and before we knew what was happening, family friends and his supposed in-laws were seated and they started eating rice and doing all sorts of things," she states.

Rashida adds that the ironic thing about the whole charade was that neither her sister nor herself was invited to the brief ceremony.

Another curious twist to the story was that none of the suitors were present at the ceremony. "The whole thing seems funny to me, because my sister and I did not partake in the ceremony. We were inside the room, neither did any of our supposed suitors show up," Rashida recalls.

Like sheep being led to the slaughter, which would not utter a word but bleat, Rashida and Haramu amid suppressed sobs, were finally sent forth to their husbands' houses on February 15, 2009, as soon as the ceremony was concluded.

The two 'newly-wedded brides' were piloted into two different cars, brought by their in-laws. While Rashida was driven to Agboju, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Haramu was taken to somewhere in Ajah, another part of Lagos.

A spectacle awaited Rashida when she finally arrived in her husband's residence. The man, alleged to be 56 years and stays in a one-room apartment. Rashida, who was accompanied by Halima, one of her friends, to the man's house, adds that she stayed with the man for a week. She returned home on February 21, having been given a 24-hour permission by her husband to go and see her parents before she would finally return and settle down to child rearing.

Rashida tells SUNDAY PUNCH that the man never slept with her. She says, "Throughout the one week I was with him, he never slept with me, because I don't like him. He is an old man, all his hairs are white. I was sleeping on the floor with my friend who accompanied me, while he slept on the bed."

When our correspondent asked her of the man's name, she claimed she did not know. All she volunteered was that the man is a trader, who has a small kiosk, where he sells sweets, and biscuits.

But what was she doing while in the man's house? "I was just sleeping, waking and eating," she replies. She discloses that her friend was the one doing the cooking for them.

Her sister's story is quite similar. Haramu gives the name of her own husband as Salisu. Haramu says he is a tall young man, but "I do not like him." She says that Salisu is a security guard in a private residence in Ajah. He is also from the Republic of Niger. From February 15, she stayed with the man till February 20, after which he gave her two weeks permission to go and see her parents, before she would finally move in, and start rearing children. Also for the almost one week that she stayed with Salisu, nothing amorous transpired between them. She claims she was accompanied by a friend, Rukaya, and they were always together, according to her.

Rashida and Haramu are however at a crossroads. They are now torn between obeying their father's wish, and fulfilling their academic dreams. Rashida states that she has just completed her primary school education at Arise and Shine Primary School, located at No. 12 Odunlami Street, Lawanson, Surulere. She says she wants to continue with her education, and nurtures the dream of becoming an accountant in the future.

"I have completed my primary school education, and I am heading for JSS 1. I want to go to university and become an accountant, but my father…" she says, sobbing.

She continues, "But I know what I am going to do. I will run away from home." Haramu, though not as tough talking as her younger sister, prays that her dream of becoming a lawyer is not thwarted by her father. "Though I am 18-years-old, I'm not ready for marriage now, I want to go to pursue my education to university level, because I want to become a lawyer in future," she says. For Haramu, time is ticking and by next Sunday, she must return to her husband's one-room apartment in Ajah, where she says the guy is squatting with a friend.

Rashida had no luxury of time as SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that at the expiration of 24 hours permission given her by her husband, she was practically abducted and bundled away to Agboju in the evening of February 21. She was allegedly taken away in front of their residence. Rashida, says a witness, cried and shouted but she was over-powered by her abductors.

Our correspondent was at their residence earlier that day, and saw some women who came to visit the parents of Rashida. They were said to be family friends and Rashida's in-laws who had come to take her away. But Rashida, on sensing that they had come for her, ran away from the vicinity. But they waited patiently for her, and later whisked her away, as she returned home.

Mohamodu Umoru confirms that he is the one giving her daughters out in marriage, and adds that it is not a forced marriage. Puffing away intermittently on a stick of cigarette, he argues, "I am the one who gave two of them out in marriage; it is not true that I am forcing them to marry."

Umoru explains that in Niger Rep., it is normal to give out girls out in marriage from age 12 upwards. Moreover, he reveals that the men that he gave his daughters to "are my blood relations, and I know them very well."

Is it not incest or taboo to marry a relation in the place he hails from? "There is nothing wrong with it.[size=14pt] In fact, we marry our blood relations so that when the wife offends the husband, he will not over-react, but see that wife as part of himself," he replies.
[/size]
Umoru says that he took the action because he has no money to send the two girls to school anymore. "And instead of them just roaming the streets, and getting impregnated along line, I have to give them out in marriage," he adds.

[size=14pt]But why would he give out a 12-year-old girl to a 56-year-old man? Umoru insists that it is all lies, claiming that he gave the girls out to those who could fend for them and take good care of them.[/size]

Umoru's action has been condemned by a non-governmental organisation, Project Alert for Violence Against Women. The Executive Director, Mrs. Josephine Ettah-Chukwuma argues that Umoru's action is against the Child's Right Law of Lagos State, and thus it is illegal.

She stresses that the fact that Umoru hails from Niger Rep. notwithstanding, in as much as he resides in Lagos, he must obey its laws. She adds that Umoru will have to relocate to his country if he wants to carry out such an act.

The Office of the Public Defender, Lagos, describes Umoru's action as illegal. The Director, Mrs. Tola Rotimi, echoes the fact that the action runs foul of the laws of Lagos State.

Quoting the relevant sections of the Child's Right Act 2003, Rotimi states that it is a punishable offence to betroth any person under the age of 18 years. The act stipulates that "No parent, guardian or any other person shall betroth a child to any person." And whoever contravenes this law commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of five years or both such fine and imprisonment. With this action, she adds that Umoru risks being sent to jail.

Rotimi says that Umoru's claim that he has no money to send the girls to school is balderdash, because "the Lagos State Government provides free and compulsory primary and secondary school education. The state government pays WASC fees, so what is he talking about? All he needs to do for them is to buy them school uniforms."

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/mar/1/411.html

I won’t come to Aso Rock – Tunde Bakare tells Presidency
Saturday, February 28, 2009
At a time when church leaders are hobnobbing with politicians and government officials, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Senior Pastor of Later Rain Assembly, has vowed to remain different and focused on the undiluted word of God.

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Pastor Tunde Bakare









Last weekend when Nigerian seat of power, popularly called Aso Rock, rolled out the red carpet for church leaders across the length and breadth of the country, Bakare behaved like the biblical Daniel, who would not defile himself with the king’s portion.

He snubbed a presidential invitation personally sent by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, which would have made him to wine and dine with the seat of power. Instead of attending the Aso Rock bash, he chose to feed God’s flock in Lagos.

It was gathered that the invitation was about a breakfast Dr Jonathan convened for church leaders in the country to pray for good governance. When the date coincides with Bakare’s three-day preaching engagement at Satellite Town, Lagos, he did not give a second thought to the presidential fanfare but jettisoned it without regrets.

Those who went expectedly wined, dined interacted with the political powers-that-be and prayed for the nation for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, the fiery Bakare was in Lagos teaching on “The Full Impact of Biblical Faith.”

Quoting copiously from Apostle Paul’s epistles to the churches, especially from the Book of I Thessalonians, he emphasized on the apostolic lifestyle, which makes the message compelling to its hearers.

The Lagos preaching afforded him the opportunity to illuminate on his prophetic utterances on the June 12, 1993 presidential election and his infamous arrest by the Olusegun Obasanjo civilian government.

Pastor Bakare said he was not arrested, but turned himself in on the Lord’s order. He disclosed that though there were pressures from friends to flee, God told him not to do so, to show him the quality of work, which he (Bakare) is doing.

On the June 12, 1993 election, Bakare said when his prophecy on the annulment was fulfilled, Chief Moshood Abiola wrote to him to hear what God had in store for him but he asked the late politician to seek God by himself.

True to type and as bold as ever, Bakare said that he is not seeking any glory from man, hence he was not interested in Nigeria’s national honours or taking photographs with the vice president. In fact, he labelled the national honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) as Ole Ole Nigeria.

The pastor also took a swipe at pastors who have compromised their message for personal gains, insisting that the gospel of God should be spoken even in much conflict as it is stated in the Bible.

Below is Bakare rendered in verbatim narrative:

“In 1999, you would not buy me for a piece of loaf or a piece of bread. When I said, rejoice not yet O land, your joy will be temporary. They said why is he the only one talking? Pressmen came to me. They said there are too many pastors in Nigeria; why are you the only one being arrested? I said, wrong question. Right question is, why are others not being arrested? Because they have arrested all the apostles and kept them in prison. They tormented all the prophets because of what they carried. The others have complied.

They have blended in. What they are doing is status quo. They just are politically correct because they needed to take photographs with governors and they needed titles of CON and Grand Commander. If I were going to betray you, you would be the one encouraging me.

“Tonight, I’m supposed to be in Abuja to be in Aso Rock tomorrow morning at breakfast meeting with the vice president of Nigeria. I say, sir, I cannot come. There is a compelling job here in Satellite Town in Grace Estate. I’m coming here instead so that the people of God can be built. I don’t want to take photographs with vice president, who does not believe God. When does Aso Rock become Mount Zion? The same people who did not want me; now jaga jaga don burst; the thing is not holding. They now want to know what God is saying.

“In 1993, I stood on the platform of Latter Rain Assembly and said SDP would fail. NRC would lose and be cut and swallowed up. The military will fall. Verdict ’93, our God reigns. Everybody criticized me; chastised me. One of my sons in Australia said now that we had voted, I’m going to church to see what will happen to this man and they came to church June 13. I said I did not say you will not vote in the prophecy. If you will not vote, there will be no result, but this is your result. SDP will fail. NRC will lose, be cut off and swallowed up. The military will fall. Verdict ’93, our God reigns.

“By June 20th, the church was packed full. I said, thus saith the Lord, by Wednesday, the election will be cancelled. On Wednesday night, here comes IBB: ‘We are not only in government, we are still in power… Nullified’. MKO now wrote a letter to me. ‘Man of God, what is God saying?’ I replied to him, ‘ask him yourself.’ Listen to me, a time will come that you will have to defend the message you preach by your own life. Your lifestyle must make the message compelling. Those who criticize you now will come to join you.

“I remember when we went to Ghana and I received the report that they were waiting for me, to arrest me in Nigeria. Security men sent message to me in Ghana. Our men working in our system said, ‘pastor, don’t come back: If you come at a weekend, they are going to lock you up.’ I agreed that I would leave Ghana and just go to Britain because I needed no visa to go and I had my credit card. We agreed that I will buy ticket and I will run away. I entered into the lift and Nehemiah showed up in the lift. Inside of the spirit, the word came. I told them that I disagree with them; that I was going back. I booked my flight back to Lagos. I arrived at the airport, nobody saw me till I walked through. I sat in my car. I was to be taken home and God said to me, ‘Go and show yourself to them because they will dismiss everyone from your church who helps you with protocol at the airport. They will say they smuggled you out.’

“I went back and said, you are looking for me. I said, don’t lay your finger on me because I came on my own. Let’s go. They interrogated me for 16 hours. Before I was arrested, I sent a letter to my lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi and I sent a letter to my children and my wife abroad and said in case they kill me, I want you to know that to live is Christ; to die is gain. I believe this message and I’m not going to run away. By 3 am, they released me after they had interrogated me all night long. The questions were: How many children do you have? I said, not your own, they are my own. What is your religion? None, I have no religion.

How many houses do you have? I say I’m not a public servant, I don’t declare assets. What’s your passport number? It’s in your hand, you should know it. Then they gave me food. I said I was not eating. They gave me water to drink. I said I was not drinking. They said we would eat part of it. I said the part you will eat is not the part you have poisoned. I am not going to eat your food. I’m going to stay here all night. They say you are going home. Okay, enter that car. I said no, I don’t know whether you have put bomb in that car. I will enter this car and I will be running commentary from your station till I get to the church.

“Listen, you know what blessed my heart? When I got home at about 4-5 am and I called England, my family was in prayer and I said I have been released and my daughter came on phone and said now, I believe the message. She said if you had run, then I know there is nothing in it. Nobody in church, except those in leadership, knew I had been released. I entered the church on Sunday morning. It was packed full. It was all in the newspapers: Pastor Tunde Bakare arrested and everybody was reading it. My friend, Pastor Akinola was coming from Ibadan to quickly come to the church so that he can stabilize the church. He was coming full speed and he was calling on the phone in my home. I picked the phone. He thought it was Ebenezer, one of the drivers. He said, Ebenezer! Ebenezer!! I said it’s not Ebenezer. Why are you looking for the dead among the living? It is me, I’ve been released. He couldn’t believe.

“The next he would hear my voice was on radio. Now, if you want to be a friend of a man who is controversial and who is in trouble, because the word of God is controversial, then you have to make up your mind. That was the time people drew away from me because if there is skeleton in your cupboard and you go talk what you should not talk, they will kill you. They will bring everything out. That’s why men cannot preach compelling messages.

“The church was packed full and I picked the microphone and came from the side and said praise the Lord. They didn’t even know it was me. I said, praise the Lord somebody. When they saw me, the whole place shook almost to the ground and God said, I allowed this to happen so that you can see the quality of the work you are doing. The strength of a bridge is determined by the calibre of vehicles that can walk over it. When you faint in the day of adversity, it is because your strength is small.”

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/feb/28/503.html

"I also hope to get my HiTv job back now that I've made peace with Okocha. My contract with them has not been officially terminated and I believe they will take me back now after everything."

Roflmao, chop money don dry small.

Sunday, March 1, 2009
I've put Okocha row behind me - Etim

By Nurudeen Obalola

A former Super Eagles star, Etim Esin, is looking to pick up the pieces of his life after his row with former Nigeria captain, Austin Okocha was settled.


https://odili.net/news/source/2009/mar/1/punch/images/pix200708257495357.jpg
Etim





The two ex-internationals were involved in a bitter war of words after Esin complained that Okocha disgraced him during a Christmas party at Okocha's house last December.

The former Lokeren star was accused of stealing a mobile phone during the party and he was searched as other guests looked on. But the feud was settled on Thursday when both former No. 10s met at the inauguration of Segun Odegbami's International Sports Academy in Wasimi, Ogun State.

Etim said the intervention of Odegbami, himself a prominent former international, and Oba Dapo Tejuosho was too strong for him to resist.

He told SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, "I have great respect for Odegbami and Oba Tejuosho. Odegbami was a big player in his days and the Oba is an honourable man, so there was no way I wouldn't listen to them.

"I also decided to let bygones be bygones in order to appease Nigerian football fans who were not happy that Okocha and I were not getting along. We hugged each other and the two of us said sorry like the elders advised, and Oba Tejuosho blessed us. He gave us his contact and said if we had any problem we should reach him. So I have forgiven Okocha.

"All I wanted was to clear my name and I'm sure Nigerians now know I'm no thief. I'm glad it's been dealt with and I want the new generation of footballers to learn to respect their seniors."

The former Flying Eagles star, however, insists that the legal aspects of the matter remain with his lawyer, Festus Keyamo.

He said, "Keyamo is currently out of the country and he will be back on Monday. When he comes he'll advise me on what to do, but I don't envisage any problems since the elders have intervened.

"I also hope to get my HiTv job back now that I've made peace with Okocha. My contract with them has not been officially terminated and I believe they will take me back now after everything."

Etim, who represented Nigeria at the World Youth Championship in Chile in 1987, worked as a football analyst on HiTv before the Okocha row led to his being asked not to return to the studios.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/mar/1/404.html

Secondly why did his accomplice in his human eating, a Yoruba man get less notoreity than him.Is it the same calculated attempts by the Nigerian media to paint the Igbo man as evil?

Same reason why Osama is more popular than his cronies; Same reason why Col Emeka Ojukwu is more popular than Col Effiong even though both of them led the Biafran war; Same reason why Chuks Nzeogwu is more popular than Col Ifejuna; Same reason why Shina Rambo is more popular than Kazeem his ADC; Same reason why Tafa Balogun is more popular than Mike Okiro; Same reason why Nigerians curse IBB and forget Air Commodore Augustus Aikhomu his partner in crime. You get it  now?

Good song but I can only hear them chanting 'mustapha' over and over again. Who is Mustapha and what is the song talking about? It wouldn't be bad if they add rap to the song or is islam against rap music?

I really think it is time Nigerians stop defending mediocrity and start opening their eyes to reality as is. A Senator in the USA(where people actually work and push for change while in office) can earn about $168k a year, while a senator in Nigeria, a country where the perks are outrageous and cost of living is nowhere close to that in America is over $240K? Highway Robbery of the worst kind is what this is. This is a job that comes with over $1000’s of jobs in perks each year in addition to this outrageous amount, makes me wonder how much the president himself makes and why.

That's the bedrock of our coat of alms.

romeo, if soludo is so smart, how come he can't solve Nigeria's inflation problem? Wait! i know the answer, its because he is incompetent just like every leader in Nigeria

I guess Alan Greenspan couldn't solve America's financial crisis yet because he's incompetent?

A 26yrr old and a 12 yr old. This better be a joke.

Can someone call a cop on this dude?

She/he is denying his/her gender. I still suspect he is male because it's men that has that trait.

A thief is a thief - I care less about the tribal identity. As long as the man isn't innocent, he deserves full treatment.

I am not against catching a thief but do not turn that authority into victimization.

Besides, maybe Yoruba thieves do it with little intelligence while the Igbo and Hausa ones are harder to catch.

Yes, because Yorubas are not used to stealing like hausas and igbos. Embezzlement and 419 are completely foreign to our culture and it's people.

he he you would never change

You can continue pretending that there is nothing wrong in the way EFCC runs their business. 70% of their recent arrests are yorubas when their partners in crime  are left to go scot free.

I hope they arrest him, if he has a case to answer, all the better while it's still a bit fresh, not in 2011 when it might all have gone away.   Tongue

No tribalism here  - Agagu was in charge of a lot of power issues - let's see if he is culpable for any corruption.

True but there should be equity here in order to preserve justice. Why is the EFCC not arresting corrupt  igbos and Hausas like they arrest Yorubas?. Can't you see their bigotry there?

An Ibo man walks into a bank in New York City

and asks for the loan officer.
He tells the loan officer that he is going to Nigeria on business
for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000.

The bank officer tells him that the bank
will need some form of security for the loan,
so the Ibo man hands over the keys
and documents of new Ferrari parked
on the street in front of the bank.
He produces the title and everything checks out.
The loan officer agrees to accept
the car as collateral for the loan.

The bank's president and its officers
all enjoy a good laugh at the Ibo
for using a $250,000 Ferrari
as collateral against a $5,000 loan.
An employee of the bank then
drives the Ferrari into the bank's
underground garage and parks it there.

Two weeks later, the Ibo man returns,
repays the $5,000 and the interest,
which comes to $15.41.
The loan officer says,
"Sir, we are very happy to have had your business,
and this transaction has worked out very nicely,
but we are a little puzzled.
While you were away,
we checked you out and found that you are a multi millionaire.
What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow "$5,000" ?


The Ibo man replies:


"Where else in New York City can I park my car
for two weeks for only $15.41
and expect it to be there when I return'"

When last did your pastor preach on holiness?

The Youtube link is not right because I can't find a song therein. What is Ju'mah service?

Is Asa fine?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Patwhizkid sorry 4 ur live. FOR GOODNESS SAKE NAIRALANDERS "PATWHIZKID" IS A FEMALE AND NOT A MALE Y cant U be straight foward 4 once in ur life, Grow up Girl

And she's here spoiling men's reputation by flouting as a pedophile.

I didn't know he is Fulani. I always thought he is hausa. Anyway, are they not the same? . Abacha= Fulani; Atiku= Hausa; Abdulsalaami= Fulani; Ibb= Bwari. Who are the hausa that have been ruling Nigeria?

to be a woman seems to be a day job now.