Nigeria squad for 2023 AFCON

How do you clean this?

Imagine you were at Airport on your way to Canada to "hustle" and you got a call from Oil company u dropped ur Cv that you got a top job at one of the oil companies with salary of 300k a month, a personal car for you as their staff and 5 years rent paid in a good estate for u, What will you do? Go ahead and Travel or stay back

*This Church cannot be broken because we are not a breakaway Church says Bishop David Oyedepo
*Bishop Adjeman yet to vacate facilities despite Supreme Court judgement.
*Court case lasted about 19 years.

The Supreme Court has ordered that Bishop George Adjeman who was consecrated Bishop in November 1999 by Bishop Oyedepo and later rebelled should vacate the premises of Winners Chapel used by him for the last 19 years after a long drawn court case. The judgement was given earlier in 2023 while some unscrupulous media elements tried to twist the story and turn it upside down due to the unhappiness of those who have been happy about the situation which lasted almost 2 decades and felt exposed by the judgement.

The Court also varied the decision that Bishop Adjeman render an account of his stewardship to WCI from 16/1/2004 to date and pay any monies due the Church with interest at the prevailing commercial bank interest rate by reducing the rate to be paid among other decisions.

However, it set aside an order by the Court of Appeal that restrained George Adjeman and others from using the name Winners Chapel for their breakaway group.

The Supreme Court upheld the following orders as made by the Court of Appeal;

Firstly, the Living Faith World Outreach Centre recovers possession of all that piece and parcel of land situated at Winners Chapel No.16 Otublohum Road, Industrial, Area.

Secondly, the court upheld the grant of H/No. 5, situated at Arko Adjei Street adjacent to Miklin Hotel, East Legon, Accra to the plaintiffs.

Additionally, George Adjeman and the group were restrained from disturbing the Plaintiffs’ quiet enjoyment of their properties, places, and items of worship.

Finally, the order for the Registrar General to delete the names of all the defendants as directors and/or subscribers to the Regulations of 1 and 2 Plaintiffs.

On the other hand, the appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeal was granted in part.

The court set aside, the order directed at the Registrar General’s Department to remove the name Winners Chapel from the Registrar of Companies.

Secondly, the order that Winners Chapel should not be used by George Adjeman and others because it belonged exclusively to the Living Faith World Outreach Centre was set aside. This implies that even though the name Winners Chapel Ghana can operate within Ghana, it will be almost impossible to operate with exactly same name in any country outside Ghana.

Recall that at the time of the rebellion, George Adjeman broke away with 14 churches while the headquarter church had 16,000 regular worshippers. However, today, the Adjeman group has reduced to less than 1000 in the headquarters. As a matter of fact, when ChurchGist visited the dissident group at the headquarters during a Monday service (Prayer Meeting) in July 2022, Church Gist representative counted 33 in the service including the Church Gist Ghanaian and Nigerian representatives. Also, while the original Winners Chapel (International) has over 200 branches in Ghana with land procured for a university, the Adjeman groups still has less than 20 branches

Church Gist will release the comprehensive story of the rebellion in Ghana below on this same post later today.

Matthew 16:18

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

#ChurchGist

Now the full story as promised....

THE REBELLION IN GHANA

Background

Bishop Adjeman a Ghanian was a protege of Oyedepo in Kaduna right from his days in Kaduna. He is a chartered accountant and was ordained as Bishop by same Oyedepo on 9th November 1999 after the dedication of Faith Tabernacle along with 6 other Bishops namely Thomas Aremu who is still with the Liberation Commission, Dayo Olutayo (who also left LFC in 2004), Bolu Martins, Mike Afolabi of blessed memory, Dickson Olorunda and Joseph Ebhohimien (Secretary at the Power House Meetings)

Bishop Adjeman had served variously in Abuja as well as Raji Oba, Lagos among other places of assignment. He held sway in those days whenever Bishop David Oyedepo was on his mission trips and was considered a faithful servant and was the only non-Nigerian consecrated Bishop in the history of the Living Faith Church.

In recognition of his faithfulness as well as a new indigenization policy of the Living Faith Church George Adjeman was transferred Ghana in 1996. He was later recalled and then sent in 2002 to head Winners Chapel Ghana which consisted of 14 churches spread across Ghana, Kingdom Heritage Model School and church house. Bishop Adjeman later re-registered the church in his own name, declared independence and the drama began..

IF YOU ARE FAITHFUL IN ANOTHER MAN’S...

In 2004 Bishop Adjeman staged a takeover of the Ghanaian branch of Winners Chapel after the Headquarters in Canaanland Ota, Nigeria attempted to transfer him to Ibadan when he refused to continue remitting the $60,000.00 monthly church income that was erstwhile remitted to the Nigerian headquarter. Remitting of Money from all branches of the world to Headquarter churches usually to fund various programs of the Church was practiced by Winners Chapel at the time. The Author remembers vividly during the building of Faith Tabernacle when amounts given by various branches and countries were mentioned by Bishop Oyedepo during thanksgiving. The practice has however ceased in Winners since 2012 when the Mandate or Church constitution was promulgated. Notably, the Ark building project which is ongoing as not required any branch church outside the headquarters at Canaanland to give to the project; however, the Catholic Church, Redeemed Christian Church of God and many others still practice this which is not in anyway a bad practice. After the monies have been remitted, certain percentages would be returned to the branches in some cases.

AN EXCUSE FOR REBELLION?

After Bishop Adjeman revealed how much was transported to Nigeria every week, all hell was let loose in Ghana as the debate became a Nigeria versus Ghana debate. Some Ghanaians felt it was wrong for a church in Ghana to remit money to a church in Nigeria; they therefore took sides with Bishop Adjeman. Others felt Adjeman was disloyal to his former boss in Nigeria and should leave the church using the right way and not taking over any of the church's properties, members or name.

The Ghanaian branch of Winners Chapel Ghana was started in 1996 and as said earlier already had 14 branches, Kingdom Heritage Model school(s) etc while Adjeman was transferred to Ghana in 2002. However Adjeman claimed that when he got back to Ghana he met the church badly run and therefore when government authorities in Ghana called for Churches to be registered as companies, Bishop Adjeman went ahead to re-register the church in his own name and excluded the names of all the Nigerian trustees without informing the Nigerian church of the new regulatory development nor asking for their assent

THE UNRIGHTEOUS MAMMON

The initial aim of Adjeman wasn't so clear at this stage. But what is sure is that Adjeman wanted at least financial independence from Nigeria at some point. The Ghanian church had kicked against the practice of money being "illegally" transferred to Nigeria. The Ghanaian church claimed that Winners Chapel isn't a limited liability and should not transfer money to Nigeria only to later receive some percentages of it.

GET DOWN TO BASORUN IBADAN!

Following Adjeman's refusal to keep remitting money to Headquarters in Nigeria he was transferred to then Ibadan Diocese with headquarters in Basorun, Oyo state.

Bishop Adjeman rejected the Ibadan transfer and notified church members that he was been transferred because of his refusal to remit money to Nigeria. Some members cheered Adjeman on and encouraged him to disregard the transfer.

BISHOP ABIOYE ORDERED TO GHANA

As Adjeman remained adamant, Bishop David Abioye, the Executive Vice President of the LFC was sent to Accra to stem the tide. Adjeman refused to see him and instead locked BishopAbioye out of the Church premises. Reports have it that some unscrupulous elements had the temerity to attempt to rough handle the senior Bishoo in hierarchy in total disregard of authority. Bishop Abioye consequently returned to Canaanland to report the situation he met.

Once Adjeman had refused to honor his transfer to Ibadan, Adjeman was then sacked by the Church Headquarters.

GHANA PENTECOSTAL FELLOWSHIP INTERVENES

Following the attempt at secession the Ghanaian Pentecostal Fellowship (GPF)ordered Adjeman to vacate the Winners Chapel premises. The argument of GPF stemmed from the fact that Winners Chapel Ghana was built with seed funding from the Nigeria and therefore it should be returned to the mother church.

WCI AND WCG

While attempts where being made to resolve the crisis of ownership, WCI quickly moved to establish another place of worship to stop the confusion. They were now referred to in Ghana as the Oyedepo original body (WCI Ghana) and the Adjeman's faction referred to as Winners Chapel Ghana (WCG or Winners’ Ghana). A long journey was about to begin that would last the next 14 years in the Ghanaian judicial system.

DESTROY THIS TEMPLE AND I WILL BUILD IT IN 3 DAYS

Once the Adjeman faction had retained the church premises in 2004 the WCI secured another space not too far away where they began worshipping as the headquarter church in Nigeria went to court in Ghana and began the tussle with the renegade WCG led by Adjeman. At this time, Dele Bamgboye (now of High Flyers) and later Abraham Ojeme (now at the Summit Church) were sent variously to Accra. At a meeting between George Adjeman and Abraham Ojeme, Ojeme asked-Can you give one scripture that justifies what you are doing? Adjeman had no response. Again, during a press interview, Adjeman pointed out that WCI had established a new and big church within only 3 months and used that to justify his actions.

As the Crisis metarmophosed the GPF equally admonished Oyedepo to settle Adjeman so he can go and start his own ministry. Oyedepo initially disagreed querying if that wouldn't be tantamount to a bribe. Oyedepo’s believes he does not own the Church and as such could not give church property out as ‘settlement’. The GPF however encouraged him to see it as a way of setting up a Son.

GIVE ME $50,000, CHURCH HOUSE AND OFFICIAL CAR AND I WILL GO!

To settle the problem, Adjeman made a demand that he be paid $50,000 as severance, along with the church mission house and a car. Oyedepo vehemently opposed this but he was persuaded to see Adjeman as a son and not a rebel and that he should see the money given to Adjeman as a parting gift to a son. Bishop Oyedepo, after due consultation with his church elders, was said to have agreed to approve $100,000 but without a car or the Church Mission house. This didn’t go down well with Adjeman and he decided to help himself with the church.

I AM SORRY?

Seemingly feeling remorseful after 6 years, Adjeman visited Oyedepo in 2010 against the wishes of his lawyers. There, Oyedepo reportedly agreed to let Adjeman have all the properties but should drip the "winners chapel" tag from his church name which was the root of the contention. Adjeman agreed to drop the name and even church propertiea. But Adjeman changed his mind as he got back to Ghana.

Ghanian High Court Delivers Judgment in 2017 In Favor Of Adjeman

13 years after in 2017 the Ghanian court dismissed the lawsuit by Winners Chapel Intl(Oyedepo's faction). According to the court, winners chapel Ghana is a registered and recognized church in Ghana as it was duly registered by Adjeman and therefore won the case. However properties acquired between 1996 and 2002 must be valued and half returned in cash value to Oyedepo's faction. However judgment was not giving as regards the name of the church.

Ghanaian Appeal Court Reverses the Judgement of the High Court

In November 2020, the Appeal Court in Ghana reversed the decisions of the High Court

The summary of the judgment and the consequential reliefs granted by the Appeal Court are:

1. The judgment of the trial high court is reversed.

2. All properties acquired or funded by the Church a.k.a. Winners Chapel International (1st and 2nd Plaintiffs) are the Church’s bona fide properties.

3. The Church is entitled to recover its properties at East Legon, No. 16 Otublohum Road, Industrial Area, all places of worship and items of worship of the Church occupied by Adjeman and Winners Chapel Ghana.

4. The Registrar General is to delete the names of Adjeman and the Defendants from its records as directors and subscribers of Winners Chapel and restore the names of the Church and its directors and subscribers in their stead.

5. Adjeman is to render an account of his stewardship to the Church from 16/01/2004 to date and pay any moneys due the Church with interest at the prevailing commercial bank interest rate.

6. The Church is entitled to the exclusive use of the name “Winners’ Chapel and Adjeman and the other Defendants are injuncted in perpetuity from using the name.

The case was conducted by Thaddeus Sory and Pst Nii Amassah Kotey who unfortunately passed on to glory a few days before judgment was given. Thanks be to God for crowning their efforts with success.

The High Court had earlier given judgement in favour of the Bishop George Adjeman led group in 2017. It is expected that Bishop Adjeman would appeal the case to the Supreme Court of Ghana which is the highest judicial body in Ghana.

Winners Chapel Intl Today And Winners Chapel Ghana

The WCI started again in 2004 after the unfortunate split. It now has a network of over 250 churches in Ghana and is about getting its own university. However winners chapel Ghana led by Adjeman has plunged from 14,000 members as at the time of secession to 1,000 members and in a Monday Prayer meeting attended by Church Gist in July 2022, Church Gist counted 33 in her weekly program and this included our representative from Nigeria and our Ghanaian rep.

THE DAY OF REBELLION IN 2004

The day of secession as told by a Ghanian in church.

According to Paul Agbai

"A lot had been going on prior to the coup de tat that day, a Wednesday... In April 2004. Prior to that day, the Pastors from winners chapel Ghana had gone to Lagos for annual pastors retreat of which George Adjeman himself was supposed to go but he didn't and rather handpicked those pastors loyal to him to go. News had gone round before the arrival of the Pastors that those who went to Lagos were made to sign some undertaken against their will, but no one could ascertain this claim. I came to church that night, driving towards the church, behind one Pastor Richard Appiah, who was next to Bishop Adjeman in seniority, himself just coming from the Lagos trip and was heading to Church that night.

Just by the gate of the church, the head of Crowd Control Unit, CCU, stopped him and said "Oga" has said that all the pastors who went to Lagos should not be allowed in. This pastor Richard Appiah gave a note to the brother to go and give the Bishop that he, Richard, had come but Bishop Adjeman sent a message back that he should meet him in the house by 9pm. I was in my car, just behind Pastor Richard as all these unfolded, I was wondering and a bit confused because of all the preceding tension buildups. Well, Richard's wife got down from the car and trekked in to take her sit with the choir I was leading then. I reversed my car abit for Richard to pull back before I could enter the church in my car.

Towards the end of the service, Bishop Adjeman stood up with a script in his hand and started....."when a child in the womb delays in coming out, a surgical operation is needed, we are about doing a surgical operation." Along the lines of the script, was these statements that shocked me to my bones and marrows till date. Bishop Adjeman said that "all the pastors that went to Lagos had been held and detained against their wills and he doesn't know where they are and that the church should rise up so that we pray for their release from those holding them in Nigeria.." I stood up with others...but instead of praying..I was lost in wondering if this was a kind of home movies theatre or a church, I am in?.and congregation prayed like they were casting out demons in Africa...you know that scene....I was asking myself...is it not now that this man asked the pastors to meet him at a place for meeting at 9pm...but unsuspecting souls were led astray to make it look like its a fight between Ghana and Nigeria... 13 years down the line...no sense of remorse... Not even after he later called Bishop Oyedepo that he wanted to come to see him for restitution and he was granted audience. In that meeting captured on Video, he told Bishop Oyedepo that he was ready to let go and Bishop told him he should just drop the name that is creating confusion and go with the properties to start his own life assembly church he jettisoned. Bishop Adjeman said, he won't only drop name of winners chapel he is using but would drop all properties too..(I will soon release that Video...stay tuned)...he returned to Ghana and changed his mind.........End of my eye witness account of that night of "surgical operations" to remove winners chapel, Ghana from winners chapel international... But truth is always truth and if hidden, how can it be known...hence my putting this here!

e shock me say na this boy write this essay that won the 1-year sponsorship of 2m.

My first thought when I saw the first line of the essay was like "una sure say na this small boy truly write this essay?"

Don't crucify me. I had my reasons to doubt but as it is in my nature, I do my research before I talk... 😂. I started digging for more details and Lo and behold, the essay competition wasn't even organized here in Akwa Ibom State.

My investigation revealed that he was subjected to a virtual interview and an on-the-spot written assessment by the organizing body to conclude that he truly wrote this.
According to the Mum, he was previously disqualified from an essay competition because his write-up was too good for a boy of his age. But in this one, the process was thoroughly done as professionals should.

The boy is good, his vocabulary is vastly rich, and his wordplay is excellent. His presentation is intriguing, once you start reading it, you can't break off till you finish it. The imagery, diction, suspense, and firm grab of knowledge are way beyond his age. I'm wowed. But why won't he, when at this age, he is already reading from the likes of Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Adichie? I bet you, some elderly persons may need the help of a dictionary to perfectly assimilate this 5 paragraph essay. I see a great writer emerging.

Congratulations Boy!
Congratulations to the Mum too Mrs Mfon Carabella Essien



Read the essay he wrote to win the "Heirs Life Essay Championship 2023". The topic was "My Dream Career":

"I could be a doctor, but the mere sight of blood gives me goosebumps. I could be a dentist, but having my hands in people’s mouths doesn’t really appeal to me. And if we’re just dreaming here, I might even fancy being a mechanic, yet I see myself as more of a sedentary worker. Hundreds if not thousands of careers exist in our ever-expanding world; it is incredulous that one would lack what to do. I barely found anything that interested me, until one day I fell in love with the most seemingly ludicrous of careers. Of the vast litany of careers, I would love to be a writer—a novelist.

Never have I mentioned becoming a writer without receiving more than a fair share of raised eyebrows. I wonder why, though, how such a prestigious discipline is now barely recognized as a career. The truth is that writing gave birth to civilization. Only when man invented the concept of writing, was he able to tap into the pent-up cache of knowledge he possessed. To the layman, writing is the art of presenting ideas in a literary form; but it goes deeper. It is beyond words on paper; it is a window to the soul, giving us glimpses of the extraordinary, manifesting in an ordinary world. Writers—indeed novelists push boundaries; they are not restricted to the confines of human reasoning, they go above and beyond to fill our black-and-white world with colour, creating a dazzling polychrome of wonder.

A year ago, if you had asked me what I thought of novelists, I probably would have given you a disparaging opinion of them. It is ironic that I now find myself appraising the profession. It begs the question, “How did it all happen?”. The desire to live an extraordinary life stoked the fire. Often, I would imagine death-defying adventures for myself. Writing was a way of living my dreams through my characters. When I write, it feels like I am leaving the realms of conventional thinking, freeing myself from the shackles of human law.

From a tender age, I had wanted to save and serve the world. As a writer, I can reach millions and give them hope in their darkest hour. I want to inspire Nigerians—the world—to spark a fire in them like Chinua Achebe did. I remember the sensation of pride whenever I read Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, or the sublime when I riffle through the pages of Chimamanda Adichie's Purple Hibiscus. I want to give that to Nigerians: the conviction that no matter how dark the path gets, there is a light at the end.

Writing, eminent in simplicity and transcendence, dives deep into the soul. The pen, a force whose capabilities have not yet been unleashed, may hold the key to ushering in a new era of innovations. I love writing because it is more than just ink and paper; it is blood, sweat, toil, and tears. Most of all, it is passion."

Mohbad on my mind...

The Story of the Epic Battle Between King Sunny Ade and Chief Bolarinwa Abioro

It was in 1974 that the news broke. Chief Bolarinwa Abioro, the Balogun of Ipokia, the Chairman of African Songs Limited, had taken his star musician to court! Everyone who knew KSA knew Abioro. Everyone who knew Abioro knew Sunday Adeniyi. Sunny was the son. Abioro was the father. What could have gone wrong between father and son?

KSA was the second artiste to be signed on to the stable of African Songs Limited. Ayinde Bakare was the first. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister was the third. Like most creative people, young Sunny Ade was more concern about his passion and less concern about the business aspect of music. His passion was to play music and to excel as a musician.

It was enough that Abioro – one of the biggest men in the music industry at the time – was ready to promote him. They brought documents for Sunny and his band boys to sign. They called it a contract. It could have been called any other name for all that KSA cared. Won ni ko wa je saara, o ni ojo ti wonu ju. Se ata ni won ni ko mu wa ni, abi iyo. You are invited to a free feast, you are complaining about the short notice, are they asking you to bring salt or pepper? Sunny Ade and his boys didn’t hesitate. It is doubtful if any of them read what the contract said. The most important thing was that they were going to become recording artistes. Sunny signed. His band boys signed. Everybody was happy.

The contract was for 5 years. However before its expiration, KSA had become a household name. His album, Challenge Cup, sold in excess of 500,000 copies. It was certain that King Sunny Ade was going to dominate the music scene for a very long time to come. African Songs Ltd knew a good product when it saw one. The management of the company didn’t wait for the first contract to expire before they brought a new contract.

The new agreement was carefully worded. KSA and his band boys agreed to perform and record exclusively for ASL for a period of five years. ASL had full copyrights to all compositions and recordings of Sunny Ade. ASL was entitled to the sole right of production, reproduction, and use of King Sunny Ade’s performance throughout the world. That was not all. During the period of the agreement, KSA was prohibited from rendering any performance whatsoever to himself, any company or group of persons. The contract also stipulated that ASL had the option to renew the agreement at its expiration for a further term of two years or for any longer period. Sunny Ade had no such right.
That was not all. On the sale of every album which price was then fixed at N6.00, KSA and his boys were entitled to a princely sum of 20 kobo. Yes, you read that right. African Songs would go home with the remaining N5. 80 kobo. Onigegewura’s mathematics has never been good. He is just an amateur historian. You can do the sum yourself.

Still basking in the euphoria of his growing fame, Sunny gratefully signed again. His band boys signed. 20 kobo was still something. Orogun iya re da sokoto fun o, o ni ko bale, melo ni iya to bi o da fun o? You are complaining that the trousers made for you by your step-mother was not long enough, where is the one your own mother made for you? They were expecting their 20 kobo royalty on every album. Well, when the time came for actual payment, it was then discovered that mathematically and arithmetically, it was not supposed to be 20 kobo. They had not factored the cost of publicity and promotion! And since it was the artiste that was being promoted, he must be the one to bear the cost! After the addition and subtraction, Sunny was given 15 kobo per album.

KSA was not Chike Obi, the mathematician. But he knew that 20 kobo and 15 kobo were not the same thing. Compared with his contemporaries in the music industry, KSA realized that he was holding the short end of the stick. His colleague, Baba Commander, Chief Ebenezer Obey was earning as high as 70 kobo per album. Others were earning between 35 kobo and 60 kobo.

That was when Sunny decided to ask Chief Abioro for a raise of the royalty payment. The chairman listened patiently to KSA and his colleagues. He was nodding as they canvassed one reason after another why a raise was in order. When they finished, Chief Abioro flipped open a file he had on his table. He brought out a bundle of documents. Even from where he was seated across the table, Sunny saw that it was a copy of the contract he signed. “An agreement is an agreement. It is a binding contract!” The chief informed them. “This is what you signed. This is what you are entitled to! No more, No less.” He returned the documents to the file. Case dismissed.

But Sunny was not done. “Chief, this is not about contract. You are our father. Our request is for adequate compensation! Let’s leave the contract aside.” Chief Abioro looked at the young star the way a parent looks at a child asking for another candy. “Leave the contract aside? We should leave the contract aside?” The chairman asked incredulously. “You know, it would be nice to leave the contract aside. But you know what? That would be illegal!”
Haba! Illegality ke! . It was then that someone brought up the idea of requesting some of his friends to plead their case. Sunny agreed. After all, Eni ti o mo oju Ogun, ni pa obi ni ‘re. It is the person who is conversant with Ogun, the god of iron, that is usually given the duty to administer its rites. They went to meet Prince Okunade Sijuwade who would later become the Ooni of Ife. They also met with Chief Afolabi Joseph. Even Chief Ebenezer Obey was also requested to intervene as well as Chief Nurudeen Alowonle.

The eminent persons appeared in the court of the Balogun of Ipokia as ‘amici curiae’ on behalf of the musicians. Amici curiae are lawyers invited by the judge(s) to assist in filling briefs that may be helpful to the court in deciding a case. Our eminent persons argued their case like experienced advocates. They cited relevant sections of the unwritten Yoruba constitution. They cited Yoruba proverbs. They made reference to the story of Oduduwa. The presiding chairman listened to their submissions and summarily dismissed the case. Contract is contract!

Chief did not only dismiss the request for a raise. He opened another file on his table and brought out a new set of documents. Your guess is right! A new five-year contract! By now, Sunny Ade had learnt enough law. He had become a professional mathematician. He had obtained his Master of Business Administration from practical experience. He knew the implication of putting pen to paper. He applied for an adjournment.

The King of African Beats found himself in a quandary. His new songs were ready but Chief had threatened not to release any new album until he signed the new contract. And KSA was not ready to sign any new contract until the issue of royalty was resolved.

KSA remembered his grandmother’s proverb. Ti abiku ba gbon ogbon ati ku ni igba erun, iya abiku a gbon ogbon ati sin oku e si etido. If an abiku decided to die during the dry season when he knew that the ground would be hard to dig, his parents would also decide to bury him by the riverside where the ground would not be hard to dig.

Sunny Ade decided to release his record with another company. His plan was to use the album to bargain for a better deal with African Songs. Instead of the measly 20 kobo, he was confident that the chairman would be ready to pay him at least N1.00 per copy. The album was recorded in Nigeria but taken to London for mixing. What Sunny Ade did not know was that Chief Abioro was a master at the game. Before Sunny could get a copy of his own album, Chief Abioro was already in possession of the new record.

Baba Ibeji was composing fresh materials at home when the court bailiffs arrived. They served him with an order of interim injunction! The court order was as comprehensive as it was broad. Sunny Ade was prohibited from sale, distribution, marketing, dealing, etc. etc. of the record. He read the order again. Even without being a lawyer, he knew the implication of the document he was holding.

With palpable emotion, his mind went back to how he came to Lagos from Abeokuta with only one shilling and eighteen pence! He remembered his years with Baba Sala. He recalled how he got stranded with Baba Sala’s travelling theatre in Jebba and Kano. How he did not see his mother for two years whilst he suffered to make it as a musician. He recalled how his first album sold only 13 copies. Now when he was at the threshold of success, this court order! With grim determination, he knew he couldn’t afford to quit.

He remembered his first day at Oshodi when he missed his way trying to locate Moses Olaiya’s house and how he was directed instead to Dr. Victor Olaiya at Tinubu. He recalled how he knelt down in the dust of Oshodi to pray. Immediately he knew what he must do. Sunny went down on his knees and with an emotional voice, he prayed and prayed. It was not the Sunday Adeniyi that knelt down to pray that stood up. He had become empowered. He had become emboldened. That same evening, he established his own label.
Sunny Alade Records was born! He didn’t bother to sit down again. He remembered the threat of Chief Abioro to bring him down at all cost. He needed a lawyer who knew his law and who would be prepared to fight his cause against the Magnate. He went off in search of Gani Fawehinmi.

Gani collected the court papers and looked at the claims. He looked at his client. He looked again at the claims. Chief Abioro was not leaving anything to chance. He knew what he wanted from the court. His lawyer had read the agreement between African Songs Limited and Sunday Adeniyi.

Chief Abioro wanted only four things from the court: a declaration that the agreement between ASL and Sunday Adeniyi and his boys was still subsisting; an injunction restraining Sunny Ade from distributing or selling the record; an account of all sales of the record; and N1 million for breach of contract.
I hope you are not sneering at the N1 million as being ‘chicken change’. Remember this was in 1974. The price of a brand new Volkswagen Beetle car was about N500 at that time. N1 million in 1974 was a princely sum!

On the day of the trial, the court was filled to capacity. Gani Fawehinmi was armed with every conceivable legal authority. The law books he brought to the court were more than enough to open a library. There were books on Contract. There were books on Human Rights. There were volumes on Intellectual Property. Gani even brought some books on Slave Trade.

The first application Gani brought before the court was for an order to compel African Songs to produce its statement of account over the preceding three years. The court granted the order. It was discovered that the company was making almost N900,000 every year from the sale of Sunny Ade Records. It was also discovered that the total sum that KSA received was N62,000 in the almost ten years he was with the company. How can you be asking me what is 900,000 divided by 62,000? I have told you that I’m not a mathematician. Please don’t ask me about percentages or fractions.

Gani did not forget to raise the issue of how 20kobo became 15 kobo. He also cross examined Chief Abioro at length on the onerous terms contained in the contract. Gani put it to the chief that the contract was in restraint of trade and that it was therefore null and void as it amounted to colonization of King Sunny Ade, a free citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a citizen of the Commonwealth!

My Lord Justice L. J. Dosunmu listened patiently to the parties. His Lordship also asked the witnesses some probing cases. The court thereafter adjourned the matter to February 14, 1975 for judgment. It did not even occur to the King of African Beats that the day was St. Valentine’s Day. His only preoccupation was to find out the direction in which the pendulum of justice was going to swing.

On February 14, people started arriving at the court as early as 7am. The court officials had hectic time controlling the mammoth crowd that had come to court to witness the historic decision. In His Lordship’s judgment, Justice Dosunmu held that although some of the terms of the contract were stringent, that was not a ground for holding the contract invalid. In effect, the contract between ASL and KSA was therefore valid. As the court pronounced on the validity of the contract, Sunny looked at his lawyer. Gani signaled to him to be calm, the court had only resolved one issue out of four.

With regard to the second claim, the court held that since the records in question had been distributed all over Nigeria, there was no way the court could order them to be recalled. The court therefore refused to restrain Sunny Ade and his marketer, M. Ola Kazim from distributing the album. A tiny smile crossed Sunny’s face.

You recall that Chief Abioro was asking for N1,000,000 as damages for breach of contract. The court ruled that for recording with another company during the subsistence of the contract, Sunny Ade was liable. He was asked to pay N300! Yes, Three Hundred Naira! From N1,000,000 to N300! Sunny smiled for the first time.

The court having found that the contract was still subsisting, KSA was ordered not to release another album pending the expiration of the contract with Chief Abioro’s company, which was due in six months. Six months! What am I going to be eating? Sunny thought. Apparently, this was the only part of the judgment that Anti Wura, Buroda Alani’s third wife must have heard, and heard wrongly too! As if reading Sunny Ade’s mind, Justice Dosunmu said he realized that Sunny Ade would need to eat and feed his family in the six months that the contract had to run. His Lordship therefore held that the injunction was limited to only recording of albums and that Sunny Ade was free to do live performances for fees. His Lordship said that this was in order to avoid a situation where the King of Music would starve or be compelled to go back to Chief Abioro.

The Judge had hardly risen before King Sunny Ade jumped up to hug his counsel. He was free! He gave Gani a bear hug. He had learnt his lesson. Creativity and Business must go hand in hand. Years later, the King of Music recalled: “The lesson I learnt from the episode is that if an artiste is churning out hit records, he needs to keep an eye on the business side of things. If not, he would be in a mess.

(c) Written and copyrighted by Onigegewura

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku has approached the Supreme Court seeking a nullification of the Presidential Election Petition Court’s judgement, which on September 6, upheld the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winner of the 2023 presidential election.

Atiku in the Notice of Appeal predicated on 35 grounds, insisted that the tribunal in the judgment delivered by Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani committed grave error and miscarriage of justice in its findings and conclusion in the petition challenging the declaration of Tinubu as President by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The Notice of Appeal just filed by Atiku’s lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, is praying the Supreme Court to set aside the whole findings and conclusions of the Tribunal on the grounds that they did not represent the true picture of the grounds of his petition.

Among others, the former Vice President maintained that the Tribunal erred in law when it failed to nullify the presidential election held on February 25, 2023, on the grounds of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022, when by evidence before the tribunal, INEC conducted the election based on grave and gross misrepresentation contrary to the principles of the Electoral Act 2022 and based on the “doctrine of legitimate expectation”.

“This is not a blood tonic.This is not a blood tonic. This is not a blood tonic. This is not a blood tonic. This is not a blood tonic. This is not a blood tonic. In case this is not clear enough: THIS IS NOT A BLOOD TONIC. It is a myth and a lie. There’s no truth to it. AT ALL.”

“Okay let’s analyse this a bit further. Let’s look at the content list for Peak Milk and Maltina.

“So according to that image, Each 100g of Peak Milk contains 28.3g of fat (of which 19g is “saturated fat” which is actually bad fat- very bad medically for your heart). 37.1g carbohydrates. 25g protein. 506 kilocalories of energy. And the rest are salt, vitamin A and D.”

“So essentially Peak Milk is mainly fats, carbohydrates and protein. “Blood tonics” need to be rich in IRON- that is easily absorbable by the body- because this is what your body needs and uses to make blood! And unfortunately, Peak Milk has NONE of that. There is NO Iron in it.”

Ohhhhh, No iron!
“So what am I saying in essence, for ANYTHING to “give you blood” or help you build blood- it has to be a rich source of IRON- because that’s what your body needs to build blood. That’s why when your blood is low, doctors give you IRON Sulfate capsules which you take for it.”

“And that’s why ANYTHING that would be considered a “blood tonic” MUST BE a rich source of Iron. Look at these images of actual blood tonics and see that they are ALL rich sources of Iron and that is stated on the pack. So IF something is NOT rich in Iron, it can NOT give blood.”

“So does that make sense so far? IF it is NOT rich in Iron, it cannot help you to build Hemoglobin and Red Blood Cells- which is essentially what you need to “build blood”. Do you understand? So this is why doctors just laugh at the popular myth of “malt and milk gives blood”

“And in fact, shall I shock you more? The Peak Milk bottle clearly says on it that it’s NOT rich in Iron. Look at the attached image- It is boldly written on it. So IF you are hoping to “build blood”, and you are drinking Peak Milk- you are actually wasting your time. And money.”

IF anything at all, all those Milk is high in “saturated fats”- which as I said earlier on is “bad fat” for your heart. Regularly taking in large amounts would make you fat, increase bad cholesterol “LDL”, can give you hypertension, heart disease and a heart attack. Be careful.

Heart attack
I’m NOT saying don’t take it at all. I’m only saying as an adult, it has risks for your heart and on your health IF you take large amounts of all those milk on a consistent continuous pattern. Because of the high calories and fat. You have to learn how to limit it and cut down.

Okay, let’s analyse the Maltina. What does it contain? Look at the attached images. Again you see that Maltina – like any malt drink- is mainly calories and carbohydrates (sugar) with very little fat and vitamins. That’s all. There is NO Iron whatsoever in Maltina. NONE AT ALL.

Maltina has NO Iron. Peak Milk has NO Iron. Iron is what your body needs to build blood. Do you now see that it makes no medical sense to continue to believe this deceitful myth?

Unfortunately, some Nollywood movies and many uninformed elderly people have pushed this narrative for so long that no one ever bothered to check or ask questions. But actually, it is NOT true. Milk and Malt will NOT give you Blood. If you feel you need blood, see your doctor.

I hope this has NOT broken your heart. It wasn’t deliberate. I felt I should set things straight and tell you all the truth. If you want to drink Maltina or milk, go ahead. But not for blood

“But what about Ugu and Milk”? Now, this is NOT a myth. It is TRUE. It works. Not because of the Milk but because of the Ugu. And it is the same principle- Ugu is known as Pumpkin. Pumpkin is actually rich in Iron. And of course Iron helps to build blood as I said earlier.
Ugu is known to contain high levels of Iron actually. So definitely Ugu can help you build your blood, and not milk and malt.


Won ti gbewa landicap
Maltina tutu pelu miliki....ki n sogun eje mo...

GOOD DAY, NIGERIANS LIVING IN NIGERIA. 🤣😃

Professor Peller The magician was one of the Nigerians that opened Nigerian to what magic was. He is the father of Shina Peller the popular socialite, he always moved with huge and electrified crowd thronging after a his slowly-moving convoy.
At the center was a white limousine and from the sun roof, was a man full of charming smiles, waving to the frenzied crowd, he looked very smart, handsome and he was also wearing white, all white, the hat too was white. It was quite a dazzling spectacle. The limo was headed towards the city stadium where he had a show. For about thirty years, Peller held the world’s most populous black nation spellbound with millions gasping at the whisk of his wand. I hope you find this magical.

About Professor peller ;

He was born in 1941 at Iseyin, Oyo State and he was named Moshood Folorunsho Abiola. He would later pick on the stage name of ‘Professor Peller’, an appellation that has stuck to him like a second skin.

HIS MAGICAL PERFORMANCES AND EXPLOITS
When Professor Peller was alive, he was the most brilliant magician in all of Africa. I am not too sure if the record has been broken. Even in death, Peller remains the greatest of all. He performed not only before princes but also held kings spellbound with his magic. Here is how Femi Oyebode, a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Birmingham described Peller and one of his shows in 1972 at the George V Stadium in Lagos (that is the old name of the Onikan Stadium):
My last ever visit to the stadium was to see Professor Peller, a magician, and said to be a member of the Magic Circle take on the last of our traditional magicians whose name now escapes me (itself a significant fact). Professor Peller was dressed in black tails, a top hat, a wand in one hand, black shoes and well-cut hair. He was a perfect picture of debonair gentleman and was assisted by an attractive young woman. He flicked his white handkerchief and a white dove flew out.

He pulled at his cuff links and flowers bloomed under his command. He was confident, majestic. He was suave and graceful. He levitated his assistant.

He cut her in two without drawing blood. He locked her in a cupboard, chained up several times over yet she disappeared! It was a master performance. The crowd clapped, hooped. We were seduced against our better judgment. Peller was a prolific magician with many shows, some of which were the Invisible General, the Escaping Box, Changing Dresses and the Zigzag. One thing with Peller’s performances is that they were executed with maximum finesse and excellence. He was thorough and professional. Perhaps, if not for death, he might have even eclipsed David Copperfield of the USA in fame. Copperfield is presently the greatest magician on earth and the first person to make one billion dollars from magic. While growing up, he was nicknamed Moshood Olori Pupa (Moshood the Red-Headed Boy).

-One of his classical performances included putting his wife in a ‘magical coffin’ and severing the same coffin into two halves with a ‘magic coffin’.

When Peller was performing, there was really no Internet as we have it today, so it was quite easy to fool people in their millions. Now, YouTube is
spoiling the show for many magicians except the most ingenious of them. Here are few more magic clips on YouTube just to let you know they do not conjure any evil spirit or demon, it is nothing but sheer trickery.

For a man who was a showstopper at any events, it is no surprise that not a few women fell for the enchanting spell of Nigeria’s most famous magician. He was a man of many women and married many of them.

However, the best known of these ladies, with whom he performed his magic tricks is Alhaja Silifat Adeboyin Peller, The whole of Nigeria knew her as Lady Peller and she is most famous for the act in which she was ‘sliced’ into pieces by Peller and had a hard time putting her back. Now 66 years of age with her husband gone and not remarrying, she is tending to her grandchildren while reminiscing over the glittering wonders of an empire of magic that once held sway. Lady Peller was born in Kishi, Oyo State where her father was the Chief Imam and had five children for him, while also raising many other step-children.

However, unknown to many, their rosy marriage later had a deep crack to the extent that they were not staying together anymore. When Peller was killed at his Onipanu residence, he was in Lagos State for a function while Lady Peller was living at the GRA, Ikeja. Although they were not officially separated as they still saw regularly, Peller checked on her in Ikeja but met her absence. As at that time, they had already reconciled and were even planning on coming back together before Peller was prematurely silenced by the assassin’s bullets.

Peller left a message for her to check on him as he was not feeling well and was rushed to Ibadan for treatment. Lady Peller was furious as to why he was taken to Ibadan since they had family doctors at the Ajayi Memorial Hospital and the EKO Hospital in Lagos but upon getting to Ibadan, she was simply told that Peller was dead. She fainted immediately only to wake up to a bucket of water and intense fanning by family members. She said: “It was a great shock and I had never seen that kind of things. I don’t ever wish to go through that kind of thing again.” While he was alive, he also taught her some magic and ensured she got some training in Michigan, USA. Little wonder they always performed together and as far as she is concerned, her religion is not against the brand of magic she performed with her late husband because according to her, ‘it was not fetish’. She still remembers the very good old days and says she will not remarry and will still marry him over and over again, rounding off: They only want to enjoy what Professor Peller was enjoying for several years. But they can’t have it.”

Alhaja Silifat Abiola Peller, the wife of late magician, Professor Peller, has opened up on why the popular socialite was killed. While speaking in an interview with BBC News Yoruba, Mrs Peller revealed that the assassination of her husband was made possible because of the personal information he leaked to the media after a performance she had with her husband that got everyone scared She said during the performance, the late magician sliced her into two on stage but found it difficult to restore her back to normal.

“On that unforgettable day, Professor Peller performed at the National Theatre. He sliced Lady Peller into two but found it difficult to restore her back to normal,” she said.

“He did his best to the point of sweating which was noticed by the spectators. The show ended at that point.

“Thanks to God, Lady Peller later came back to life. But people were yet to know until the following day. “While Professor Peller was performing (the following day), the spectators were not all that interested. All they wanted to see was Lady Peller.

“As soon as they saw me, they were excited to the point that some of them called it a day, saying my appearance was entertaining enough.”

Silifat said presidents and prominent people used to come to the shows which they performed across the world.

On how she heard of her husband’s death, she said she was in Lagos when she got the information.

“It was an unfortunate day which I can’t really explain. Some said I fainted and later got revive after water was poured on me,” she said.

On how her husband died, Silifat said “He was observing the Sujud prayer when he died.”

She continued, “The media knows how to ask questions that can make one say things he ought not to say.

“Professor Peller was asked by the media to reveal the particular time he could be found without his powers.

“He told them that he could only be found without his powers when he’s observing the Islamic prayers “That’s what Professor Peller said that led to his fall.”

Silifat said the assassins who killed the magician ensured they carried out the act at the time he was observing prayers. #mcisaac

Credit: Forest Reporters

The court of appeal sitting in Abuja has reinstated Ademola Adeleke as the governor of Osun state.

Delivering judgment in the appeal filed by Adeleke on Friday, a three-member panel of justices held that the election tribunal erred when it ruled that the 1st and 2nd respondents (Gboyega Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress) proved their allegation of over-voting.

According to the panel of judges which issued its verdict on Friday, Adeleke is the duly elected governor of the state.

The Osun governorship election tribunal, in January, held that Oyetola was able to prove that there was over-voting in some of the polling units.

Advertisement
Consequently, the majority judgment of the tribunal ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Adeleke and issue a fresh one to Oyetola as the duly elected governor of Osun.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Adeleke appealed the judgment at the court of appeal.

More to follow…

Bola Ahmed Tinubu's manifesto for the incoming administration

Despite falling behind after an own goal from Araujo, strikes from Sergi Roberto and substitute Franck Kessie helped Barcelona turn El Clásico around and beat Real Madrid 2-1. Blaugranas now have a 12-point lead atop LaLiga.

Once upon a time, there was a woman who sold cooked beans in Abeokuta. Her bean joint at the time connected the roads that led to Ijaiye, Ago-Oba, Itoku, Lafenwa, Isale Igbein and Ake roads. The location of her restaurant was tagged “Sapon,”

which was derived from the word “Saponloore,” meaning “help the bachelors.”

People, especially bachelors, derive pleasure from eating at a restaurant because they perceive it as a place to wine and dine in those days. In addition, important personalities like kings, government officials, civil servants, and even students, used to buy beans and stew (ewa pakure) from her.

Madam Janet Ewusi Odesola was born in 1925. Young Janet attended the Methodist elementary school in Ijoko, Abeokuta. She began her food selling business by selling dry fish before she felt the need to own a restaurant that sold cooked beans in 1951.

So, because of the calibre of people that patronized her, her cooked beans sold very fast every day, despite the large quantity of beans she cooked.

Although, history has it that she cooked a big bag of beans daily, and there wouldn’t be any leftovers.

However, it came to a point where people started owing her. Some would buy her beans and pay, while some would buy on credit. Also, there were some people whose money would not be enough and who would promise to pay later, which they never did. She started drowning in debt as the credit accumulated. So, she began to think of a solution and then came up with a plan.

The plan was that anyone who bought from her and if their money did not suffice, she would advise with the phrase “sebiotimo” (that is, cut your coat according to your cloth). For instance, if they came to her to buy beans, she would ask for money, and if it was 10 kobo, she would sell 10 kobo worth of beans. If such a person then asked to put more (that is more than 10 kobo) that he would pay later, she would respond with “sebiotimo.”

With time, people got used to her response (sebiotimo), and as a result, anytime they ask her to add more beans, they quickly remember and respond with “sebiotimo, elewa sapon.”

Since the revolution of her restaurant’s policy, her customers nicknamed her “sebiotimo elewa sapon.” Also, she stopped cooking more than a pot of beans. So, when they asked for more, she would respond with “mo ti se bi mo se mo” (that is, I have cut my coat according to my cloth).

That’s how her nickname “sebiotimo,” became a proverb that’s imbibed into the Yoruba culture, which thought the morals of you not buying things that you cannot afford.

If you did not get into trouble with your parents for breaking the glass of this lamp, you’re too young to argue with me comrade.😎

Seriously am tired of this Country.. ...the judiciary and executive arms of government two different contrasting order....which one are we to follow now.... executive said it's only 200 naira been a legal tender till April 10, while the judiciary said all denomination of old currency still a legal tender till December 31,2023...


Please our learned colleagues (Lawyer and barristers) up to you.....

WantsandMore:
I dey remix my own with songs of Solomon, omo, e dey smooth like poem.

Song of solomon?
Baba,u bhed gan....

IyaebeTheGreat:
I actually prefer those generation to this drug abused generation of boys we have around. Never will any stupid, untrained, drug abused, smokers, drunkards and the rest have access to me. I so much dislike these set generation of young men. I won’t ever respond to you if you are below 35, as in I’ll soooooo snub you ehn.

That generation is the sweetest,I wish we can go back to early 80's and 90 were good morals were order of the day..

Never.... everybody eye don tear.......

Baba your head get oil......those days with westlife lyrics....we use am write love letter....

Love Letter Written in 1960 and currently read in the Old School students meeting.

Ago Iwoye Sec. Sch.
P. O. Box 5,
Ago-Iwoye, Ijebu
Western Region,
Nigeria.
16th March, 1960.

Dear Sweetie,

Time and ability plus double capacity have forced my pen to dance automatically on this benedicted sheet of paper. I hope you're swimming in the wonderful pool of Mr. Health there. I am also perambulating in the cool breeze of wellness here.

Sweetie pie, the reason why this miraculous thing is happening is because, honey, I love you spontaneously, and as I stand horizontally parallel to the wall and vertically perpendicular to the ground now, I only think of you, since you are a fantastic and fabulous girl, put together as fantabulous. I implore you to decipher this my anthem of love oozing out from the innermost pendulum of my thoraxial cavity.

Darling, please stop haranguing with the feelings in my heart because I love you more than a snake loves rat.
To me each day I start by dreaming of you. Each time I see you, my metabolism suddenly halts and my peristalsis goes in reverse gear. My medula oblongata also ceases functioning.

Crazy, crazy, crazy you may say but this is verily veritable. If only you knew what is going on in my encephalon, you would prostrate. That's why I need to see you vis a vis soon for a better elucidation through tete a tete. No hyperbole & onomatopoeia, simple candidness.

Only you and me are protagonists in this subtle affair. As I cogitate and ruminate over the last episode, I genuflex before the Omnipotent and implore him to let this affair emulsify.

By the way, I was bamboozled, scintilated, exhilarated, and left in a state of prolonged euphoria by the contents of your missive which was quite edifying and exalting. It left my bio-chemistry in a paradise-like equilibrium.

Empirically speaking, I love u chemically... I don't ever want to see gloom and doom looming over your angelic live portrait. Let my appellation be scribbled across your heart, with indelible ink. If any boy tries to ask for your companionship, tell him that u are leased and caveated.

I think I have to pen off here, because I still haven't finished studying electrolysis polymerization. But before I evaporate, I like to revitalize your memory with those encapsulating lyrics which proclaim that your catarrh is my butter, your piss is my mimbo, the world's greatest lover is me.

Catch you later. Sleep tight and don't let those bed bugs bite you because you are too sweet for them.

Goodbye for now.

Your slave in love, your pillow, your cushion,

Femi S.
(Class 3B).

Only 60's, 70's and early 80's will understand. Indomie generation stay clear🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️

Copid from Sir. Onanyinka Olusegun’s wall.

🔔 BREAKING: FIFA The Best Awards Conclusion!

🏅 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 Player of the Year: Lionel Messi

🧤 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 Goalkeeper of the Year: Emi Martínez

🧑‍💼 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 Coach of the Year: Lionel Scaloni

🥁 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 Fans of the Year: Argentina fans

🤝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 Fair Play of the Year: Luka Lochoshvili

⚽️ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 Puskas Best Goal: Marcin Oleksy

💫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 Women’s Player: Alexia Putellas

🤵🏽‍♀️ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 Women’s Coach: Sarina Wiegman

🧤 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 Women’s Goalkeeper: Mary Earps

⭐️ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 2022 FIFA World XI: 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 — 2022 FIFA World XI ✨
🇧🇪 Courtois
🇵🇹 Cancelo
🇳🇱 Van Dijk
🇲🇦 Hakimi
🇧🇪 De Bruyne
🇭🇷 Modric
🇧🇷 Casemiro
🇳🇴 Haaland
🇫🇷 Mbappe
🇦🇷 Messi
🇫🇷 Benzema

OFFICIAL! LIONEL MESSI WINS THE BEST FIFA MEN'S PLAYER AWARD! 🇦🇷

Other political agent dissociate themselves from walking out and pass a vote of confidence on inec on the collation of presidential election..

Which type of tea leaf


TEA LEAVES

Please I need help of someone especially in Jos who can help me in getting tea leaves fresh one I urgently need it.you will be well compensated...

Admin please help me to push this to front page...

Abeg

Please I need help of someone especially in Jos who can help me in getting tea leaves fresh one I urgently need it.you will be well compensated...

“Akeelah And The Bee” Star Keke Palmer Expecting First Child, Flaunts Baby Bump At SNL

American actress, singer and performer, Keke Palmer is taking on a new role as she announced she is expecting her first child.

She made the announcement during her opening monologue of the December 3 episode of NBC sketch comedy show, “Saturday Night Live”.

SOLID UPDATES

y gave me, I thank God and I thank you for your support, cooperation and prayers over the years.

I recall how the journey began four years ago; how by your belief in me and your conviction in the plans and programmes of our Party, you exercised your right to vote for me.

Motivated by God’s promise, my conviction, we promised that we would serve you with steady heart and hands. We promised that we would hit the ground running once we assume office. We gave our words that we would put you first and run a people-centred government. We pledged to uphold the best ideals befitting of an Omoluabi.

As we draw the curtain on this first tenure, We are convinced that we neither reneged on our promises nor disappointed you. We kept faith with you and maintained fidelity with our electoral promises. It was our wish to continue to serve you but we are constrained by the outcome of the July 16 Governorship election which we are already challenging in court.

As a law-abiding citizen and government, we are stepping aside to allow the law take its course.

However, we look forward to continue to serve you in no distant future. We have absolute trust in God that we shall be back soon, as we have implicit trust and confidence in the judiciary to do justice in the case before it.

We are confident that this period of temporary political eclipse shall pass. The sun shall shine again, brighter and warmer and the sustainable development and participatory governance that we enthroned, which have been applauded by local and international organisations, shall be restored and put on a surer and better footing.

There can be no substitute to people-oriented and development savvy governance in a democracy. The tap roots of the unprecedented good governance, inclusive and participatory governance that we introduced, which delivered massive equitable projects and programmes are too strong to be uprooted.

My Dear Good People of Osun, I cannot thank you enough for not only supporting us throughout our tenure but for also standing by us even after the outcome of the July 16 election. Your goodwill encouraged us to continue with all our projects till the last day.

Let me reiterate here that in this first tenure, we were able to take care of the fears and evil of fiscal indiscipline and lack of implementation, which hamper projects and services in the nation's public service. This can be seen in the myriad of people-centred and masses-focused projects we delivered for the use of the people of the State in this first term.

We proved that infrastructure and economic development are doable in a depressed economy and that stagnated development in a struggling economy is a product of intellectual laziness, dearth of creativity, shortage of innovation and lack of political will.

The laudable and people-centred projects we were able to deliver include the feeding of 30,000 vulnerable persons in Osun on a monthly basis through the Osun Food Support Scheme and financial support for the aged and widows; opening up of the Mining sector that attracted big investors to the state; reforming of the educational sector, including the recruitment of 2, 500 teachers; review of the single school uniform regime among others in line with the demand of the people; renovation of school buildings, distribution of educational materials to our pupils, provision of free education and free meals to them as well as training and re-training of our teachers to provide quality education for our children to enhance their performance as leaders of tomorrow.

In order to increase access to quality and equitable education at all levels with a view to empowering Osun citizens to realise their full potential, we upgraded the existing Osun State College of Education, Ilesa to a full-fledged University of Ilesa, with a world-class funding strategies that would not exert unnecessary pressure on the finances of the State; fixing of the State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro and equipping same with state-of-the-art equipment, where we constructed120-bed ward and 30 units of Doctor’s Quarters; rehabilitation of the Ejigbo and Ifetedo General Hospitals; we also instituted the Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS) to deliver affordable healthcare to our workers while offering free health services to the vulnerable under the scheme; revitalization of 332 Primary Health Centres -one per ward across the State.

We constructed, reconstructed and rehabilitated rural and township roads to open up our rural areas, help our farmers to transport their produce to the market and generally bring equitable development to our State. Apart from the Olaiya Flyover, which is an architectural masterpiece, a paragon of aesthetics and a socioeconomic signature on the economic transformation captured by the Development Agenda we exchanged for the mandate of our people, other major roads that were touched by our administration are: Ada-Igbajo road, Osogbo-Kelebe-Iragbiji road, and Akindeko-Awosuru link road via Adejumo Street with Oremeji spur, Akinlade Street, Adewale Street with loop to WAEC road all in Osogbo; Army Barack (Ede)-Ara-Ejigbo township road, Moro-Yakoyo-Ipetumodu-Asipa-Ife/Ibadan Expressway Junction Road and Ereja Roundabout-Ereguru-Isaare-Oke Oye-Sabo (Irojo)-Ilesa/Akure Expressway Junction.

Others are: Lawyer Atanda Road, Iwo; Ila-Arandun-Kwara Boundary Road; Nike Gallery – Ido – Osun Township airport with palace spur; Ikirun – Eko-Ende Road; the access road to Fountain University, Osogbo; Osogbo (Lameco)-Okinni-Ilobu - Ifon Osun Market with Spur to Olobu's Palace; Osogbo/Ilobu-Akari-Erin Osun Roundabout on Osun LCDA Junction; Post Office-Ayetoro – Jamodo - Ifon Palace - Janta Ifon Osun; Isale-Asa-Oke Aree road, Iree, as well as Ikire township roads among other interventions. There are however a few other roads that are still on-going, while some are nearing completion. Among these roads are: Ife Township Roads; Inisa Road and Osogbo-Iwo Road among others. We did all these because fixing our State's infrastructure deficit is a critical item on our Development Agenda. This is because no economy can truly succeed without adequate infrastructure to make life easy for residents and businesses.

We also restored the lost glory of our civil service and ensured that workers’ salaries are not only promptly paid but continued to pay minimum wage despite the devastating effect of COVID-19 pandemic. We stood tall among comity of states in the fight against COVID-19.

We also resolutely defended and prioritised the welfare of workers and pensioners. For this first term, we expended over N50 billion to cater for our senior citizens to settle their pensions and gratuities. We remitted the contributory pension as and when due, and we were at the same time reducing the backlog we inherited from the previous administration. By and large, we were able to stabilise the economy of the State under our leadership.

We never toyed with the security of our people as we cooperated with other States in South-West to set up Amotekun to support the conventional security agencies in order to further secure our State.

We also launched the Osun Youth Policy Document to take care of the present and future of our younger generation, just as we injected over N2billion into the economy through the Osun Microcredit Agency to empower our market men and women.

From a little above 10billion in 2018, we have been able to grow the State IGR N20billion, just as our performance in the World Bank’s States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) has continued to earn us accolades and financial benefits.

In 2018 before we came into office, Osun was placed 32nd on the fiscal sustainability index, finishing just ahead of Taraba, Plateau, Adamawa, and Kogi states.

However, by the latest ranking in 2021, we have climbed to the 19th place on the index, as we are now ranked 13th out of 36 states of the federation.

As we end our first term, rest assured that Osun is more stable economically than we met it, in 2018 and it remained the most peaceful state in the country under our leadership.

For four years, we did not take any bank loan facility. But we benefited from the N3billion monthly intervention from the federal Government to all the States for six months to cushion the effect of deductions of budget support facility and salary bailout accessed by the previous administration, just as we have paid N97 billion from the total debt we inherited in 2018.

We are leaving behind cash of over N14 billion. In addition to the N14 billion cash, another N8 billion is being expected between December and January from our performance in SFTAS and the IGR. Also, another Seventy-Two million Dollars will come to the State soon from RAMP 3, NG-CARES, Nigeria for Women Project and Ease of Doing Business. These are earned, based on performance. And we have indeed performed to earn them. It was part of the same performance that earned us the award of Best Governor on Efficiency of Public Expenditure and TOP Performer on Domestic Revenue Mobilisation by the World Bank’s States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability, SFTAS, recently.

We have gone this length to let you know that Osun under our leadership was sustainable. It was done through fiscal discipline and personal sacrifices.

On behalf of our team, I appeal to you all to continue to be law abiding and to work assiduously to build the Osun of our dream. Together, we shall continue to mend the broken walls of our dear State and restore her glory for our collective good and that of posterity.

Thank you all and may God continue to bless Osun.

Adegboyega Oyetola

Osun Governor.

November 26, 2022

Fellow Nigerians,

I address you today, with a deep sense of gratitude to God and a high level of appreciation to all Nigerians whose tremendous goodwill gave me the opportunity to provide leadership for our great country at one of the trying times in her history.

2. Conscious that today’s address would be my last on an Independence Day as your President; I speak to the millions of Nigerians, who believed in me, propelled and stood by me in my quest to bequeath a country where all citizens have equal opportunities to achieve their lives desires in a peaceful atmosphere.

Advertisement
3. I am honoured to say that my story in the annals of Nigeria’s history is no household secret. My various attempts, failures and eventual success in being elected as a Democratic President in 2015 was made possible by the majority of Nigerians.

4. When you elected me, I readily acknowledged that the tasks before me were daunting but surmountable because of the growing national consensus that our chosen route to national development was democracy.

5. This democracy was to be anchored on a clear understanding, application and the principles of separation of powers supported by a reformed public service that is more effective.

Advertisement
6. I then pledged to Improve the Economy, Tackle Corruption and Fight Insecurity and this was further strengthened by my commitment to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in ten years as the central plank of my second term in 2019.

7. To the Glory of God and His Grace as well as the commitment and passion displayed by many Nigerian supporters, we have made appreciable progress in these areas but not yet at our destination.

8. Mindful of the task before us, we took some time in settling down and we re-positioned the Economy by providing strategic interventions in core areas at both the Federal and Sub-National levels.

9. One of the areas where we have made significant progress is in the eradication of deeply entrenched corruption that permeates all facets of our national development.

10. We strengthened the Institutions for tackling corruption and also cultivated international support, which aided the repatriation of huge sums of money illegally kept outside the country

11. The increasing number of prosecutions and convictions, with associated refunds of large sums of money is still ongoing. Furthermore, we would continue to block opportunities that encourage corrupt practices.
12. In order to address Insecurity, we worked methodically in reducing Insurgency in the North East, Militancy in the Niger Delta, Ethnic and Religious Tensions in some sections of Nigeria along with other problems threatening our country.

13. Our efforts in re-setting the economy manifested in Nigeria exiting two economic recessions by the very practical and realistic monetary and fiscal measures to ensure effective public financial management. In addition, the effective implementation of the Treasury Single Account and cutting down on the cost of governance also facilitated early exits from recessions.

14. Fellow Nigerians, this administration removed several decades uncertainty for potential Investors in the Oil & Gas sector with the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. This landmark legislation created opportunities for foreign investments in addition to improving transparency in the management of the sector.

Advertisement
15. Our administration has given the desired priority to the Agricultural Sector through a series of incentives to Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises that resulted in creating millions of jobs. Leading this initiative, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention in a number of areas as well as the Anchor Borrowers Programme had created the required leverages for Nigerians towards self-sufficiency in food and the necessary attraction for farming as a business.

16. The growing contribution of non-oil exports, especially in agriculture, information and communication technology as well as the performing arts to our national economy will enhance our foreign exchange earning capacity.

17. We are confronting current economic challenges such as debt burden, growing inflation, living standards and increasing unemployment accentuated by our growing youthful population. These problems are globally induced and we would continue to ensure that their negative effects are addressed in our policies.

18. This administration will continue to ensure that our fiscal policies are supported by a robust and contemporary monetary policy that recognises our peculiarities in the midst of the growing global economic difficulties.

19. This is evidenced by the recent Monetary Policy Committee decision to maintain all parameters, especially interest rates and marginally increased the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) from 14% to 15.5% and the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) from 27.5% to 32.5%. It is projected that this would further insulate our economy from over exposure to uncertainties at the international market by restraining growth in core inflation.

20. As we continue to de-escalate the security challenges that confronted us at inception of this administration, newer forms alien to our country began to manifest especially in the areas of kidnappings, molestations/killings of innocent citizens, banditry, all of which are being addressed by our security forces.

21. I share the pains Nigerians are going through and I assure you that your resilience and patience would not be in vain as this administration continues to reposition as well as strengthen the security agencies to enable them to deal with all forms of security challenges.

22. At the inception of this administration in 2015, I provided the funding requirements of the security agencies which was also improved in my second tenure in 2019 to enable them to surmount security challenges. We will continue on this path until our efforts yield the desired results.

23. As we put in place all measures to ensure that Nigeria takes her place in the Comity of Nations, we recognize the importance of a well-educated populace as a panacea to most of the challenges we face.

24. We have, therefore, pursued policies and implemented programmes designed to create a literate and proficient society that ensures that citizens are availed with opportunities for life-long achievements.

25. I must confess that I am very pained by the recurring disruption to our tertiary education system and I am using this Independence Day celebration to re-iterate my call for the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to the classroom while assuring them to deal with their contending issues within the limits of the scarce resources available. This administration has made appreciable progress in redressing these issues that have been lingering for over eleven years.

26. The Federal Government will continue to mobilize resources both internationally and nationally towards funding education to ensure that our citizens are well educated and skilled in various vocations in view of the fact that education is a leading determinant of economic growth and employment generation.

27. Fellow Nigerians, we have also improved our health facilities, especially during and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which attracted commendation of the global community.

28. As you are aware, Nigeria was one of the countries that defied global predictions of the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic because of our resilience, commitment and passion with which we individually and collectively managed the pandemic.
29. This administration embarked on addressing critical ecological challenges across the country in order to mitigate the impact of Climate Change manifesting in the form of flood, soil erosion, desertification, air pollution amongst others

30. We will continue to ensure that our infrastructure drive remains the key to Nigeria’s economic growth and for which every Nigerian will feel the impact.

31. The Federal Government is already expanding ports operations to ensure that they provide opportunities for the growth of the Nigerian economy.

32. We have also continued to accelerate our infrastructure development through serviceable and transparent borrowing, improved capital inflow & increased revenue generation by expanding the tax bases and prudent management of investment proceeds in the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

33. To further open up our communities to economic activities, we have continued to boost our railway infrastructure with the completion of a good number of critical railways and at the same time rehabilitating as well as upgrading obsolete equipment.

34. I am pleased to inform my fellow citizens that besides our emphasis on infrastructural development with its attendant opportunities for job creation, employment generation and subsequent poverty reduction, our focused intervention directly to Nigerians through the National Social Investment Programme is also yielding benefits.

35. There is hardly any ward, village or local government in Nigeria today that has not benefited from one of the following: N-Power, trader-moni, market moni, subsidized loans, business grants or Conditional Cash Transfers.
36. All the aforementioned programmes along with various interventions by the National Social Investment programme, direct support to victims of flooding and other forms of disasters have provided succor to the affected Nigerians.

37. Fellow Nigerians, no matter what gains we make, without a good governance system anchored on electing credible leaders on the basis of free, fair, credible and transparent elections, our efforts would not be enough.

38. It is for this reason that I have resolved to bequeath a sustainable democratic culture which will remain lasting. The signing of the Electoral Act 2021 as amended with landmark provisions further assures us of a more transparent and inclusive Electoral Process.

39. Having witnessed at close quarters, the pains, anguish and disappointment of being a victim of an unfair electoral process, the pursuit of an electoral system and processes that guarantee election of leaders by citizens remains the guiding light as I prepare to wind down our administration.

40. You would all agree that the recent elections in the past two years in some states (notably Anambra, Ekiti and Osun) and a few federal constituencies have shown a high degree of credibility, transparency and freedom of choice with the people’s votes actually counting. This I promise would be improved upon as we move towards the 2023 General Elections.

41. As we begin the transition process to another democratically elected government, I want to implore all aspirants to conduct issues-based campaigns devoid of hate speeches as well as other negative and divisive tendencies.

42. I also want to express my wish that we see more female and youth participation in the forthcoming electoral cycle. I am sure that our teeming and energetic youths now realise that violence generally mar elections and so should desist from being used by politicians for this purpose.


43. Reforms in the public sector are already yielding results especially in the delivery of services. On this note, I urge the general public to demand for citizen-centred services from the relevant authorities.

44. On the international front, we have continued to take advantage of our bilateral and multilateral platforms to explore cooperation with friendly countries and partners whenever these areas of cooperation are to the advantage of Nigeria.

45. Fellow Nigerians, in the past few years we have witnessed and overcome a good number of challenges that would ordinarily have destroyed our Nation. However, the indefatigable spirit of the Nigerian people has ensured that we overcome our challenges.
46. It is in this spirit that I call on all of us to individually and collectively bring to the fore in dealing with all our development issues.

47. I was called to serve, along with my team, I saw an opportunity to create a better Nigeria which we have done with the support of Nigerians. Almighty God and the good people of Nigeria supported us in laying a solid foundation for the Nigeria of our dreams.

I thank you all and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Fellow Nigerians,

I address you today, with a deep sense of gratitude to God and a high level of appreciation to all Nigerians whose tremendous goodwill gave me the opportunity to provide leadership for our great country at one of the trying times in her history.

2. Conscious that today’s address would be my last on an Independence Day as your President; I speak to the millions of Nigerians, who believed in me, propelled and stood by me in my quest to bequeath a country where all citizens have equal opportunities to achieve their lives desires in a peaceful atmosphere.

Advertisement
3. I am honoured to say that my story in the annals of Nigeria’s history is no household secret. My various attempts, failures and eventual success in being elected as a Democratic President in 2015 was made possible by the majority of Nigerians.

4. When you elected me, I readily acknowledged that the tasks before me were daunting but surmountable because of the growing national consensus that our chosen route to national development was democracy.

5. This democracy was to be anchored on a clear understanding, application and the principles of separation of powers supported by a reformed public service that is more effective.

Advertisement
6. I then pledged to Improve the Economy, Tackle Corruption and Fight Insecurity and this was further strengthened by my commitment to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in ten years as the central plank of my second term in 2019.

7. To the Glory of God and His Grace as well as the commitment and passion displayed by many Nigerian supporters, we have made appreciable progress in these areas but not yet at our destination.

8. Mindful of the task before us, we took some time in settling down and we re-positioned the Economy by providing strategic interventions in core areas at both the Federal and Sub-National levels.

9. One of the areas where we have made significant progress is in the eradication of deeply entrenched corruption that permeates all facets of our national development.

10. We strengthened the Institutions for tackling corruption and also cultivated international support, which aided the repatriation of huge sums of money illegally kept outside the country

11. The increasing number of prosecutions and convictions, with associated refunds of large sums of money is still ongoing. Furthermore, we would continue to block opportunities that encourage corrupt practices.
12. In order to address Insecurity, we worked methodically in reducing Insurgency in the North East, Militancy in the Niger Delta, Ethnic and Religious Tensions in some sections of Nigeria along with other problems threatening our country.

13. Our efforts in re-setting the economy manifested in Nigeria exiting two economic recessions by the very practical and realistic monetary and fiscal measures to ensure effective public financial management. In addition, the effective implementation of the Treasury Single Account and cutting down on the cost of governance also facilitated early exits from recessions.

14. Fellow Nigerians, this administration removed several decades uncertainty for potential Investors in the Oil & Gas sector with the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. This landmark legislation created opportunities for foreign investments in addition to improving transparency in the management of the sector.

Advertisement
15. Our administration has given the desired priority to the Agricultural Sector through a series of incentives to Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises that resulted in creating millions of jobs. Leading this initiative, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention in a number of areas as well as the Anchor Borrowers Programme had created the required leverages for Nigerians towards self-sufficiency in food and the necessary attraction for farming as a business.

16. The growing contribution of non-oil exports, especially in agriculture, information and communication technology as well as the performing arts to our national economy will enhance our foreign exchange earning capacity.

17. We are confronting current economic challenges such as debt burden, growing inflation, living standards and increasing unemployment accentuated by our growing youthful population. These problems are globally induced and we would continue to ensure that their negative effects are addressed in our policies.

18. This administration will continue to ensure that our fiscal policies are supported by a robust and contemporary monetary policy that recognises our peculiarities in the midst of the growing global economic difficulties.

19. This is evidenced by the recent Monetary Policy Committee decision to maintain all parameters, especially interest rates and marginally increased the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) from 14% to 15.5% and the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) from 27.5% to 32.5%. It is projected that this would further insulate our economy from over exposure to uncertainties at the international market by restraining growth in core inflation.

20. As we continue to de-escalate the security challenges that confronted us at inception of this administration, newer forms alien to our country began to manifest especially in the areas of kidnappings, molestations/killings of innocent citizens, banditry, all of which are being addressed by our security forces.

21. I share the pains Nigerians are going through and I assure you that your resilience and patience would not be in vain as this administration continues to reposition as well as strengthen the security agencies to enable them to deal with all forms of security challenges.

22. At the inception of this administration in 2015, I provided the funding requirements of the security agencies which was also improved in my second tenure in 2019 to enable them to surmount security challenges. We will continue on this path until our efforts yield the desired results.

23. As we put in place all measures to ensure that Nigeria takes her place in the Comity of Nations, we recognize the importance of a well-educated populace as a panacea to most of the challenges we face.

24. We have, therefore, pursued policies and implemented programmes designed to create a literate and proficient society that ensures that citizens are availed with opportunities for life-long achievements.

25. I must confess that I am very pained by the recurring disruption to our tertiary education system and I am using this Independence Day celebration to re-iterate my call for the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to the classroom while assuring them to deal with their contending issues within the limits of the scarce resources available. This administration has made appreciable progress in redressing these issues that have been lingering for over eleven years.

26. The Federal Government will continue to mobilize resources both internationally and nationally towards funding education to ensure that our citizens are well educated and skilled in various vocations in view of the fact that education is a leading determinant of economic growth and employment generation.

27. Fellow Nigerians, we have also improved our health facilities, especially during and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which attracted commendation of the global community.

28. As you are aware, Nigeria was one of the countries that defied global predictions of the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic because of our resilience, commitment and passion with which we individually and collectively managed the pandemic.
29. This administration embarked on addressing critical ecological challenges across the country in order to mitigate the impact of Climate Change manifesting in the form of flood, soil erosion, desertification, air pollution amongst others

30. We will continue to ensure that our infrastructure drive remains the key to Nigeria’s economic growth and for which every Nigerian will feel the impact.

31. The Federal Government is already expanding ports operations to ensure that they provide opportunities for the growth of the Nigerian economy.

32. We have also continued to accelerate our infrastructure development through serviceable and transparent borrowing, improved capital inflow & increased revenue generation by expanding the tax bases and prudent management of investment proceeds in the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

33. To further open up our communities to economic activities, we have continued to boost our railway infrastructure with the completion of a good number of critical railways and at the same time rehabilitating as well as upgrading obsolete equipment.

34. I am pleased to inform my fellow citizens that besides our emphasis on infrastructural development with its attendant opportunities for job creation, employment generation and subsequent poverty reduction, our focused intervention directly to Nigerians through the National Social Investment Programme is also yielding benefits.

35. There is hardly any ward, village or local government in Nigeria today that has not benefited from one of the following: N-Power, trader-moni, market moni, subsidized loans, business grants or Conditional Cash Transfers.
36. All the aforementioned programmes along with various interventions by the National Social Investment programme, direct support to victims of flooding and other forms of disasters have provided succor to the affected Nigerians.

37. Fellow Nigerians, no matter what gains we make, without a good governance system anchored on electing credible leaders on the basis of free, fair, credible and transparent elections, our efforts would not be enough.

38. It is for this reason that I have resolved to bequeath a sustainable democratic culture which will remain lasting. The signing of the Electoral Act 2021 as amended with landmark provisions further assures us of a more transparent and inclusive Electoral Process.

39. Having witnessed at close quarters, the pains, anguish and disappointment of being a victim of an unfair electoral process, the pursuit of an electoral system and processes that guarantee election of leaders by citizens remains the guiding light as I prepare to wind down our administration.

40. You would all agree that the recent elections in the past two years in some states (notably Anambra, Ekiti and Osun) and a few federal constituencies have shown a high degree of credibility, transparency and freedom of choice with the people’s votes actually counting. This I promise would be improved upon as we move towards the 2023 General Elections.

41. As we begin the transition process to another democratically elected government, I want to implore all aspirants to conduct issues-based campaigns devoid of hate speeches as well as other negative and divisive tendencies.

42. I also want to express my wish that we see more female and youth participation in the forthcoming electoral cycle. I am sure that our teeming and energetic youths now realise that violence generally mar elections and so should desist from being used by politicians for this purpose.


43. Reforms in the public sector are already yielding results especially in the delivery of services. On this note, I urge the general public to demand for citizen-centred services from the relevant authorities.

44. On the international front, we have continued to take advantage of our bilateral and multilateral platforms to explore cooperation with friendly countries and partners whenever these areas of cooperation are to the advantage of Nigeria.

45. Fellow Nigerians, in the past few years we have witnessed and overcome a good number of challenges that would ordinarily have destroyed our Nation. However, the indefatigable spirit of the Nigerian people has ensured that we overcome our challenges.
46. It is in this spirit that I call on all of us to individually and collectively bring to the fore in dealing with all our development issues.

47. I was called to serve, along with my team, I saw an opportunity to create a better Nigeria which we have done with the support of Nigerians. Almighty God and the good people of Nigeria supported us in laying a solid foundation for the Nigeria of our dreams.

I thank you all and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

ASUU STRIKES ARE TO SAVE PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

1. The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) held an emergency meeting at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, Abuja on Sunday, 28th August, 2022. The meeting was called mainly to review developments since its last resolution that rolled over the nationwide strike action for another four weeks starting from 1st August, 2022.

2. NEC observed with regret that the Union had experienced a lot of deceit of the highest level in the last five and half years as the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) engaged ASUU in fruitless and unending negotiation without a display of utmost fidelity. In 2017, the Federal Government constituted a committee to renegotiate the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement under the chairmanship of Dr. Wale Babalakin. After three years of fruitless negotiation, Dr. Babalakin was replaced in December 2020 with Professor Emeritus Munzali Jibril. The Renegotiation Committee produced and submitted a draft agreement to the Federal Government in May, 2021. It is sad that, until 14th February, 2022 when the ongoing strike commenced, the Federal Government made no significant efforts to either sign the agreement or commence implementation. It was only after the commencement of this strike that the Federal Government reconstituted the committee with Professor Emeritus Nimi Briggs appointed Chairman to lead the Government Team.

3. NEC recalled that, before meeting with our Union, the Nimi Briggs Committee confirmed to ASUU in writing that it was consulting with all relevant stakeholders in order to aggregate Government's position/offer. After intensive bargaining, ASUU came to a compromise with the Professor Briggs-led Team leading to the submission of the second Draft Agreement to the Federal Government in June, 2022 for consideration and approval for signing by the two parties within one week. This was done in line with the principle of collective bargaining. Shortly after and against all expectations, however, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, and later his Minister of State, Festus Kayamo, alleged that the Union chased away representatives of government agencies and thereafter fixed unreasonable and unimplementable salary package for its members. They claimed that the government would need to borrow 1.6 trillion Naira to implement the Draft Agreement;- a claim that is not only malicious but contrived to blackmail the Union. Subsequently, some miserable, unilateral, and insulting take-it or-leave-it offers of between N30, 000 and N60,000 monthly salary were thrown at the Union. This was obviously an attempt to abrogate the principle of collective bargaining which has guided ASUU engagements with Federal Government since 1981.

4. NEC noted that ASUU and other well-meaning Nigerians have expressed serious disappointment by and consternation on the attitude of the Government conveyed by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who had deliberately misinformed the public and reduced the current struggle of ASUU to the payment of withheld salaries, claiming that all other contentious issues had been resolved. For the avoidance of doubt, however, none of the issues that forced our Union to resume the suspended strike as listed in the December 2020 FGN-ASUU Memorandum of Action (MoA) has been satisfactorily addressed by the Government to
date. The draft renegotiated FGN-ASUU Agreement (second draft) remains unsigned; the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) has not been adopted and deployed to replace the discredited Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS); and the White Papers on Visitation Panels to Federal Universities, if ready as claimed by Government more than six months ago, are nowhere to be found. Similarly, Government has not delivered on the promised balance of one tranche of the Revitalization Fund more than one year after, the outstanding two tranches of the Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) have not been released; and nothing has since happened on the
upport for amendment to the Law of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to stem the tide of proliferation of universities especially by the State Governments.

5. NEC was utterly disappointed in agents of Government, especially the Minister of Education, for the deliberate falsehood and misrepresentation of facts aimed at scoring cheap political gains. It is disheartening to imagine that a Minister whose responsibility it is to resolve the crisis can overnight turn round to lead in this ignoble enterprise of distorting facts and misleading Nigerians. The disdain with
which the Minister of Education handled questions about the ongoing ASUU strike at his distasteful Press Conference on Thursday, 18th August, 2022 lends credence to the widespread suspicion that the current Government never believed in saving public universities from the misfortunes that have befallen Nigeria's public primary and secondary schools.

6. NEC noted with delight that, in defence of the integrity of the process leading to the agreement reached with government, the Briggs Committee has, in a well- publicized newspaper advertorial, confirmed that all the proposals and recommendations it made to ASUU were properly discussed and cleared with their Principal. The Committee also confirmed that throughout the renegotiation process, all the relevant government agencies, including National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Budget and Finance and Federal Character Commission (FCC), were in attendance. In addition, the paid advert by the Briggs-led Government Team equally showed that the figure of N1.1 Trillion quoted by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, and his Minister of State, Festus Keyamo, and some other government officials as amount needed to implement the salary increase, came from some imaginative blues and was no way close to reality. We commend members of Nimi Briggs-led Team for their unprecedented act of courage. By this singular act, the Team has put the lie to official propaganda against ASUU and the entire renegotiation process. May this race of Nigerians multiply!

7. NEC observed with displeasure that some mischievous Vice-Chancellors and Chairpersons of Governing Councils of State Universities have evolved disingenuous underhand tactics to undermine the current ASUU struggle in their various Universities. ASUU struggles are to save Nigerian public universities irrespective of ownership - Federal or State. The Union views with all seriousness the fact that the sanctimonious behaviour of these university administrators and managers does not stop them from accessing yearly grants of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) which ASUU struggles of the 1980s and 1990s brought to life. Neither did their holier-than-thou attitude keep these invidious individuals from jumping into the next flight to come for project defence each time ASUU struggles had translated into some handsome funds for the revitalization of their universities (hostels, laboratories, workshops, lecture theatres, etc.). ASUU shall use all legitimate means at its disposal to protect and defend the interests of our members in public universities who may be victimised on the account of the ongoing struggles.

8. ASUU NEC noted with pains, its concerns for Nigerian students who are also our wards and foster children and condemned Government's seeming indifference to their plights. The Union empathizes with the students, their parents, as well as other stakeholders (including our colleagues who are undertaking their higher degrees) in the universities. ASUU reaffirms its belief in the sanctity of a stable academic system. Were it within our control, our universities would never have been shut for one day! However, ASUU was
forced into taking this painful decision to prevent members of the Nigerian ruling class and their foreign collaborators from further destroying whatever is left of our public universities. We are all victims. We need the understanding, solidarity and sacrifices of all to ensure that every qualified Nigerian youth who
cannot afford the cost of private university education or foreign studies has unhindered access to quality university education. ASUU strikes are aimed at saving public education, and ensuring that Governments (Federal and State) use our common patrimony to support quality public university education. This is
our collective obligation.

9. NEC acknowledged with appreciation past and current efforts by eminent Nigerians and groups to mediate in the lingering crisis. Our Union remains open to reasonable engagements we have always done. However, ASUU remains focused on the full implementation of the 23rd December, 2020 Memorandum of Action
for quick restoration of industrial harmony in Nigeria's public universities.

10. In view of the foregoing, and following extensive deliberations on Government's response to the resolution of 14th February, 2022 so far, NEC concluded that the demands of the Union had not been satisfactorily addressed. Consequently, NEC resolved to transmute the roll-over strike to a comprehensive, total and indefinite strike action beginning from 12.01a.m. on Monday, 29th August, 2022.

Thank you.

Emmanuel Osodeke
President
29th August, 2022