12 Governors Under EFCC, ICPCRadar

The anti-graft agencies in the country, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, must have their hands full as no fewer than 12 governors are being investigated for massive fraud andmisappropriation of public funds in their states. While eight governors are under the searchlight of the EFCC, the ICPC is beaming its light on four. The investigations which are beingdiscreetly conducted, commencedfollowing the receipt of several weighty petitions against the state executives. It was gathered that most of the petitions were received after the said governors had celebrated their first year in office. Disclosing the information, a senior official of one of the agencies said despite the immunity enjoyed by governors, the probes would continue. He said, “We won’t wait until theyfinish their tenure before we startour work. Moreover, we are not talking about one or two petitionsagainst the governors, the petitions are in huge numbers and we have a duty to act. Of course, not all the allegations in the petition will be true but we have to find out first. “Once they finish their tenure, wewill be sending out invitations andmaking arrests. We have a minimum of two years to finish our investigations on them. Whenthey finish ruling, we will be ready.” Among those being investigated are Governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo State; and Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State. “Both of them are aware of the investigations but others are not. If we give you their names, they will start intense lobbying and manoeuvrings which won’t aid our investigations,” the source added. While Okorocha is under the EFCC’s radar following a petition by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state over misappropriationof N80bn, Uduaghan was being investigated for the “suspicious award of Asaba International Airport contracts and other projects.” However, the Imo state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chinedu Offor, welcomed thedevelopment as Rochas Okorochahad nothing to hide. “The investigation of the state finances is a welcome development because the EFCC is finally making efforts to investigate and hopefully recover billions of Nairaspent on phantom Internet-basedprojects” he said. “Okorocha was the first sitting governor to have called on the EFCC to set up a unit in every governor’s office to pre-empt andprevent corruption rather than launching investigations after the funds go missing. He runs the most transparent administration in the country and has nothing tohide.” The Head, Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, while confirming the petitions against the governors said, “We have petitions against some of thesitting governors and we are making some enquiries about the petitions. I cannot tell you the governors being investigated eventhough the public is aware of some. Yes, the governors enjoy immunity but it won’t deter us.” In the same vein, ICPC spokesman, Mr. Folu Olamiti, confirmed that the agency was probing four governors. He said, “I can’t give you their names and I can’t tell you how far we have gone but we are investigating four governors. The governors enjoy immunity but thepeople they use to pilfer public funds don’t. We are interrogating their men and when we are done,we will charge them to court.”

Revolution Looming In Nigeria — Makinde

In this interview with LEKE BAIYEWU, the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde, speaks onthe planned levy on religious organisations and leadership inNigeria What’s your reaction to the recent calls for taxation of religious organisations? People calling for the taxation of churches are like people calling for the sale of their mother. The Christian church is the architect and the mother of Nigeria’s achievments. I don’t know what Nigeria would have become without Christianity; we brought civilisation, education, even publication – the first publication started in Abeokuta by the CMS. We brought hospitals. Those who fought Church Missionary Society for the independence of Nigeria were products of missionary schools. So, those who are making the callfor taxation are saying, “Sell my mother, I don’t care.” And it’s an action that is impossible. I am re-emphasising it, it is an impossible task. Those who fight the church are fighting God. The first leprosy centre in Nigeria was established by the Methodist Church Nigeria, followed by the Catholic Church. The killing of twins was stopped by Mary Slessor of the Presbyterian Church in Calabar. There is an exception- We have the Wesley House in Lagos built for commercial purposes. If you want to tax that, it is good. If we are getting an income from it, as we put tenants there, it is taxable.We are paying tax on the commercial buildings we have. But if you want to tax our tithes and Sunday collections, you cannot because the church is not for commercial purpose. And we plough what we have back into the society. The churches are in partnership with the government. For example the hospitals and schoolsbuilt by the Methodist, Catholic, Anglican, Seventh Day Adventists, etc, are a way we plough our money back into the societ. They think we were making profits in our schools; it started with Lateef Jakande in Lagos, theytook over our schools and destroyed everything. Products of those schools are the armed robbers of today; they are the area boys, the militants and the ‘Boko Harams’ because they weregiven education without morality and the fear of God. It serves us right because we are lying on the bed we spread. But critics argue that missionary schools are too expensive and out of the reach of a common man. If knowledge is expensive, try ignorance. The one they (government) are doing is not free. Education is not free, somebody is subsidising. We are now establishing our universities where there is no cultism and no strikes. When it is four years, it is four years. But look at our government-owned universities, they are glorified secondary schools. You can’t compare them with mission universities. I know a cousin who went to the Lagos State University and spent eight years for a degree because of strikes. Even with the argument that our school fees are high, we are still subsidising. Where did the country get it wrong that people refer to the independence era as better years? We are the architect of our problems. One, there is no fear of God again in the land, and the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Islam preaches fear of God, Christianity preaches fear of God but there is no fear of God anywhere again. When there is nofear of God, there will be no love.Once there is no love, corruption sets in. The love between the Hausa and the Yoruba; the Yoruba and the Igbo; the majority and the minority are orchestrated and counterfeit love. We have politicised everything. And the root of all of these is corruption. In the sixties, when people took contracts to construct roads and other infrastructure, they didn’t give or take percentage (bribes). The Ibadan-Ijebu Road, which wasconstructed by Gen. Yakubu Gowon, is still solid because bribes were not given. When you award contracts and you take percentages, the works will not be solid. It is not a spiritual problem; it is a physical problem that boils down to corruption andlack of the fear of God. People no longer work with conscience. And conscience is the inner voice of God in you. Most Nigerians don’t have conscience again; theirconscience is dead. And when your conscience is dead, you do wrong things. I served this country for about 40 years and I retired with no pension or gratuity, and you want me to die for Nigeria? I can’t. Some people have said a revolution is looming. Do you agree? I agree seven times. When you keep people unemployed for a long time, you are asking for a revolution. And let me tell you, Boko Haram has become a revolution; they don’t kill only Christians again, they kill Muslims now. They go into their homes while they are praying and shoot them. They are going beyond religion and it is becoming a revolution. The Niger Delta militancy case is a revolution. You can’t take resources from our place and develop the North, while you neglect us. A councilloris earning more than a vice-chancellor of a university or a professor and you say there willbe no revolution. There will be revolution. Nigeria is bleeding. We must try as much as possible not to make it anaemic. Everyone is guilty; don’t apportion blames to the politicians alone. The church is guilty because some people have commercialised religion and that is why some say churches should be taxed – because they see religious leaders living above theirmeans. When you are too flamboyant as a man of God, people will talk. But we cannot use isolated cases to judge the church. The judiciary is not left out, in fact, it has disgraced the nation. What about the police? They are licensed to kill through accidental discharge. Everybody isalmost lawless in this country. Those who are calling for a revolution have also faulted the 1914 amalgamation, saying the regions should go their separate ways. Do you support this? Revolution can come but it cannot lead to a division. The revolution will not be restricted toany region because we have all got it wrong. I will not advocate fa break-up. Going our separate ways is not the answer to our problems. Getting it right and returning to God is the answer. The spirit of those who died during the civil war will not forgive us if we divide as a nation.Let me emphasise this: the spirit of those who died, the innocent ones, during the civil war will not forgive us if Nigeria divides. To jaw-jaw is better than to war-war. There is nothing President Goodluck Jonathan can do, except we pray for him. We are insatiable; nobody can satisfy Nigerians. I pity him as a leader. I am a leader and I know what leadership means. He cannot satisfy everybody. Even those whoare not as knowledgeable as he isare condemning him. It is easier to condemn than to offer advice. This is the right time for all of us to pray for our country, our leaders and offer constructive criticism and have good political leaders. What baffles me in Nigeria today is that the enemies of Nigeria are in the same party. Those who criticise the Peoples Democratic Party bitterly are the members of the party. Most of those who do not see anything good in Jonathan are members of the PDP. The party is a house that is divided against itself and cannot stand. What I want is a formidable opposition, not to gang up. What I want is a party with discipline; a party with manifesto. The only way out is forpolitics to be less lucrative. We are not civilised and experienced enough in politics to run a presidential system of government. It is too expensive; our economy is not good and we depend on only crude oil. All the local councils and states go to Abuja for federal allocation. How can we grow? States cannot generate funds for themselves and they think they can generate funds to run their states through taxation of churches. They are deceiving themselves. We will prayand they will collapse because God can fight for himself. Let them diversify. I am praying to God to let oil dry up even during my lifetime so that we will learn alesson of not putting all our eggs in one basket. We have a long way to go and that is why I say it is a general failure, not Jonathan’sfailure. I pity him. Jonathan is suffering from the penalty of leadership. To me, it is a collectivefailure. We are all making Nigeria to bleed. We all need attitudinal change.

I Bought Only 3 Houses In Abuja Before I Became Gov – Sylva

If embattled former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva claims that the 48 houses seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are not his, then who owns those properties? This and many more are the questions on the lips of many; hasthe EFCC reverted to the days of media trial where public sentiments are whippped up against perceived corrupt individuals? If that is not the case then someone is not telling Nigerians the truth about these landed properties confisticated in the federal capital. According to Sylva’s counsel, Mr. Benson Ibezim, the purported seizure of his client’s properties by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N6.46 billion fraud is a “media trial and condemnation without getting to the root and substance of the facts.” In a statement, the former governor through his counsel stated that “Trials are done in courts of law and not on the pages of newspapers where the general public is fed with all manner of falsehood, including imaginary 48 houses.” Therefore, “We humbly and respectfully call on the media to exercise due diligence in their reporting. “We were astonished to read from virtually all Nigerian newspapers that 48 houses belonging to Chief Timipre Sylva were seized. In the first instance, Chief Timipre Sylva does not have48 properties anywhere in the world. The three properties he has in Abuja had been secured byan order of court granted by F.C.T. High Court and the Attorney General of the Federation and EFCC have been duly served since the 27th day of December, 2012. “The three properties covered by the order of F.C.T. High Court areproperties that were legitimately acquired by Chief Timipre Sylva and his wife before he became the executive governor of BayelsaState. The records are quite clear on these properties as there is noiota of doubt as to the period of their acquisition-moreso as these properties were duly declared by Chief Timipre Sylva on his assumption of office as the governor of Bayelsa State.” Ibezim added that when Sylva became aware of the plot by EFCC to humiliate him by throwing him out of a house that he bought even before he became the governor of Bayelsa State, “we wrote a letter to the Attorney General of the Federation and the Chairman of EFCC” but “Till date, both of them did not respond to the said letters.” Ibezim called on the EFCC to obey the existing court order against it as a law abiding body. “EFCC being a creation of law is expected to be law abiding and is advised to respect the order of FCT High Court of the 27th day of December, 2012 regarding the properties covered by the order.”

OBJ Has No Choice But To BackGEJ In 2015 – Presidency

Despite the constant denials and dodgy response of the presidencyto talks on whether President Goodluck Jonathan will run for a second term, the body language of the president, his aides and even close confidants, suggest he will run. Whats more? The Presidency is very optimistic that should President Goodluck Jonathan decide to run for a second term in 2015, no individual or group can stop him from exercising that right; including former President Olusegun Obasanjo who they say,has no choice than to support Jonathan for a second term in office. This view and others was given onSaturday in Abuja, when Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Barrister Ahmed Ali Gulak, said the constitutional right of President Jonathan to contest the 2015 presidential election is non-negotiable, even as he expressed confidence that in the event the president decidesto run, he would perform better in the North than recorded in 2011. Gulak, while speaking on the Obasanjo factor said, “Nobody is God, nobody should play God, noone is indispensable. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, no doubt, is a well-respected leader who has played his part in developing the nation; he is a well-respected man who is like a father. But the truth is that just as people say he is a benefactor of the president, others have been his benefactors,too. “You know you come you go. When your time comes and goes, so be it; only he cannot pick a leader for this nation because Nigerians have not conferred on him the right to pick their leaders for them. This is more so when Nigerians are right-thinking people whose brains work. So, when people continue to express certain views as if the president and the former leader are at war to the extent that such can affect his chances of returning for a second term should he decide, it baffles me. “There is no war at all, and in fact, there are many individuals who can play roles, not a single person making it work. There is no doubt the former president has influence, but it is limited to acertain level. The truth is that as amember of the PDP, as a former president under the party, as a former chairman of the party’s BoT, and as a member of the same body, former President Olusegun Obasanjo will eventually have no choice than tosupport a second term should Mr. President decide to run both before the primary and after the primary.” In what might come as a rude shock to some governors of northern extraction who are rumored to be eyeing the Aso Villa – the seat of power, Gulak says: “Northern governors can’t stop Jonathan. Most of the governors making statements are serving out their second terms, and what do you expect? “Most of them are aspiring to be president and they cannot stop Jonathan if he decides to contest. How many governors stood for election and failed? They can challenge, yes, but cannot defeat him. Everybody has the right to contest. They can challenge President Goodluck Jonathan, butdefeating him? I would say no. None of the governors has the potency to defeat President Jonathan, both within and outsidethe party, if he decides to contest.”

Ronke Oshodi Oke is pregnant

The bold and beautiful actress is pregnant and this is confirmed. Now not so many details have arrived on this issue but you can be sure we will dig deep into this cos this is one voluptuous lady that naturally gets attention on screen because of her God-given front attack. Stay tuned..

Inside the “Vivacious” Mind of Channel O TV Presenter Denrele Edun – His Style, His Persona, His Family & More

There are very few people on the Nigerian entertainment scene who are as daring and as different as Denrele Edun. The Channel O TV presenter is well known for his unique style and outgoing personality. He started his career on TV at the age of 11 presenting a children’s show, Kiddie Vision 101 on NTA. Thereafter, he delved into modeling as an undergraduate and joined Sound City as a TV presenter soon after graduating. During his five year stint with the music channel, he established himself as an eccentric and humorous presenter who is also very spontaneous. He joined Channel O in 2011 and has continued to build an impressive career reputation. He is also a well sought event host. In this exclusive interview with Bellanaija’s Adeola Adeyemo, the English Education graduate of University of Lagos talks about his personality, his style, his career, his family and much more!

If you are moody, and not ready to be playful, then you certainly can’t be around Denrele. I had assumed his spontaneity and playfulness was just for show, part of the “Denrele” brand but I was to realise that on and off camera, he was just being himself. It was hard to keep a straight face around him. He was friendly, playful I had a good laugh chatting with him. 

Denrele, I’ve spent a while observing you and I realize your personality at home is not any different from what I see on camera. You’re just as lively as ever. What can you attribute your personality to?
I’m just a regular guy. I don’t take myself seriously. I’m fun, I’m lively, I’m vivacious, I’m all over the place. I wake up every morning and the first thing I do is scream. Sincerely, I’ve always been like this and I live each moment like it’s the last one. With me, what you see is what you get.

Why do you scream when you wake up every morning?
I don’t know, I just like it. I do it wherever I am; in any state, in any country. I just like looking for trouble really, especially in the middle of the night.

The “Denrele” brand
Let’s talk about your brand. Tell me about your journey into the limelight from the very beginning.
My first shot at fame was when I was really young, just a year old. I was born in Hamburg, Germany. My Dad took me for a photo shoot because I looked very exotic (I wish I was still as fine as I was then. Now I look like horror film). Some days after, he saw the same pictures of me with a baby milk product all over the place and went back to the photographer. He didn’t know he was supposed to get paid but all they gave him was a hundred cartons of milk. We came back to Nigeria later and I fell in love with music as a young boy. I always thought I was going to be an artiste. My dad had stacks of albums of artistes like Bonny M and Abba. Looking at all those album art covers, I got influenced and started to style my hair to school.

I’m very intrigued by your style. There are only a handful of people around who would dare to dress like you. What influenced your unique style?

Have you been growing your hair since you were a kid?
Yes. It used to be so curly and wavy. I liked to experiment with fashion; I put a lot of stickers on my school bag, had an extra heel under my school shoes. I was in SS1 when I got my first real presence on TV at Kidivision 101. It was when I got into UNILAG that I went bunkers.
I didn’t have too many clothes but I wanted to be different from the guy next door. I started off wearing baggy shirts and baggy jeans and because I was unsure of how to flaunt my hair, I used to hide it under a cap. At a point, people thought I was a girl hiding under guy’s clothing. But when I started modeling, I came in contact with clothes people wear on the runway but not off the runway and I was fascinated. So I went back and I started the trend of the mono-sleeve. I will cut one sleeve off my long-sleeve shirt and wear it. I cut and shred my jeans in different ways. People thought I was crazy but I stood out at every casting. I was the shortest and skinniest model but I always landed the runway jobs. All the designers saw me as flexible and dramatic so I did a lot of drama with their clothes.

Despite how unique your style is, it is not generally accepted. Some people think it’s crazy, some think it’s a bit feminine.
Fashion is all about the clothes but style is in the wearer. What I think I have done with myself is I have picked different things from different places and I’ve fused it into my look. My look is fun, it’s not serious at all but at least it’s serious enough for me to get compliments, good or bad, I really don’t care. Good publicity is good publicity, bad publicity is good publicity, no publicity at all is bad publicity.The VJ
You’ve spoken about the modeling era. Let’s talk about the VJ era. As a VJ and TV personality, what we see on you now are clothes that look really expensive.
They are expensive but I’d be very sincere, I do not spend a dime on clothes. I get a lot of freebies. The shoe collections I have are all gifts. People buy them and give me. Every item I’m wearing now are gifts from different people.

Lucky you. But really, when was the last time you bought something expensive for yourself? 
I’ve only splurged once on a pair of shoes. I was in Atlanta and that was the first time I met Domenico Dolce of Dolce & Gabbana. The shoe was from the Elvis Presley collection but I got to pay half price after walking the runway with the shoes and their clothes. They gave me the clothes free.

You became really popular while working with Sound City. How did you get your job with the music channel and what was your experience like?
I graduated in 2004 and got my first job with Sound City right after in 2005. I had previously worked with Tajudeen Adepetu on Everyday People. He called me and said he wanted to set up a music channel. When I joined at first, I was the only one who didn’t have a show. So I planned and strategized for several months and I came up with the Red Carpet Show. They didn’t think it would fly but after doing three Red Carpet Shows, my name was on the lips of every brand manager, event planner, agency and consultant. I think it was hardwork that paid off at the end of the day. I worked with Sound City for five years from 2005 to late 2010.

Your exit from Sound City was followed with some media buzz. Were you sacked or you did you leave voluntarily?
It was a little of both. I heard beforehand that they thought I was overexposed for the brand and that I was going to be let off so I decided to leave before that. But I asked for all the things I felt I was being owed and I didn’t get but I just let it go. It was a very dramatic exit. Someday, maybe when I write my book, I would put everything in it. I am going to be 30 in June so I’m thinking of releasing my book then. I’m really going to chronicle what happened. Nobody should be scared about anything but I think a lot of people deserve to know what really happened.

I didn’t know you were a writer.
My mode of writing reflects my personality. When you read it you’d know this is Denrele writing. I used to write a couple of articles for The Future, now Y Magazine and when we had Sound City Blast Magazine, I was the head writer.

How soon did the Channel O job come after you left Sound City?
It came in May 2011.

You have a bigger platform now at Channel O, but you still do similar things as what you used to do with Sound City.
Because Channel O understands what brand expansion is all about. I’m very spontaneous when it comes to the red carpet. The red carpet as they say is a place where stars are born and sometimes buried. I feel the red carpet is one place I can express myself to the max. It gives me the opportunity to say what I want to say without giving a hoot.

The Red Carpet
As someone who has interviewed a lot of celebrities on the red carpet, tell me about some of your favourites who never disappoint with their outfits and composure.
I love this question! There are people I look forward to seeing on the red carpet and some who I have to force answers out of them but I usually know what to say to make them loosen up. One person I look forward to interviewing all the time is Stephanie Linus. She pushes the envelope. I call her style casual sophistication. We chat and we laugh and we tease each other. Ramsey Nouah is also someone I always look forward to seeing on the red carpet. There is one side to him people don’t really know which I’ve been able to discover. He is a comedian! D’Banj is also very spontaneous. We’d look for something around us and start cracking jokes with it.

Give me more female names…
I love interviewing Goldie not because she’s my friend, but because you always look out for what she’ll wear on the red carpet. Helen Prest Ajayi is so graceful but I make her do one or two crazy things once in a while. One person who always makes me feel happy is Remi Tinubu. After every interview, Remi would send her entourage to call me and she would give me an envelope. I will quickly put it in my pocket and when my producer asks me, What was she telling you? I’d say, Ah, she was shaking my hand telling me well done.

What is the craziest thing you’ve asked someone to do on the red carpet?
There was someone who showed me her underwear on the red carpet, I can’t remember her name. I said “everybody has told me you are not wearing underwear but you need to prove it to me”. She showed me her bra and then she lifted the hem of her skirt and showed me her underwear. Clean, sparking, Victoria Secret!A few weeks ago, Karen Igho was allegedly slapped at an event by a mobile policeman. It was reported she attended that event to support you. What really happened there?
I’m not going to deny that, I was the one who invited her. During the show, she came backstage to meet me and said “Denrele when are you bringing me on stage?” I said “Soon, you must come and do small craze for me”. That was the last conversation we had before the incident. I think she wanted to go to her car to touch up. I was even looking for her and when I didn’t see her, I had to introduce the last act for the night. Later my cousin who was with her when it happened ran to call us. Everybody was livid with rage including the Smirnoff officials and security guards. I had to calm her down and got someone to take her home. She was really distraught. By the next day, it was all over social media and people kept asking me what I did about it.

I have to ask too. What did you do about it?
I’m not going to go into details on what I did but I did make a lot of calls and the person who committed the act has been called to order. They have fished out the person. Smirnoff and the agency handling security for them are looking into it.

Family & Relationships
On a lighter note, your relationship status and sexuality has been a hot topic on some media platforms with some alleging that you’re gay…
I am very single, I’m searching and ready to mingle. A lot of people brought up that sexuality issue. When you are in this industry, people tend to look for loopholes. I am just a sexual outlaw, very adventurous. People have judged from my dressing and my effeminate nature.

How would you describe your ideal woman?
I love heels on a woman, that is why I have a thing for models. I’ve dated a lot of models. I love to see women strut in heels. I love women who can strike up a very good conversation. I like someone I can go to the salon with and we are washing our hair together and she is not freaking out or saying what her friends are thinking of the fact that I’m under a dryer. I love a woman who has a good sense of style and not somebody who would try to change me. And also a woman who would not be threatened by the female friends that I have because I have loads of female friends.

I’m curious. Would you cut your hair if you were paid to do it?
Ah, I would cut it oh! Bring money.

Give me a figure.
I haven’t really thought about a figure but I would cut it for as low as N5million. The hair would grow back.

You have long and soft hair. Who do you take after?
My Mum, her hair is so long. Her Dad is Indian and her Mum is from Mauritius. My Dad is a Yoruba man from Abeokuta. So I am even nationality confused, I don’t know where I’m from.

You must have very supportive parents who allowed you express yourself while growing up.
My parents are amazing people. Family is the best gift anyone can have. I remember when people used to attack my Dad in church about me and my crazy style, we would laugh about it. I haven’t seen my Mum in 12 years because she is not in the country. She travelled to Dublin when things got really tough at some point. My Dad lost his job and my Mum had to take up about four jobs. We were staying in the family house so there were conflicts everyday.

12 years is a long time. Are you going to see her soon?
I am going to see her early this year. We’ve been in touch, she calls everyday, she has even called this morning. I have an amazing family. They allowed me express my individuality.

 

It was great chatting with Denrele and from Bellanaija.com, we wish him the very best!
Watch some Red Carpet Moments with Denrele

Fear of firecrackers in a season of festivity

 A few hours to the end of 2012, the residents of Lagos and its suburbs were engaged in activities marking the New Year in style. While many people were getting ready for the usual crossover church services, others were busy igniting firecrackers and in the process, sowing seeds of fear among decent folk and disturbing the peace.

In some parts of the city, such as Egbeda, Dopemu and Ikeja, the din raised by exploding fireworks on the eve of the New Year was not only intimidating, it was so frightening that even the Lagos fire incident of December 26, which killed a teenager and burnt 15 houses, could not be compared to it.

Both the young and the old could not resist the urge to ignite firecrackers. Not even the sad memory of the devastating fire incident could stop them. 

In Surulere, the Nigeria Police Barracks, near the Ojuelegba Bus Stop, suddenly transformed into a huge launch pad of numerous firecrackers.

The loud noise emanating from the barracks could have been mistaken for the tell-tale sounds from a battle-field. For about three hours at a stretch, several bangers exploded like detonating bombs from the rooftops of the buildings and lit up the sky.

Although bangers had always been used in Nigeria to celebrate the Yuletide, they were banned by the government a few years ago. Yet they seemed to have found their way back to the streets.

Eyewitnesses wondered why the police, that ought to enforce the ban on firecrackers, could have allowed the barracks to be turned into a temporary theatre for fireworks.

An investigation by Saturday PUNCH showed that the firecrackers were of different types and sizes. For example, the variety known as ‘Jumping Jack’ consisted of a folded long tube and a fuse. Once lighted, it pops out with a jerk and ascends to the sky at the speed of about 70 km per hour. The resulting explosion is deafening and capable of causing serious injury or death.

The Thunderflash is the Russian type that explodes in multiple bangs and is capable of destroying a vehicle or tearing a door off its hinges.

Chinese Crackers are long strings of bangers, sometimes up to 100 in a string, connected by a fuse. When it is lighted, it can go out of control, putting the person handling it at great risk.

The relatives and children of the policemen resident in the barracks between the ages of 10 and 20 were ‘armed’ with most of these bangers on the eve of Christmas.

About 50 of them virtually turned the barracks into a battle zone of a sort as they indulged in a dangerous game by throwing the bangers directly at each other and at members of two Christian organizations passing through the barracks to attend church services.

An estimated 5,000 rounds of firecrackers were assumed to have been used up during the strange ‘duel’. Some of them were said to have landed among commuters waiting at the Ojuelegba bus stop to board commercial vehicles. In response, some of the commuters threw a few bangers on the roofs of the buildings in the barracks and ignited a stampede.

 Considering the high cost of bangers, a considerable fortune would have been wasted by the residents of the barracks.

However, there were complaints from other people living near the police barracks who could not endure the barrage. But they could do nothing about it except grumble.

“We have lived with this oppression for many years. We try to complain to their parents but they don’t care. They do not caution their children. In 2010, a child was injured while running away from a firecracker that landed close to him,” a resident, whose home shares the same fence with the barracks, told our correspondents.

By 12 am on January 1, clouds of smoke emanating from thousands of exploding bangers filled the sky, especially in Ikeja, Egbeda and Dopemu.

An insurance broker, Emeka Iwuh, who worshipped at the Anglican Church in Egbeda on New Year Day, lamented that intermittent booms from bangers disrupted the midnight service in the church. He said the noise reminded him of a previous encounter with armed robbers.

“Each time I heard the banger shots, I always felt robbers were around. It took me a little while to realise that the sounds were actually not gunshots but fireworks. I wish Nigerians will bring an end to this terrible way of celebrating Christmas and the New Year,” he said.

Rotimi Lawrence, an Ikeja-based medical doctor, had not forgotten the day his car was burnt by a stray banger.

 “I don’t know if the banger was directed at my car, but before I knew what was happening, the car had started burning. Ever since that incident, I have always been careful not to move close to a place where bangers are being thrown and I don’t encourage children to engage in the practice,” he said.

Even those who preferred to remain at home on New eve felt constantly harassed by the noise from exploding firecrackers.

Fadekemi Aloh, a nursing mother who lives in Dopemu, said it was horrifying staying in an area where bangers were often ignited.

“I just gave birth to a baby, but the sound of bangers did not allow him to rest during the festive period.

“There is no fun throwing bangers in the society. So I think the government should take a firm stand against it. While many of us suffer, those who throw the bangers are ignorant of the pain they inflict on us,” she said.

Despite the criticism, Bidemi Oki, 20, said he enjoyed throwing bangers during the Yuletide.

“Do you know what it means to be alive? This is the way I enjoy myself and expressing my joy in the New Year. I don’t think it is a dangerous trend and I don’t see any reason why the government should ban it.  It does not happen all year long, after all.”

Both the end users of bangers and the sellers had enough reason to smile. One of the sellers claimed that he made a fortune selling firecrackers during the Yuletide.

He said, “There is nothing new about the practice. It’s the way we celebrate each year. We don’t trade in it all the time because it has a season. Some people were able to exhaust their supplies and some could not. I couldn’t exhaust mine, but I have to store them in a cool place till next year.”

He said firecrackers sold between N1,000 and N10,000 while the smaller ones went for N50.

Punch Nigeria

Thrills and frills of Lagos Countdown party

With a list that included Tuface, Tiwa Savage and Davido, the first Lagos Countdown party held at the Bar Beach on New Year’s Eve provided fun for residents, writes ADEOLA BALOGUN

 Lagosians had maximum fun at the first ever Lagos Crossover concert, organised on Monday night by the Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency.

It was a question of which other artiste was not there and from 8pm till 3.30am the following day when the last artiste dropped the microphone, there was no dull moment.

The roll call of acts who entertained the crowd included Tuface, EME (featuring Banky W), Skales, Niyola, Tiwa Savage, D’Prince, Choc Boyz (featuring MI), Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, Burna Boy, Inyanya, Omawumi, Kel, Durella, JJC, Darey, Davido, W4, Eva, Solid Star, Olamide, Ozzy Bosco aka Wonder Kid, Seyi Shay, Ajebutter, Ras, 2012 Star Quest winners, Crystals and a host of others.

No doubt, some of the artistes turned out to be very spectacular in their performances on the stage.

Omawunmi chose to be different as she came on stage with a band instead of miming to her CD.

She entertained the crowd with some of her popular numbers like If you ask me (Na who I go ask), Thank God and Bottom Belle. And the crowd cheered her and asked for more even when she dropped the microphone.

Other crowd pullers of the night included Olamide, Davido, Darey, Inyanya, Tiwa Savage and Ozzy Bosco.

But Tuface was the biggest of them all in the night. He serenaded the cheering crowd for almost one hour and capped his performance with the number, Implication, which sent the crowd into a frenzy.

The party, which took place on some portions of the newly-reclaimed Eko Atlantic City and Bar Beach, was put together by LASAA. According to the agency, the event was conceived to create an end of year crossover tradition that would engage citizens of the state and visitors throughout the end of year holiday season.

The event was in form of that witnessed in major cities of the world like Time Square, New York and Trafalgar Square, London. It was a night of lights music, fireworks, pyrotechnics and lighting effects to signify the commencement of the New Year.

The beautifully decorated Ahmadu Bello Way, down to the Marina, was a sight to behold and made nightlife very tempting once again.

The official venue of the night event started from the Bishop Oluwole junction, where a city gate was erected, up to the Eko Atlantic City office. The crowd huge that thronged the party was comfortably seated along the stretch with gigantic screens mounted at every corner of the venue.

The massive stage erected for performances was fitted with hi-tech lightings that turned the skyline into a very bright spectacle. The high-decibel speakers used for the night were earthshaking and reverberated throughout the island.

The scenic beauty of the Atlantic Ocean was so spectacular that night. Attention shifted to the seaside at the countdown to the New Year exactly at 12am as the whole place was lit up in fireworks. For about 45 minutes, the skyline was aglow as scores of fireworks were launched from the sandy beach and the sea.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that experts were flown in for the spectacular fireworks with laser beam and water projection display. And the excited crowd erupted in a ‘Happy New Year’ chorus as they ushered in 2013 with almost everyone using their smart phones to record the scene for posterity.

The security arrangement for the event venue was watertight. All participants who had tickets were thoroughly frisked with metal detectors before being allowed into the venue by security men.

Men of the Nigerian Police Force mounted a motorised armoured vehicle which patrolled the venue throughout the duration of the party. And among the crowd were armed policemen who monitored the goings on. And throughout, there was no incident of any kind despite the huge attendance at the venue.

Very significant was the presence of children at the party. Some families brought their children to share in the fun at the beach side.

A few years back, it was unthinkable to find kids at an elaborate open air show, but the countdown show was a different set up as children joined their parents to savour the colourful night of glamour and colour.

Not only children were present: Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos was not left out as he came to have fun. So, also were top government functionaries such as the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Adesegun Ogunlewe and the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Mr. Fola Arthur-Worrey.

Some local government chiefs present included Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan and Mr. Abayomi Daramola of Ejigbo and Iru/Victoria Island local government areas respectively.

Both LG bosses attributed the peaceful atmosphere at the party to the huge investment of the state on security. Both men were not surprised at the presence of little children at such a big street party.

“We need a secure environment to hold an event like this,” says Bamigbetan. “The point is that Lagos State has made a huge investment in security and you can see how everybody is relaxed. For the past four years now, the state Security Trust Fund has invested a lot of resources on security. Nightlife has come back to Lagos as a result of this.

“I’m not surprised at what we are witnessing here tonight. Nowadays people are not afraid even to drive back to their homes as late as 2, 3am. People can afford to bring along their children because of a sense of security,” adds Daramola.

Punch Nigeria

Lil Wayne Gets New Face Tattoo That Says…

Weezy just got a new tattoo on his face. The man with the number of tattoos no one is sure of decided to get something written on his face. Guess what was it says…

LilWayneHQ says:
Lil Wayne recently got a new tattoo on his forehead that reads “Baked“. The tattoo is a logo from Baker Skateboards, which is a skateboarding company. I guess this tatt shows exactly how serious Weezy F Baby is with skating!

The location of the tattoo some think is simply because Weezy’s whole body is already tattooed, and there may be no space left for “Baked”.

Check out photos of the new tattoo and others here…

Man In Court For Pouring Sh*T On Police Officers

A 22-year-old man, Olumide Ajayi, has been docked at a Somolu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly pouring faeces on five policemen and attempting to escape from custody. Ajayi, who lives at No. 17, Ikorodu Road, is facing a three-count charge of assault and malicious damage. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Police prosecutor, ASP Akinlebi Adegoke, told the court that the accused committed the offences on December 27 at Alasela Market and the police station at Onipanu. He said Ajayi was arrested and brought to the police station for allegedly assaulting Paul Imoke, a salesman.

According to Adegoke “He gave him a blow on his forehead following a disagreement between him and Imoke, who sold a pair of glasses to him. On arrival at the station, the accused became violent, vandalised a television set and poured faeces on the five policemen on duty… The accused then attempted to escape from custody before he was caught and charged to court,” Adegoke said.

He further gave the names of the five policemen assaulted as Inspector Ogili Ejikeme, Sergeant Edosa Sylvester, Sergeant Alizor Stephen, Corporal Alawode Olusegun and Corporal Segun Adeniyi. Meanwhile, Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to January 18 for trial.

‘Never Bite The Hand That Feeds You’ – Angry Davido Tweets

The music star parted ways with his longtime manager, Asa Asika, over the holidays.

When he was seen at the Change-A-Life event on January 1st, he was asked what led to their separation but he only smiled and said ‘nothing‘.

We heard their parting was not a good one. Davido’s elder brother, Adewale Adeleke is currently acting as his manager.

Kim Kardashian To Make $16 Million Dollars From Pregnancy

The 32 year-old reality star, Kim Kardashian will earn about $16 million even before the baby born.

According to sources: “Kim is in talks with TV execs about filming the run-up to the birth — scans, hospital visits, everything.

She’s already been bombarded with tons of potential deals to endorse parental products.”

Hopefully she will stop short of filming the actual birth and keep to her promise not expose the baby to cameras-at least not yet.

Inside sources have also suggested that Beyonce unknowing played a vital role in the conception of baby.

The source added: “It was actually Beyonce’s daughter, BLUE IVY, who made them both broody.

“And despite reports Beyonce and Kim do not get on, she was one of the first to congratulate Kim and Kanye and she is going to be invited to the mother of all baby showers in New York this May.

“Kanye was hoping they will marry before the baby comes but Kim’s reluctant to do that until after the baby is born.”

My Source Of Wealth, Me And My Sugar Daddies -Actress, Laide Bakare

Pretty Yoruba actress, Laide Bakare has been in the news lately due to her acquisition of expensive automobiles, especially SUVs. In fact, as at the last count, she has four wonder-on- wheels conspicuously parked in her garage.

And this has set tongues wagging about her source of sudden wealth, with many alleging that the married mother of one, must be dating some money bags (Sugar Daddies).

Others even accused her of romancing the immediate past governor of Oyo State, Alao Akala.

In this interview with, the Theatre Arts graduate of the University of Ibadan, spoke on the above allegations and her source of wealth.

Bakare, also opened up on her cold war with Bisi Ibidapo Obe and many more. Enjoy.

You are a very pretty woman, don’t men disturb you for affairs regardless of your marital status?

One thing you must know is that not everybody that likes you as a person would want to date you. Some just want to be friends and that’s all . Most of them know that I am married. Even if they are crazy about me, they should know that I am married. Actually, there is nothing to talk about them. Besides, it is not everybody that has access to me , so they can only admire me from a distance.

It is only family and friends that have access to knowing me better. Anyway, it is good for people to like what you do, appreciate you and learn one or two lessons from your movies.

Aside your fans, how about top society men who ‘spoil’ our actresses with money, have you been in such situation?

Well, I see no big deal in that. As long as one is a lady, men of different calibres will always come around you. I just don’t see it as anything but the lady has to take a stand; if you are not available, then you are not. Things have changed a lot now, unlike the good old days when such things are seen as taboo and shouldn’t be talked about. if a man asks you out, it is just a matter of mutual understanding, just talk it over and that’s that.

It is being rumoured that the fleet of SUVs you cruise in was bought by one of your sugar daddies, how true is that?
Lot of stories are going around, I must say. But anyway, that’s Nigeria for you. Our African mentality. We tend to bring up issues at the slightest occurrence. As for me, I don’t know where this particular one emanated from. Maybe because I have four SUVs and other normal cars so they believe that someone out there must have bought them for me.

Well, my love for big cars like Jeeps is not questionabale because that is what I inherited from my father.

While growing up, my father buys big automobiles a lot and also drives us around in them. And while we are in these vehicles, I also hear them talk about the latest Jeep in town, its features and stuffs like that. So since then, I just fell in love with big cars. I also travel a lot, when I go to America and I see the car that I like , I just go for it and send to Nigeria. And I bought them all with my money.

So you are saying that there was no time anybody bought you a car?
It doesn’t matter. But I just can’t get a car for a gift, it is not possible. I bought the four SUVs and the Honda car with my own money.

Which of them did the former Governor of Oyo State, Alao Akala buy for you?

I honestly don’t know where all those stories are coming out from. Nothing of such happened. He didn’t buy me anything.

Back to acting , you once had a fight with Saheed Balogun on stage, what caused the fight?

Ha! I am just hearing that for the first time. You know you journalists hear things we don’t even know existed. Saheed Balogun is a big brother to me in the industry, so I see no reason to pick a fight with him. I address him as my big brother.

What challenges do you encounter as an actress?

The only time I had challenges was when I was in the university. It was not easy struggling with education and work. Struggling with my education and the birth of my baby was also a challenge.

At a time, I needed to leave school to go and have my baby so, all those things were challenging. I had to travel out of the country to meet my husband and then come back. I was always going out and coming in.

What has being famous deprived you?
A whole lot o! I just want to be as free as possible. Go clubbing, dance like I want to, drink and just be free Laide. Move around freely, jog around, and go to some places . I cant do that anymore because of my fame. It is really eating deep into me. Same reason I will not allow my kids to be popular.

Any regrets so far being in the limelight?

No! Not all. Because in everything I give thanks to God. Where I am today, I never planned for it but God in his infinite mercies has been seeing me through.

Insiders are alleging that there is a rumoured cold war between you and Bisi Obe-Ibidapo?
I hardly meet her, in fact we hardly see. I have no business with Bisi. She is just a colleague and not a friend.

Maybe journalists might have seen us at events snub each other but that doesn’t mean we have a rift. We are neither friends or enemies.

If the acting of a movie brings us together, we’ll do our work and go our separate ways.

I have lots of them like that in the industry. I am the kind of person that choose my friends and not the other way round. I am a reserved person and I don’t have too much people around me as friends but few of them.

Like you said, you travel a lot and also has a very tight schedule, how then do you strike a balance between your job and the home front?

It is God. I won`t talk about my family because that’s what I so much cherish. I so much treasure my daughter and my husband. I treasure them a lot. I avoid anything that will affect them. I don’t want to have problems with my family. I don’t want to put them in the public eyes. I would rather keep it to myself. I don’t talk about my family. They are strictly private.

Yes! My husband loves me and supports what I do. He encourages me in every way he can.

Political lull in Ondo after poll

The tension that characterised the build-up to the October 20, 2012 governorship election in Ondo State has suddenly gone down following the declaration of the result which returned Governor Olusegun Mimiko to the Government House for a second term in office, writes SUNDAY ABORISADE

 Supporters of the Labour Party in Ondo State went wild with celebration across the state on Sunday, October 21 after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Governor Olusegun Mimiko as the winner of the governorship election held the previous day.

Many relaxation arenas and fun spots suddenly came alive as hundreds of jubilant politicians and their friends besieged those places to savour the joy of the moment. They repeated the action for a few days before everybody started going about their pre-electioneering days’ activities.

Various ministries, departments and agencies of the state government also organised parties to celebrate the LP’s victory at the poll in many parts of the state at different times up till the second week of the election.

On the other hand, however, the opposition parties, especially the Action Congress of Nigeria and the Peoples Democratic Party cried foul as their leadership in the state levelled series of allegations and counter-allegations of rigging against INEC, security operatives and the LP.

Virtually all the press statements issued either by the campaign organisations of the governorship candidates or the party secretariats immediately after the election centred on the call for the cancellation of the poll because of alleged manipulation occasioned by violence and massive rigging.

The tone of the opposition’s virulent attacks, however, waned when respected political office holders, elder statesmen, religious leaders, traditional rulers and notable politicians across the various political parties all over the country, started commending the conduct of the election.

Majority of the numerous interest groups and institutions that made comments on the election declared it as free, fair and credible hence, it was no longer fashionable for any group or political party to condemn the exercise.

Except for the filing of petitions by the ACN, the Accord Party, CPC and the PDP at the Election Petitions Tribunal, where they asked for the nullification of the poll and the reply of the LP and Mimiko to the petitions, which enjoyed a level of publicity, there has been no major activity in the political scene that has attracted attention in the last few weeks.

An investigation by our correspondent showed that government activities were not affected by the lull in the political atmosphere in the state. Contractors executing various capital projects, especially those handling road projects for the state, had mobilised men and materials to site after the raining season.

The Commissioner for Works, Mr. Gboye Adegbenro, immediately after the election, summoned the contractors handling various road projects for the state into his office and asked them to return to site since the dry season had set in.

He warned that the state government would not hesitate to revoke their contracts if their jobs were perceived as unsatisfactory because the state did not owe any of them. Adegbenro, thereafter, backed his words by action when he started visiting the various project sites in company with his ministry officials and journalists.

However, the criticism that greeted the activities of the government, its policies and programmes from the camp of the opposition parties before the election was no longer available.

But the PDP’s Director of Organisation in the state, Mr. Ayodele Fadaka, said the silence in the opposition camp would soon end. He told our correspondent on the telephone that the party had been busy in the last few weeks, putting its papers together to challenge the result of the October 20 election at the tribunal.

Fadaka said, “For some weeks now we have been trying to put our papers together. We need some time to perfect our documentation and the nation will be shocked by the time we come up with details of all that went wrong during the poll.

“I can give you the assurance that the party will start tearing the anti-people activities and policies of the state government into pieces very soon while our lawyers will be revealing their dirty games in the court.

“For example, we will soon be asking the LP government to tell our people what it wanted to do with the $77m it wanted to take as loan.”

The Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy of the ACN in Ondo State, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, did not pick the calls of our correspondent as that the time of filing this report but he had, on a few occasions after the election, issued some statements which had alleged that Mimiko and the LP evaded service of the summons from the tribunal.

 He had described the action as an antic to buy time perhaps to make sure that the case was not disposed of within the constitutionally accepted period.

Also recently, Ajanaku had issued a statement describing the alleged move by Mimiko to borrow $77.9m from a foreign organisation as not only unnecessary but an act capable of jeopardising the welfare of the future generation.

He described the move as embarrassing and in tandem with the character of this government, which seems bent on plunging the state into perpetual debt.

He said, “It will be recalled that questions have been asked on how the government spent the over N600bn which accrued to it for almost four years, and the $50m raised through bond from the capital market in spite of being one of the major oil-producing states in the country.

“We are also surprised at the claim by the state Commissioner for Finance that the said $77.9m loan being sought would be spent on youth employment and health programmes.

“We are not saying that it is wrong for the government to borrow money, however, the state has said that it planned to spend $50m on health programmes and $27.9m on youth employment.

“We do not agree that Ondo State should secure such a huge foreign loan to pursue the dream of 30,000 babies per year, which the state governor has earlier unveiled as the major focus of the Abiye Health Programme.”

However, the Commissioner for Information in the state, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, said the opposition parties were dazed by the overwhelming victory recorded by the LP at the poll hence, “they had gone into their shells since they knew that the people were unperturbed by their lies and propaganda.”

Akinmade admitted that the lull in political activities after the election was normal because all the major players who took active part in the poll had put in much energy and zeal and that there was the need to have some rest after the stressful event.

He, however, stressed that government activities did not stop as more projects were being completed while new ones were being initiated.

He said, “While Governor Mimiko is working hard to provide responsive and responsible leadership for the good people of the state, the opposition parties had gone to sleep because they knew that their wicked antics had been exposed and well known to the people who had refused to take them serious in the first instance.”

Close watchers of political developments in the state are, however, of the view that the lull in the political activities currently being experienced in the state will soon fizzle out and give way to another round of active politicking when the election petition tribunal resumes sitting probably this month.

Punch Nigeria

2015 posters : We won’t sanction Jonathan – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party has said it will not sanction President Goodluck Jonathan over the printing and pasting of posters announcing his ambition to seek re-election in 2015.

The party said it was satisfied that the President had denied responsibility for the printing and pasting of the posters.

In a telephone interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, warned members of the party not to see the development as an opportunity to engage in the printing and pasting of posters of other presidential aspirants.

He said, “You know the President has said he did not authorise the printing and pasting of the posters. Because of this, we will not sanction him.

“The National Chairman of the party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur has directed all elected officials of the party to remain focused and to concentrate on the delivery of good services to the people.

“We will not encourage other politicians, who are interested in elective offices to start printing and pasting of posters.

“The time for that has not come. When it comes, we will inform our members.”

Also on Friday, a group known as the PDP National Youth Vanguard, issued a statement in which it condemned another group, the PDP Youth Wing, for attacking Jonathan because of the posters.

It said the attacks on the President because of the posters were unnecessary and that he deserved to be respected by Nigerians because of his position as the number one citizen of the country.

The statement was signed by Bekes Apere and Ibrahim Bala Aboki, National Coordinator and National Secretary of the group, respectively, among others.

The statement said, “The PDP National Youth Vanguard condemned (sic) in totality the reckless statement release (sic) by (a) faceless PDP Youth Council headed by one Mr. Fidelis Ozuka and its Publicity Director, Comrade Bala Usman yesterday (Thursday).

“That His Excellency, Goodluck Jonathan, is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a leader of our great party, the PDP and was ordained by God, the most magnificent, benevolent and most

Punch Nigeria