The Nation Newspaper

Category: Featured

  • #EndSARS: Anxiety as adamant groups insist on memorial protests

    #EndSARS: Anxiety as adamant groups insist on memorial protests

    By Alao Abiodun and Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

    Barring any last minute change, groups planning to commemorate the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest on October 20, have vowed not to back down despite repeated warnings from police authorities.

    The Nation gathered that organisers have been mobilising online via social media platforms for a protest to coincide with the Lekki Tollgate incident which occurred last year.

    But police authorities across states have been issuing warnings against the planned anniversary protest, asking the organisers to halt the plan.

    Convener of #RevolutionNow and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, said, “Starting from 8:00AM, All Roads in Lagos leads to #LekkiTollGate on October 20 2021! We Will Never Forget #LekkiMassacre2020 #RevolutionNow”

    Also, the United Kingdom has warned its citizens to avoid large gatherings ahead of the first anniversary of the protest.

    A statement published on its website and obtained by The Nation, said: “Events to mark the one-year anniversary of #EndSARS protests are likely to take place nationally, week commencing 18 October.

    “There may be protests and a heightened security presence in major cities such as Lagos and Abuja.”

    Read Also; #EndSARS: police can’t stop our protest, says activist

    The UK government advised its citizens to follow instructions from security agencies and also monitor the local media for information on possible protests in different parts of the country.

    The Nation reports #EndSARS protests, which held between October 8 and 20 last year, was a public outcry for an end to police brutality, extrajudicial killings, extortion and abuse of power, especially by officers of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    The Federal Government had directed states to set up judicial panels of inquiry into allegations of human rights violations involving police officers, following the protests.

    Ahead of the protest in few days, popular comedian, Debo Adebayo, widely known as Mr. Macaroni who took part in the EndSARS berated celebrities for being beneficiaries of the government, whom he claimed stifled activities of the #EndSARS anniversary.

    Macaroni in a lengthy Instagram post spoke on how the government has clamped down on the events planned out one year after the protest.

    Similarly, rapper and activist, Folarin Falana, a.k.a Falz, also stated that concerts are being organised to distract youths from remembering those who died during the EndSARS protest last year.

    In a statement titled ’20:10:20 [update]’, Falz stated that no one has been punished yet for ‘heinous crimes’ perpetrated during the protest.

    Sharing a picture of the #EndSARS movement, Falz vowed that the organisers will never ever be silenced.

    As the anniversary of #EndSARS protest approaches, Yiaga Africa has called on state governments to release reports of the Judicial Panels of Inquiry in their states.

    The organisation said so far, of the 25 states, only the reports of Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ekiti, Ondo and Nasarawa State Judicial Panels of Inquiry have been submitted and publicly presented to the state government for implementation of their recommendations.

    It noted that Bayelsa, Ekiti and Ondo state are the only states whose reports are available to the public.

    It called on states where Panels have been suspended to resume sitting and conclude the hearings.

    “We also call on both the Federal and State Government to ensure the full implementation of the 5 for 5 demands which includes key proposals demanding immediate police reform critical to ensuring that police brutality is eliminated.

    “The conclusion of the sittings of the Panels and the release of the reports will ensure that victims of police brutality access justice,” Director of Programs, Yiaga Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu said in a statement.

    The statement added: “The demand for justice for victims of police brutality remains a major part of the demands from the #EndSARS.

    “To ensure this demand is met, the government at both the Federal and State levels must ensure that the decisions of the panels are fully implemented.

    “This includes ensuring that compensations awarded to victims are fulfilled.

    “With 25 states concluding their sitting, it is quite worrying to observe that the Judicial Panels of Inquiry in four states – Anambra, Benue, Enugu, Kogi, and the FCT – suspended sitting for unknown reasons.

    “So far, of the 25 states, only the reports of Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ekiti, Ondo and Nasarawa State Judicial Panels of Inquiry have been submitted and publicly presented to the state government for implementation of their recommendations. Bayelsa, Ekiti and Ondo state are the only states whose reports are available to the public.”

  • Anambra 2021: Churches at war over governorship candidates

    Anambra 2021: Churches at war over governorship candidates

    By Innocent Duru and Nwanosike Onu, Awka

    • We’ll vote our member even if he belongs to spirit party – Anglican priest
    • ‘PFN reads riot act to orthodox churches
    • Politicians to churches: face pulpit, leave politics

    Churches in Anambra State are at war over which denomination will produce the next governor of the state.

    Development in the state show that denominational politics may go a long way in determining who wins the  November 6, 2021 governorship election in the state.

    Dominance of the political space by members of the Catholic Church in the state over the years has triggered feelings of dissatisfaction among other church denominations with the Anglican Church at the forefront. Members of the Pentecostal denominations, including traditional worshippers have also not hidden their disaffection with the dominance of the Catholic Church in the political affairs in the state.

    The Anglican Church as far back as 2019, had started pushing for a member of its fold to be given a slot to become a governor in the state.

    The church’s Strategic Committee for the Election of Indigenous Bishop of Nnewi Diocese made the appeal when they visited the bishop-elect, Diocese of Nnewi (Anglican Communion) Ven. Ndubisi Obi in his office at St. Augustine Anglican Church, Federal Housing Estate, 3-3 Onitsha. The committee said such demand, if granted would balance the equation since Catholic Church members had been in power for many years in the state.

    The committee led by former President of Council of Knights, Diocese of Nnewi, Sir. Emeka Nzewi, his Secretary, Sir. Sunny Ijezie and Prof. Ben Ufodike reportedly said that the church had been marginalized in governance, infrastructural development and grants which they needed to be corrected when a member of the church becomes governor of the state.

    Before the 2019 demands, about 200 Anglican priests in 2018 had staged a protest against the Willie Obiano led government, accusing the government of marginalising the church.

    Leader of the protesting priests alleged that so many Anglicans in the state were denied All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) tickets for various positions in the party primaries that were held that year, describing such as a threat to peaceful coexistence. He said: “This present administration is turning Anambra State to a denominational state.”

    The church, from every indication appears not to be leaving anything to chance in ensuring a member of its fold emerges winner at the poll.

    A cleric of the church who did not want his name mentioned, told The Nation that any of their members that emerged as the candidate of any party will be supported by the church.

    He said the decision was taken many months ago before the party primaries, adding that the Anglicans had been suppressed enough in Anambra State.

    The venerable said, “we are going to hold another meeting before the election. Some of our leaders are playing hide and seek, but our decision is final, which is to vote for our member.

    “We don’t care whether he or she is a cripple, a blind person or deaf and dumb. Our church has really suffered in this state when it comes to the issue of governorship.

    “Any political party that has our member as its candidate, even if the person belongs to a spirit party, we will vote him or her. Enough is enough.”

    Leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, (PFN) is also talking tough ahead of the election.

    The Chairman in Anambra State, Bishop Moses Ezedebego says, it’s time to stop other churches in the state from producing the next governor.

    The PFN said they have played second fiddle in Anambra State for a long time, adding that it is time for the fold to take its rightful place in the politics of the state with the November 6 election.

    The group also, declared that it has not endorsed any candidate in any political party, to replace governor Willie Obiano in the November 6 election as being speculated.

    Ezedebego, said they had mobilized their members to arm themselves with their voters cards for the task ahead.

    While congratulating all the governorship candidates, PFN warned that they should do issue based campaigns devoid of violence.

    Ezedebego said, “We have emphasized that Anambra State needs a God-fearing man, a good manager of resources, a man of impeccable character and humanity.

    “We need a governor for everybody; someone that will carry everybody along. We are praying for the right candidate to take over Anambra State on Nov. 6, 2021.

    “We want to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC  to be an impartial empire by giving all the candidates equal and level playing ground.

    “The INEC must resist the temptation of being used by anyone to rig the election. We are calling on all the voters to guard their votes after voting and resist any form of rigging in the coming election.”

    One of the outspoken Catholic priests in the state, Rev.  Dr Martin Chuks Anusi, told The Nation at the weekend that the church is only interested in a good man and not his or her religion.

    Anusi, who is the Director of Social Communications, Catholic Diocese of Awka and the Director of Fides Media Limited (Publishers of Fides Newspaper), said it is the responsibility of religious leaders to hold to such tenets and not decide and rule.

    According to him, “the Catholic Church is only interested in any person who is good and not where he worships or the party the person belongs

    “In Fides Newspapers which is faith based, our employees are from Anglican, Mountain of Fire and other denominations and not only Catholics. What we need are good hands and not the person’s church.

    “Our people should wise up and forget primordial issues. The electorate should look for that person who can give them what they want and not look at the church, this has been the message of our bishop all the while,” the priest said.

    Face pulpit, leave politics- Politicians tell churches

    Politicians in the state have expressed concern over the interference of religious bodies in political affairs.

    The State Chairman of APGA, Sir Norbert Obi, while reacting on the matter, said the introduction of religion into politics has dealt a big blow to the society.

    He said it was not like that before and after the Civil war, adding that late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Dr Michael Okpara, were picking people based on capacity.

    “People were being selected on merit and not on religious sentiment and the person would go and work for the masses and lead the people aright

    “In APGA, we are not bent on producing any person, but someone who will give good governance, but what we want is a person who will lead well no matter his or her political leaning.

    “We don’t care about your religion, but someone who can carry everybody along, we don’t care whether the person is APGA or any other party,” Obi said.

    National Vice Chairman of apex Igbo socio cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ichie Damian Okeke -Ogene, expressed concern that religious politics is spreading like kerosene in the state.

    He said no religion can take any one to heaven, rather, the person’s personal relationship with God.

    “It is unfortunate and regrettable that our people have allowed religious politics into our system and if not checked, it’s capable of destroying the system.

    “And it is a dangerous dimension in Anambra politics. Whoever is propagating it should desist from it because God is for all of us ” Okeke -Ogene said.

    One of the chieftains of APC in the Southeast and Board member, Federal Housing Authority FHA, Nze Modestus Umenzekwe, told the Nation that the way to solve the issue is for stakeholders to condemn it.

    He said both are separate groups,adding that politics should be left for politicians, while religious leaders should face the pulpit.

    According to Umenzekwe, “bringing the two together in our society is setting a dangerous precedent in the society.”

    Chairman of African Democratic Congress, ADC, Chief Ralphs Okey Nwosu, said: “the claim of anybody playing denominational politics has to do with the limitations of the individuals who were chief executives from the time this whole thing started. It is just their limitations; otherwise, there is no need for denominational politics. When you come to my family, you will see Anglicans, you will see Pentecostals, you will see Catholics. Why is it that when it comes to governance you see all this? It just has to do with the limitations of people who have become governors at different times.

    “I have never played politics based on any form of dichotomy. We have deliberately put ADC out of anything that has to do with division and that is part of our DNA. Our DNA is for inclusion. I am a Catholic and as far as Anambra is concerned, from the beginning when we heard what our brothers and sisters in Anglican and other churches were inferring as far as the leadership of the state is concerned. When we discovered that, we made a policy to look for a good Anglican or a top quality Pentecostal to run our ticket in ADC.”

    He continued: “For ADC, when we started, we went to the Anglican leaders, and we said to stop all these that are going on in Anambra State, we want you to screen and give us a quality candidate and we would run the person in ADC. I told them that I am a Catholic and I am going to talk to the Catholic bishops and say, this is what people are saying and it is not right.

    “I was troubled when the Anglican committee selected somebody who they wanted to present in the APC. We even told them that the APC is not popular in Anambra State and requested that they use ADC as option B. They said no that they would rather prefer ADC team up to support their candidate in APC. We said we don’t want to play that kind of fiddle.”

    He further said: “We then went to the Pentecostal. They had a candidate in mind but they lobbied their candidate to come to ADC to run but the aspirant still preferred to run under the APC.

    “That was how we ended up not getting a candidate from this side. By then some top quality Catholics were coming to us and said no. That was why we were late in bringing out our candidate who now happens to be Akachukwu Nwankpo who happens to be a Catholic again.”

     

    Genesis of denominational politics in Anambra

    Religious politics was said to have been introduced in the state by the immediate past governor, Mr Peter Obi, and since then, denominational politics has taken firm root in the state and tearing the churches apart.

    Since 1999, apart from former Governor Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju, who was half Anglican and half Pentecostal, the state has never produced another governor of Anglican faith.

    Even in appointments during Obi’s tenure, it was obvious that he was on a mission.

    Such mission, made the former Archbishop on the Niger and Dean, Anglican Church in Nigeria, Most Rev Maxwell SC Anikwenwa to raise the alarm that such dimension was dangerous in Anambra State.

    The sharing of offices and appointments were 60:30 and 10 percent and it has remained so.

    It has remained a ritual in Anambra State for the Anglican Church to play second fiddle to the Catholics by producing the deputy each election year.

    The reason, The Nation gathered is that the population of the Catholic Church in the state is quite intimidating and no one dares challenge them in anything.

    However, such a trend almost ended in 2007, when Anglican bishops vowed to end such dominance by teaming up with other churches to bring about the emergence of Andy Uba who was then in the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, as the governor.

    But that victory only lasted for 17 days, as Obi went to the Supreme Court to seek for interpretation of his tenure of his office, instead of who won the election.

    The apex court ruled in his favour and he was returned after his impeachment by the State House of Assembly in 2006.

    His unconstitutional impeachment gave his Deputy, Dame Virgy Etiaba, who is Anglican the opportunity to preside over the affairs of the state for just three months.

    Uba’s 17 days in office as governor, was the last time a member of another church ruled Anambra State.

    Today, the Anglicans and Catholics have renewed the battle of leadership in the state, with the religious leaders divided over who to support.

    Apart from Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who is Anglican, the other major candidates from different political parties are Catholics.

    Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, one time Central Bank of Nigeria CBN Governor, and the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA is Catholic.

    Also, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party PDP and Ex – Chief Executive Officer CEO of Transcorp PLC, Mr Valentine Ozigbo, is a Catholic.

    The same thing applies to Dr Obiora Okonkwo of the Zenith Labour Party ZLP , Dr Godwin Maduka of the Accord Party AP , Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo of the African Democratic Congress ADC and Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressive Party YPP.

    Interestingly, they all picked members of the Anglican Church as their Deputies to garner votes during the November 6 election.

    And, the choice of Soludo’s choice as Deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, has not gone down well with the people of the state because of obvious reasons.

    He’s the younger brother to the current Anglican Archbishop of the province on the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Alexander Ibezim.

    Members of the Church including the knights, the laity and the bishops are not happy with such a decision.

    They are of the opinion that they were not carried along in making such a choice and as a result, they will not key into it.

    Besides, they contend that the young man holds some enticing positions already in governor Willie Obiano’s government, adding that such a decision was selfish.

    Currently, before he became APGA’s Deputy candidate, Ibezim serves   as Obiano’s Special Adviser on Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice, the Managing Director, Anambra Oxygen Plant, and as Executive Director, ANSACA, Anambra State Agency for Control of HIV/AIDS.

    As a result, The Nation gathered that majority of the Bishops, the Council of Knights, the Laity and the women groups have vowed to work against APGA.

    Again, the Catholics, The Nation, was equally informed that despite the choice of the their Archbishop, some Bishops, had deviated from what had become a norm in the State.

    They claim their candidates are many and active and known members of the Church with pedigree, blaming some leaders of the Church for not coming out for a consensus arrangement.

    The decision by the Anglican leader in Anambra to present his younger brother as Deputy to Soludo without consulting the other eight Bishops, is gradually turning into a suicide mission for APGA.

    The Nation gathered that most of the defections into APC from the party, was as a result.

  • Alleged N10b pension cash: EFCC grills Kwankwaso

    Alleged N10b pension cash: EFCC grills Kwankwaso

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has grilled a former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in connection with alleged mismanagement of N10 billion pension cash.

    According to a source, the EFCC invited the former governor following a petition by some retired employees of the Kano State Government.

    The source said: “Kwankwaso reported to the EFCC today (Saturday) and he is currently being grilled by a team of operatives at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

    “He is being questioned over allegations of abuse of office, diversion of public funds and fraudulent allocation of government properties to cronies.

    Read Also; N20b Kogi bailout loan: N19.3b returns to CBN, EFCC withdraws case

    “Kwankwaso, who is also a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, was first invited by the EFCC in September but he failed to honour the invitation.”

    Another source said he “may have been invited in relation to a petition by some retired employees of the Kano State Government who had earlier petitioned the EFCC, complaining that the former governor mismanaged pension remittances to the tune of N10 billion between 2011 and 2015 to fund a housing project for cronies”.

    The Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, declined comment on the interrogation of the former governor when contacted yesterday.

    As at press time last night, the former governor was still being questioned by officials of the anti-graft agency.

  • Untold story of youth corps member dehumanised by female army officer

    Untold story of youth corps member dehumanised by female army officer

    More than one month after the video of her public humiliation by a female military officer Lieutenant Chika Viola Anele went viral, the pains of Ifeyinwa Fidelis, a serving youth corps member, are yet to be assuaged.  She is alarmed that the military authorities have not pursued justice for her and mete out necessary punishment to the officer in question, who she claimed was sent on three-month training after the incident that has left her traumatised. With no clear sign that the military would help her get justice, she has vowed to do so through the law courts, INNOCENT DURU reports.

    • Victim relives how incident was almost swept under carpet
    • No need fighting over what’s unnecessary – Victim’s lawyer
    • Nigerian Army: Matter now before our directorate
    • Why we’ve done nothing for victim – Anambra govt

    EZEIRUAKU Ifeyinwa Fidelis, a female youth corps member serving in Calabar, Cross River State, has been fear stricken since July 28, 2021 when she was brutalised and dehumanised by a female military officer, Lieutenant Chika Viola Anele.

    Her voice quaked with disappointment while her body language evinced suspicion when our correspondent engaged her during the week.

    “Me, I don’t trust anybody for now o,” she retorted when our correspondent requested for the contacts of her colleagues who witnessed her public humiliation.

    “At a point, I couldn’t sleep. I was always having the feeling that I should have fought with her. How could I kneel down and someone was doing all that to me?

    “The thing was disturbing me then. The female officer has not called me till date to apologise.

    “At a point, I was getting scared because I was not sure somebody was not after me,” Ifeyinwa said in a comprehensive voice recording of the incident obtained by The Nation.

    Contrary to information in the public domain that the video went viral immediately the incident occurred, Ifeyinwa said the incident happened about a month earlier, but when the military authorities were not forthcoming in giving her justice, she had to send it to her brother who subsequently sought the permission of her lawyer to release it online.

    “Nothing has happened since then (after reporting to the military authorities). Each time I go to them, they will say they are working on it. After then, she went for a three-week course in Jaji, Kaduna State.  I know that once we end our service year, and I am not there again, the case will die,” Ifeyinwa said in the recoding.

    I want justice for myself. One day, the commander of the brigade called us and asked to know who sent the video to NYSC. I said I didn’t know. They now asked us to go.

    “NYSC didn’t come to check on me. They didn’t even ask to know the corper (youth corps member) they did this to.  They only called the commander and I don’t know what they discussed.

    “When I didn’t know what to do, I went to get a lawyer. That was when the pressure was now high. They started arranging things. They told the state coordinator that I did this and that.

    “The NYSC now called me and they were saying did I write through them before going to get a lawyer? They said why didn’t I tell them what was happening? Even when I was explaining to the state coordinator, I wanted to show him the video but he said that he had seen it.

    “They said I should bring down the case. They gave me book and biro and asked me to write that I have withdrawn the case and that I should write formally through them. I left them and went away. I didn’t write anything and didn’t withdraw the case.”

    The narrative, according to the victim, took a new dimension “when I got a lawyer. I had to tell one of my brothers that this is what is happening to me in Calabar.

    “When I sent the video to him, he was mad.  He called the lawyer and asked if he could post the video online and the lawyer said yes. My brother gave the video to different bloggers, making the whole thing to go viral.

    “When the video went viral, maybe the DG of NYSC saw it and then called the commander to say that he saw a video where an army officer was dehumanising a female corper. They were now calling him.

    “When the thing went viral, NYSC called and said I should go home for my own safety. The next day, they booked a flight for me. Since then, nobody has called me,” she added.

    Completely not happy that the military authorities are treating the matter with kid gloves, Ifeyinwa told The Nation that her lawyer was going to file the case in court. “I am suing the lady and the army authorities. I am suing both of them,” she said.

    Providing a detailed account of how her dehumanizat ion occurred in the audio recording, she said: “The incident happened on July 28, but the video went viral on September 23.  It was after I sent it to my brother that the thing went viral.

    “The incident started when the commander of the brigade hosted a drilling competition. I was chosen as part of those who would usher in guests.

    “When we got to the place, Ebutu Barracks, I saw one of my captain friends who is a Muslim and married. We played ayo game together. When I saw him, I tapped him and said that he was even there before the ushers.  We started laughing only for that lady to shout at me, saying you don’t touch an officer in uniform.

    “I went back. When I was standing in my position, another officer – a Lieutenant Colonel came and offered me a handshake, but I said we were told not to shake officers in uniform. The female officer who was behind me said, ‘you can shake but don’t touch’. I didn’t say anything but kept standing.

    “She was in charge of the small chops we were to share. They counted the ones they would give to umpires and gave us the rest to share. After sharing it, I went back to my post.

    “One Major called me to change it for him. I told him that those ones he was seeing there were for the umpires and that they had already counted them.

    “The Major insisted but I didn’t know what to do. We were not trained to challenge an officer in front of guests. I then went back to the female officer for her to know how to settle the issue. But she started insulting me.

    Read Also: Woman impregnated twice by her twin brother insists on marrying him

    “She said I don’t have sense and that was I not there when they said those ones were for the umpires and what did I want her to do.”

    Before then, Ifeyinwa said, “she gave me one to keep till whenever we were hungry. She ordered me to go and bring that one and give it to the man since I don’t have sense. So I went and brought it and gave it to the man.

    “When the event was over, she called me again and said why was I behaving as if I didn’t  have sense- that they said this one was for the umpires but why was I bringing that one to her and what did I want her to do.

    “When she insulted me, I was not happy but I didn’t say anything. They always threatened to report acts of indiscipline to the NYSC. The incident happened at my place of primary assignment, (PPA). When she was telling me all this, I never responded.

    “I later went to the back of the barracks. I saw a senior officer, Major Ango, who asked why I was angry. I opened up to him and said I didn’t like the way they were talking to us.  He was asking me who the person was. I then told him it was Lieutenant Chika Anele.”

    “I don’t know what happened between the two other them (Major Ango and Chika). I don’t know what he said to her. On the 28 of July, she called for a meeting and brought me out. She asked the school I graduated from and I told her University of Lagos. She asked for the course I studied and I told her Linguistics. She asked for my GP and I told her.

    “She then asked if there is any comparison between a student of Mandona that studied Mass Communication and student of UNILAG that studied Linguistics. Nobody answered her.  She then ordered me to go and put on my six over seven- that is my NYSC uniform.

    “When I got to my room, I saw that my period just started. She didn’t time me when I left. If they time you and you don’t meet up…..ehen. But she never timed me. When I saw that my period had come, I had to wash off.  She then sent a female corper to come and check me.

    “When the corper came, she was asking me where I was. I told her that I was bathing and would be coming afterwards. The corper then went and told her that I was bathing.  She thereafter came to my room.

    “When she came, she saw that I was dressing up. She started shouting that she asked me to go and dress up and I went to bathe. She then ordered the corpers to fetch water. She took me to the back of the barracks where nobody would see her.  She called all the corpers to come and then called one boy to do press up.

    “She said I should also do press up. I said I no. She said I should roll on the ground with my uniform and I replied that I could not do it.  She said I should do frog jump and I said I could not do it. She then said I should be doing frog jump where I was, and I started doing it.”

    She further said: “When she saw that it was not paining me, she asked me to kneel down. When I knelt down, she asked them to bring block which I raised above my head. She then said that if I didn’t cry she would not leave me.

    “When I got tired, I threw away the stone and told her that I did not kill somebody and didn’t steal and could not carry the stone any longer. She then said my English was quack and that my parents would be happy that they are paying school fees.

    Ifeyinwa Fidelis
    Ifeyinwa Fidelis

    “She started insulting me, saying that one string of her hair would buy my life and how much are we collecting as allowee (allowance). They told her it is N33,000. She then multiplied it by 12 months and said ‘N300 and something thousand, and that she cannot touch that kind of money in her life.

    “She now asked them to bring sand. She mixed it inside water and started pouring it on my head. She opened my uniform and made sure she poured it all over my body.

    “While she was pouring it, she was insulting me. She said I opened my gutter mouth to tell her superior that if not for army uniform that if she sees me outside, would she talk to me.

    “When the water she was pouring on my body was itching me, I had to remove my bra. When I removed it, she said this is the cheap bra that I wear and when last did I wash it, calling me a dirty pig. She said after dealing with me today, the next time, I would not open this my mouth to mention her name.

    “While she was doing all that, I don’t know who called her. She was happy and told that person that she had done her sand and water thing to me, and that the highest thing I would do was to call my godfather and she would call hers.”

    “When they called her on the phone, she now left. When she left, everybody dismissed. I went to somebody that had a phone and told him to take my photogragh. I wanted to have evidence so that if I wanted to report her, I would show them what she did to me.  There, if you don’t have evidence, they would not answer you.

    “After the guy had snapped me, I went to get water to bathe. After bathing, I started washing my uniform.  It was while doing this that they called me that one Captain wanted to see me. She was with the woman when I got there. She was telling the woman how she did her water and sand thing to me.

    “The woman was like why did I tell the senior officer that if not that she is in army uniform, if she saw me outside would she talk to me? I told her that I never said so.

    “As they were talking, the commander of the brigade now called that he saw a video.  They asked me who videoed it and I said I didn’t know.  They said the commander wanted to see everybody.  Before we went to see the commander, she said the deed had been done.

    “When we got to where the commander was, the commander now called me and asked what happened. I explained everything to him. The commander is Brigadier Commander P.P. Mallam. He said he was sorry. He called all the corpers and said we should go, and that he was sorry for all that the female officer did to me.

    “When we left, everybody went to their lodge. The female officer didn’t know that when she was doing all that to me, they were recording her.”

    Although she has left Calabar, her place of posting, she said she was paid her allowance for last month.

    “My passing out date is October 21, 2021.  They said they would send everything to me. I don’t know how I will do my clearance,” she told our correspondent.

     

    No need fighting over what’s unnecessary – Victim’s lawyer

    When our correspondent reached out to Ifeyinwa’s lawyer, Barrister Eni Okoi, he said: “If you call us next week, we will give you a feedback.  NYSC has moved her out of Calabar. They have done something about it. It is because of them she’s there.

    “When they became aware of this, they had to move her out of the place. NYSC has not reached out to me, but we have seen their action and it is in good fate. I don’t think there is any need fighting over what is unnecessary.

    “The military authorities have not reached out to us at all. By next week, events will start unfolding.”

    Spokesperson of the 13th Brigade, Calabar where the incident occurred told The Nation that the issue was more with her.

    He said: “We have sent a report already. You have seen a report from my directorate. I don’t know what you are calling and asking me for. I don’t know about the officer going for training. It is no more in my hands. It is in the hands of my director.

    “You can call Abuja. You can call my director to confirm. It is not me you will call now.”

    The headquarters of the Nigerian Army, in an earlier reaction to the incident, condemned the officer’s actions.

    Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director Army Public Relations, opined that the officer’s actions had caused the Nigerian Army ‘monumental embarrassment and is highly regrettable’.

    Declaring its stand, Army said that it had instituted an investigation and the officer involved had been identified and sanctioned on the interim and would be made to undergo regimental orders (trial) in line with the extant provisions of the Armed Forces Act.

    Zonal Inspector of NYSC in Calabar, Tony Odey, swiftly responded: “Sorry, I am not permitted to talk to the press,” when our correspondent sought his comment.

    Anambra State Information Commissioner, Mr C Don Adinuba, said he was not aware that Ifeyinwa hails from the state. In a telephone interview with our correspondent, he said:  “I must confess that I have been so busy and preoccupied by the election that I didn’t know she is from Anambra. Sorry. Thanks for letting me know.

    “You just told me she is from Anambra. The family didn’t get in touch with us. I have an open door policy.  I cannot tell you right now. I will try to reach her family and see where we can help.

    “Where nobody brought it to our attention and you brought it to our attention, what are we going to do without even discussing with her or her family or her community leaders? You can help me. Where in Anambra is she from? Nobody approached us.”

  • OLUWO OF IWO: I’m not in hurry to remarry

    OLUWO OF IWO: I’m not in hurry to remarry

    Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi is the traditional ruler of Iwo, Osun State. Regarded by many as controversial, the flamboyant monarch spoke with GBENGA ADERANTI on many issues including his estranged former queen, his war experience in Liberia and the need for monarchical revolution. Excerpts:

    You seem to be bringing a kind of revolution to the monarchical institution by doing away with some traditional practices. How receptive are your people to this?

    Change is something that is not easy. Everything in life is about sacrifice. Sacrifice means to make yourself uncomfortable for the benefit of others and to impact the future generation.  When you want to make a change, you are trying to take people away from oppression; you try to open peoples’ eyes. I don’t want to oppress my future. My future is the youths of today. What they were used to that make them to be in this situation today, should we continue doing things this way that is not working or should we toe another path? When we keep doing the same thing, you don’t expect different results.

    If some leaders of today even know that their generation failed these youths, are the youths of today going to follow the path of the failed generation or will we find our own paths by ourselves just like the slaves that we sold but found their own path to make a living? Some of them studied Law. Some of them went into the army, and when they came back, they became leaders. I will not oppress my future which is the youths of today. I would rather free them so that I will meet a free people; a people that have room to grow. Those are the things I want to meet in the future in 30, 40 years I’m on the throne. I want to look back and say yes, these people have been liberated and they are happy.

    It is going to be a pyramid effect, a domino effect which is going to work on larger population, even people that are not mine; the black race entirely. My own idea of monarchy is that we have to define our position. If my forefathers did not define their positions, I want to define it. Yoruba culture, Yoruba tradition is deeply rooted in the existence of Olodumare (the Supreme Being). It is deeper than what the eyes can see. It is deeper than what you can talk about in the physical. We are so deep that our culture and tradition is the best in the world. We must be free from the myths and superstitions of idolatry and deities which are bastardising our culture. Idolatry and deities are not a culture; they are tradition. It is a religion. The idolaters and deity worshippers want what we call our own existence which we call our culture and tradition, which came from kingship. They want to put it under their own religion.

    What is kingship? It is not about Christian God or Muslim God; it is about one God, Olodumare, the creator of heaven and the earth. When it comes to God, it is not about race, it is not about colour.  We have a supreme being that is the creator; that is the king. He is the real king. The Yoruba are the only ones that call their king by the name of God, that is kabiyesi … ka bi o ko si (you are unquestionable). That is the way they greet their king. No other race in the world greets their king like that. Who is Kabiyesi Olodumare? That is the real kabiyesi.  So who are these earthly kings in Yorubaland? They are the representatives of the Almighty Olodumare. They are more than humans when they are elevated from humans and princes to a king.

    Olodumare is the one that appoints these kings; it is not by votes. He is the one that will make the king to get there. So when you are a king, you are representing God. Pastors, prophets, alfas, babalawos (priests) are all messengers. Is a messenger greater than the representative of God? No. So, we are working with our head in Yorubaland. Power must go back to the kings. I’m not telling the olorisa not to worship their orisa, but the kings have the authority of the land in their hands that rules the land. Olodumare told them to represent Him. God is the owner of the land.

    The palace is the home of God on earth. So in the home of the Almighty on earth, should we have two kings there? There cannot be two kings in the palace. When there is a deity or idol in the palace, we have two kings. That is why I said kings can have idol worshippers as subjects, but a king must not bow to idol or idol worshippers. In Yorubaland, they call the king the deputy of the deities. Does a deputy have power? It means we are deputy to the deity and idols. Then it means that a king does not have power as long as the orisa is still there, which they want to use our throne to promote. As long as the orisa is still there, it means that kings will never be relevant. Our own father that brought the crown even fought Orisa Obatala. Obatala prostrated and he ruled over Obatala. How can the kings worship idols? The only enemy to the crown is the deities.

    The palace had been in existence before Islam and Christianity. We are the representatives of God on earth and we are put under orisa. Show me any deity Oduduwa worshipped. If they can bring one, then I will remove myself as king.

     

    What have been the reactions of your people to this reform in the palace?

    Some are falling in line. Many believe that I’m their voice to take kings out of slavery of these olorisa who are just few. They try to use stool to promote their own deities and many kings have now seen that we can get our powers back, if we do away with these deities. How can a king worship deities? Any king that worships deity in Yorubaland can keep on worshipping it. There is no hierarchy, any king that worships deity, I’m bigger than them. You are laughing? That is for real, because we will do it according to the dictate of the real king.

    Our subjects say they are better and greater than deity. They don’t reckon with idol worshipping. So if you, a whole king, are a deputy to the deity, you are a slave to the deity. Which one would you prefer: to be a representative of God or a deputy to a deity? To be a representative of the Almighty will bring more respect. Do you know how the Yoruba greet their kings? They lie down and say, ‘Kabiyesi ooo.’ That is the name of God.

     

    You are the most reported Yoruba traditional ruler. How do you feel about this?

    It is the definition of monarchy in Yorubaland to be a servant, day and night, to your people. When you serve the people, you are planting a seed of service. The service will grow for you. When you see something wrong in the country and you don’t care whose ox is gored, you said I’m going to make things work; I’m not going to remain silent. Fools will multiply when wise men are silent. So, if you are a wise man and you don’t want fools to multiply in your land, which can even impact your child, you talk. I am a father; you can see my age. I’m a father to this race and I would always act as a father regardless of what you think. Most talk about, most social media friendly; yes the social media is the thing of the moment. Let them shut down instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, you will see how your life would be. You call me a social king; that means I’m the king of the moment.

     

    You have fought so many battles, but one way or the other, you have managed to survive. What is the secret?

    The secret is Olodumare, the creator of everything. I hold Him high. It is a king that exalts a king; a king does not exalt orisa. When you start raising God, God will raise you in truth. Not that you say you are praising God and when something happens you are scared. You see a little storm and you shiver. Faith comes from being confident and bold. Confidence and being bold is equal to faith. When you have that absolute faith in the unseen God, the almighty will never forsake you. It doesn’t matter what you do.

     

    You preside over a community, a town where they believe so much in Islam. In one vein, you said you were not against tradition. But you are against worshipping of idols and idolatry…

    I’m against what is bastardising our culture.

     

     Where do you draw the line? Some of the traditional practices are against Islam…

    Tell me what is against Islam and Christianity in our tradition?

     

     

    The mode of dressing, for example. In Islam,  a woman is expected to cover her head, but in our culture, it is not compulsory

    Are you talking about culture or are you talking about manners?

     

    Way of life…

    When you are talking about the way of life of some people, that is what they prefer. Some people prefer that their women should be covered. They don’t want people to see the shape of the body of their wife. I actually like it. I like it when women are covered. They don’t see the shape of my wife. Everybody looks, even if a man is passing, people look. If a woman is passing, people look, not to talk of a woman showing her shape. There are many women who can be a side show, but when you are a wife at home, I think that one should be for your husband. That is my belief. As a way of life, it is good for a married woman to be covered. And if any other person decides not to cover up, that is their own way of life; that is the freedom to dress the way you want. When it comes to my own wife, I think I will like her to cover.

    There is nothing against our culture that is against anyone. The only one I see against our culture and tradition is Olorisa who never made our people wear adire, ofi. They want everybody to wear white. Orisa is against the culture and tradition of the Yoruba people. Orisa promotes their own. If they had their way, they would make everybody wear white in Nigeria. You will never see an olorisa that wears ofi, sanyan, alari coloured dresses. They will tell you to wear white. They themselves don’t understand what they are doing.

    Even Ifa tell you to wear white, but it is not telling you to be wearing this white clothes; it is telling you that your inside should be clean and your outside should be clean. Your ways should be clean to man. Deity worshipping is a religion. It is not our culture, and it is not our tradition.

     

    Should I then assume that you appear colorful always because you don’t want to associate with the orisa?

     

    I’m so colourful because it is our identity. I’m so colorful because I’m odidere (a colorful kind of bird) personified. Iwo is odidere and I talk because odidere speaks the truth. I represent the full odidere. Odidere is the only creation of God that speaks apart from humans, nothing else. Odidere is the only one that speaks the truth. And I get the inspiration of the true Yoruba history from Olodumare. When you are a king and you are close to Olodumare, everything will be given to you. You will see things. You will hear from God and you will see what God wants you to see. You don’t need any oloris. You don’t need any babalawo (herbalist). The authority is in you, you only need to say let this land be great and it will be great. You tell your children who are sick to be healed. The God that blesses is the God that takes.  The God that gives good health is the God that takes good health. You can even say the bad health that is in you should come and take the king, because I’m not the king, God is the king. I do that with testimonies. You can ask the people that work with me.

    An Oba should bring alleviation of poverty. He should serve his people and make the land grow and develop. A king should be a servant and treat his subject like a king. You should be the best servant to be the best king. I want to be the best king, that is why I want to be the best servant ever.

     

    Read Also: Just In: Oluwo of Iwoland divorces Jamiacan wife

     

    Sometimes you get criticised in the media. When you read such reports, how do they make you feel?

    When I’m doing the right thing, I see this as ignorance. There was a time, I don’t know, I would criticise people. But since I became a king, God has given me a lot of wisdom to know the right from wrong. When I see those things I ask what about when I didn’t know, I would like to make them known. Common sense is not common, not to talk about special sense. You let them know, you have to let people see what common sense is, you teach them.

    When I see that, I don’t pay attention to that as long as I’m doing the right thing.

     

    What has been your greatest challenge as a traditional ruler?

    My greatest challenge is that I know the work God has given me to do is a lot but I have signed. I want to serve my people. I left Canada. Imagine me leaving Canada as a Canadian holding a Canadian passport, to come and sit in Iwo to come and serve my people.  I want to build Iwo just like the fathers of other nations that built their nation. I will stay in Iwo to build Iwo to modern day. I will suffer for it. I will strive for it. I will serve my people. I will make Iwo great by the grace of God, and God is doing it. I’m going to be six years on the throne in November. In six years, there have been tremendous achievements in the history of that land.

     

    You mentioned your civil war experience in Liberia during the civil war. What was it like?

    It was a real physical war. War of guns, ambushed, bombed. When you see people dead by your side, people you saw one minute before they are dead, your friends, your acquaintances, when you see how bombs split people into two, you see jet fighters blow people’s brains off, you can look at yourself and say it could have been me.

    You are ambushed. In a war there is no wife, there are no children. Even you will leave your children, your wife and run. During war, you don’t change clothes. During war, no kings, no government, no president; the only spirit that is there is the spirit of evil, looting, destroying even when people don’t need to destroy things. Things that they can need they can destroy because it is a kind of different spirit. Children, even the President will become refugees in other countries. People will be looking for food, handouts from the sky.

    Nobody wants war. I’ve seen death face to face more than eight times. I’ve been shot at. Gun has been put to my head. Gun has been put everywhere. I was taken to where I was to be killed but I’m still here, I’m still surviving. War kills, war destroys, war loots, war rapes. War destroys humanity.

    I fought war; I became a commander in a war. I know what war is. I survived.

     

    Oluwo of Iwo
    Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi

     

    You said a gun was put to your head. How did you manage to escape?

    I survived. It was God. I became a king today because God wants me to see things to be able to experience things. Rags are not riches; they are experienced. May Nigeria not witness any more war. This is why we want peaceful resolution to any problem we have in Nigeria.

     

    What do you think should be the role of traditional rulers in this dispensation? It is like the traditional rulers have been relegated…

    The Yoruba traditional rulers have relegated themselves to the second in command to the deities; deities that cannot move. Deities are for the past. You can only reference history, you can’t apply it. Many things have relegated the traditional rulers, especially in the South West. We have to stand up. We have to break the shackles of enslavement we are in. But the Yoruba own is more spiritual; they have offended Olodumare who they represent. They said it was what their fathers were doing. Who do you represent? Who are you working for? If you work for a chairman and you don’t take orders from the chairman, you are fired.

    Why are you complaining that your kings are relegated? You have relegated yourself already and we are trying to take you out of that enslavement. Some of them are fighting it. Some of them are saying it is because it is Oluwo that is saying it. Because I’m the one saying it, you can keep on being in slavery.

     

    You were once suspended by the Osun State Council of Traditional rulers. Initially you said it was not going to work. At what point did you make a u-turn to listen to the council?

    That was a media charade. Forget it; I’m not going to talk too much about it.

    I’m a paramount ruler with over 30 kings being crowned by the Oluwo. I’m not just a paramount ruler; I’m a natural paramount ruler in Yorubaland, one of the crowns since inception in Yorubaland. I’m not a crown that was made by a white man. I’m not a crown that was created by elevation. I was not elevated. I’m a crown from the inception, Oluwo of Oluwo. I was one of the king’s in the Western House of Chiefs. My number is three. Oba S.O. Abimbola, one of my predecessors, was a minister without portfolio in the Western House of Chiefs. How many kings were ministers without portfolios then? We were not more than three.

    A powerful stool in Yorubaland is the stool of the Oluwo as a paramount ruler. When it comes to paramountcy, no king has power over me.  

     

    Majority of Yoruba Obas are polygamists but you prefer monogamy. What is the reason for that?

    It is not that I prefer monogamy. Polygamy is a cultural thing. It is a way of life for some people. It did not start today. If you check the bible, you will see that Isaac, Jacob, they all had many wives. It is the way of life of some people. Our fathers used to have many wives. But me as a servant of the people, it is not that I prefer monogamy. I have a lot of work to do as the servant of the people, so I will like to stay just with one wife. If I can have the strength and power later, maybe I will take one more. But if you have a lot of work to do outside, you have to rest; you have a lot of work to do inside also. You have to satisfy your wives. But if it is only one, we can still be managing out of love. We serve the community together.

     

    How much pressure are you getting from your community to marry another wife?

    No pressure, because I’m serving them. That is my personal life. Kingship is different now; you have to be able to serve your people. Getting a wife is a personal thing. I know that they don’t want another wife that will poison me again. A wife that because she is not getting enough money, she wants to poison you, she wants to sell you out to people that contested the stool with you; a wife that wants to take ransom since she came into the palace on contract basis with her handlers.

    I didn’t know her from Canada; I knew her from Nigeria. She had handlers who set her up for the palace. Guess what they told her to do? Many things. Since the day she got in, she had been recording. Why would a woman be recording for four years? When I got her and I said this is what you have been doing and she started asking for ransom, threatening that she would release the video to the public, I said go and put it out. If God is the one that put me on this throne, nobody can remove me. Olodumare, God vindicated me.

     

    How soon are we expecting another queen?

    I will take my time. I’m not in a rush. Let everybody go and take it easy. I’m not in a rush. I will take my time; I will have a great wife.

  • BREAKING: Gunshots as Aregbesola’s loyalists hold parallel Congress in Osun

    BREAKING: Gunshots as Aregbesola’s loyalists hold parallel Congress in Osun

     

    There was tension at the Ogo-Oluwa area via Ladsol where the loyalists of Minister for Interior, Rauf Aregbesola are holding the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Congress on Saturday.

    The loyalists under a group within the party named The Osun Progressives (TOP) gathered to endorsed the Caretaker Secretary of the party, Hon Rasaq Salinsile as chairman.

    READ ALSO: Chaos as parallel executives emerge in Niger APC

    The Nation gathered operatives of the Nigeria Security Civil Defense Corps(NSCDC) shot sporadically into the air to prevent suspected thugs from invading the premises where the Congress was holding.

    The incident, which happened around 1pm, caused pandemonium in the areas as party members scampered to safety.

    It was gathered that scores of party members were injured during the pandemonium.

    Details shortly….

  • BREAKING: Governor stranded as Niger APC holds parallel State Congress

    BREAKING: Governor stranded as Niger APC holds parallel State Congress

    Niger Governor Abubakar Sani-Bello was left stranded for over 20 minutes in a coastal bus where he was smuggled in to the venue of the All Progressives Congress(AP) State Congress on Saturday.

    The Governor was brought into the Legbo Kutigi Conference Centre, venue of the Congress, in a 20-seater bus through the back gate.

    But neither he nor the other occupants could step out of the bus after waiting for over 20 minutes.

    READ ALSO: Chaos as parallel executives emerge in Niger APC

    The Congress at the centre was yet to take off but a group already elected Hon Nasiru Ubandiya as chairman of Niger APC.

    The Nation learnt the Governor, after the wait, returned to the Government House with his team to restrategise after receiving reports of the factional Congress in Bay Clinic road in Tunga.

    Findings have it that the Governor had gotten feelers of another Congress and needed to return to the Government House with his team to restrategise.

    Details shortly…

  • BREAKING: APC suspends Oyo State Congress

    BREAKING: APC suspends Oyo State Congress

    The Caretaker Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended the ongoing State Congress in Oyo state due to alleged forging of documents meant for the exercise and other irregularities.

    Chairman of the Caretaker Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Mai Mala Buni gave the order.

    He has also directed the State Congress Committee to return to Abuja for further directives.

    An impeccable source in the National Secretariat of the party on Saturday morning in Abuja said the suspension became necessary to ensure the credibility of the process leading to the emergence of new leaders in the Oyo State.

    The Nation gathered that the decision to this effect was in line with the Buni-led Caretaker Committee resolve not to tolerate acts of indiscipline and fraudulent manipulation of the process of any kind.

    “It has become necessary to suspend the ongoing State Congress exercise in Oyo state due to information regarding the forging of documents meant to conduct this exercise.

    “The national chairman has ordered the Oyo state Congress Committee to return to the National Secretariat for further briefing,” our source hinted.

    Efforts to reach APC Caretaker Committee Secretary, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, failed as he did not pick calls and text messages sent to him by The Nation.

  • PDP: Southwest leaders split over deputy chairman slot

    PDP: Southwest leaders split over deputy chairman slot

    The last is yet to be heard about the zoning crisis in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite ratification of the zoning of National Working Committee (NWC) positions by the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi Zoning Committee.

    Leaders of the party in the Southwest are still at loggerheads over who should be presented as the zone’s choice for the position of Deputy National Chairman. The position has been micro-zoned to Osun State by leaders of the party in the zone.

    Conflicting reports continue to emerge from the state over who the consensus candidate is for the position of National Secretary. But factions of the party in the state, with the backing of prominent chieftains and groups within and outside Osun State, have continued to battle for the slot, making a decision on a consensus candidate difficult.

    Checks by The Nation revealed that efforts made by some elders of the party in the zone to make the various stakeholders agree on the matter were rebuffed by the gladiators.

    A former member of the National Assembly from Osun West said yesterday: “It is not true to say Osun PDP has failed to unite and produce a candidate for the position. The truth is that the confusion is actually being created by leaders, groups and interests beyond Osun State.

    “The two groups that have been battling for the control of the party in the zone are the same people behind the ongoing struggle for the National Secretary slot. The resolution of the current impasse is beyond us in Osun.

    “As it is, we may go to the convention divided over most of the positions allocated to us in the Southwest.”

    In the Southeast, the efforts made by governors and leaders of the PDP to nominate a consensus candidate for the position of National Secretary have paid off with Senator Samuel Anyanwu emerging as the consensus candidate of the zone for the position. Anyanwu was a member of the 8th National Assembly who represented Imo East Senatorial District in the Senate on the platform of the PDP.

    The resolution was contained in a statement issued PDP’s National Vice Chairman (South East), Chief Ali Odefa, yesterday.

    The statement released to the media by Odefa reads in part: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Southeast Zone has once again displayed its maturity and readiness to reclaim all its stolen mandates in the zone through the peaceful and united manner in which the zone arrived at a consensus in nominating an illustrious son of the zone, Sen. Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu (Sam Daddy) as the zone’s sole candidate for the position of National Secretary of our great party ahead of our national convention.

    “Despite the desperation of political jobbers and power mongers who have adopted all manner of undemocratic moves to lure away our members, the Southeast remains a stronghold of the PDP, and we assure our teeming members and supporters that our great party remains strong, firm, on the ground and poised for victory as the 2023 general elections approach.”

    As at yesterday, reports said the two PDP factions in Osun State opted to adopt different candidates for the position. The Soji Adagunodo-led faction met and adopted a former governor of the state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, as the consensus candidate of Osun State, for the Deputy National Chairman position.

    Adagunodo, the suspended state chairman of the PDP, enjoys the support of the group loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in the Southwest. Makinde is currently the only PDP governor in the zone.

    Read Also: Southeast PDP nominates Anyanwu as consensus candidate for National Secretary

    On the other hand, the faction led by the Acting State Chairman, Sunday Bisi, according to reports, nominated Prof. Wale Oladipo as its preferred candidate. In a communique at the end of an extraordinary emergency stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo on Thursday, the faction stated that Prof. Oladipo was nominated based on the zoning and micro-zoning of the position to the state by the national headquarters and the zonal leadership of the party in the Southwest.

    While Nathaniel Ojetunji, PDP Chairman in Olorunda Local Government Area of the State, nominated Oladipo for the position, he was seconded by Abiodun Fafaojo from Ayedaade Local Government Area.

    However, the other faction of the party led by Adagunodo is insisting that its choice of Oyinlola, a former Military Administrator of Lagos State, is supported by numerous prominent chieftains of the PDP in Osun State. Amongst these are Shuaib Oyedokun, former Deputy National Chairman, South; Chairman, Elders’ Caucus, Senator Olu Alabi; Senator Francis Fadahunsi; Akin Ogunbiyi; Segun Odekunmi, Secretary of the Elders’ Caucus of Osun PDP and Olusola Obada, a former Osun State Deputy Governor and ex-Minister of State for Defence (Navy).

    Checks by The Nation further revealed that the confusion over the position goes beyond Osun State. According to very reliable party sources, Oyinlola is being backed by the Governor Makinde faction of the party in the Southwest.

    At the time of filing this report, he enjoyed the support of the leadership of the party in Lagos, Oyo and Ondo states. “We are also very much on ground in Osun State as you can see from the arrays of party leaders that gathered at the endorsement of our preferred candidate in the state,” a source said.

    On the other hand, Prof. Oladipo, banking on the support of the group led by Ayo Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State, is hoping to add the support of the leadership of the PDP in Ekiti and Ogun states to the strength of the Bisi-led faction of the party in his native Osun State to drive him to victory in the race.

    Meanwhile, The Nation gathered that another meeting to discuss the stalemate over the position has been called for next week by Board of Trustees (BoT) members of the party in the zone. “We are hoping the meeting will be able to resolve the face-off and save the Southwest PDP from embarrassment at the convention,” our source added.

    How Southeast settled for Anyanwu as PDP national secretary

    Some stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Southeast yesterday narrated how the former member representing Imo East in the Senate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, was selected as the zone’s consensus candidate for national secretary ahead of the party’s national convention.

    They alleged that a governor from South-South region who nominated Senator Anyanwu virtually forced down his choice on the two governors from the Southeast.

    While Chief Okey Aroh, a member of the party’s national executive council who was running for National Secretary from Anambra State could not be reached for comments, former governor of Imo State Chief Achike Udenwa and the Imo State chairman of the PDP, Engr. Charles Ugwu, refused to be drawn into the subject.

    However, one of the stakeholders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Nation that “Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Okezie Ikpeazu of Enugu and Abia states respectively came to the meeting and just announced the selection of Senator Anyanwu.

    “Most of the people who attended vehemently objected to it and refused to accept that decision.

    “The entire Anambra delegation led by Peter Obi rejected it. Imo delegates led by former Governors Emeka Ihedioha and Achike Udenwa also rejected it. The state chairmen of some of the states also said no. The meeting ended without any agreement.

    “What was most annoying to Southeast leaders was that Senator Samuel Anyanwu is being imposed on them by a governor from the South-South who nominated him. He is forcing down his choice on the governors from the Southeast.

    “The meeting was attended by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, Onyema Ugochukwu and many others. Most of them didn’t agree with the imposition of Senator Anyanwu as secretary, as he wasn’t a product of the zone.

    “Definitely, Anambra and Imo states have better materials for the office if it was zoned to them.”

     

  • Woman impregnated twice by her twin brother insists on marrying him

    Woman impregnated twice by her twin brother insists on marrying him

    If it were possible to turn back the hands of the clock, Amos Kunde would be the happiest man on earth. He would do anything to reverse an adventure that culminated in getting his twin sister Juliana pregnant twice, culminating in her being delivered of two babies for her twin brother.

    The 29-year-old native of Guma Local Government Area, Nasarawa State is in a dilemma as he says he is thoroughly embarrassed by the development while his twin sister and mother of his two children insists that she is married to him and has reached her destination as far as marriage is concerned.

    Born to the family of the late Patrick Kunde and his wife Torkwase, the family had settled in Awe LGA of Nasarawa State as farmers until the couple and other relations were killed during the farmers/herders crisis in Nasarawa State in 2013. The twins, however, survived the attacks because some merciful ones among the herdsmen who attacked their community decided to spare their lives.

    Orphaned and without any formal education, Amos and Juliana adopted farming as their source of livelihood. But because of the unsafe nature of Awe area at that time, they decided to relocate to Doku, a village in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State sharing border with Benue State.

    For three successive farming seasons, Amos and his twin sister were blessed with good harvests, prompting their decision to stay put in the area. Although Juliana was deflowered by a boyfriend of hers who incidentally was also killed during the herdsmen attack, in Doma, she found solace in the brotherly love exhibited by Amos until the devil visited and they started an amorous relationship until Juliana became pregnant sometime in 2015.

    The twins, however, tried to keep it secret and made several attempts to abort the pregnancy without success and Juliana was eventually delivered of a baby girl. The widely held belief in the community, however, was that Juliana was impregnated by someone other than her twin brother, particularly as she had told some members of the community who cared to know that the man that got her pregnant had run away.

    Since the twins are not Doku indigenes, not many people in the area were really interested in whatever they chose to do with their lives. But curiousity was provoked in the village last year as Juliana took in again and came up with the same story as the first pregnancy.

    As the 2021 farming season approached in April, they took advantage of the farmers/herders crisis in Doma which claimed the lives of more than 50 farmers and displaced virtually the entire inhabitants by moving to Tse Ugba village in Keana LGA of Nasarawa State to continue their farming activities.

    Because Tse Ugba was a new environment and life was disrupted in many settlements around Nasarawa State during the April/May crisis, many of the people in their new settlement concluded that they were husband and wife. They settled down in the community and Juliana was delivered of a baby boy about three months ago.

    The bubble however burst last week when Amos decided to take a legitimate wife from the proceeds of the farm produce they had both laboured for. He met a stiff resistance from Juliana, a nursing mother who demanded to know her fate and those of her two kids when the new wife arrives.

    Unfortunately, Amos’ response to her poser was far from encouraging as he allegedly told her that it was high time she began to look for a husband, adding that he was done with her and needed a legitimate wife.

    Irked that her twin brother could seek to dump her for another woman after sleeping with her to produce two kids, Juliana resolved not to have any of her brother’s antics. Both of them are now in a fix as to what to do about the ugly development since Juliana decided to spill the beans.

    Our correspondent, who got wind of the development, visited their new settlement in Tse Ugba, a border community with Benue State to enquire into the scandal.

    Upon his arrival in the village, the twin couple was seated under a mango tree alongside their first born baby after an intense quarrel.

     

    How it all started

    First to speak with our correspondent was Juliana who did a summary of all that had transpired between them since they started an amorous relationship. She said it started as a joke on the farm which later resulted in the both of them having sex at home later that night.

    She said: “Then, we were stranded in Doma because Awe was no longer safe for us as orphans who are purely farmers. Relocating from Awe after losing our parents and relatives to herdsmen killings, we were in the farm arranging harvested yams when his trouser tore as he made to sit down to eat, and I saw his big and long manhood and smiled.

    “When he noticed that I smiled, he asked why and I told him that his manhood could kill someone’s daughter. We both laughed over it.

    “That same day, after we returned home from the farm, I was trying to turn food in our local kitchen in the night and he entered unnoticed to check whether all his chickens had roosted.

    “I was not sitting well and did not have any underwear on as I was turning the food. I only put on a wrapper. Then he saw my private part because he was flashing a torch to check his chickens in the kitchen.

    “Then he saw my pussy and shouted in appreciation of how big it was. I told him that we are twins and that we were bound to have the same features; maybe we took that from our late parents.

    “The incident later resulted in sex in our thatched house. He came to my room in the night, asking for a razor blade. From there, I agreed to his request for a sex test since both of us appreciated each other’s private organs, though it was also a bid to satisfy our sexual urge since both of us had not had sex after we relocated amidst herdsmen crisis and lost contacts with our loved ones.

    “But somehow, it became regular as both of us enjoyed it.”

    Juliana said from that point, the affair continued and they both agreed to keep it secret. Within the period, she said, they had two kids together.

    She said: “He never promised to marry another woman. What he told me was that we would make efforts to send them to school since both of us never went to school; that we were tired of moving from one settlement to another since sex was secretly involved in the relationship and he became my husband and from the blue.

    “Them he suddenly came up with a plan to take a wife. I asked him about my fate and those of our two kids since the new wife would come in and may not accept the development on ground.

    “I told him that with two kids, it is as good as we are married and there is no need bringing in somebody who would frustrate the kids.

    Read Also: Herdsman impregnated my wife, vows to take my life, Nasarawa farmer cries out from hiding

    “He told me and the kids to find our level. I won’t accept that. He lured me into this mess and he can’t abandon me now. His insistence on marrying a new wife without convincing me brought about the current crisis.”

    Juliana also told our correspondent during a one on one conversation that she could not afford to share Amos with any woman because he is too good in bed.

    She said: “He is quite good in bed. My former boyfriend, I mean the one who deflowered me in Awe but was killed by herdsmen is not anywhere near Amos in bed. He was quite gentle when we started, but what attracted me to him was the size and length of his dick. But as we move on much more regularly, I realised he was an expert in bed, and that really speeded up and tightened the relationship.

    “He would throw me unto the bed, rip my clothes off and start the game in a very crazy way while slapping my boobs. He does it well and straight and did all other things to my satisfaction that it made me forget that we are brother and sister.

    “He really gets me exhausted each time we play game, so I really felt bad and sad that someone else would share such with me. It is giving me a headache.”

    She said she never thought that she could get pregnant when they started. “But when pregnancy came and I told him about it, we made fruitless effort to abort it to no avail. That was when we hatched this plan to keep it secret, and moving from one village to another due to herdsmen attacks helped the secret a great deal. That also took us far into the relationship.”

     

    ‘How my sister seduced me’

    Amos, who reluctantly spoke with our correspondent, said his sister was the one that seduced him by always exposing herself while they worked together on the farm and whenever she was preparing food in the kitchen at home.

    He said: “She knows that I always check on my chickens at night, so she would sit half naked before me. At first, it was embarrassing to me, but later I discovered that her actions were deliberate since she saw my private organ on the farm. “I noticed that her actions were an open invitation, and as a man, the devil visited me that faithful night when I needed a razor blade from her and the temptation came, leading to something else. We continued from that point with the result of two kids.

    •Juliana and Amos with their two children

    “My major reason for deciding to get married is for the woman to help me on the farm since she is nursing a baby. I didn’t mean to dump her. But she refused.

    “Secondly, I did not understand how I would marry my own blood sister. It is a taboo and abomination in the land, though the thought came late. But I wanted to correct it and she is raising genuine issues about her future and the kids.

    “But I thought she could get married and leave the kids with me while I remain with my wife who will take care of them, because it is a taboo. The kids may not survive in the future. That is what a friend told me and we need to correct it now.”

    “I regret what happened and the shame my conduct from day one has brought to me, her and our late parents and relations. We never bargained for this when our parents and relations were murdered in cold blood by the herdsmen.”

    Amos insisted that nothing would stop him from taking a new wife because he is reliably told that the children he is having with his blood sister may not survive.

    “It is a taboo and abomination in the land. They may one day die mischievously. That is my fear. That is why I want to take a wife, but she does not want to understand my own views,” he added.

    One of the elders in the village, Elder Kertyo Abiin, who is privy to the development, told our correspondent that what is happening is a taboo in the culture of the land.

    “The two kids will not survive. It is not done anywhere. But these people are foreigners here. They only came to this place a few months ago from Doma during the crisis. But I am discussing with them to find a solution to the problem.

    “He actually pleaded to keep the matter secret and resolve it without inviting security agents because there is nothing they can do as the harm has already been done long ago.

    “There is nothing any security man can do, and no court in the land can resolve the issue because the relationship has already produced two kids.

    “So I hope to handle it in the traditional way,” he said.