The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • Uju Muphy savours single’s life

    Leggy beauty and top socialite, Uju Murphy, is having a ball. She is savouring her ‘freedom’ from matrimonial entanglement. The social lioness seems to be not in a hurry to settle her differences with her estranged husband who has also been living without a woman since they parted ways.

    There is every reason to believe that Uju is not really complaining about her single status. She is seen always looking relaxed and at peace with herself. She is no doubt living life to the fullest, apparently with no feeling of nostalgia about her days with her hubby. The fruitful and once smooth union turned sour when darts were thrown at their balloon of love.

    Many had thought their misunderstanding was only a storm in a tea cup. But their separation has rolled from days into weeks, months and years. Close associates of Uju, a mother of two, say she is not in a hurry to go back to her estranged husband. She is also said not to be considering any relationship for now

  • This one life, this one chance

    I love music to my bones and as shy as I may be sometimes, I never run away from a good dance. Dance. Well, that’s another thing. I’ve never been a good dancer, but what does that mean to a soul that loves music like I do. So when I woke up the morning after I returned from England, I talked to my Maker and then I got some music into my system and I really danced. I danced this time because of many reasons. I have the chance to dance now, so I want to do as much of it as I can. I later went to the large mirror in my bathroom and switched on the light overhead it and took a look at my face. I did what came next to my mind; I touched it tenderly and brushed some colors into it. I’m not usually one to give much time for vanity, but I felt I had the chance to do that and I needed to do it to my satisfaction.

    On transit in France, I sat close to an old woman, and life’s many lessons stared me in the face again yet again. The old woman was on a wheelchair and my attempt to say hello to her didn’t evoke any reaction. I used ‘style’ to study her closely. The hair on her head was grey and matted roughly. The matting must have been on for more than a month (we women know when we see these things). She stared blankly into space and didn’t seem interested in anything around her. I almost thought she was deaf but when one of the staff of the airline came to speak with her and she nodded, I saw I was wrong.

    Before time, boarding started and she was wheeled to the aircraft. I soon forgot about her.

    I was seated just after the toilet by the aisle and I had the misfortune of seeing everybody going to and fro the toilet but I tried to enjoy my television entertainment. The old woman came back to my consciousness when she walked on her feet to the toilet. Of course, a cabin crew was closely behind her. She went into the toilet, sat on the seat and didn’t bother to lock the door behind her. The cabin crew cast a knowing look at me and I winked. The woman is probably too old to bother about closing toilet doors and may not even care about whoever sees her nakedness these days.

    I tried to imagine this same woman ten years before now and my mind tells me that she might have done things differently. Ten years in our lives are precious years that we cannot get back. Maybe this same old woman of today would not step out of her house without her make-up properly done. Maybe she was such a healthy and happy woman back then and wouldn’t need anybody to guide her to the market, let alone toilet. Maybe in her hay days she cared so much about her privacy that blowing her nose alone had to be done discreetly and woe betided anybody that stumbled on her in the toilet. But today, all that seems to be history.

    So many things crop up in the human life that we sometimes cannot control. For some, tragedy and the loss of close family members stop the tickling of the clock and the sound of music. For some, bad health creeps in and makes strong legs weak and dependency on others sets in. For others, economic hardship and certain misfortunes change everything and life becomes difficult.

    For me, this year alone, I have lost a sister, a favorite in-law and one of my best friends, Ebecks (Tunde Ajewole initiator and producer of Elaloro on radio). I always thought these people would be always be there to play and laugh with. If I could have the chance to see them again, I wouldn’t postpone sharing a good laugh in the name of being busy. Now I have missed that chance. Thank God for the times we had and the fun we had together. All I have left are memories.

    Life’s unpredictable turns happen when we least expect them, but it is easier to bear if we have memories of the good things we did when life presented them. Like that old woman, I may not be able to hold my make-up brush in years to come and I may not be able to twist to the good music I hear, but now that I have the chance, I want to build enough memories to last me a lifetime.

    Somebody was quoted as saying, “We have one life, one chance, and what we do with it is up to us”. What are the opportunities you have today that you are keeping till later? Make use of it now. The chance you have now may not repeat itself. Who is that man or woman you love so much but whom you haven’t spoken to because you’re waiting for the right time? They may be planning to leave town because they’re lonely and you don’t know. This is your chance to get what you want by talking to them. Below are quotes from some people about missed time and missed chances. Learn from them and make use of the chance you have now.

    “Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back. That’s part of what it means to be alive. But inside our heads – at least that’s where I imagine it – there’s a little room where we store those memories. A room like the stacks in this library. And to understand the workings of our own heart we have to keep on making new reference cards. We have to dust things off every once in awhile, let in fresh air, change the water in the flower vases. In other words, you’ll live forever in your own private library.” ¯ Haruki Murakami.

    “Moments, when lost, can’t be found again. They’re just gone.” ¯ Jenny Han.

    “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.” ¯ Harriet Beecher Stowe.

    “Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment and especially on their children than the unlived life of the parent.” ¯ C.G. Jung.

    “There was another life that I might have had, but I am having this one.” ¯ Kazuo Ishiguro.

    “Don’t fear death, fear the un-lived life- Angus Tuck.

  • I don’t have the passion for sex but my woman demands for it

    Mine always demand for sex but I don’t get the passion and I love her so much.

    I wish I knew why you do not have a passion for sex. One thing I’m sure of however is that women enjoy being chased for relationships and later sex. So when a man acts like he’s not interested at all, it makes the woman do the chasing in order to be sure that nothing is wrong.

    I don’t know how old you are, but I know that later on in men’s life, some may slow down on sex. Work pressure, family problems and so on may also contribute to lack of interest in sex.

    Below are so some tips to get the burner on for you in the bedroom:

    Get a medical checkup: To eliminate physiological causes for your lack of desire, a trip to your family physician or gynecologist may be in order. Ask if hormone replacement therapy such as testosterone would be appropriate. Evaluate whether side effects from medications or medical conditions are a factor in your situation. Discuss whether herbal remedies or dietary changes may be helpful.

    Make having a satisfying sexual relationship a bigger priority in your life: There are at least two very important reasons that you should take your sex life off the back burner and pay attention to it. The first is your relationship with your spouse. Your marriage depends on it.

    Your spouse’s feelings about himself/herself depend on it. Your future together depends on it. You have to stop thinking you can have a great relationship without satisfying sex unless your partner wholeheartedly agrees. Don’t resign yourself to passionless lovemaking or a relationship void of true intimacy.

    Even elderly and chronically ill people can enjoy a robust sex life. The second reason is that unless you are truly enjoying your intimate relationship, you are really cheating yourself! If you aren’t all that interested in sex at the moment, you are probably thinking, “I don’t feel cheated at all,” but I’d like for you to take a moment and think back to a time when sex was more fulfilling.

    Really think about it. Wasn’t it wonderful? Didn’t it feel great? Recall what it felt like to be a more passionate, sensual person. Didn’t you feel better about yourself? Wasn’t it more fun? When you think back to times when things were better between you sexually, you may ask yourself what happened to your passion and what caused this to change in you. You may also wonder if you will ever feel the same way about being sexual as you once did. Perhaps it’s the seesaw phenomenon at work; the more one person does of something, the less the other person does. Well, this holds true for sexual issues as well.

    Since your spouse has been the one to focus on sex in your marriage and you have felt pressured about it, you have backed away. In fact, it’s entirely possible that the cat and mouse dynamic in your relationship has dampened your desire, even fooled you into thinking you don’t like sex anymore. But this isn’t necessarily so. Your negative feelings or apathy may have more to do with the chase than sex itself. In order to change this, one of two things must happen. Your spouse can stop chasing (and you better believe that this will be one of my suggestions), or you can become more proactive for making things better between you. Since you are the one asking for advice, I am going to strongly suggest that it is you who has to take charge of changing things. You need to start to figure out the steps you ought to take to feel more passion and desire. Make feeling sexier your pet project. If you don’t, you are missing out on one of life’s greatest joys, feeling truly intimate with the person you love. Don’t shortchange yourself. Forget about doing this strictly for your partner or the marriage, do it for you!

  • Sumbo Famuyibo set for mum’s rite of passage

    Erelu Sumbo Famuyibo, the wife of Otunba Reuben Famuyibo, who celebrated her 50th birthday in Ibadan, Oyo State a few months ago, is bereaved. Penultimate Wednesday, she lost her loving mother, Mrs Marian Adesulure. The deceased reportedly died in her sleep.

    She was reputed as a successful textile dealer at Gbagi Market in Ibadan until she passed on. Before her death, she had maintained a strong relationship with Erelu Sumbo Famuyibo. “Mama and Sumbo were very close. I don’t think anyone in this world can fill the vacuum Mama left behind,” said a family source.

    Already, arrangements are being made for the burial which will take place on December 20 and 21 in Ondo town. According to those who should know, Erelu Sumbo Famuyibo’s husband, Otunba Famuyibo, will be pulling all the stops to give her mother-in-law a befitting rite of passage. Otunba Famuyibo is the owner of defunct Frontage Satelite Television (FSTV).

    It will be recalled that the Ekiti State-born businessman had entered Nigeria’s private satellite television sector with much aplomb. He went everywhere pontificating on how he had travelled abroad to import the world’s best equipment to force his competitors out of business within the shortest time possible. Accordingly, many cable-hungry Nigerians trooped to town and got FSTV dishes in anticipation of better service and cheaper rates that would force down subscription charges imposed by other operators.

    His company had hardly commenced operation when he ran back to town regaling his customers with tales of how his major rival, DSTV, had resorted to tactics that could muscle him out of business. Today, FSTV exists without a visible operational base while other cable companies that came after it are still in business.

  • Soweto Gospel Choir for CARNIRIV 2012

    The Soweto Gospel Choir, a Grammy Award winner, will be top on the bill for this year’s CARNIRIV. They will be performing at the Civic Centre, Port Harcourt December 9. This is part of the activities for this year’s festival.

    The organisers, in a release, stated that this is part of the efforts of the Chibuike Amaechi-led government to promote River State as a destination.

    The Rivers State Tourism Development  Agency (RSTDA) has even promised that this year’s edition will be the best so far organized and that  it has made ready everything that is necessary for the hosting of the biggest carnival ever known.

    According to Dr. Sam Dede, RSTDA director-general, this year’s carnival is a commemorative edition, and it has been

    titled CARNIRIV 2012 Port Harcourt 100 Edition in celebration of the centenary anniversary of the existence of Port Harcourt.

    He said the carnival will be celebrated with its unique blends of culture, music and entertainment as well as the participation of international stars, thereby underlining the distinctiveness and multifaceted character of CARNIRIV as a global carnival brand compared to any similar carnival held elsewhere. He also promised that local and international tourists that will attend the carnival will savour the full bouquet of A-list events already packaged  to make CARNIRIV 2012 an unforgettable experience.

    To this end, he revealed that Grammy Award-winning reggae star and rapper, Shaggy; compatriot and fellow reggae singer, Patra ,popularly called the Queen of the Pack; and gospel music  sensation, Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa, are some of the international music acts and groups that will light up the state at this year’s edition of CARNIRIV. The carnival holds from December 8 to 15 in Port Harcourt, the capital city. The director-general explained that arrangements have been concluded with a number of local and international stars and entertainers that will thrill guests on various  days and across various segments of the carnival including the opening and closing ceremonies on December 10 and 15 respectively.

    According to him, one of the high profile events for this year is the Christian interdenominational CARNIRIV Praise

    Jam slated for Sunday, December 9 at 7pm at the Civic Centre, Port Harcourt during which Grammy Award winner, the Soweto Gospel Choir, will be in their best element with soul-lifting songs. ‘‘This is an ice-breaker event for CARNIRIV 2012. The best gospel artistes within and outside the country are expected to grace this stage in an evening fused with soulful and uplifting music requisite for inspiring the added spiritual ambience which the Port Harcourt Carnival ordinarily thrives on’’, Dede said.   He revealed further that Shaggy and Patra alongside other top local and international artistes are expected to storm Reggae-360, an event organised for reggae lovers and connoisseurs alike on Thursday, December 13. ‘‘As music is largely incomplete without a tinge of reggae timbering away in its familiar pulse-like rhythm, so is the carnival incomplete without a well-rounded reggae feast’’, he declared.

    While informing that Dance of Fireflies (DOFF) is another thrilling event in which renowned musicians and entertainment buffs will be treated to good music, Dede said DOFF forms the theme of the opening ceremony concert. He said the concert will feature a well-choreographed, dance collage compromising indigenous riverine dances and calisthenics for the enactment of a dance Drama titled “The Return of the Mangrove Giant”.

     

     

     

     

    Still on the entertainment side, he said it will be another evening of excitement on Wednesday, December 12 as lovers

    of African music gather for the Black African Music Festival (BAMFest). This is a celebration of the black African heritage

    which stretches beyond the continent of Africa? Expected at BAMFest are select black musicians from the Americas,

    Caribbean islands, Europe and Africa. HOSH Jam, a concert which reminiscences the splendour, ease and rustic charm

    of night life in the 60s and 70s, is equally billed for December 11.

     

     

  • ‘I’ve learnt to adjust to life in Nigeria’

    ‘I’ve learnt to adjust to life in Nigeria’

    Juliet Esiri, CEO of Okin Arewa Beauty Centre, is one of the top-most make-up artists and headgear specialists in the UK where she lived for about 20 years. Recently, the beauty specialist partially relocated to Nigeria to reconnect with her roots as well as to share her expertise in the beauty and style sector with her compatriots. She spoke to a group of journalists at her newly opened beauty centre in Surulere, Lagos, where she bared her mind on the new trends in beauty and skin care, life abroad, coping with life in Nigeria, what motivated her into make-up artist and other issues. PATIENCE SADUWA, Assistant Editor, was there. Excerpts:

     

    MY name is Juliet Esiri. I’m from Delta State. I’ve been away for a long time, I have been abroad, precisely in the UK. I’m now back in the country. Previously, I used to come to Nigeria often, visiting like three times a year. I’m the CEO of Okin Arewa. Let me explain something about the name of my company. When I was brainstorming for a name, I wanted something with an African heritage. Though it has nothing to do with my tribe but I could say I’m a citizen of Yorubaland as I was born and bred in Ibadan. I speak Yoruba as a first language- I read and write in Yoruba. On the name, Okin is a peacock and it’s a beautiful bird. I love it so much and I could sit and watch it all day. It’s an outstanding bird- classy and walks elegantly. It opens up its wings elegantly. You can’t see the peacock misbehaving. Since I wanted something with an African heritage and I have an English name, I needed something different. Arewa is a beautiful woman in Yoruba. And I deal with women and I believe everywoman is beautiful.

     

    How the business started

    I started with make-up and head-ties. I’ve always loved make-up from a very young age. I feed on magazines and was always in touch with the latest trends.

    I went to make up school and I qualified as a make-up artiste. But before then, friends encouraged me to do that because they saw the passion in me, what I do, though I was not doing it as business.

    The break-through really was at a party in London. It was my pastor’s 50th birthday. I was helping a lady tie her gele, because we did aso-ebi. And at a point in time, I stood up and there was a queue of ladies and some were saying, “Where are you, there’s a lady tying gele here!” That day, I did almost 95 percent of the head ties at that party. It got to a stage that my friend came to drag me away, that I had to stop as I was there to enjoy the party, not tie gele for people.

    When I got home that night, it was like the Lord was speaking to me that ‘if you had charged for the head-ties that day, how much would you have made?’ I really had no idea. So, I started making enquiries.

    I contacted this guy in America whom I met at a party. His name is Segun Gele. I told him I had finished from make-up school and I wanted to know how to tie gele. He said it was fine. I travelled all the way to Houston, Texas to be trained by him. I happened to be his first student.

    Since then, I’ve created a brand for myself in the UK so that when people see my work, they will say, ‘that’s Juliet Esiri’s gele!’ Though, today I’ve trained so many people and reborn myself in the UK, you can still see the signature look in my work. I thank God for that.

     

    Experience living abroad

    My experience abroad has been fine actually. But when I clocked ten years, I started feeling home-sick. I love living in the UK, but maybe because I’m getting older, I feel the need to come back home. But my kids are right now in the UK but once they set foot in Nigeria, I will say that is it. What I missed most about Nigeria is the food. I love amala and gbegiri. I can eat amala three times a day with ewedu and gbegiri soup. You know I’m an Ibadan girl. I was born and bred in Ibadan, though I’m Urhobo by tribe from Delta State. I also love ponmo a lot.

     

    Schooling and working life

    I went to London Metropolitan University and studied Law. After that, I worked, then did another degree in Social Work and became a social worker, working in mental health with the NHS. That’s another area I’m passionate about. I was a support worker.

    From when I qualified, it’s been seven years since I started as a make-up artist. I will say even though I’m not making money, I enjoy what I do. When you enjoy what you do, you don’t see anything bad in it. But I was never out of job in the UK. Even when I was coming to Nigeria to set up this place, there were some clients who were begging me to stay for another two weeks for their events. So, it’s a very lucrative business. Since I have always wanted to be on top of my game, I ensure every year, I go for refresher classes to see what’s in town, what’s the new trend, what’s happening. About five years ago, I did a refresher course with Banke Meshida as I believe in training. Right now, the industry is highly saturated in Nigeria but I believe in quality. So, even when it’s saturated, your clients will be loyal to you. We have billions of women and they all want to look good.

     

    New thing in the beauty business in Nigeria

    Before I came to set this up, I did my research. I have brides that will tell me ‘oh I’m going to have my massage, facials and teeth whitening done.’ These are the things I’ve brought in. Here is a one stop-centre. The teeth whitening is a new thing I’ve brought in. I’m a qualified, certified dental technician and I’m offering the service here. I deliberately introduced teeth whitening because of my brides because some of them often miss appointments as they have to see their dentists. But it’s not just for brides- I’ve done some for guys as well.

    When I was working in the UK, I wasn’t into other body services but here you can come for your make-up, body polish, teeth whitening, among others. My services are affordable compared to what I charge in the UK. I’ve made my services affordable for the average Nigerian.

    On the skin lightening, we use herbal products for the facials and the skin. I’m against hydroquinone because of the damage it does to the skin. Some brides want to lighten up a bit, maybe they’ve lost their colour. And there are no side effects with herbal products with natural ingredients like carrots, papaya and so on. It’s not black skin alone I work on. I also do Caucasian skin as well. I’ve done make-up for them too including working for a Vogue magazine shoot. I actually trained for Caucasian skin before I started working on black skin.

     

    Coping with life in Nigeria

    Anyway, I’m a Nigerian, so that’s not a problem. Anywhere I am, I tend to adapt easily. In my house, when the light goes off, I switch off the generator at midnight so I can save some diesel. I took the okada once or twice because I wanted to have a feel of what’s like. I’ve also taken the three-wheeler or keke. I told a friend with me to take my picture so I could put it on my face book page. So, I adapt easily. When I’m back in the UK, I will adapt also. And when in Nigeria, I can sit down and drink garri with groundnut.

     

    Leisure time

    When I’m not working, I relax at home. I’m a very homely person. I love movies, especially Nollywood films. I can stay and watch movies till I get knocked off by sleep. Once in a while, I take my kids to the cinema to watch movies. I also like to eat out a lot.

    For sports, I used to play basketball, but now I swim. I love swimming.

     

    Coping with life as a working mother

    I’m blessed with a very good mother. My mother has been my support with the children. Right now, she’s in the UK with the kids. She’s a very strict disciplinarian. The things they get away with, with me, they can’t get away with her. So, they are in good, safe hands. I speak to them every morning before they go to school and I also call them at night, every day. That’s our routine.

    Sense of style

    I’m a very simple person when it comes to dressing. Once in a while, we do aso-ebi and do this flamboyant style stuff but I like to be simple as possible. I love my jeans and my top.

     

    Nigerian women and fashion

    We are highly fashionable. Don’t say the African woman. It’s the Nigerian woman that’s fashionable, because other people from Africa look up to us and copy our style. We have the Zimbabweans, Kenyans and others who tie gele and do the pele now. They wrap it round their heads; I see them at parties in the UK. When you say you are Nigerian, they exclaim: ‘Oh, Nigerian!’ When they come to our parties, they just watch us. We are truly blessed in this country.

     

    Connection with the Royal Ascot race in the UK

    It’s an annual race course in the UK that attracts a lot of important personalities including the Queen of England. It was established by the royals and there’s a dress code. The ladies dress gorgeously and there’s a lot of competition, especially with the hats. The men also dress in formal clothes like suits. I thought what can we do as Africans that would make us stand out at this event? I organised some ladies and told them about my vision. I also discussed with Ben TV that I would love us as Nigerians to go to the Ascot. That I would do the head-ties.

    About ten of us went. I did some fantastic head-ties that mimicked the hats with fascinators and feathers. I tell you, the reception was fantastic, the way they received us and all that. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was fantastic. It was shown on Ben TV. I did it for three years and it was a success. We didn’t do it this year as we didn’t start planning on time and there was so much going on in the UK during the summer. But I hope to do it next year.

     

    Best accessories

    I used to love gold as a young girl but as I got older, I fell in love with coral. Now, I’m very prudent with my spending so I don’t buy expensive jewelry. I just go for something simple and elegant. But I love wristwatches; I’m a wristwatch freak. I love Rolex and Cartier. I used to use Longines as well. I’m not a designer freak when it comes to clothes. If you open my wardrobe, you won’t see designer stuff there. I love quality things. But I don’t believe I have to carry a £10,000 bag to look good. But if you give me one, I will carry it!

     

    Ideal man

    My husband is my ideal man. He’s the man who will support my vision and dream, will encourage me to go out and achieve whatever I want to. That’s my ideal man.

  • Basic wardrobe essentials

    Basic wardrobe essentials

    COCKTAIL Dress: – A cocktail dress is ideal to have on call for evening weddings or celebratory reception dinners.

    Belts: – Belts are no longer just for the sake of holding pants up; they are now the accessory of choice that gives an extra style flare to a gown or jacket.

    Black Dress: – The black dress is the “go to” dress for all occasions that can never stir you wrong. Whether worn with a cardigan, or by itself or with simple jewellery or statement jewellery, the black dress can go into any direction you want and need it to go.

    Neutral Tone Pants: – For more relaxed personal days a neutral pant is a great wardrobe canvas to own and can be paired with the trendy shirts you desire, tank tops, t-shirts or cardigans.

    Skirt:- The pencil skirt and high waist skirt are the new power skirts. These style skirts are style that complements a range of figures, especially a woman with curves.

    Jeans:- Jeans are now available in every wash and every style, a straight leg jean or a trouser jean are the sleek styles that allow you to dress your jeans up or down, to accommodate any part of your lifestyle.

    Collection of tank tops and t-Shirts – Tank tops are great layering pieces that can be worn with more casual looks in your wardrobe. Beyond the casual personal days, some less conservative offices also allow them to be worn with suits and sleek sandals on casual Fridays.

    White Shirt:- The White shirt is a wardrobe staple that can just be worn with everything in your closet. It can be dressed up with a suit or dressed down with a pair of jeans!

  • ‘I needed two robbery operations to raise money for my wedding’

    ‘I needed two robbery operations to raise money for my wedding’

    AN ex-convict, 34-year-old Nmaduabushi Ngoka, a native of Umuruko village, Nnewi South Local Government Area, Anambra State, has said that he became a hardened criminal after spending one year in Ikoyi Prisons in 2010. The prison, he said, is like the university for criminals where they learn a lot of lessons from experienced inmates.

    Ngoka was the second-in-command of a nine-man robbery gang who usually hired two soldiers whenever they wanted to go on a robbery operation or hijack a truck in Lagos, and was among the three suspects arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Lagos State Police Command recently.

    The two other suspects are John Ogbu (32), a native of Nkalaha village in Isielu Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, and Kelvin Ikejiaku, also 32 years old. They both confessed to the crime for which they were arrested.

    Narrating his involvement with the gang, Ngoka said he had planned to get married after two or three operations when he came out of prison. “I wanted to do society wedding which would cost me nothing less than N1 million.

    “I am a trader in Ladipo Market, Mushin. I deal in automobile antennas. Although I don’t have a shop, I display my goods on a table in front of No. 2, Akinwumi Street in Ladipo Market while I reside at Oke-Odo Ishawo area, Agric Bus Stop, Ikorodu.

    “My life had been full of ups and downs. My parents were poor people in the midst of rich people in our community. To break the poverty circle in my family, I decided to learn the art of buying and selling auto spare parts and car antennas from a man called Emmanuel Udokwu in Ladipo Market, Mushin, Lagos.

    “I graduated in 1999 and started my own business. I traded for about one year but could not make anything. The gain I made was barely enough for transportation and food. I could not even pay the rent for the one room I lived in.

    “There were nights I had to go to the canal in the market to sleep. Many of us who didn’t have houses or could not afford a room gathered there to smoke, drink and pass the night. That was where I got to know that some so-called big guys in Ladipo Market were involved in various criminal activities and they were so dangerous that policemen could not challenge them.

    “I later decided to get close to those of them who were into illegal oil bunkering. But I had to relocate to Ikorodu. I was doing very well in oil bunkering before the operatives of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) arrested us and charged us to Ipaja Magistrate Court for oil bunkering, conspiracy and armed robbery. We were sentenced to one year imprisonment in Ikoyi in 2010.

    “At the prison, I met many hardened criminals serving various terms of imprisonment. It was like a university. We learnt from the experiences of other inmates who were convicted for armed robbery, diversion of trucks and other offences. Every evening in the prison, we gathered to receive lessons from experienced inmates who narrated their exploits in armed robbery and other crimes before they were sent to jail.

    “I was arrested on February 3, 2010 and I spent four months in Federal SARS cell and was later charged to Tapa Court. We were four in number, namely Iyan, Trogbenu, UK and Innocent, all Ijaw men. I came out of prison on February 16, 2012 and went back to Ladipo Market to continue my trade in car antennas and other accessories.

    “Life was very difficult for me but I did not want to do anything that would send me back to prison. Unfortunately, I met Emeka and he introduced me to diversion/hijacking crime. It was in Ikoyi Prisons I had first met him and we later met at Ladipo Market canal where we gathered to smoke Indian hemp. He told me that his gang wanted to collect a trailer load of goods from Tin Can Island and he would like me to bring in buyers. I accepted.

    “At Tin Can Island, he introduced me to John Ogbu with who he said he had been working in diversion and hijacking business. They also said they would want me to sponsor them any time they wanted to carry out an operation by providing the money for fuel, drinks and groundnuts (bullets).

    “The first time, I gave them N25,000 but they went and did not succeed. They did not refund the money. I felt bitter over the failure of the operation, but Ogbu later introduced me to another gang led by Chidiebere and Johnson when Emeka died after a brief illness.

    “We later did two jobs. One of them was armed robbery while the other was hijacking. We started enjoying life, going to clubs, carrying women and drinking. Life became sweet for me and my friends, Chidiebere and Johnson.

    “I bought a bus which I kept at a mechanic workshop in Ikorodu. I repaired it and gave it to Chidiebere and Johnson. One day, as they were on a pleasure drive, they hit a private bus and were dragged to Morogbo Police Station. They are still there.

    “The day they wanted to do the freezer job, Ogbu brought the bus. When I gave them N10,000 for fuel and called Johnson, he said I should give him his own N10,000 so that he would give it to his pregnant wife to take care of herself before going out for the job. But I told Johnson that I had no extra N10,000 to give him. So, he could not follow them to carry out the operation. Hence, it was Dickson, Chima and their gang members that carried out the operation.

    “After they had operated under the Liver Pool Bridge at Apapa, they called me on the phone that the consignment (freezers) was ready at a warehouse very close to Guinness at Agege. On getting there, I entered the warehouse and saw the freezers.

    “The buyer later brought two vehicles, and as they were loading them, I counted the freezers and by my own reckoning, there were about 130 of them. I asked Kelvin Ikejiaku, a brother from the same village, to escort one of the vehicles while I followed the other.

    “We headed to Benin, Edo State, parked at Uruku and lodged in a hotel. The same afternoon, the buyer Nosa Ohanu, came and carried the two vehicles. Before they left, they gave me N200,000 and later gave me another N780,000, totalling N980,000.

    “Later, John kept calling me on the phone for about two weeks before I was arrested that one driver wanted to sell some seasoning and that he needed to hold some money. I told him that I was expecting some money for that day. I had wanted to give him N2,000, not knowing that he was helping SARS to track us down.

    The second suspect, Ogbu, who said his wife was already more than eight months pregnant at the time he was arrested, said he was selling male clothes when he came down to Lagos from the village in 2000.

    He said: “I was doing well and managed to raise money for visa and travelled to China in 2009. In 2011, I was repatriated back to Nigeria because my visa expired. When I landed at the Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, I thanked God that it was not because of drug that I was repatriated.

    “I later went to Oshodi to start trading along the road, not knowing that those that were trading along Oshodi Market road had been driven away and the place had been beautified. I reside at Ayobo and continued the sell clothes I imported from abroad.

    “My business was booming until customs men seized my goods; about 3000 pieces at Owode, Badagry side, Lagos. To make matters worse, armed robbers attacked me and robbed me of the little money in my hand. I had no money to send to China for them to continue to send clothes to me. When I explained to my business partners in China that I was robbed, they thought I was lying.

    “Frustrated, I moved into Ladipo Market proper. It was while I was thinking of how to survive that I met one Timothy Denison who is late now. I met him on Lagos Island and he introduced me to hijacking and and armed robbery.

    “Concerning the hijacking of a trailer load of deep freezers under the Liverpool Bridge at Apapa, they called me for it but I told them that I was not interested since my wife was pregnant and I had to find money quickly elsewhere because she was close to being delivered.”

    At this point, some members of the gang intervened, saying that Ogbu was lying and asked him to tell the truth because he participated in the operation. He then revealed the other operations he participated in before the hijacking of freezers. He said before Denison died, they did two operations together. The first, he said, was the hijacking of lorry loads of groundnut oil and rice.

    The third suspect, Kelvin Ikejiaku, said he was selling phone accessories in Maiduguri, Borno State for more than 10 years before he had a problem with the Boko Haram sect.

    He said: “One Thursday night, I was eating near my house at about 8 pm when a strange number called my phone. I listened to the background voice and found that they were speaking Hausa language, saying that they would deal with me. I was afraid. I came back to Lagos and stayed with my in-law on Jakande Estate, Okota.

    “One day, Abuchi called me on the phone. When I got there, we discussed because he is my village person. I told him that I would be travelling to Onitsha in three days time and he said it was okay. Two days later, he called and said I should meet him at Iyana Paja Bus Stop. He later took me to somewhere on a motorcycle and asked me to help him in counting some freezers.

    “The buyers of the freezers did not come on time. So, Abuchi advised me to go home and come back on the following day. The following day, a buyer came with a 10-tyre truck and I saw Dickson. He collected N30,000 from Abuchi and promised to send another money like N5,000 through the account Dickson was operating. Dickson sent the number through my handset and he later collected my own number through my friend, saying any time I deposited money in the account, Abuchi would collect it and I would tell him that Abuchi had collected it.

    “While Abuchi counted 67 deep freezers the buyer said he counted 63. Later, Abuchi ordered me to follow the vehicle to Benin so that I could count the freezers again and know the actual number. When we got to Benin, the buyer said I should not follow him to the warehouse where they intended to offload the goods. I then called Abuchi to inform him about the development but Abuchi said I should leave them.

    “The buyer took me to Zafic Hotels and paid N5,000 for a night. The following morning, Abuchi arrived Benin with the second vehicle. The next day, Abuchi gave me N21,000 for transport and feeding, pending the time he would receive the balance.”

    On how he was picked up by SARS operatives, he said he was escorting his brother, Abuchi, to Nkpor Junction to meet Ogbe who was coming to collect money from Abuchi and to conclude plans for the next operation when all of a sudden SARS men struck and arrested the three of them.

    The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umaru Manko, said the freezers were later recovered. He reiterated his stance that his men and officers would pursue any suspect to any part of the country. He said efforts were also being made to track down the two soldiers involved in the gang.

  • To stop bloodshed, we must stop corruption — Archbishop Alaba Job

    To stop bloodshed, we must stop corruption — Archbishop Alaba Job

    As the nation continues to seek ways of tackling the problem of insecurity nationwide, the Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan, Dr. Felix Alaba Job has said the only way out is for the nation to put an end to corruption.  The immediate past President of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) opined that bloodshed would not stop in the country if Nigerians don’t rise up to stop corruption.
    The amiable priest who spoke with INNOCENT DURU, reflects on his retirement due next year and other issues. Excerpts:

    You have been ordained a priest for 46 years. How would you describe the journey so far?

    It has been a glorious, pleasant and challenging journey all the way. It has been glorious because it has shown me that God is present in my life and that He chose me as an instrument in His church and for the sake of His people He has appointed me, so it has been glorious. It has also been challenging because of the ups and downs that we have in every human life. In this journey, I have the good and the not too good; I have seen the beautiful and some ugly periods of life. At my age, I only look back and say Oh Lord how wonderful you are!

      You said you have seen some challenging period in life. What are these challenges? Could you recall one or two of such?

    In my life at over 74 years, I can say that I have a few ugly periods in my life and I am not complaining about them. There is the challenge of people not accepting your sincerity, of people not accepting you for who you are as a student, as a priest, as a bishop, as  an archbishop etc. I do not like raising any hue and cry about what one has suffered because when you look at others, you will discover that yours is no event at all, nothing to write home about. So why would I talk about that? It is better to talk about the goodness of God which pervades all things and which makes life to be what it is. This is my life.

    Your retirement is fast approaching. How are you preparing for this and what would you be doing after your retirement?

    First of all, the retirement is coming and that is the canonical age. In Canon 410 paragraph (1), when you reach the age of 75 as a priest, bishop or cardinal in the Catholic Church, you write your letter of resignation. Mine is already written, but I will not tell you when I will send it. It is now left to the Pope to determine what would happen next. The present Pope reached the retirement age and gave his resignation letter to his predecessor who said: ‘Alright I have seen it, hold on’. In the Catholic Church, when you reach that age, you write to the Pope informing him that you have reached the age, then it is left to him to determine whether to accept it for that moment or for other moment. In Canon Law, we say, he accepts it nunc, that is now or that he accepts it nunc et protunc  that is I accept it but stay there till I put another person there. He could also say you have done very well go now and rest.

     After retiring, I will be no less a bishop because I am ordained a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. At that point, the retired bishop can only be an emeritus, he would still remain the bishop of that diocese in which he attained the retirement age, but he will not be the active bishop or the local ordinary of that diocese. In my case, by the grace of God, I hope I do not die before June 24, 2013, if I live to see that date, I will on that day become the archbishop emeritus of Ibadan. I will still have my faculties to officiate like a bishop but not to rule the archdiocese of Ibadan. If the Holy Father says ‘Stay there till I appoint somebody’, on that day that he appoints somebody, I lose my authority as a local ordinary, but I do not lose my faculties as a bishop. I am a bishop anywhere in the world.

    What do I plan to do? I do not want to count my chicken before they are hatched nor do I want to cross any bridge until I reach it. However, I hope and pray that the Lord would keep me in good health of mind and body, and give me the opportunity to minister at grassroots level as a parish priest if the new archbishop gives me a parish here. In my 46 years as a priest, I have never gone on holidays really. I will take some months to rest and allow the new archbishop to settle in before I come back, if God permits me.

    Is there anything you would want to do differently if you have the opportunity as an Archbishop?

    As it is rightly said, the only permanent thing in life is change. I will not want to live and do as I had done in the past. I will want to be current and read the signs of the time and to live in the spirit of the church at that particular moment. This year has been inaugurated by the Holy Father as a year of faith, that is preaching and spreading the Word in new ways.

    I will want to look at evangelisation in a new way and make my contribution the way that the church is asking us to look at things. I will not want to dwell on the past where everything we had was quite different because the new era of evangelisation is an era of bringing Christ to the people of today. Yes, we cannot face tomorrow without today and yesterday.  Yesterday was glorious, today should be better and tomorrow should be more glorious. I will want to immerse myself in rejuvenating the church, in preaching the word of Christ to modern age and in helping, with the help of God, to make Nigeria a better place.

    After your retirement, is it possible you consider getting married, since you will no longer be an active priest?

    Whoever has that notion is chasing the wind. It is not in the Catholic Church and since 1974, everywhere I went, I always challenge my people to challenge me. I always say ‘I challenge you to challenge me, if there is anything that I have done that is not right, challenge me’. Anybody thinking that a retired priest can get married is having a wild dream. Celibacy is forever and ever. I will still remain the former archbishop until my death. As a metropolitan archbishop, I wear the sign of that post which we call pallium and would be buried with it. The issue of marriage does not come in at all. The issue of doing what you like does not arise. You abide by the rules and regulations of the church forever. Do you see a former president who says he is now free to do whatever he likes?

      Many Catholic churches have continued to come under terrorist attack in the North. What is the church doing to curb this?

    All of us have seen that the current malaise that we have seen is not just an inter-religious problem, it is a socio-political problem. We have condemned it in every form possible, but we approach it differently from the political world. We approach it with prayer because prayer can do many more things than the human minds can think about. We pray for the change of heart of those that are involved in this. By this, I don’t just mean those who carry out the project, but also those who finance these dastardly acts.  Those who are so hardened in their minds to think that they can continue to destroy human lives with impunity, we are really storming heaven with prayer that God will look kindly upon us and change the situation.

    For the sake of protecting the lives of the worshippers, don’t you think that tight security measures should be put around the churches?

    I agree with you. We are doing something, but is that enough? Who could go to the United Nations office before this attack? Yet they penetrated it. Who could imagine that they could penetrate the police headquarters? Yet they did. Did you not read how these suicide bombers kill themselves in order to kill others and has that deterred them? There are some things that we humans, even though God has given us authority over all things, there are some things we cannot do.  The church is taking serious steps as you can see in respect of the attack of the cathedral in Bauchi in which many of the security men were killed. It is because of the measures taken by the church that the suicide bombers were not able to get into the church. Humanly speaking, we are taking enough precautions but we need to pray more to the Lord to stop all these.

    The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) recently condemned the Federal Government for planning to spend some millions of naira on birth control. Why was this considered a waste?

    Birth control and not the control of the people who bring about the conception. You are asking, is it bad to procure abortion? I will say yes. Though shall not kill applies to everybody and no one has the right to break that law of God because none of us can create ourselves.  You know that there are couples that want children and cannot get. Does it mean that nature is against them? It is God who creates and it is He who multiplies.

     We are opposed to the idea of promiscuity which leads to uncontrolled actions of human flesh and turning of wombs into mortuary. When I have the opportunity of talking to the youths, especially the females, I do ask them if they can sleep on a foot-mat and they will say no. You will not sleep on a foot-mat because it is meant for dust. Today, the slang is to ‘have fun’. Sexual life has been turned to fun but is it really fun to beget a human being? If you went doing the act and the result comes out and you say it is unwanted, what a language? An unwanted human being! If God should decide not to want any of us, where shall we be? Look, if we have money to spend, should we not decide to spend it on things that would improve the living standard of the citizens?

    Today, we see our ladies saying that they are making up. What do you make up? Is it not what is lost that you make up? The lips that are still supple are what they are painting, but is that natural? Where do we manufacture these things in Nigeria? They shade themselves up in many colours and I want anybody including pharmacists to tell me that all those paintings are not chemicals. Do you put chemicals in your eyes? We help others to develop their economy. Our government is promoting promiscuity when talking about condom and all these artificial birth control methods.  We have seen the results of artificiality, why do we want to promote it? We know that those who are sending us these articles for use by our own people do it to dismember and reduce us artificially.

    Looking at the problems of corruption and insecurity in the country, would you support the creation of state police?

    Corruption and bloodshed are sisters or brothers, if you like. There is no where you have corruption so endemic that you will not have bloodshed. To stop bloodshed is to stop corruption because when people are at peace with themselves, when they have their rights and perform their duties, there would not be bloodshed. What we are saying is that to stop corruption is a task that must be done.

    We canonized and politicised corruption when we got crude oil. Towards the end of Gowon’s reign, when he declared Udoji award, that was the beginning of corruption, but I was told that was not what Udoji commission recommended. There were people in position of authority who were not prepared for authority. They saw so much money and said what do we do with it? They said give an arrear of one full year to every civil servant. As at that time, civil servants were not up to three percent of the population of Nigeria. They spent the money of all on the three percent. You see how injustice started. In fact here in Ibadan, I knew what happened due to this Udoji award. Some police officers in Iyaganku went to Dugbe and bought and bought and bought because they got a year salary in arrears. One of them loaded a taxi cab with all he had bought and went to the barracks and in his excitement, he called his neighbours to come and see what he had bought. When the taxi driver saw that the fun was too much, he drove away with all that the policeman had bought.

    That was the beginning of another form of corruption. Some of the load carriers disappeared with the goods of some of these civil servants at Gbagi Market. Then, civil servants saw people who were coming to get contracts to sell to others at the corridors of the office and started adding 10 percent on the contracts. From 10 percent, they began to add 20, 25, 50 and 60 percent.  Let me tell you categorically, the Third Mainland Bridge was built at the longest point because of money. It could have been at a shorter spot. This is how we have been losing money. A bag of cement is now N1, 800, whereas in India, it is less than N500. The same 50kg of bag of cement that we sell here for N1, 800. We are talking about state police and all of that, is that the problem? That is not the problem. The police could arrest anybody before but during the long era of military rule, they were put under foot. Was it not when Obasanjo came as a civilian that he raised the salary of the police? What is needed is to pay the police adequately, train them properly and recognise their position in the constitution of the country.

    When you are talking of corruption, you are talking about the endemic problem in our society, and how can you stop it? In the history of the church, we learnt of the reformation in the 16th Century after which a counter reformation came and said real reformation must start from the head and all the members of the body. Eliminating corruption must start from the President to the last boy or girl in the classroom. Corruption has eaten deep into us. I am praying that this would not lead to a greater bloodshed than the one we already have. Imagine a governor, a local government chairman that we elected and a civil servant who was in the same classroom with you receiving about 50million a year, but putting up buildings of N250million. Where did they get the money?

    Can’t we see that there is a great and massive injustice? When we elect a local government chairman and his wife begins to get salary, as a civil servant, is your wife also getting salaries from your office? We are saying that they should remove from the Constitution the privileges called immunity.

    If you have your cake, you can’t eat it. Why should people elected to serve the common good be untouchable even when you see the ills they are perpetrating? Why is it that common fund will be taken and not accounted for? It is until we Nigerians decide to stop it that it can stop. God will not come to stop it and we should not multiply the avenues of this corruption.

  • National Assembly should allow Jonathan to work —Third Eye publisher Akanni Aluko

    National Assembly should allow Jonathan to work —Third Eye publisher Akanni Aluko

    Chief Akanni Aluko, a socialite, philanthropist and a renowned businessman, is the Publisher of the defunct Third Eye Newspaper. In this interview with OSEHEYE OKWUOFU in his Monatan Ibadan residence, he speaks about his early childhood, his experience as publisher and national issues. Excerpts:

    May we share your childhood life experience ?

    My childhood life was a bit rascally. Right from my primary school till when I got to secondary school. In my first year, I tried to write articles in newspapers, targeting one of our teachers who was a woman. The woman later took us to the police station and we were locked up at Modakeke, near Ife. That was at the age of 12 . They took us there on a Friday and we were in the cell till Monday. So byMonday morning, a Rev. Father went to see the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi, who later became the governor of the western region at the time and we were brought out and warned against writing about our teachers. We were living in the same hostel with the woman. Those were the type of things I was involved in at the time. I grew up as a very rascally person.

    What  is the name of the paper and what did you write?

    We were in Form One at the time in 1958 and we didn’t even know the name of the paper, but we were just writing. We were using the style of the Daily Times newspaper that was very popular then. I had started reading Daily Times right from my young age. So, we were doing it exactly like a newspaper. We would draw the woman, that is our teacher and a man and paste it around. She took part of what we pasted to the police station and the police arrested us. That was the kind of life I was living and I grew up like that. I so much liked Wole Soyinka’s kind of life at the time. He was very courageous and bold and I was hoping that I would be like him one day.

    Can you still remember some of your mates then?

    I remember many of them. We often call one another till today. We communicate almost every day. They gave me a nickname in Ijesha language “Han yi olopa nko o”. I started working in 1965 and by 1967, 1969, 1970, Dejo Oyewo and myself established a company. We called it Dejo Akanni Enterprises. I met Tunde Akingbade at that time who was working with the Nigerian Herald newspaper. Tunde later brought in Tunji Adedigba. I was at Fiditi at the time.

    How did you and your friends enthrone the Elejigbo of Ejigbo ?

    The present Oba in Ejigbo told me he wanted to be an Oba in Ejigbo. I told him: “ You have become an Oba for telling me.”  That was how we started. We left Fiditi for Ejigbo, bringing some press people I knew together. With Tunji Adedigba, we expanded with Akingbade Famojuro, Oyegbade from BCOS. That was how we expanded. I became a local champion coordinating. I had to tell the Oba when the governor was trying to give his final approval that everything we were doing, the world should know. If he won or lost, the world should know. We started reporting all he was doing in the paper. My friend, Ogundoyin was also with us as well as Arisekola Alao. So, when it was time for the final approval, we had five out of the kingmakers on our side, remaining three others. When  they got to their meeting, they were calling them one after the other. When it was the turn of our man, because we had done a lot of work for him, we didn’t have money but we had mouth, our man won at the end of the day and the governor finally approved it. The governor was a military man; I think it was Oluwole Rotimi.  That was in 1974. The press people are my friends and I’m happy to say that anywhere in the world. Since 1970, they’ve been my close friends till today. I am still with the press, the press people are still with me.

    How was your experience with the Third Eye newspaper?

    When I was setting up the newspaper, I was a bit naive. With the kind of press support I had, I thought they would contribute immensely to the success of the paper. But, we ran into a lot of difficulty at the end of the day. In the beginning, we had somebody, a former private secretary of Baba Awolowo.  They employed over 2,000 people and that was one of our fundamental problems. All the newsprint we bought that was supposed to last for about four or six months when we started were exhausted before the time. The paper was going to Maiduguri, Jos, Calabar, Lagos, Akure, Ondo, Sokoto and every part of the country. They would begin printing and they never finished on time. They knew they could not sell, yet they would still print and carry to all those points.

    So, late arrival was a major problem for us and when I returned from my journey, they had finished all the materials, including the money I left behind. They employed more than they needed. They had personal assistant to the editor, personal assistant to the deputy editor, coffee boy to the editor and so on. So, that was what brought us down. I came back with the aim of re-structuring, but it was very difficult. You know, when you employ somebody, to push him out is always very difficult. Termination of appointment took like 18 months. We were not ready to sit down to properly do the restructuring. And with the type of news we were carrying, people were ready to buy our paper but wrong administration was a major problem.

    It was not as if one had established a newspaper to serve one’s interest. I thought the press would join me in building an institution for themselves, but I was wrong. We now saw that the type of criticism I did against somebody like Abiola was not correct. A publisher doesn’t have the power to control everything that goes into the newspaper. That is part of the problem publishers face and you cannot do it alone. You must get responsible people. These were parts of problems Third Eye faced. Before we were through with the restructuring, we were out of fund. I was busy trying to keep my company and the paper and those who we spared could not cope. They were making money and spending it. Those were the experiences, but if I would ever be in a position to do it again, I will do it better.

    Will you say the nation’s economic problem contributed to the failure of  the Third Eye newspaper?

    No, I wouldn’t say that,  because things were even better then than now. We started experiencing economic failure more during Obasanjo’s era and we‘ve not got out of it.

    Do you have any regret about Third Eye or about life generally?

    I have no regret at all. I told you that if I have the opportunity again, I will do it better. As for the other aspect of your question, I thank God for what He has done in my life and where He’s taking me to.

    Nigeria just marked her 52nd Independence anniversary, do you see the country moving forward?

    Nigeria is in a very terrible situation. Our political operators are not sincere, everybody sees himself as President. Both chambers of the National Assembly are even competing with the power of the President and PDP is not helping matters. I have never seen a country where the president will be told that his security to contest another election is not guaranteed. Things are not done like that, we look at other countries to move our nation forward. Everybody sees himself as President and competing with the President, they want to tell us how much he can spend and how he will spend it. Which law gives them the power to do what they are doing? They are lawless. Which law states that they must dictate to the owner of the purse? They are not in the National Assembly to talk about how to make money but how to make laws.

    They are playing to the gallery and things can never be redeemed, because they are part of the problem. America that we all respect, how many of us know how  they spend their money? Or do they tell the masses how much they are making? No, the owner of the Nigerian purse is the president of the country. The whole world is accusing the country of not spending well, everybody knows that, we are so careless about our spending and that is why we have our money being stolen and we don’t see them again. They have started again. They don’t want to pass the budget. The man gave them a budget proposal, but they are saying the man must put it at a certain figure. If you don’t want to approve the budget, don’t approve it, or do they think Jonathan is the one in trouble? It’s all of them. So, when they start blackmailing the President with impeachment, where would they be? They are in the same position and they are inviting on themselves revolution, the type of revolution I don’t know but they would be consumed by it. So, why are they blackmailing us? Why are they acting a comedy? Some of us are wise enough. They said he spent 75 per cent last year, and now they are saying he didn’t spend the money early. They have started the same thing as last year. If you look into it, it’s because the man is not spending. They are helping him not to spend. We do not even know what they are up to. Everybody can see what they are doing.  Leave the man with his budget. Why does a president need to release money on budget? That is not part of budgeting. The House should perform its oversight function effectively rather make unnecessary noise.

    What is your candid assessment of President Jonathan’s performance?

    Have they allowed the man to perform? Everybody wants to act like a president; everybody in the National Assembly wants to be President. Now, are they allowing him to work and his plan to be effective? Is it now that we should be talking about that when a ruling party has one-term president? Nobody struggles with the president in any part of the world. I think the PDP should just put their house in order. People are saying the President is not working, how will he work when they have not allowed him? If Jonathan is tired, he should resign, but if he’s not tired, they should allow him to complete his term. That is what the constitution says. The man has been pumping a lot of money on agriculture and at the end of the day, many people, even graduates, would become agriculturists and it will help the nation.

    Are you saying you are satisfied with his style of administration?

    He has been taking good steps and measures. He’s moving, but they should allow him to work. The world is supporting Nigeria now because Jonathan is the man they are watching. Jonathan is the symbol, that is why the whole world is supporting us. If they now see that Nigerians don’t even want Jonathan, that is a different case. It’s like we are inviting revolution. The kind of revolution, I don’t know, but none is good for the country. Let them amend the law that allows money to circulate.

    What do you think can be done to address the state of insecurity in the country?

    To check all the killings, we have to seriously pray for good governance and to get good governance is in the hands of God. Jonathan can’t do it alone.

    What can you say about the clamour for Sovereign National Conference?

    Something like that was done during the time of Abacha and he was really disappointed. I know my tribe {Yoruba}  favours  the national conference, but do you think anything can be achieved there? People are thinking it might divide the country, but anybody thinking like that is calling for war. What are the Yoruba going to do if we don’t achieve what we want from the national conference? We supported Jonathan in last year’s election. Our vote must count. Nigeria is a country where we have people of different interests.