The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

  • Ex-minister Usman gets permission to travel abroad

    Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday granted permission to a former Minister of State for Finance, Mrs. Nenadi Usman, to travel to the United States for medical treatment.

    He ordered that her international passport, in the court’s custody, be released to her.

    Mrs. Usman had traveled abroad previously in the course of her money laundering trial to receive treatment for breast cancer.

    The first time she traveled, she said doctors at the National Hospital recommended further treatment abroad after she had a relapse following a surgery.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Usman along with former Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode.

    They were charge along with former National Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) and ex-Chairman of Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Mr. Yusuf Danjuma and a company said to belong to him, Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Limited.

    EFCC arraigned them on a 17-count charge of laundering about N4.6billion.

    They pleaded not guilty.

    On Thursday, Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Mr. Norrison Quakers (SAN), resisted the attempt by the prosecution to tender a set of 108 Zenith Bank cheques as exhibits.

    The prosecuting counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, had sought to tender the cheques through the third prosecution witness, Shuaibu Shehu, an investigator with the EFCC.

    Oyedepo said the cheques were relevant to proving the allegations against Fani-Kayode.

    He said they were recovered by Shehu and his team while investigating the case.

    But Quakers urged the judge to reject them on the basis that they did not comply with Section 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and the Practice Direction of the Federal High Court 2013.

    Justice Aikawa adjourned until March 15 for ruling.

  • Alleged fraud: Court rejects Fani-Kayode’s bid to suspend trial

    Alleged fraud: Court rejects Fani-Kayode’s bid to suspend trial

    …Senator Usman granted leave for foreign medical travel

     

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Wednesday denied a motion by a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, to suspend his trial for alleged fraud pending the determination of his request for the case to be transferred to Abuja.

    Justice Rilwan Aikawa, however, granted an application by former Minister of State for Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman, for the release of her international passport so she can travel abroad for a medical appointment.

    Usman, the judge said, was permitted to travel for three weeks between July and August to the United States but must surrender her passport to the court not later than August 31, 2017.

    The court also allowed the prosecution to call its first witness, Olusegun Idowu, who testified against the defendants.

    Usman, Fani-Kayode, one Danjuma Yusuf and a firm, Joint Trust Dimensions Limited were brought last June 28, before Justice Muslim Hassan by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    They were arraigned on a seven-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and laundering of N4.9billion.

    Fani-Kayode, who was the Director of Publicity of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign organisation for the 2015 election, was accused of conspiring with the others to directly and indirectly retain various sums, which the EFCC claimed they ought to have reasonably known were proceeds of crime.

    The four were also accused of indirectly retaining N300m, N400m and N800m, all proceeds of corruption, according to the EFCC.

    The agency said they allegedly committed the offence between January 8 and March 25, 2015 ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    But Fani-Kayode objected to being tried before Justice Hassan and the defendants were re-arraigned before Justice Aikawa on May 15, on a similar charge.

    They pleaded not guilty and the judge adjourned till Wednesday for a hearing of Usman’s application for the release of her travel documents and commencement of trial.

    However, upon commencement of proceedings Wednesday, Fani-Kayode’s counsel Norrison Quakers SAN informed the court that it was yet to rule on a pending application for the case to be moved to the Abuja division of the court.

    Although Justice Aikawa said the application was not in the court’s file, Quakers insisted that the application was filed on the day of the defendants’ re-arraignment and had been received and acknowledged by the EFCC.

    The application, Quakers said, was jurisdictional in scope and should be determined before trial could commence.

    Quakers said: “Practice direction is clear on this matter. This is what the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, in his wisdom, has formulated. The rule is recognized by Section 490(d) of the Administration of Criminal Justice LAW (2015). Rules of court are meant to be obeyed.

    “There is a practice direction that guides the Federal High Court in situations like this. The direction says the court will not commence trial until the defendant’s application is taken, one way or another. It is trite that jurisdiction is the life of any adjudication. The second defendant (Fani-Kayode) has not said he does not want to be tried, he is saying he does not want to be tried in Lagos.

    “Your Lordship is bound by Rules of Court, the ACJL and judicial pronouncements on the issue to determine it one way or another.”

    He argued among others that the CJ’s power to make the practice rules flowed from Section 490 of the ACJL pursuant to Section 254 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

    But Oyedepo, relying on Section 396 of the ACJL, argued, among others, that Quakers’ position was not correct in law.

    He said: “I submit that it would amount to turning the law upside down to say that the substantive issue, which is the allegation as contained in the charge, cannot be taken without determining the application. Section 396 of the ACJL is higher in hierarchy and takes precedence over the practice direction.

    “This application is challenging the competence of this charge in Lagos. What the defendant did was just to lift the same application decided before Justice Hassan and re-filed it here. This application, apart from being a gross abuse of court processes, cannot constitute a stay.”

    Ruling, Justice Aikawa upheld the prosecution’s argument.

    He said: “I have listened to the erudite argument of counsel. In my opinion, practice directions, although having the force of subsidiary legislation, are meant to guide the court in criminal trials. Departure from it in some circumstances will not render proceedings fatal if done in the interest of justice and speedy conclusion of trial.”

    The court then allowed the prosecution to begin its examine its witness, Idowu.

    The witness, who identified himself as a media consultant, said he got two contracts of N24million and N6million from Fani-Kayode through an intermediary, one Olubode Oke.

    However, at the prosecution’s request, the court adjourned trial till Friday to enable the witness bring originals of invoices and receipts of the alleged transactions.

     

     

  • EFCC re-arraigns Fani-Kayode, Nenadi before new judge

    EFCC re-arraigns Fani-Kayode, Nenadi before new judge

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Monday re-arraigned former ministers of Aviation and Finance, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and Senator Nenadi Usman for alleged N4.6billion fraud.

    They pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge of laundering.

    The defendants were first arraigned last June 28 before Justice Muslim Hassan.

    But, on March 16, he recused himself from the case after Fani-Kayode accused him of likely bias.

    The judge transferred the case file to the Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta, for re-assignment to another judge.

    In asking the court to disqualify himself, Fani-Kayode said Justice Hassan, who worked as Head of Legal at the EFCC before his appointment as a judge, signed the money laundering charge for which Fani-Kayode was previously tried and acquitted by Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumobia on July 1, 2015.

    Following Justice Hassan’s withdrawal, to case was re-assigned to Justice Rilwan Aikawa, and the defendants took their pleas afresh yesterday.

    Justice Aikawa asked the defendants to remain on the bail terms earlier granted them by Justice Hassan.

    Usman’s lawyer, Abiodun Owonikoko, prayed the court to hear his client’s pending application seeking to transfer the case to Abuja for convenience.

    He said Justice Hassan did not address the issue in his ruling disqualifying himself.

    “He didn’t consider that application. He only recused himself,” Owonikoko said.

    But EFCC’s lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo said since issues were joined before Justice Hassan, the defendants should appeal or file fresh applications.

    The former ministers were charged along with former Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) and ex-Chairman of Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State Mr. Yusuf Danjuma and a company, Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Limited.

    Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Nenadi Esther Usman, Femi Fani-Kayode, Danjuman Yusuf And Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Ltd on or about the 8th day of January, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to indirectly retain the sum of N1,500, 000,000.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing.”

    The four were also accused of indirectly retaining N300million, N400million and N800million, all proceeds of corruption, according to EFCC.

    The prosecution said they allegedly committed the offence between January 8 and March 25, 2015 ahead of the general election.

    In another count, the prosecution alleged that Fani-Kayode directly retained N350million which he ought to have “reasonably known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing.”

    The commission said Fani-Kayode directly used the sum of N170million, among other sums, which he reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of corruption and stealing.

    He was also accused of doing cash transaction of N24million with Olubode Oke without going through a financial institution.

    The offence, EFCC said, violates sections 1(a) and 16(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 16(2)(b).

    Justice Aikawa adjourned until June 7 for ruling and commencement of trial.

     

  • Alleged fraud: 17 witnesses to testify against Fani-Kayode, Usman

    The N4.6 billion fraud charge filed against former ministers of Aviation and Finance, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and Senator Nenadi Usman has been assigned to Justice Sule Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos for trial.

    Among those to testify against the duo are representatives of Zenith Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc, First Bank Plc and Wema Bank Plc.

    A source said the accused persons may be arraigned on Wednesday.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged them along with Danjuman Yusuf and a company, Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Limited.

    Count one reads: “That you, Nenadi Esther Usman, Femi Fani-Kayode, Danjuman Yusuf And Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Limited on or about the 8th day of January, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court conspired amongst yourselves to indirectly retain the sum of N1,500, 000,000.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing.”

    The alleged offence is contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4).

    The four were also accused of indirectly retaining N300million, N400million and N800million, all proceeds of corruption, according to EFCC.

    The 17-count charge borders on conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and corruption and money laundering.

    EFCC said they allegedly committed the offence between January 8 and March 25, 2015.

    In another count, the prosecution alleged that Fani-Kayode directly retained N350million which he ought to have “reasonably known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing.”

    The commission said Fani-Kayode directly used the sum of N170million, among other sums, which he reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of corruption and stealing.

    He was also accused of doing cash transaction of N24million with Olubode Oke, said to still be at large, without going through a financial institution.

  • Fani-Kayode’s ugly colour

    Evidence of an ugly mind thinking ugly thoughts for ugly purposes could be seen in the reaction of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode to the appearance and performance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House in London on February 26. Buhari’s lecture was fittingly titled “Prospect for Democracy Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s transition”; and he glowed impressively during the question and answer session that followed

    Fani-Kayode, the Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign organisation, showed an unconscionable capacity for uglification when he reportedly alleged that the APC paid for the Buhari event, suggesting that it was devoid of credibility. How much was paid? Surprisingly, Fani-Kayode provided no clue.

    According to Fani-Kayode, “There are some interesting facts about the Chatham House outing that Nigerians should know. The event was organised only two days before it took place and well after Buhari had arrived in London.”  This is simply untrue and should raise questions as to why he chose to twist the truth. In reality, Buhari’s itinerary, which included the Chatham House engagement, was publicised ahead of his trip to the UK. So, what was Fani-Kayode saying, or trying to say?

    This is the kind of conscienceless constitution that attracts astonishment. This is the kind of talk that diminishes the country internationally. It is noteworthy that a former British High Commissioner in Nigeria and the event’s chairman, Sir Richard Gozney, said: “Chatham House is more independent than anything you can imagine. It is entirely neutral, it has no political stands. That is why it is a favourite venue for people from across political spectrum to give their view because they get open hearing here.”

    Perhaps more importantly, Gozney said of Buhari on the occasion: “When I visited you in Kaduna when I was High Commissioner in Nigeria, two things struck me. One was the modesty of your lifestyle, which is very striking for a Nigerian politician. The second thing was your clarity of thought and speech and we look forward to hearing such clarity from you today as you talk to us.”

    These positive dimensions of Buhari’s personality drawn from a first-hand interaction with him, and highlighted by a possibly objective observer, deserve serious contemplation in the countdown to the country’s presidential election controversially rescheduled for March 28. If Buhari represents “modesty” and “clarity of thought and speech”, and his major opponent, President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP, by popular opinion, stands for the arrogance of power and unintelligibility, the choices before the electorate are sharply and usefully delineated.

    In an important sense, the contentious poll shift is not without blessings, which most likely include Buhari’s Chatham outing. The postponement probably necessitated the public relations masterstroke, which was unanticipated by agents of ugliness like Fani-Kayode. Those who calculated that they would possibly benefit exclusively from the rearrangement are understandably enraged by the proof of miscalculation. Their effort to paint an obviously successful promotion in ugly colours is quite revealing of their colourless character.

  • Unavailability of bank statements stalls Fani-Kayode’s trial

    Unavailability of bank statements stalls Fani-Kayode’s trial

    The failure of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to tender additional bank information in the ongoing trial of former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, before a Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday stalled the case.

    After tendering Fani-Kayode’s bank statement from First City Monument Bank (FCMB) between August 2008 and September 2012, EFCC’s lawyer, Festus Keyamo urged the court for an adjournment to provide further documents.

    Led in evidence by Keyamo, prosecution witness, Okechukwu Okeke told the Justice Rita Ofile-Ajumogobia, court that Fani-Kayode’s account has been dormant between August 2008 and September 2012.

    “The account was first with First Atlantic Bank before it was acquired by Finbank which was also acquired by FCMB,” said Okeke.

    But the document required was Fani-Kayode’s bank statement between 2004 and 2008 when he served as Minister for Culture and Tourism as well as Aviation.

    “We had written to the IT department of the bank after the last sitting when the court fixed trial dates. They generated the one we tendered before the court. They said we should give them one week for the statement between 2004 and 2008,” said Keyamo.

    Counsel to Fani-Kayode, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), prayed the court for a long adjournment but the judge declined stating that the trial had dragged on for too long.

    Responding to the judge’s statement, Keyamo blamed the delay on the defence’ “frequent objections,” one of which was argued up to the Supreme Court.

    Adedipe had earlier objected to the prosecution’s witness entering the witness dock on grounds that the defence was yet to cross examine a previous witness.

    He stated that Keyamo cannot call a new witness unless a formal application to have the last proceedings set aside by an order of court was made.

    Adedipe’s submission, made Keyamo to move an application for the striking out of testimonies from the previous witness, who was led in evidence by a lawyer in his chamber, Vitalis Ahaotu.

    “The issue of prosecutorial power is so profound. They will raise this issue on appeal. I also apply that the exhibits tendered be struck out,” Keyamo added.

    Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia obliged the prosecution and declared null and void, previous proceedings and ruled that the matter has started afresh.

    Fani-Kayode is facing a 40 count charge of money laundering, which he allegedly committed as minister.

    He was first arraigned in 2008 and has been re-arraigned four time before three judges.
    After listening to the parties, Ofili-Ajumogobia adjourned till March 18 and 19 for continuation of trial.

  • EFCC re-arraigns Fani-Kayode

    EFCC re-arraigns Fani-Kayode

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday re-arraigned a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, in a Federal High Court, Lagos, over money laundering.

    Fani-Kayode’s re-arraignment was sequel to an amended 40-count charge bordering on the offence, filed against him by the anti-graft body on Jan. 24.

    The accused pleaded not guilty to all the counts

    Following the plea, Mr Wale Akoni (SAN), the counsel representing the accused, prayed the court to allow his client to continue with the terms of the bail earlier granted him.

    The prosecutor, Mr Festus Keyamo, did not object to the oral application for bail.

    Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, in a short ruling, granted the prayer of the defence counsel.

    Ofili-Ajugomobia held that the accused, a senior member of the Bar and a traditional title holder, had always been available in court for his trial.

    She, therefore, said that he should continue on the bail earlier granted him and adjourned the case to March 10, for trial.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fani-Kayode was first arraigned in December 2008 before Justice Ramat Mohammed, on a 47-count charge.

    He pleaded not guilty to the charge and the judge had granted him bail in the sum of N200 million, with two sureties in like sum.

    NAN reports that aside Fani-Kayode’s initial arraignment; he has been re-arraigned three times.

    The former minister was re-arraigned before Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, following the transfer of Mohammed from the Lagos Division of the court.

    Fani-Kayode was again re-arraigned before Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia on Feb. 11, 2013 after Murtala-Nyako was also transferred.

    His re-arraignment on Thursday is the second before Ofili-Ajumogobia.

    In the charge, the accused was alleged to have transacted with funds exceeding N500, 000 without going through a financial institution.

    The accused was also alleged to have accepted cash payments to the tune of about N100 million, while he was Minister of Aviation and Minister of Culture and Tourism respectively.

    The offences are said to contravene the provisions of sections 15(1) (a) (b) (c) (d) and 15 (2) (a) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004

  • Hope springs eternal

    Hope springs eternal

    In this piece, former Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode contends that Nigeria will achieve greatness, if its diverse people have faith in God, develop the institutions of democracy and thread the path of the rule of law.

    There is so much death in this country.

    So many tears. So much evil. So much

    betrayal. So much sadness and so many tragedies. So much corruption and deceit. So many shattered dreams, broken hearts and wounded souls. So much injustice and insensitivity. So much greed and want. So much bloodshed, blood-letting and blood-spilling.

    Welcome to Nigeria- the Federal Republic of Shattered Dreams. A country in which sadism, failure, iniquity, injustice, wickedness, persecution, cover-ups, lies and abuse of power are enthroned. A land in which “men of God” do not pray but instead sell the anointing and buy private jets. A country where common decency, kindness and human compassion has no place. A nation in which the rulers pay homage to the baphomet and make open sacrifices to Satan.

    A country where ignorance and mediocrity is exalted and in which excellence and knowledge is scorned. A nation in which truth has no place and in which those that tell it are hated and treated with contempt. I weep for my country and each day I pray that God delivers her from the blood-sucking and relentless demons that plague and afflict her. Yet, despite all, hope springs eternal.

    Today, our nation stands at a crossroad and it is left for us to decide which path we choose to take. Do we take the path of despair and dishonour and give up on our country? Or do we rise above it all and latch on to the promises of God for our land and for our people? With biting poverty, mounting hopelessness, a bleeding economy, youth restiveness, unprecedented violence, brazen acts of terrorism and all manner of vices and evil thriving in the land one wonders how things got so bad.

    The foundation for our current situation was laid many years ago and since that time we have seen so much suffering and failure at virtually all levels. We were plagued with leaders who lacked vision, who lacked intellect, who lacked sincerity of purpose and who were antagonistic to those that dared to challenge their visionless and purposeless policies. Our country is currently bedevilled with so much negativity that it is easy to look around and just give up. Yet I say that we must never give up because “hope springs eternal”.

    The bible says though the night may be dark yet “joy comes in the morning”. The wise ones say you cannot have a message without a mess. You cannot have a testimony without a test. You cannot get to the top of the mountain without first going to the bottom of the valley. This is true. And out of Nigeria’s “mess” shall surely come her “message”. Out of Nigeria’s “test” shall surely come her “testimony”.

    We have been to the “bottom of the valley” and therefore we shall get to the “top of the mountain”. Our dream for a better Nigeria shall never die and neither can our collective prayers be in vain. I refuse to give up because I know that the God that I serve never fails. He alone rules in the affairs of men. He alone forges the destiny of nations. Out of a deep void and formlessness He ordered the creation of the world. He established it by the power of His word and He gave us dominion over it.

    In the same way He created Nigeria for His purpose and for His glory and that purpose and glory shall surely be established. It shall come to pass and it will be manifest to the entire world. We shall see it and we shall be established in it as a nation and as a people. If God can do it for others, He can do it for us too. We can be great and, by the grace of God, we shall be great. This is my dream and this is what I see. And believe me when I tell you that it is prophetic.

    A Nigeria where every man and woman, regardless of faith, ethnicity, status or political persuasion finds a common cause and relishes in our collective humanity. A Nigeria where the rich have a conscience and the poor have hope. A Nigeria where joy and peace reign supreme and where bombings and killings are a thing of the past.

    A Nigeria where the descendants of Ishmael and Isaac and the adherents of the two great Abrahamic faiths of Islam and Christianity live together in peace, harmony and mutual respect. A Nigeria where the secularity of the state is respected yet where God is revered and honoured by all. A Nigeria where the knowledge and fear of the Living God reigns in the hearts and minds of the people.

    A Nigeria where every man is his brother’s keeper, where leaders show compassion to those that they lead, where justice is done to all and where political persecution has no place. A Nigeria where decency is rewarded, where dissent is tolerated, where non-conformity is encouraged and where equity is enthroned. That is the Nigeria of my dream.

    A Nigeria where youth unemployment is low and where every individual, no matter how high or low, can aspire to any position and live his or her dream. That is the Nigeria of my dream. A Nigeria where human life and human dignity is sacrosanct and where fairness is the watchword of every soul. That is the Nigeria of my dream.

    I have no fears about the future of this great nation because the God that I serve never fails. The bible says the nations are “as a drop of water before Him”. He sits above the circles of the earth and He counts the earth as His footstool. Yet despite His sheer awesomeness and majesty, with Him lies great compassion and mercy.

    Once we return to Him, acknowledge Him, honour Him and are led and guided by Him, He will restore us and shower us with His blessings. The Lord awaits us to make the right choice. We either continue to wallow in self-delusion, wickedness, greed, murder, the persecution of perceived enemies, the abuse of power, evil and insensitivity or we desist from our wicked ways and turn to Him.

    I am persuaded that once we make the right choice our date with destiny, as a people and as a nation, will come far sooner than we can possibly imagine. In his book titled “The Wretched of the Earth” Frantz Fanon said the following- “each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover it’s mission and fulfill it or betray it.” Past generations in Nigeria have not lived up to expectation. This is the bitter truth.

    Yet there is still hope as long as we have faith. That hope and faith is our blessed assurance and it lives in our minds and hearts. We know that the Lord will fix it. We know that He is “more than able”. We know that He is a man of war whom none can resist and we know that He restores, redeems and rebuilds even the most broken and wretched walls.

    Dr. Martin Luther King jnr., after delivering his celebrated and inspiring “I have a dream” speech, was felled by an assassin’s bullet on April 4 1968. To those that killed him, his dream died with him. Yet they were wrong. They did not know that great dreams, once birthed, never die. That is why the Word of God said “if the princes of this world had known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory”.

    If those that murdered Jesus, and the devil that inspired them to do it, had known that He would honour His word and rise up three days later they would not have crucified him. They persecuted Him, they humiliated Him, they beat Him, they tortured Him, they spat on Him and they killed Him yet they could not kill His dream or abort His mission. His dream lived on and became a reality for all mankind to see.

    It was the same with Martin Luther King. They killed him but his mission had already been achieved and his vision came to pass 45 years after his sacrificial and selfless death. This is indeed the stuff of which dreams are made. Great things are birthed in great dreams and if you dare to dream nothing is impossible.

    I have a dream for Nigeria. I have a dream that one day Nigerians will see themselves as Nigerians before anything else and they will not regard their country and its people as a collection of strange bed-fellows that do not love, or trust one another.

    Yet this dream can only be fulfilled when those amongst us that call ourselves leaders preach, practice and display discipline, temperance, holiness, morality, restraint, tolerance, mercy and the fear of God in the conduct of our affairs. It can only be made manifest when we stand up and fight against evil, tyranny, injustice, indecency bad governance, the abuse of power , political persecution and sheer wickedness.

    Our dream can only be brought to reality when love is the motivating factor in all that we do. The Lord commands us to love our neighbour as we do ourselves. That is the cornerstone and the foundation of our faith and it is in that faith and that resolve that our hope for a better and greater Nigeria lies. I have a dream that Nigeria will be what God wants her to be, a great and powerful nation that is dedicated to the Living God and that will act as a shining example and a beacon of light for all to see.

    I assure you that despite the dashed hopes and unbearable suffering of millions of our people over the last 52 years, our dream still lives and the Lord shall not forsake us. Our land and our people may seem blighted, in despair, depressed, repressed and confused. It may appear as if there is no hope for a better tomorrow and that nothing will ever change.

    It may seem as if the Lord has forgotten us and it may appear that our story is one of recurrent failure and shattered dreams. Yet this is not so. I have come here today to tell you that, despite all we see and hear, it is not over for us as a people and as a nation. I have come here today to tell you that we as a people have a date with destiny.

    I have come here today to tell you that Nigeria and the Nigerian dream lives on and that it shall be made manifest for all to see in the fullness of time. I therefore urge you to be strong, to hold your heads up high, to be proud of who and what you are and to stand firm. The vision is for an appointed time. Though it may tarry it shall not prove false. Just hold on and always remember that, despite all, ‘’hope springs eternal’. God bless you and God bless Nigeria. Merry christmas and happy new year.