The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Femi Fani-Kayode

  • Between Femi Fani-Kayode and Labaran Maku

    Between Femi Fani-Kayode and Labaran Maku

    Because we love the unreal and hate the truth, we appear incapable of holding a meaningful dialogue -Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

    The above quote from Dim Chukwukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s famous book – ‘Because I am Involved’, came to my  mind after I read the vituperations of the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, insinuating that the opposition party is responsible for the Boko Haram’s insurgency that is threatening a large swath of our country. Interestingly, Maku’s assertion is glaringly contradictory to the averments of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Chief of Defense Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Bada, that what we locally refer to as Boko Haram, has become a West African version of Al-Qaeda.  While I was ruminating on Mr. Maku’s thesis, it also served as a fitting assessment, after I managed to rouse myself, to read Femi Fani-Kayode’s recent ‘dirge for Nigeria’, or if you are excitable, ‘ode on Oduduwa’.

    But for hindsight, many can mistake Fani-Kayode’s Oduduwa as one of those several damsels, he likes to boast about having had an amorous relationship with; but who against fairness, equity and good conscience, has been snatched from him, making him to contemplate suicide. On realizing that Femi was romanticizing about an Oduduwa Republic, Balkanized from our present day Nigeria, the late Biafran Warlord, Eze-Igbo Gburugburu Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s further insightful words in that book, again came to my mind. Where he said: “The true problem with Nigeria is that she is fully embroiled in an identity crisis. The effect of the shibboleth called dichotomy is so very well-known that it has become a cancer in our body politic. Because we have found no cure, and because we do not even seek a cure, it continues to spread thereby enhancing its virulence. Today, when we look at Nigeria – no matter from whatever direction, no matter the focus of our perspective, everything which we see bears the frightful aspect of a dichotomy”.

    That dichotomy must also have informed Maku’s odoriferous assertion against the main opposition party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) with regards to the Boko Haram’s insurgency. According to Maku, “The entire money we are spending is to maintain security in states controlled by that party…. Ninety per cent of all insurgency is in states controlled by that party…. We did not create this insurgency or the structure that led to it. You know where they came from but you are now blaming the fire fighter for the fire”.  Conversely, the man who should know better, the Chief of Defense Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh said: “We are fighting more than Boko Haram. We are no longer fighting Boko Haram but Al-Qaeda in North and West Africa. Al-Qaeda is formidable, but we will defeat them”. In his last Democracy Day anniversary speech, President Jonathan even acknowledged: “For our citizens who have joined hands with Al-Qaeda and international terrorists in the misguided belief that violence can possibly solve their problems, our door remain open for dialogue and reconciliation, if they renounce terrorism and embrace peace.”

    So Labran Maku was on a reckless frolic, when he turned the serious matter of national insecurity, for which many Nigerians have paid the supreme price, into a political gimmick. Maku ridicules his office, and the authority of the federal ministry of information, when he summons the media to play politics with the crisis that has rendered the North, particularly the north-eastern part of Nigeria, a war zone. While it is correct to assert that the seeds that germinated into the current crisis were laid long ago, it is silly for the Minister to lay it at the door step of the opposition party, simply because some political actors from the zone are in the opposition party. It is even more disheartening that the Minister called the press conference to make light, the national trauma, over the 200 school girls kidnapped from Chibok.

    On his part, it can be said that Femi Fani-Kayode was on a foolish frolic, when he wrote “Give Me Oduduwa or Let Me Die”. A notable missing point in the work is the absence of an addressee, to whom the demand or plea was made to? I have since been wondering whether Mr. Fani-Kayode took the request to President Jonathan, when he recently visited Aso Rock, after his lost love with the opposition party, or is it possible that he penned it after the visit. I recall that after the recent visit to the President of the country, he now desperately wants Balkanized, the former Minister for Aviation, came out to declare his unyielding love for the beautiful people in Aso Rock. Could it be that the beautiful people in Aso Rock have failed to extend the beautiful things of the present government to him, making him to realize like Ayi Kwei Armah that “The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born”?

    Again, I have been unable to glean from Femi’s work why he would rather wish to be allowed to die, if he is not granted his heart’s desire. Ordinarily, I would have thought that the irrepressible Femi, who attacked ferociously any person that disagreed with his then principal, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, would simply have threatened, “Give Me Oduduwa or I will Fight to Death”. If he had written that, some would have said, yes, this is true to character, even when many would have dismissed him, as an attention seeker, albeit a brilliant one. No doubt, Minister Labaran Maku and former Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, are great polemics, who have exploited that gift to great personal advantages. Unfortunately, it appears they don’t give a damn, how that affects the polity, as long as they gain attention.

  • Before Fani-Kayode defects

    Before Fani-Kayode defects

    In the political cat and mouse defection game being played by Femi Fani-Kayode, it is not known at the moment who reached out to whom – he to the president or the president to him. But when he offered his trenchant views on the All Progressives Congress’s proposed presidential ticket a little over a week ago, and those views were published to the consternation of many, it was clear something was afoot. We may never know whether the presidency sensed his vulnerability after his views became public, and decided to invite him over, or whether Chief Fani-Kayode flew a kite and followed up through a middleman to let the presidency know he would not be averse to a visit. Whatever the case, and whoever made the first move, we now know that both President Goodluck Jonathan and Chief Fani-Kayode found comfort and inspiration in each other’s company, with the latter perhaps more awestricken than the former was more evidently manipulating.

    “This is a Presidential Villa,” enthused Chief Fani-Kayode after he met with the president. “The President is President of Nigeria and every single person in this country that is a Nigerian is entitled to come here from time to time, when the doors are open to come and pay their respect to the wonderful people that are here. As a Nigerian, I have done that today and I am delighted to be here.” His fulsome description of the president apart, not to say his exaggerated belief in the openness of the presidency doors, Chief Fani-Kayode in addition said his hosts were a wonderful people. Had he been a neophyte visiting the perfumed corridors of Aso Villa for the first time, we would have thought he was mesmerised by the marbled and ersatz glitter of the buildings and denizens of the presidency. But he had been there before, and apparently he felt nostalgic about an environment whose splendour made him long for the past.

    Given the exuberant manner he expressed his joy at visiting the president and talking with him for about an hour, as the media reported, it was not unusual that there were speculations about his motives. The online media were less charitable in drawing their conclusions, but the regular media would not be drawn into brazen speculations, perhaps afraid to be drawn into a press war with a man who does not shirk a fight, and whose prolixity is both damning and acidic. Asked what he intended to do given the fact that a few months ago he rubbed shoulders with top APC leaders and hurled invectives at the PDP and the president in particular, Chief Fani-Kayode stonewalled. “The step that I will take will be made known to Nigerians at the right time,” he said curtly and self-importantly. Then, as if he in fact had already made up his mind, he added censoriously: “The most important thing, and I think you are fully aware of this, is that I cannot and I will not be associated with a situation whereby any group of people is promoting a religion above another. I think all of us have gone past the stage of religious politics in this country.”

    It will be recalled that less than two weeks ago, Chief Fani-Kayode had told the media he strongly and unrepentantly took exceptions to the plan by the APC to field a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for the 2015 election. Speaking to the media after his visit to Aso Villa last week, he restated that position, unmindful of the dissonance of not waiting to see whether the APC would carry through with the plan he suspected. Should he defect, Chief Fani-Kayode would have the unenviable distinction of being one of the few politicians anywhere who anchored a life-changing decision on a mere suspicion. There is, of course, nothing incontrovertible to indicate he will be defecting to his former party where, some suggested, he feathered his nest and rose to some prominence. All we have are his body language and some of his statements. But there is also nothing to suggest he could not defect at the drop of a hat, for he has not managed in his many years in politics to be taken seriously, either for his ideas or for his principles.

    I have not perused the online speculations about his motives and his person which drew his ire. In my opinion, the online media has become a feral beast slashing and tearing reputations without scruples and sometimes without respect for accuracy or facts, and I distrust them. But no one needs the online media, nor even Chief Fani-Kayode’s famous background, to assess his person and politics. He has done and said enough in the past few years to elicit a fairly competent, evocative and substantial analysis on him. Except something extraordinary happens to thwart his plans, I think Chief Fani-Kayode has made up his mind to defect. When the president hosted him, it was not a social or casual visit, as he pretended. And his unsolicited offer to every Nigerian to visit Aso Villa is not only misleading, given the way that redoubt has turned into an armoured and impregnable fortress, it is insulting to our intelligence to preach a sense of entitlement to us.

    Chief Fani-Kayode is an enigma, a brilliant enigma. He is eloquent, polemical, gregarious and hyperactive. He writes damn well, even if he cannot disguise his irredentism and parochialism. And because he holds very strong and often opportunistic views, he is sometimes viewed as a nuisance to have on one’s side rather than to have with the enemy, for in his discordant and amorphous perspectives lies an obsessive longing to further his private and insular interests. He took on former President Olusegun Obasanjo until he was belatedly invited into the team. In the past few months, he also took on Dr Jonathan, and after last week’s visit, he has given indication he would mellow because disagreements are to him as normal as rapprochement is routine. It is useless engaging Chief Fani-Kayode in arguments; the gifted rhetorician will likely outtalk and outflank you with flawless dexterity. Indeed, given his adventures and dalliances, not the least the Bianca tiff, there is enough evidence to prove his dexterousness comprehensively transcends politics.

    I do not know whether he can be trusted again in the APC even if he does not defect. However, given his unconscionableness and irreverence, he is quite capable of boldly retaining his membership of a group even while undermining it. It is an indication his desultory ideas of politics and his general malleability do not arise from a deliberate intent to hurt anyone. Long used to having his way in life, and long accustomed to making modest gains from a general lack of adherence to principles, the former Aviation minister will not feel compelled to change both his ways and his style. His cavil about APC’s proposed presidential ticket is popular; he will use its justifiability as a cover for his other hidden agenda.

    Many observers were astounded when they saw Chief Fani-Kayode with APC leaders touring the country and extending hands of fellowship to other politicians. They were equally stunned when they saw the party leaders in company with Senator Ali Modu Sherrif, the former Governor of Borno State blamed fairly or unfairly for the outbreak of the Boko Haram menace. The APC in fact has an apparent knack for drawing into its fold some politicians whose persons or ideas raise eyebrows. But whether they can keep controversial politicians out of their ranks remains to be seen when the other parties, especially the PDP, specialise in producing and unleashing gadflies and termagants on the opposition.

    If Chief Fani-Kayode should defect, it is unlikely to have anything to do with the APC’s presidential ticket. He weighs his options expertly, though often short-sightedly, and those options are never based on ideas, principles or morality. But his controversial visit to Aso Villa has concentrated attention on the APC’s coming presidential primary in a way the party probably never imagined. I do not think the lesson of Chief Fani-Kayode’s denunciation and manoeuvres will be lost on the opposition party, assuming they ever thought of taking such humungous risk in a polity riven by ethnic and religious distrust, a distrust now accentuated by the Jonathan presidency’s Machiavellian use of religion.

  • Ifedayo Adedipe’s growing popularity

    Ifedayo Adedipe’s growing popularity

    IFEDAYO Adedipe, SAN, belongs to one of the royal families in Akure. A successful lawyer with a thriving law firm in Port Harcourt, we gathered, is eyeing a seat in the Senate. He was said to have contributed to the development of various projects in his constituency.

    Adedipe has put in 34 years in the legal practice. Among his big briefs are the Odi massacre, the former Aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode’s case with the Economic and financial crime commission and also the former governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili’s case.

  • Fani-Kayode: EFCC investigation revealed no fund missing, says witness

    Fani-Kayode: EFCC investigation revealed no fund missing, says witness

    An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness Wednesday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that the commission’s investigation revealed no fund was missing during the tenure of Femi Fani-Kayode as Aviation Minister.

    Bashir Abdullahi who was the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) made the disclosure under cross examination by defence lawyer Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN).

    He told the Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia that he was assigned the case file in 2008 for investigation and a letter was written to the First Inland Bank to produce Fami-Kayode’s bank statement which was deposited with the EFCC.

    The witness said that during investigations, the former minister was invited to the EFCC, where he made various statements in writing relating to the Aviation Intervention Fund (AIF) received during his tenure.

    He stated that Fani-Kayode on assumption of office set up a committee to probe the disbursement of the AIF made by his predecessor under the AIF.

    He told the court that investigations revealed that no part of the funds was missing during the tenure of the former minister.

    “Our investigations revealed that a total of N19.5 billion was released as Aviation Intervention Fund, out of which a total of N8.5 billion was released during the tenure of Prof. Femi Aborishade, the predecessor of Fani-Kayode.

    “During the tenure of the accused, the sum of N11 billion was released and out of this sum, the accused disbursed a total of N3.8 billion, leaving a remainder of N7.2 billion in the Ministry’s account.

    “Investigations also revealed that no part of the Aviation fund was missing during the tenure of the accused, and there was also no finding that the accused made any disbursement without due process” said Abdullahi.

    Following the findings of the committee, the witness said a report was sent to the National Security Adviser (NSA) on the disbursements.

    However, prosecuting Festus Keyamo did not re-examine the witness but prayed the court for two adjournments to enable him produce his remaining witnesses.

    Subsequently, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia adjourned the case to April 16 and 17 for continuation of trial.

    Fani-Kayode is standing a 40-count charge of money laundering preferred against him by the EFCC, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

    He was alleged to have transacted with funds exceeding the threshold stipulated by the Money Laundering Act, without going through a Financial Institution.

    The EFCC alleged that the former minister accepted cash payments in the tune of about N100 million, while he held sway as Minister of Aviation and Minister of Culture and Tourism respectively.

    The offence is 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.

  • Alleged money laundering: Court directs Fani-Kayode to take plea

    Alleged money laundering: Court directs Fani-Kayode to take plea

    •March 5 fixed for arraignment

    Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday directed former Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode to take his plea in the money laundering charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Ruling on an objection raised by his lawyer Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), the judge said the charge is valid.

    Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia fixed March 5 for Fani-Kayode’s re-arraignment on an amended 40-count charges.

    Adedipe raised the objection when EFCC prosecutor Mr. Festus Keyamo sought to re-arraign the former minister.

    After count-one was read, Adedipe said the charge was invalid as the facts were incomplete.

    The charge, he said, stated that Fani-Kayode “accepted cash payments”, but did not specify who gave him the money.

    Adedipe said his objection was based on Section 167 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

    “The accused is alleged to have received money from a nameless, anonymous person. We have to know the person so we can know who to address. As it is, the charge is vague.

    “They alleged that he ‘accepted’. When you accuse somebody of accepting money, clearly the person from whom the money was accepted becomes important.

    “The other charges there… one of them accused him of having his wife pay money into his account. These charges cannot be valid,” he said.

    But Keyamo said the argument that the giver of the money in a charge of money laundering must be disclosed makes utter nonsense of the very essence of the law prohibiting money laundering.

    This, he said, is because money laundering is a crime that seeks to obliterate the very source of large sums of money found on people.

    “It, therefore, follows that the concealment of the giver of the money, which is subject to investigation by an accused, cannot defeat a charge of money laundering.

    “If we accept the argument of defence, it means that all an accused can do to defeat the effort of the prosecution is to refuse to disclose from where he derives any large sum of money found on him.

    “That will be preposterous and will defeat the object of the law,” Keyamo argued.

    Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia agreed with Keyamo, saying in a money laundering charge, the giver of the money must not necessarily be specified.

    “The giver must not be stated. I agree that it’s the inability to trace the source of the money that forms the element of the charge,” the judge said.

    According to her, the defence counsel was wrong in his arguments.

    “It’s an abject misconception for the defence counsel to raise the objection,” Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia held.

    The judge further held that the fact it was merely stated that Fani-Kayode received money without stating who gave it to him does not in any way invalidate the charge.

    “This does not affect the validity of the charge,” she said.

    The judge held that the emphasis is on the concealment of the ownership of property, which amounts to the crime of money laundering.

    “The accused is directed to plead to the charges,” Justice Ofili-Ajumobia ruled.

     

  • Comment

    Comment

    For Olatunji Dare

     

    Unceremonial exit of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is unfortunate despite his personality. PDP does not have respecter of elders, why must this insult happene to him. From Chika

    Dare, your text captioned “Retirement of the lexical kind” sounds very interesting but just note one thing. Babangida, a Northerner ruled the country for eight years. Obasanjo, a Yoruba man also ruled the country for eight years. Remember that there is no oil-well in Mina neither is there any at Abeokuta. Jonathan is of the hen that lay the Golden egg but you people did not know his value. These past leaders did not paint any old building not to talk of errecting any new one yet they remained honoured. Do not forget that the entire south-south and south-east look upon Jonathan as their candidate. You wish to see a united Nigeria but you seem to overlook the bane of the unity. I speak secretly to you that Jonathan’s neglect ends Nigeria coesive bond. Not a threat but of a whole truth. Anonymous

    Sir, I want more light into this amalgamation of a thing. From Ayodele Joseph Akao, Edo State

    You favoured the word ‘dismiss’ against the word ‘retire’ with respect to the disengagement of the service chiefs. There are number of valid reasons to justify the disengagement of a service chief and from newspaper reports that I read the presidency gave at least two of such reasons. There may be reasons to suspect every move our president makes but I do not think you were fair to him this time around. From Col. Peter Ulu (rtd).

    I read with worry the comment of Femi Fani-Kayode. I saw him as a religious and sectional bigot whose sense of social decency has badly deranged. Or how else can a man who was a minister and was alleged to have left office with poor records turn round to preach a poorly worded sermon – the gutless eunoch… He can only deceive the teens! His insult on our President is sad and Femi is an ingrate! If he feels he can whip up cheap sentiments, he is a joker! Anonymous

    Olatunji, so what terminology are you suggesting instead of amalgamation? Should we use cohabitation of the southern and northen protectorate as a terminology? Anonymous

    Mr. Dare, your article was a true direction of my thought how then do Nigerian council of elders think in this direction or Mr president? Another article for the young generation to claim their destiny. Thanks! From Peter, Abuja

    Re: Retirements of the lexical kind. Bamanga Tukur had bowed out after the forced exit. Who knows tomorrow regarding this occurrence. However one injustice committed against Bamanga tukur was that, he came in democratically but removed undemocratically. That however is a lesson for us all that ‘No condition is permanent’! From Lanre Oseni.

     

    For Segun Gbadegesin

     

    The ouster of the former PDP national chairman, Bamangar Tukur, may be a stepping stone to something better for the party, who knows? But Nigerians, I think, are more concerned with how the PDP and its ruling government could be reformed to give the people a sense of belonging in their much touted transfomational agenda, or give way for a viable alternative than who goes out of the party and was replaced by who. We are by no means interested in the strategy at using party politics to divert our attention from more important and urgent national problem – our economic reform. From Emmanuel Egwu

    Why is our ones objective ‘The Nation’ gradualy turning to an APC bulleting? Objectivity has been thrown into the trashcan. From Gabriel, Jos.

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

    “The power of dream” is knowledge based and well researched. Nigerian politicians should put the interest of the nation on their priority list and avoid corruption and rancour. From Sunday Fiola esq, Sango Ota, Ogun State

    Unlike Biblical Joseph ‘The Dreamer’ which is spiritual and eventually came to pass, I agree with you 100 per cent on your analysis of day dreamers. Do not forget to include others like Buhari to balance your beautiful and bitter truth write-up. So far, I commend APC for what they have done in Lagos. However, APC and PDP should also not be in another mid summer night dream come. From J. Williams, Lagos.

    It is good to dream uncle Ggenga, as I am dreaming to be the governor of my state (Imo) so that my family members will get their own share of the cake. Anonymous

    Re: The power of dream. The power of dream you believe are oftentimes unrealistic could be 50-50. For some, dreams could be a reality. Fayose, Ladoja, Akala and Omisore may not be in your loved camp, at least one of them in the supposed dream, will prove your conclusion wrong. I hope tribunal will not bail you out as usual! Tukur had learnt that Nigerian politics is not the ‘truth’ one bares in totality afterall all those five defected PDP governors that were acclaimed ‘bad products’ while in PDP are being worshipped by ACN-CPC/APC today. When Suntai is ready to listen to the truth, he will succumb. From Lanre.

    My dear Gbenga, your piece on “The power of dreams” is not only interesting but amazingly fascinating. In each of the instances you took up, you examined with the precision of soothsayer and prophetic icing. I suggest that you do those concerned a favour by extracting a memo from your labour for their purpose. Anonymous

    Dreams power the world without it there will be no meaninful progress. Kudos to those who dream. Although ambition and vanity do not help matters. From Peter Nwakpa

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    The piece is interesting. The truth is that unemployment is synonymous with capitalist economy and ours is a peripheral capitalist order. Why? Because it is based on private profit. The whole thing will change when the toiling masses conquer political power and organise a humane society. From Amos Ejimonye.

    It is very unfortunate that good governance is not in Nigerian leaders’ dictionary. We are the laughing stock of the international community due to bad governance. Corruption and social vices have become ‘untouchable’ issues. How can we move forward? Let us pray now. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

    Thanks for publishing my ‘musing’ in your column last Sunday. This is the abridged biography of the average Nigerian. From pregnancy, his or her mother works at least 10-12 hours a day to support the father whose income is not sufficient to take care of the family (that is if he has any income). From birth he/she begins to live with hunger and every other form of deprivation. Have you noticed that one of the very first thing an average Nigerian child knows is “Up NEPA”!. Then, after wangling through school, he/she is forced into the labour market where all kinds of jackals are waiting to exploit him/her. Tell you what, there are many graduates out there who will sacrifice almost anything to secure a 15-hour a day job to earn N30,000 monthly. Believe me, there are graduates in this country today who work 8-10 hours a day and earn less than N15,000 naira monthly. Yet, our legislators are the highest paid in the world; they are even earning more than Obama and Angela merkel of Germany and our ‘coordinating minister’ keeps telling us that the economy is improving. My brother, anyone who says he/she is ready to die for this county should be told upfront: only those politicians deserve to pay whatever price Nigeria requires to experience peace and have a shot at progress. God bless you for your insightful write-ups.

    National Assembly has indirectly become the National Directorate of Employment. To get a good job in any government establishment in Abuja these days, you must have a link to a federal lawmaker. That is why 2015 is going to be hot. All of us must become lawmakers and political office holders in order to survive! From Okwudiri, Abuja.

    I am embarrassed that your piece in the January 26 edition of The Nation on Sunday almost suggests it’s wrong to bat an eyelid if a man or boy is underpaid or treated poorly on the job … Yes, you did mention the London educated guy but there is no parity in your presentation as far as male/female disenfranchisement is concerned. I guess speaking out for males equally would have made you lose what’s left of your manhood. From Mike, Port Harcourt.

  • Fani-Kayode opposes money laundering charge

    Fani-Kayode opposes money laundering charge

    Former Aviation Minister, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, has opposed a fresh money laundering charge the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed against him.

    His lawyer, Mr Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), opposed the charge yesterday, stalling the former minister’s arraignment.

    EFCC’s lawyer, Festus Keyamo, applied that the amended charge be read to the accused so that he could take his plea.

    But Adedipe objected, saying the accused could not be arraigned because the charge was invalid.

    He said the first count, which stated that Fani-Kayode accepted cash payment of over N10 million, did not specify who gave him the money.

    According to him, it was alleged throughout the charge that the accused accepted various sums of money but no mention was made of the person from whom the money was received.

    Adedipe said the charge was, therefore, not only oppressive but also invalid.

    He said: “The accused is alleged to have received money from a nameless person. We have to know the person so we can know who to address. As it is, the charge is vague.

    “They (prosecution) alleged that he accepted money. When you accuse somebody of accepting money, clearly, the person from whom the money was accepted becomes important.”

    Keyamo said the silence on how the money got to the accused did not matter because Fani-Kayode was not charged with theft but money laundering.

    “The essence of money laundering is when the money has no origin; it’s when you are caught with large sums of money and you cannot explain the source,” Keyamo said.

    Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumugobia urged both parties to file their written addresses within two days.

    He adjourned till February 3 for ruling.

    The EFCC, in the amended 40-count charge, alleged that Fani-Kayode, on various days in 2006 accepted and deposited money at the Apapa branch of a bank through some of his associates and wife.

    One of the counts reads: “That you Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, on or about 22 day of November, 2006, while serving as Minister of Aviation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, made a financial transaction exceeding N500, 000, which was not done through financial institution by accepting cash payment of N10 million, which sum further carried in cash to First Inland Bank Plc, Apapa branch (now First City Monument Bank PLC.), through one Saviour Ndifreke, (your close associate now at large), and put in an investment account in your favour for 90 days contrary to section 15 (1) (d) and punishable under section 15 (2) (b) of the money laundry prohibition act, 2004.”

    The judge had adjourned the trial sine dine (indefinitely) after Keyamo said he did no longer wanted Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia to adjudicate the case and that it should be re-assigned to another trial judge, but the Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta, was said to have refused the request.

  • EFCC files amended charge against Fani-Kayode

    EFCC files amended charge against Fani-Kayode

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday filed an amended money laundering charge against a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, at a Federal High Court in Lagos.
    At the resumed hearing of the case, the Prosecutor, Mr. Festus Keyamo, informed the court of the amended charge containing 40 counts and applied that the plea of the accused be taken.
    After first count was read to the accused, his counsel, Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), raised an objection that the charge was invalid and his client could not plead to it.
    Adedipe argued that the count stated that the accused “accepted cash payments of over N10 million,” without stating the donor of the said money.
    He said it was alleged throughout the charge that the accused “accepted various sums of money,” without mentioning the names of the persons from whom they were received.
    The counsel submitted that the charge was “invalid, persecutory and oppressive.”
    Keyamo, in response, argued that the charge bordered on money laundering in which monies involved had no source as opposed to conversion or stealing where there was a particular source.
    He submitted that he was prepared to file a written address on the issue.
    Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, in a short ruling, said that both parties were at liberty to either file written addresses or address the court orally on the issue.
    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that she adjourned the case to February 3 for ruling.
    .

  • Okonjo-Iweala, two others sued over ‘forced’ retirement

    Okonjo-Iweala, two others sued over ‘forced’ retirement

    The Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been sued with two others for alleged unlawful termination of the employment of a civil servant who allegedly published a story about the minister.

    The applicant, Yushau Shuaibu, until his compulsory retirement on June 26, was the Chief Information Officer (SGL 14) at the Federal Ministry of Information.

    In the suit filed before the National Industrial Court, Abuja, the applicant faulted the process leading to his forced retirement.

    Sued with the minister are: the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) and the Federal Ministry of Information.

    The plaintiff, in a statement of claim, said he was called sometime in April by the minister, demanding apologies and a retraction over one of his writings published by Premium Times, titled: Still on Okonjo-Iweala over Controversial Appointments. Shuaibu said he would rely on same at the trial of the case.

    The plaintiff said he refused to apologise to the minister because he had written similar articles on President Goodluck Jonathan and other past leaders when they were in government, especially President Olusegun Obasanjo, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-rufai, Femi Fani-Kayode, among others.

    Shuaibu averred that many rejoinders and commentaries were published in reaction to the write-up concerning the minister.

    According to him, he had even written articles praising the minister on the same issues.

    The plaintiff argued that despite not contravening any known law of the civil service, Okonjo-Iweala allegedly influenced his forceful retirement.

    Shuaibu is praying the court to, among others, grant an order directing the FCSC to reinstate him to the civil service and his post as the Chief Information Officer in his former ministry without any loss on seniority, salaries, position and other emoluments.

    He is also praying for an order directing the FCSC and the Ministry of Information to compute and pay him all his salaries, allowances and other emoluments due to him from July 2013 up to the date of judgment, including interest at the prevailing commercial banks’ rates on the sum arrived at.

    The plaintiff is also other reliefs.

     

     

     

    wseeking:

    *A declaration that the Public Service Rules (2008 edition) is applicable for the purposes of determining the employment of the Claimant and other matters relating to his employment in the Civil Service of the Federation.

    * A declaration that the letter of the 1st Defendant dated the 26th day of June 2013 with Reference No FC/6138/S.1/ 69/220 received by the Claimant on the 4th of October 2013 which purports to retire the claimant, a statutory employee, from the Civil Service of the Federation from the 26th of June 2013 has no force of law and is therefore illegal, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever being in flagrant violation of Rules 030302, 030303, 030304, 030305, 030306 and 030601 of the Public Service Rules (2008 Edition).

    *A declaration that the decision of the 1st Defendant to retire the Claimant at its meeting held on the 26th of June 2013 with effect from the same date without conducting any investigation, without giving the claimant an opportunity to defend himself and without complying with the conditions precedent for retirement is contrary to Section 36 of the Constitution, Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and the Public Service Rules 030305 and 030601 (2008 Edition) and is therefore illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

    * A declaration that the Iwuala unduly instigated the 1st Defendant to unlawfully retire the Claimant in violation of his freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004

  • The curse of power

    The curse of power

    Former Aviation Minister Chief Femi Fani-Kayode writes on the transcient nature of power, the gains and pains of leadership and vanity of life.

    This is a grim and depressing essay and the subject matter is painful to digest. I take no pleasure in writing it and I would suggest that those that are easily hurt, over-sensitive and unduly emotional should stop here and go no further because this is not the stuff for weak stomachs or gentle souls. Yet those that choose to go on and read it to the end can be rest assured of one thing- that there is a purpose for this interesting contribution and there is a morale to the tale. Now sit back, relax, fasten your seatbelts, prepare for take-off and come fly with me. Here it goes. When one studies the history of our country critically and takes the time to do the appropiate research one thing becomes very clear- that, in Nigeria, politics and the power game is a dangerous calling and terrible business which, more often than not, comes with a heavy price tag.

    That price tag includes pain, anguish, betrayal, humiliation, persecution, misfortune, hardship, loss, death, strange ailments and tragedy for those who reach the top and their loved ones. It is rather like playing Russian roulette- there is one live bullet in the six empty chambers of the pistol and one doesn’t quite know when that bullet will go off when the trigger is pulled. The gamble and risks taken are not only compulsive but they are also addictive and at the same time utterly deadly. Sadly the result is as follows- virtually every single one of our national leaders and those that have ever ruled this country has suffered immeasurably at some point or the other in their lives, whether it be before, during or after they came to power. They too have shed tears in the loneliness of their closets and have eaten portions of what the bible describes as the ‘’bread of sorrows’’. Yes, even the rich and powerful cry and even they suffer loss and tragedy. This is the case for leaders all over the world but in Nigeria it is far more pronounced and common than anywhere else. Here the angel of death, misfortune and sorrow seem to stalk those that find power and, like an ugly old crow plucks out the pink feathers and precious eyes of a beautiful flamingo, she cuts short and plucks away their lives or the lives of their loved ones. Like a light bulb attracts a moth and leads it to a sudden end, so power attracts those who seek it with equally tragic consequences. As painful as it is, let us look at the facts.

    In the early ‘60’s, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the first Premier of the Western Region, lost his first son and years later his second son and second daughter were cut short in the prime of their lives. Chief S.L. Akintola, his bitter poiltical rival and the second Premier of the Western Region also lost his first daughter in the early ‘60’s and a few years later lost his third and youngest son. His second son was also cut short in his prime a number of years later. Chief Remilekun Fani-Kayode, the Deputy Premier of the Western Region, who was a close ally and second in command to S.L. Akintola, lost his second son. Sir Adesoji Aderemi, who was the Ooni of Ife, a close ally of Awolowo and the first ceremonial Governor of the old Western Region, lost his first son. Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Premier of the old Eastern Region and Nigeria’s first and only ceremonial President, lost his first wife.

    President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s second democratically-elected President lost four wives and one son whilst Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Premier of the Northern Region, lost two sons and one daughter. Awolowo and Obasanjo went to jail for three years each whilst Ahmadu Bello went to jail for three months.

    S.L. Akintola was killed in the prime of his life just as were Ahmadu Bello and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria’s first democratically-elected leader and Prime Minister. As a matter of fact they were all killed on the same night- the night of January 15th 1966. President Shehu Shagari, Nigeria’s second democratically-elected leader and first executive President lost four children whilst he was in power and was locked up for over two years after he was toppled. Chief MKO Abiola, the winner of the June 12th 1993 Presidential election, lost two wives, was locked up for 4 years and was eventually killed. Chief Bola Ige, the first democratically-elected Governor of Oyo state and the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation lost his first son and he himself was later murdered. Chief Bisi Onabanjo, the first democratically-elected Governor of Ogun state lost his first son. Alhaji Lateef Jakande, the first democratically elected Governor of Lagos state, lost his first daughter. Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, the second democratically-elected Governor of Oyo state lost his son. Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, the first Minister of Finance of Nigeria was killed. Chief Alfred Rewane, one of the founding members of the Action Group and a leading figure in NADECO, was killed. The list is endless and I could go on and on.

    Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua was Minister of Lagos Affairs in the First Republic. He was blessed with a long and peaceful life. However, two of his sons were not so lucky. His first son, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who was number two to General Obasanjo when he was military Head of State and who for many decades was one of the most powerful men in the country, was murdered whilst he was in prison. His second son, President Umaru Yar’Adua, was cut short in his prime by a strange and inexplicable ailment after he had been President for only three years. He was succeeded by his number two, Vice President Goodluck Jonathan. Jonathan lost his brother and his mother-in-law one year after the other after he became President. Worse still those that he had been deputy to throughout his political life, either as Deputy Governor or Vice President, always suffered one form of misfortune or the other, whether it be death, shame, incarceration or impeachment, and he would end up stepping into their shoes and taking their place.

    When it comes to our military rulers the story of consistent tragedy is no different- General Aguiyi-Ironsi, our first military Head of State was killed. General Yakubu Gowon, our second military Head of State, was toppled from power, exiled and lost his brother. General Murtala Mohammed, our third military Head of State, was killed and lost both his son and son-in-law. General Olusegun Obasanjo was our fourth military Head of State and we touched on his misfortunes earlier. General Muhammadu Buhari, our fifth military Head of State, was toppled from power, locked up for a number of years, lost his mother whilst he was in detention and was not allowed to attend her burial, lost his number two (General Tunde Idiagbon) in very strange circumstances and later lost his daughter. General Ibrahim Babangida, our sixth military Head of State, was eased out of power and compelled to ‘’step aside’’ amidst massive controversy and turmoil and later lost his wife. His number two, Rear Admiral Augustus Aikhomu, lost his first son. Chief Ernest Shonekan, our first and only Interim Civilian Head of State, was badly humiliated and toppled from power. General Sani Abacha, our seventh military Head of State, lost his son, was removed from power and was killed. General Abdulsalmi Abubakar, our eigth military Head of State, as far as I am aware is the only exception and appears to have escaped any misfortune.

    Yet the picture is very depressing. This is indeed a catalogue of tragic events. Sorrow and pain just appears to be following sorrow and pain. It is a vicious circle of misfortune and calamity. Yet the most curious phenomenon and bizarre series of events of all is the fact that every single Head of State or President that has ruled our country from the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock, Abuja for three years or more has either ended up dying whilst there or has lost a spouse before leaving office. Babangida did not stay in the Villa in Abuja for up to three years so he and his wife escaped what has come to be known as the ‘’Villa curse’’. It was the same for Chief Ernest Shonekan who, wisely, never stayed at the Villa at all but who chose to preside over the affairs of the nation from Aguda house next door and who remained in power for barely six months. General Abdulsalami Abubakar stayed at the Villa but he remained there for less than a year. However Abacha, Obasanjo and Yar’adua were not so lucky- each of them stayed at the Villa for three years or more and before the end of their tenure they either lost their own life or the life of their spouse whilst there. The story is that once the three year mark is passed the curse sets in and the clock begins to tick. At the end of the day only one of the two spouses comes out alive. As my friend and brother Mr. Femi Adesina of the Sun Newspaper once wrote, I say ‘’Jumping Jehoshaphat’’. This is truly frightful. Yet one wonders- is it all a mere coincidence or is there more to it than meets the eye?

    Are these ‘’inevitable acts of God’’ or is it the work of the devil? Is there such a thing as a curse or a jinxed existence or place? Most of us believe in blessings and blessed places yet can we believe in blessings without believing in curses? Can we believe in the power of light and God without believing in the power of darkness and the devil? Can you have one without the other? Can there be good without evil? These are indeed strange and curious events but is the whole thing nothing but superstitious humbug? Possibly so, though I doubt it very much. Yet the truth is that I am simply guided by the facts and we must each make of them what we will.

    In his book titled ‘’The Screwtape Letters’’ the great 20th century scholar, writer and philosopher Professor C.S. Lewis wrote- ‘’there are two schools of thoughts about demons. Firstly that they do not exist at all and secondly that they exist but that they have no power’’. He then wrote that ‘’the demons themselves are equally pleased with both schools of thought and they view the atheist with as much disdain and amusement as they do the materialist’’. He goes on to say that ‘’the greatest trick that the devil ever played on humanity was to make mankind believe that he does not exist’’. These are powerful insights, wise counsel and instructive words coming from a man that is generally regarded as being at par with the likes of Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Homer, J.R.R.Tolkien, Plato, Tolstoy, Voltaire, Aristotle and Paul of Tarsus and who is one of the greatest and most influential writers and philosophers that ever lived.

    Whatever the case and whoever we choose to believe it is my sincere prayer that the Villa curse is broken (assuming that such a curse exists) and that no-one else will suffer the same fate as those that lived there for three years or more before them. Given the fact that the bible says that the Lord ‘’reveals to redeem’’ and that the blood of Jesus is more powerful than any curse I have every confidence that eventually it will be.

    I am not a superstitious man but I don’t believe in coincidences either. Where there is a consistent pattern of strange and similar occurences and a series of bizarre and inexplicable events then good old-fashioned common sense and logic demands that questions must be asked and answers must be provided. When one considers all these facts and series of misfortunes that have trailed our leaders in the last 53 years of our existence as an independent nation one cannot but conclude that there has indeed been a harvest of hardship, pain and death attached to the highest, most powerful and most prominent offices in the land and to those that are close to or have occupied it.

    The truth is that power comes at a terrible price and those that wield it have, more often than not, experienced terrible pain and anguish in their lives. That is the price that virtually every single one of them has had to pay. What a tragedy. Yet at the end of the day I wonder whether it is all worth it. For as the bible says, it is nothing but ‘’vanity upon vanity- all is vanity’’. May the Lord continue to comfort and heal the wounds of all those that have lost their loved ones over the years, including every single family or person that is mentioned or referred to in this essay, and may the souls of the departed continue to rest in perfect peace. The morale of the tale? For all those that are either in the power game or politics themselves or that have loved ones that are involved in it my counsel is that they pray, pray and pray again and that they break every known and unknown covenant. As a matter of fact, as the bible says, they must ‘’pray without ceasing’’ for both themselves and their loved ones.

    I say this because this battle is real. Yet, ‘’our weapons are not carnal but are mighty through God in the pulling down of strongholds’’. May we never be at the wrong place at the wrong time and may our loved ones never be the victims of spiritual bullets that are meant for us. Such bullets, in the good old fashioned Mountain of Fire (MFM) way, shall ‘’die by fire’’ and ‘’return back to sender’’. We decree and we declare that the counsel of the ungodly shall not stand over our lives and loved ones and that ‘’no weapon fashioned against us shall prosper’’. Thankfully we have come to the end of the flight and we have landed safely. You may now unfasten your seatbelts. I hope that it wasn’t too turbulent. Cheer up, be strong and keep smiling because despite all the tragedy, sorrow, death and ugliness it is still a beautiful world and much joy can still be found in it. The Lord is faithful to His own. May God be with us all.