The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FFK

  • FFK’s unwarranted attacks on Osinbajo

    In the age of “alternative facts”, the media has been awash and desecrated with fake news, “post-truths” and outright untruths; where people who claim to be authors or journalists in their write-ups gleefully revel in these three 21st century media-related anomalies.

    And it seems a few notable names, including a former minister of aviation, have since been co-opted into the small, bitter crowd that dishes out such anomalies, disjointedly stewed with plenty of bile and hateful statements.

    Such persons have also attempted to denigrate the personality of Vice President Yemi Osinabjo, SAN, by giving their forced readers a bumpy ride with personal biases and bitterness in their words.

    Albeit, in the real world, where truth, fairness and objectivity, not alternative facts, still count for something, such articles are, at best, inconsequential, as these articles only succeed, in the end, to be indigestible to objective, sane minds, and also leave a bad taste, even in the mouths of neutrals.

    Let’s face the facts, instead of being clouded by the unreason in these disjointed articles against. Osinbajo, including one written by a former minister of aviation.

    The man who is sometimes referred to as FFK need to be reminded that officials under the former administration of Goodluck Jonathan were involved in corruption that stank to the heavens.

    On the Vice President’s comments that “100 billion naira and $289 USD million was withdrawn in cash by President Goodluck Jonathan two weeks before the presidential election ostensibly for security. This was unprecedented stealing and it led to the economic recession that we are suffering today”, FFK didn’t even present one fact when he alleged that it was “wild, baseless and frankly absurd allegations and willful and premeditated display of perfidy”. All he attempted at were unwarranted personal attacks on the Vice President, with unfounded statement and libellous claims.

    It should be pointed out to FFK that Osinbajo only scratched the surface when he mentioned that amount. Since 2015, Nigerians have come to realise the monumental corruption that happened under Jonathan’s watch; from former Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Allison Madueke, to former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, and many other officials in the former administration that have been accused of corruption. The list goes on. Nigeria is still recovering from this wanton thievery of its national purse.

    To cover his lack of facts, he based his false claims on false claim; that he could only support with more false claims.

    Again, for the umpteenth time, there is no $25 billion NNPC contract scam anywhere. A quick reminder for FFK: no contracts were procured by the NNPC. Prof. Osinbajo, while as Acting President, only approved Joint Venture Financing arrangements.

    Also, there is no agenda by President Muhammadu Buhari to Islamise the country. Like Osinbajo noted, both the Islamic Development Bank and Sukuk bonds are not evidence of any plans by the present administration to Islamize Nigeria.

    For instance, Nigeria joined the bank in 2005, under the administration of a Christian, President Olusegun Obasanjo, while the country is today the fourth largest shareholder of the bank.

    All the article raised were simply a long list of personal grievances against the person of the vice president and the fact that he is committed to the service of his fatherland. FFK, as a former minister, should know and understand the chain of command and being under authority. Both President Buhari and the vice president are united and work together to achieve a common goal of this administration: to make Nigeria better.

    Sadly, it seems the necessary qualities of leadership, among which is service, is lost on FFK who was once a minister. It now seems that he was more focused on pursuing his selfish motives than working for his country and in tandem with his former principals.

    Also, President Buhari’s comments to the World Bank were taken out of context. The Presidency and the World Bank have since come out to clarify this. The North-east was what the President asked to be given more priority, and the north-east of the country is just a subset of northern Nigeria. In case he pretends not to know, international agencies like the World Bank and NGOs usually give more priority to crisis areas like the North-east that had been ravaged by insurgency.

    The vice president, also has condemned, in strongest terms, every form of religious, tribal or ethnic sentiments and violence by any group or individual. He also condemned hate speech, which he described as acts of terrorism.

    Even attempting to explain the bulk of disjointed statements in the article is labouring, as it lacks substance; it is almost akin to giving prominence on the table to a badly prepared dish.

    Many have adjudged the vice president, Prof. Osinbajo, to be forthright and honest. FFK and co should ask the Niger Delta elders forum, PANDEF, Christian and Muslim leaders, some of whom came to visit the Presidential Villa, Abuja recently, or even the man on the streets about the vice president’s leadership, his selfless service to fatherland and his candour. Then people should ask the same of FFK. The answers, I am certain, would be as different as night and day.

    Nevertheless, I refuse to go low, like FFK, with a series of needless personal attacks. But I would kindly leave him and his likes the wisdom in the words of the former First Lady of the United States, the elegant Michelle Obama, whose husband former US President Barack Obama, embodies everything that FFK has, sadly, shown he isn’t; leader, patriot and role model:

    “How we urge them to ignore those who question their father’s citizenship or faith. How we insist that this hateful language they hear from public figures on TV (or online) does not represent the true spirit of this country. How we explain that when someone is cruel or acts like a bully, you don’t stoop to their level. No, our motto is: when they go low, we go high.

    “With every word we utter, with every action we take, we know our kids are watching us. We, as parents, are the most important role models. And let me tell you, Barack and I take that same approach to our jobs as President and First Lady, because we know that our words and actions matter”.

  • Sour grapes from FFK

    His Rotten Verbal Majesty, Femi Fani-Kayode, has some newly plucked sour grapes, just to endure President Muhammadu Buhari’s safe return, despite his evil pronouncements that the president would not come home alive from his medical vacation in London, UK.

    The good thing though, is that the biting sourness is for his and his teeth alone — and maybe Ayo Fayose’s, who nevertheless has begged.  As they say in the scriptures: it is tantamount to the fathers eating sour grapes and setting their children’s teeth on edge.

    Given the historic nuisance value of Fani-Kayodes in past and present politics, FFK could well be living this biblical aphorism.  The only difference is that he needed no forebears to procure him any sour grapes.  On that, he is more than self-sufficient.

    After it came to be known the president was coming home, after Charly Boy, the maverick Area Fada almost came a sad cropper, after his Ourmumudondo Return-or-Resign protest at Wuse Market, Abuja, FFK merrily tweeted, claimed it was Charly Boy’s derring-do that got Buhari scuttling home.

    Well, Nigeria is an equal-opportunity crank-dom, where every crank that has access to the social media, presses his democratic right to claims, no matter how wild or bizarre — and expects his backers to hail.

    On that, FFK was both hailed and nailed, depending on where his readers stood.  But it was clear he was trying to underplay his bizarre boast that President wouldn’t come home alive.  Sour grape 1 — and was his teeth not set on edge, seeing the president come in to a tumultuous welcome!

    Even before living that down, the president let off a granite speech, 7am on Monday, warning to those he called “trouble makers”, who always ran away at the first manifestation of the trouble they brewed — or else!

    Well, Hardball wouldn’t totally agree with the president on all fronts.  Nigerian unity is neither settled nor closed.  It is still a work-in-progress, depending on so many variables —but certainly too many, for a country that has had flag independence for 56, going to 57 years.

    Still, that should be no reason for a few to use that to threaten Armageddon, blaze hate and banish lawful citizens from legitimate aspirations, nationwide.  That is where, as the Yoruba say, the zealots have taken their sacrifice beyond the mosque!  So, the president was quite spot on, to read the riot act.

    But perhaps all that didn’t concern FFK, as his sour grape, No. 2, bit deep!  As the president was marshaling his points, FFK, from his reportage later, got his sight — indeed, his whole being — fixed on his president’s hands.  His triumphal report?  The president couldn’t read his speech without his hands shaking!

    Well, better shaking hands than FFK’s morbid prediction, which fell pat on FFK’s irate face.

    You can’t make a case for the left-handed at old age.  FFK’s psyche appears so poisoned it doesn’t appear to make sense, telling him to change tack.  He would appear beyond redemption, when the issue is polite dissent; and resisting taking a tumble in the sewers.

    Still, he would do well to listen to God’s admonition.  If you don’t give life, you can’t predict its exit.  That is tantamount to playing God — and playing God, as FFK’s bizarre conduct has shown, is nothing but roaring folly!

  • Fayose, FFK And Other “Saints”: Please Return Nigeria’s Loot

    There is something strikingly amusing about some Nigerian leaders. They regale in oddities; celebrate the profane and seek to stamp the seal of illegalities all the times. Most recently, Nigerians have been forced to contend with too many of such characters; but two of them are really outstanding in Nigeria’s hall of perfidy.

    All dais point to the incumbent Ekiti state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose and the former Aviation minister, Chief Femi-Fani Kayode (FFK). They are two of a kind and share too many things in common; notwithstanding some equally striking dissimilarities.

    Both are supposedly of Yoruba descent; except FFK whom the Yorubas are contesting his ancestry. They claim he is man whose parents aboard a slave sheep from Sierra Leone were freed somewhere in Lagos when it berthed to load more slaves in Badagry for Europe. His parents were feted with the traditional Yoruba hospitality, rehabilitated; refused to go back to their fatherland of torment and eventually settled in the Southwest and begot FFK.

    Fayose also differs from FFK. The Governor claims he is a Pastor and seer of the future. So, he knows exactly when Nigeria would kiss the doom finally or starve his Ekiti people to blame President of Nigeria. But FFK lacks such powers, at least, on this score, he does not pretend to possess it.

    The duo also have touty character. They have the same inclination of acting like rogues; they speak before thinking and keep currying public support for odious actions even when the public resist them. They are soulless and inhuman. They have lost the nerve and the touch of human kindness. What is fair to them, must be fair to all and conversely, what is unfair to them means Nigeria must be brought to its knees.

    They have a penchant for sycophancy and loquaciousness; but in their context, they don’t even recruit others to do it at their behest. They execute the job personally, through direct labour. So, Fayose praises himself as the best governor and “miracle” that would ever rule Ekiti state. FFK says, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration solved all the problems of Nigeria. He was Jonathan campaign spokesman in 2015 and still pained that his boss lost it all.

    When President Buhari secured the first release of 21 Chibok Schoolgirls Boko Haram insurgents abducted in 2014 during the reign of ex-President Jonathan, the Ekiti State’s Governor Fayose said it’s “a diversionary tactic orchestrated by President Muhammadu Buhari administration.” He repeated the same thing when another batch of 82 Chibok girls secured their freedom through negotiation last week. It is the most accurate example of a man who reasons with his fingers, instead of the brain.

    But the families of the release Chibok girls are happy and Nigerians are celebrating their release. A thoughtful man would have advised his alter ego, former President Jonathan to also employ this “diversionary tactic,” to pleasantly shock Nigerians by securing freedom for the Chibok girls. But then, he had not yet counted his fingers, up to the fifth one, so he advised nothing.

    And the biggest of their shared traits! They both have a competitive passion for sleaze money. Ekiti state workers are dying under the yoke of months of unpaid salaries. Fayose has allegedly embezzled billions of naira in bail-out funds sent to the state to offset outstanding salary bills of workers and pensioners. He does not give a damn, like his former boss Jonathan.

    And under FFK as Aviation minister, plane crashes in Nigeria, resulting in mass deaths were more rampant than road motor accidents. It was because he allegedly embezzled funds voted to improve facilities at the nation’s airports.

    While Boko Haram terrorists were daily killing and abducting Nigerians in the Northeast and the government of the day secured over $2.1 billion to procure arms to equip the Nigerian military to effectively battle insurgents, the duo allegedly embezzled a chunk of the money for electoral purposes. The action caused avoidable mass deaths and among the dead, were their kinsmen; it caused destructions and social dislocations of a terrifying magnitude.

    These are the actions of serving or former leaders of Nigeria amply typified by Fayose and FFK, who love Nigerian people so greatly and their country, Nigeria more than anyone else. Sadly, while FFK is facing trial in court for his alleged crimes against the masses and the Nigerian state; Fayose is hoed -up in the protective shield of Ekiti State Government House, with the garments of immunity, where he has reduced everybody in his state to the status of a dog.

    Unfortunately, the likes of Fayose and FFK are in thousands in Nigeria. They have occupied Nigeria like the commercial activists and NGOs all over the country. They manipulate themselves into positions of leadership and instead of repenting; they explore new frontiers on how to consolidate the dubious hold on the people and Nigeria. It is exactly what Fayose is doing to Ekiti people. He has frightened all institutions and muzzled every voice of dissention in his state. He attacks security agents proudly and prevents them from performing their lawful duties. He talks, acts and sleeps plotting anarchy on Nigeria.

    Yet, in all these oddities, which pass for the first identity of Fayose, when his friend and artificialized kinsman, FFK hosted him in Abuja early 2017, the former Aviation minister described Fayose as “… a man who has the heart of a warrior and a lion. It was an honor and a privilege to spend the afternoon with him in our home today. I love this man with all my heart and he is doing great things for both Ekiti state and Nigeria.”

    It is now easy to discern why the two of them are tied together like the proverbial birds of the same feathers, frolicking together in infamy.

    But Nigerians ask just one favour from these two gentlemen touts. Everyone knows corruption is not peculiar to Nigeria. It happens all over and in all nations of the world. But the entrenched, endemic and mindless looting of Nigeria has caused the multifaceted problems which have assailed Nigeria today. If truly they are patriotic as they preach, they should have pity on the masses like President Muhammadu Buhari.

    In other climes, patriotic citizens of any country, like the likes of Fayose and FFK are claiming belatedly, who are caught pilfering with national resources’, instantly return the loot quietly and seek for forgiveness from the country men and women they have wronged. They do not climb rooftops or shout halleluiah and overstretch the wheels of the judiciary in arguing about some insane innocence.

    This is more honourable and patriotic. Nigeria needs this money in the custody of these alleged looters to turn around the crippling poverty all over the nation and put smiles on the faces of families. Some Nigerians, who indulged in this odious act by induction, mistake, influence or whatever means and have been figured out, have returned this loot. And they were asked to “Go and sin no more.”

    Why is “patriotic” Fayose, FFK and the likes everywhere unwilling to abide by this simple creed, by doing the needful? Is this the love for one’s country they preach everywhere and see only the failures in others? This is a plea to them; “Please, return Nigeria’s looted money.” This country needs the money.

    It is immoral for anyone to steal from public pot and refuse to return the theft funds when caught, especially as the likes of Fayose and FFK are doing. It is not an issue of grandstanding. The case of Fayose is worse because as a Pastor, he should know God forbids stealing or conversion of another man’s property. He also knows and mounts the podium in worship centers, preaching to others the infinite mercies of God to forgive. So, why the phobia?

    Dear Fayose, FFK and others, you must know that in God’s eyes, no one is too dirty or sinful to repent. And penitence is not even tied to time. At any moment you decide to observe the rites of penitence, God forgives you. And atoning for your sins especially against God’s children endears you closer to Him.

    Please let Nigerians know how much you pilfered,( to use a mild word) in the Dasukigate arms procurement fund scandal or largess and what you are willing to refund and the negotiations’ would continue from there.

    It shall be to your eternal joy of reconciliation with Nigerian masses to make haste while the sun shines, as patriotic Nigerians by acting positively to this special plea. Other looters of Nigeria can also explore this option in order to free themselves and decongest the judicial system as well as other agencies consigned to fighting corruption. This is the plea and passionate cry of the Nigerian masses.
    Ola is a public affairs commentator and contributed this piece from Oshodi, Lagos.

  • FFK and the prerogative of harlotry

    Upfront: Hardball must tread very cautiously here. For the avoidance of doubt, FFK would mean nothing else but Femi Fani-Kayode. Hardball plays no pranks here or takes any wild liberty as he would. Some fiercely fecund readers might want to second-guess Hardball and embark on some prurient wordplay and alliterative permutations with the above headline. But sorry to say that they would only be embarking on an expedition through their lurid minds.

    Let’s shed some light on this. First, The Prerogative of the Harlot is an award-winning book by Hugh Cudlipp written about 37 years ago. The above title has been derived from this book which is simply about how the early press barons shaped news and news content to serve their own selfish ends. The book was set in a time when newspapers were powerful tools and indeed, the major source of public information.

    And what is it got to do with Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK), you might ask? Well the one who is fast earning his pips as the enfant terrible of Nigeria’s politics and public space just a few days ago bemoaned Musiliu Obanikoro’ defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).FFK says Obanikoro’s jump saddens him. Obanikoro, former Minister and Ambassador is a chieftain of the fallen People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and like FFK, he is facing prosecution for money laundering: the one for N4.7 billion and the other for N800 million; sums that can change the fortunes of say Benin Republic for good.

    But let’s hear a bit of it from FFK: “My brother Musliu Obanikoro’s  decision to join the APC irks and saddens me. I say this because I have always loved him and I care. You cannot fight evil by joining it. You cannot bring light by entering the darkness. You cannot find joy by partaking in the bread of sorrows.

    “You cannot run away from the heat of battle. You must have the courage of your convictions. Where is your honour? Where is your strength? Where is your dignity? Where is your self-respect? Where is your sense of self-worth?”

    It goes on and on, a long, pulsating missive. We do not only feel FFK’s pains and his sorrow over Obanikoro’s shameless crossing over, we know his pains. He has inflicted callous dollops of such on us in the last decade. Like a lousy harlot, FFK has moved from PDP to APC and back to PDP in a dizzying routine that left us with the conclusion that this fellow has no iota of self-worth or esteem left in him.

    In fact FFK has done so many things that make us interrogate the horrid prerogative of a harlot.

  • Precious Chikwendu and FFK expectant

    Precious Chikwendu and FFK expectant

    Precious Chikwendu, ex-beauty queen and heartthrob of the former aviation minister, Femi Fani Kayode, is in her best moments.  The lovebirds are expecting their first child together. Last weekend, friends and well-wishers stormed their Asokoro home in the Federal Capital Territory to celebrate their baby shower in preparation of the arrival of the patter tiny feet. The expectant mother is said to be close to her delivery date.

    Last May, the former minister went all out to wish the former beauty queen a happy birthday on twitter as he shared photos of her aboard a private jet, and at home with many gifts  champagne, roses and gift boxes.

    Also last October, the lover boy reportedly penned a love poem for his beau, fondly called Snow White ‘From the hills of Ohafia and the valleys of Abriba comes you that makes me smile. From the forests of Umuahia and the lush green fields of Nanka comes you that brings me joy. From the eastern shores of our nation where stars shine brightly and from whence comes men whose spirits cannot be broken comes you that gives me hope. From the lineage of those who dare to believe and from the stock of those who soar like eagles comes you that creates new beginnings. God brought you my way and has given me a new lease of life. What a gift you are – not just to me but also to humanity’, the poem reads.

  • FFK serenades RFK

    “Chief Remilekun Adetokunboh Fani-Kayode, SAN, QC, CON,” goes the tribute on Femi Fani-Kayode’s Facebook wall, posted 9:01 pm on Sunday, May 30. “Balogun of Ile-Ife, Regional Minister for Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs, Deputy Premier of the Western Region of Nigeria and Deputy Leader of the Yoruba”, with RFK’s picture virtually facing you, with a roguish half-smile, rakish beard and rakish cap.

    Admirable!  Toasting one’s parents, after all, is the filial nobility. Even the Bible, gives an express injunction: honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long, on the land that your God has given you.”

    So does the Quran: Chapter 31, Verse 14, instructs: “And we have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents.  His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years. Give thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination.”

    So, FFK did well toasting his dead dad; although he didn’t mention what the occasion was.

    Still, there is a big difference between filial fealty and historical fealty.

    FFK claimed RFK was deputy premier of Western Region — fact, under Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola’s, SLA’s Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) — Demo for short. But Deputy Leader of the Yoruba?

    Which Yoruba — the one that thoroughly hated Demo for egregiously trampling on their vote, for which RFK himself was widely scorned, as the unfazed face of that brazen heist? Besides, RFK was the hated author of that notorious boast: whether or not you vote for us, we will win. And the brazen execution of that threat elicited the wetie insurrection, which tinder lit up the blaze that consumed the First Republic.

    Though SLA was Western premier, he was no “Yoruba leader” outside his party’s contrived electoral “win”.  So, if SLA was no “Yoruba leader”, RFK couldn’t have been deputy leader.  In any case, which sane people would pelt their leader with mass hate, instead of smothered love?

    RFK was probably an exceptional father in private and was, without a doubt, a brilliant lawyer, QC, SAN. But to romanticise him as a force for public good, with all due respect to the loving memory of his relations, is pure balderdash.

    That was what FFK tried to do by dubbing him as “deputy Yoruba leader”.  He was absolutely nothing of the sort.

    But why is Hardball so concerned to set the records straight — particularly on the senior Fani-Kayode, in the context of the inviolability of the vote?

    Simple: FFK has contempt for the truth, which he always tries to overthrow with cheap bluff and bluster.

    At the Osun governorship election of 2014, FFK boasted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Fourth Republic Demo, was winning with thousands of phantom votes. He also bluffed, even as everyone knew PDP had lost the presidency, that by his private, mythical tally, Goodluck Jonathan was leading with at least three million votes — and “we won’t be robbed”.  Both proved lies from the very pit of hell!

    FFK may well be an electoral reincarnation of his father. But it is Hardball’s patriotic duty to show that he draws exactly the same mass jeers his father drew some 50 years ago.

    Lest some future Fani-Kayode come tell a future generation some gobbledegook about some contrived heroism of the present.