•AIG warns men against use of rickety escort vehicles
Nigerians were told yesterday that the country’s old glory will be restored if they believe in God “and work hard to ensure that selfish interest is substituted for national interest”.
Senior Superintendent Gabriel F. Akinadewo (Omo Jesu II)of Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide gave the advice during a special sermon to mark the church’s 51st founder’s anniversary.
The church was founded by Archbishop Isaiah M. Akinadewo on June 14, 1964.
The anniversary was celebrated with special thanksgiving in all parishes of the church, including the international headquarters in Ondo, Ondo State.
Speaking at the Restoration Parish of the church in Akute, Ogun State, Akinadewo said: “Nothing is too hard for the Lord, the God of all flesh to do. If and when Nigerians change from their evil ways, Nigeria will, once again, become the darling of all in the comity of nations”.
Quoting Jeremiah 17:5, the cleric said that Nigerians, for decades, had put their hope in human beings “and they have been disappointed. For this country to grow financially, spiritually, economically, politically and industrially, we must start to put our hope in God and, at the same time, do the right thing.
“According to Jeremiah 29:11, God has good plans for this country and its people but Nigerians are their own problems by deviating from God’s plans because of selfish interests. With the natural resources that abound in the country, there is enough for all Nigerians. Let us commit our ways unto God, trust Him and He shall bring His plans for us to pass.
“Nigerians are prayerful. In every street, you will see one, two or three churches. But it is not only the truth we know that will set this country free but the truth we do. We know the right thing to do and once this is done by removing selfishness from our thinking, God will move mightily to restore the old glory of this country”.
How do you classify and define Northern Nigerian writing?
There is nothing different between me writing as a Northerner and those of my colleagues from other regions of Nigeria. The only noticeable difference today is the features of their local peculiarities like names and what defines them as peoples from southern Nigeria in terms of cultural settings. For example, if I use Fatima here, a writer from southeast Nigeria will use Nnenna or another writer in Southwest will use Shola or Tobi. To me, talking about Northern Nigerian writers means writers residing in Northern Nigeria. Take one Mr Tunji for example from Osun, he was born in Minna, all he has written are from Minna or Niger State, where do you place him. There is nothing Northern about the contemporary Northern writer or literature because the problems of Nigeria are the same from the North to the South, the East to the West. What you call poverty here is what is called poverty in the South. Problems of sexuality here are the same in the South. These are the things writers write about whether north or south.
What do you have to say about the Northern literacy, which some say has given birth to the boko haram crisis?
It is not the cause of Boko Haram at all. Politics is responsible for Boko Haram. The issue of whether literacy or illiteracy is responsible for Boko Haram is not true because Islam states that we should love one another. For me, it is politics, struggle for control of resources or even poverty. Imagine in Iraq, they are educated yet there are so many problems. I don’t know why people find it difficult to believe that poverty and injustice have a lot to do with crises in the society.
What can be done to curb this?
Justice is the main thing in any society, if you remove that from peoples’ lives, people will become violent. Equity distribution of resources is also important. Functional education should also be encouraged. If there is functional education and justice, there will be little problem.
How did the book agency sought to promote the indigenous languages in the state?
We have started with Nupe and Gbari languages. We need textbooks in order to teach the languages. We are capitalising on the efforts of I.B Ibrahim (Nupe writer) and Sheikh Umar Dada Paiko in accelerating the development of indigenous languages so that if we say study Nupe or teach Nupe, we will have our textbooks for them to study. I. B. Ibrahim has written textbooks in Mathematics, Literature, Grammar, Biology and many others in Nupe language. But most of them are yet to be published. Before my departure, the agency had shortlisted some of them for publication but funds didn’t come. Ambassador Solomon Yisa, who is also a writer in Nupe unveiled Nupe dictionary on July 20, 2013 in Abuja. There are also several people who are making efforts to encourage the learning and teaching of Nupe. I also invited Sheikh Dada to start something on Gbari or Gbagyi. He informed me of his effort to translate part of the Qur’an into Gbari. There was another Gbagyi who has done a few things in his language, which we wanted to support but it is the question of releasing the approved funds.
What are some of the agency’s achievements?
Many! There were the establishment of Bookhawker Scheme; Establishment of an ICT training centre, Cyprain Ekwensi Library, Minna Creative Writing Class, and the construction of a fence round the Hill-Top Arts Centre, Minna and its general renovation. There was also the establishment of two series such as the Minna Literary Series and the Nigerian Writers Series, and the organisation of annual MBA International Literary Colloquium that held four times, among other things.
How far has the agency been able to bridge the gap in the reading culture in the state?
If there is constant release of funds for creative works as put in the budget, Bookhawker Scheme and the Minna Literary Series should gain immediate frequency for the right impact on reading in the state. Without books proliferating the neighbourhoods, the agency will lose the rhythm we have created there.
Tell us more about the Minna Literary Series?
We thought we needed to replicate the Nigerian Writers Series in Niger State for writers here. So, we invented that for which the governor approved N10m last year, it was not released. Again, this year (2015), there is another N10m for the Minna Literary Series. I hope they will release it to the Agency because about 29 manuscripts of young, new writers are waiting there. I am a restless character when it comes to capacity building of young writers. I foresaw this non-release of funds and decided that each time there was colloquium we would safe for the series. We did and published six of them including a girl from Osun, another girl from Kogi and one young man from Benue. The other three are from Niger State but all of them reside in Minna. The Osun girl was born here, eighteen years ago. The name Minna Literary Series is just a name, any Nigerian who is a writer resident in Niger state can be published. Even corps members serving at the agency have been shortlisted. We just want to stimulate Niger environment through books for development. And boys and girls have started talking to the society, vigorously.
The scheme just started last year with Saddiq and Paul’s book. Two months ago we added Fodio’s book and shortly before my exit another three were added.
What is new in the Minna Literary Series?
The writers are new! The writers are good. They already command national profiles of their own, some even international profile because their works have been published in many, many international Journals. The authors under the scheme started out from secondary schools. They first got published while in secondary schools through the Hill-Top Arts Centre I established while still a teacher in Hill-Top Model School. This is new. Many things are new about the scheme. Remember Abubakar Imam from Kagara? The man had a wife from Bobi or was it his mother? A writer has emerged from Bobi village near Kagara; a girl of 26yrs, Maryam with a novel called Bongel. The unravelling of tomorrow’s Imams, Gimbas and Zainab Alkalis is what is new about the series. And that reality is here. Those of us who are older should take note and stop antagonising tomorrow.
How is the book hawker project coming?
Bookhawker is low now. We have the bookshop, the tricycles but few books. The fund to operate it is not there, no enough manpower at the bookshop. Funds approved for the agency were not released. So, for the last part of my stay there, we just concentrated on publishing new writers from colloquium funds. Bringing forth new writers is a fundamental objective in the law establishing the agency.
How can the projects be better sustained and operated?
We have the operational manual up to Local Government level which we submitted even before we embarked on the construction of the bookhawker. Funding is the main thing.
How has been your experience as DG in the past few years?
Being DG from December 2012 to May 2015 was exciting and full of activities, exciting because we got a ‘home’ as writers, we got an institution where we could experiment many ideas we had nursed as individuals and as a group over the years. Indeed, we did many things for which some commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, even an SSG didn’t understand: they didn’t understand why government should spend money on creative writing, intellectual activities and the development of young writers in the state. But the excitement of seeing how our young ones and their parents felt when the books their chaps have written came out is unprecedented. Remember, the agency is the first and the only of its kind in Nigeria, that is hyper-exciting, isn’t it? We were also excited when the state house of assembly passed the law establishing it and the governor assented, immediately. At the agency, I had time to experiment ideas which were basically on capacity building of the young ones. I concentrated on them, enthusiastically as usual. I will do the same at any point of my private and public engagements in the future, inshaAllah.
Could you share your journey towards becoming the DG of the book agency?
It is the story is of a journey from being the Senior Special Assistant to the state governor in 2009 when I was invited to serve in a new unit created by the then Secretary to State Government, Prof Yahaya Kuta. Afterwards, I was elevated to the Executive Coordinator of the same unit that is Projects and Programmes Documentation Unit (PPDU) in the office of the SSG. Later, I was elevated to the Head, Research and Documentation in the governor’s office. That’s how I have moved from 2009 to December, 2012 when the agency was created to specifically care for writers and the documentation of government activities in professional ways. At each point of the journey, I didn’t lose sight of the fact that my being there was an opportunity to promote writers and writing. My activities were purely cognitive. Of course, I wasn’t going to go around shouting at rallies, I think they recognised my background as an artist and left me alone to concentrate on the intellectual crusade of book development and documentation. It was after the 2012 MBA Colloquium when Soyinka commissioned the Cyprain Ekwensi Library that I sent a text message to Prof Kuta that we needed a place for writers and to domicile the intellectual capital project of the state government which he brought up and we amplified through numerous book activities. He requested for a design which I drafted and sent to him. Today, we have an agency for writers in Nigeria.
What has been the agency greatest challenge the agency has had to face?
Release of funds, in 2014 budget, monies for the arts gallery, multi-media centre and 29 books were not released. 2015, they are yet to release N10million for creative books. Last year, our budget was N50million, this year, it is only N10million. And the young ones said: ‘they have started’.
What was the greatest challenge of the job?
Some petty writers in Minna suddenly constituted themselves to antagonising our programmes. I didn’t know why. Strangely, they found one or two alliances in the writer’s fold in Minna. It was disappointing to me. Even some older members who ought to know you better gave-in to the mischief of people who arrived at the association five years ago. In fact, they went as far as recruiting one Tajudeen Lasisi Amusa, a student of Federal University of Technology, Minna to do their dirty job. They wrote fictions about me and gave to the boy to publish on social media, all in a bid to draw us back at the agency. When I got tired, I filed a case against the boy and got a ruling in my favour. That was a distraction I didn’t like. It appears they are not done yet because I would be contesting for the office of the National President of ANA but I will not be tired of going to court too. They have gone to hire another petty unserious writer in Lagos, one Mudiaga who my young ones here are better than to conduct mischievous interviews with one Farida Mohammed to make fictional and infantile allegations against me. My antagonists from Minna found a South-south fellow of theirs to launch a new war on me, they will fail. So, because of my bid for the National Presidency of our association, they have intensified their campaigns of calumny. Even a Permanent Secretary in the state is housing one of them. Incidentally, the Permanent Secretary is one of those who don’t like the idea of a book agency for writers. They are just wasting their time because my friends across the country know my antecedents; they know my ways with the young ones. By the grace of God we shall win the presidency and continue to demonstrate the national reach we have established for over 25 years now.
What advice do you have for the new administration on how to improve the operations and reading culture and circulation of books?
They should go and understudy, physically, what we have done there and why. Serious minded people should do this; academics and artist should be sent there not civil servants or politicians and take reports back to the governor. They should assess the activities done there; weigh the nobility behind establishing the place, what are the impacts, etc., before deciding what to do. They should return the young graduate-writers there to avoid collapse. Funds should be increased and released regularly.
There are fears in some literary quarters over the fate of the agency in the new dispensation, what say you?
Well, I don’t believe that the new government in Niger State will just throw away a landmark that Global Writers like Wole Soyinka, Atukei Okhai, Odia Ofeimun, Prof Rasheed, Shamsuddeen, Ayindoho of Ghana, Pius Adesanmi, Unoma have commended as an example for Africa. These world scholars came here, you know. It gave us a global image and prestige. More than any MDA, the book agency documents the activity of Niger State government. They are stuck in the Cyprian Ekwensi Library there. We designed IMPACT Magazine for MDAs which popularised activities there. Even Ministry of Information, the parent ministry didn’t do as much as we did. The reason is that, over 98% of the staff were political appointees; were writers, journalist and artists. So the interest to document was there. Now, something needs to be made clear, the agency is not like another MDA elsewhere, this one is a specialised one to institutionalise the literary heritage of Niger state. Until you have something to do with Literary Art and other artistic forms of expression, you have no business being there. Dismantling the agency will translate to dismantling Nigerian Writers. I doubt if they will take it lightly from across the world. But the saddest thing is that only about seven staff is left at the agency now. All the efforts made to absorb the young graduate-writers there were fruitless. All those published and more worked there as political appointees, about thirty of them. They are all out now. I think it is important to get them back there. That’s just an advice. For me, I am back to the IBB University, Lapai, where I came from.
Fashola: timely dispensation of justice’ll end violence •Governor inaugurates Justice Samuel Ilori court house
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has said timely and accurate dispensation of justice can help prevent violence and societal unrest.
He spoke yesterday at the inauguration of a magistrate’s court complex in Ogba.
The 22-courtroom complex is named after a former Chief Judge, Justice Samuel Ilori.
Fashola said the court would also provide the judiciary staff with a conducive work environment.
Fashola explained that the location of such facilities has a key role to play in maintaining law and order.
“A society that is able to dispense justice will achieve so many things because in doing so we would be ordering the society and controlling how the society develops.
“We would be punishing, whenever it is necessary to do so, those who threaten our society, those who threaten our children, our wives and our mothers and in that way, we would be strengthening our democracy.
“No matter how beautiful the road we build, if we choose to ignore law and order, ultimately, our society cannot progress. So, it is important to pay attention to those charged with the responsibility to enforce laws and administer laws.”
On why the complex was named after Justice Ilori, the governor said: “The labour of yesterday has made endeavours of today possible.”
The Chief Judge, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, said the judiciary will be grateful to the governor for the beautiful edifice.
She said: “Today’s inauguration and handover attest yet again to the unshakeable commitment of the Lagos State government to sustain infrastructure development in the state judiciary and to the improvement of justice delivery and justice administration.”
Justice Ilori thanked the governor for the honour. He said: “At the time you decided to name this court after me, I am sure you were not aware of my historical connection to this land. The small seed I sowed then has come back as this court house, and I thank you for naming it after me.”
At the ceremony were Deputy Governor Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Ade Ipaye, Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary Lawal Pedro and others.
President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of a new Justice for the Supreme Court.
The new man, Justice Amiru Sanusi now raised the number of Justices of the Supreme Court to 18.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) in a statement Tuesday, confirmed the appointment.
NJC’s Acting Director Information, Soji Oye said in the statement that Justice Sanusi will be sworn-in on Thursday by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), who is also the Chairman of the NJC, Mahmud Mohammed, at 11 am in the Supreme Court Complex.
he grief of 29-year-old widow, Ogechukwu Egwu-atu, from Adazi-Ani in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State is deep.
First, she lost her 36-year-old husband of seven years, and fractured a leg in a car crash. She was in coma for four days.
Then, their two daughters, Chidinma, 7, and Mmesoma, 4, who had bruises in the accident, were abducted by her husband’s relations while she was in hospital.
Her pains increased, when the same relations of her late husband confiscated all her property, including wrappers. They also, allegedly, took over N6 million meant for their business forcibly from their shops and told her not to come back home again.
Worst still, she attended the burial of her late husband with clutches from Iyienu Hospital where good Samaritans rushed her to after the accident at Ugwu-Nwasike Junction on October 21 last year.
Following the maltreatments from the husband’s family, a firm of solicitors led by Chris Ajugwe, has petitioned the police in Anambra State over the kidnap of the two girls.
When TheNation visited the sick-bed of the widow, she was in pains as a result of the maltreatment.
Also, some of the civil society groups and independent human rights activists have taken up the matter to ensure justice.
TheNation also gathered that the main person responsible for the widow’s sufferings is the elder sister of the late husband, one Inspector Angela Mojekwu, attached to the Central Police Station (CPS) Nnewi.
She was alleged to have sworn that the widow would not have peace unless she left the husband’s house; boasting that she has made enough money to prosecute the matter.
Since the children were abducted, TheNation gathered that they had not been seen, while the traditional ruler of Ukpor in Nnewi South Local Government Area, Igwe Felix Onyimadu had been notified on the development.
At the hospital where she was rushed to after the accident, the widow said her husband’s people abandoned her; she was without food for four days and hid the death of her husband from her all in a bid for her not to attend the burial.
A sales girl with the late Egwuatu, alleged that she was chased out of the shop by her late boss’s relations after which they packed everything in the shop.
The sales girl Chiamaka Opara from Imo State gave the name of the relation of her boss as Raphael (aka-school boy) who, she alleged demanded for the keys to the shop which she said she did not know where they were.
During the accident, the widow lost two month-old pregnancy, while the N6 million picked from the shop was money meant for a joint business venture between the couple and two of their friends.
The petition made available to TheNation dated April 2, 2015 and signed by Uju Akuneziri (Esq), for the firm, is demanding full investigation from the police command with a view to bringing the culprits to book.
The petition, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, said: “Dramatically, sir, while our client was still battling to save her life, her late husband’s siblings, namely Mrs. Angela Mojekwu, Miss Nonye Egwuatu and Mr. Raphael Ojika among others, embarked on the heinous act of carting away everything belonging to our client and her husband.
“They started with our clients’ home at No. 37 Uzoegwu Street Nkpor junction where they cleared everything found therein and left no pin behind for the widow and her children. From there they proceeded to their two shops at New Parts, Nkpor”
“They forcibly broke down the protector and entered our client’s shop at C 1/15, New Parts Market Nkpor. They equally took a cash of six million Naira being money meant for a joint business venture between our client and her two friends.
“With respect to our client’s late husband’s shop at B2/13, they entered into it and took over four hundred thousand Naira being the cash at hand in the late Egwuatu’s shop.
“Neighbours and well-wishers witnessed the callous and wanton display of greed and total disregard to the law. They are working in collusion with one Amaka and Oby who are daily contribution collectors. Ojika collected the sum due to the late Egwuatu totalling six hundred thousand.
“Worst of all, they equally abducted the kids aged four years and six years from the hospital without the consent of our client.
“It will interest you to note, sir that the said Mrs. Angela Mojekwu is a police woman attached to CPS Nnewi and has been throwing her weight around the matter all in the name of being a police woman.
“Our client since that incident of October 21 last year has not laid her eyes on her two girls and every effort made to bring Mrs. Angela Mojekwu and Mr. Raphael Ojika to reason failed woefully.
“Most pitiable, our client was only allowed to spy on her husband’s burial with a wrapper tied round our client’s chest because her stuffs and clothing had been forcibly taken by the twosome.
“And what is worst, our client left the hospital and returned to her husband’s home village but she was denied entry into her husband’s home and denied access to her abducted kids. Instead, she was chased away on the grounds that she no longer belongs to her husband’s family and should forever return to her parents.”
Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose ran the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the House of Assembly out of town on assumption of office last October. Since then, he has been preventing them from returning to perform their legislative duties. But last week, the 19 ‘exiled’ lawmakers returned and served Fayose an impeachment notice. They wrote the Chief Judge to raise a panel to probe their allegations against Fayose, who is more comfortable doing business with the minority seven People Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers. Are the governor’s days numbered? PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU asks.
What Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose seems to fear most eventually happened last week. The 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the House of Assembly that he ran out of town on assuming office last October beat all odds to serve him an impeachment notice. The impeachment process opens another front in the battle between the lawmakers and Fayose, who is more comfortable dealing with the minority seven legislators.
Since his return as governor, Fayose, who was impeached by the then House in 2006, has been working with the seven lawmakers who are members of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). With Fayose’s tacit support, the minority lawmakers approved some commissioners for him and the state’s 2015 budget.
Fayose and his lawmakers have been carrying on despite warnings from the majority 19 legislators that what they are doing is wrong. Is this a replay of the 2006 impeachment of Fayose for gross misconduct?
Following Fayose emergence as governor last year, the APC challenged his victory at the Election Petitions Tribunal, claiming that he is ineligible to contest having been impeached in 2006.
Thugs disrupted proceedings, leading to the death of one person; many others were injured. Worried by the development, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) shut the courts in the state and the Tribunal was moved to Abuja.
The crisis deepened when the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin, was ‘impeached’ by the seven PDP lawmakers. Fayose is alleged to have instigated Omirin’s removal.
Armed policemen were positioned outside the Assembly’s premises last November 18 to prevent the APC lawmakers from entering. Omirin’s aides were withdrawn. Electricity supply to his lodge was disconnected. Allowances meant for his office were stopped.
Many faulted the minority lawmakers’ action. Reason: Section 92(2)(c) of the 1999 Constitution states that a Speaker can only be impeached by at least two-third majority of the House.
With Omirin impeached and all 19 APC lawmakers allegedly chased out of the state by thugs, legislative business including the confirmation of key executive council members and approval of major financial decisions were taken by the pro-Fayose seven, led by Dele Olugbemi, who claimed that the APC lawmakers had deliberately absconded from duty.
The case against Fayose
In a letter titled: ‘‘Re: Notice of Allegations of Gross Misconduct’’, the lawmakers listed eight impeachable allegations against the governor and demanded a reply in line with Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.
The governor’s alleged offences include invasion of the House of Assembly with thugs and miscreants; instigating unconstitutional takeover of the House by seven legislators to sit in contravention of Section 96(2) of the Constitution; prevention of the 19 APC legislative members from performing legislative duties with the use of security agents and armed thugs and sponsoring an unlawful impeachment process in the house.
Other allegations are spending Ekiti State funds without the requisite constitutional approval in contravention of the constitution; running the government of the state without a legally constituted Executive Council in contravention of Section 192(2) of the Constituion; operating an illegal 2014 Budget as well as sponsoring and instigating illegal sitting of the House in contravention of Section 96(1) of the Constitution.
However, Fayose, who claimed he has not been served any impeachment notice, but only read it online, described the lawmakers as jesters for drafting the said notice outside the Hallowed Chamber. He reminded the lawmakers that there was a pending case in court instituted by Omirin, challenging his removal and asked them to await the outcome of the suit.
He boasted that, despite being in the majority, the lawmakers can not impeach him because he had done nothing wrong. He accused Omirin of having an ulterior motive of becoming Acting Governor, thereby returning the state to APC.
Since then, the state has not known peace. On April 7, at least one person was reportedly killed as the protest to stop Fayose’s impeachment raged on.
Procedures for impeaching
a governor
According to Section 188 of the Constitution, a governor or his deputy shall be removed from office whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than one-third of the members of the House of Assembly, alleging gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office, with detailed and specific particulars are availed the Speaker.
Upon receipt of the notice, the Speaker is expected to, within seven days, cause a copy to be served on the Governor and on each member of the House of Assembly, as well as ensure that the governor’s response to the impeachment notice is also served on the legislators individually.
‘‘(3) Within 14 days of the presentation of the notice to the speaker of the House of Assembly (whether or not any statement was made by the holder of the office in reply to the allegation contained in the notice, the House of Assembly shall resolve by motion, without any debate whether or not the allegation shall be investigated.
‘‘(4) A motion of the House of Assembly that the allegation be investigated shall not be declared as having been passed unless it is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of the House of Assembly;
“(5) Within seven days of the passing of a motion under the foregoing provisions of this section, the Chief judge of the State shall at the request of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, appoint a Panel of seven persons, who in his opinion are of unquestionable integrity, not being members of any public service, legislative house or political party, to investigate the allegation as provided in this section.
‘‘(6) The holder of an office whose conduct is being investigated under this section shall have the right to defend himself in person or be represented before the panel by a legal practitioner of his own choice;
“(7) A panel appointed under this section shall – (a) have such powers and exercise its functions in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly; and (b) within three months of its appointment, report its findings to the House of Assembly.
‘‘(8) Where the Panel reports to the House of Assembly that the allegation has not been proved, no further proceedings shall be taken in respect of the matter;
“(9) Where the report of the Panel is that the allegation against the holder of the office has been proved, then within fourteen days of the receipt of the report, the house of Assembly shall consider the report, and if by a resolution of the House of Assembly supported by not less than two-thirds majority of all its members, the report of the Panel is adopted, then the holder of the office shall stand removed from office as from the date of the adoption of the report.
‘‘(10) No proceedings or determination of the Panel or of the House of Assembly or any matter relating to such proceedings or determination shall be entertained or questioned in any court;
“(11) In this section – “gross misconduct” means a grave violation or breach of the provisions of this Constitution or a misconduct of such nature as amounts in the opinion in the House of Assembly to gross misconduct.’’
Although the APC lawmakers have more than the stipulated one-third majority to institute an impeachment notice, many have wondered if it would be possible to impeach Fayose and his deputy, giving that the state House of Assembly currently has two factional speakers – Omirin and Olugbemi.
Analysts have also expressed concerns that the impeachment may be stalled by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, who the lawmakers allegedly requested to constitute a seven-man probe panel to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct, because of pending cases in various courts, even though the lawmakers have applied to withdraw the suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The 19 lawmakers are also racing against time. With the PDP reportedly winning majority of the seats in the state Assembly in last Saturday’s election, the APC lawmakers have only until May 29 to impeach Fayose, for it will be difficult to do so by a House dominated by PDP lawmakers.
It also appears that the security agencies have not granted Omirin and the 19 lawmakers maximum protection to enable them perform their duties in the House. The presidency, so far, has been silent on the crisis and observers feel every effort is being made to prevent Fayose’s impeachment until at least, May 29.
Lawyers react
Can the 19 lawmakers “impeach” Fayose outside the hollowed chambers to which access has been blocked? Can they legally sit anywhere and take a decision? Lawyers believe that the APC lawmakers have so far acted in accordance with the law. They argued that impeachment notice can be drafted anywhere, but must be signed by at least one-third of the members (one-third of 26 lawmakers in this case).
•Adekoya
Constitutional lawyer, Funke Adekoya (SAN) noted that in terms of the venue and number of members, the notice of impeachment on Fayose was valid.
She, however, argued that the notice must be sent to the Speaker, who will serve on the Governor to avoid being invalidated when challenged in court.
On the way out, she said the governor must be duly served with the impeachment notice.
Like Adekoya, renowned lawyer Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) said the constitution is silent as to the location where an impeachment notice can be drafted.
He said: ‘“What is important is where the deliberation to impeach is taken. It can be done outside the Hallowed Chamber and so, the venue is valid.
‘‘Now that the governor has refused to respond, the next stage is what the legislators have done by writing the CJ for a panel. After the panel has finished its investigation, it will send its findings to the Assembly, which must be received in the Hallowed Chamber after which the deliberation for impeachment will commence there.
‘‘The charges against Fayose are the grossest of misconducts I have ever seen. A typical example is the governor using seven members of the state Assembly to constitute majority against 19 members. That alone is a rip on the constitution.
‘‘Another gross misconduct is driving the 19 members out of the state by use of force and violence, as well as using six lawmakers to approve sensitive cabinet positions like Attorney-General, Accountant-General and Commissioner for Finance.
‘‘The governor’s misconduct cries to high heavens and I am happy that the lawmakers have summoned the courage. Since Fayose emerged as governor, has he run the state in accordance with the constitution? No!
‘‘Way forward is for the House to complete the process. If the legislature does not do it well, the judiciary will play its role.
“Nigerians are witnesses to the use of thugs to molest and drive away legislators from their chambers; humiliation of judges, who were beaten up by thugs of Fayose.
‘‘He made the state unsafe for the legislators and cannot truthfully claim they absconded from duty.’’
•Falana
Responding, Femi Falana (SAN) explained that what was required to serve an impeachment notice was one-third of the members of the assembly and the APC lawmakers are more than one-third.
“Once the governor receives the notice, it has to be taken seriously because impeachment is a serious matter in the Constitution. That is why I am advising the governor to take this matter very seriously. He should seek legal advice on this matter,” he said.
Falana said in a democratic system of government, the majority would have its way while the minority would have its say.
“Section 96 (1) says the quorum of a House of Assembly shall be one-third of all the members of the House. In the case of Ekiti, the very least that can sit is eight members.
“Section 188 says that whenever a notice of any allegation in writing is signed by not less than one-third of the members of the House of Assembly and is presented to the Speaker that is known to law, the Speaker shall, within seven days of the receipt, cause a copy to be served on the governor or the deputy governor.
“That is enough to put the engine in motion for the impeachment of a governor. The constitution does not say that the letter must be signed in the House.
“And from the look of things, that constitutional provision has been met. I do hope that the governor will take this notice very seriously, and react under the law,” Falana said.
All eyes are also on the Chief Judge to see the next step he takes.
The students of Rivers State Polytechnic (RIVPOLY), have protested the gruesome murder of one of them, Comrade Nfiri Sabastine, who was reportedly killed by unknown gunmen while standing at a filling Station located at Bori, the capital of Ogoni.
The late Nfiri who was the Financial Secretary of Ogoni Students Network (OSN) and a National Diploma I student of Medical Laboratory Science, was shot on Sunday afternoon and buried on Monday by the family.
Speaking on Monday after a protest in Bori, the spokesman of Ogoni Students Network, Comrade Legbaris Yamaabana described late Nfiri as a peace loving youth.
Condemning the murder, he said that the students would continue to protest until the police unveils those behind his death.
Legbaris said: “We condemn in strong terms and in its totality the brutal killing of our student and an Ogoni student for that matter. We are calling on the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Civil Liberty Organization and other law enforcement agencies to do something fast.
“As a matter of urgency we want them to launch a full -scale investigation and to leave no stone unturned until the murderer are arrested. The students will continue to protest on daily basis except the killers are arrested.”
Governor, Babatunde Fashola(SAN) has commissioned the combined High and Magistrate Courts in Epe, which he named in honour of the late Lagos State Chief Judge of Lagos State, Ligali Ayorinde.
Fashola said the inauguration of the complex was a fulfilment of a process of bringing access to justice closer to the people.
He said delivery of justice in a most efficient and conducive manner is now a grassroots matter traveling out of the town has now been greatly reduced in addition to the cost and inconvenience.
Fashola explained that the location of such facilities like the Courts Complex has a role to play in maintaining law and order in the society, adding that without access to justice through the courts, the breakdown of law and order becomes a real possibility.
In naming the Court complex after Hon. Ligali Ayorinde, Fashola said it has become the tradition of the present administration to honour those who have served conscientiously and whose labour of yesterday has made endeavours of today possible.
Earlier, the Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Funmilayo Atilade said the completion of the structure is another great step of the present administration to ensure greater access to, and speedy administration of justice.
This, she said, would enhance efficient justice delivery and assist in prison decongestion.
Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Mr. Ade Ipaiye said with the growing pace of interpersonal, commercial and contractual relationships in Epe, it is proper that matters of law and order be given priority consideration.
He said with inauguration and handing over of the modern court house, the challenges of quick dispensation of justice will be met, adding that Epe is ready to take on the task of ensuring that the orderliness, peace and tranquility for which this area is already well known, will remain, even as industrialisation and modernization arrives on a very large scale.
Ipaye ponted out that that the courthouse was conceived in 2008 as part of His Excellency’s Law and Order programme, addind that it has 6 fully air conditioned courtrooms for judges and magistrates, with Chambers and Secretary’s office attached to each, a reception and waiting area, all sizable and well furnished to a high standard, and It also has robing room and library for lawyers, registries, a total of six toilets and 4 shower rooms, a water treatment plant, furnished staff canteen, separate holding cells for male and female accused persons awaiting trial, two gate houses, a generator room, CCTV facilities for round the clock security and parking spaces for litigants and judges respectively.
”This provides us with a unique opportunity to accommodate judges and magistrates in this judicial division with very conducive facilities and amenities which will no doubt enhance justice delivery as well as the welfare of judges and magistrates. It also affords legal practitioners and litigants the best of facilities in which to do business and to resolve cases without having to travel long distances. I believe that this ultramodern courthouse will especially enhance the prestige of my colleagues who may now very rightly claim that they have one of the best working environments in the entire country”, he added.
Ezekiel Yakubu, 30, whose leg was amputated after he was hit by a driver, cries out, saying he has been abandoned to suffering and penury. He is also not happy with the way the police and lawyer have gone about the case. Taiwo Abiodun reports
Whilst the whole world was celebrating Christmas and preparing to breeze into the new year with joy and expectation, Ezekiel Yakubu, a panel beater is left to wallow in self-pity and cry his eyes out, having lost one of his legs to a reckless driver and abandoned to his fate.
When The Nation met him in his one-room apartment at No 18, Otutu street in Owo, Ondo State, he was a sorry sight, as he and his family struggled to contain their emotions. Sighting this reporter, he managed to prop himself up in greeting, with the help of some members of his family and his two crutches. “See how they have rendered me useless for life,” he lamented, chocking back tears.
“The worst part” he explained “is that they have abandoned me. Last year I was still with my two legs, and now I only have a leg and crutches. It is now that I really appreciate the value of having two legs.”
Continuing, he said “I am a panel beater, but anytime my customers bring their vehicles for body works and see my amputated leg and broken arm still cast in iron, they turn back, knowing that I cannot do the job again. Even my doctors have warned me not to do any hard work. Naturally that translates to hunger, for me and my family. I used to be the breadwinner, but my hope has been dashed, while the lady who inflicted this on me is out there, walking freely. But I believe God knows best and will surely judge.”
Simultaneously, he revealed the stump of his amputated leg to show how far it has healed, while his landlady, who had also come to sympathise with him, consoled him. Yakubu’s right leg has been amputated, while a metal is affixed to his arm, awaiting another surgery.
The Kogi -born panel beater described his condition as pathetic and claimed that he has been cheated because he has nobody to defend or fight for him. He said the police and the lawyer who drafted the agreement, while he was in coma showed no milk of kindness, as they treated the case without levity, simply because there was nobody in high authority to fight for him.
Black Saturday
His travail began on a certain black Saturday around 8 o’clock in the evening, as he sat in front of his house on number 18, Otutu Street, Owo ( Ondo State), when a Jeep veered off the road and rammed into him, leaving his lower right leg a mangled flesh, tissue and splintered bones. Luckily, his pregnant wife had just left to fetch him his phone. He explained that that was how she escaped the horror of the night. His sister, who had also been with him that evening, had also left a few minutes earlier.
He recalled that the incident occurred on March 8, 2014. A heavy flash of light hit his eyes, and before he knew what hit him, a massive metal rammed into him, and he found himself under the Jeep.
“The Jeep mutilated my Okada where I parked it, and dragged me to another shop, where it also destroyed their well and generator. Later my leg, held by two shreds of veins was pulled out of the rim of the tyre. It had been crushed beyond recognition. ”
And then he passed out
He woke up to find himself on a bed at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, Ondo State. “I did not know I had spent eight days in the hospital .It was when I heard my phone alarm which usually wake me up for work go off that I came fully awake. In my subconscious, I thought it was time to go to work and made to get up, as usual. I looked up and saw a hanging leg; confused, I wiped my face to be sure I wasn’t dreaming. I tried to raise my leg up but could not .I also saw oxygen cylinder and pipes by my side; and then I felt a sharp pain on my thigh. I also saw that they had removed some flesh from my thigh (graft) and added it to the stump of my leg. By this time, I’d become fully conscious and begun to feel the pain. Real pain. It was then that the doctor on duty approached me and asked what colour of clothe he was wearing, apparently to know if I was indeed fully conscious.
He narrated how I went through surgery and how he wasn’t even sure I would survive. I asked my sister who was by my side whether I was on a bike when I had the accident. I just started asking questions upon questions. Later, the whole episode was narrated and I was able to recollect all what happened and how they had to amputate my leg and put an iron in my upper arm.”
Jeep not impounded
What pained Yakubu most is that the girl, Bukola who almost snuffed life out of him did not come to visit him throughout his three months stay in the hospital. He said “it is only her mother who kept coming. When I asked why her daughter wasn’t visiting, she defended her saying she was afraid of being lynched.”
Yakubu disclosed that the owner of the car spent about 200,000 naira, while Bukola’s father spent about 20,000 naira. Personally, Yakubu said he spent up to 800,000 naira, as he was receiving anti-tetanus injections three times a day for three months, with each injection costing about 2,000 naira. “At a point, when it became scarce,” he said “I spent 2, 500 naira purchasing each injection outside the hospital. I also spent money on feeding. My relatives were borrowing money and soon became beggars.”
Scandalised!
Even Yakubu’s neighbours feel scandalised that he has been so cheated. The food vendor whose generator was damaged by the vehicle lamented the neglect and said she insisted and her damaged generator, which was taken to the police station, was later replaced with a new one. She revealed that they were also made to repair the wall of the well that was damaged.
Another resident who was in tears said “What pained us is the way and manner Ezekiel was treated. They thought they could cheat the young man because he has nobody, but I am happy that a newspaper will now expose them. Imagine, they went to a lawyer who drafted a ridiculous agreement just to let the driver get off for free after destroying him. They gave him 100, 000 naira and abandoned him, forgetting that God is there watching.”
Chinedu Ojaja who lives in the neighbourhood said the agreement drafted was a cheat on Yakubu. “Why should they refuse to repair his Okada that was destroyed? Up till this moment, the okada, which is supposed to earn him income is lying destroyed at the police station, while the Jeep that inflicted the damages was not even taken to the station. Even the car’s registration number was not quoted in the agreement.
Yakubu’s landlady also described the police’s attitude and the drafted agreement as callous. “Ezekiel’s wife is still a small girl with a baby. Is this how she’s going to be living for the rest of her life? Ezekiel is the one sponsoring his younger sister, Helen at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic. What becomes of the poor girl now? Do you know that I have not even set my eyes on the accused, who caused all this problems till date? I am begging the Inspector General of the Police to look into this case urgently.
Yakubu’s wife and some of the residents recall how the owner of the car came that night and simply wanted his car removed, without any recourse to the poor man’s condition. She said the car was never even taken to the station, while her husband’s damaged okada was still lying at the Station.
“Even the policemen who came to retrieve the car were dead drunk, as they threatened to shoot anybody who as much as got in their way.
Ridiculous Agreement
Another thing that baffled them was the manner in which an agreement was reached while the victim was still in coma.
The accident occurred on the 8th of March and five days later (on the 13th of March), with Yakubu still lying in coma, an agreement was drafted by a lawyer and signed by the girl’s father, Chief Samuel Adegbegi. He promised to foot the hospital bill and rehabilitate him, but all these were not fulfilled.
Speaking, Yakubu said “my sister was made to sign on my behalf that the father of Bukola would take care of the expenses in the hospital, replace my leg with artificial limb and rehabilitate me. They also wrote that my Okada should not be repaired. This was a bike that was parked in the compound and crushed by a veering jeep. I wonder how a lawyer could have drafted such agreement and a police adopt it just because I was in coma.
I also learnt that the lady was detained for only two days and then released. Today, they are driving the vehicle about, and the girl is gallivanting around, saying I had been settled with 100,000 naira. Meanwhile, I have spent over 850, 000 naira, while they have only paid 220,000 naira. When I was discharged, the lady’s family brought 100,000 naira as compensation and I have not seen her since then,” he said . Investigation reveals that the said driver has no driving license while the car belongs to her boyfriend.
Yakubu’s wife who is nursing a baby described the day as a bad day. She revealed that when it was time for her to be delivered, the doctor had opt for a Caesarian Section, owing to her state of mind, while her family members came all the way from Kogi with borrowed money to pay her bills and be with her.
A remorseless Bukola
When the lady, Bukola was contacted, she confirmed the incident. Asked about the whereabouts of the car, she said “I am not the owner; the owner has taken it away.” She also said it is true that jeep was never taken to the police station. Pressed further, she refused to disclose the owner of the car “I have settled the boy. What else does he want?”
She claimed to be a Political Science student of one of Nigerian Universities. On another occasion, she said she has left for a polytechnic; and then again she said she is a student at a College of Education, but could not produce an identity card when requested. .
Asked why she has neglected the victim, she retorted “He is lying .All these problems was caused by my father who promised and signed an agreement to give him money and rehabilitate him. My mother also used to go to him with money. My father paid the fees for the amputation of the leg, and after that he (her father) did not say anything again.”
Bukola also said it is true that the victim was given 100,000 naira: “My mother paid 50,000 naira and the owner of the car also paid 50,000 naira .It was his mother who asked the doctor to amputate the leg. I think the guy is poor and needs money; that’s why he is talking like this. We gave him 100,000 naira. Isn’t that money? Does he want us to build a house for him?”
On why they have not fulfilled their promise on the artificial leg, Bukola said “the artificial leg is 200,000 naira, but the owner of the car said he cannot purchase it, because it is too expensive. That is why we gave him 100,000 naira, so his wife could use it for business .I think he should blame his mother who said they should cut off his leg.”
She also boasted that she is ready for the worst. “If you want to take me to court, go ahead. If it is prison, I am ready to spend 20 years in prison. We did not render him useless! I spent a week at the police station.”
The 9th edition of The Experience Lagos held at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), will linger in the memories of those in attendance. Described as the largest music concert in Africa, with the theme: 1 God 1 Voice featured artistes, such as, Donnie McClurkin; Israel Houghton; Chevelle Franklin; Micah Stampley; Midnight Crew; Freke Umoh and Frank Edwards. Others were Sinach, Nathaniel Bassey, Angella Christie, Onos Ariyo and Chioma Jesus.
The Lagos Metropolitan Gospel Community Choir opened the event alongside Sammie Okposo, followed by ministrations from Freke Umoh, Onos Ariyo and Midnight Crew. Prayers were said for the nation by Pastor Taiwo Odukoya of the Fountain of Life Church, Rev Sam Adeyemi of Daystar Christian Centre, Bishop Mike Okonkwo and his wife Peace, of the The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) Church, among others .
A remarkable moment was Nathaniel Bassey’s sterling performance. Micah Stampley also surprised the delighted audience when he joined the trumpet playing artiste on stage for a rendition of his popular song, Imela. Not long after, Grammy award winning singer, Donnie McClurkin, joined the duo into what became an awesome trio as the Americans belted out Imela like it was sang in their native language
Speaking on the theme of the event, founder of House on The Rock Church, Pastor Adefarasin, said: ‘’In the course of nine years from inception, the Experience Lagos has become arguably the largest gospel concert in Africa and indeed, one of the largest gospel music concerts in the world with a recorded significant infusion into the Lagos State Economy. This year our theme resonates with our prayers as members of the body of Christ for unity in our great nation, Nigeria.”
On the reasons for the theme, Adefarasin said Nigeria is crying for justice and peace coupled, especially as the 2015 election is around the corner. He added that the event will serve as a time where people all over the globe will cry out one true God with one voice in petition. Distinguished Nigerians who attended Experience 2014 included Jimi Agbaje, First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Fashola, former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani Kayode, Lady Maiden Ibru, various banks chief executives and more.
