The Nation Newspaper

Tag: MAN

  • Man kills wife, buries corpse in shallow grave

    Man kills wife, buries corpse in shallow grave

    • Body exhumed for investigation

    The Police in Lagos yesterday exhumed the body of a woman who was allegedly killed by her husband and buried in a shallow grave.
    Sherifat Bello, is suspected to have been killed for ritual purpose at Ijora, Lagos, by Shakiru Bello, last Monday.
    The offence was committed last Monday inside an uncompleted building in the area.
    Police sources said it was not Bello’s first attempt to kill his wife.
    An earlier attempt which involved the suspect inserting charm in the woman’s private part had led to their separation, sources said.
    However, the woman contacted Bello last week to ask for upkeep allowance for their three children.
    The suspect agreed to give her the money but asked her to come and collect it at a particular place in Ebute Metta, Lagos.
    Once they met at the designated place, they both moved to Ijora where Bello allegedly pounced on her.
    She died on the spot and the suspect allegedly proceeded to dismember her corpse apparently to remove certain parts of her body.
    He thereafter buried her remains in shallow grave and bolted from the scene.
    He then headed to his hometown, Ibadan, so that he might not be suspected of the murder.
    When the victim failed to return home, her relations raised the alarm, refusing to be deceived by Bello’s trip to Ibadan.
    The police were contacted and Bello was arrested.
    He confessed that he murdered Sherifat and led the police to the shallow grave.
    Recovered from the grave in the presence of a large crowd of people yesterday were the head, two hands and legs were in their decomposing state.
    The atmosphere soon became charged as the crowd surged forward to lynch him.
    Bello speaking at the Area ‘B’ Police command, Apapa blamed the devil for the murder of his wife.
    He said they had been married for 14 years.
    He said: “I killed her on Monday. If I did not bury her, people would easily link me with her death. Yet I have been caught. It was the work of the devil.”
    He did not say why he committed the offence
    A relation of the deceased said her pubic hair and some other parts were missing which suggested that she must have been killed for ritual purpose.
    The exhumed parts were later buried at Amukoko cemetery.
    The case was transferred to the Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba.

  • Man held for ‘robbing’ bank customer

    Man held for ‘robbing’ bank customer

    Policemen attached to Victoria Island Division have arrested a 23-year-old man, George Onuh, for allegedly robbing a bank customer.

    Onuh was said to be with another person who fled with the motorcycle they used for the operation. They allegedly ambushed one Bola and dispossessed her of an undisclosed amount of money she withdrew from a Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) branch.

    It was gathered that the victim’s alarm attracted some patrolling policemen who apprehended the suspect around the Nigeria Law School and recovered the cash.

    According to a posting on Facebook, the victim, said she sighted the suspect inside the banking hall while she was making withdrawals, adding that she thought he was also a customer.

    She said she was surprised when waylaid her and ordered her to handover her money at gun point.

    Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP), said the victim has been given back her money. The suspect, the locally made pistol and six rounds of ammunition recovered from him have been moved to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja.

  • MAN: Fed Govt’s debts to pharmaceutical firms crushing

    MAN: Fed Govt’s debts to pharmaceutical firms crushing

    Emzor Pharmaceutical Group Chairman, Mrs. Stella Okoli, has lamented the huge debts being owed pharmaceutical companies by the Federal Government.
    “Three years ago, when the government had no single anti-retroviral drugs, they appealed to us (pharmaceutical firms) to please help produce anti-retroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS. We imported the materials and met the deadline; but till today, they have not paid us for the drugs. The government is owing pharmaceutical industry billions of naira over the last three years,” Mrs Okoli, also a Vice President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), said.
    She lamented that through the MAN (Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group), several efforts have been made to get government to pay the debt, but it has not yielded any dividend. “We have gone to the Minister of Health, Minister of Industry and also the legislators. The energy that we have put in to get the money is much. We are patriotic Nigerians, so we do not want to take a wrong step that may have a negative impact on the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing and those that are studying pharmacy, or drug manufacturing in Nigeria. We should be talking of research; now is the time we need to move and get going,” she said.
    Mrs Okoli said given the prevailing economic situation in the country, which has led some manufacturers to close shop and left several others to become cash strapped, there is the need for government to help manufacturers. This will entail the government and other regulatory bodies to work together for the common good of the real sector by ensuring that the industry is properly positioned to compete with its counterparts abroad and make sure that export is smooth.
    “Manufacturing has become very difficult in this country; it is the job of the government to make sure that our industries survive. There are so many ways to help manufacturers, including through the government patronage and paying them promptly for jobs done,” she submitted.
    She however said notwithstanding the situation, the future of manufacturing in the country is very bright because without manufacturing, “we are dead” as a nation.

  • Man charged with assaulting LASTMA official

    Man charged with assaulting LASTMA official

    A man, Benjamin Archibong, has been charged to court with wounding a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official, Olumide Omomoyesan.

    The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) arrested Archibong last Tuesday in Lekki-Ajah.

    A statement by the task force Public Relations Officer, Taofiq Adebayo, said the suspect obstructed a LASTMA team from impounding a commercial Volkswagen bus marked FKJ 688 XV. The driver was said to have resisted arrest for picking and dropping passengers at an unauthorised place around Lekki-Ajah area.

    Archibong, 20, was charged with assault, obstruction and conduct likely to cause breach of peace before Magistrate Adepeju Odusanya in Ogba, Lagos last Thursday.

    Prosecuting counsel Adedoyin Odukoya said Archibong pleaded

    “not guilty” and was granted N100,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum. The sureties must be residents of Lagos State.

    The matter was adjourned till February 28.

    Task Force Chairman Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said Archibong’s arrest would deter others from obstructing security or government officials from discharging their duties.

    The agency, he said, has started enforcing Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s directive to arrest council officials who undertake traffic duties.

  • Big Man, Get a Big Padlock and Lock Your Daughters In, Please!

    THE PRINCESS’ FILES BY MIKKY ATTAH

    Many in Nigeria know of the enormous powers wielded by our First Ladies over the times. Like the day that Gen. Abacha died. His wife Maryam swung into action and moved out all the valuable properties in the villa, an operation she carried out with the precision of a General at war! On that day, Maryam packed plane loads of valuables, shuttling to and from Kano for hours.

    The woman turned Aso Rock into Aso Desert before she let the news out that Sanni had died!!! …Now this is just a teaser, an excerpt from my forthcoming book! For now though, the angle I am looking at is the effect that the news of the death of Head of State had on a particular happy family back then.

    There had been this Igbo lady, fleshy “old” by Nigerian standards, a singleton without known male suitors then.

    Suddenly, General Abacha in a palace coup seized power and declared himself Head of State. Since he could not run the affairs of state alone, ministers were appointed and – one of them haply, was this lady’s senior brother! What a great change of status! And immediately suitors started beating down her door, before she settled for one Igbo man. With the marriage rites concluded, contracts started rolling in for the man and happy was the couple.

    This was until that fateful day when it was confirmed that Abacha had died. What! No More Brother-in-Law Minister? No More Contracts?! No More… Believe me, the Marriage Ended Right There!

    And history has been repeating itself in different permutations but with the self same theme. Abacha himself who remained monogamous till the end saw nothing amiss about one of his ministers coming for a daughter’s hand, even into a polygamous setting! No, the marriage did not last. One of our former National Assembly members, Iyabo, used to be Iyabo Obasanjo Bello. Bello didn’t last.

    Another First Lady we have had, Turai Yar’Adua is one beautiful lady any day, and so indeed are all her daughters.

    But for the 3 that were given out in marriage THE SAME DAY – were they not younger and more beautiful the year before their father became President! Umaru Yar’Adua apparently had to fight through many suitors to one day give out 3 daughters in marriage and it only happened upon his becoming President. Even among the 3 daughters was a divorcee of long years standing. So how come all these men only appeared at that time?

    I JUST WONDER. Did something in anyway has ANYTHING to do with the current president’s older daughter’s wedding last year?

    It is well known that before his first wife died, she had 3 daughters for Muhammadu Buhari. That was before he married our very beautiful and elegant Aisha, and together they have 4 more.

    The thing is, Buhari contested the Presidency 4 times in cycles of 4 years. Before winning in 2015, why was it that these men never sought the lady’s hand in marriage? This is a lady that is in her forties now!

    Please, note please that my very best indeed are my wishes for all here. But while Nigerians were very happy and excited about it, I was just that little nervous: talking about the December marriage of yet another daughter, Zahra Muhammadu Buhari to Ahmed Mohammed Indimi.

    Personal choices, yes; family matters, indeed. But private matters – NO MORE, as that is the one luxury that any exalted office does not allow too much of.

    And so it was for me that the lovely looking lady Zahra kept popping up every single time I browsed anything on the internet. On an on endlessly, till I decided that, considering it was harmless, I would just take the time and have a look. So finally I clicked on her and discovered she is the baby of the house (referring again to the Big Padlock – there are more eligible daughters in that fold!). Also, I read that the young lady is very interested in photography, like I am also. SO, IS THE YOUNG MAN THAT MUCH INTERESTED IN PHOTOGRAPHY TOO?!!

    And speaking about youth, from what I read, the Lady Zahra is barely 21. But from the photos, the man Ahmed looks at least 45! An Age Gap Of 21 Years Is Way Too Much for Any Young Girl. I have no qualms about a 50 year old woman marrying a 70 year old man, but for a young person, girl or boy! – Indeed, I agree completely with Bianca Onoh’s father’s initial refusal of his daughter’s marriage to late Chief Emeka Ojukwu. I mean, imagine having a son-in-law that one would have to call ‘Sir’ – older than even the father-in-law! Happily, in their case; True Love Did Prevail. And I truly, truly want it to be so again here.

    I attended Ahmed Indimi’s sister Rahama’s wedding to Mohammed Babangida at the Hilltop mansion in Minna. A paragon of beauty, cute and lovely, Rahama is the kind of girl I would love to have around as a friend.

    And just like the Babangidas, Rahama has no airs around her about being a billionaire’s daughter.

    So I wonder aloud, why are we never told What Ahmed Indimi Does for a Living? He himself could have put it out there. No, it is always …Ahmed, the son of the billionaire businessman Mohammed Indimi…!!

    So, does Ahmed have any business going too?

    Or is he managing his father’s business? Actively?

    Because, this is CHANGE government now! IS HE AT WORK TOMORROW?!!

    And what is my own, you may ask me, believe me; I just feel really duty bound as a Princess to look out for all “Big Daughters.” So I want to say to all “Big Daddies” – just be like Maryam Abacha and hide away your treasures for worthy recipients. But not the treasures of the earthly kind in your case, I mean your Gems of Inestimable Value – your own, very dear DAUGHTERS.

     

     

    A great and mighty man in the sports world even in Africa, a man who I will only try my hardest to present in today’s piece. Tall Paul Sports Bassey is one person who found his gifting early in life and walking in same, has excelled to the point of international recognition. Finally as well, his state government has snapped him up for a very well deserved appointment.

    Actually, just in the nick of time too, because immediately the Lagos State Government passed its State Commission Bill into law some weeks back, it would have been a no brainer from them to have appointed him to head theirs.

    But this time the Akwa Ibom State Government acted fast and Eko-side will be crying blood for our taking ‘their son. In Lagos, he is taken as a complete Lagos Boy. No Governor sits without consulting and interacting with him. And should you ever go to Ikeja in the axis which he lives, you don’t waste long words asking for an address. Just as ANYONE you meet for Paul Bassey and everyone should show you his place.

    Paul Bassey – NFF Techical Committee Member, CAF (confederation of Africa Football) general coordinator and media committee member, FIFA media committee member has been made the substantive Chairman of Akwa United F.C to the glory of God.

    It was a thing of pride indeed to watch him on the NTA network news unveiling the new jersey colors of his team –Orange to reflect the State color. I could actually feel a rebirth for the team, that very day.

    Paul Bassey told me he started sports writing at the Pioneer Newspaper in Calabar back then on a short return from Lagos.

    But the seeds of interest in sports were actually planted at St. Finbarr’s College Akoka Lagos where he is an old Boy. It is because of this that they do not joke with any of their Old Boys’ and Old girls even until death.

    A good example was when “their” daughter the Lady of Songs Christy Essien died. Born in Lagos, she had also publicly requested to be buried there. On her demise, the usually laid back governor then, Mr. Babatunde Fashola pulled all spots and spared no expense to put in place a gloriously befitting burial for their daughter –our Akwa Ibom daughter!

    Sadly as you might have observed all the plans and expenses went to waste because of her wonderful husband who teamed up with his own state governor to have Lady Christiana Essien buried against her wish in Ibo land.

    Anyway from a state owned paper and armed with Unical degree, Paul Bassey returned to Lagos to a national daily where his skills at sports writing captivated Nigerians week after week.

    His organizational skills also did not go unnoticed by continental and international sports associations and so it was an easy choice for FIFA and CAF to name him their media officer.

    At a reserved count, Paul Bassey has been to a minimum of 30 countries around the world, out on sporting assignments. Hardly one full month meet him in his house.

    Paul Bassey was one of the pioneering set of Nigerians to float a purely sports publication –Today sports which had bias his rear love, football. What made him and few others unique was that their papers were purely Independent and not off-shoots of already existing titles e.g. sporting sun etc.

    For years, todaysport kept the nation informed with its highly detailed and quality production, for which, for many, the day was just not complete without a copy.

    It was around this period I came to know the great Paul Bassey I had always been hearing about.

    Indeed our Governor Mr. Udom Emmanuel is humble to insist on being address as Mister.

    But for Paul Bassey– Minister is too FAR!! Sports is in his blood, and like any other sports personality, Mister or Misses is just too formal for them!

    Well around then, I had a vision some years ago to initiate a sports awards to give recognition to notable sportsmen/women and those who have impacted on sports development. I shared my vision with the SWAN chairman Mr. Frank Illaboya, now Chairman Edo State, F.A.

    He told me I would have to constitute a governing board, register the sports awards with CAC and bring in Paul Sports Bassey! What! The first two seemed relatively easy but how was I  going to meet the great Paul Bassey, all on my own? Mr. Frank, please would you take me to him and introduce me, I asked. No need, he said Paul Bassey is a most simple fellow and he is also your ‘Brother.’

    He said I should just go to his office (address given) ask for his P.A. Mr. Waheed and request to see the man.

    Paul Bassey turned out to be more than just a brother. He was and is a complete vision carrier, destiny helper, uncle, father, family rolled into one.

    Now after outlining to me the best way to go about the sports awards he later invited me to his home and I got to meet his wonderful family.

    Its unimaginable, how can one claim to love his state very much, and not love his kinsmen, his family members, even his own blood brothers? But for Paul Bassey, he is clearly demonstrable even with me as a living example – someone he never knew from Adam at the very best must have heard my sports casting on radio in the mornings in Lagos then. He just got committed because I am ‘Akup-Usem.’

    Indeed Paul Bassey not only loves sports but also loves his state, his people and very importantly his family. Sadly, he later lost his wife is happily married to his great love Helen whom I also met, and I can say that she is a mother to his children, and a good companion to the man.

    And so, by the great help of Paul Bassey, the IMASDA Sports Awards was born. I owe to my board member Mr. Paul Bassey an eternal debt of gratitude.

    In fact, his presence on the board alone brought me increased creditability and before I knew it, we were being sent for by the Pillars of Sports in Africa. To Abuja by the President of the Senate, and also for the Sports Minister’s meeting with IMASDA board – all of which travels. Paul Bassey accompanied me and the rest of the team EVERYWHERE.

    Not just that, but free publicity was given by him even sometimes when funds gor trapped, he would reach over his bank and supply – just to keep the project moving, even though he was not the chairman of the board of directors!

    To the glory of God, the award held in Lagos with the SuperSports cable sports channel being our star recipient. That was their first time ever in Nigeria.

    And when they came up to the podium to receive the plaques, they confessed that confessed that their channel had actually received several international awards but NONE from anywhere in their own continent of Africa. They were overjoyed and said they valued that award the most. We smiled at their emotions then, thinking lightly of it until they aired the IMASDA awards on their cable channel later and confirmed this on their program. After showing the clips of the Nigerian Awards, the Black and White South Africans climbed up on their table, JUMPED up and down, waved their plague from Nigeria to the viewing millions around the world. They were truly thrilled.

    Also, upon their return to South Africa, they opened up the Channel: SuperSports Nigeria, dedicated purely to our country’s league.

    Multinationals too have taken notice of his (Paul Bassey’s) organizational skills. Mobil gave him the task of putting up the Akwa Ibom NNPC/Mobil Schools’ Athletics’ Championships. The contract ran for 15 years and was given to Paul Bassey for the full 15. It started in 2001 and ended last year 2016.

    Incidentally too, Keresifon Essien of Keresy Sports Museum here was the media officer from inception. In the course of organizing these championships over the years Paul Bassey has been able to attract the Minister of Sports, officials of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and many important sports dignitaries to Eket where it is mostly held.

    Also, several national sports records have been shattered and new records set at the at the athletics championships. Notable is the record set by Olympic Gold Medalist Chioma Ajunwa, a track record which was shattered some years back in Eket after standing for over a decade.

    For me, I was to later relocate from Lagos to Uyo for 8 years from where I left for Calabar, where I have resided for now for the past one year.

    I want to make known here the several private telephone calls from Paul Bassey through those past 8 years: did you go to the stadium today? Did you watch the match? Have you been watching Akwa united? Did you watch the last match?!! I can tell you that even in private his passion was for the progress of Akwa United.

    It has been many long years since the Adewusi military administration and to some extent the Chief Godswill Akpabio administration utilized this great sports son. The later heavily rewarded him for his input though underutilized. Paul’s new mansion in Eket is proof that one should be rewarded from where one works.

    And now, the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has placed this sports guru in a position of leadership in a state sports management.

    And today my heart is filled with joy by the appointment of Paul Bassey, just last week as the SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE GOVERNOR ON SPORTS! I truly cannot think of anyone much more deserving! I do sincerely wish Paul Sports Bassey and Akwa United a most successful season and many more good ones to come.

    Imikanattah@gmail.com

  • MAN: BoI’s recapitalisation key to growth stimulation

    MAN: BoI’s recapitalisation key to growth stimulation

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has said the recapitalisation of the Bank of Industry (BoI), which it has championed, will spur economic growth.

    Its President, Dr Frank Udemba, who spoke at its yearly media luncheon in Lagos, said the group had advocated the recapitalisation of BoI.

    Udemba said BoI does not have the capacity to attend to all the needs of manufacturers, adding that MAN in its recent advocacy requested that the Federal Government recapitalise the bank.

    He said: “Another development bank would help in augmenting the activities. This will set competition among them and it will make manufacturers have alternatives.”

    According to him, last year, the association engaged the government at all levels, including ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), on a number of issues affecting the manufacturing sector in particular, and the economy in general.

    He said MAN halted the arbitrary increase in electricity tariff in the face of power inadequacy and poor supply, adding that its advocacy prompted the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to approve the allocation of at least 60 per cent of available foreign exchange (forex)  to manufacturers, and refocused the government’s attention on resource-based industrialisation.

    “Periodically, we engaged government on the issues of patronage of made in Nigeria products. We have had forum on it and we have recorded success, today they are coming up with buy made in Nigeria policy,” he said.

    He said the association had advised the Federal Government not to sign the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)-EU Economic Partnership Agreement in its current form, while advocating the review of Export Expansion Grant (EEG) which has been in the limbo since 2014.

  • MAN seeks preferential interest rate for manufacturers

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has expressed concern over the high interest rate in the country which it described as a disincentive to borrowing.

    Its President, Dr. Frank Udemba said manufacturers should be given a concessionary interest rate of five percent so that manufacturing could be boosted, jobs created and economy revamped.

    According to him, the association has done its best on its advocacy on lowering the monetary policy rate, adding that MAN would continue to push for five per cent interest rate for the sector because high interest rate will not favour manufacturers.

    He urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to urgently consider lowering interest rate for manufacturers, stressing that his members are not happy about current double digit interest rate.

    He said MAN has been working with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to present a bill to the Senate that will improve on local content.

    Speaking on the foreign exchange crisis, Udemba stated that its paucity had forced most manufacturers to close shops or serious production capacity reduction. “Most of our members are depending on black market to source for foreign exchange for the procurement of raw materials and machineries from abroad which will make us uncompetitive.

    “Periodically, we engage government on the issues of patronage of made in Nigeria products; we have had forum on it and we have recorded success, today they are coming up with buy made-in-Nigeria goods policy,” he said.

    On backward integration policy of the government, he called for the development of the country’s abundant natural resources for industrial input and enactment of relevant manufacturing-friendly laws.

  • MAN, RMRDC, others seal deal on equipment financing

    MAN, RMRDC, others seal deal on equipment financing

    The Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), Raw Material Research & Development Council (RMDC) and Clarion Events West Africa have sealed a deal to host this year’s edition of the Nigerian Manufacturing and Equipment Expo come March in Lagos.

    MAN President. Dr. Frank Udemba Jacobs at a media chat said the idea of the event was  in response to government’s commitment to industrialisation and its quest to diversify the economy.  He said it would also provide a veritable platform for Small, Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to learn processes on how to boost their output, reduce cost, drive quality improvement, manufacture for new market and also secure funding for growth.

    He said the 2016 maiden edition of the expo made great impact as participants cut across various sectors of the economy. Jacobs stated that a key effect of the maiden expo was the provision of cheaper funding for the industrial sector from the Bank of Industry (Bol).

    On expectations for this year, he said: “This year’s event will again give top stakeholders in the private and public sectors opportunity to appraise developments in manufacturing and jointly propose quick-in solutions that will help our country revive its manufacturing sector.”

    According to him the event is expected to attract 3,700 visitors and exhibitors including multinationals, large, medium enterprises and other manufacturing equipment distributors from over 120 leading local and international suppliers.

    He also said that the expo would provide a rare opportunity of exposure to the entire manufacturing value chain, which includes machinery, equipment, financial support, professional consultancy and raw materials as a result of the merging of the annual Nigeria Raw Materials (NIRAM) expo with it.

  • And the man fled

    And the man fled, or more correctly, in picturesque, irreverent power lingo: and the rat scurried!

    A rat, a man?  A man, a rat?  What’s the nexus?

    Actually, it’s simple.  He was created a man.  But when the power thing came, he morphed into a rat — a power rat, that would risk anything — everything — and still hope to survive without a scar!  But as it often happens, the luckiest of rats only flees!  The not-so-lucky perish.

    Of course, the talk is of the latest fallen African Big Man, and former strongman of The Gambia, His Excellency Sheik Prof. Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Aziz Awal Jemus  Junkung Naasiru Deen Jammeh Babili Mansa!

    Quite a mouthful, that chain names, isn’t it?  Geez, even longer and much more robust than the tiny Gambia, on which the former power parasite buried his snout!

    Well, that is the way of the proverbial “African Big Man”, if you credit proverbs on contemporary Africa to the often condescending London newspaper, The Economist.

    Jammeh’s tale of disgrace needs little retelling.  He lost an election on December 1, 2016 to Adama Barrow, a hitherto nameless fella, who would become Jammeh’s nemesis.  And Barrow didn’t have to do much, except stand up the power bully, who thought he was The Gambia and The Gambia was he.

    Still, but for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), that first read out the riot act, Alhaji Barrow himself would probably have been history, for Jammeh showed enough desperation to show nothing, absolutely nothing, would stand between him and The Gambia, his captive toy.

    Well, talking of history: Barrow’s 10-year old boy indeed became one, after the fatal bite of a strange dog.  In Africa, that clearly would be more than a coincidence.

    The witch cried yesterday.  The child died today.  Who does not know, except the extremely daft, that the witch killed the child?  And ah!  That was after the rumoured assassination of Barrow himself, by strange gun men, which happily turned out a hoax.

    Well, all that came to crushing end on Sunday, though the final power bell tolled for the power rat the day previous.

    On January 21, Jammeh finally saw the light.  ECOWAS troops had entered his territory.  Troops of The Gambia didn’t just refuse to fight (as a local military redneck earlier said they wouldn’t), Jammeh’s chief of defence staff also reportedly joined an anti-Jammeh crowd to hail his fall!

    Indeed, the words of our elders is the word of wisdom — you don’t tell the blind the market has broken.  The vanished din would poignantly do the job!

    So, the man fled and the rat ran.  But Jammeh still mustered enough bluff and bluster to claim, in a national television broadcast, that he quit his job because he didn’t want to shed Gambian blood.  How noble!

    But that was his last lie — just like his power lie of 22 years had exploded in his face!  He didn’t fight because his supposed cannon fodders got wise — wise enough not to move in front of a zooming train, because of some power psychopath.

    Still, Jammeh escaped with a last strand of lie.  He claimed to have resigned his job.  But how do you resign from a job from which you were  sacked?  The last time Hardball checked, Jammeh was sacked on December 1, 2016.

    Well, good riddance!  But Barrow would do himself and The Gambia a lot of good by learning from Jammeh’s fall.  African Big Men seldom do!

  • Man caught with human head remanded

    A man, Saheed Musiliu, 37, who was caught with human head, has pleaded guilty to the two counts of unlawful possession of human head and severing the head of Tajudeen Akanbi, 62, from the grave.
    Musiliu pleaded guilty before Chief Magistrate Mrs. Durosaro Kehinde-Tijani at the Oyo State Magistrate Court, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
    Mrs. Kehinde-Tijani ordered that he should be remanded in Agodi Prisons.
    The police arrested the suspect after he was apprehended by residents of Olomi.
    The prosecuting officer, Adewale Amos, told the court that Musiliu committed the offence at 1:30am at Onibuke Zone 1, Aba Alfa, Olomi.
    When the plea was taken, the suspect pleaded guilty.
    The prosecutor said the exhibit was not brought to court, asking the court for more time so that the investigating police officer (IPO), Augustine Ihiere, would bring the exhibit to court.
    The chief magistrate adjourned the case till March 6 for presentation of facts and hearing.