The Nation Newspaper

Tag: obey

  • Buhari to APC Reps: obey party’s directive on offices

    Buhari to APC Reps: obey party’s directive on offices

    Oyegun, Dogara, Gbajabiamila: there’ll be good news today

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday reiterated his stand on the National Assembly’s leadership crisis. The party’s position is supreme, he told members of the troubled House of Representatives.

    Buhari is said to have told the lawmakers: “Obey the party.”

    The main actors in the crisis appeared to be ready for peace.  That was the feeler after a meeting the All Progressives Congress (APC) House members held with the President ended in a deadlock.

    The feuding parties – headed by Speaker Yakubu Dogara and former House Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila – refused to shift ground on the sharing of principal officers’ positions.

    The meeting, which was held at the new Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, began at about 5.40pm. It lasted just 20 minutes.

    Dogara and Gbajabiamila led their groups to the meeting, which was attended by some members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), led by the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

    Gbajabiamila’s group is demanding that the APC’s position on the selection of principal officers be implemented by the Speaker, whose Consolidation Group believes that federal character must be reflected in the sharing of offices.

    But, at the end of the 20-minute parley, both groups were optimistic that the end to the crisis was in sight.

    On emerging from the meeting, both camps agreed with the President’s counsel that the party should not be undermined.

    The President was said to be unequivocal that the “unity of the APC in the House is central to ensuring that the party delivers the promised change to Nigerians”.

    Dogara told State House correspondents that his loyalty to the party remained unshaken, adding that he was open to a quick resolution of the crisis.

    He said: “I have always stood firmly by the party, there has never been a time that I never stood firmly by the party.

    “So, like my chairman has explained, we are going into consultations with the party and I am sure sooner than later, we will have good news for Nigerians.”

    Gbajabiamila said party supremacy was exhaustively discussed, adding that the outcome of another consultation towards an early resolution of the crisis would be made public.

    Gbajabiamila said: “We are still talking. But I think this is the first time everybody is coming together in a cordial atmosphere. We came together for the first time as one family, with a lot of camaraderie.

    “I think we are almost at the point where all of these will be behind us. Hopefully, by tomorrow (today). It is not about magic; it is about what should have been done a long time ago.

    “We have finally sat down together and we will resolve it before the night, in a couple of hours.The important thing is that the country wants to move ahead. The House wants to move ahead and the party wants to move ahead. Move ahead, we shall.

    “Whoever or whatever outside forces that might have been stoking the fire, I think we would put that to an end this evening at the meeting.”

    Odigie-Oyegun said the party would have good news for the nation bytomorrow (today).

    According to him, yesterday’s meeting achieved a lot, notwithstanding its brevity.

    The chair said: “Everything is upbeat. You can see that I am smiling. You will be very surprised that a lot was achieved in 20 minutes.

    “As the chairman of the party, I can say that there are no discordant tunes. You can see the Speaker of the House standing firmly beside me and I have a feeling that in another three or four hours and by tomorrow, we will have good news for the nation.

    “It is never too late to straighten the path.”

     

  • Obey renovates church of his youth

    Obey renovates church of his youth

    Juju maestro-turned-pastor, Ebenezer Obey, is surely displaying an elephant’s memory by not forgotten his roots at Idogo, a border town in Ogun State.

    Following the decay of Methodist Church, Idogo, a church pivotal to his musical success, Obey has paid back – redesigning and reconstructing the church which is more than a century old.

    According to the Archbishop of the church, Most Reverend Luke Odubanjo, the need to renovate the church was taken seriously in 2009, during preparations for Crusades in Idogo and Oja Odan.

    “I remember that my brother, Elder Olufemi Toriola called me on phone that he will like to see me on a matter of urgent importance,” Odubanjo said.

    “We agreed on phone and he came to meet me in Abeokuta where he told me about the collapse of the roofing of the church.

    “I was deeply touched by the sad news and I asked myself how could we be holding crusades when our family church where we all grew up was in bad shape? I then told my brother that in few days’ time, I would be at Idogo for the crusade and when I came, we all visited the church to evaluate the extent of the damage. It was after this visit that God started the work on the reconstruction of the old church structure to its present magnificent outlook.”

    On Ebenezer Obey’s rescue of the situation, Odubanjo said that it was at Idogo that Obey’s career flourished, a fact the musical legend himself agrees with.

    “The gift of music and drumming all began here at Idogo,” said Obey.

    “The name Obey which has now become part of my surname was given to me in this school. I also remember that Standard 2 and 2 classes were moved right into the church when I was in Standard 2. It was in this church and school that God prepared me for what I am today”.

    Ebenezer Obey was born in peculiar circumstances, as his mother, Mrs. Abigail Oyindamola Fabiyi was barren for about two decades as a married woman. Thrown out of her matrimonial home upon the counsel of her former husband’s family, she was advised to go to Idogo village away from the face of agony and despair.

    Incidentally, it was around the time that the musician’s father, Nathaniel Olasewo Fabiyi moved from Abeokuta to Idogo in order to practice his carpentry alongside with cocoa farming. It was at Idogo that Obey’s father and mother met. They married and shortly after, she got pregnant. Though the baby lived only for three months, she took in again and birthed a baby girl who survived. She was named Grace Olasunbo Amoke (Keyede). After that, she had a boy that was named Ebenezer Olasupo Remilekun Aremu Fabiyi.

    As a boy, Ebenezer started his musical career in Idogo by singing on errands to cover distances. His mother enrolled him in the choir at the Methodist Church, Idogo, a move that sealed the lad’s fate in a musical career.

    It was Obey’s mother’s wish that he never abandon Idogo. This wish is definitely being fulfilled as this is not the first project to be commissioned for the town. The Juju maestro, it was said, reconstructed the community’s town hall which was also reportedly abandoned for over 31 years.

  • Pupils urged to obey traffic laws

    PUPILS of Abina Omololu Primary School, Surulere, have been given a new assignment: to obey and enlighten others about the traffic laws.

    They were enlightened about how to use the road at the 4th Abina Omololu Scout Jamboree held last Wednesday on the school premises.

    Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Unit Commander, Oshodi, Mr Sulaimon Oseni said the children should learn to observe all regulations that apply to them and other pedestrians when using the road.

    Oseni, who was represented by Mr Ajayi Adebowale, also counseled them to be ambassadors of the FRSC and persuade their parents observe all traffic rules while driving.

    “This lecture is not only for people that are driving but for children also to ensure their safety as road users.  My advice is that children should see themselves as the good ambassadors of the FRSC,” he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Kolade Olademeji of the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), urged the pupils to be very careful while using the road.

    A parent, Mrs Ebolg Ike, urged the pupils to be careful when crossing the road.

    The school’s head teacher, Mrs. Elizabeth Obilana, also advised the pupils to obey traffic rules and be conscious when crossing the road.

    She added that the event was to celebrate the Scout jamboree for 2014 and infuse lectures on safety into the programme.  She explained that it informed the presence of the FRSC and VIO officials at the programme.

    Scout Group Leader, Mr. Ojekale Oladipo who also teaches at the school, said the Scout Movement was started in England by Lord Borden Powell in 1907 and came to Nigeria in 1915.

  • We ‘ll obey court judgment on Southwest PDP , says Metuh

    We ‘ll obey court judgment on Southwest PDP , says Metuh

    The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has said the party will respect the court judgment restraining it from appointing a new caretaker committee in the Southwest until a valid congress is held.

    Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Lagos had on Monday held that the current members of the caretaker committee in the South West be recognised by the PDP as the valid officers of the party in the zone, saying: “I hold that the plaintiffs can remain in office until a valid congress is held.”

    Metuh said: “The PDP is a law-abiding party and as a result of that will obey the court judgment.”

    He, however, added that the party would follow up to ensure that the zonal congress was organised as soon as possible in accordance with the tone of the judgment.

    Speaking on what had delayed the congress, the PDP’s spokesman said it had to do with logistics, noting that the party was prepared to hold the congress as soon as possible.

    “The working committee met today (Wednesday) and this matter was one of the issues discussed. We want to hasten the process of holding the congress. The committees responsible for this are already working on it.”

    Asked if a date had been fixed for the congress, Metuh said: “No date has been fixed yet for the congress. The only thing I can say is that the congress will be held very soon.”

    The Caretaker Committee members of the PDP in the South West had approached the court to restrain the national headquarters of the party from appointing new people as caretaker committee members in the zone claiming that they resigned as members of the caretaker committee to enable them contest election at the congress which was slated for August 24, 2013.

    The plaintiffs claimed that the national headquarters of the PDP, believing that an Ekiti State High Court had given an order stopping the congress, cancelled the congress only to later find out there was no such order.

    The plaintiffs claimed that since it was the party that cancelled the already scheduled congress, they ought to be allowed to continue in office till a valid congress was held.

     

  • Glo honours Obey in Evergreen Series

    Glo honours Obey in Evergreen Series

    IT will be a night of glitz, glamour, camaraderie, good music, reminiscences and effervescent celebration of the true values of the legends of Nigerian music as telecom outfit, Globacom, honours those who have made their mark in the scene.

    The honour comes in the form of a special music concert designed by Globacom to, according to its management, show appreciation “for their indelible contributions to the rich repertoire of the nation’s music for decades.”

    Tagged Glo Evergreen Series, the concert takes off with juju maestro, Commander Ebenezer Obey, in Lagos on September 28. According to the management of the outfit, the series will be the biggest ever celebration of Nigeria’s music legends.

    “In the history of Nigerian music industry, no corporate organisation has ever honoured Nigeria’s music legends the way we have packaged the Glo Evergreen Series,” said Globacom in a statement in Lagos on Thursday

    Topmost fans of Ebenezer Obey, captains of industry and numerous A-list guests are expected at the event which the organisers said will is strictly by invitation.

    The statement revealed that the series which will be staged in different parts of the country in conjunction with brands like Nigerian Breweries and Arik Airline will, in addition to showcasing the best songs of the legends, take the people down the memory lane through a specially packaged documentary on the legends.

    The shows will also be a blend of classic and contemporary music as the current generation of top Nigerian musicians like MI and Yemi Sax will join Commander Obey in the first edition to perform some of his evergreen tunes.

    The Glo Evergreen Series will hold quarterly and each edition will feature an outstanding music legend and other highly-rated reigning musicians. The first edition comes up at Intercontinental Hotels in Lagos on 28th of September, 2013.

  • We’ll obey court order on Amaechi, says PDP

    We’ll obey court order on Amaechi, says PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that it is ready to stay action on the ongoing trial of Governor Rotimi Amaechi by an 11-man Disciplinary Committee, if it gets a court order stopping the action.

    But, the Amaechi camp yesterday said it had served the party a court order restraining further action against the governor.

    A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt on May 31 restrained the PDP from taking further action against Amaechi, pending the hearing of a substantive suit challenging his suspension from the party.

    Mr. Justice Emmanuel Ogbuji ordered the PDP to maintain the status quo on the matter.

    The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, who spoke with our correspondent, said: “ If there is a court order restricting us from going ahead with the disciplinary action against Governor Rotimi Amaechi, we will abide by it.

    “If a court order has been served on the party, I am not in a position to say; it is the responsibility of the National Legal Adviser. So far, no court order has been brought to our notice.”

    Responding to a question, Metuh said: “Well, the constitution of the PDP provides that within 30 days.

    “We would have taken care of the issues involved. We have referred the matter to the Disciplinary Committee. But, note that we are not out to send the governor out of the party. We want to assert the supremacy of the party by promoting discipline.”

    But a highly placed source in Amaechi’s camp said contrary to Metuh’s claim, the court order was served on the party on June 3 by a court bailiff, Abdulwahab Musa, at about 12.50pm.

    “The court order was received by a secretary at the PDP National Secretariat, the source said, pleading not to be named.

    “In any case, the High Court in Port Harcourt gave Amaechi other option of pasting the order on the wall of the National Secretariat of PDP or on the wall of Rivers PDP secretariat.

    “The order grants “leave to serve the 1st and 2nd defendants here in with the originating processes and orders made in this suit by substituted means to wit: by pasting on the wall of the 1st defendant(PDP Rivers State) and the wall of the 2nd defendant(PDP Secrtariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja).”

    In spite of the service of the court order, the 11-man Disciplinary Committee has continued to meet in defiance of the court.

  • Army officers pledge to obey, enforce new Lagos traffic law

    The General Officer Commanding the 81 Division of the Nigeria Army in Lagos, Major General Kenneth Minimah, yesterday pledged that the Military will not only conform but also champion enforcement of obedience to the law.

    He spoke at an interactive session between Lagos state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola and senior Army officers as well as heads of army formations in Lagos on the new road traffic law at the 81 Division Auditorium, Onikan.

    Minimah said there is no reason why the new Traffic Law should not work.

    He asserted that the military formations will go beyond just obeying the law but take part in enforcing it since it is a legitimate law of the state that has passed through the necessary processes before becoming a law.

    Fashola said everyone must realise roads are shared assets citing the latest accident on the Shagamu Benin Expressway where 33 people were reportedly drowned when their vehicle plunged into a river.

    He said he has refused to use the siren because it is part of his job to move traffic and using it will mean escaping and leaving the tax payers who employed him to bail themselves out.

    He also spoke on his experience in terms of traffic infractions with some members of the Armed Forces.

    Those examples, he said, did not typify who the members of the Armed Forces are truly but just a case of “a bad event on a bad day”.

    He said in several democracies, the Military have been responsible for fashioning democracy citing the example of George Washington who was formerly a soldier before becoming an elected President.

    On commercial motorcycles, Fashola said several people have lost their lives, limbs, arms or become maimed through the reckless activities of the operators.

    He said the new traffic law has prescribed that the motorcycles cannot ply the major highways like Lagos- Badagry Expressway, Third Mainland bridge, Ozumba Mbadiwe road and selected roads and bridges.