The Nation Newspaper

Tag: popularity

  • Of popularity, notoriety and renown

    The more I write these few lines for you each week, dear reader, the more I have found that the popularity ratings of the column has grown. Not because the lines are good (if you say so, I don’t mind though) but because they are insistent on being heard. I thank you indeed for tolerating me the way you tolerate a mosquito. If you pretend long enough that it isn’t there, it might actually go away. So I find that many read me to get me out of their way and promptly settle down to ignore me. That is how the column has earned its popularity.

    Notoriety though I find comes mostly through politics. No, I don’t hate politics. I just don’t consider myself as being very politically conscious, more like a political somnambulant. Half of the time, I have no idea how many states in Nigeria have governors. Heck, half of the time I have no idea who indeed is the governor of which state. The other day, I heard that someone called Gov. Something had been removed as governor of a state in Nigeria by a tribunal. Who, I asked, is that? Which State is he governing? Someone said he is/was a governor. Yes, I read that, I replied, but who the heck is he? Everyone looked at me like I had lost it. The economy has finally got to her; they were thinking; a governor is someone everyone should know. And I went away thinking, how do they know all these governors when they seem to change every minute?

    The problem, I reasoned, is that many of my fellow citizens do not set out in life to be anything more than notorious. The Nigerian seems to have one credo. Make some noise and people know you are there. Then, what happens? Oh, before you know it, you become the governor of a state, a Representative, a Senator, a principal, a…. On what platform? The platform of noisemaking! But what has he achieved?

    So, there you are, I do not know politics, just like I do not know maths. Why, the other day, someone gave me a poser that sounded like one of those Satan uses to determine those bound to go to hell with him if they pass it. The test asked if someone were to offer to buy a goat for the sum of N2, 000.00 and the seller agrees to the price and the buyer brings out the money to pay for the goat but the goat leaps up and snatches the money and eats it, then how much has the goat become? For reply, I made only one gesture: Cuckoo! Why should I give him the privilege to know I did not know maths, I reasoned?!

    So, you can imagine my horror when I heard yesterday that a senator had been taken to another court. I was really horrified. Please, I begged, don’t tell me I did not know that the senator was in one court in the first place. The fellow looked at me like I had mutated to some unrecognisable being. This is his second court and who knows how many more courts before he is through with us, I was told. I sat down in great mystery, wondering: where had I been all my life?

    Seriously, reader, you can’t blame me. I have been too busy tracking where all of Nigeria’s money had got to. First, I was reading that some two point something billion dollars had been shared among a few Nigerians who happened to belong to a political party. Naturally, my head had been swimming round those figures with me wiping my face many times a day to make sure I was not dreaming. Then I began to hear through confessions how the money was disbursed to various agents of the party; and the offers some of them made to return it, either through coercion or remorse. Naturally, I wiped my face some more trying to imagine which bank would contain enough storage space to receive these vast sums when they are converted to our very worthy naira.

    That was when I began to hear stories of how a few top people in one of the armed forces had somehow contrived to convert hundreds of billions of naira, meant for the upkeep of their own arm of the armed forces, to their own personal use. As I was told, they went as far as constructing an underground pit or latrine or soak-away (the story is not very straight around this corner) in the house of one to keep some of the monies while some nestled comfortably in the accounts of the wife of another. As these revelations were coming out, you can imagine that my face wiping had grown alarmingly to reach some worrisome proportions. I found I had begun to wash my face to be sure I was not dreaming, and also to be sure I wasn’t Pilate. I also wanted to see if the water would tell me why my fellow citizens would persist in settling only for notoriety when they could go for renown.

    One group of people that gets notoriety for renown is known as writers. This is why we are celebrating them this week. I know they also do not work for renown but are happy to bask in it when it comes. Most of the time, they are just content to smile broadly when they succeed in getting their messages across.

    There are many reasons why they do not get that renown. Their messages are often unpalatable to the society; they mirror the society back to it; they reflect for the society the consequences of their heady ways, etc. Truth is, in writing, they keep the truth pristine and unalloyed. Who gives renown to anyone for telling the truth?

    Most Nigerians are rather interested in scrambling for loots. We all therefore seem to have forgotten that loots do not make a man. They make a man a common thief, less than the soil underneath an honest labourer’s slippers. We have said it again and again on this column that what makes a man is not the number of houses he owns (whether honestly acquired or not), or the number of private jets he owns (acquired properly or not), or the number of women or men they are able to sleep with (acquired legally or not).

    True, you have heard many people preach again and again that you cannot take it with you. Well, I’m here to tell you something different. You can take it with you. The only thing is that what you have here gets converted to a different currency when you die. The man who has worked only at stealing from the country may get to enjoy his loot here but when he dies, the loot gets converted into his infamous name which will become synonymous with notoriety. The man who works at actually achieving something may or may not enjoy his proceeds on earth; but when he dies his good name gets converted also into something akin to renown.

    What matters most in this world is what we do for a living, how well we do it and what we are able to achieve through it, no matter how little or how big. Achieving something through one’s efforts is a greater success than any amount of money that one can steal. It not only brings out the truly noble thing in one’s character, it enables a man to touch the lower tip of the universe. That man is able to reach beyond himself; that man is also the man who has been able to conquer his lowest instincts. That man is the writer. Here’s raising a toast: To all writers!

  • Of popularity, notoriety and renown

    The Nigerian seems to have one credo. Make some noise and people know you are there. Then, what happens? Oh, before you know it, you become the governor of a state.

    The more I write these few lines for you each week, dear reader, the more I have found that the popularity ratings of the column has grown. Not because the lines are good (if you say so, I don’t mind though) but because they are insistent on being heard. I thank you indeed for tolerating me the way you tolerate a mosquito. If you pretend long enough that it isn’t there, it might actually go away. So I find that many read me to get me out of their way and promptly settle down to ignore me. That is how the column has earned its popularity.

         Notoriety though I find comes mostly through politics. No, I don’t hate politics. I just don’t consider myself as being very politically conscious, more like a political somnambulant. Half of the time, I have no idea how many states in Nigeria have governors. Heck, half of the time I have no idea who indeed is the governor of which state. The other day, I heard that someone called Gov. Something had been removed as governor of a state in Nigeria by a tribunal. Who, I asked, is that? Which State is he governing? Someone said he is/was a governor. Yes, I read that, I replied, but who the heck is he? Everyone looked at me like I had lost it. The economy has finally got to her; they were thinking; a governor is someone everyone should know. And I went away thinking, how do they know all these governors when they seem to change every minute?

         The problem, I reasoned, is that many of my fellow citizens do not set out in life to be anything more than notorious. The Nigerian seems to have one credo. Make some noise and people know you are there. Then, what happens? Oh, before you know it, you become the governor of a state, a Representative, a Senator, a principal, a…. On what platform? The platform of noisemaking! But what has he achieved?

         So, there you are, I do not know politics, just like I do not know maths. Why, the other day, someone gave me a poser that sounded like one of those Satan uses to determine those bound to go to hell with him if they pass it. The test asked if someone were to offer to buy a goat for the sum of N2, 000.00 and the seller agrees to the price and the buyer brings out the money to pay for the goat but the goat leaps up and snatches the money and eats it, then how much has the goat become? For reply, I made only one gesture: Cuckoo! Why should I give him the privilege to know I did not know maths, I reasoned?!

            So, you can imagine my horror when I heard yesterday that a senator had been taken to another court. I was really horrified. Please, I begged, don’t tell me I did not know that the senator was in one court in the first place. The fellow looked at me like I had mutated to some unrecognisable being. This is his second court and who knows how many more courts before he is through with us, I was told. I sat down in great mystery, wondering: where had I been all my life?

          Seriously, reader, you can’t blame me. I have been too busy tracking where all of Nigeria’s money had gone to. First, I was reading that some two point something billion dollars had been shared among a few Nigerians who happened to belong to a political party. Naturally, my head had been swimming round those figures with me wiping my face many times a day to make sure I was not dreaming. Then I began to hear through confessions how the money was disbursed to various agents of the party; and the offers some of them made to return it, either through coercion or remorse. Naturally, I wiped my face some more trying to imagine which bank would contain enough storage space to receive these vast sums when they are converted to our very worthy naira.

            That was when I began to hear stories of how a few top people in one of the armed forces had somehow contrived to convert hundreds of billions of naira, meant for the upkeep of their own arm of the armed forces, to their own personal use. As I was told, they went as far as constructing an underground pit or latrine or soak-away (the story is not very straight around this corner) in the house of one to keep some of the monies while some nestled comfortably in the accounts of the wife of another. As these revelations were coming out, you can imagine that my face wiping had grown alarmingly to reach some worrisome proportions. I found I had begun to wash my face to be sure I was not dreaming, and also to be sure I wasn’t Pilate. I also wanted to see if the water would tell me why my fellow citizens would persist in settling only for notoriety when they could go for renown.

           Then I read about one DJ Obi, really known as Obi Ajuonuma, who had set out to etch his name in the Guinness Book of Records by ‘djing’ for a record two hundred and forty hours straight out. I wiped my face once more to be sure I was not dreaming. Could it be that there really is a Nigerian interested in actually making something of himself that did not put money first? Could it be that such an unnatural element who considers achievement over unnatural enrichment exists? Could someone be actually more interested in renown over popularity and notoriety? I say, I saw the picture, so I believed. I became encouraged.

          You see, it appears that most Nigerians are only interested in scrambling for loots. We all therefore seem to have forgotten that loots do not make a man. They make a man a common thief, less than the soil underneath an honest labourer’s slippers. We have said it again and again on this column that what makes a man is not the number of houses he owns (whether honestly acquired or not), or the number of private jets he owns (acquired properly or not), or the number of women or men they are able to sleep with.

          True, you have heard many people preach again and again that you cannot take it with you. Well, I’m here to tell you something different. You can take it with you. The only thing is that what you have here gets converted to a different currency when you die. The man who has worked only at stealing from the country may get to enjoy his loot here but when he dies, the loot gets converted into his name which will become synonymous with notoriety. The man who works at actually achieving something may or may not enjoy his proceeds on earth; but when he dies his name gets converted also into something akin to renown.

          What matters most in this world is what we do for a living, how well we do it and what we are able to achieve through it, no matter how little or how big. Achieving something through one’s efforts is a greater success than any amount of money that one can steal. It not only brings out the truly noble thing in one’s character, it enables a man to touch the lower tip of the universe. That man is able to reach beyond himself; that man is also the man who has been able to conquer his lowest instincts. Here’s to rooting for DJ Obi; hope he’s able to win his renown.

  • ‘The good side of my popularity’

    ‘The good side of my popularity’

    Princess Oluwatoyin Kolade is one woman who has remained resilient in business and rocked the social scene over the years. The CEO of Fisolak Global Group which comprises Fisolak Royal Furniture and Arikay Oil and Gas, fondly called the Iyalaje of Apapa in the social circuit, shares with Adetutu Audu what makes her tick in the industry dominated by men.

    You are a popular face in social circles; does this not affect your lifestyle?

    There is the good side of it, and then the bad side of it. The good side is that I am likeable. Friends come around me and a lot of people also want to do one business with me or another. Being popular is actually also good for business. But the bad side is that one has to be wary of the people you meet or do business with. There are also people who feel bad about one’s popularity and really go out to try to hurt people. So when you are popular, you still have to be careful.

    You have your hands in many pies, what keeps you going?

    God. .I thank God that my business has grown a lot from the trading that I used to do. These days, I am into maritime business. We are involved in import and export businesses, clearing and forwarding, consultancy, interior furnishings and supply business. I have a group of companies; one part is involved in importation and another part is into sales of electronics.

    I am also a contractor to some state and federal government. I have franchise for Samsung products and we import too. We started Arikay Oil & Gas Company ten years ago.

    Many people say that women cannot be successful, except they pay with their bodies. Have you ever been harassed?

    Some people can do that. Men will only use and dump you. It is better to start small. It is because people want to be like others. There are women who are successful; so, why should mine be different?

    Why do most successful women not have successful marriages?

    Some of them have bad friends. So, when they are making money, their friends will tell them, don’t mind that man, and don’t honour your husband. My husband is my boyfriend; he is my everything. I still cook for my husband and my children. I don’t have a cook. Anything I want to do, I will first get his blessing. God is my Alpha and Omega, but my second alpha and omega is my husband and I love him so much.

    What attracted you to your husband?

    He is my God-given husband. You know when God gives you a husband, you will never have a problem. The first time I saw him, I knew that would be my husband. It was, indeed, love at first sight. I loved his countenance immediately. I noticed he is a calm person and I fell in love with his patience. He is actually a nice man. He is also honest.

    Does he feel intimidated by your success?

     He is a hardworking man. So when such a man has a wife who is equally hard working, who is also a good wife, he will not have any excuse but to support such a wife. He knows that our lives are better because he gives me the opportunity to assist him.

    So what will you say has been the secret of your marriage?

    The secret has been that we do not keep any secret from each other. We tell each other everything. We share everything. We handle our family matters between us. No matter how successful a woman is, she should be submissive to her husband. Part of my success is actually the fact that I am submissive to my husband. I respect him a lot and you know in such a situation, respect also begets respect.

    Describe your style

    I love to look good, I like to dress well and be neat. I love it when there is a rhythm in the colours that I wear, and one colour matches another. You know that Nigerian ladies dress fashionably well. I can say that Nigerian ladies are number one in fashion. Without Nigerian ladies, most shops in Korea, Austria, Switzerland and other such places will suffer a recession.

    You have been identified with philanthropy in recent times, are you considering going into politics?

    Everybody cannot go into politics. I will rather continue to spend and support people in politics. And I want to commend the democratic process that has led to the hope for change that has just taken place. It is commendable to know that, as a nation, we are finally developing principles. I am happy with the political change in the country.

    Aso-ebi has become a fad to the detriment of taking care of one’s family. What is your view?

    Some people want to belong. I don’t do that. I have seen people borrowing clothes, shoes and bags to go to parties.

    You seem to love partying

    I don’t go to all parties. But I love to be in the midst of good people. Attending parties and social functions, for me, are basically out of obligation to my colleagues and customers.

    Many one-man businesses have collapsed after the demise of their owners. How do you think this can be forestalled?

    Try to allow your family to know about your business. Bring in your children, even if they want to do the business. Don’t keep secret about your business from your family.

  • Why Ishaku’s popularity is growing in Taraba

    Why Ishaku’s popularity is growing in Taraba

    Senior Correspondent FANEN IHYONGO examines the chances of the Taraba State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Hon. Darius Ishaku in Saturday’s election.

    When he clinched the Peoples Democratic Party’s ticket in Taraba State, Darius Ishaku’s opponents said he was reclusive. The criticism motivated him to work harder. He consulted widely and met with opinion leaders. Then, he embarked on house-to-house campaign that began to sell his candidacy. His campaigns were issues-based, and he quickly marketed a people-oriented manifesto. He listened to the masses and told them the things he had done and was still doing for the state. Soon, his popularity began to rise. He became the talk of the town.

    At the time he rounded up his campaign tour in Takum-his country home, the names of his opponents in the other political parties had gone extinct. He graciously overturned the ‘unpopularity deficit’ to become the most popular candidate gunning for the state’s most plum job. Ishaku got a “pleasant surprise” when he campaigned in Gassol, a council believed to be a stronghold of the opposition. His first name Darius was changed to Dahiru (Arabic: meaning something pure). And that has been bad news for his opponents who have become fever stoked and their names gone extinct.

     

    Multiple endorsements

    Of all those contesting the governorship, Ishaku has gotten the highest endorsements from individuals, groups and unions. His supporters include traditional rulers, the two religious bodies, many unions and groups such as NULGE, NURTW, NUT, NUJ, students, the physically challenged, market women, artisans, okada riders, butchers etc.  The students union body described him as a “first class material and most qualified candidate,” in terms of credentials and achievements in the public and private sectors.

     

    Party strength

    Taraba has always been a tough state for the opposition. The ruling PDP has shown its supremacy by winning the governorship and three senatorial seats since the return to democratic government in 1999. In 2011, the PDP won 13 of the 16 local government areas to give Suntai a landslide victory.

    In last Saturday’s presidential and parliamentary elections, the PDP won the presidential election, even though President Goodluck Jonathan lost to the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. PDP also swept the three senatorial seats and four House of Representatives seats, leaving only two for APC and SDP. The winning of the northern zone senatorial seat by the Acting Governor Abubakar Sani Danladi is also an advantage to Ishaku.

     

    Government influence

    Ishaku is no doubt the government candidate. And that has given him an edge over his opponents. It means he enjoys the apparatuses of government including security and resources. Ishaku is also the choice of Governor Danbaba Suntai, coming from Southern zone where the governor planned to relinquish power to, on grounds that it is the fairest thing to do to foster a sense of belonging.

     

    Roots, credentials, experience

    The PDP candidate, born in July 1954 to Mr Istifanus Ishaku and Mrs Naomi Ishaku at Lupwe, now Ussa local government council, schooled at St. Bartholomew’s Primary School Zaria, St. Paul’s College Zaria and the famous Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master’s of Science in Architecture with super distinctions.

    He has worked as a teacher, architect, town planner and minister where he served without blemish. He is such an unassuming and humble gentle man with the spirit of camaraderie and above all the fear of God. He has planned to use his wealth of experience to redesign and reconstruct a beautiful Taraba for the masses. He will “rescue” state from any form of ruin, in healthcare, security, economy, agriculture, education and tourism.

    His achievements include the Mambilla hydroelectric power project in Sardauna which he re-designed to provide 3,050 megawatts. The dam, when completed will employ thousands of youths who are in desperate search of elusive jobs. His works on the Kashimbilla dam has also been plausible as the dam is a multipurpose developmental project for flood control, water supply, power, irrigation, fishery and tourism. His other achievements include: provision of boreholes and electrification of Taraba towns and rural communities. Distribution of hundreds of transformer and the facilitation of employment of over 150 graduates as well as facilitation for the promotion of many deserving senior officers from Taraba to higher positions, which he knows less than 10 of them.

  • Ambode: A popularity walk in Alausa

    Ambode: A popularity walk in Alausa

    There  was jubiliation at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, by workers who trooped out to welcome the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr. Akin Ambode, who was on visit to the seat of government.

    Workers from various departments and ministries swamed on the flag bearer, who was the Accountant-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance. They promised to vote for him at the poll.

    Ambode was a guest at the swearing in of the Executive Secretaries of the pre-exixting  20 Local Governments Areas (LGAs) and  37 Local Council Development Areas(LCDA)s. He was  mobbed by the workers as he passed through the Ministry of Finance, where he worked for six years.  Directors, assistant directors, secretaries and messengers hailed the technocrat. Shouts of  “Ambo, Ambo, Ambo, the next governor of Lagos” filled the air. Others were singing: “Winner Oh Oh Oh, winner, winner Oh Oh Oh winner, Ambode you don win o winner.”

    It took the flag one hour and thirty minutes walk from the ministry to Adeyemi Bero Hall, the venue of the ceremony. Ordinarily, it takes five miniutes to get to the hall. Security agents were appealing to the crowd to give way. But, they refused, saying that they wanted to talk to one of their own.

    Ambode was returning to the secretariat for the first time after his voluntary retirement in 2012.  They recalled his passion for worker’s welfare and push for transparency and accountability. Even, when he managed to get to the high table, scores of senior civil servants moved up to discuss with him, thereby diverty his attention from the ceremony.

    As Ambode took his seat at the high table, the crowd also sang victory song. “Ambo, Ambo the next governor of Lagos, ” they chorused.

    The singing and dancing continued, until the arrival of Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN).

    The governor described Ambode as a financial surgeon, adding that his services are required at this critical time.

    Fashola enjoined  Lagosians to vote for experience, instead of an experiment;, and continuity of excellence instead of docility.  He said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has nothing to offer to the people.

    He added: “The People Democratic Party(PDP) is  incompetent and it has made a disaster of the governance of the nation. Lagosians must not allow the PDP to crash their match towards more glory and excellence. Lagos is too strategic to be entrusted to cluelessness and impunity that the PDP represents.”

  • Amaechi, Wike: Popularity test in Rivers

    Amaechi, Wike: Popularity test in Rivers

    A day after a reception was held in honour of former Minister of State for Education Chief Nyensom Wike in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State capital, by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a huge crowd of All Progressives Congress (APC)followers converged on the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the seventh anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling that brought Governor Rotimi Amaechi to power. EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the popularity contest between the two antagonistic blocs, ahead of next year’s election.

    The crowd was huge. It was not a rented crowd wooed by money and food stuffs. They were singing and dancing. There was traffic snarl on the way to the 40,000 capacity Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Igwuru-Ali, Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on that historic day. The state stood still for Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who hosted stakeholders for the seventh anniversary of the Supreme Court verdict that brought him to power.

    The popularity walk in the oil-city sent a signal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that its future may be bleak in the Southsouth state.

    Exuding confidence, the governor was unequivocal about the motivation for the event. “I wanted to test my popularity”, he told a multitude of supporters and well wishers, who had stormed the venue, as from sunrise.

    It was a day after a reception was held in honour of the former Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesome Wike, following his resignation from the Federal Executive Council. At the rally, many PDP chieftains poured encomium on the former minister. They said he has provided leadership for the party, following Amaechi’s defection to the APC.

    The two rallies have implications for next year’s general elections. The two leaders, Amaechi and Wike, were on the weighing scale and observers were able to critically assess their strengths, mobilisation prowess and support base.

    The APC rally sent the PDP leaders jittery. In a statement, the troubled PDP chapter dismissed it as a ruse, saying that the crowd was induced. But, Amaechi fired back, saying that the event has marked the beginning of the PDP’s liquidation.

    Never in the history of Rivers has a large crowd of party supporters converged to make such a bold political statement. The state capital was literarily shut down. Many abandoned their vehicles on the road and trekked to the stadium. At the stadium, people were in one accord. There was no reported case of unruly behaviour. Excited at the large turn out of party faithful, a party youth, who simply identified himself as Alex, retorted: “At what cost will anyone put this crowd together? I put the population here at 65,000. The masses are with the governor.”

    Another person, Henry, a graduate taxi driver, wax philosophical, saying: “Thos is beyond Abuja power. This is people’s power”. He added: “We have the conviction that the governor deserves our support. He represents change and we will rather continue with his kind of change. But, it is possible that the governor’s opponents will say otherwise. We shall wait till the election to confirm who is deceiving who. Support here is not on the basis of party; it is on the basis of the person leading us; the man we know and we can identify with.”

    The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said apart from the huge crowd inside the main bowl, no fewer than 55,000 people were outside the venue, unable to gain access, despite the fact that the 25 gates to the stadium were opened.

    There was wild jubilation when Amaechi stormed the stadium. Hie presence was electrifying. Decked in the Edwardian costume of Riverrine indigenes,  He danced to the podium, waving at the people. But, he was overwhelmed by the crowd. He opened his mouth and it was ajar. “I am here to test my popularity. They have made much noise. The President says we exist only on posters and billboards. So, we brought a large billboard for him. If the President is not watching the rally, they will give him the security report.

    “This stadium is 40,000 sitting capacity; I built it. One of them campaigning for governorship was the contractor to do the roads. He abandoned the roads. He took N3 billion and left and now, he wants to be governor. A thief will not be our governor. I challenge them to an integrity test. I have worked with them; I have their records and they are in the Office of the Governor. I challenge any of them to performance.

    Amaechi urged the people reject the PDP in next year’s election, saying that their chieftains have betrayed Rivers. He said:  “In 50 years, all the state governments put together, plus council chairmen, built six classroom blocks. But, in seven years, I have built 20 classroom blocks. We have developed 715 megawatts of electricity. But, the problem is the Federal Government allowing us to distribute electricity. They don’t want you to have electricity. Vote them out.

    “We were to give Port Harcourt water, but as I am talking to you today, the Minister of Finance has refused to move the file again back to the Executive Council for approval so that you can have water. They don’t care for you; they want you to die of water-borne diseases. Punish them with your votes; punish the PDP with your votes. They say he (President Goodluck Jonathan) is our son. Then, why can’t we have water? The problem we have is that the EFCC is no longer working.

    The governor also bemoaned graft in high places. He said corruption is soaring, lamenting that it has become a thriving industry. “They said the reason the President is not performing in Rivers State is because he is quarreling with the governor of Rivers State. Okay, what is the quarrel between the governor of Akwa Ibom and the governor of Cross River that the road to Akwa Ibom was done and the one to Cross River was abandoned?,” he queried.

    Amaechi said, despite the plot by the PDP to remove him from office before the expiration of his tenure, the people decided otherwise. He said not only will the APC retain Rivers in next year’s elections, change is also inevitable at the centre.

    However, beyond the rallies and show of strength and bravado by APC and PDP leaders, the two parties have some hurdles to cross. The struggle for the governorship ticket among aspirants in both parties is a big test. No fewer than 10 contenders are vying in the PDP. In the APC, three aspirants-House of Representatives member Dakuku Peterside, Senator magnus Abe and the deputy governor are in the race.

    Zoning is also an important issue in Rivers. The mood of the people seems to accommodate power shift from the upland to the riverrine area. The PDP leading candidate, Wike, who is backed by the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, is from the upland area. He is an Ikwere like the out-going governor. If a PDP aspirant from the upland area is fielded, the PDP has do extensive reconciliation, ahead of the poll.

    In the APC, the senator and House of representatives member are in contention. Both are popular in their constituencies. Abe is older than Peterside. There is a push for generational shift. But, experience has also shown that some politicians, including the late Adekunle Ajasin, who became governors in their old age, performed well in office.

    Rigging will be impossible in the state next year. The people are waxxing stronger in their determination to vote and defend their votes. Critics have said that the imaginary two million votes for any ruling party at the centre is now old fashioned.

    The contest, analysts argue, is also a battle of ego. For Wike, the Government House is a priority. For, Amaechi, there is no vacancy in the seat of power. If the governor succeeds in installing an APC governor, he will become a giant of Rivers political history.

    Between Amaechi and Wike, who blinks first? Time will tell.

  • Ekiti: ‘Statistics prove our popularity’

    Ekiti: ‘Statistics prove our popularity’

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has described the opposition’s boast that it will unseat the APC in the June 21 governorship election as “a fairy tale.”

    In a statement by its Publicity Director, Segun Dipe, APC said: “There are only two political groups in Ekiti State today. The first is the APC and the other is the Association of Confused Politicians.

    “The boast by the opposition to dislodge the Dr. Kayode Fayemi administration in the coming election is a fairy tale. It is grossly unsupported by available statistics. Such high hopes by opposition parties to win the election, despite their noticeable shortcoming, is comparable with that of a patently lazy student, who never reads but is always announcing that he would make distinctions in his papers. This is what is referred to as dead on arrival.

    “When the campaigns begin, those in the opposition will be boasting of what they will do, while the APC will be pointing at what Fayemi has done. He has built roads and empowered people. The social welfare package is there and he has developed tourism. He has created several opportunities for men and women. Women are particularly more enhanced. The aged are happy; the youths are happy; the working class is happy and everybody is praising Fayemi for his good work. Christian and Muslim clerics have made his performance the subject of their sermons.

    “Those in the opposition are disorganised and disoriented. They are busy searching for the right candidate among the many jostlers, while we have the most marketable candidate in the incumbent governor.

    “They are seeking power and support from strange gods in Abuja and elsewhere, while we look up to God and the people to re-enact our winning ways. They trust in horses and chariots while we trust in God and the people. They are beating the drums of war while we are beating that of peace.”

    On its membership registration, the party said: “Within the first few days of the exercise, about 300,000 people registered and we are still counting. These are people with faces and home addresses. This figure is exclusive of the apolitical and the statute-barred, such as civil servants. It is dominated by the aged and artisans, who value the good work of Dr. Fayemi. Pitting this figure against the total voting population, one could see that APC members are in the overwhelming majority and they will make their votes count for the party.

    “Outsiders should keep their distance from the Ekiti election and allow the people to elect the person they love. Anything contrary may return the people to the dark days of seven years, seven governors.

    “Ekiti people are conscious of their past in the hands of ignoble politicians and will not want to return to their Egypt, having experienced life in the Promised Land. They have showed their love for the party of their choice by registering as members. They have felt the weight of water and that of oil and they now know which is heavier.”

  • I don’t care about popularity

    I don’t care about popularity

    Beautiful On-Air personality, Mayowa Lambe, co-host of Make Una Wake Up show with Yaw and Lolo1, has made her mark on the airwaves with what she loves to do. She is quite a handful, with interest not only in broadcast; she is into make-up, acting and other stuffs. In this interview with DUPE AYINLA-OLASUKANMI, she speaks on her life, career and other issues.

    APART from broadcast, what other things do you do?

    Apart from my morning and weekend shows which I co-host with Yaw and Lolo. I am also into a bit of movies and TV presenting too. But most of the TV presentations don’t show here in Nigeria because I have my own reasons.

    Why are your TV presenting not shown here?

    Ok, I will give you the reason. It is because I am a very private person. I don’t like people to pry into my personal life, because I have things going on. So I will like to do my things in a way that I won’t be noticed when I go out. Sometimes when I go to people for some things, I need to know that I got them on merits and I do not want people prying into it and guessing what my life is like. I don’t enjoy it, so I try as much as possible to keep myself away from the eyes of the public. So the negative side does not affect me, because I am a very emotional person.

    Let’s talk about your love for stage play

    I enjoy very good and beautiful plays. So I am not a big fan of the movies. I watch movies, but Nigerian movies I am not exactly a big fan of, because I believe there is something wrong somewhere and they are still trying to get there. I watch it and criticise it a lot. I enjoy stage play, because it is difficult. I do a bit of acting, I just started and I have done a series titled 24/7. It will be showing on DSTV, MNET. We are done with the season 1 and hopefully if it gets better, we will move on to season 2. My point is I love theatre because it is only intelligent people that can do it. You have to get your lines, it is given. It is either you get it, or you don’t. And if you miss it, you have to find a way to substitute from your head. So it has to be intelligent, it has to be smart. I enjoy it because you can actually see the effort people are making. But even if it is not so nice, you can appreciate them for the effort.

    I learnt you love make-up too?

    Yes. I also do a bit of costuming, which comes under make-up too. At times when Katherine, Lolo, and even Yaw want to go out, they ask my opinion on how they look. Because I studied it a little bit. I don’t do it in a big way, but I do it for my friends. And I just do it, because I love to see people look good, go out and take pictures. Since I won’t do it, they tell people Mayowa Lambe dressed me up. It makes me feel good, when I see what I have done. So when Katherine asked me if I was going to do the cast of Pepper Soup costume, I didn’t even say yes or no. I just asked, when is rehearsal? It was exciting and it is a very beautiful experience.

    How do you manage your privacy, being an OAP?

    I will tell you how I do it. Being an On-Air personality, you see, radio does not give you that immediate popularity with your face. A lot of people know my name, inside and outside Lagos, you will be amazed. But they don’t even know what I look like. Sometimes I am somewhere and they are talking about me and I just walk away. I am not exaggerating. It happens a lot of times, especially with radio people. My point is you can shield yourself away from the eyes of the public; you can go and get MC and advertising jobs by yourself by going to agencies. You don’t have to tell the press for every time you get a new house, when you are about to get married, do a birthday party, you don’t have to appear on every red carpet, and you don’t have to be every show and get noticed. So you can shield yourself away from it, if you don’t want it. For me, as long as I am making good and legal money, I don’t care about the popularity. It is not important to me. I would rather live my life simply and accomplish a lot of things, without having to worry about I cannot drive my car today. And I cannot go in a bus because someone will recognise me. I want to live simply like every other normal person. So I can live within my means and budget and not have a problem.

    When you are not busy, what do you do?

    I love being with my friends. I don’t have a whole lot of them, but I have Omotunde, Katherine are two of my best friends. We are pretty very close. I can drive over to her place or drag her over to my place and we can cook together and talk about things. I don’t like to be alone, so I like to be in the company of my friends when they are not busy. Because I respect and understand that they are busy too. Sometimes, I have Katherine’s kids over, I help her look after them. For me, it is fun, I love family. That alone, for me, is fun.

    When did the flair for acting start?

    I’ve wanted to go into acting for a very long time. A lot of people tell me; oh you’ve got the gift. I have gone to watch people do stage plays and when they don’t come on time, I would be asked to fill in for them. And people would be like, you interpret very well. Before now, I wanted to take my time and watch people; someone I love so much in the Nigerian movie industry is Joke Silva. I love the way she delivers her lines, her gesture and facial expression. So I took my time to see if I could get it right. The first time I did it, the director asked if I have been acting for a while. I said to him no, because I delivered my lines so well. He didn’t have to ask me to do it over and over again. I learnt from people who are good at this thing. You can never stop learning.

    How would you describe your experience so far?

    It was an experience that is all I can say.

  • PDP will lose popularity after 2015, says critic

    PDP will lose popularity after 2015, says critic

    A social critic, Mr. Okechukwu Okereke, has said that the popularity of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will wane after the 2015 general elections.

    He said the new party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), will definitely dislodge the ruling party because it has failed Nigerians.

    Okereke, who spoke with our correspondent in Aba, Abia State, expressed the optimism that the birth of APC will end the one-party system, promote good governance and halt dictatorship in the country.

    He said: “The emergence of the APC as a strong political party in Nigeria is a great leap for democracy. It is now clear that PDP cannot hold the country to ransom. It is a positive development that progressive parties are forming an alliance, ahead of 2015. In a any country where you do not have, at least, two political parties with the same strength, such a country in in trouble.

    “In a situation where only one party has the chance of winning general elections and forming the central government, the consequence is that the party leaders that control the government will rule with complacency. There will be no accountability and democracy will suffer”.

    Okereke lauded the APC leaders for setting up a party that has a national outlook, adding that the party will attract votes from the six geo-political zones.

    He urged them to do away with ego and the pursuit of personal interest at this critical time.

    Okereke added: “You will discover that there is that spread, due to the diverse strongholds of the parties in the merger. The ACN is from the West, the Congress for Progressive Change is a northern party, the All Nigeria Peoples party is still northrn party and the All Progressive Grand Alliance has Igbo structure. If the leaders will sacrifice their ego, they will succeed”.

  • Ladoja’s popularity is fake, says Oyo ACN

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Oyo State has said the “purported soaring popularity” of former Governor Rashidi Ladoja and Accord in the state is an imagination of its members.

    ACN was reacting to a statement credited to Accord’s Media Director, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, at the weekend.

    In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dauda Kolawole, ACN said: “It is bad politics for the Accord to feel bad about the patriotic call by some persons for the speedy trial of Ladoja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This call should be encouraged by the Accord, if indeed it is convinced that its leader did not loot the state’s treasury.

    “We congratulate the Accord on the procurement of its most recent liability in the person of Oyelade. Here was a man, who at the dawn of democratic rule in 1999, was a member of the Alliance for Democracy, having worked with former Governor Lam Adesina as his Private Secretary.

    “He worked briefly underground for the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) too at a time. Immediately the Adesina administration was removed, Oyelade jumped ship and became Ladoja’s ally.

    “When Ladoja was impeached, Oyelade suddenly remembered that he attended the same secondary school with Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala and defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to wash the dirty linen of his Ogbomoso friend.

    “Immediately his friend was removed from office through popular votes

    in 2011, Oyelade made unsuccessful attempts to partner Governor Abiola Ajimobi and the ACN.

    “When he was rebuffed, he abandoned his friend, Alao-Akala, and returned to his long-abandoned vomit as the Director of Media of Ladoja’s Accord. We wish Accord well in its most recent acquisition.

    “A trip to the red light district of Asas in Molete, Ibadan, could not have earned Accord a better prostitute. Talk about a jaundiced message from the mouth of a discredited messenger.

    “The Ajimobi administration remains the potent weapon of re-orientating Oyo State politics from the Ladoja/Akala Amala politics, where the pockets of their cronies mattered more than the people’s welfare. We cannot blame the two leaders, because no one can give what he does not have.

    “In the 17 months of the Ajimobi administration, good governance has been resuscitated in the state. Anyone found guilty of embezzling state fund while in office should be held responsible.

    “The mark of good governance is honour. This has been exemplified by Ajimobi’s honouring of his political promises to Ladoja. This is what good governance entails. This was lacking in Ladoja and Akala’s administrations, where survival of the fittest and the elimination of the weakest reigned supreme. Ajimobi is a man of peace and honour. If the most recent Ladoja henchman does not know the definition of honour, then it is too bad.”