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Tag: Sango

  • Sango, Queen Amina, Shaka Zulu, others resurrect in Legends the Musical

    For three days, theatre buffs will be treated to inspiring and spectacular stage performances when LEGENDS the Musical lights up the stage at MUSON Centre, Onikan Lagos, from October 19 to 21.

    The musical drama is a collaborative production of Seeing Through the Arts and Declassical Arts & Entertainment, in partnership with 22nd MUSON Festival of the Arts.

    Though, in the past few years, the genre has had rather trickling success in the country, there is a new “Sheriff in town”, who seeks to shake up the landscape and raise the bar. The LEGENDS is outstanding for its masterful concern with the deeds of a select African leaders and making their ancient, lofty achievements relevant to the 21st CenturyAfrican, in order to revive self-belief and reliance on their capabilities as a people.

    In appearance are five popular African heroes: Sango (Nigeria), Nana YaaAsantewaa(Ghana), Neferneferuaten Nefertiti (Egypt), Shaka Zulu (South Africa) and Queen Amina of Zazzau (Nigeria) drawn from different African countries, who must come together to save ‘Modaland’ from a common foe.

    Theatre veteran and artistic director, Crown Troupe of Africa, Segun Adefila, is one of the lead characters saddled with the role of Sango. In this interview with him and Segun Dada, they spoke on what the audience should anticipate at the show.  For Adefila, LEGENDS is a unique production for so many reasons.

    Considering your background, what makes the LEGENDS unique?

    “First and foremost is the approach of the producer and director. These guys are phenomenal.  I have seen a couple of their works in the past—musical and then dances. For me, though my approach to theater is different, I find their approach unique because it is a huge attempt at looking where our arts should be focusing on at the moment. The idea of telling our story in a language that can be understood by all generations.

    “When you hear the names of these legends, they wouldn’t be strange to you. And if you are young and don’t know anything about your culture or tradition, the way the idea of the musical drama has been deconstructed makes it easier for you to appreciate and understand. There is a somewhat level of blend and that is what I think our arts should be doing at the moment— repositioning all the materials we were given, recreating modern narratives from cultural or traditional narratives, and bearing in mind that, everything called traditional today was once an innovation.

    These are ancient leaders; how important are their past glories in today’s modern society?

    All the things our young people look at and tag “old school” were innovations some years ago. LEGENDS the musical is placing these under a new lens for us to reevaluate and then talk about who we are. There is the metaphor in it too, a lot of humour and spectacle. Ultimately, there are plenty things to take home from these ideas. Man is the solution to his problems. If there is any enemy to defeat, it is you, and once you can conquer self, then, you are in control of every other thing. You become deified and gain ascendancy over everything. All of these legends we are talking about had some level of control over themselves, over the things they could do.

    Popular people we venerate today such as pastors, we must go and find out some of the sacrifices they made to be who they are. They dare not do the things we as ordinary humans do and this already places them on a pedestal. It doesn’t mean they are flawless either but the ideas LEGENDS the musical tries to explore and the reasons for such endeavor are interesting to me, which is the approach to tell our own story in our own way without too much attempt at appropriating western values. We are saying to the world that our Legends are the real deal. You could bring the legend out of Sango, you could bring the different foreign legends out of ours, but we are not bringing ours from your point of view. What we probably might do with our costume for instance, is a hybrid of ideas, to say listen, Africa is not isolated but developing with the rest of the world, which is a global village. We are developing with you but with lots of our rooms.

    The idea of Sango for me is one of the most contemporaries of all ideas. Let’s take it from the dance, Bata dance is a contemporary dance till tomorrow because, people keep reinventing it and it responds and never gets stuck. Basically, it is about Staccato beat and movement.

    Sango in today’s age and time would be the minister of mines and power because of his ability to conduct electrical energy. Mark Zuckerberg in about two thousand years from now would have become a legend due to his current innovative ideas. I have not been able to place Sango or any of the legends in the past with the way the script has been   treated, I can only see them through a modern eye in the light of things that confront us.

    A rising star in the industry, Segun Dada is quite a familiar name. In his words, LEGENDS he musicalis the best thing that has happened in a while. He plays the role of the South African warrior— Shaka Zulu, and shares his thoughts and excitement in this incisive conversation.

    How has it been like in the rehearsal room bringing authenticity to your character?

    I have done some musicals in the past, which were great but the first time I read this script; the idea of bringing past legends and icons, and the concept of fusing them into the present era is fascinating. You want to know how these legends behave and of course, the story to fight one common foe is really charming. It has been good so far trying to tell the story and absorb the Zulu character.

    Have you found the unique accent and click sounds of the Zulu language difficult to learn?

    I have had to take lessons, and do researches into the character, the accent, the pronunciations, bringing all of these together into the rehearsals. Working with Gbenga and Ayo has been really good. Basically, those are the challenges; giving life to this character. I am not a South African, but I am doing my best to create believability, here are three clicking sounds in Zulu language. Fortunately, I don’t have too much of the click sounds in the character. Learning the accent has come natural to me being an African. I am really looking forward to the audience having a swell time while we do what we like doing and bringing authenticity to these characters.

     

  • Curfew will not affect Plateau primaries – Sango

    The dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on Jos will not affect the Scheduled lateau State PDP governorship primary, party chairman, Damishi Sango, said yesterday

    “The curfew will have no effect on our plans. From our arrangement, we shall be through by 5 pm,’’ Sango, a former sports minister told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Jos.

    The state government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the state capital on Friday, following skirmishes that trailed the killing of some people in Rukuba, a settlement in the outskirts of the city.

    The government statement said that the curfew would start at 6 pm and end at 6 am daily.

    Sango, while reacting to fears expressed by delegates to the state congress, explained that accreditation would start in three centres from 6 am and finish by 10 am.

    He said: “Voting will start from 10 am and end at noon, while sorting and counting will commence immediately.

    “We expect that a candidate will emerge before 5 pm and everyone will rush home.”

    He said that contrary to speculations, none of the 13 people seeking the PDP governorship ticket has withdrawn from the race.

    “All the 13 aspirants are slugging it out for the ticket. The good thing is that they have agreed to support the winner,” he said.

    “They have also tasked the party to conduct a transparent election and have been assured of that.”

  • Ajagun Nla: Ode to Sango Duro Ladipo

    Forty years after his death, iconic actor and playwright Duro Ladipo has been remembered by his family, with the staging of one of his plays, Ajagun Nla, at the National Theatre, Lagos. It was an evening of celebration, fond memories and theatrical excellence, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports.

    After an exciting two-hour command performance, the cast and crew of a stage play, Ajagun Nla, directed by Prof Bakare Ojo Rasaki, were literarily drowned in ovation.

    The audience, who filled Cinema Hall One, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, were on their feet applauding. It was a deserving Friday offering to theatre buffs who defied the chaotic traffic on Western Avenue to attend the evening performance.

    Apart from being a timely presentation, considering the increasing spate of killings of farmers by Fulani herdsmen across the country, Ladipo’s classic Ajagun Nla also drew attention to many national questions.

    The play was organised  by the  Lagos State government as part of activities commemorating the 40 years of the death of the actor, playwright and musicologist, Duro Ladipo, who passed on in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on March 11, 1978 at 45.

    Expectedly, the wife of the late actor, Mrs Abiodun Duro Ladipo, 81,  in her famous Moremi hair style, was full of joy as she thanked  the government for its support in making the evening a rewarding outing in memory of her late husband. Her message to the womenfolk on the need to be patient as wife and mother, as well as why ‘our rich culture must be preserved and promoted,’ set the tone for the evening performance.

    Of all the many calamities that continue to befall the nation, the Fulani herdsmen killings remain worrisome and of great concern to most Nigerians. Little wonder it formed the crust of Ajagun Nla, a play written decades ago by  Ladipo. Today, most of the issues raised in the paly are still much with us.

    Opening with a scene showing how Fulani herdsmen invaded a Yoruba community, the traditional ruler of the community summoned his chiefs to his palace to discuss how to protect the people and their property. This resulted in the invitation of Ajagun Nla (Wole Duro- Ladipo), a notable war lord from IlaOragun, to help crush the Fulani herdsmen. But before the battle line was drawn, the three Baloguns, Aresa (Yomi Duro Ladipo), Olugbon (Muyideen Lalaa) and Onikoyi (Kenny Ayeni) consulted Ifa oracle, whose findings and suggestions they ignored.

    The in-fighting that ensued among the war lords and family members in the play were synonymous with what Nigeria experiences today, especially in government. Issues such as greed, corruption, favoritism, ethnic rivalry and religious intolerance were the undoing of Ajagun Nla and his lieutenants in the battle to crush the Fulanis. Every scene in the play captures many aspects of our everyday life as a people, be it in social or political environment, especially the actions and inactions of the leaders and the led. All these are a mirror image of our present reality.

    Interestingly, the epitome of these vices, which the ifa (conducted by Segun Adefila) it had warned against, was Esu (Ayo Ogunsina) who at each turn planted the seed of discord in the people, especially the key actors. For instance, at the peak of the battle against the Fulanis, Esu visited the home of Ajagun Nla who was on the battle field in company of the Baloguns.  Esu tricked Ajagun Nla’s wife, Omolola, (Sola Duro Ladipo) to serve her husband with poisoned water whenever he returns from the battle field. Unfortunately, Ajagun Nla saw the poison and refused to drink from the water, which Aresa and Olugbon drank.

    Summarily, Ajagun Nla is a fresh clarion call on Nigerians to count less on those divisive elements and join hands together to eliminate seeds of discord and bitterness. The play lived up to its trappings as a rich package of Yoruba epic drama. The large casts were thrilling and colourful on stage backed by effective choreography. However, the set seems static most times. Director of the play, Prof Bakare Ojo Rasaki said Ajagun Nla was chosen for the commemoration because of its contemporary relevance to the issue of Fulani attacks all over the country.

    Earlier, Lagos State Cultural Troupe thrilled the audience to scintillating performances. Also, in appreciation of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s distinguished performance in promoting Yoruba culture, Ladipo’s family presented him with an award. It was received by Mrs Aramide Giwanson on behalf of the governor. Presentation of national anthem and pledge in Yoruba language by EgbeAkomolede led by Mrs. Zainab  Olaitan spiced the night.

    Present at the evening were Permanent Secretary Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. FolaAdeyemi, Special Adviser on Arts and Culture to Governor, Mrs. Aramide  Giwanson, Director, Lagos Council for Arts and Culture, Mrs Otulana, ace Yoruba actor Adebayo Salami, Tunde Kelani, Publisher City People, Mr. Seye Kehinde, Makinde Adeniran and Mrs Anike Adekanye, among others.

    The family organised a week-long 40th anniversary programme starting from Saturday, March 10 to 18 featuring the launch of Duro Ladipo Monument, (the new Mbari in Osogbo, Osun State), arts exhibition, stage performance of Ajagun Nla and premiere of Moremi Ajasoro. Ajasoro was shown in Chicago, United States last summer, which was directed by Ladipo’s wife – actor, Mrs Duro Ladipo, alias Moremi. Other of his classical operas and plays include  Oba Moro, Oba Koso, Ajagun Nla and Eda.

    Recall that Ladipo went on full-time play writing and stage production in collaboration with a German and former lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Prof. Ulli Biere, who converted Duro Ladipo’s Popular Bar in Osogbo to the famous Mbari Club.

    The late Ladipo belonged to the talented group of doyens of theatre, such as Hubert Ogunde, Oyin Adejobi, ‘Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi, Segun Olusola, Sam Akpabot, Sonnny Oti, Kola Ogunmola and Akin Euba.

  • We are working with security agencies to free Sango – Lalong

    We are working with security agencies to free Sango – Lalong

    Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau has said that the Plateau and Kaduna State Governments are working round the clock with security operatives to have the Plateau PDP Chairman, Chief Damishi Sango, released.
    Sango, a former Minister of Sports, and four others were abducted by unknown persons on Wednesday evening at Jere-Kaduna on their way to Abuja from Jos.
    Lalong, in a statement signed by his Director of Press, Mr Emmanuel Nanle, on Friday said that the state governments were working for their unconditional release without delay.
    “I received with deep concern the news of the abduction of Hon. Damishi T. Sango, Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Plateau State and four others at Jere, Kaduna State on their way to Abuja.
    “To say the least I am most saddened by this act of inhumanity to man that must be condemned totally,” he said.
    Lalong while sympathising with members of the families of the kidnap victims and the PDP over their traumatising experience, also called for calm.
    He assured travelers on Plateau-Kaduna and Kaduna-Abuja routes, that the Federal and the state governments were taking every step to ensure that the roads were secured from armed robbers and kidnappers.
    The governor further enjoined Plateau citizens to be vigilant while on transit and ensure that they reported all suspected criminal movements they noticed to the relevant authorities. (NAN)

  • Evenings with ‘Sango’ and ‘Oya’

    I co-host, pro bono, two weekly programmes, on one of Nigeria’s brightest and fast-rising new independent radio stations, Space 90.1 FM, located in Ibadan, Oyo State and founded by a veteran broadcaster-turned entrepreneur, Otunba ’Deji Osibogun, with some of his friends.

    I derive great pleasure in the duty, like the five other volunteer presenters like me, because I share Deji and his station’s ethos of professionalism, creativity, independence, commensurate pay and provision of adequate tools for staff in the broadcasting profession. Little wonder, listeners have dubbed Space FM, the “people’s secretariat” and give the station a 98% listeners participation.

    The two programmes that I co-present on are, ‘Je Nwi Temi’, a Yoruba language newspapers review on Thursdays from 9.00am to 11.00am and ‘Down Memory Lane’, on Fridays from 4pm – 6pm. The programme features achievers in all areas of human endeavours who must be above 70 years and of impeccable character. Our past guests included Mrs. Anike Agbaje – Williams, the  first woman to appear on television in Africa and widow of a late Chief Judge of the old Oyo State (that is present Oyo and Osun States) Honourable Justice Agbaje- Williams; a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo; Juju music (Apola system) maestro-turned, preacher, Evangelist Idowu Animasawun; veteran photographer, Pa. David Ositelu, popularly known and called ‘Born Photo’, whose studio is located at  my axis of ascendancy in Ibadan-Isale ’Jebu – Isale Osi, Oritamerin –Oja’Ba and veteran footballer/coach Niyi Akande, former captain of Shooting Stars FC of Ibadan, star player in the national soccer team, the former Green Eagles (now Super Eagles) and the first coach of Nigeria’s female soccer team, the Falcons.

    Last Sunday was the International Women’s Day and Space FM did justice to the United Nation’s mandate that female achievers in the  world be celebrated, by hosting a veteran actress singer-dancer, Mrs. Abiodun Duro-Ladipo, popularly called “Oya”, widow of a great Nigerian playwright, actor and musicologist of world fame, Duro Ladipo, M.O.N who died on 11th March, 1978, aged 45 years.

    The late Duro Ladipo belonged to the talented group of pioneers/doyens of Nigerian theatre such as, Hubert Ogunde, ’Wole Soyinka, Segun Olusola, Sam Akpabot, Sonny Oti, Kola Ogunmola and Akin Euba.

    The interview session with “Oya” was nostalgic and a throw-back to Nigeria’s pre and post –independence eras of deep, rich and well-researched stage dramas, musical and cultural fiestas in which our talented guest was a star participant. Listeners, especially those who made telephone call-ins appreciated her era and the great epics she and her husband turned out like “Oba Koso”, “Oba Moro”, “Sango”, “Aare Akogun”, “Moremi” etc which won international awards on stages/theatres in Germany, United Kingdom, Brazil, France, Austria etc.

    In coining the title of this piece, I decided to marry (mark this word please) “Oyas” appearance on Space FM last Sunday with the evening of tributes to “Sango”, her late husband, Duro Ladipo, on 11th March, 2002, which I attended, at their Bode Wasinmi, Basorun, Ibadan home, I reviewed that evening programme in my article, published in major national dailies, titled “An Evening With “Sango”. (please see the Guardian on Sunday issue of March 24, 2002) By the way, Duro Ladipo died 37 years ago. Memorial prayers were held for him on Wednesday 11th March this year.

    We have since that 2002 evening of tributes established the Duro Ladipo Foundation, with ‘Oya’ as the president and my humbleself, her deputy. In celebrating the 30th anniversary of the passage, (I almost wrote ascension since the original Alaafin Sango is believed to have ascended into heaven) of Duro Ladipo in 2008, we published his biography co-authored by ‘Oya’ and two of Nigeria’s star authors, academicians, poets and playwrights based at the University of Ibadan, Professor Remi Raji-Oyelade, president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) and Professor Dapo Olorunyomi,  and staged ‘Oba Koso’ in Oyo and Osun States. Our intention to put three of Duro Ladipo’s epic plays on celluloid is stalled by lack of funds/sponsorship. I pray this piece gingers philanthropists and endowed theatre lovers to rise up and lend their hands.

    The ‘marriage’ I talked about earlier in this piece between Duro Ladipo (Sango) and his widow, Abiodun (Oya) is hereby ‘consummated’ with the recall of my 2002 tribute to ‘Sango’ .Please savour it.

    “True to predictions and expectations, it not only rained, but thundered as well that Monday this March (11th to be precise) when relations, admirers, media and theatre arts practitioners gathered at Bode Wasinmi, Ibadan to celebrate the 24th anniversary of the passage of Duro Ladipo, MON, the world-renowned actor, playwright and folkore exponent, who, in character and acts, proved that he was no fluke reincarnation of Sango, the Yoruba god of thunder, who was an Alaafin (king) in the old Oyo Empire

    “Sango, was a very powerful king. He had an equally strong wife called Oya. She was a loyal ally of her husband. In the heat of a revolt by his subjects due largely to Sango-induced duels between two of his generals, Timi and Gbonnka, Sango abdicated to his mother’s town in Nupeland from where he “ascended” to heaven. He became a diety and is worshipped as the god of thunder till today in Yorubaland, Brazil, Cuba, USA, and parts of Africa.

    “The Monday March 11th rain and thunderstorms were repeats of the March 11, 1978 scenario when an unusually heavy rain with equally heavy thunderstorms heralded the transition of Duro Ladipo, at 45, confirming Sango’s welcome of his ‘alter ego` to heaven and before the Owner of heaven and earth, Olodumare(God).

    There were three `takes` of rains on the evening of tributes, which failed to deter one’s resolve to attend the ceremony, moreso as the matriarch of the Duro Ladipo dynasty, Madam Abiodun, alias ‘Oya’, had personally delivered the kind invitation and had admonished that  the evening was going to be the forerunner to the silver jubilee celebration of her late husband ascendancy to heaven, come March 11, 2003.

    Arriving at Duro Ladipo’s Bode Wasinmi expansive, but modest home , the name which the well-populated area of Basorun area in Ibadan now proudly shares, one transited into the pure, cool, natural village atmosphere. What with theatre and broadcast media greats like Alagba Adebayo Faleti (Baruwa to Duro Ladipo, his chum) “Baba Sala”, alias Moses Olaiya (wait a minute!) Tunbosun Oladapo (Odidere Ayekooto) Dr Larinde Akinleye, Moses Omilani, Olowomojuore, Ayobami Olabiyi among others, in attendance. On hand to welcome guests, like a good hostess which she has always been, was ‘Oya’. She seems to grow more radiant in beauty, sonorous in voice and glossy in skin as seasons fall on themselves. Her constant pleas to her guests to please pardon Bode Wasinmi’s simplicity were drowned by our choruses of “we are not here to lap up gaudiness or stinking riches but rather to pay homage to a true star actor and reformist”. I noticed that ‘Oya’ eventually relaxed when the genuiness of our feelings and expressions as sincere friends and admirers of her late husband sank home. That’s the beauty of life with ordinary folks and natural people. No pretentions, no fusses.

    “Perhaps, because of the rain and thunderstorms that evening , public power supply was cut off. As such, we had to watch a 1966 documentary on Duro Ladipo with power supply from a fairly-used portable generator whose havoc (actually a blessing in disguise), I shall recall in a short while in this piece

    “The evening of tributes, organized by the elders of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTAP) was the first public appreciation of Duro Ladipo’s immense contributions to theatre arts in Nigeria by fellow artists , according to ‘Oya’. From Alagba Adebayo Faleti, Chairman, Oyo State Council of Arts & Culture to “Baba Sala” and Olufemi Dada, alias “Benja-Benja”, it was eulogies, songs, ewi (poems) and reminiscences galore in honour of the late son of a catechist who not only revolutionized church music with the introduction of native drums, but opened a fresh chapter in yuletide celebrations in Nigeria with the production of Christmas cantata at the Nigerian Museum, Onikan, Lagos in 1963, for which he was presented a trophy by Nigeria’s first president, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. Duro Ladipo then went on full-time play writing and stage production in collaboration with a German and former lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Prof Ulli Beier, who converted Duro Ladipo’s  ‘Popular Bar’ in Osogbo to the  famous Mbari Club. The genius in Duro Ladipo blossomed in no time resulting in his production of classical operas and plays such as “Oba Moro”, “Oba Koso”, “Ajagun Nla”; “Eda” etc

    “In the documentary titled, “The Creative Man” by the American Educational Television”, Duro Ladipo talks about his life as a youth who took early interest in drama while at school in Otan Ayegbaju in present day Osun State. From there, he graduated to producing school plays when he became a pupil teacher. “I introduced native drums to church music in order to change the monotomy. I shocked everybody”, he explains in the film.

    According to Duro Ladipo, his traveling theatre group in the 1960’s made do with gas lamps and hurricane lanterns for stage effects. With vigorous rehearsals, attention to details, researches, guts and sheer luck, he broke through the amateur ranks and emerged the notable dramatist whose group, the Duro Ladipo National Theatre, would win the first prize at the Berlin Arts Festival, in Germany in 1964 and at the first-ever Commonwealth Arts Festival in London UK the following year with his epic play, “Oba koso”, With this play and “Oluweri”, Duro and his group stamped their authority across the globe with capacity- filled presentations in France, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Italy, Iran, USA, Brazil, Belgium, Austria and Holland. To his credit, Duro Ladipo wrote and produced 36 plays, published 10plays, produced 9 gramophone records, received two national and three international awards and acted in four films.

    “When earlier in this article, I referred to the blessing in disguise by the generator at the evening of tributes, what I meant was that on getting to the scene in the film, “The Creative Man” where Sango threatened to hang himself, the generator spluttered to a stop!. All efforts to restart it failed thereby making it impossible for the audience, to see whether Sango carried out his threat to hang himself or not. Someone in the audience described the generator failure as a confirmation of the long-held belief that Alaafin Sango did not commit suicide, but ascended to heaven (Oba ko so).

    “Describing the evening as a prelude to the silver jubilee of her husband’s passage come March 11, 2003, Mrs. Abiodun Duro-Ladipo thanked the audience for its kind response to her invitation. She praised the organizers for their thoughtfulness and prayed for the chairman of the occasion (guess who). Between now and March, 2003, the onus is on all lovers of arts and admirers of ‘Sango’ (Duro Ladipo) to gird our loins and actualize the dreams of ‘Oya’ to make the silver jubilee celebration a thunderous show”.

    As I stated in the earlier part of this piece, we have since established the Duro Ladipo Foundation, but government / corporate / individual support in all good forms will make us realize our noble dream of reviving Duro Ladipo’s epic plays records and books.

    • Lekan Alabi is the Aare Alaasa Olubadan of Ibadanland

  • Why Plateau can’t vote against PDP, by Sango

    Why Plateau can’t vote against PDP, by Sango

    Former Minister of Sports Mr. Damishi Sango has declared that the people of Plateau State will vote for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the general elections because the ruling party was conceived and delivered in  the state.

    Sango spoke when he led a group of senior citizens on a courtesy visit to the governorship candidate  Senator Gyang Nyam Shom Pwajok in Jos.

    He said: “We are here as members of Plateau Elders Forum to express our support for the ruling party PDP and all its candidates for the general election next month.

    Sango added: “Plateau people cannot abandoned PDP for whatever reason, we can’t destroy the house we built because of certain disagreement.

    “We want to let the world know that  Plateau is the home of PDP, the ruling party was conceived in Jos by the founding fathers in 1998; the name of the party and its logo and colours were selected and designed in a meeting of stakeholders in Jos.

    “That was why the first national chairman of the party was given to a plateau man as the pioneer national leader of the party. The party went into political contest with other parties in 1999 to earn it a major national victory and made it a rulling party in Nigeria.

    “Given these indisputable facts, even if every one abandoned the party, Plateau people will remain in the party because the party is our baby.”

    The PDP chieftain said: “The elders forum under my leadership will take it upon itself to embark on a reconciliatory mission in the state to make sure the opposition parties will not take advantage of the little disagreement among the party stakeholders as a result of the last governorship primaries.

    “We have resolved to vote Senator Gyang Pwajok as the party’s governorship candidate, we will vote President Goodluck Jonathan again and all other candidates of the party in the general election because we can’t afford to be in opposition against the party we labor to build” adding that the so-called disagreement in the party is a family affair.”

    Senator Pwajok said, “The visit of the elders forum has brightened my hope in the election. I thought I have been left alone in this struggle but I now know the young and the old are behind me and I feel encouraged.

    “I pledged not to let Plateau people down after supporting me to become governor”

  • Tears as robbers storm community

    Tears as robbers storm community

    The residents had smiled to bed after a fulfilling day. But, just when some of them who were still “alive” should celebrate the birth of a new day, the devil struck, leaving in its wake, tears and bloodshed.

    It was on Sunday. Idowu Crescent, Community Road and Ariya Street – all in Adalemo, Sango area of Ogun State – were the theatre of what many a victim described as an unforgettable ordeal.

    Armed robbers – for the second time in a week – swooped on the neighbourhood without let. As they shot their ways into homes, beating and maiming residents, they looted valuables, especially money. Their prey could only groan in pitiable helplessness.

    The operation, it was gathered, began around 12am and lasted hours. Several houses, it was said, fell victim to the invasion by the unwelcomed visitors who reportedly shot sporadically into the air to scare off security agents.

    “They blew whistles like typical night guards while the operation lasted. So, many of us mistook them for local security guards,” said a resident.

    A victim a landlady on Idowu Crescent, Mrs Osho a.k.a Mummy Solo, said she was thoroughly beaten when she refused to handed over her bag containing her money and gold to them.

    “As they came in, they demanded money and I said I had none. They asked for gold; I said I had none. One of them pointed gun at my daughter, Bose, when she too said she didn’t have money and that she was an apprentice. Then, I said my last prayers. Another one ordered them to fire us if we refused to cooperate. They vowed not to leave our house if we didn’t surrender money or gold to them. To avoid wasting our lives, I handed over all I had to them,” she recalled, sobbing.

    Another victim, who simply gave his name as Mrs Linus, said she was “mercilessly pounded” and hit with an iron in her head as she didn’t have anything to offer them.

    “As they came into our house, about four men entered my room and ordered me to bring out my money. I replied that I had no kobo. And after thoroughly searching the room and found no penny, except my faulty mobile phone, one of them, in annoyance, smashed the phone on the floor. Another one hit my head with the iron rod of my standing fan. He said he would have fired me but for my cooperation,” still in shock, Mrs Linus said.

    It was gathered also that another victim, Mr Akeem, who lost his wife while delivering a baby about three months ago, was angrily shot in the leg when nothing was found on him. He was said to have been rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

    It was the same tale of woes on the other affected streets. While many of them said security must be seen as a responsibility that should not be left only for night guards, most others urged government to strengthen security of lives and property, especially in the suburbs.

  • Foreigners thrill audience at World Sango Festival

    An interesting dimension was added to the ongoing World Sango Festival in Oyo town when a delegation of blacks and foreign nationals performed traditional rites to the delight of invited guests.

    The foreign nationals who came from Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Berlin in Germany, Cameroun and South-Africa but based in Brazi were led by Chief Adeola Faleye and Dr.Olumide Omidire, both of the Department of Linguistics and African Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-ife, Osun State.

    Members of the delegation, who said they had earlier attended a programme in Osogbo, said that they decided to visit Oyo, because of its unique place in Yorubaland in particular and the black race in general.

    Specifically, they expressed their delight meeting in person the Alaafin of Oyo,Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi.

    For about an hour, they thrilled guests to traditional dances and incantation of Sango praise poetry.

    The delegation later presented the Alaafin with a traditional drum that has sixteen different tones, the first-ever said to have been presented to any traditional ruler in Africa.

    They also presented video tapes of their songs titled ‘Canticles’ to the Alaafin.

    Responding, Oba Adeyemi thanked the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the World Bank for showcasing the attributes of Sango when he was alive.

    The paramount ruler used the occasion to warn against the extinction of Yoruba language, which he asserted is “the most comprehensive and meaningful language in the universe.”