ABEOKUTA — Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State has tackled Governor Ibikunle Amosun over his comment on the state of the PDP, saying that contrary to the governor’s insinuation, the party was not dead but waxing stronger.
State Chairman of the party, Chief Dayo Bayo, stated this during a reception for the National Auditor of the party Chief Adewole Adeyanju held, weekend, in Ilaro, Ogun State.
Dayo said Amosun and other members of the opposition party were jittery over the strength of PDP in the state.
Amosun had described PDP in the state as a dead party that posed no threat to his second term ambition.
However, Bayo said: “Despite the insinuation of the opposition that PDP is dead in Ogun State, we are waxing stronger.
“I want to assure you all that with the present structure of PDP, it has come to stay in Ogun State.
“PDP is now one and the oppositions are now jittery. With the ongoing reconciliation efforts by the party, we are sure of victory in the 2015 elections.”
… as Ondo CNPP members sack Chairman
By DAYO JOHNSON
AKURE — SOME aggrieved members of Ondo State chapter of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, weekend announced the sack of the state Chairman, Chief Ayo Isijola.
The state CNPP has been witnessing internal crisis which last week resulted in the leadership of the party sacking the state Secretary, Femi Ajibola and other leaders of the party over ‘anti-party activities.’
Others suspended members include the Treasurer, Mr. Samuel Akinbobola and the Financial Secretary, Victor Ogunbodede.
In a statement by the embattled Ajibola and 11 other members in Akure, they said it was necessary for CNPP to change its chairman in the interest of the progress of the group.
Isijola was accused of ineptitude, planting seeds of discord in CNPP, politics of acrimony, divide and rule, discrimination and financial impropriety.
Ajibola said CNPP had inaugurated a five-member caretaker committee to take over its affairs for six months after which elections would be held.
The caretaker committee members include Chief Yemisi Aladesaye, Chairman; Mrs Esther Ajibade, Deputy Chairman; Mr. Olusola Adeniyi, Secretary; Hon Olanipekun Adebeye and Pastor Lanre Betiku.
However, one of the supporters of the sacked Chairman, who is the Chairman of the Publicity Committee of Conference in the state, Pius Omojola, said the action of the group is null and void.
Omojola said Aladesaye and the other members had since joined Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and could therefore not claim to be members of CNPP anymore.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
ABEOKUTA — Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State has tackled Governor Ibikunle Amosun over his comment on the state of the PDP, saying that contrary to the governor’s insinuation, the party was not dead but waxing stronger.
State Chairman of the party, Chief Dayo Bayo, stated this during a reception for the National Auditor of the party Chief Adewole Adeyanju held, weekend, in Ilaro, Ogun State.
Dayo said Amosun and other members of the opposition party were jittery over the strength of PDP in the state.
Amosun had described PDP in the state as a dead party that posed no threat to his second term ambition.
However, Bayo said: “Despite the insinuation of the opposition that PDP is dead in Ogun State, we are waxing stronger.
“I want to assure you all that with the present structure of PDP, it has come to stay in Ogun State.
“PDP is now one and the oppositions are now jittery. With the ongoing reconciliation efforts by the party, we are sure of victory in the 2015 elections.”
… as Ondo CNPP members sack Chairman
By DAYO JOHNSON
AKURE — SOME aggrieved members of Ondo State chapter of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, weekend announced the sack of the state Chairman, Chief Ayo Isijola.
The state CNPP has been witnessing internal crisis which last week resulted in the leadership of the party sacking the state Secretary, Femi Ajibola and other leaders of the party over ‘anti-party activities.’
Others suspended members include the Treasurer, Mr. Samuel Akinbobola and the Financial Secretary, Victor Ogunbodede.
In a statement by the embattled Ajibola and 11 other members in Akure, they said it was necessary for CNPP to change its chairman in the interest of the progress of the group.
Isijola was accused of ineptitude, planting seeds of discord in CNPP, politics of acrimony, divide and rule, discrimination and financial impropriety.
Ajibola said CNPP had inaugurated a five-member caretaker committee to take over its affairs for six months after which elections would be held.
The caretaker committee members include Chief Yemisi Aladesaye, Chairman; Mrs Esther Ajibade, Deputy Chairman; Mr. Olusola Adeniyi, Secretary; Hon Olanipekun Adebeye and Pastor Lanre Betiku.
However, one of the supporters of the sacked Chairman, who is the Chairman of the Publicity Committee of Conference in the state, Pius Omojola, said the action of the group is null and void.
Omojola said Aladesaye and the other members had since joined Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and could therefore not claim to be members of CNPP anymore.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
There is hardly a Nollywood actress who has not tasted the sting of a scandal at one time or another in her career. While it appears some of them go courting controversies, others have had controversies tossed their way either by some overzealous press guys who dig up stuffs about them and mixed it with a little bit of dirt or by some circumstantial happenings that caught them right in the middle.
While some of these actresses have ignored many scandals trailing their career, others have simply laughed them off. Like, in every movie industry, there are practitioners who crave for attention and thus ,go the extra mile to expose certain aspects of their lives to make the headlines.
Here are the top ten actresses who have been severally scandalised. Interestingly, these scandals, true or false, have never dented their careers, instead, they have come out of them stronger, bigger and more popular:
Tonto Dikeh
Tonto is arguably the most scandalised actress in Nollywood. Every time her name comes up in the papers it seems to be about one controversy or the other. Some have said she found her way to stardom riding on the wings of controversies and it seems much of it is true as Tonto seems to take up roles most of her colleagues wouldn’t dare. The daring actress has played all kinds of roles, most of which bothered on near nudity and soft porn.
She astounded the movie world not too long ago when she revealed that it was Jimmy Jatt who deflowered her. Such is the boldness of the Rivers State born actress. There have also been rumours of her sexual involvements with several artistes including Tuface, KC Presh, Wizkid and even Iyanya.
When she veered into music, like some of her peers have done, it was controversy galore again as many critics took her to teh cleaners, hinting the actress has nothing of a singer in her. And just recently she posted a near naked picture of herself on Twitter with large tattoos on her back.
Nuella Njubigbo
‘Ella’ as she is fondly called by her many fans have been linked to series of romance tales within and outside the industry. The first tale that went viral was the romantic involvement with Yul Edochie and it appeared there was an element of truth in that. At least, the dashing actor once owned up to the relationship and asserted it happened long before he met his wife.
Though Nuella has come out to deny all these series of romances, however the echoes still linger. The one about her and the director, Tchidi Chikere was particularly poignant to her as her PR person had to come out and release a statement on the matter. She has also been alleged to be in a relationship with a state governor from the South-South region, which reportedly earned her a SUV. Others who have been linked with her in the past include footballer Emmanuel Emenike and a few others.
Cossy Orjiakor
Cossy has said she is one of the most misjudged persons in the entertainment industry but that does not excuse her image of ‘high octane sensuality’. Her boobs have become the label through which people identify her and she doesn’t help matters as she flaunts these at every occasion
The most popular scandal about her is that of her sleeping with a dog for a fee but Cossy has denied this at every turn. If she is truly misjudged it cannot be about her excesses in exposing her sexy body. Recently she tweeted near-naked pictures of herself just to show off her new panties and also posted in the social media a picture of herself in ‘orgasmic bliss’, possibly giving her fans the picture of herself at the height of a sexual act. But with all her excesses, Cossy is down-to earth and focused.
Lola Alao
Lola was recently thrown into a controversy involving her good friend, Bisi Ibidapo-Obe and a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dino Melaye. It was a messy affair and Lola, who said she was wrongly accused and implicated in the matter, was at the centre of it all.
Before the Lola-Bisi-Dino saga, there was the issue of her husband, who labelled her on the pages of newspaper as “diabolical” but Lola said in a recent interview that she doesn’t bear grudges against anyone. In spite of her former husband’s campaign in the media to drag her name in the mud Lola has never once spoken ill of the man and even saying “I liked the guy. He was a nice guy. It just didn’t work out”
Funke Akindele
Funke was really an actress with many sex scandals. It was rumoured that she had escapades with some notable men before her marriage to Oshodi big boy, Alhaji Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede. Even her marriage which held the movie world spellbound was enmeshed in controversy. She has been implicated in secret relationship with many of her colleagues
Bisi Ibidapo Obe
Bisi Ibidapo-Obe is not new to controversies in fact this beautiful actress has always had one controversy or the other trailing her. Her alleged relationships with Timaya, K1 and several others made headlines not too long ago. And recently her controversial personality took a dive after she announced that Dino Melaye was responsible for her pregnancy.
The tabloid again was filled with tales of Bisi and Melaye’s alleged romance-which the ex-honour bale member denied. Seven months after she claimed she met the father of her child, she was delivered of a baby girl and she was once again in the news when she named the child after Dino Melaye.
Genevieve Nnaji
Despite her super star status in the industry, Genevieve has had her own fair share of controversies to add to her growing profile.Before she became as big as she is today she was reportedly involved in romanctic affairs with several actors, such as Pat Attah, Kunle Coker and others. And when the tale of a man who claimed to be the father of her only child waged a media blitz on her, Genevieve’s popularity soared.
Genevieve at AMVCA …
She was even said to have dated an ex Vice President. On top of all that there is a lingering rumour of her secret affair with D’Banj, which many have said could lead somewhere.
Foluke Daramola
Before her blissful marriage to her heart-throb,Kayode Salako of Change Agent of Nigeria Network, Foluke was fingered in the break-up of Kayode Salako and his estranged wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Bukola Salako.
Before then there was also a controversy that Foluke was evicted from her home by her landlord for inability to pay her rent. But most of the scandals about her have been put to rest as the actress has been vindicated.
Tayo Odueke (Sikiratu Sindodo)
Popularly known as Sikiratu Sindodo, a name she got from the movie that launched her into stardom,her romance with National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Oshodi, Lagos, Musiliu Akinsanya also known as MC Oluomo which ended prematurely rocked the movie world. The said MC Oluomo bought a Murano car and a duplex in Maryland for her.
She was also rumoured to have dated actor and producer, Kunle Afod. Just few months ago, the gist went round town that she was having an affair with younger brother of Kunle Afolayan, Aremu which she has profusely denied. She is presently rumoured to be in a sizzling romance with top Fuji artiste, Malaika.
Faithia Balogun
This estranged ex-wife of top Nollywood actor, Saidi Balogun, Faithia is surely not free of some scandals in Nollywood. She was once rumoured to have fought her colleague in the Yoruba movie industry over a young Ibadan politician, Rotimi Ajanaku whom she accused of snatching from her. She was once reported to be in sizzling romance with the Director of Corporate Pictures. It was also reported that this almost destroyed the marriage of the top marketer.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Ailing actress, Ngozi Nwosu, of Fuji House of Commotion who has been placed under doctors watch after her surgery in a London hospital, has raised hopes of her returning to the country soon. Ngozi recently flew to the United Kingdom to have a kidney transplant, and according to an insider, she has bounced back to good health after the surgery.
In a recent telephone chat with HVP, the actress said, “ I’m getting better and by the grace of God, I will soon return home.”
She noted however, that her returning to the country will depend on the approval of her doctors. “I will return home when my doctors certify me fit to return to the country,”she said.
Ngozi’s recent pictures which she uploaded online showed how she has dramatically transformed from her emaciated look to good health. For some time, the Fuji House of Commotion star, who plays a troublesome character called Peace, had been a shadow of her old self as she battled with kidney-related ailment.
Thanks to Lagos State Government under leadership of Babatunde Raji Fashola and other well-meaning Nigerians who came to her rescue. The governor donated N4.5 million after reading of her ailment in a publication. Her friends and corporate organizations donated another N2 million she needed for her treatment.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
…Speaks on why he’s a rebel! Love him or loathe him, Jim Iyke is one of the very few Nollywood stars who have a knack for gaining attention. From his bad boy/lover boy movie persona to his more than fair share of media outbursts, not to mention the whole AMVCA fiasco, Jim Iyke has lived his life in the pages of newspapers. His controversial lifestyle has become a way of life for him, yet he’s the most sought after in the industry.
In an attempt to give a new meaning to his life, Jim during the week debuted with his reality TV show on DStv called, Jim Iyke Unscripted, where he decides to unveil himself to the world. In this engaging interview, he talks about the show, the man, Jim Iyke and his many undoings.
What’s Jim Iyke Unscripted all about? It’s a chronicle of my everyday life. An unbarred access into my life by cameras which capture the essence of my existence. Mostly my beliefs, my philosophy, my ideology and my everyday life. I wanted a perspective that is entirely mine so that when people choose to make judgments about me, my brand and life, they will have a second thought. For once in my life, I want people to see me in my entirety without bias and to judge me without prejudice. This is the platform for me to tell my story not doctored, unscripted and on a different platform.
How long did it take you to conceptualise this idea? They have been chasing me around to actualise this dream since middle of last year. Initially, I refused doing it. But you see, I was bored while sojourning in Nollywood. It’s the same run-of-the mill. I’m not saying that Nollywood is not a great entity because it’s the industry that made me who I am today. I am eternally grateful to Nollywood. But there is need for me to move on and stop travelling in circle.
I think it was at this point that the idea was born. I didn’t believe in a reality TV show. I have paid my dues in every respect. I was waiting for the time the right role will come my way. It was at that point, that Greyology Inc started managing me. According to them, I was picked because they thought I was the only person who could propagate the African brand. I felt honoured.
However, in the course of our discussion,I was eager to know the next step to take. OH Africa and AfricaMagic at that point told me that I live a very interesting life that involves travelling around the globe. In fact, I travel to an average of twelve countries every year on my own personal capacity. They were also eager to know what I do in these countries. And when I told them, they were excited, hence they suggested that we capture my travelling life through a reality TV show.
Initially, I didn’t buy the idea as I never believed in a reality TV show. But on a second thought, I said to myself whether I like it or not, reality TV is the new TV show. The biggest of the names are doing it, and the ones who are not involved are trying to be part of it. TV content is becoming increasingly boring, you need to hold an audience that cut across every facet of life. And the only thing that brings them together is a reality TV show.
I knew it was coming and the question is, who is going to be in the forefront when it arrives. Am I going to keep refusing and be another guy that is experimenting on an idea that has already been experimented. I have never shy away from taking bold decisions or going against the dream.
They went further to argue that the entirety of my brand and my person has always been taken from the point of view of others, namely, the press, my family, my friends, people that are not really my friends and bloggers. There has always been a story to tell about me and people have drawn conclusion based on what they read in the dailies and soft-sell magazines and created their own judgement from it.
You travelled to how many countries to shoot the series? We travelled to over eight countries and ten cities to shoot the series. Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, London, Armsterdam, America, Dubai and Nigeria. In every sense of the word, it got a global perspective.
Before coming up with this project, there was another project you anchored called, Jewel for Jim. What happened to the show?
It was a novel idea at that point in time. But everything in life has time frame. It was about me looking for love in continental America. While I wasn’t given to it, I thought it was fun travelling from city to city. I was in America for two months, and there was this group of nice people who offered to bankroll my stay in America, just for us to have fun. They sold the idea of the project, Jewel for Jim. But at a point, a better part of me cautioned and said, hold on, this is not where you should be heading to. At that point, I pulled out.
Did you find the love you were looking for thereafter? I didn’t find a brass. There were a lot of Latino women, Caribbean women, Africans in the diaspora. Seeing all kinds of not too delectable women. It was a bit flattery.I retraced my steps the moment I realised it wasn’t the right place for me to be.
In your opinion, would you say, you have been misunderstood over the years? I have always been misunderstood. Many times when things happen, I hardly come out to state my own side of the story. This is because I hate to join issues with anybody. Nobody likes to be intensively scrutinised. I have felt that intrusion in the deepest part of my life. I think that’s what made me to rebel to some extent. You know what happens when fingers are pointed at you. I’ve seen people who do not live a normal life, yet they are first to point accusing fingers at others.
The press didn’t help matters in my case. Who is paying the price? They forget that I have a family which I’m answerable to. It’s my parents who get hurt whenever wrong things are written about me. People who are dear to me probably do not find what they are doing very funny. So, while these were going on, it degenerated to the point where it became a way of life for me. It became a belief in Nigeria and Africa. And everybody that has been affiliated with my brand over the years readily embraced it.
Unscripted has given me an avenue to revisit every issue that has been an issue in my life. It came up during the course of our shooting the series. One way or the other, on the social media, with the print and electronic, personal issues with friends and fans which I’ve taken actions in the wrongest forms. In such little thing as business, people do business and end up in court because of disagreement.
And while it’s easy to point accusing fingers at me and call me names because I’m in the limelight and of course, pointing accusing fingers at me will make news. People forget that I’m a normal human being that is going through the normal issues in terms of business transactions. I can’t come out to claim that some people tried to defraud me because nobody knows them. At the end of the day, it takes the strongest of character to survive all the ordeals.
And while I’ve survived it, it has made me stronger and wiser. Yes, I don’t shy away from life experiences and I’m not ashamed of them. They don’t embarrass me because I’ve embraced them. They inform me, they order my steps, they strengthen my conviction and tell me the direction to follow. And that I think more than anything else re-enforces my philosophy.
Jim Iyke has virtually achieved everything he set out to achieve, except finding the love of his life. Is Jim ever thinking of settling down?
We are on it, and I’m working even harder in my career too. I don’t know anyone that works harder than I do. But again, I enjoyed my relationships on the pages of newspapers and I know it always ends adversely. So, I’ll rather keep this one very close to my chest and when we are both ready, we’ll announce to the whole world
Are you saying you are in a relationship at the moment? I didn’t say yes or no. Anybody can think whatever he or she likes.
But isn’t that the problem because you hardly say anything and people put words into your mouth?
They don’t put words into my mouth. They put words into their own mouths. That is what informs the essence of my brand. The fact that it’s easy for people to blow things out of proportion and we create the excitement as it seems. I can’t help that course, and why I said this, is that it can’t help my brand. Personally, it caused me a great deal of distress. At the end of the day, somebody suffers for it every time the wrong conclusion is made-either somebody is doing business or about to do business with me.
Was it something you wanted to create; the bad boy of Nollywood? It wasn’t what I set out to create. It was forced on me to make a little noise with it. Everybody has a claim to fame and obviously, it was because of the few roles I played when I started acting which happened to be bad boy roles. So, it’s easy when you are dealing with a country where certain things are consciously embraced. Nigerians are stubborn in what they accept and it’s very hard to break it.
We are very traditional thinkers. So, if Nigerians label somebody as ‘a bad person’, it becomes a trademark. Importantly, when you weigh your pros and cons, it comes to a point where you throw your hands up and surrender. As long as people that care for me, no matter how small they are, I’ll survive. It is not the best notion, but I’ve always survived. Unscripted is the wisest project for me to embark upon.
What are we expecting to see in Jim Iyke Unscripted? Expect everything that’s unplanned, a risk and people with a logical view will not say or do. There are things in Unscripted that will hurt me but I just want to tell my story. I’m tired of being judged for the wrong reason. I want to give people a proper perspective. When you have a proper perspective, then, you’re being judged in totality and not in a biased way. I just want to tell my story because I’m tired of people telling my story for me whether in good or in bad faith.
Will you say it’s a way of re-branding yourself? Re-branding is making it commercial because people’s argument is that I was paid a lot of money to do it. It’s not shady and I have some kind of incentives to do this. It’s not easy to take a large number of people across the globe to shoot the series because that’s what my life is all about.
It’s easier to budget myself into my day’s endeavour but to take in all lessons and everybody wants to have the best of things. So, it takes a lot of money. The returns were not shady but the focal point is to tell a story that’s been told for over a decade by people that were not in the know. Whatever anybody wants to say in the simplest form is that it came from the horse’s mouth.
How do you relate with women around you? I grew up among women. It’s another thing that people find very hard to embrace. I grew up traditionally. I have traditional Igbo parents. No matter how enlightened you are, your people are domiciled on tradition and culture. A Nigerian is a Nigerian and trust me, I’ve travelled round the globe and I can pick our people out from a crowd of millions without saying a word.
I’m a Nigerian. I propagate this gospel anywhere I go to. We are arrogant and rash, we are one in five and we cannot go unnoticed. So, when you are in a place headlining people that are smart, you have to be exceptional. Our women are the same; outgoing, strong, goal-getters even when they are doing the wrong things, they do it with an air of certainty.
So, I grew up with open-minded women and if you are a man who is not strong, you may find their ways reprehensible. If you grow up in such a circle, your first friends are women. I’ve dated people who always question my relationship with other women. How can you tell me a woman is your best friend and you are with me? But then, I’ve made men my best friend and they didn’t add any value to my life. But because I grew up in the company of women, I understand how it works. I know how to demarcate the two boundaries.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
LAGOS — NIGERIANS in the United Kingdom, will hold a memorial service and cultural reception for late literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe on May 18 in London as part of global farewell activities for the literary legend.
Professor Achebe’s body will arrive Abuja May 12, sparking off a series of festivities that will continue until his final interment in Ogidi, Anambra State on May 23.
The programme is being organised by the United Kingdom chapter of Nigerians in the Diaspora in conjunction with his family, the High Commission and the wider literary world. The activities will kick off with a memorial service at All Saints Cathedral, New Cross, London, which will be presided over by the Bishop of Southwark.
Ubaka Alex Achebe, a family spokesman, said: “Apart from the Bishop of Southwark, the Bishops of Woolwich and London will also be there. There will be several cannons and vicars coming too, so we are expecting about a dozen clergymen.
“After the service, guests will be treated to an evening of African culture, literature at the nearby Millwall Football Club’s reception hall. There will be cultural troupes from all over Nigeria performing as well as those from Ghana, Kenya, the Caribbean and Congo, and a re-enactment of Things Fall Apart.”
Dignitaries expected include former Commonwealth Secretary General, Emeka Anyaoku; Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, Chi Onwurah, MP; Chuka Umunna, MP, and the Mayor of Enfield, Kate Anolue.
Also expected are the embassies representatives of Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Côte d’Ivoire. The Anambra Women Group has offered to take care of catering for the day and treat guests to the best of Nigerian cuisine.
Dan Otuonye, the chairman of the Organising Committee said: “We will print T-shirts, women’s head ties and men’s caps, which will be made available on the day. Igbo Youth Organisation will also entertain guests to the best of our culture.”
Organisers have been split into cultural, security, publicity, catering and organising committees to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day. Several Nigerian authors and poets will also be expected to read from their books, while academics who worked with Professor Achebe will read out eulogies.
Ayo Akinfe, the chairman of the publicity committee, said: “Achebe was a global icon who cared passionately about humanity and we want this event to reflect his life.
“There will be cultural troupes there to showcase how Achebe brought the attention of the world to the fact that we Africans actually have a culture. there to highlight the fact that he was a genuine global icon.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
LAGOS — Policemen attached to Ilemba Hausa division in Lagos State have arrested a 65-year-old man for allegedly parading himself as an Assistant Superintendent of Police to extort members of the public.
The suspect identified as Oshigbemi Marshal, who claimed to be a dismissed policeman with two others at large, reportedly invaded a brothel along Ilemba Hausa Road, weekend, arresting the hotel manager, some staff, commercial sex workers and their male patrons for human trafficking.
They were said to have identified themselves as operatives from the State Criminal Investigations Department, Yaba.
Eye witnesses told Vanguard that Oshigbemi, a father of 10, led the illegal raid. They were said to have demanded N4,500 from the arrested persons, threatened to take them to the dreaded SCID if they refused.
Some of the frightened commercial sex workers and their patrons were said to have parted with the requested sum after which they were released, while others begged with N1,500 claiming that was all they had realised that night.
Vanguard gathered that the bubble burst after the bar man who out of curiosity demanded for their van with which to convey the suspects to SCID.
A staff of the brothel who spoke on condition of anonymity told Vanguard that Oshigbemi said driver of the patrol van had gone to fuel the car.
But after waiting without any sight of the patrol van, the curious staff was said to have contacted policemen from Ilemba Hausa,who arrived the scene.
“Immediately they sighted the police patrol van from Ilemba Hausa division in front of the brothel, the fake policemen who came for the raid took to their heels. But one of them was arrested and taken to the station” the brothel staff said.
Vanguard gathered that preliminary investigation at the station revealed that the men were not policemen afterall. Oshigbemi during interrogation, claimed he was a dismissed policeman.
In his confessional statement to the Police, Oshigbemi reportedly said he was dismissed from the Police Force two years ago.
According to him, “ I was dismissed for illegal conduct. I was among policemen arrested at road block after it was banned, in Sokoto state Police command. I ventured into this act because of my dismissal and I do not have any regret for it, he said”
Police sources told vanguard that the Delta state born suspect had been arrested for similar offense twice.
But when contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide said the suspect was never a policeman, disclosing that a fake police identity card was recovered from him. She added that the suspect had been charged to court for impersonation.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Permit me to go back to Marakech, Morocco, venue of the just ended 10th Africa Under 17 Championship.
There is no gainsaying the fact that leaving Morocco without the cup was painful, very painful. For those of us who believed that all the Eaglets needed to win the cup was to appear in Morocco, the loss was painful.
It could have been devastating but for the group defeat handed to the team by Cote Divoire, a defeat that helped to bring the team down to earth and prove that they were humans after all, despite a string of twenty eight matches without defeat.
In an earlier interaction with the coaches I likened them to the Barcelona of world football and that nevertheless, Barcelona does get beaten!
In mourning the loss of the Eaglets we fail to give credit to the Elephanteaux ( Baby Elephants ) who came to Morocco with three players based abroad while our team was hundred per cent domestic, including five that are still in secondary school. Cote D’Ivoire have under their belt, four Under 17 World Cup qualifications, including the last one in Mexico in 2011 which Nigeria did not qualify. (The Maigari NFF gets credit for qualifying us for this competition for the first time in four years)
In Mexico 2011, playing in Group F, Cote Divoire were runners up behind Brazil and in Souleymane Coulibaly produced the competition’s highest goal scorer ( Golden Boot ) with 9 goals in just 4 matches.
This also means that Cote D’ Ivoire also played up to semi final level in the African qualifiers in 2011! That is the Cote Divoire that we took for granted, a team that emerged from a country where youth football development has become legendary in Africa.
In Cote Divoire, football academies are what they are, regulated, controlled and licensed to operate with specific curricula that has produced stars over time, stars that have gone ahead to mature into prolific world recognized players for the national team, the dreaded Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire.
You cannot say the same for Nigeria where the NFF is yet to clamp down on the indiscriminate establishment of mushroom and pathetic contraptions called academies, where unsuspecting children are lured into slavery under the guise of lucrative football career overseas.
I digress
It is true that we have won the FIFA U-17 trophy three times, yet I ask, of what benefit to this country? Let us take the 2009 competition as a case study. After we were beaten in the final by Switzerland, it was only proper to upgrade such a successful team to the U-20. But FIFA records have it that less than thirty percent of the Silver winning 2009 squad were able to make it to the U-20.
Without dwelling further on this classic case of our ephemeral age successes, I take a lot of positives from Marrakech, including the fact that we have in our hands and for the first time too, a group of players who have more than eight years of football in them, eight years that have to be managed and structured to the advantage of our country’s football.
In taking this position, let me address the issue of the failed test that saw the disqualification of three Eaglets. The MRI Test is a funny development, one that passes you today and fails you tomorrow. The MRI test does tell you how long it will take you to be U-17.( Don’t laugh)
Even before the African qualifiers the NFF subjected all the players in camp to the test and it is no more a secret that over 80 percent of the players then put together by Manu and his colleagues failed the test. This led to this new crop of players who no one can fault as far as “young” is the word in contest.
But the Morocco experience also means that before the World Cup in in United Arab Emirates in October we must subject our boys to a fresh test of MRI scans because I am convinced some of those players cleared in April in Morocco may just fall overboard in October.
I have also read about the coaches talking about working on the team. They have no choice. Apart from the depleted bench, the innocent but devastating inhouse battle for highest goals scorer diadem, the Eaglets need a defender with imposing presence, an attacker who can let fly from both legs outside the eighteen, a midfielder with free kick expertise and a goalkeeper who can manage his defenders and organize his defense line.……..
The Eaglets must learn to continue to listen to their coaches and be reminded again and again about the Cote D’ Ivoire lessons.
Yes, sports is not about winning always. You also lose some. The Eaglets story excites me, it is a clear departure from the past, one in which I will not mind losing a cup as long as I will be guaranteed a future for the sport.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
YENAGOA — It was another black weekend in the creeks of Bayelsa State as eight persons were killed in a deadly attack launched by suspected militants.
Though the circumstances surrounding the attack were hazy, among those killed were five ex-militant youths that embraced amnesty under the leadership of Pastor Reuben Wilson popularly known as General Wilson.
Also killed was Pastor Reuben’s 37-year-old younger brother, identified as Judah Benaebi Wilson and two others.
It was gathered that the armed attack occurred on Saturday night at the Lobia waterside.
The slain youths, it was learnt, were tricked into the creek and shot dead.
Informed sources told our correspondent that due to the prevailing insecurity in the area the communities had formed a vigilance outfit to counter the rampaging renegade militias who recently killed 12 policemen as well as contain the upsurge in piracy in the area.
However, there were conflicting accounts of the incident. While a version of the report claimed that eight youths were shot dead in a shoot out between two armed gangs, the other version by the families of the dead youths claimed that the victims were tricked to the spot of the killing by some hired hands to the militia group.
According to them, “our brothers were set up by some persons in the Lobia community. The report we gathered showed that after they were killed, some community people quickly buried two among them. Others are still missing.”
It was learnt that the suspicious movement of the gunmen on the waters attracted the attention of fishermen who alerted the community development committee executives (CDC).
Contacted on the development, the Media Spokesperson of the Joint Task Force, Lt.Col.Onyeama Nwachukwu confirmed the incident.
He said, “at about 2 am today, there was an armed collision between two armed groups at Lobia 1 in Southern Ijaw Area which led to the death of unspecified number of persons.
“The bodies of the casualty from the armed confrontation are still in the river. Our troops have carried out a cordon and search operation in the community and recovered items including two Ak 47 rifles, one GPMG barrel, six AK47 magazines, with 145 rounds of 7.62mm special, 1 speedboat with 115 HP and 75 HP engines.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Lagos State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe the Governor Babtunde Fashola-led administration over alleged massive corruption.
However, in a swift reaction, Lagos State chapter of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, dismissed the call by PDP, describing it as all noise and no substance.
A statement by the state chairman of PDP, Mr. Tunji Shelle, said: “Recently, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, had disclosed plans by House Committees to begin probe of ministries in the state.
“This move we learnt has been vehemently opposed to by Governor Fashola and the leadership of the ACN.”
Shelle alleged that the state was trying to hide the alleged massive misappropriation of public funds by gagging its officials from speaking to the media, saying “media personnel covering the Government House, including the Deputy Governor’s office, are now forced to swear to an oath of silence.”
It’s all noise— ACN
However, Publicity Secretary of ACN, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, told Vanguard: “If you take the words of Lagos PDP seriously, then nothing is safe.
“If you believe Lagos PDP and their millions of pathological lies, then you can believe anything.
“Lagos PDP thinks that Governor Fashola’s ACN can be compared to their PDP that has frittered away millions of naira in the past 14 years, leaving Nigeria plundered, gang-raped and stripped naked.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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