#OnMyRadar: What Is David Mark's Game Plan?

The senate has been in screening mode this October, as nominees of the president for both ministerial and INEC positions have taken turns responding to questions from the senators. In all this time, former senate president David Mark has not contributed a single thing – no comments, no questions, not even a point of order, just loud arrogant silence. In fact, Mark has made no contribution on the floor of the senate since he stopped being senate president.

If Mark truly regards and appreciates the people of Benue South who have sent him to the upper chamber of the national assembly for a record five times, then he should resign. Mark is the longest serving senator in the upper chamber, having been elected in 1999. He became senate president in 2007 and by 2015 had become the first man to lead the senate for an unbroken eight years. With the victory of the All Progressives Congress in 2015, Mark had to relinquish that position after he had already won his senate seat. Since then – unfortunately – he has maintained a low profile.

Image Source: Google

Senators sit according to their ranking. The highest ranked senators sit after the majority leader (in the case of the ruling party) or minority leader (in the case of the opposition). Mark chose to shun the sitting arrangement, opting to sit at the very last row in the section of the chamber reserved for PDP senators. He hardly exchanges banters with his colleagues, makes it a point of duty to come into the chamber after the senate president is seated and leaves most times before adjournment.

Unfortunately, Mark’s withdrawal is Benue South’s loss. If he maintains this subdued attitude, then it would be difficult to see how he can effectively represent the views of his senatorial district and state in the senate; introduce legislation; debate legislation; present petitions; or do any of the other functions of an elected senator.

An argument can be made that Mark is going through these lengths in order not to distract his successor, Sen. Bukola Saraki. If that is actually the reasoning however, then the best service he can give to the people of Benue South is to resign. 

An example of this can be found in the United States, where John Boehner, the speaker of that country’s Congress and third in line to the presidency has announced his resignation as speaker. In order for him not to become a distraction to his party and successor by becoming an ordinary floor member after holding such a position, Boehner has decided to resign altogether from the US Congress. The alternative for him may have been to be a Mark, but he must have reasoned that such a move was not good enough for a member of the US Congress. After 16 years in the senate, maybe it is time for Mark to do a Boehner.

#SP

Seeing Double.

There's an old African saying that "God created people in twos", and this just means that everyone has a lookalike out there somewhere. I, for one, have been accosted several times by people insisting that I am popular Nigerian actress, Ini Edo. There was one time I had to part with money to placate the over-enthusiastic fan, lest he called more people to 'come and see the star wey cross my way today'. Sigh. You owe me a drink Ini Edo. :)

Nigerian Actress, Ini Edo. :)

Anyways, so these two identical and random strangers came face-to-face aboard a Ryanair flight from Stansted to Galway sometime this week. They took a selfie together and put it up on Twitter. Upon arrival at their destination, they discovered that they were both booked into the same hotel, so they went out for a drink together. LOL. Can you beat that? Some social media cheeky monkeys have even suggested both of them getting DNA tests done, lol.

On The Plane

Out having a drink. :)

Story Source: www.dailymail.co.uk 

#TGIF: Connecting With People.

Sooooooooooooo, I'm out on a mission to connect in real life with as many e-friends I've come across over time. Last weekend while I was far away in Umuahia, Abia State, I finally met Vivian.

Pardon our frazzled looks, the heat was from Mars. :)

Vivian is a very lovely young lady who has written several articles on my blog in the past year (here). She is a very kindhearted young lady who has a passion for good governance and positive change in Nigeria. 

Some weeks ago, I wrote here about meeting one of my Twitter followers, Tayo, as well. 

I will be taking more pictures and planning meet ups with more online friends as the weeks roll along. Don't be left out. ;) 

#OnMyRadar: Saraki's Trial Continues As He heads To Supreme Court

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has delivered judgment in the appeal seeking to quash the 13-count criminal charge pending against the Senate President, Dr. Olubukola Saraki before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. The Court dismissed all issues raised by the Senate President and two judges out of the panel of three judges ruled that his appeal  lacked merit.

The appellate court had earlier adjourned its verdict on the matter indefinitely, a situation that forced the Justice Danladi Umar-led tribunal to defer hearing on the case against Saraki till November 5, to await the outcome of the appeal. This means the hearing will still hold on the 5th of November.

The tribunal took the decision to suspend full-blown hearing on the criminal case after the Justice Moore Adumein panel of the appeal court, on October 21, postponed its judgement without adducing any reason. A source at the appellate court who spoke to Vanguard on ground of anonymity that day,

insisted that the “eleventh-hour deferment of judgment on Saraki’s appeal”, was not unconnected with the just concluded screening of Ministerial nominees that were forwarded to the Senate by the Presidency.

Saraki is in his appeal, challenging the legal propriety of the 13-count charge that was preferred against him by the Federal Ministry of Justice. He was among other offences, alleged to have owned and operated foreign bank accounts while being a public officer. However, aside challenging the charge, Saraki also queried the constitutionality of the warrant of arrest that was initially issued against him by Chairman of the CCT, Justice Umar.

Besides, the embattled Senate President, through his team of lawyers led by a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. J.B. Daudu, SAN, wants the higher court to ascertain whether the Justice Umar-led panel subscribed to the appropriate legal procedure when it ordered him to mount the dock and enter his plea to the charge despite preliminary objections against his trial. He raised 12 grounds of appeal against the CCT, supported by a 16-paragraphed affidavit and four exhibits. Saraki also deposed another 17-paragraphed affidavit of urgency, wherein he urged the higher court to intervene and protect him from what he described as “a politically motivated witch-hunt”.

Out of the 12-grounds, five of them were basically seeking to invalidate the charge against Saraki. He begged the appellate court to suspend the proceeding of the tribunal pending the hearing and determination of his substantive appeal against the Justice Umar-led panel. The appellate court had on October 8, okayed accelerated hearing on the matter. Meantime, the Federal Government, while urging the appellate court to dismiss the appeal, maintained that it has garnered sufficient evidence to establish that Saraki, as a public officer, acquired several assets beyond his legitimate earnings.

FG, through its lead prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, equally told the appellate court that five

witnesses it lined-up against the Senate President, have all expressed their readiness to appear before

the CCT tomorrow to testify and tender exhibits against him. Among those that FG billed to give oral testimony against Saraki included the erstwhile Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and present governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. Specifically, El-Rufai is expected to testify that he

was the one that sold one of the assets that Saraki bought in Abuja, which the government alleged that he failed to list among the assets he acquired while in office as the governor of Kwara State.

The prosecuting counsel, told the appellate court that Saraki has already been furnished with all the proof of evidence against him, including copies of four separate assets declaration forms that he

earlier submitted before the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB. Therefore, FG, urged the appellate court to dismiss the appeal and order Saraki to go to the CCT and clear his name.

#Update: #OnMyRadar: The Senate President has been alleged to have said he is going ahead to the Supreme court. The drama no be here o. We dey look

Amaechi Confirmed, Amidst Brouhaha.

The Senate has approved the nomination of Rotimi Amaechi as the minister after the PDP senators staged a walk out. It was indeed an embarrassing and fierce battle before his ministerial nomination was confirmed. 

the PDP senators allegedly gave the senate president Bukola Saraki a condition of losing their support if he went ahead to approve Amaechi's confirmation. The APC, on the other hand, allegedly told Saraki to ensure Amaechi is confirmed or lose his position as the senate president. 

"The minority have a say and the majority have their way".

#Video: Conjoined Twins Walking Around

Wow. The video below shows a set of conjoined Taiwanese twins with four arms and two legs walking together in a market. Amazing. 

I wonder if they can ever be separated or if it best to leave them conjoined. They look so content. :)

#JobVacancies: We Are Hiring.

Here are some vacancies. You never can tell who would fit in so kindly share. :)

 1. Logistics Officer 

 2. Accountants 

 3. Billing Analyst 

 4. Chief Marketing Officer 

Send CV to lekanbadejo@gmail.com

#OnMyRadar: Ooni Appears In Public As Rites Begin

A New Royal Era Begins.

                                      

Three days after his appointment as Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi will today appear in public for the first time. He is expected in Ife to the warm embrace of his subjects. Ahead of his historic home coming, the two local governments in the ancient town – Ife East and Ife Central – yesterday ordered the closure of all major markets in his honour. The councils also ordered that vehicles should not be parked on the roads leading to the Ooni's Palace. Those abandoned should be removed before the Ooni's arrival.

On arrival, the Ooni will go to the Giesi Ruling House to be installed as the Sooko because tradition demands that he must first be the Sooko of his family before he mounts the stool. After his installation as Sooko, the Ooni will head to the Obalufe Palace to perform some rites at the Orunto River inside the palace. From there, he will move to a forest on Ilesa road for another round of rituals.

A source said: "The Ooni will also go into seclusion in Ilofi for a minimum of 21 days for series of rites and initiations. Though the rites could last 30 days in some circumstances but 21 days may be sufficient. And finally, he would meet an old woman in spirit to receive the power left by Oduduwa. The old woman will give him all the power over the Yoruba race. Then after all these, he will be installed as the Ooni." 

Oba Olajide Ifaloba, the Obadio of Ife and Head of Isoro cult, to which the Ooni must belong, has confirmed that he will arrive in Ife today. Speaking with reporters in Ife last night, he said the arrangements had been concluded to receive Ogunwusi. According to him, the Ooni will be received at Ife end of Ife/ Ibadan expressway and will subsequently begin installation rites as demanded by tradition. Ifaloba said tradition demands that Ooni must enter Ile Ife in the day time after his name had been announced. It was also learnt yesterday that some rites to herald Ooni's entry into Ife have been concluded.

It was also gathered that the Lowa Eredumi of Ile Ife, Oba Eluyele Olawenu, according to tradition, will officiate at the installation rites. Ife was calm yesterday and the residents in high spirits as they await the Ooni's arrival. Strategic areas of the ancient town are being heavily policed. In a broadcast on an Ife-based private radio station, Crown FM, the palace urged all residents to dress gorgeously to receive Oba Ogunwusi. The announcement directed markets and shops to remain closed during the period as a mark of honour for the monarch.

President Muhammadu Buhari, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, among others yesterday congratulated Ogunwusi on his appointment as Ooni. The All Progressives Congress in Osun State congratulated the people of Ile Ife, Osun State and the Yoruba nation on Ogunwusi's appointment. In its congratulatory message, APC Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, said a new era has begun with Ogunwusi as Ooni. 

According to the party: "The spectacular antecedent of the new Ooni in the corporate community of Nigeria's business institution, the Yoruba nation and indeed Nigeria as a whole expect the new Ooni to take off from where the late Oba Sijuwade ended his glorious reign.

"We expect the Ooni to drive the traditional institution with similar if not stronger zest and panache that Oba Sijuwade deployed to promote culture, especially that of the Yoruba nation throughout the world.

"We have no doubt in our mind that the choice of Ogunwusi as the new Ooni must have been based on his pedigree and antecedent and exalted achievements he has attained that would be of significant value to his reign as the paramount ruler in Yorubaland.

"It is, therefore, with great expectation that we all look forward to the eventful reign of the new Ooni, His Royal Majesty, Oba Babatunde Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ojaja II."

#BlogFeature: Kayode Fayemi - There Was A Governor – Part 1

The article below is very insightful and factual and I knew I must share it on here (with the writer's permission of course) in order to shed more light on the political situation in Ekiti State. I am hoping, one way or the other, this article would get to the current Governor Fayose's attention and he in turn would see and keep up with at least a huge part of what the former Governor Fayemi began. While Governor Fayose may hvae his own grand plan on how to move the state he governs forward, I think adding/maintaining parts of Fayemi's policies to his is the only way Ekiti state can really be as productively developed as possible.

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Former Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State

I heard the name Kayode Fayemi for the first time in the mid-'90s. Living in Ekiti for me then was still an experiment. I spent the bulk of my time in Ibadan only paying “long visits” to Ado Ekiti. I had no access to CNN or any form of cable TV in Ado Ekiti. This led to an addiction to BBC Radio. The BBC was always interviewing Kayode Fayemi as a resource person on a wide variety of international developmental issues. I was pretty sure he was from Ogun State. You see, Google didn’t really exist then. Nor Wikipedia. 

Then about 2006 I heard that he was to contest for the governorship seat in Ekiti State. The eventual actualisation of the mandate he got in 2007 took three whole years. His one-term, four-year reign and subsequent ouster is a succinct illustration of what I call The Nigerian Conflict of Desires. By this I mean the paradoxical phenomenon that makes us wish for good governance while rejecting its more practical elements when they get too close for comfort. 

Nigerians want the Police reformed but we also want to keep driving on the roads without a valid licence. We want good roads but we want to reserve the right to empty our refuse into the drainage that keeps the roads dry and thus pothole-free. We want quick service but we hate queues. We want electricity to be stable but we still want to bypass our meters. We cry against corruption but we don’t want to give up the unfair advantages we enjoy by greasing palms in various offices and places of business we visit. Hypocrisy is a Nigerian.

Even though I spend most of my time outside the country for the moment, I was fully on ground in Ekiti during the Fayemi/Fayose elections of 2014. I was an unfortunate witness to the whole drama. Until shortly before the election, Kayode Fayemi was known to be a high performance governor. The result of that election continues to baffle Nigerians especially non Ekitis. This is not only because of the perception of Fayemi but as well due to the knowledge of who Fayose is. This here is an attempt to demystify the results of that election.

The former Ekiti State governor known as Kayode Fayemi lost his re-election bid for the most part because he offended four groups of people. All the bitter rhetoric and untrue stories that turned Okada riders and market women against him were formulated and propagated by these four groups.

1. Within months of becoming governor, Kayode Fayemi changed nearly all the points at which government revenue was being collected into bank pay points. Even if you are paying a mere N200 for an affidavit, it must be lodged in a government account first. A high security, “unforgeable” receipt is then generated by a specially networked printer that you cannot command to do your bidding at the front end. It must detect the payment online before it can print. 

The IGR of Ekiti jumped from a paltry N105m a month to over N600m today. By this move alone, Fayemi became a bitter enemy of state civil servants many of whom hitherto pocketed government revenue unchecked. Many had their own receipts and many charge hapless citizens inflated fees and issue no receipts at all.

2. As it happens around the country, the majority of Local Govt employees in Ekiti were not working for a living pre-Fayemi. They ran their own retail shops, enrolled in full time undergraduate and postgraduate programs (our pastime here is obtaining degrees remember) and engage in all manner of business activities – all the while getting paid by the government monthly. There’s a casual friend of mine, an Engineer who was a local govt staff in Ekiti and took up a fat paying job in Abuja, left the place for a fatter job in Port-Harcourt. I had no idea he was still getting paid by the LG until Kayode Fayemi came on board and made showing up at work compulsory for LG workers in Ekiti. My friend had to run to Ado to officially resign his appointment. 

Not only did Fayemi make showing up at work compulsory, he set about turning the LG into a serious tier of government. While we can blame him for not conducting elections at the LG level, it is clear for all to see that he could not have carried out those reforms with elected officials. He made road projects compulsory for them. Every LGA in Ekiti got 5km of inner city road per year for those four years. The difference this made to transportation is immeasurable. Some towns got the first new tarred inner city road since the '70s. He also made it mandatory for every local govt to build and staff a certain number of Basic Health Centres per year. 

He sacked a number of corrupt senior LG officials, retired the overaged ones, sacked the known certificate forgers, redeployed LG staff with teaching qualifications to the classroom, it was a serious shake-up! Many shops had to be closed in the morning because the owners now had to go to work. Several of them were big businesses with sole distributorships of major manufacturers. The long and short of it is that there was no way LG workers were going to support a Fayemi re-election.

3. Fayemi had an elaborate plan for education in Ekiti. He began with massive renovation of physical infrastructure. Like the reform he carried out on government revenue collection, the previous governor Segun Oni did some work in this area but Fayemi took it to a whole new level. Public schools that had no windows and doors got metal windows and doors, long span aluminium roofing, the works. 

Next on the education agenda was improvement of the quality of teaching, which in my opinion was even more urgent than physical infrastructure. As part of an elaborate plan to improve this vital parameter, the Fayemi administration set out to administer tests that will help to gauge teacher quality. These are standard tests that are used all over the sane parts of the planet. Only an enemy of the nation would deny the gross mediocrity that rules in our public school classrooms by way of poor teaching. The tests would reveal the actual level of teaching and expose the critical areas where re-training was needed. Inevitably, it would expose the very worst cases too. Those simply unfit to be in the classroom. 

How this plan went down is well known to the public. The teachers simply refused to take the tests. They turned it into a kind of human rights struggle. The teachers’ union took it up and banned all their members from taking the tests, even placing curses on anyone who showed up and threatening violence. The tests never took place. Ekiti was set to access several useful funds and international aid to be ploughed into improving our public schools if only the standard parameters of the system could be gauged. The process was frustrated. And so it was that Kayode Fayemi became an enemy of teachers in the state.

4. Ekiti State University (EKSU) is a gem of a university that has the potential of becoming one of the greatest universities in this country and beyond. Going by its history, staffing and its location, it should by now be a school everybody wants to send their kids to. Indeed, it is and continues to be one of the preferred state-owned universities in the country, if not the most preferred. Reason being that fees there have been kept relatively reasonable and it is not exactly the basket case of corruption and both administrative and academic ineptitude that we see in most state universities in Nigeria. 

Having said that, I need to make clear that certain things that were going on in the school are pretty bad. The very worst of it all is the “handout” culture that was reigning there – especially in the Management and Social Sciences, Education, Law and to a lesser extent in the Science and Engineering faculties. Probably the Agriculture faculty is the only place I cannot confirm the existence of this highly lucrative but totally perverse culture.

For the benefit of the uninitiated, the handout culture is a system by which instead of giving out notes to their students, lecturers make their notes into cheap, flimsy booklets that the local printer produces for N200 or even as low as N80. They then sell to students for as high as N1200! As a matter of fact, I know a lecturer who sold the same handout to undergraduates at N500, to postgraduate diploma students at N600, to Masters’ students at N800!!! It was so entrenched and so lucrative they made many millions from it per year and built many mansions and private hostels for students. And it was a system that worked by compulsion. 

An unwritten/unspoken reward system existed for buying and the chances of passing without buying the handout were slim. Some even make students buy the handout BEFORE registering them for the course. At the height of this culture, a Vice Chancellor made every part time student of the school buy a book he wrote – whether it was relevant to their discipline or not. I have seen many wards through this school and have paid for many, many handouts in case you think my story is apocrypha.

Governor Fayemi became an enemy of the majority of EKSU lecturers because his regime brought in a new Vice Chancellor (one Professor Aina from OAU) who worked hard (and is still working hard) to get rid of the evil handout system and also unravelled several other money making schemes and sharp practices that hitherto stunted Ekiti State University’s clout among Nigerian universities. The shameful part is that the school was surrounded by institutions that had gotten rid of the handout culture as soon as lecturers’ pay vastly improved post-Abacha era. Institutions like The Federal Polytechnic in Ado Ekiti, The Federal University of Technology in Akure and Obafemi Awolowo University had outlawed handouts about a decade or more ago!

Another war between Kayode Fayemi and the staff of EKSU had to do with taxation. Like most of the Nigerian civil service, under-taxation was regarded as a right in EKSU. Staff of the institution paid a negotiated tax that falls way below the statutory amount. It ought to be emphasised however that this is a widespread practice in Nigeria. No matter what the law said, unions always fight for reduced taxation and successfully too. Fayemi attempted to right this wrong in all government establishments in the state but he met stiff opposition with the trade unions at EKSU.

And so it was, that Kayode Fayemi became an enemy of EKSU staff, especially the lecturers.

To be continued......................

Article By: Jide Afolayan

#OnMyRadar: Shocker for Governor Nyesom Wike

Another own goal by Wike as Supreme Court says Rivers Tribunal acted within her powers!!!

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal that was filed before it by governor Nyesom Wike, challenging the jurisdiction of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that on Saturday, annulled the April 11 gubernatorial poll that brought him to power.

In their judgment this morning, a seven-man panel of Justices of the apex court led by Justice John Fabiyi, held that the panel that sacked Wike was properly constituted. The apex court maintained that the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Zulkachuwa acted within her powers when she relocated the tribunal from Rivers State to Abuja.

According to Justice Amiru Sanusi who read the lead judgment, “evidence abound that there was serious security challenges prevailing in Rivers State which therefore called for the doctrine of necessity to be adopted”.

The apex court held that the relocation of the tribunal to Abuja was to safeguard the lives of the Chairman and members of the panel that heard the petition that was lodged against Wike by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

“I am unable to see any merit in this appeal and I hereby dismiss it without any order as to cost”, Justice Sanusi held.

All the other members of the apex court panel also concurred with the lead verdict.

Airtel Gets Social Media

I found this hilarious exchange between a Nigerian telecoms giant, Airtel and a customer. It is rare but absolutely refreshing to find a corporate social media handle with such a sense of humour. The twitter user had been inundated with so many calls to the point of drawing their attention to it (these Naija networks and their wahalas sha) and they responded well. 

See the exchange below:

Dire Consequences For Rape.

Oh dear me! I came across this news and shivered. A thirteen-year old Indian girl claimed she was raped by a man called Runku after he offered her her whitener, which is a substance used to erase print but often misused as an intoxicant. The girl, in a bid to exert revenge, kidnapped Runku's five-year old son while he was playing and chopped off his head!! o_o The girl was known in her neighborhood to be a drug user and a trouble maker, as a result of her troubled background and lack of parent-figure to raise her right. 

She has been sent to a juvenile home while investigations of murder are ongoing. Runku has been 'booked' for raping a minor and investigations are ongoing as well. The half burnt body of the poor boy was found after it was dragged out from where be was buried beneath some bricks by dogs.

Gosh. If indeed Runku raped that young child, then he is beyond wrong but two wrongs never make a right and that poor dead boy was innocent in all of these yet he took the fall for his father's alleged sin. 

They say that ' the evil that men do lives after them ', bear this in mind always please.

Two days ago, Chief Magistrates' Court in Akure, Ondo State Nigeria, sentenced Onoja Abel to seven years imprisonment for raping a 9-year-old girl. He allegedly lured the poor girl into his room and raped her thrice over a period of time. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison with hard labour. 

Serves him right. 

BA Tragedy Averted!!!

Disaster was averted today when a British Airway aircraft lost it's left landing gear and crash-landed in a Johannesburg airport, South Africa. British Airways claims that the Boeing 737 aircraft, though operating under their colours, belongs to the franchise Comair. Thankfully, all 94 people on board were led to safety after the plane was landed expertly by the pilot.

I really don't understand why I would purchase a BA ticket and not get a proper BA aircraft and all that razzmatazz. Franchise ko, frankenstein ni.

#OnMyRadar: Plateau Governor Stays On.

The petition by the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Sen. GNS Pwajok has been dismissed by the Governorship Election Petitions for Plateau State which has also upheld the election of Rt. Hon Simon Lalong of APC as the duly elected Governor of Plateau State.

Sen. GNS Pwajok

Fatal Earthquake Hits Asia

I hope this helps someone in future IF they find themselves in such a situation.

Earlier today there reports that an earthquake would hit some parts of Asia and it actually happened a couple of hours ago. An earthquake of 7.6 magnitude hit Northern Afghanistan, Northern India and Pakistan. Reports indicate that dozens of people have been killed including about 12 school girls who panicked and died in a stampede while rushing out of the school when the earthquake hit.

Below are some images I pulled from Twitter of the earthquake earlier today. Very sad.

Meet The New Ooni of Ile-Ife; Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.....

HRH Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi

The Osun State Government has unveiled a new Ooni of Ile-Ife. He is Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, a 40-year old real estate entrepreneur and prince from the Giesi Ruling House in the town.

The Secretary to the Osun State Government said the selection of the new Ooni followed the completion of all processes for the filling of the exalted stool Mr. Ogunwusi was selected from 21 candidates presented by the Giesi ruling house for the exalted stool.

The statement, made available early this morning, said, “The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola has approved the appointment of a new Ooni of Ife. He is Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi of Girsi Ruling House of Ile-Ife, State of Osun". “This choice follows the completion of the due process by the kingmakers and the communication of their decision to Government.”

Late Oba Okunade Sijuwade

The announcement of a new traditional ruler for the ancient stool came 89 days after the death of Oba Okunade Sijuwade at a London clinic. Oba Sijuwade passed on after a brief illness on July 28, although Ile-Ife chiefs only confirmed his death on August 10.

WHO IS ADEYEYE OGUNWUSI?

Born 40 years ago to the Ojaja Royal compound of Agbedegbede in the Giesi Ruling House, Mr. Adeyeye attended The Polytechnic, Ibadan, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy. After school, he grew rapidly in business, becoming a successful real estate merchant.

His bio on the website of Imperial Homes Mortgage Bank Limited (a subsidiary of GTBank) on which board he sits as non executive director, reads, “Mr. Ogunwusi is a graduate of Accountancy and a certified member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and of the Institute of Management. He has been involved in engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts locally and abroad for over 11 years. “He was involved in the development of the Northern Foreshore Estate, Cityscape International Limited’s Buena Vista project in Lekki, Primewaterview Limited’s projects, Westcom Limited’s projects, and the Ajaokuta Steel’s and Delta Steel’s resuscitation projects.

“Adeyeye is currently the Managing Director of Howard Roark Gardens Limited which is undertaking multi-million naira Jacob Mews Estate project in Yaba and the Lakeview real estate development in Lekki.”

May his reign be long and peaceful.

What I Got Up To (8) And A Condom Question.

Hello everyone, I hope you had a fabulous weekend? My weekend was not too bad as I wrote here yesterday. I feel refreshed this morning and even happier because the roads are relatively free on my way to work. Yes!!!! Governor Ambode is working, lol. Ok, on a more serious note, I must commend the Governor for fixing the bad roads on the mainland. Would you believe that bad roads was the ultimate culprit and reason for the horrendous traffic we always experience on Akilo road? Ever since the road has been "patched" (I hate the words 'patching roads'. Roads should be properly done once and for all.), there has been minimal traffic there. Amazing. 

I have noticed that there are quite a number of roads works going on around the mainland and I am mighty pleased about it. I hope things keep progressing this way. We can ease the traffic situation in Lagos and thus make life bearable for the residents. #YesWeCan The next thing to do in the quest for a better traffic situation in Lagos after fixing up the roads, is to reset the brains of those Danfo (yellow buses) drivers. They are a menace to themselves and to all road users.

While I was in Abia state some weeks back, I found this sticker on the mirror in my hotel room. I found it a bit ridiculous that in this day and time, people would choose preaching against condoms over abstinence. I mean by all means preach and teach about abstinence but do not undermine the use of condoms because people will have sex whether you like it or not. So long as there are raging hormones and blood flowing through one's boy, the urge for sex will be there. It is inevitable and that is the harsh truth.

How can you build a hotel and feel sticking such in the rooms would make any difference? The slogan should be 'we preach abstinence but by all means use a condom if you cannot hold it back!' Simple. 

What's your take on this? :)

Have a fabulously wonderful week ahead. :)

A Beautiful Sunday To You......

Hello blog visitors, how has your weekend been? My sincere apologies for not posting yesterday. I went on a road trip to my old secondary school with a few of my former mates. We are looking to see how to rehabilitate the school and make living conditions bearable for the present students there. I will bring the full gist of that on here much later. 

I had fun on the road trip with my friends; there was so much banter and jests going on. I also got to visit my old room and bed-space where I resided in my SSS3 year. Wow, it was indeed a nostalgic trip. What did I bring back for y'all? A huge pending #AllHeartsAlways project and a keg of very freshly tapped palm-wine. :)

Here's a refreshing video below to brighten up your Sunday. Watch it till the end, it gets better. :) Amazing talents, these kids have got.

The Fine Line Between Discipline And Child Abuse

I really would never understand why some people disguise child abuse as discipline. If you have to chastise a child or punish them, there are better ways to do this than causing them deep physical or psychological pains. This often either hardens the child or leaves them hating you and traumatized for years to come.

A teacher in a school in India decided to cruelly punish a 4-year old child (yes, FOUR years old) for wetting herself by making her sit on a very hot metal playground slide. The slide had been heated up by the intense midday sun and the teacher knew this yet she made that baby sit on it and got her buttock burned in the process. 

The hot metal slide. Chai. :(

The school authorities sided with the teacher and refused to press cruelty charges against the teacher even after the parents had complained. The parents went ahead to report the case to the police and they in turn have filed charges against the teacher and the principal. Some people also staged a protest against the school for failing to report the incident. The local officials have shut down the school temporarily following orders from the Andhra Pradesh Human Resource Development Ministry.

The wee innocent child. :(

You cannot physically or emotionally harm someone in the name of punishment. There are saner ways of going about these things. Just because that's what your parents or their parents did does not make it right. Humans have evolved past that so there is no point using it as an excuse that the perpetrators do not know any better. I have heard about cases where torturous punishments were meted out to children and truth be told, I have gone through some myself and I can tell you that it is all shades of wrong. It messes up the mind and body of the child and it takes a lot for them to get over the trauma involved. If anyone harms any of my children like this, it would take a whole lot for me not to hurt them physically but I will get justice. 

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Staying Afloat....

Wowsers!!! I came across this video on Facebook and I just had to bring it in here because one cannot tell for whom it might come in handy, in the nearest future. It's a video about knowing how to keep afloat in the sea or in deep water generally I would presume. 

I did feel an overwhelmingly sad feeling watching it as I recalled the number of migrants who have died in the sea while fleeing from those ISIS creatures and trying to seek better lives for themselves. It seems pretty quick and easy to achieve. Anyways, see for yourselves and do share with others. 

#Buki'sBits: The Plot Thickens....

Welcome back to another segment of Buki's Bits.

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Saraki Saga Continua

The Court of Conduct Tribunal has adjourned Senate President Bukola Saraki's trial till the 5th and 6th of November 2015. Surely, this case is not as complex as it is being portrayed, is it? 

Court: Did you or did you not falsely declare your assets?

BS: Yes, I did OR No, I didn't

Court: You are banned and sentenced OR You are free to go.

OR

Court: Did you or did you not falsely declare your assets?

BS: I'm not at liberty to disclose that. All I'm saying is that you should NOT ask me such. 

Court: Is that right? Oya comman be going. OR Say what? Off to jail you go.

The truth is this, in saner societies, any public office holder having such allegations brought up against him would have done the decent and honorable thing by stepping down immediately. Then again, this is Nigeria after all. A country where the abnormal is so normal and accepted that the normal is now seen to be perfectly abnormal.

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RE: Update On Collapsed Building

Rescue is ongoing and three people are trapped within the ruble. Sad stuff. 

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Jega's Replacement

The Council of State Meeting has confirmed Mr. Mohammed Yakubu as the new Independent National Election Commission Chairmen. Amina Zakari had been acting in place since Professor Jega's exit and so Mr. Yakubu would be taking over from her.

Professor Jega left such huge shoes to be filled and I sincerely hope Mr. Yakubu would surpass the legacy Professor Jega left behind. I will return with more details about him.

#OnMyRadar: Storey-Building Collapses In Lagos Island

Breaking News: A three storey-building collapsed at Odunifa Street, Lagos Island this morning. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.

I will update more information in a while. Please check on your loved ones in that area.

A Charade?

Apparently, the Senate plenary session meant to screen Amaechi and other ministerial nominees today has been postponed until Thursday because Senate President Bukola Saraki is scheduled to appear at Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to face the allegations levied against him. He is expected to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) with half of the senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Just typing this makes me feel so saddened at the silliness of it all. How is it that we have a senate president of a country facing such disreputable charges of false/anticipatory declaration of assets and amassing such astounding wealth over a number of years? Why must half of the Senate go with him to the hearing today rather than carry on with the screening of the ministerial nominees? Which is more important to the development of Nigeria and to the benefit of Nigerians? How did we get here?

The irony of this all is that there is a part of the Nigerian Constitution (Section 147(6) )which states expressly that if a Ministerial nominee doesn't get screened within 21 working days days, he automatically becomes a Minister of the federal Republic of Nigeria if he is the President's choice! 

Are you counting down? -_-

Say It Like It Is....

I came across this picture on Twitter yesterday and I was impressed at the apt message it conveyed. We must learn to call a spade a spade in this parts of the world. If you know for a fact that your father, mother, uncle, husband is into shady and corrupt dealings yet you keep mum about their illicit activities, then this signage is talking to you. You know it is not their salaries they are living on, but on hefty bribes and shady deals, then look up because that signage is for you. Yup, I said it.

I'm tired of the terrible image of wanton thievery Nigerians are portrayed as in other countries. It's time we begin to speak out and genuinely condemn corruption in our system. We can do so much better with our infrastructures, given our resources, but because some greedy politrickians, civil servants and individuals have chosen to steal away our futures, we continue to wallow in poverty.

#SayItAsItIs

#Update: Today's Screened Ministers

Today, the Senate only screened two ministerial nominees before they closed for the day (By the way why do they close by 2pm while other human beings such as you and I, close by 5pm-6pm, yet they earn almost a Deizillion times more than our combined salaries?) and adjourned till Wednesday. 

Among the two nominees was Adebayo Shittu from Oyo State. He came with the silliest biggest hat ever and made more than one gaffe during his session. For one, he expressed his thoughts on the need for our government to pay salaries to religious leaders (say what now?) and he did come across as a little bit of a religious fanatic. He said, 'I don't need to be chased by the police or EFCC not to steal because I know God is seeing me so I cannot steal'!! Opinions are split between Nigerians, concerning Adebayo Shittu because while some people are not overtly impressed by his utterances and candour, others feel he is just what Nigeria needs because he is incorruptible, has integrity and  is quite dependable.

The other nominee screened today was Khadijah Ibrahim from Yobe State. She is presently a third term member of the House of Representatives and a wife to a sitting Senator. She used to be the Commissioner of Transportation while her husband was a Governor of Yobe state. (Family business, anyone? Yobe citizens, what's good?)