Mr Olumide's Blog .com |
- "I Don’t Want To End Up Like My Mother!"
- How I built a multimillion naira business in a wheelchair – Lagosian
- Dear Youths, Stop Blaming Politicians, Get Involved In Politics
- APC, National Assembly Raise 11-Man Team To End Battle With Buhari
- Boko Haram Can’t Stop Our Children’s Education – Dapchi Parents
- How Some Robbers Use Women As Fronts For Robbery
- How Senators, Reps 'Harass' Heads of Agencies for Bribes to Pass Budget
- How True? Ekweremadu Hurriedly Sells 2 US Houses Below Market Value To Stop FG From Seizing Them
- Soldiers Storm Kogi Community Where Herdsmen Allegedly Murdered Innocent People
- Buhari Offers Amnesty To Repentant Boko Haram Members
- Leaking Gas Tanker Spotted Along Expressway In Lagos
"I Don’t Want To End Up Like My Mother!" Posted: 24 Mar 2018 01:57 AM PDT Dear Mummy Temilolu, I don't want to end up like my mother. She can't even advise me on living right neither has she got the stamina as she's crushed in spirit; she has become a used and dumped product. She told me she was in secondary school when my dad who had been trying to get her into a relationship, r*ped and impregnated her. He denied ever having s*x with her and denied until the day I was born when they were both told to swear before a deity and he eventually spoke the truth. She did not stop there; she got pregnant for two other men and had three children for these three men who never took care of her or their children! They all promised to marry her but as soon as she got pregnant, they'd dump her and vanish into thin air. She's unmarried, does nothing for a living and has to depend on her younger brother to feed. Her younger sister also got pregnant out of wedlock and has two children for two different men, unmarried, and her children uncared for by their fathers, leaving them to suffer a great deal! I cry because I don't want to end up like them - I had been crying my eyes out for years until I saw your write-up in Saturday Punch. To worsen my plight, my uncle (aunt's husband) whom I've been staying with doesn't fail to remind me of my background and family pattern. He would shout at me and sometimes slap me, telling me he's been wasting his money on me and that if I was with my father, I would never live a comfortable life as I'm privy to in his house. My father also had two children from two different women before finally settling with a third woman who also has children for him. After reading your article, I made up my mind not to be like my mother, I decided to wage war against every spirit that would manipulate me to follow her pattern. I want to be that graduate my mum never was, build the houses she couldn't build, wipe away her tears and be the remedy for her mistakes. Some of my family members call me 'born by mistake' but God knows why He allowed me to be in existence and I believe He'll answer them. My father hasn't called me since, he doesn't care about me. My aunt whom I live with and who has been so kind to me is now complaining as she can no longer afford to pay my school fees and as I grow older, the attention I get from men is alarming! I'm assured with God and you by my side; I'll remain a virgin till my wedding night. However, how can I survive this situation please? REPLY from Temilolu: My precious P, When I saw your photograph, I was astonished! Believe me, you're one of the most beautiful creatures I've ever seen and so shall your life be beautiful in Jesus name. I thank God you have witnessed the hell your mother, her younger sister, her children and your siblings are facing, that amongst other discomfort you are facing right now should keep you on the right track because I see a genuine child of God in you. There's so much hope for you, plenty of hope. I can already see how those who are mocking you right now will come bending low on their knees. In fact, I see you towering above all the males in your family in future and becoming the matriarch! You sure will become the cornerstone! Please keep this article for future reference! God will so showcase your life - even you will be perplexed. What to do;
culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
How I built a multimillion naira business in a wheelchair – Lagosian Posted: 24 Mar 2018 01:32 AM PDT Stanley Nnoruga is the Chief Executive Officer of Stanzo Collections, a fashion importation company based in Lagos. Confined to the wheelchair as a teenager, he told The Punch's Eric Dumo how he has managed to fulfill his childhood dreams despite his disability You were not born with disability, how did you end up in a wheelchair? I was born and raised like every other normal child in the society. At the time of my birth and several years after then, I had no disability. But it was around 2003 while in secondary school that I began experiencing difficulty in moving my legs. What was the cause of this difficulty and how did this affect your development, especially education? I was later told that I had Muscular Dystrophy, a disease that results in increasing weakening and breakdown of skeletal muscles, leaving sufferers without the ability to walk. The news came to me like a bomb. The condition indeed affected my growing up in many ways as a young boy, especially in the aspect that I could no longer play well with friends the way I used to. I loved playing football, attending parties, participating in church activities and also dancing, I couldn't do any of those anymore. It was a painful transition for me because my life completely changed. But because the situation wasn't as bad then as it is now, I had no problem going on with my education. I graduated from the university in 2012 and proceeded for my National Youth Service Corps Programme the following year. Apart from that, I have certificate in Java and C# programming languages which I acquired during my industrial training. This has gone a long way to help me in life today. Even though you are into importation business today, what dreams did you nurse as a child? I wanted to be a mechanical engineer but after I lost my ability to walk, I had to have a rethink and decide on going for a computer-related course. This choice was based on the fact that I needed a career path where I wouldn't encounter too much difficulty as a result of my disability. I wanted something I could sit at home and do, that was the reason why I decided on this. I thank God today that decision had paid off. Did you experience any sort of deprivation as a child? The only form of deprivation I can say I experienced while growing up was the fact that my condition denied me the privilege of going on school excursions with fellow students. But aside this, I would say there was no deprivation. I was raised in the Ogba area of Lagos and childhood was fun for me. Until I lost my ability to walk and became isolated from many of my friends, it was really interesting growing up. But after that incident, I was forced to spend most of my time indoors. Even though my parents were strict, they treated me with love and never discriminated against me. Also, they made us fight for our own success in life despite their relative wealth. We were never pampered, so we appreciated everything that came our way through hard work. It was this training that has helped me to become the man I am today. But then on a personal level, I have had to deal with a lot of stigma from the public. As a matter of fact, I have been turned down on several occasions while trying to look for work as a result of my condition. I have been able to handle all of these through the grace of God. I am no longer ashamed to go out because I know and believe that God has a purpose for me. Have there been times when people tried to take advantage of you as a result of your physical condition? I experience this a lot. In fact on several occasions while driving on the road, people who hit my car drive off after realising that I cannot walk. They know that I cannot come down from my car to confront them, so they simply drive off without even apologising to me. There are several instances apart from this. You run a thriving importation business today, how did you get into it? I have always wanted a business I could do right from my room and make good cash as a result of my disability. I came into the business in 2012 after graduating from the Anambra State University. I realised that with my condition, working for someone else would throw a lot of challenges on my path and make my life more difficult. There are hardly facilities in our society for people living with disabilities, this and other factors I considered before arriving at my decision. So, I decided to start a small business from home and be my own little boss. I spent several nights doing research on what to do with my NYSC allowance. One day, I stumbled on an idea on the Internet on how to import certain items with small capital. So, with my small allowance, I followed the idea step by step and successfully imported 15 pairs of female wristwatches which were new in Nigeria at the time. This was in February 2014. I sold all the wristwatches almost immediately and made more than 100 per cent profit. I thereafter used both the profit and capital and imported more of the items, the result was amazing. After several months of importing wristwatches, I added female handbags, before I knew what was happening, money was all over me. This was how my company and brand was founded. So, what have been some of the biggest challenges running a business of this magnitude in a wheelchair? It has not been an easy experience, I must confess. Without the help of my brothers and some friends that always assist me in going to the airport to clear my goods and also helping to arrange them at my warehouse, I wouldn't have come this far. A lot of times they are the ones who help me attend to clients. There are several other challenges but through the grace of God and my knowledge of online marketing, it has not been difficult selling my ware on and offline. You recently got married, how did you meet your wife and how were you able to convince her to marry you? I met my wife in December 2015 when she saw off her brother to a party in my compound. Later that day, she came to our flat to charge her phone and so from there, we got talking. I was seated then, so she didn't know that I had issues with walking. One day in February 2016, she decided to come and pay me a visit; that was when she realised I couldn't walk. She wept but summoned the courage to stick with me after I explained that I wasn't born that way. However, when I told her I wanted to marry her, it became a bit tough. But despite reservations from her family members, she later accepted to marry me. I look back today and I am grateful to God for bringing her into my life. She has not only brought sunshine into my life, she has also given me a million reasons to approach each day with renewed hope and vigour in life. There are many people living with disabilities in Nigeria today who think that is the end of life, how can such persons make the best out of their situations? For such persons, I would say they should look no further if they require any proof that God can make anything possible in life. As an individual, I have never allowed my disability to limit my aspirations in life; instead I have allowed it to be my driving force. I know there are so many odds against people living with disabilities in Nigeria, they must not be intimidated by these challenges but instead use that to push towards success in every aspect of life. How do you think the society can make life better for people with special needs? The truth is that people with disabilities are largely on their own in this part of the world. Government over the years has hardly done anything tangible to make life easier for persons in this category. However, one of the ways I think this can improve is if government can mandate all public and private firms especially banks and other government offices to create access ramps for those of us in wheelchair. Also, firms must be mandated to employ one or two persons with disability. This way, we'll be able to provide equal opportunities for all and make the society a better place. What would you say are some of the biggest lessons disability has taught you? Disability has taught me how to buy goods from China and to my warehouse right from my bed. It has taught me how to build something from nothing. Also, I have been able to broaden my knowledge of e-Commerce and importation as a result of my disability. Maybe if I hadn't been in a wheelchair, I could have been working for someone else and never find fulfilment in life. But because God destined it this way, I am finding fulfilment in everything I do and adding value to the society. I am grateful to God for where He is still taking me to. culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
Dear Youths, Stop Blaming Politicians, Get Involved In Politics Posted: 24 Mar 2018 01:32 AM PDT The convener of the 'Not Too Young To Run' initiative in Surulere Federal Constituency I in Lagos State, Mr. Ifeoluwa Chris, has called on youths to participate in politics instead of lamenting and blaming the older politicians. Speaking at the first general assembly of the group, themed, 'The youth and their significance to the struggle for a new Nigeria', Chris said the symposium was to create awareness for youths in Surulere and its environs to wake up from their slumber and join politics. In a statement on Friday, speakers at the symposium also called on youths to embrace politics and make sure they were registered before the 2019 general elections. The statement quoted Chris, who is an aspirant to the House of Reps, as saying, "Let us (youths) stop lamenting and blaming the older politicians. We are young and vibrant and if we feel things are not done properly then it's high time we took up the mantle. "Do not say no to the fifth term in your bedroom. Come out openly and say no to the fifth term in Surulere Federal Constituency I and let people hear our voices." He also donated books and other educational materials to students in selected schools across the nine wards that formed the constituency. He said the donation was to to make learning attractive and take pupils off the streets. "I also urge the students to take advantage of the good educational policies currently running in Lagos State, given the foundation laid by our able leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu," he added, The statement noted that the aspirant also organised a one-week free health programme for the people of his constituency. The programme included free eye test and distribution of drugs to people with different ailments. "The one-week free health programme ended with a visit to Heart of Gold motherless home where donations were made to the kids," it added. culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
APC, National Assembly Raise 11-Man Team To End Battle With Buhari Posted: 24 Mar 2018 12:47 AM PDT An end to the persistent feud between the presidency and the National Assembly appears to be around the corner with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the lawmakers setting up an 11-man inner caucus standing committee to deal with all the issues. The caucus comprises President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President Bukola Saraki; House of Reps Speaker Yakubu Dogara; Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha; Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan; and House of Reps Majority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila. The rest are APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Lawan Shuaibu; Deputy National Chairman (South), Engr. Segun Oni; and the National Secretary, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni. The Nation gathered that the committee is expected to be a proactive type and is charged with the responsibility of curbing friction between the two arms of government. It was learnt that the committee will be meeting from time to time on government policies, plans, bills, emerging issues likely to cause conflict, appointments for ratification and reservations by both arms, especially the National Assembly. Although the new plan is yet to be submitted to President Buhari, the party is confident that the presidency and the National Assembly will come to a "compromise" on the proposal. The establishment of an inner caucus committee was the major highlight of Wednesday's closed-door session between the APC leadership and the party's caucus in the Senate. Sources close to the meeting said APC Senators protested alleged unfair treatment by the presidency and the party leadership. Oyegun was said to have "managed the tension-soaked session." The Senators recommended the adoption of the inner caucus approach practised by the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the Second Republic. It is to bridge the communication gap among the Presidency, National Assembly and APC leadership. One of the sources said: "We resolved to set up an inner caucus committee with membership drawn from the Presidency, National Assembly and APC. "It will be a standing committee not only for the resolution of the present crisis of confidence between the two arms, but to reunite and stabilize their relationship. "The 11-man caucus, which will be meeting regularly, comprises three representatives from the Presidency, four from the National Assembly and four from the APC. Another well-placed source said: "We want to return to the model used by the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP), the former Social Democratic Party (SDP) and even the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). "The inner caucus formula assisted ex-President Shehu Shagari in the Second Republic with the late Senate Leader, Dr. Olusola Saraki, playing a prominent role in facilitating a mutual working relationship between the Presidency and the National Assembly. "We were displeased that after winning election in 2015, the Presidency and the party did not care much about its caucus in the National Assembly. We did not know anything about policy direction of our government and the level of support needed. "Worse still is the fact that the Presidency took things for granted as if it is mandatory for all APC members in the National Assembly to dance to its tunes. When there were genuine criticisms on the floors of the Senate and the House, it was always easier for the Presidency to read meanings into these. A ranking Senator also said: "There had been poor communication between the Presidency and the National Assembly, resulting in what many have termed a cold war." Responding to a question, the source said: "The decision to set up the inner caucus committee has not been communicated to the President. But we are hopeful that the proposal will be acceptable to both sides." When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said: "The setting up of the inner caucus was agreed upon at the meeting between the leadership of the party and the Senate caucus. "It is like a standing committee which will assist in addressing issues between the Presidency and the National Assembly. It is not mainly on the present problem but as a long term solution." Worried by the cold war between the Presidency and the National Assembly, Oyegun had met with Saraki and other leaders of the legislature. Some of the issues between the Presidency and the National Assembly are:
culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
Boko Haram Can’t Stop Our Children’s Education – Dapchi Parents Posted: 24 Mar 2018 12:17 AM PDT Following the threat allegedly issued by Boko Haram that they would re-abduct the Dapchi schoolgirls released on Wednesday if they went back to school, the parents of some of the freed girls have said that they would not give up on the education of their children on the basis of the terrorists' threat. The members of the sect who returned the girls to Dapchi on Wednesday were said to have left a strong warning to the residents that they should not send their children to school again or they would risk being abducted. Some of the freed girls were also said to have claimed that the insurgents warned them on the verge of their release that they should not return to western education if they did not want to be abducted again. But some of the parents who spoke with The Nation in separate responses yesterday, said the threats issued by the sect would not deter them from getting their daughters educated. Musa Kalla, father of Zara Musa, one of the girls abducted and brought back safely, said: "No one can stop me from educating my daughter. It is not possible for me to obey Boko Haram on that kind of advice. "God is the creator and the maker of everything that happens in this world. My daughter Insha Allah (by God's grace) will continue with her school and become what God has destined her to be." Another parent, Fatima Abdullahi, said that having not gone to school herself, she would never compromise her daughter's education. She said: "I didn't go to school, but I know that education is very important. "It is not possible for somebody to stop the education of my daughter except God says so. "What Boko Haram is saying is not possible for us to follow. "Our children will continue to go to school. Islam does not forbid knowledge." Fatima said that while her daughter may no longer school in Dapchi, she would not object the idea of her continuing her education elsewhere if that became necessary. "We cannot say now because our children are not in our custody but in the custody of the government. "But like I said, my daughter will go to school even if government decides to return her to me, but it may not be this school in Dapchi because we cannot have any rest of mind if our children are in that school." The Secretary of the Forum of Parents of the missing Dapchi girls, Kachalla Bukar, who interacted with the insurgents when they came to Dapchi to drop off the girls including his daughter, Aisha, categorically said her daughter would continue schooling but not in Dapchi. He said with the kind of confidence and weapons he saw the Boko Haram insurgents display, he was convinced that nobody could stop them from going to anywhere they want to go. "In fact, they can even enter Damaturu and abduct girls in any school they want to," he said. Asked whether he would heed Boko Haram's advice to keep his daughter at home, Kachalla said: "We cannot send them to that particular school. It's not safe for us to keep them at home either. "There is no security in that school. I can send her to either school in Nguru, Maiduguri or any other state apart from Yobe, because I have confidence that those guys can come to Damaturu and abduct girls if they want to. "I feel that Nguru is safer because there is a barrack there and it has only one road and plenty rivers, unlike Damaturu and Potiskum which are so porous. "There are many roads in Damaturu that Boko Haram can follow and you will not catch them." Adamu Jumbam, one of the parents whose daughters died in the incident, told our correspondent that he had accepted his fate. Jumbam said: "I was troubled when other girls were seen on arrival but my daughter Aisha was said to have died along with four others on the day of their abduction. "All the same, I thank Almighty Allah for this and pray for the repose their souls. We can say the government has tried." "The surprising thing is that Boko Haram abducted these girls and still returned then to the heart of the town in broad daylight and went back freely. "It is absolutely amazing. It troubles our imagination. How will Boko Haram abduct these teenagers over one month, returned them and nothing was done to them?" culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
How Some Robbers Use Women As Fronts For Robbery Posted: 24 Mar 2018 12:07 AM PDT The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Bauchi State said on Friday that motorcycle thieves in the state had resorted to using women to commit robbery. Commandant in charge of the state, Mr Ibrahim Raji stated this in Bauchi while parading some suspects, namely Hauwa Saleh, 40, Illiyasu Abubakar, 30, Adamu Ali, 29 and Abdullahi Ahmadu, 42. The commandant alleged that on March 20, a woman, Hauwa Saleh of Turum ward in Bauchi, while pretending to be a passenger, had lured one Usman Sani, 30, to a bush, where he was robbed of his motorcycle. Raji explained that Hauwa had requested her victim to take her to a village but on their way, asked the motorcyclist to stop, from where Abubakar and Ali, 29, all emerged from hiding to disposes him of his motorcycle.The commandant said that the suspects, armed with sticks and cutlass, beat up their victim to the state of comma, inflicting injuries on his head. He said that the suspects took their victim's motorcycle to one Nuhu (now at large) of Mararaba Liman Katagum who bought same at the rate of N70,000 and made part-payment of N20,000. According to him, officials of the NSCDC trailed the suspects to their hideouts and later arrested them, including one Abdullahi Ahmadu, 42, of Kandahar, alleged to be their leader. The commandant said that exhibits recovered from the suspects included one cutlass, one knife, one motorcycle and N1, 520 cash, adding that the suspects would be charged to court. He therefore warned commercial motorcyclists to be wary of the type of passengers they carried, especially women. culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
How Senators, Reps 'Harass' Heads of Agencies for Bribes to Pass Budget Posted: 23 Mar 2018 08:11 AM PDT Some Nigerian federal lawmakers are demanding bribes as conditions for passing the 2018 budgets of federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), some heads of these agencies have said. The officials say the unceasing demand for gratification is responsible for the reluctance of a number of heads of MDAs to honour invitations by Senate and House of Reps committees to defend their budgets. Four officials of notable MDAs, who spoke to Premium Times in separate interviews alleged that the senators and members of the House are desperate and bent on shaking them down because "the 2018 budget is the last they would consider before the next general elections". "Many of them need money for re-election and they see this budget approval process as a way of finding the resources to prosecute their forthcoming elections," the director-general of one agency said. The Senate had in February issued a one-week ultimatum to MDAs, who were yet to submit details of their proposed spending to appear before the various committees to defend their budgets. The lawmakers accused ministers and heads of MDAs of ill-preparedness to attend scheduled meetings, ignoring invitations and sometimes not providing relevant information needed by the lawmakers to carry out their jobs of scrutinising the proposals. However, three weeks after the ultimatum was issued, majority of the MDAs are yet to comply, PT learnt. In fact, the situation got so bad that President Muhammadu Buhari had to issue a directive to the heads of agencies ordering them to avail the National Assembly of their budget details as well as attend budget defence sessions. The head of a key agency, who spoke with PT but does not want his name mentioned for fear of victimisation, said: "I can confirm to you that National Assembly members are brazenly harassing MDAs for bribes, using budget process and oversight. "They have become very desperate this time. They ask pointedly and try to make life difficult for those who don't play ball by summoning them endless times, asking irrelevant questions, asking for unrelated documents. "I think they are desperately looking for money for election. I think they have also seen that they could do all these and get away with it, as the executive is not really pushing on anti-corruption against them. "Until this year, we have managed to manage ourselves. They did not ask for money directly and we did not give. Occasionally, they asked that we employ someone or some people or give contract to some companies. For those pointed demands, we would explain why we could not meet their demands and they understood. "I had no doubt that some MDAs were even giving them money without their asking. I wanted us to be seen as one of the agencies that don't give and hoped that they would let us be. "But this year is different. They have become more direct and more brazen. Their new practice is to ask the chief executive to wait behind and go see their chair or their deputy chair. And they pointedly ask, what are you giving us? "If they sense you are not playing ball, they do everything to frustrate you, ask you questions and not allow you to answer, ask you to come back over and over." He said fear of victimisation was not allowing most of the agencies affected to cry out for help. "I am sure other heads of agencies are going through the same but I don't know who will talk on or off the record. As I said earlier, they are desperately looking for money for primaries and elections, and they have seen that the executive is not really bothered about bringing them to order." Another chief executive of an agency spoke along the same line, saying his experience with the lawmakers has been 'frustrating'. "These guys (the lawmakers) are not even afraid anymore," he said. "They keep demanding cash and asking us to insert projects in our budgets for them. I can't definitely satisfy their needs because I don't want to go to jail because of some frustrated greedy lot. "With all the millions they collect every month, they are still not contented." The MDAs had earlier been defended by Ben Akabueze, director-general of the Budget Office of the Federation, who said in a statement that the budget was submitted with every details the lawmakers need to do their work. He said the budget proposal included details of all federal MDAs based on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) templates suggesting that the scrutiny by lawmakers "should be an easy task". Despite Mr. Akabueze's intervention, the MDAs are still going through a tough time with the committees. Another head of MDA, who spoke about his experience wants the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intervene. "Your paper will help us a great deal if it can help us alert the EFCC of what we are going through," he said. Yet another MDA official said, "Demanding bribes is something that has been endemic over a long period of time. This thing started since (year) 2000, the first budget. "All these other things they used to get in the past, under this government they can't get those things. The MDAs are also afraid because the president is very serious. Any MDA that does nonsense and is discovered you know… "Even in a public hearing at the House of Reps. They intimidated a man. A lot of these members of the various committee, both senate and Reps, wanted bribe but the man refused to oblige them. It's just intimidation. MDAs are afraid and these people (Senate and Reps committees) are not relenting. "All these things that they said they didn't do, MDAs have done these things. A lot of them have gone there to defend. They are just dragging this thing because they want to get extra. Election is coming that is why. "The MDAs are in a dire state. They will not flout the directive of the president and these people are just insisting. A lot of them are not coming back to the National Assembly. They want to make as much money as they can make and those that feel they can come back, they need money in buying people, either delegates or voters." With the cat and mouse relationship between the heads of the agencies and the lawmakers, the fate of the N8.6 trillion budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2017 hangs in the balance, it appears. Also, the wish of the executive to resort to the January-December calendar year budget seems unachievable. In a belated move to salvage the situation, President Buhari last week ordered ministers and heads of MDAs to appear before the National Assembly to defend their proposed 2018 budget estimates. The order was given at the end of a meeting the president had with the leadership of the National Assembly led by Senate President Bukola Saraki. The Denial Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Sonny Ogbuoji (Ebonyi-PDP), denied the allegations levelled against his colleagues. "It's a big lie," he said. "The president has directed them to submit to the committees. If they submit and the committee does not receive it, they should blow it open. This should not be a secret. It's a big lie. Such things (bribery) should not be entertained." Mr. Ogbuoji had on February 28 called the attention of the senate to the refusal of MDAs to either submit details of their 2018 budget proposal or their amendments as requested by Senate committees. He said the allegation was an 'escape route' concocted by the MDAs to cover up. "People are looking for escape route for their ineptitude. If they say they are demanding bribe, its human beings that are demanding the bribes. They should say the person's name. There should be no cover up. Nobody should entertain such story. "If it is me, they should call my name. Hiding it is like virus. If you cover virus, it will never die but the moment you expose it to the atmosphere, it will die. They should say which committee is demanding it. Let them not just say and give a wrong impression." culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
How True? Ekweremadu Hurriedly Sells 2 US Houses Below Market Value To Stop FG From Seizing Them Posted: 23 Mar 2018 07:36 AM PDT Deputy Senate President, Mr. Ike Ekweremadu, has sold two of his three properties in Kissimmee, Florida, United States of America. The properties, which were recently exclusively reported by SR as owned by him, are townhouses at 2747 Club Cortile Circle and 2763 Club Cortile Circle, Kissimmee, Florida. The properties which were bought in 2008 for $200,000 each were put on the market and sold for just $150,000 to the same buyer. They were sold on February 20, 2018. Sahara Reporters' investigations revealed that both properties were sold below prevailing market value in Mr. Ekweremadu's apparent bid to avoid forfeiting them to the Federal Government. He has also put the third one, situated at 4507 Stella Street, Bellavida Estate Kissime, Florida, up for sale, but he is yet to find a buyer. The owner of the property said to be worth $500,000, is still listed as the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu with his Enugu address clearly stated on the property did. The two houses already sold were bought in January by a company, Y-Kat Enterprises Inc., with an address at 10143 Foxhurst Ct Orlando, Florida. When SR contacted the person listed as the owner, Mr. Russel Daya, he declined to speak with, claiming it was too late in the night. When asked if he knew Nigeria's deputy Mr. Ekweremadu, he answered in the negative and hung up immediately. The fire sale of the properties has, however, not concealed that they were previously owned by Mr. Ekweremadu. Documents exclusively obtained by SR from Osceola County Tax Collector show Mr. Ekweremadu as the taxpayer on the property at 4507 Stella Street, Bellavida Estate Kissime, Florida, till the end of 2017. A notice of Ad Valorem and non-Ad Valorem taxes from the tax collector, bearing Mr. Ekweremadu's address of 4 Iyienu Street, Independence Layout, Enugu, showed that the Deputy Senate President paid a total of $6, 728.37 as tax on the house as at December 2017. On the property at 2747 Club Cortile Circle, Kissimmee, Florida, the tax collector's documents showed that the Deputy Senate President paid a total of $1,665.91 as at December 2017. The document similarly bears Mr. Ekweremadu's Enugu address. Likewise, the Deputy Senate President paid taxes on the one at 2763 Club Cortile Circle, Kissimmee, Florida. Mr. Ekweremadu owns 22 properties across the world, worth millions of dollars. Though registered in his name, many of the properties were missing from the Deputy Senate President's asset declaration form he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau in 2015, an indication that he hid them to avoid questions on how he acquired them. SR had recently detailed Mr. Ekweremadu's properties in Nigeria, UAE, UK and the US. The report showed that in addition to the three properties in the US, the Deputy Senate President did not declare his ownership of 11, Evans Enwerem Street, Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja; Plot 2633 Kyami, Abuja; Housing Estate (Plot 1106 CRD, Cadastral Zone 07-07, Lugbe, Abuja; and Plot 2782 Asokoro Extension, Abuja. Similarly, he neglected to declare houses at Citi Park Estate, Gwagwalada; Plot 1474 Cadastral Zone BD6, Mabushi; Congress Court; Flat 1, Block D25, Athletics Street, (24th Street) Games Village; and Plot 66, 64 Crescent, Gwarimpa Estate, all in Abuja. Two London properties, Flat 4 Varsity Court, Harmer Street, WIH 4NW, London; and 52 Ayleston Avenue, NW6 7AB, London; were equally omitted from his assets declaration form dated 5 June 2015. In addition to these are his properties in the United Arab Emirates. These include Room 1903, The Address Hotel, Downtown Dubai; The Address Boulevard, 3901, Dubai; two Flats of Burij Side Boulevard (the signature), Dubai; Emirate Gardens Apartment No. EGG1/1/114, Dubai; Emirate Gardens Apartment No. EGG1/115, Dubai; and Apartment No. DFB/12/B 1204, Park Towers, Dubai. Others are Flat 3604, MAG214, Dubai; and Villa No 148, Maeen 1, The Lakes Emirates Hills, Dubai. On Thursday, the Federal Government asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to freeze undeclared assets traced to the Deputy Senate President. The Federal Government, via an ex-parte motion (FHC/ABJ/CS/284/2018), applied for an interim court order for the temporary forfeiture of the undeclared properties pending the conclusion of further inquiry/investigation by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property and possible arraignment of Mr. Ekweremadu. The motion was filed on behalf of the Federal Government by Lagos lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), who based it on Section 330 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, Section 8 of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act, section 44 (2) (K) of the Constitution. culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
Soldiers Storm Kogi Community Where Herdsmen Allegedly Murdered Innocent People Posted: 23 Mar 2018 07:36 AM PDT A truckload of soldiers have landed in Kabba/Bunu LGA in Kogi state to restore peace and order after suspected herdsmen invaded the community killing innocent people. A press release by Ogbeni Oladele Samuel, Media & Publicity Adviser of Kabba/Bunu LGA reads: Herdsmen Crisis: Hon. Moses Olorunleke visits Ighun community, preaches peace and unity. The news of suspected herders attack has prompted the visit of Kabba/Bunu LGA Administrator, Hon. Moses Olorunleke to Ighun community in the early hours of today. Hon. Moses met with the leaders and representatives of both the Ighun Community and the Fulani Settlers separately in an attempt to get to the root of the current crisis. He appealed to both sides to sheathe their swords and embrace peace. He promised that the immediate and remote causes of the crisis will be found out and justice will be delivered in the matter. He stressed the commitment of his government to ensure that adequate security would be made available to all parts of the local government to forestall a repeat such attack. The Administrator, who described his administration as one that is committed to securing the lives and property of the local government's citizens, promised the people of his determination to ensure that all parts of the local government are adequately protected. While praising all the security forces that were mobilised to the area for their proactive measures in arresting the situation and curtailing it from spreading to neighboring communities, assured the people that those responsible for the dastard acts would be made to face the full wrath of the law. Speaking on behalf of the community,Mr Cornelius Baiyemo, thanked the Administrator for his swift response to the security development, saying the action had demonstrated that he is a leader that cares for his people. On his part, the leader of Miyetti Allah in the local government, Alh. Sheidu lauded the Administrator for his proactive leadership style, describing his visit as an example of a leader that has the interest of all and sundry at heart. culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
Buhari Offers Amnesty To Repentant Boko Haram Members Posted: 23 Mar 2018 07:06 AM PDT President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his readiness to offer amnesty to members of the Boko Haram sect that are willing to drop their arms. He made the announcement today, Friday at a meeting he had with schoolgirls abducted from their school in Dapchi, Yobe State and were released on Wednesday. Many Nigerians are already wondering why the government can't negotiate with the terrorists to stop their heartless killings since they can negotiate with them to release the Dapchi girls. culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
Leaking Gas Tanker Spotted Along Expressway In Lagos Posted: 23 Mar 2018 07:06 AM PDT This is a disaster waiting to happen. A clip on social media captured a gas tanker dangerously leaking on the road in Lagos. The clip which has since gone viral was shot in broad daylight by persons driving in a car behind the tanker. In the video, the tanker is seen speeding past when the leak was discovered. The tanker was apparently spilling its content from a leak at its rear end. According to the persons who caught the development on camera, the tanker was seen leaking along the Apapa expressway in Lagos. The state department in charge of safety should do the needful. culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog |
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