How Awolowo committed suicide – By Abdulmumini Adeku

Twenty –three years after he suddenly was reported dead of natural cause and two years shy of his golden jubilee , facts are now emerging on the reasons that led to First and Second Republic political heavyweight ,Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo committing suicide
It was learned that he did it to stem the tide of a possible military court martial into an insurrection he was planning to lead alongside his political associates at the time when it became evident that then Military President ,General Ibrahim Babangida was intending staying in power forever.
In a no-hold barred interview with FS Online recently,a grass root politician ,Mr Adebayo Adeyinka who lives within the College Road at Ifako-Ijaiye axis in Ogba ,a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria was livid with rage when he learned that a key politician connected to the issue was denying the incident.
He revealed that Chief Awolowo wanted to lead some kind of guerilla warfare or militant campaign against the government of President Babangida so that he can be overthrown through a popular or people -led putsch.
According to him , the Elder Statesman summoned a meeting of his core loyalists over the issue and this was even filmed so as to strengthen the extent of commitment of each of the politician that attended the meeting..
He pointed out that however unknown to all of those who were privy to this meeting and clarion call , Chief Lateef Kayode Jakande ,Former Executive Governor of Lagos State had a different plan as he betrayed them to the military .He Said:’ But unknown to them , Chief Jakande was planning to betray them, he went to President Ibrahim Babangida and promptly showed him the tape
“Papa Awolowo was invited for a meeting with President Ibrahim Babangida who was then staying at Dodan Barracks which was the seat of power as at then and the truth of his clandestine meetings was revealed to him by the gap –toothed General
“He gave Papa some options and that was for him to be ready to face a court martial , be ready to go to a prison or better still go on exile
“At this stage Papa felt instead of allowing some ambitious khaki boy to mess him up he should just pack it in and call it a day ,so Chief Awolowo decide to commit suicide so as to save himself from the ignominy of going to prison for the second time in his lifetime .
“But before he did this he called his core loyalists for a meeting ,before then he had called up Late Chief Bola Ige [Cicero],since the latter had a very strong understanding of the Hausa Language having had his formative years as a young man in Kaduna but discovered that the late Esa-Oke strongman was innocent after he was interrogated by Papa
“He called others for enquiries while asking them to tender the video cassettes of the meeting they all attended to discuss the plans to topple President Babangida for examination ,at this juncture Chief Jakande developed a cold feet as he could not produce his own copy of the video which was freely distributed to all that was present at the meeting previously before the betrayal and that was how the cat was let out of the bag
“So he cursed him at this point and pointed out that he will never have any form of relevance politically as far as Nigeria was concerned and till today members of the Awolowo Dynasty avoids him like a plague.
“I was their when the letter he wrote to the family to beg them for forgiveness over the unfortunate incident was read in the presence of all present ,if he continues to deny I am ready to confront him publicly again on the same issue as I can even remember that elders asked him to go to the grave of the late sage to plead for forgiveness
“When he was questioned he lied that the National Security Organization now State Security Services had visited his house to check on him and in the process took the tape in question but” Awoists” knew that this was a very weak argument as he did not inform their political group of this development before their enquiry on the subject
“That was how Senator Abraham Adesanya assumed the leadership of the Awolowo camp of Yoruba politics after the demise of the man ,he was not even so close to Awolowo during his lifetime like Chief Jakande and that was why many called him Baba Kekere on account of this cosy relationship
“Before he gave up the ghost , he said his prayers and then took the poison which killed him almost immediately but the public was not fully aware as they were given a different account of what happened.
“We were simply told that he died while he was brushing his teeth in his bathroom at his Park Lane,Apapa residence here in Lagos
“He was stupendously wealthy during his lifetime, infact there is know company at Oba Akran in Ikeja ,Lagos where he does not have at least a five percent equity, Dideolu Court in Ogba alone cannot be valued at less than N10 Billion ,that was the place that he had in mind to be his Seat of power if he was elected as Nigeria’s President.
‘He owned Shonibare Estate but the man he was using as a front and who later went to prison over some issues which Awolowo himself was privy to eventually laid claim to the estate
“He got all of this wealth due to a great measure of goodwill and tax waivers he gave to investors whenever they come to establish their business.
“Anytime you buy a bottle of Coca-Cola you are enriching the Awolowo Dynasty ,go to Ijebu Ikenne and you will discover that the price of a bag cement there is different from other parts of the nation due to the subsidy that the citizens enjoy on account of Awolowo who was their son and I hope you know that West African Portland Cement is in Ewekoro and not Ikenne.
“On account of this great betrayal Awolowo family members regard the “Awoist” as a group people should deal with using a long spoon till this day and this explains why when The Peoples Democratic Party Government gave some of them political appointment lately they accepted it without thinking twice.
“Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu was made an Ambassador by Former President Olusegun Obasanjo while , Mr Segun Awolowo Jnr was given a plum job at the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja as a Secretary.
“Recently when Afenifere was disintegrating Mama out of concern for her husband’s legacies decided to call a truce because as she puts it then, she did not know what she was going to tell her husband the day they meet in heaven
“He made Sijuwade rich , because he was his business associate and in fact some of us held very strong views that he was one of his fronts and later the same man became the Ooni of Ife”he added
Mr Adebayo Adeyinka recalled his several years of following grass root politics right from the days of Action Group to the Unity Party of Nigerian era in the second republic but now lamented that he had since lost all interest in partisan politics due to the massive corruption in our polity.
He listed such blue chips like Dunlop Nigeria Plc ,Guinness Nigeria Plc, Neimeth Pharmaceutical Nigeria Plc ,May and Baker Nigeria Plc ,Vitafoam Nigeria Plc ,Wahum Nigeria Limited ,CAP Nigeria Plc , International Paints of West Africa [IPWA], Berger Paints Nigeria Plc ,Berec Nigeria Limited ,Kabelmetal, Nigeria Bottling Company Plc ,Leventis Nigera Plc ,West African Portland Cement Company,[Lafarge ],Wema Bank Nigeria Plc, Scoa Nigeria Plc ,CFAO Nigeria Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc ,Wemaboard Estates, Odu’A Group, Livestock Feeds Nigeria Plc , Nigerian Breweries Plc as places the Awolowo family have commercial interest to mention just a few.
Apart from this stocks analysts believe that the most visible of his investment ,The Nigerian Tribune Newspapers cannot be valued at less than N100billion today in terms of brand evaluation as Thisday Newspapers was valued by the Owner ,.Mr Nduka Obaigbena at N200 Billion recently during a media chart while celebrating his fiftieth birthday sometimes last year.
Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a leader who believed that the state should channel Nigeria’s resources into education and state –led infrastructural development.
At his own expense albeit controversially ,he introduced the free primary education for all of the Western Region ,he equally established the first television service in Africa in 1959 and expanded electrification projects in the region using the proceeds from the highly lucrative Cocoa export industry.
The Cocoa House in Ibadan regarded by many as one of the major landmarks of Nigeria’s architectural history was built as a result of his economic blueprint which was targeted towards the emancipation of his people from poverty
He built the first stadium in West Africa , the Liberty Stadium ,Ibadan and he coined the name “Naira “for Nigeria’s official currency ,it was previously called Nigerian Pounds.
During the 1970’s ,he was very critical of Nigeria’s military expenditure insisting that more should be spent on development
He ran a free health care programme for children up till the age of eighteen years .
On his death on the 9th of May,1987 as a mark of respect for his legacies ,The University Of Ile-Ife which ironically he helped to build as Premier of the Old Western Nigeria was re-named in his honour as part of a post humous celebration of his life and times.
His portraits adorn public places in Nigeria especially in his native Yoruba land where he is seen as an icon.
His picture also adorn Nigeria’s one hundred naira note.
He has been described surprisingly by some of his greatest critics and even political opponents as probably the Best President Nigeria never had.
He struck a chord with the womenfolk during his lifetime when in a rare show of public affection for his wife of several years, Chief Mrs Hannah Dideolu Awolowo told the world that the woman was his jewel of inestimable value.
How right or prophetic he was because his wife has continued to strengthen the mileage of the husband’s name even in death.
During an exclusive interview with FS Online at his Ilupeju home in Lagos last year, Chief Lateef Jakande upon being probed with questions over his relationship with Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo on account of what feelers were suggesting had denied that they had a bad relationship shortly before his death.He insisted that those that said that they had any problems between them prior to Chief Awolowo’s death were not been honest as they were all telling lies.
247UReports

Another Indian Disaster Looms In Nigeria

• .As Indian firm runs high-tension transmission line over industrial complex
• .Over 100 Nigerian factory workers, properties in danger
• .Uses Nigerian soldiers, mobile policemen to intimidate local authorities

From Lagos, Nigeria
Months after the Dana Air Crash that brought tears to the eyes of many Nigerians seems to have been forgotten, another disaster of similar magnitude lurks in the corner.
This time, another Indian Company, Top Steel Nig. Ltd, in a seeming display of insensitivity to the environment, on the 8^th of June, 2012 erected a transmission pillar and ran a high tension power transmission line directly over the roof of an industrial complex owned by Isocare West Africa Ltd., in which over 100 Nigerians work daily. Both companies are located at the Ikorodu Industrial Estate, Odogunyan, Lagos.
On the 5^th of June, the counsel to Isocare West Africa had met with the General Manager of Top-Steel Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Rajendra Bharadia and explained to him about the dangerous implications of mounting a high tension wire directly over the roof of the industrial complex of Isocare West African Limited and advised him to have a rethink.
Mr. Bharadia however, rebuffed all the entreaties and resolved to go ahead with the project. Within the same period, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) based on a complaint by Isocare, and after a physical inspection of the said construction, had issued an abatement notice to Top Steel and its General Manager Mr. Rajendra Bharadia at the site of the erection of the high tension wire ordering the company to discontinue the project, this also was ignored by the Top Steel helmsman.
The Ikorodu Local Government Environmental Task Force also issued a stop work order to Top Steel Nigeria Limited which was also ignored.
Mr. Bharadia after several complaints and directives to him to stop work, in apparent defiance proceeded to bribe top officials at the Army Barrack in Ikorodu, and then recruited Nigerian soldiers and mobile Policemen who he stationed at the construction site, while he personally supervised the erection of the high tension wire over another company’s (Isocare West Africa) property.
Mr. Bharadia had also allegedly ordered mobile policemen to assault and brutalize staff of Isocare West Africa who attempted to take pictures of the erection of the high tension wire over Isocare.
Nigerian workers allegedly assaulted include one James Ajayi, a photographer; David Effiong, Niyi Adejimoh and Lekan Amos, all employees of Isocare.
Isocare West Africa Ltd was established seven years ago by a Nigerian living in the Diaspora after several entreaties by Nigerian trade delegations overseas to Nigerians to invest at home.
A beverage and plastic making factory, Isocare produces bottled water, carbonated soft drinks and juice in Tetra Pak and sports drinks like Gatorade. The company has in its employ over 100 Nigerians working day and night at the industrial complex which has equipment estimated at over $50 million all of which could face destruction at the snap of a single high tension transmission line.
The said high tension which was erected solely for the purpose of connecting Top Steel Nigeria Ltd was apparently carried out without any evaluation of the environmental impact and with very little consideration to the safety of lives and properties that already existed in the area before the erection of the transmission line.
It would be recalled that in June this year, a 33KVA transmission line that passed through the Agbakoja market, Apata in Ibadan South West Council area of Oyo State snapped and killed five traders including an expectant woman.
At the time, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria had made their position very clear. In a statement by the Principal Manager (Public Affairs) Mr. Jude Oyenuga, the PHCN made it abundantly clear that it portends grave hazards to have buildings or activities under or even within close proximity of a high tension wire.
His words: “The public should bear in mind that these electrical materials are persistently exposed to mother nature which makes them vulnerable to wear and tear. This could lead to the snapping of the line and such accident could happen without notice with dire consequences”.
Commenting also, the Ag. Director of Public Affairs of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr. Dipo Ifabiyi noted that even if the transmission line was as low as 11KVA, running same directly over an already existing property was still dangerous and contravenes standard regulations and conventions.
An activist, Mr. Chidi Emeagi, condemned the situation say, “Nigerian authorities would keep on talking and not take action until we have another mortal disaster in our hands. Only in Nigeria would a country’s security agencies be used to perpetrate acts of lawlessness and impunity. The governments of the land cannot claim ignorance of the reckless actions of the Indian firm, until they have ‘human barbecues’ of Nigerian citizens in their hands. And then, perhaps, all the relevant agencies that should have taken action would be mobilized to yet again gloss over the disaster like they did in the avoidable Dana airplane crash.”
Emeagi called on the Lagos state government and the Federal government to put their foot down and protect the lives of their nationals.
Repeated efforts to get a comment from Mr. Rajendra Bharadia of Top Steel were thwarted by the management of the company.
247UReports

Major roads in Lagos to get bicycle lanes

In a bid to give Nigeria’s most populous city an effective transport system, the state government has announced plans to introduce bicycles lanes on major roads across the city.
Mannie leading this year’s participants in Park and Ride
This announcement was made by the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos, Mr Kayode Opeifa, on Sunday at a cycling event ‘Park and Ride’ which urge Nigerians to park their cars and ride bicycles for an enhanced lifestyle and cleaner environment.
Speaking at the event as the special guest, Mr Opeifa noted that “the bicycle programme is on and pretty soon, you will see some roads in Lagos, marked as bike zones.”
According to the Commissioner, “what is alternative to Okada (motorcycle) is the bicycle.”
This is coming at a time when the state government is still embroiled in controversy with the Okada riders over their restriction to ride on some highways in the city and a recent clampdown on them for defaulting the new Lagos Traffic law.
Discouraging the use of okada on walkable distance, the Commissioner stated that “anybody who wants to take a bike (okada) from their house to the bus stop, should use their bicycles.”
“And when they (commuters in Lagos) get to the bus stop they should tie their bikes to the poles provided at the bus stop and join the BRT buses.” “The poles we are providing at the bus stops are not for decorations but for people to tie their bicycles” he added.
“All over the world, from London to Stockholm to Buenos Aires, people now ride their bikes to work because it saves the environment of the gaseous emissions that is harmful to the environment.”
He also noted that cycling will enhance people’s lifestyle and thereby improve their productive and lifespan which he claims will also have a resultant effect on the nation’s GDP.
Acknowledging that the tropical weather in Lagos will make it uncomfortable for cyclers, the Commissioner noted that “yes, the weather will make people sweat but offices will be urged to provide showers” to ameliorate the discomfort.
This he claimed is done across the world.
Park n Ride is an annual event organized by On Air personality, Mannie of CoolFM Lagos, which urges people to park their cars and ride bicycles in a bid to address climate change and improve people’s lifestyle.
 DailyPost

Kano Local Government officials distribute N26m to pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

Members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kano chapter yesterday distributed 600, 335 Saudi Arabian Riyals (about N26 million) to over 7,000 pilgrims from the state in Saudi Arabia.
According to the association’s secretary, Alhaji Bello Muhammed Butubutu, who presented the money to the representatives of the pilgrims,  the gesture was approved by Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
He said each pilgrim would receive 100 Riyals (N4,400) which he said would help them to feed themselves for a few days while they prepare to leave the country following the conclusion of the Hajj rituals.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Kano State Pilgrim Welfare Board (KSPWB) Malam Abba Koki, has pledged to secure the refund of what the pilgrims’ spent on feeding from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) after allegedly failing to provide food to pilgrims on the Arafat ground last Thursday.
“As representatives of the pilgrims at the national level, we are deeply concerned by the failure of the National Hajj Commission to feed pilgrims on the Arafat ground. Last year, when a similar thing happened, we ensured that all pilgrims were given back their feeding fees.  Again this time, since you have not been fed on the Arafat day after paying for it, we promise to refund your money from the national Hajj officials,” he said.
DailyPost

Taraba crash: Families want governor’s aides to be treated abroad too

Families of the injured aides of Taraba State Governor Dambaba Suntai, on Sunday, asked the government to extend same overseas treatment to their loved ones as their injured boss. The governor and the aides were the occupants of the Cessna 208, 5N-BMJ Jet that crashed at the Yola airport last Thursday.
Some members of the families who craved anonymity told journalists in Abuja that if the governor could be flown to Germany, it showed that the government lacked confidence in the local hospitals.
They spoke their minds when the injured aides were transferred from Yola to the National Hospital, Abuja, 30 hours after Suntai was flown abroad.
“Considering the degree of injuries, I think they should be transferred overseas. After all what is good for the governor will still be good for his aides. They were in the same aircraft with the governor and I think they should be given the same treatment like him,” one of them said.
Our correspondent learnt in Abuja on Sunday that Suntai’s Aide de Camp, Dasat Iliya, had been lying unconscious at the Yola hospital since the incident that also left the governor in critical condition.
But the governor who had been airlifted to the National Hospital on Friday was early on Saturday flown to Germany for treatment while the injured aides were brought to the National Hospital on Sunday.
The Chief Detail to the Governor, Joel Dan, was also said to be having a fractured arm while the governor’s Chief Security Officer, Timo Dangana, reportedly had his two legs damaged.
Both Dan and Dangana had been reportedly taken to Jalingo, Taraba State Capital for treatment before they were transferred to Abuja Sunday night.
The governor’s aides were brought to the National Hospital in a convoy of siren-blaring ambulances at 6.40pm on Sunday.
 DailyPost

Journalists barred from covering President Jonathan’s visit to Akwa Ibom

Journalists in Akwa Ibom State were Saturday stopped from covering a stakeholders’ meeting during a one-day visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the state.
The President visited the state to inaugurate the new Governor’s office and perform the groundbreaking ceremony of the international stadium in Uyo, the state capital.
Reporters who had gone to the Banquet Hall, venue for the stakeholders meeting, were kept standing outside from 9 am till about 11.30am when the President arrived to meet with the stakeholders in the state.
The plea by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, for journalists with accreditation for the President’s visit, to enter the hall was simply rebuffed by the men of the State Security Services (SSS) and armed mobile Police.
Praised singers, band sets, uniformed groups and market women who thronged the venue were however given free access to enter the hall.
The security details who mounted the gate had claimed that they had a list of 200 names for admission into the hall, saying provision was not provided for the journalists.
The chief press secretary to the Governor, Pastor Anietie Ukpe, was not on hand to even remedy the situation even as the chairman of the Nigerian Union Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State chapter, Mr. Joe Effiong, was embarrassed on the development.
Effiong, who frowned on the actions of the security personnel, had to call on journalists to leave the venue to avoid any unpleasant consequence as there was a threat on the application of force.
President Jonathan who had earlier inaugurated the new ultramodern Governor’s Office complex was full of praise to Governor Godswill Akpabio for the projects embarked upon in the state and his transformation agenda.
He lauded the modern facilities in the new office which include video conferencing in the executive chamber which he described as a plus to the state government.
Akpabio, who received the President, said it was a rare privilege for the President to honour and commission the project.
He said his tenure would continue to witness people-oriented project as dividends of democracy to the people.
Briefing the President on the project, the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal, Mr Emmanuel Enoidem, said the new governor’s office was completed in 12 months.
 DailyPost

Jonathan’s administration is the most corrupt in history – CPC

Rotimi Fashakin

A leading opposition party in Nigeria, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has called for the immediate implementation of the Nuhu Ribadu-led oil Revenue Task Force.
The president had set up a 21-member panel, headed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, following the January’s nationwide protests against the hike in fuel price.
In a press statement signed by Rotimi Fashakin, the party’s National Publicity Secretary,  the highlights of the report as were presented as follows:

•       N86.6 Billion in cash from generous exchange rates over the 10-year period had disappeared. •       The NNPC had been getting 445,000 barrels per day of crude oil for local refining and consumption but had been selling itself this oil at cut-down prices, a practice that had cost Nigeria $5Billion in potential oil revenue in the same period.
•       Nigerian oil ministers (between 2008 and 2011) handed out seven discretionary licenses, with $183million in signature bonuses missing from the deals.
•       $1.5 Billion (in unpaid royalties) owed by Addax.
•       N137.57Billion debt owed by Shell for gas sold.
•       Nigeria is the ONLY Nation to sell all its crude through
International oil traders rather than directly to refineries, deals
usually enmeshed in opacity.
“The corruption in the oil industry has reached the crescendo in the 13-year reign of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with unbudgeted trillions of Naira (ostensibly used in corrupting the electoral process in 2011),” the statement said, adding that the infernal nature of the corruptive tendencies in the industry (under PDP) is seen in the pains inflicted on the Nigerian people in getting unfettered access to petroleum products for their daily needs.
“It is, without doubt, the reason that a new generation of people has been ennobled into the super-rich Nigerians, on behalf of the rest of us,” CPC said.

It also accused the Minister of Petroleum resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke of deliberately withholding the report because of vested interest.
“Is the Honourable Minister showing, with her body language, that this administration is only interested in laying subterfuge for an anti-corruption war in the oil Industry that it does not intend to pursue with scrupulous diligence?
“The CPC Party has always postulated: the Jonathan administration is not only the most corrupt in the nation’s history but it is also capable of throwing the Nigerian state into unrecoverable downward spiral of economic depression.”
DailyPost