Our Final Gallop Home, By Femi Adesina

April 13, 2023

There’s a saying in Yoruba language that the horse does not spurn the final gallop home. True. Home is that place you go to rest, after the labour and toil of the day. It is that place you find succor and respite, after the vagaries and vicissitudes that go with your daily exertions. No wonder they say, home, sweet home. There shouldn’t be a bad home. Worse than hell.

In about 44 days, we’ll be home. Who are the ‘we?’ Those of us who serve with President Muhammadu Buhari, whose second term expires on May 29, this year.

Some of us have been around, serving in government since 2015. Eight solid years of being like a sojourner in a foreign land. Modern day Gershoms, (Exodus 2:22) who left home, family, profession, abandoned terra firma to go into what was then terra incognita. We had never served in government, didn’t even want to, but for love of country and of that honest man from Daura, we took the plunge. Now, it’s time to return home. Happily.

I’ve had two types of experiences as we embark on the final gallop home. Some people pray with you, wish you happy and safe landing. They tell of how much they would miss you in the public domain. Others, low people, despicable, count the remaining days with glee, saying whether you liked it or not, “you will soon be out of that place.” Deserving of pity. Do they know that I started counting the remaining days long before them? “And teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalm 90, verse 12).

The clutter you generate in eight years can be a huge pile. And that is what has happened in my office. All sorts of files, documents, proposals, which would really make no meaning to the next occupant of the office. I met an office that was spick and span, and I need to leave the same for my successor. Why bequeath what is akin to an Augean stable, and pass unnecessary burden to him? Or her?

So, in the last couple of weeks, I’d been painstakingly going through my office with a fine tooth comb. I’ve looked at every document, thrown away what is considered not useful again, kept those which will come handy in the writing of my memoirs, and filed those the next Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity will find useful.

You need to see how I vibrate each time I engage in this packing. With joy, expectations, like a horse galloping home. And my Secretary of eight years, Rosemary Ezugoh, a career civil servant who was there before me, and remains after me, would come in, hiss, turn her face away, and say: “Oga is just harassing us with the fact that he’s leaving soon.” Hahahaahaaaa. “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one that is to come,” says the Good Book. (Hebrews 13, verse 14).

Many people have I met across all walks of life, who congratulate me for successfully serving as S. A Media for 8 years (only Chief Duro Onabule, God rest his soul, has done that, serving Ibrahim Babangida for that same length of time, and no one has achieved it in a democracy). They pray that we will end well, and land safely.

I thank such people, and bless them in my heart. They are good souls, and God will reward them. Amen.

But those low people? They also abound, particularly on social media. They use the anonymity of that platform, and their own lack of good upbringing, to spew all sorts of bile. “You will soon be out of that place. You will come back and meet us.” As if they were the persons that sent me to serve in the first place, and as if I was accountable to them. I simply laugh them to scorn.

The reason? When you are on this kind of National assignment, it’s your boss you are strictly responsible to, and not other extraneous tendencies. You hold your office at his pleasure. Once he’s satisfied with you, forget the noise of the market. The Good Book: “Who are you to judge another man’s servant? It is before his master that he rises or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:4)

How many times have I appeared on television, granted radio interviews, and the President has watched, listened, or read every word I said in newspapers. He would see me later, and thank me for being there.

I won’t forget two particular instances, among very many. I had appeared on Sunday Politics, on Channels Television, and you know how combative, nay, pugilistic, the host of the show, Seun Okinbaloye, can be. Well, you know also that your’s truly can equally hold his own.

The next morning, the President saw me in the office. And said: “Adesina, I watched you on television last night. I could virtually see how fast your brain was working. The interviewer was digging holes for you, and you were cleverly sidestepping them. I said to myself; are these people not colleagues? So, why was he trying to pull you down? Thank you, thank you and thank you for being there.”

We laughed.

At another time, early in the life of the administration, my church, Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, was turning 60. The leadership asked if the President could receive them.

I spoke with President Buhari. And he said; why not? Let them come.

The then General Overseer, Rev Felix Meduoye, led a team of about 10 people. During the meeting, he said thank you to the President for appointing one of their members as his media adviser. And what did the President say?

“I should rather thank Adesina for coming to serve. He has built a professional career of integrity and sound reputation, and he now brought everything to serve us.

“Whenever his colleagues come after me, which they do often, I hide behind him. I take refuge behind him. So, I am the one to say thank you to him.”

General laughter.

So, that is why when the mob, whom I gave the epithet Wailing Wailers, come after me, calling me all kinds of names, it never bothers me. I have the confidence of my master, and that is all that matters.

We land in about 44 days, and it shall be a safe landing, as good people do pray. “When I land I land softly on a sofa floor. So far so good ko ni baje o…” (apologies Kizz Daniel and Tekno, in their song, Buga).

In 8 years, “Good friends we have, oh, good friends we’ve lost, along the way…” (Bob Marley, No Woman no Cry). That is a topic for another day, soon, by the grace of God.

In my very first week as Media Adviser, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, had visited the Villa, and met me along the walkway to the President’s office. We had been acquainted for many years before then and he usually called me by my email. And he said: “Kulikulii, you have come to do a very thankless job. That’s the way it has been for your predecessors, but with you, it won’t be so.”

And I’ve not stopped saying amen to that prayer for 8 years, and no low person will stop me from that amen chorus.

Amen, somebody!

*Adesina is Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Buhari

London Authority Detain Peter Obi At Heathrow Airport

Editorial staff

April 12, 2023

The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the February 25 election in Nigeria, Peter Obi was reportedly detained and interrogated by the immigration officers at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom.

Spokesman for the Obi-Datti Campaign Council, Diran Onifade, in a statement today, April 12, confirmed the detention and interrogation of Peter Obi, saying that he was detained and questioned for a duplication offense which suggests that someone has been impersonating him in London.

The Labour Party’s Presidential Candidate, who is just back from London, where he celebrated Easter, was believed to have been saved by the spontaneous reaction of Nigerians at Heathrow Airport.

Onifade said that Obi arrived the Heathrow Airport in London from Nigeria on Good Friday, April 7, 2023, and joined the queue for the necessary airport protocols when he was accosted by immigration official who handed him a detention note and told him to step aside.

“He was questioned for a long time and it was very strange for a man who lived for over a decade in that country.

“Since Obi’s face was already an international frame, especially for Nigerians, Africans home, and in Diaspora who are likely to be Obidients, the people quickly raised their voices wondering why he was being delayed.”

Onifade said that the immigration officials who were also taken aback at the reaction of the people were forced to reveal to those present why Obi was being questioned, adding that the high implication of the offense is that the impersonator could be committing all kinds of weighty crimes and other dubious acts and it would be recorded in Obi’s name.

“Since the impersonator is still at large, the scenario is unimaginable as Obi could be implicated in a series of forbidden acts and even be framed in a manner that could be a huge embarrassment to him, his family, his party, the obidient Movement, and indeed Nigeria, where he currently remains the conscience of the people.”

Campaign Office spokesman said that Obi has been under all kinds of attack since the February 25th, 2023 Presidential election in which he came third out of 18 contestants as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).

The campaign office said that Since Obi was told to go to court if he feels strongly about the election, there have been severe attacks on him from all corners.

“Even Federal Government who directed him to go to court despatched the Minister of Information Lai Mohammad to the United States to attempt at de-marketing him and accused him of treason.

“Obi’s telephone line was also bugged when they were possibly looking for information to portray him badly before a section of the country who had voted for him massively.

“As if they were not getting the desired results of denting his image, and possibly placing the traducers under a heavier conscience load, they tried to persuade him to leave the country and go take a rest.

“It’s also not impossible that those urging him to leave the country may have planted the impersonators ostensibly to tar the Eagle’s immaculate appearance.

The Obi-Datti Media office will like to therefore assure all persons of goodwill especially the Obidients that the Rock is not deterred as he is ready to suffer the pain and remain even more determined to pursue whichever path his creator destined for him in Nigeria.”

Onifade said that in the meantime, Peter Obi is back in the country.

Source: Channelstv.

Agric Minister Swears There’s No Food Shortage In Nigeria Today

Editorial staff

April 12, 2023

“I can still categorically tell you today (that) there is no food shortage in Nigeria. We are still producing.”

These were the words of the Nigeria’s

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Mahmood Abubakar when he addressed newsmen at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, at the Presidential villa, Abuja, today, April 12.

He said that the federal government is trying to make up in several other ways in the pockets of areas that production has become limited because of the insecurity.

“But in totality, let me say that a lot of progress has been made in terms of food security, not just from the agro rangers, but all other security agencies. “The federal government has been doing so much and I’m sure you can see it and you can hear that yes, a lot of security successes have been achieved.”

He said that he presented a memo to the FEC meeting today on agricultural extension service in the country.

“And the purpose is really to have a good working extension service policy. Of course, you know we do conduct researches and today, the age of technology innovations, how do we get this research information to the farmers? “It is done through extension service. We have Extension Service agents, which the ministry recruits from time to time. Last year, we recruited way over 100,000 Extension Service agents.⁣

⁣”These are the people that take down the information, if we have improved seeds, new fertilizer, new variety of ways that will improve agricultural production in the country, these are the people that take document it. ⁣

⁣”And we have to work with the state government, of course, the federal government work with the state government, with local government, NGOs, we work with international organizations, it’s all about collaboration, getting the information down to the people.

“These are all technology-driven, as well, because we’re talking about Smart Agriculture. ⁣

“So extension service really is the bane of improving our productivity to achieve Food Security and Nutrition, security in the country.

“The policy has been approved. And we’ll be implementing that again along with the state government, with the local government, with NGOs.⁣

“The ministry is always there and ready to assist the smallholder farmers especially those we always focus on because they provide about 70% of the food production in this country. ⁣

“So when we go to distribute, even implement and distribute inputs, we focus on the small holder farmers and those are our collaborative partners in the extension service system. This is basically what the policy is all about.”

“Brutal Weather” Set To Wreak Havoc On UK – Expert

Greenbarge Reporters

April 12, 2023

The Metro Office has issued a yellow weather warning for wind across parts of the United Kingdom which could cause disruption today, April 12.

It said that high winds will continue to increase across southern parts of England, peaking through the middle of the day, when 50 to 60 mph gusts are expected.

Severe winds have been battering Ireland as Cork and Kerry are set for the worst of the conditions with weather experts warning of “damaging gusts” with speeds of more than 110km/h.

Storm Noa, named by Meteo France, is expected to bring gusts of up to 70 to 75 mph along parts of the north coast of Devon and Cornwall, as well as exposed headlands elsewhere.

The yellow weather warning remains in place as forecasters warn that some damage to buildings is possible and road, rail, air and ferry services could be affected.

Weather experts say outbreaks of heavy rain and showers will also blast Britain alongside the strong winds.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Matthew Lehnert, said: “A low pressure system will bring a period of wet and windy weather today and tomorrow.

“Thick cloud and heavy rain will continue to push in from west bringing 50 to 60 mph winds along western coasts. Snow is likely to fall over parts of upland Scotland overnight.

“Some disruption due to strong winds is likely on Wednesday, especially in southern and western areas, as well as the potential for heavy rainfall and even some snow, though the latter probably confined to high ground in the north.”

Nigeria’s Economic Growth To Be 3.2 Percent In 2023 – IMF

Greenbarge Reporters

April 12, 2023

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that Nigeria’s growth will be 3.2 percent in 2023, even as it advised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to maintain its current monetary policy rates to control inflation.

IMF, in its new World Economic Outlook report titled: “A Rocky Recovery” during the ongoing IMF/World Bank Spring meetings in Washington DC, said that the growth go 3 percent in 2024 when the next administration is in full flow.

The Chief in the Research Department of the IMF, Nigeria Division, Daniel Leigh said: “For Nigeria, our forecast is one of the most stable ones for this year. We have a slight increase; we have 3.3% in 2022 that’s an upward revision, and for 2023 about the same 3.2% and 3% in 2024.

“So, this is an economy with very high inflation as well and this is why we have a forecast of about 20 per cent for 2023.

On efforts to address inflation, the IMF advised the CBN to continue increasing interest rates as Nigeria’s inflation rate remains at one of its highest levels in history, reaching 21.91% in February 2023, despite the hike in the Central Bank’s Monetary Policy interest rate from 16.5% to 18% in March 2023.

The IMF believes that increasing the interest rate further will help bring down inflation.

Daniel Leigh said: “One of our main recommendations is to tighten the monetary policy to ensure that this inflation comes down towards the more target levels.”

Tinubu Scored 25 Percent In 29 States To Qualify As President-Elect, INEC Tells Tribunal

Greenbarge Reporters

April 12, 2023

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said that the Presidential candidate of the all Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu scored 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in 29 states of the federation to be declared as President-elect in the February 25 Presidential election in the country.

Arguing the case before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), on a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the INEC lawyer, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), said Tinubu was validly returned as winner of the election.

“Having scored at least one-quarter of the valid votes cast in 29 states, which is over and above the 2/3 states threshold required by the constitution, in addition to scoring the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election, the 2nd respondent was properly declared winner and returned as the president-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The 2nd respondent (Tinubu), having scored 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in the 29 states, has satisfied the requirement of the constitution to be declared winner of the presidential election, thus rendering the requirement of having 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory unnecessary.”

INEC argued that the declaration and return of Tinubu was not wrongful and was made in accordance with the provisions of Section 134 (2) (b) of the Constitution, having scored one quarter (25%) of the valid votes cast in 29 states which is beyond the constitutional threshold for such declaration.

“The 1st respondent denies that scoring 25 per cent of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory is a condition precedent to the declaration and return of a candidate in the presidential election.”

INEC said that by the margin of lead, it did not act hastily, as claimed by Atiku and the PDP in declaring Tinubu the winner of the election.

According to INEC Tinubu scored “25 per cent of the valid votes cast in 29 states of the Federation to wit: Ekiti, Kwara, Osun. Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Yobe, Lagos, Gombe, Adamawa, Katsina, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Niger, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Kogi, Bauchi, Plateau, Bayelsa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kano, Zamfara, Sokoto, Taraba, Borno and Rivers.”

While faulting the petitioners’ claim on the status of the FCT, INEC argued that “the provisions of the constitution apply to the FCT as if it were one of the states of the Federation.

The commission also argued that the use of the word ‘and’ in Section 134 (2) of the Constitution indicates nothing more than that in construing two-thirds of the states of the federation in which a candidate is required to score one-quarter of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory.”

It argued that by the provision of the constitution, the FCT “has the status of a state and ought to be recognised as if it was a state of the federation.”

It added that the FCT, beyond being the country’s capital, ‘has no special constitutional status over and above the other 36 states of the Federation to require a candidate in the presidential election to obtain at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in the FCT before being declared winner of the presidential election.

“The Federal Capital Territory is regarded as the 37 states of the federation and as such, a candidate needs to score 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in at least two-thirds of 37 states ( to be declared as winner in the presidential election).’

It argued that, as against the request by Atiku and his party, he could not be declared winner by the tribunal because he failed to fulfill the constitutional requirement.

“The 1st petitioner (Atiku), failed to score, at least, one quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory and as such could not have been declared the winner of the Presidential Election held on the 25th day of February 2023.”

As against the claim by the petitioners, INEC stated that “the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022 and was not marred by any corrupt practices.

‘That the 2nd respondent (Tinubu) was duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast in the election and his declaration and return as winner of the presidential election conducted on the 25th day of February, 2023 is lawful, valid and in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Having satisfied the requirements of Section 134 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the return of the 2nd respondent as the winner of the presidential election conducted on 25th February, 2023 is lawful, valid and constitutional.

“The 2nd respondent was at the time of the election qualified to contest the election.

“The petitioners neither scored the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election nor scored not less than one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in at-least two-thirds of the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory and therefore the 1st petitioner (Atiku) is not entitled to be returned as the winner of the presidential election conducted on Feb. 25.”

INEC, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the petition.

Abubakar Atiku,as first petitioner, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as second petitioner, in the petition marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023, had listed INEC, Tinubu and APC as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively and are seeking the nullification of the election victory of Tinubu in the Feb 25 presidential poll.

Tinubu, who defeated 17 other candidates who took part in the election, scored a total of 8,794,726 votes, the highest of all the candidates.

While former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second with 6,984,520 votes in the poll; Obi came third with 6,101,533 votes.

However, the petitioners are asking the tribunal to set aside Tinubu’s victory and to declare Abubakar winner of the election.

They want an order mandating INEC to retrieve the certificate of return issued to the APC candidate or in the alternative conduct a fresh election.

Abubakar and PDP are contending that Tinubu was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast during the poll and that INEC violated its own regulations and provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, in the election conduct.

Source: NAN.

UK Stops Recruitment Of Doctors, Nurses, Other Health Workers From Nigeria

Editorial staff

April 10, 2023

The United Kingdom Government has stopped active recruitment of medical doctors, Nurses and other health workers from Nigeria by health and social care employers in the UK.

The UK disclosed this in its updated ‘Code of Practice’ for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel’ posted on its website.

Nigeria has now been included in the red list of countries facing critical shortage of health workers as contained in the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s health workforce support and safeguards list.

In March, the WHO published the safeguards list comprising 55 countries, including Nigeria, struggling with a shortage of health workers.

The UK government said that Nigeria and other countries on the red list should be prioritised for health personnel development and health system-related support as well as provided with safeguards that discourage active international recruitment of their workers.

The code of practice reads: “Consistent with the WHO Global Code of Practice principles and articles, and as explicitly called for by the WHO Global Code of Practice 10-year review, the listed countries should be prioritised for health personnel development and health system-related support, provided with safeguards that discourage active international recruitment of health personnel.

“Countries on the list should not be actively targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers, recruitment organisations, agencies, collaborations, or contracting bodies unless there is a government-to-government agreement in place to allow managed recruitment undertaken strictly in compliance with the terms of that agreement.

“Countries on the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards list are graded red in the code. If a government-to-government agreement is put in place between a partner country, which restricts recruiting organisations to the terms of the agreement, the country is added to the amber list.”

It said that if a country is not on the red or amber list, then it is green.

The amber countries where international recruitment is only permitted in compliance with the terms of the government-to-government agreement are Kenya and Nepal.

Recall that a bill to prevent Nigeria-trained medical and dental practitioners from being granted full licences until they have worked for a minimum of five years in the country, passed second reading at the House of Representatives last Thursday.

The bill is aimed at addressing the increasing number of medical doctors leaving Nigeria for greener pastures, and making quality health services available to Nigeria.

Sponsored by Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson, it is titled ‘The Bill for an Act to Amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act 2004’.

Johnson said it was only fair for medical practitioners, who enjoyed taxpayer’s subsidies on their training, to “give back to the society” by working for a minimum number of years in Nigeria before exporting their skills abroad.

Many lawmakers supported the bill though a number of them called for flexibility and options in the envisaged law.

Uzoma Nkem-Abonta said tying a doctor down for five years in Nigeria before seeking employment outside is akin to enslavement.

However, a majority voice vote passed the bill for second reading at the plenary presided by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.

Dangote Has Given New Heights To Nigeria’s Global Reputation – Buhari

Editorial staff

April 10, 2023

President Muhammadu Buhari has acknowledged that the Africa richest man and philanthropist, Aliko Dangote has given new heights to Nigeria’s prestige and global reputation.

In a message congratulating the business guru on his 66th birthday, the President commended him for the numerous efforts he is making for our nation’s progress.

“He has given new heights to Nigeria’s prestige and global reputation. May the Almighty give him the strength and wisdom to do even more for the nation.”

Dangote was born in Kano, Kano State on April 10, 1957, into a wealthy Hausa Muslim family. His mother, Hajiya Mariya Sanusi Dantata, was the daughter of businessman Sanusi Dantata and his father, Mohammed Dangote, was a business associate of Sanusi Dantata.

Through his mother, Dangote is the great-grandson of Alhassan Dantata, the richest man in West Africa at the time of his death in 1955.

Dangote was educated at the Sheikh Ali Kumasi Madrasa, followed by Capital High School, Kano. In 1978, he graduated from the Government College, Birnin Kudu. He got a Bachelor Degree in business studies and administration from Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

Aliko Dangote is the founder, chairman, and CEO of the Dangote Group, the largest industrial conglomerate in West Africa.

According to Bloomberg Billionaires’ Index, Dangote’s net worth is estimated at US$19.9 billion as of April 2023, making him the richest person in Africa and richest black person and 83rd in the world.

Meanwhile, President Buhari leaves Nigeria for Saudi Arabia tomorrow, April 11 to, among others, perform lesser Hajj during his eight-day State Visit to the country.

In Defence Of The DSS, By Johnson Okorogu

Editorial staff

April 10, 2023

This intervention won’t have been necessary if a couple of those who should know had not joined in the cheap criticism of the most decent Security Agency in Nigeria.

In the past one month or so, the Department of State Services, DSS, has been on the negative side of the news for nothing other than doing the job for which it was established.

The negative reports are a product of misinformation, deliberate misinformation, aimed at calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it.

It began, gradually, with the lies and misinformation to the members of the public by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, one of the Counsels to the Federal Government-proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPoB, and its detained Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. From the first day Kanu was arrested in Nairobi, Kenya till date, Ejiofor has fed the public with false news, false information, mischief-filled, and has succeeded in misleading the people, especially, unsuspecting youths in the South-east.

While Ejiofor is in his house and/or office, enjoying life with the money he has made from IPoB and its leader, he is inciting hundreds of Igbo youths to violence, and leading them to their untimely deaths. I will get back to this shortly.

In the instant case, the DSS is being pillioried for warning the Country of the dangers ahead stemming from the antics of politicians who are angling for an Interim National Government, the evil which was first foisted on us by General Ibrahim Babangida

Following the conduct of the General Elections on 25th February and 18th March, 2023, every Nigerian knows that the Country is on edge. Every Nigerian knows that Politicians are doing everything to precipitate violence and push Nigeria into avoidable crisis. Tension has been unnecessarily high. Fake stories reign, and Politicians are busy planning evil and pushing the Country to the precipice. They are fanning the embers of hatred and fire. They are fanning internal insurrection in the name of protesting the outcome of the General Elections, especially, the Presidential election.

To keep the Country safe, to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, all the DSS did was to warn Nigerians against such behaviors that could destroy the Country. All it did was to tell Nigerians not to spark off violence which could push the Country into abyss, and destroy the it. This, the DSS did by way of a statement issued by its Spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya.

By warning Nigerians against the dangers ahead if Politicians continue to heat up the system, the DSS was only keeping to its schedule of duties which is to sniff out internal troubles, through intelligence gathering, and nip them in the bud. That was all the DSS did – warn and alert that we know what you are planning, so stop, keep off, stay off.

In the statement, Afunanya warned that the Service is aware of the activities of some Politicians aimed at causing trouble and, therefore, abort our hard-earned democracy. It warned against activities which could abort a smooth hand-over of power from one Government to the other on May 29, 2023. It warned against protests and frivolous Court Cases aimed at aborting a new Government, and foisting an Interim National Government on the Country.

The statement did not mention any particular persons or Political Party.

The statement did not ask aggrieved parties not to seek legal interventions in Court, afterall it was the Federal Government that set up the Presidential Election Petition Tribunals.

The DSS knew what it was talking about. There are examples to back it. The crisis in all the frontline Political Parties where the Courts are being used to sack the Executive Members of the Parties, particularly, the removal of Chairmen and other high profile members of the Parties prove there is a grand plan to destabilize the Government, and abort 29th May. When all the main political parties are destabilized, using the Courts, then, there will be no 29th May. Before we know it, we will have a a June 12, 1993 situation where the late Arthur Nzeribe used one Abimbola Davies to plunge the Country into unnecessary turmoil.

It follows the same pattern, and, if not checked, will gradually explode.

In the past three weeks, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has removed its National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu. Before that, a number of people were asking for the sack of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu. The push has not been dropped. A few days ago, it infected the Labour Party. A move was made, through the Courts, to throw out its National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure. A Court granted the removal bid. It took the self-will of the Party to save him. The end has still not been seen. Since then, the APC has either been suspending or expelling its high profile members – Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, Chairman of the Njger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Lauretta Onochie, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, Governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, etc. The PDP did the same, but was quick to recall about four of them including former Senate President, Pius Anyim, and two former Governors. Another former Governor, Chimaroke Nnamani remains expelled from the Party. There are more from other Political Parties. If these are not signs of destabilization, and a bid to precipitate crisis and abort 29th May, 2023, then I don’t know what is.

Add those to the hate speeches by Politicians and their supporters, not to forget the incitement by Ejiofor in the South-east.

It is surprising that the Igbo Leadership and the elite cannot see through the misinformation Ejiofor dishes out all the time on Kanu, especially, each time he visits the IPoB leader at the DSS facility where he is kept. Nobody is interrogating the false information Ejiofor dishes out on Kanu in order to keep himself in business. For Ejiofor, Kanu and IPoB are his meal ticket, his ATM. He deliberately paints a dreary picture of Kanu’s situation to keep himself in business. Kanu and IPoB oil his business. Otherwise, has anybody heard Ejiofor’s name in any other case except that of Kanu and IPoB where his mischief knows no end.

Ejiofor continuously gives the impression that it is the DSS which arrested and kept Kanu in its custody. Or that it is the DSS which requested that Kanu be kept in its custody. The true picture is that it is a Federal High Court that remanded Kanu in the DSS custody for safety. To be in the DSS custody happens to be one of the safest and most decent facilities where anybody could keep him. The leadership of the DSS is polished and professionally carries out its duties.

When the pressure was on, through Ejiofor, to relocate Kanu from the DSS facility and keep him in Prison custody, it was a mischievous ploy. It was a plan to put Kanu in harm’s way and blame the Government so Ejiofor can make more money with his propaganda.

A number of people who Kanu misled, and thus got in trouble, are in prison custody in Abuja over one atrocity or the other they committed, including murder, especially, of security agents. Having realized their folly, and knowing that they were incited into embarking on a murderous journey they knew nothing about, they are filled with anger and regrets. Detain Kanu with them in prison custody, and they would lynch him. The Government is conscious of this. For one moment, think of what could have happened if Kanu was in Kuje prisons when the facility was invaded by terrorists.

Everybody that had gone to visit Kanu at the DSS facility, except Ejiofor, confirms that Kanu is in good hands, good environment, and doing well. He is healthy, well taken care of, provided with everything he asks for, including special meals, provided with good medical care, and exercise facilities. The only minus is that, like any other detention facility, his movements are restricted.

But this is not the impression Ejiofor gives to the public. He gives the impression of a starving Kanu whose health is failing, whose heart is very diseased, and who is going blind. None of these is true. It is based on such stories, on such lies, that the youths in the South-east are dangerously incited. They foolishly embark on a killing spree of their own people and Security Agents, and torch public facilities. Is Kanu being held or being tried by his own people who have now become victims of his unending and fruitless suicidal journey?

The South-east needs to be honest to itself. People like Ejiofor are not allowing it to be honest to itself because of the lies they put out. Ejiofor is not allowing them to interrogate the lies he tells them. Ejiofor knows very well the unprecedented violence Kanu has wrought on his people and Security Agents. Is there anybody who has not listened to Kanu speak. Is there anybody who has not, or did not listen to Kanu order his followers to kill Security Agents? In which other Country is such allowed? Is there anybody who has not, or did not hear Kanu insult the elders of the South-east and call all its Leaders useless (Efulefu)? Is there anybody who has not, or did not hear Kanu call for the outright beheading of people. All the atrocities in the South-east emanated from Kanu. There are evidences. The violence which has taken over the South-east all emanated from Kanu. Neither he nor his followers can control what he started.

Kanu single-handedly brought the economy of the South-east to ground zero. He introduced the sit-at-home order every Monday and had many people killed over it, and their businesses destroyed.

Simon Ekpa is a product of Nnamdi Kanu. When Kanu and IPoB realized their folly in introducing the sit-at-home order, and cancelled it, Ekpa continued from where his comrades and their master stopped. Sit-at-home has become a weapon and a meal ticket. They raid people’s shops and loot on such days. They extort some people of their money and hold others to ransome. Kidnapping booms in the South-east because of their unwholesome activities. Every criminal takes refuge in being an IPOB member. The Region has been taken over by criminal gangs because of what Kanu and IPoB started.

One of the reasons many people came to the conclusion that Ejiofor is not anxious for Kanu to be released is that instead of Ejiofor to sound conciliatory, or, at least, present the correct situation of Kanu, and plead for his Client who wrought poverty, violence and death upon his people, killed Security Agents and destroyed and razed both private and public buildings and facilities, Ejiofor is busy lying against the DSS. He is busy lying about Kanu’s welfare and health. By doing so, deliberately, he hardens the heart of the Service which has been kind to his Client, and the heart of the Government, all because he wants Kanu and IPoB to remain his ATM. Those lies have neither helped Kanu’s case, nor the South-east.

It was because of the threat by Ekpa, Kanu’s disciple, that Obi lost out on the number of votes he could have garnered in the South-east. None of the five States in the South-east registered less than one million voters. But because of the fear of the violence and death threatened by Ekpa on Voters, they stayed away on the Presidential election day. Yes, Peter Obi of the Labour Party won in the South-east, but with how many votes? But for Kanu/Ekpa, nobody would have been talking about Tinubu’s number of Votes with which he defeated Obi. Obi lost over three million votes because of Ekpa’s threats.

The elders and leaders of the South-east should be ashamed. Out of cowardice, they have allowed IPoB, Ekpa and Ejiofor to destroy the Region.

The DSS is not going to succumb to their blackmail, just as it is not going to succumb to the blackmail of those who think the Service is crying wolf over the warning against the plans for Interim Government.

The DSS raised the alarm because something was cooking. It raised the alarm because it knows the dangers of an Interim National Government.

Military President, Ibrahim Babangida, introduced an Interim National Government in 1993 and installed the now late Chief Ernest Shonekan as the Head of the ill-fated Government. It lasted from 26th August 1993 to 17th November 1993 when it was flushed out by the Military. That misadventure ushered in the regime of General Sani Abacha from which Nigeria has not fully recovered till date.

The DSS did well to raise the alarm in order to stop those planning for an ING on their tracks. Knowing that their plans have been exposed, they would abort it. The DSS didn’t need to mention the names of the culprits, or raise more tension in the Country by arresting them. They know themselves, they know that eyes are on them, and have taken note.

Chimamanda Plagiarized My Book, Giwa-Amu Alleges: It’s A Lie, Chimamanda Responds

Greenbarge Reporters

April 10, 2023

Anne Giwa-Amu, a woman who introduced herself as Solicitor and Author of a book SADE, has accused Chimamamda Ngozi Adochie, the author of Half of a Yellow Sun, of plagiarism.
This is even as Chimamanda denied the accusation, threatening legal action against Giwa-Amu.
Half of a Yellow Sun was published in 2006 and received the prestigious Orange Prize for Fiction the following year. It also got praises from Chinua Achebe and The New York Times.
But, Anne Giwa-Amu, a Nigerian and Welsh heritage, shared a video on YouTube yesterday, April 9, claiming that her book, SADE, which was published in 1996, was plagiarized by Adichie when she wrote Half of a Yellow Sun.
Giwa-Amu said that she noticed the plagiarism and similarities between the two books in 2013 when she saw a poster in London advertising the movie adaptation for Half of a Yellow Sun.
“The poster depicted a love story between a mixed-race woman, played by Thandie Newton and an Igbo man, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, set in Nigeria, Biafra.”
“As this was the original story of SADE, it provoked me to purchase a copy of ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’.”
She said that she realized that both of the book covers shared similarities after receiving it and alleged that upon reading Adichie’s book, she “discovered it was a rewrite of ‘SADE” which she initially titled THE HUMAN SACRIFICE when she started writing the script in 1992.
She alleged that after her book was approved and published by Heinemann Education Books Nigeria in the West African country in 1999, Chinua Achebe, who was one of the board of directors of the publishing firm, contacted Adichie “who started to work on the infringing novel.”
Regarded as “the father of modern African literature,” Achebe is a well-known mentor of Adichie.
Reacting to the trending video of Giwa-Amu on YouTube, Adichie and her representatives, Wylie Agency, described the accusation as “libelous.”
Adichie and her publishers claimed, in a statement, that they never knew about the book, SADE, until the allegations were raised.
They recalled that
Giwa-Amu’s claim of plagiarism had since been dismissed by a court in the United Kingdom in 2019 when she brought the case against them.
They said that a professional independent reader who was ordered by the court to read both books “concluded that there was absolutely no basis for Giwa-Amu’s claim and advised that the claim should not be pursued.
“On 15 February 2019, Anne Giwa-Amu’s claim brought against Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her publishers was struck out by the court. The court determined that her claim was ‘an abuse of the court’s process,” the statement read.
It said that Giwa-Amu was ordered by the court to pay Adichie and her publishers £14,250 ($16, 908) which she is yet to settle, alongside Adichie’s legal fees.
“Her present allegations are false, libellous and constitute a harassment to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Further legal actions are being taken,” the statement said.
Source: partly The Guardian.

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