WAKE UP CALL!!!!

Ndi Ahaba Be Vigilant

Ahaba Can't Be A Battlefield Again


History has a pattern of repeating it self and that same old pattern is about to play out, but this time, we saw it earlier and we must mitigate and nip the bud where it rightly matters.

Since known and recorded histories and as treasured in the various archives of the old western states holds them sacrosanct and holy, one particular pattern keeps repeating itself.

The question seeking an answer is "why is it that each time Ndi Ahaba makes progress as a people and unveils their natural divinely and blessed leadership prowess within the old southern protectorate, old western region, old mid western states or within Delta state and Anioma Nation, our enemies, restlessly manipulate ways to introduce war from the backyard.

And if we can not but want to help out, we become the grand enemy and our land becomes battle field, our best before you say jack Robinson are all flushed away.

This had being an existing pattern.

At the wake of the Ekumeku war days as well as during the horrible days of Lord Lugard's imperial conquest to finish the Queen's assignment, Asaba had already had far more progressive social cultural plus, that even swept the feet of the sojourning missionaries and the imperial commercial reps alike.

At this same era, our Ahaba people's easy embrace of the western civilization was most wonderful and seamless that our Ahaba fore fathers took both the Christian Religion and western education to both the present south west, south south, south east and the whole of what you can call Northern Nigeria and they did that because they are naturally blessed.

Also about this era and time, Ahaba was at her best Economically, Social culturally and our political hold on politics was wonderful, to the point that it is recorded and our oral histories implanted it into our psyche, that at these era, one of the greatest warrior empire near us never defeated Ahaba, that is "Aya idue e li hu Ahaba" meaning the Binis never conquered us in any engaged battle.

But at these same era, we lost a lot, even at an era when we were at the zenith of our economical, social cultural and political greatness.

Our neighboring communities dealt wrongly in their day to day business with the imperialists and as Lords over them, the imperialists lashed some strokes, instead of learning their lessons and making required corrections, they began to plot against their Lords, their plots licked, the colonial masters tripled the lashes, when they could not bear it anymore that was when they remembered that there was a big brother some where and ran down to Ndi Ahaba for help.

You know what, listening to them, giving them counseling and some intelligence advice, was the beginning of our people's loss of the sweet relationships enjoyed from the colonial powers, but somehow we scaled through and continued till after the political marriage of the Southern and Northern protectorates.

From 1915 down to the era of the struggle for independence, Ndi Ahaba managed to sustain their strong hold on political, economical and social cultural stakes.

Again, shortly after the nation's independence was won, Ahaba again demonstrated her collective leadership and visionary positioning to lead as some Ndi Ahaba Political elites set in motion to bring about the best and transparent plebiscite ever recorded in Nigerian's political history, which was driven by our people's foresight of the economical endowment within the Mid western states, a fast move that the core Yoruba elites never were aware of then, even the Britons too, our fathers reached this Golan heights because their grip on social trends around them was near perfect.

Again within these period Ahaba was at its peak, politically, socially and economically, as our fortunes were scaling up, it was again a reason for massive hatred from our close door neighbors from the right and left sides.

The roles played at that time by both Major Nzeogwu and Col Ojukwu, one must reason and come to terms that their actions were completely ill adviced and 100% unnecessary, one because they started some mission they could not finish.

Ask me, who within that era suffered it the most, whose homeland became battlefield, who lost their best the most, who doesn't know that it was Ndi Ahaba, what we lost in Ahaba, was never lost at Nnewi nor at Okpanam, home lands of these two war time foundation moulders and engineers.

All done to reduce us and halt our naturally occurring progressive blessings, somehow too after the Nigerian civil war, Ahaba survived, started rebuilding from the scratch with only N20 refunded to our fathers as well as the many cases of abandoned properties and lost career, they came back to their former jobs only to see their gatemen, cooks, drivers Automatically made their boss, where did these folks within the space of thirty months and during war time gained all the expertise to become bosses over those who painstakingly built themselves and career, this was where everything in this nation started to collapse till date, but that is a gist for another essay.

Again, providence smiled at us, this time, we became Delta State's seat of power, everything was going on well for Ndi Ahaba, our landlords smiled broader, business owners in town thanked their stars they invested in Ahaba and our people prepared to receive the new military administrations, our people quickly forgot the losses of the civil war era and the military administrators had some good and swell time leading the young state from Ahaba, it was so good for the khaki boys then that one of their bosses, a sole administrator,  named on of his  new born baby "Ahaba Amaka" meaning Ahaba is beautiful, those were some wonderful days but soon we lost it all again.

This time, it was during the early days of civilian rule in the young state, this is how it all started, again other small neighboring towns around Asaba started with their crocodile tears and cries of being marginalized by other Deltans, and as it was getting clear to them that Ahaba is set to mind her business, only heaven knows from where under the sun, they coined out the info that the governor at that time said "Ahaba go be capital for mouth" this really set the warrior DNA in our people restless, together with some visible mistakes the then governor made before our elites that to some extent gave flesh to the well cooked and served rumour that "Ahaba go be capital for mouth" in pains and anguish, our people embarked upon their first fourth republic protest, a protest that consumed one of our finest young lad from a royal home, again and after that ill fated protest Ahaba lost everything within this fourth republic, name it or be it political, social and economic stronghold, we practically lost them all, since those days of protest.

Thanks to goodness, our case as a people recently got some revival and within the last couple of years it seems our fortune as a people is beginning to see the bright light at the end of a long tunnel, through the leadership of our town union, Ahaba is on the verge of reclaiming all our lost glories and we are grateful to our Lord that hope is certain.

But before, we sing hallelujah, we need to be more vigilant as history is about to be repeated, but our Lord forbid!!!!

We call upon all opinion shapers of our land to wake up and keep Virgil, hold more air tight security meeting and do all in their powers to see that the recent madness of Okpanam youths as well as its potential response from the Fulani's who they went to their camp for reasons best known to them, chased them away, burned up their homestead, that such madness does not spill over to our Ahaba nation.

We refuse to have Ahaba become nor see another war, our fathers had seen enough back stabs and betrayals in attempts to play the big brother roles, we the new generation are not and will never support any such roles, especially, from those who unwisely attract war and battle songs their ways.

We believe that Okpanam youths acted grossly in error and the fact that they video their engagement and shared same on Social media platforms kept us wondering, in whose interest are they about with these recordings.

The fact that they have a first class commissioner from their town beats our collective imagination as to why their brother can't be seen as a more and better rallying point towards addressing whatever was the gap between them and the Fulani's within their domains, than sparking off embers of war their might to sustain we doubt.

To this end, we call on them, especially their youth leaders to swing into action as to make peace with their tenants, as we at Asaba are not ready to entertain any spill over of their carelessness into Ahaba, we can't afford to have Ahaba in our time become another battlefield, please, go back to your drawing boards and seek out more progressive ways of handling your issues with your tenants as not to cause unnecessary spill over into Ahaba.

Thanks as we believe you will in the interest of peace and progressive co-existence find far better ways to live with your tenants as to have us enjoy better peace in Ahaba.

Thanks and regards

Yours truly

Comrade Okonta Emeka Okelum
Founder
Save Asaba Group (SAG)

Nigeria: Where Dreams Grow?

In 1997, a brilliant Igbo Electrical Engineer and Lecturer at the Federal polytechnic Nekede, Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu designed and developed the Izuogu Z-600, the first African indigenous manufactured car.

The car was described by the BBC as ‘ the African dream machine as 90% of its parts were sourced locally. At a projected sales cost of 2000 dollars, it would have taken the world by storm and become the cheapest and most affordable car on earth. With mass production planned under Izogu Motors plant in Naze owerri, the prospects of an industrial revolution in Igbo land and Nigeria, was in the making.

The car was equipped with a self made 1.8L four cylinder engine that got 18mpg and allowed the car to achieve a top speed of 140 km/h. Front Wheel Drive (FWD) was chosen over Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) because a transmission tunnel, which RWD would require, would be more expensive to fabricate.

So 90% of the car’s components were made locally. General Sani Abacha set up a 12 man panel of inquiry made up of professionals to ascertain the road worthiness and authenticity of the car and after several days of probing, the committee gave Dr. Izuogu’s car a clean bill of health, recommending that some of the bumps on the body of the car be smoothened. It is worthy to note that this was five years before India built their first car known as the Indi.

At a well organized unveiling ceremony which had General Abacha represented by Oladipo Diya, over 20 foreign ambassadors and thousands of people in attendance, the federal government promised a grant of 235 million naira to Dr. Izuogu.

An excited Dr. Izuogu is still waiting for that grant till today. No dime was released to him. In 2006, the government of South Africa invited Dr. Izuogu to do a presentation about the car in the presence of several world class engineers. Being impressed with his presentation, they invited him to come and set up a plant in South Africa and begin the production of the car.

Dr. Izuogu reluctantly agreed, though he wasn’t happy that the benefits of employment generation will be lost on the locals of Naze and the Nigerian human resources environment. On Saturday, the 11th of March 2006, at about 2.00 a.m, a total of about 12 heavily armed men broke into Dr. Izogu’s factory in Naze and carted away various machines and tools including the design history notebook of Z-600, the design file Z-MASS, containing the design history for mass production of Z-600 car, and the moulds for various parts of the car.

According to Dr. Izuogu:

“It seems that the target of this robbery is to stop the efforts we are making to mass-produce the first ever locally made car in Africa. Other items stolen included locally produced timing wheel, locally produced camshaft, locally produced crankshaft, locally produced engine tappets, all 20 pieces each

Also stolen were ten pieces of locally produced Z-600 engine blocks, ten pieces of locally produced pistons, four pieces of engine block mounds, four pieces of top engine block moulds, ten pieces of engine fly wheel and two pieces each of rear car and front mudguard moulds.”The inventor regretted that not only did they lose over one N1 billion in monetary terms, but also time (about 10 years) and the energy it took to design and produce the moulds. “To worsen the matter, our design notebook was also stolen,” he stated.

He regarded the incident as a national economic disaster because the nation had lost a technological and intellectual property. This Press was quiet about this story. The set back and governments attitude frustrated Izuogu and his dream died.


Sad realities of the Nigerian contraption has served to reduce Dr.  Ezekiel Izuogu to join the hustle for political offices - recently participating in the botched efforts at gubernatorial primaries by APGA in Imo State

THE LAST STATEMENT OF KEN SARO WIWA AT THE MILITARY TRIBUNAL IN 1995

My lord, since my arrest on the 21st of May, 1994 I have been subjected to physical and mental torture, held incommunicado and denied food for weeks and medical attention for months. My seventy-four year old mother has been whipped and arrested, my
wife beaten and threatened with detention, the three telephone lines to my office and residence cut and the they remain cut to this day, my office and home have been ransacked on three different occasions and personal and family property, official files and documents taken away without documentation. I have been calumniated in the press and on satellite television before the whole world by a Rivers State government anxious to prejudice the mind of the public and to convince that public of my guilt even before trial. Only recently, before the United Nations Committee for the Eradication of Racism and Discrimination in Geneva, an official delegation of the Federal Government which included the Special Adviser on Legal Affairs to the Head of State, Professor Yazudu, declared me responsible for the murders which are the subject of this Tribunal, even before Tribunal has found against me or anyone else.

     The fact that a case of homicide is being charged before a Tribunal set up under Decree No. 2 of 1987 speaks for itself. I am aware of the many strictures laid against the decree and this Tribunal by local and international observers. All the same, I
have followed the proceedings here with keen and detailed interest, not only because I am charged before this Tribunal, but also because, as a writer, I am a custodian of the conscience of society. I regret that the legal counsel I freely chose, Gani Fawhimi, the human rights hero and pride of this country, was forced to withdraw. His withdrawal has denied credibility to this
trial.

     With the permission of the Tribunal, I would now like to make a filmic representation which will graphically demonstrate all that I have said here and amplify the details thereof.

     My lord, we all stand before history. I am a man of peace, of ideas. Appalled by the denigrating poverty of my people who live on a richly-endowed land, distressed by their political marginalization and economic strangulation, angered by the
devastation of their land, their ultimate heritage, anxious to preserve their right to life and to a decent living, and determined to usher to this country as a whole a fair and just democratic system which protects everyone and every ethnic group and gives us all a valid claim to human civilization, I have
devoted all my intellectual and material resources, my very life, to a cause in which I have total belief and from which I cannot be blackmailed or intimidated. I have no doubt at all about the ultimate success of my cause, no matter the trials and tribulations which I and those who believe with me may encounter
on our journey. Nor imprisonment nor death can stop our ultimate victory.

     I repeat that we all stand before history. I and my colleagues are not the only ones on trial. Shell is here on trial and it is as well that it is represented by counsel said to be holding a watching brief. The company has, indeed, ducked this particular
trial, but its day will surely come and the lessons learnt here may prove useful to it for there is no doubt in my mind that the ecological war the company has waged in the delta will be called to question sooner than later and the crimes of that war duly punished. The crime of the company's dirty wars against the Ogoni people will also be punished.

     On trial also is the Nigerian nation, its present rulers and all those who assist them. Any nation which can do to the weak and disadvantaged what the Nigerian nation has done to the Ogoni, loses a claim to independence and to freedom from outside
influence. I am not one of those who shy away from protesting injustice and oppression, arguing that they are expected from a military regime. The military do not act alone. They are supported by a gaggle of politicians, lawyers, judges, academics and
businessmen, all of them hiding under the claim that they are only doing their duty, men and women too afraid to wash their pants of their urine. We all stand on trial, my lord, for by our actions we have denigrated our country and jeopardized the future of our children. As we subscribe to the sub-normal and accept double standards, as we lie and cheat openly, as we protect injustice and oppression, we empty our classrooms, degrade our hospitals, fill our stomachs with hunger and elect to make ourselves the slaves of those who subscribe to higher standards, pursue the truth, and honour justice, freedom and hard work.

     I predict that the scene here will be played and replayed by generations yet unborn. Some have already cast themselves in the role of villains, some are tragic victims, some still have a chance to redeem themselves. The choice is for each individual.

     I predict that a denouement of the riddle of the Niger delta will soon come. The agenda is being set at this trial. Whether the peaceful ways I have favoured will prevail depends on what the oppressor decides, what signals it sends out to the waiting
public.

     In my innocence of the false charges I face here, in my utter conviction, I call upon the Ogoni people, the peoples of the Niger delta, and the oppressed ethnic minorities of Nigeria to stand up now and fight fearlessly and peacefully for their rights. History is on their side, God is on their side. For the Holy Quran says in Sura 42, verse 41: "All those who fight, when oppressed incur no guilt, but Allah shall punish the oppressor." Come the day.

     Ken Saro-Wiwa
     Port Harcourt
     21st September, 1995.

Yesterday Scavengers Are Today's Saints

—Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

Our take : “Rotimi Amaechi as Chairman of Nigeria governors Forum took Jonathan government to court for trying to save for raining season including Fashola and most APC members, today they are the ones shouting that the PDP did not save, hypocrites and liars”.

“We then established a stabilization mechanism and opened an account for the oil surplus, which posted up to $22 billion”.

“In 2008, when prices fell from 148 to $ 38 a barrel, no one has heard of Nigeria because the country was able to tap into this fund. And that, I am very proud [of]”.

“When I returned to the department in 2011, there remained only $4 billion on this account (because part of the money saved was used to fund the amnesty programme for Niger Delta Militants embarked upon by the Yar'adua government) while the price of oil was very high!
”.

“I tried again to put money aside. The PRESIDENT agreed, but the GOVERNORS did not accept”.

“I suffered a lot of attacks from them (and they took us to the court up to the supreme court) and now that the country would really need this account, these same people accuse me of not having saved! If Nigeria had been more careful, we would not be here today. It hurts me. We have the mechanism, we had the experience, but we were prevented to act”.

“Unfortunately, the same scavengers of yesterday are the saints of today”.

FROM TUNDE IDIAGBON to AGBOOLA GAMBARI

FROM TUNDE IDIAGBON to AGBOOLA GAMBARI: The changing occupants of General Buhari’s office of the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters

Salt Africa Editor

It is no longer news that the General, Muhammadu Buhari has announced the appointment of his new Chief of Staff. However, what is really the main gist is that people like Mr. Bola Tinubu, who are waiting their turn, like those on queue to have a tryst with a helplessly abused maiden, shall be severely disappointed in 2023. I, Agbonmiregun, the man who daily visits the place of shifting cemetery to drink ogi with mean Irunmole , chuckled and laughed at the folly of those who thought that when it is their own turn, history shall be different. Haha, So was the stupid thought of Afonja in the 1825 when he decided to partner with the Fulani Preacher, Alimi; the foolish thought of S.L Akintola when he decided to align with the Fulani controlled Northern People’s Congress [NPC]; the stupid thinking of Obafemi Awolowo when he deluded himself that he was serving Nigeria when he agreed to serve under a Northern controlled Gowon government in 1967; the much stupider thinking of Chief MKO Abiola, when he served the Fulani interest. Abiola’s case is the most instructive in the contemporary history of Nigeria.

He had joined and financed the National Party of Nigeria, a Fulani party, with the hope that after the Fulani have had their turn at the bed-chambers of the charming Nigerian damsel, he shall have his own turn. So he patiently waited while he turned his Newspaper organization, THE NATIONAL CONCORD to the service of his paymaster in Babanriga[Does that ring a bell? It is no longer in THE National Concord but simply THE NATION]. But when the time came for him to bid for the presidential ticket of the party, the gatekeeper of the Fulani power in the Shagari government, Umaru Dikko looked MKO in the eye and told him that the ‘Presidential ticket of the NPN is not for sale to the highest bidder’. Abiola would later align with the Khaki boys he had been doing business with under the umbrella of the American CIA linked telecom company, ITT. Yes the same company Fela Anikulapo called INTERNATIONAL THIEF THIEF!!

Secret movements between Toyin street at Ikeja and Ikeja Army Cantonment near Obanikoro was noticed by my 401 Irunmole who had since left Ile Ife for Lagos since the 1914 amalgamation of Nigeria and they sent signals to me at Ibadan via the Orunmila channels. The Khaki boys drew the plans, the Yoruba chief brought out the dollars and his newspaper organization. However the Khaki boys also had their roaster of ascending to the bed-chambers of the sweet mistress Nigeria. Part of their plan was to hand-over power to a certain handsome Fulani infantry General who had control of troops in distant Jos in order to cement their hold on the state power before moving on to Plan- B. The great strategic mind here was the Ogbomoso man who till date had been disguising as a Nupe man in the Northern Nigerian faction of the Nigerian Army. But the implementer for this Ogbomoso man was the Kanuri man who also called himself a Kanawa, [Kano indigene], the man who whose eyes and true intention were always hidden behind dark goggles; the man who had helped saved more than 5 billion dollars in not loot but ‘assets’ according to our Minister of Justice, Mr. Malami; the man who like a good parent has been sending at least 300 million dollars to his Nigerian children from the grave every year!
Agbonmiregun had sent his irunmole to check the classified dossiers and archives to find out why the Ogbomoso but disguised as Nupe man and the Kanuri man chose the Fulani infantry General in December 31st 1983 as the head of their military government. They have since returned to report that it was simply for genetic reasons: Shagari, the ousted president was a Fulani man and an undiluted Fulani man must be given the power if the coup was to have legitimacy both in the Army and the northern society. Meanwhile our money-bag chief was assured that in 1987, the army shall organize an election and hand over power to him in an election. Just like they promised the guy whose effigy is on the 100 naira note in 1967.

Readers of Agbonmiregun, I am sorry that I took this longer route to the koko of my piece. You must pardon me, it is not easy for one to have lived for more than 6000 years and be a witness to the same human foibles and folly. What I, Agbonmiregun, had observed over the years is that for the Yoruba, the scene of accident is usually Ilorin. Ilorin is the place of intrigue, the point where the Fulani had their outpost in Yoruba land. A seasoned hunter can differentiate between the stealthy movement of the gazelle and that of the leopard in the forest just by the shifting of weeds. Ilorin, the city that is close to Al-Jannah the day of resurrection but very far from the fire of hell.

It was from Ilorin that the Alimi was able to trick the Yoruba Prince and General, Afonja . It was from Ilorin that the Fulani were able to sack Oyo-Katunga around 1827 and created the largest refugee problem in the history of Yoruba nation. We thank the Irunmole, the ebora and the valiant Ibadan soldiers who held the frontier and defeated the Fulani Army at the Jalumi war of 1840. If not for this, the Ooni would have been an Emir. I Agbomiregun, the true and just witness salute the bravery of our departed heroes, the Ibadan soldiers who came from all parts of Yoruba land to defend the land of the Ancestors. May we the soldiers of today not fail the Irunmole!

Thus with his mind on the deep and secret strategic map of his Fulani forebears, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, appointed a shadow Fulani from Ilorin in the person of Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon as his Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters in 1985. From 1967 to 1985 when Babangida grabbed power and installed himself as the ‘Military President’, Nigerian military administrators had always contented themselves with the title of ‘Head of State’. Hence their defacto vice-president was usually the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters. Indeed Lt. General Obasanjo was the COS, Supreme Hqters under General Ramat Muritala Muhammed. General Shehu Musa Yar’adua was the COS under Obasanjo. Thus under General Buhari, it was the shadow Fulani, Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon.

Why did I call Tunde Idiagbon a shadow Fulani? It is simply because after their conquest of Ilorin in 1825, the Fulani, as smart colonialists had perfected the heart of intermarrying with the aboriginal race, adopting the local customs and language and names in an apparent stratagem to indigenize their rule and thus remove the friction inherent in a blatantly alien dominance. They used that perfectly in Hausaland by speaking Hausa even though they have their own language, fulfude. So the Fulani of Ilorin had always adopted at least one Yoruba name and also speak the Yoruba language fluently FAHHhhhh so that the aboriginal Yoruba shall be perpetually confused. Furthermore the tool of Islamic religion became important in the hands of the Fulani for uniting the people behind them and dividing their potential enemies. Indeed Tunde Idiagbon, when some Yoruba leaders had gone to pay him a visit at the Supreme Headquarters, Dodan Barracks in 1984, without mincing words he had told them that he has not a single drop of Yoruba in him and that he was Fulani in totality. Those who view the dead with the eye of the past shall be undressed by an apparition.

The Lagos and Ogun state boys had always strived to appear to the rest of the Yoruba nation as the most cosmopolitan and globally connected than the rest of we the rustic and rural ‘Ara-oke’. So if we the ‘Ara-oke are warning or begging the Lagos and Ijegba [apologies to Wole Soyinka for adopting his coinage of his heritage as Ijebu and Egba and thus naming his forest house Ijegba Estate] to be careful like an Egungun running towards the interstate express road, they would mock us by saying: ‘oh no, that was in the past, we have now become an independent nation; oh that was in the past, we are now ONE NIGERIA; Oh that was in the past, WE ARE NOW in the MODERN ERA; Oh that was in the past WE ARE NOW IN A DEMOCRACY; Oh that was in PAST , BUHARI HAS SINCE changed!!

The mistake they, the Lagos and Ijegba boys always make is that they always start their politics with the premises that they are well educated and rich and that the Hausa-Fulani are daft and stupid! I call this the Afonja syndrome. The Afonja syndrome is not really about the betraying Yoruba as the Igbo would love to have it, it is about a proud and high ranking Yoruba thinking that he can use the Hausa-Fulani to do his dirty work of preparing the ladder for his ascendance to power because he thought the smiling and vacant eyed Fulani is STUPID!! They always discovered the truth at that moment of death when the Fulani’s dagger had found their spinal cord.
I, Agbonmiregun, the witness of human folly and foibles over a span of three millennia; the man who dines with Satan with the longest spoon, saw the movement of the weeds in the forest and instinctively knew that it was not the movement of the gazelle nor of the Leopard. Instead the hunting parties are in the bush. When I heard that the Fulani General Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a shadow Ilorin Fulani prince, the brother of the Emir of Ilorin as his Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters, I instinctively knew that the Lagos and Ijegba boys have been scammed once again!!!

Just like Tunde Idiagbon, the new Chief of Staff Supreme Hqters, has a Yoruba name but has not a single drop of Yoruba blood inside him. He is no Omoluabi. His loyalty is totally to the Emirate in general and the grand Emir Buhari in particular. He carries a dagger with him and the head of the present day Afonjas shall roll. History in its finest rendition is prophecy; let those that have ears hear what the spirit says to the churches.

DELTA POLICE BOSS BLOWS HOT

In this long article below, Delta State Police Commissioner talks with Vanguard Correspondents on Fulani Herdsmen. It is an explosive piece. Read and as we say, "shine ya eye"


........
DELTA POLICE BOSS BLOWS HOT: Some monarchs collect money, give Fulani herdsmen to build camps

•Wonders why people don’t scrutinize such dangerous affairs
 •What we saw when police raked forest between Ibusa-Okpanam ‘re startling

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, Festus Ahon and Sunday Chancel

COMMISSIONER of Police, Delta State, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, did not plan to detonate a bombshell, but facing Saturday Vanguard on the hot seat, last Friday, he did when he disclosed that some royal fathers in the state were accumulating money from Fulani herdsmen and giving them sanctuaries to build camps. In a no-holds-barred interview with this paper, the state police boss expressed disbelief that Deltans would rather prefer to keep mute than interrogate the land deals, which from present-day happenings have put some communities at the mercy of rampaging Fulani herdsmen.

His words: “One of the traditional rulers at one time was so perplexed and ran to his counterpart with regard to the way and manner he was giving Fulanis sanctuaries with reckless abandon. Are they giving the land for free? We are aware they are collecting money from these Fulani herdsmen and people are not looking at all these things.” Maintaining social distancing and compliantly wearing face masks, Saturday Vanguard’s three-man crew met Inuwa, incidentally a Mass Communication graduate, more than ready for the interview, especially with the manner he took the bullets (questions) fired at him. The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, who sat quiet at a distance was the only other officer in the expansive office, as we drilled her boss.

We started – Suspected herdsmen have been on rampage in Delta, especially in Ibusa, Issele-Azagba, Okpanam, Azagba-Ogwashi-Uku and before now in Uwheru Kingdom. We want to know when as a Commissioner of Police, you will be able to stop hostage taking and kidnapping in Delta state?

Inuwa responded: “First of all, I want to tell you that as Police, it is our constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property. Crime and criminality thrive everywhere. What I am trying to say is that there is no society all over the world that is isolated from crime one hundred percent. However, our ability to bring criminality to tolerable level is what makes us as a security force.” ”So, people should stop seeing or looking for government to provide absolute security for them. If all the security agencies would come together they cannot give a hundred percent security without the tacit cooperation of members of the public, absolute security is impossible. ”Members of the public must know that they too have civic responsibilities to themselves, to their communities, to the state and the nation at large. Unfortunately, this is absent in our people generally and I’m not particular about any state or sector. ”The answer is yes, we have been making series of arrests and recoveries. We have arrested some kidnappers at Oghara, who are Fulani and we handed them to the Commissioner of Police, Kogi state. We also arrested some of them somewhere close to Edo state and handed over to Commissioner of Police, Edo state, who also handed them over to Commissioner of Police, Kogi state. We are trying to see if we can recover their arms based on the information we get.

Poser
 “What people fail to understand is that the criminals know the law enforcement officers, but we do not know them. The people within those communities know the criminals. Let me be blunt, there are insider-connivers. There are locals that are conniving with these criminals. Tell me, I ask you, what role are the communities playing in giving us such information or exposing these people? When we get one of these criminals, definitely we will get the rest!

‘When you talk about Issele-Azagba, I realized that things were happening there and what we needed to do was try to make it a little bit independent place that will have its own police. I dispatched three police teams and made them permanent there. I even gave them a brand new patrol pick-up van for the security of the place.

”Are the vigilante groups I am supposed to work with helping matters?

 The answer is no! What about the communities? No! In fact, I want to use this opportunity to commend the Chairman of Aniocha North local government area for providing a place for my men to stay in Issele-Azagba. Let me be blunt to tell you that as we are serious in this issue, there are some persons sabotaging our efforts. The question is, who are the people giving the Fulani herdsmen sanctuaries to establish camps? People have to look at all these.

”Recently, we did what we call “Operation Flush out Kidnappers” from Ibusa down to Okpanam.

 We were amazed at what we saw in all these bushes around and behind the Asaba Airport. One of the traditional rulers at one time was so perplexed and ran to his counterpart with regard to the way and manner he is giving Fulanis sanctuaries with reckless abandon. Are they giving the land for free? We are aware they are collecting money from these Fulani herdsmen and people are not looking at all these things. ”Well, even if you are born and brought up in Delta as a Fulani man and you are doing your business, yes, it is your country and you can move around. But, if there are bad eggs amongst you, will you pretend to tell me that you do not know them? If you know them and you did not inform us, you are also a criminal because you are aiding and abating. ”The police in the state are doing a lot. The only help we need from the communities is information on the way and manner crime and criminality are thriving in the communities. One thing I want people to understand is that crime knows no tribe, religion and borders.

”The way people, who are criminally-minded are partnering with some of these so-called suspected herdsmen in the state is alarming. The vigilante groups of Delta North need surgical operation in the sense that they have been infiltrated by criminals. On whether policemen in Delta state were adequately armed with sophisticated weapons to tackle criminals, as information at our disposal suggests that policemen run away from armed herdsmen on grounds that they do not have superior weapons to tackle criminals? Herdsmen collude with locals He was direct: “Yes, we need more men, especially from the rank of inspector and rank and file because they are what we refer to as the foot soldiers; they aid us in tackling crime and criminality. On the other hand, if our policemen are running away from Fulani herdsmen, how come they get killed, maimed and what have you? Were they running away when they were killed? Were they running away when they sustained life-threatening injuries? No! We use to have encounters.

 These so-called Fulani herdsmen are conniving with locals to perpetrate crime.” The police divisions are the heartbeat of police operations in the state. Most DPOs do not have imprests to run their police stations. They do not have money to buy fuel to run police vans, repair vans, etc., how can they operate in such condition? Saturday Vanguard probed further DPOs get funds monthly from IGP to run police stations Inuwa retorted: “Well, they should make use of what comes to them directly from the Inspector General of Police. The IGP in his own wisdom sends money directly to DPOs on monthly basis. In fact, as Commissioner of Police I do not even know what goes to them. I only see it on paper, but how much I do not know. They have no reason whatever to revert to Commissioner of Police. Delta govt cares for all security agencies Regarding support from the state government, he asserted,

“The governor is trying his best. He is doing his best to make sure that not only the police force, but all other security agencies in the state are supported and carried along. As a demonstration of that, not quite long, he rolled out over 30 vehicles to all the security agencies, including the military and the DSS. He demonstrated how proactive he is and his government in the lockdown of the state in making sure COVID-19 is adequately managed.”

 Delta vigilante best in the country despite challenges What is the synergy between the police in the state, vigilante groups and other stakeholders in terms of policing the state?

The Commissioner said: ”As far as other stakeholders are concerned, I do not know, but I want to state that irrespective of the problems we are having with vigilante groups, I am telling you there is no geographical zone I have not served in this country and I have never come across a wonderful vigilante group that works harmoniously with the police than the Delta State Vigilante group.” According to him: “We are aspiring to get the best set of vigilante and that is why there is need for the traditional rulers, stakeholders and local government chairmen, who are part of the stakeholders to put eyes on these vigilante. I am telling you that the vigilante groups are assisting the police in the state.”

As far as we are concerned, apart from other formerly established security agencies, the next best you can hear from us shall be the vigilante groups in the state. As a testimony to that, I have already started moving to Area Commands, meeting with stakeholders sensitizing them that these people need assistance. Is it in terms of providing them with uniforms, boots, batteries, torchlights and what have you? Most of them are married and they need support. It will not be out of place if they are recognized and given allowances at the end of the month. I never told Ughelli DPO not to accept exhumed corpses of villagers killed by herdsmen Why did you ask the Ughelli Division ‘A’ DPO not to accept the exhumed corpse of the Uwheru farmers when they were brought to the police station?

Commissioner Inuwa, who never wanted to be boxed to a corner throughout the interview replied: “How sure are you that was my directive? Telling person to find out where those corpses were exhumed is different from not accepting them, you understand! It is our duty to know the circumstances that led to their deaths. You cannot bring anything for me to accept.” ”Our people lack patience. You come to the police with a beautiful case, we investigate it, confirm it, take it to court, but you do not have the patience to pursue it in court,” he added, shedding light on one of the biggest difficulties of the police in crime protection. What have the police done with the herdsmen arrested during in the Uwheru attack? He quickly retorted: “There is nobody arrested that is spared; we have charged them to court.” He reechoed again: “Our people lack patience. You come to the police with a beautiful case, we investigate it, confirm it, take it to court but you do not have the patience to pursue it in court.” Imam, who threatened police arrested, convicted So, what is the update in the case involving the Ekakpamre Imam that incited his followers against the police? He snapped: “When that incident happened I really felt bad because I was away in Abuja on official duty. However, I called the DPO and gave him the directive that he must arrest the Imam. But, he gave me the reasons for not arresting him at that scene.” ”I gave same instruction to the Area Commander that on no account should the man escape justice because if my command will arrest pastors and prosecute them, why will he not be given same treatment? This is because justice is one. This Imam was arrested last week Saturday or Friday and we prosecuted him on Monday. As I speak with you, he is an ex-convict because he was convicted,” he said.

We questioned Commissioner Inuwa further – Burutu Area Command has 22 police officers with three rifles and one pistol. Mr Commissioner, how do you expect these policemen to police over 74 communities? He simply answered:”You see, we make use of what we have to provide service.” Inuwa’s challenge We were made to understand that part of plans to protect Fulani herdsmen, Northerners are being brought in to head police divisions in Delta state. How true is this, sir?

He was obviously waiting for it and replied: “I challenge anybody, please, out of 53 police divisions, how many northerners are heading divisions? Posting and transfers of officers are management decisions at the Force Headquarters in which they do not need to consult me and nobody can question the authority of the Inspector General of Police on how to run his administration,” The encounter, Inuwa’s first time on the hot seat with a national newspaper ended on spectacular note. “There is a very sad discovery we made at Abor Police Division, which is that the division raided in 2018 by suspected militants/pirates, who took away five AK 47 rifles and some rifles belonging to a vigilante group, has no firearms to operate until now, are you aware of this situation? Saturday Vanguard fired Question Delta Compol couldn’t answer Inuwa, who apparently never expected such a closely-guarded secret to be to the knowledge of journalists, rejoined: “I am not, as far as I am concerned. I am not aware, I am yet to be briefed on this.” It was the only question he could not answer in the 30-minute encounter. In all, it was a far engaging interview than we thought. We look forward to another frank encounter with the blunt Commissioner.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/05/delta-police-boss-blows-hot-some-monarchs-collect-money-give-fulani-herdsmen-to-build-camps/

When billionaire Aliko DANGOTE speaks in a simple and clear language

When billionaire Aliko DANGOTE speaks in a simple and clear language, he says:

By observing different social groups, a fact will disturb you.

- THE CHINESE:
The Chinese always evolve into a very closed group and if you see an African among them, it is surely the one who occupies the lowest level of the group: driver, security agent, maintenance agent. The Chinese always eat in Chinese restaurants. When they have to stock up, they prefer Chinese shops. When they want to import produts into Africa, they only take it from China.

- THE LEBANESE
The Lebanese remain partitioned between them. They eat Lebanese, they buy Lebanese, send their children to Lebanese schools. Do Africans date Lebanese girls? But an African girl will be proud to strut with a Lebanese. And when they both go to Lebanon, you will hear that the young African girl is mistreated, introduced into prostitution networks or even killed at the great indifference of the African elites and NGOS.

- THE INDO-PAKISTANIS
They, like Chinese and Lebanese, return to each other. They don't eat African, don't wear African clothes. And paradoxically, they import African fabrics in Africa. And in the major market of Africa, they hold with the Lebanese, whole parts of the economics of the States. The always go home to marry their own.
These three groups are the top of the distribution of imported products in Africa. They are wholesalers or semi-wholesalers. And the Negroes we are, let us remain simple retailers on our own soil. Can Africans have as much power in those countries? I wonder.

- THE EUROPEANS
The Europeans, on the other hand, constitute a seperate group, that of the very superior. You will never see them own a store in an African market. It's too low for them. It will tarnish their skin. They come under the name "co-operators". With a Bachelor's degree plus two years of education, they come to give lessons to African graduates, on topics... much better mastered by the Africans. Neither the European, the Chinese, the Lebanese or the Indo-Pakistani, will ever open the doors of a restaurant "African specialities".

Dear Africans, when we buy from a Lebanese,  a Chinese, an Indo-Pakistani, rather than an African, we enrich a foreigner who will one day take out his money fraudulently, without ever anything lasting in our States before going home. There is no connection.

On the other hand, the African is linked to a given level to your family, near or far. When we buy from an African, we help a family member somewhere.

"AFRICANS BECOME AWARE, SHARE THIS AWARENESS. Why should we take so long to figure this out? But it is never too late to come to reason. Doesn't it bother us to be the last? The poorest (knowing that we are the richest)? The least respected? The least educated? The least considered when they need us to get rich?
Yes, they all come to us to get rich. We can change things without relying on politicians. They only have their eyes  on money, power, betray their people and unfairly open the door of our continent to these same traitors groups.
Dear brothers and sisters  let us seek African, find African, consume African, create African, enrich ourselves and/or another African family, or our own country, city, village, we will experience prosperity. It does not lie ans it has proven its worth in the Jewish community, which is one, if not the most prosperous on the world. Let us organize ourselves. We are more powerful than you think. Everything starts one day, they could do it, why not us? We have the same number of brains.
Let's erase the feeling of inferiority they injected into our heads. If every African takes the first step, that's a lot of steps. I'll let you make the calculation".

READ, TRANSLATE AND SHARE LIKE YOU NEVER HAVE, TAKE 5 MINUTES AND SEND TO EVERY AFRICAN CONTACT ON YOUR DIRECTORY.

THANK YOU,

I LOVE YOU CONSCIOUS AFRICA!!!

Abacha's Loot: Let Us Worship The North And Forget Other Regions

 By Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed

The recent set of Abacha’s loots will soon be squandered, probably that will be the end of infrastructural development in the North, since Abacha, who massively plundered the treasury is from there.

Desperation gave birth to nepotism in addendum to modern slavery by the President Muhammadu Buhari regime. The rule of law has also been manipulated since the attainment of independence.


Abacha’s loot seems to be a source of joy for this administration and an opportunity to re-loot, while any suggestion to invest on human capital and ultimately boost the economy is considered a taboo.

The poverty rate in Nigeria is alarmingly high and a higher percentage of it comes from the North. The population density in the Northern part of the country serves as a reason for leaders in the region to hide under the guise of population growth to defraud ordinary northerners, because majority of them lack basic education.

The deliberate misleading claim of one Nigeria when one region is considered more important than others, has summarily overruled the power of the rule of law.


Insecurity has enchained a large portion of the North, whilst Boko Haram, bandits and herdsmen have turned the region into a business class of criminality, despite the billions of Naira allocated to the state governors as security votes.

President Muhammadu Buhari has long forgotten his famous slogan: "Corruption”, which was his favourite topic during the 2015 campaign, and which ultimately served as a vehicle that conveyed him to his eventual victory.

Abacha’s recovered loot seem to be owned by the North since the inception of it recovery.  The recent Abacha loot released by the US to the Nigerian Government has caused controversial innuendos in the country. The loot has been reportedly set aside to develop only the Northern part of the country at a time we are facing a global pandemic.

Deceit is not synonymous with wisdom. It is sad that this is happening at a time when the government needs to build world-class healthcare centres in all the 774 local government areas in the country to fight the pandemic and to reduce the spread of the virus and other similar diseases. It is a moment that the government ought to finance and mobilize researchers of local herbs and medical sciences to embark on various researches in a bid to beat COVID-19 and to subsequently have reliable facilities that we can rely upon in case of any future eventuality.

The sad story is that we live in a country led by wolves and hyenas, a country where its resources have consistently been left in the hands of a selected few who have mismanaged and plundered the future of several unborn generations.

If what took laughter away from the crow, had befallen the vulture, it would have been stuck on its eggs. If the Buhari regime is only considering the planned work of Northern agenda by leaving other regions to die on their feet or bow to the Northern leaders before they can survive the ongoing hardship and negligence, then there’s nothing like one Nigeria.

Why is it that the government is afraid of using the recovered loots for the re-construction and dualisation of Benin-Warri, Benin-Okene, Okene-Lokoja roads that are better described today as death traps? Lagos to Calabar rail line has long been abandoned, too. The re-construction of these roads will not only benefit citizens, it will inevitably boost the economy seeing that these roads serve as bridges between the North and the South, thereby encouraging consistent trade between the regions.

Our refineries have turned to abandoned project. Kaduna, Warri, Port Harcourt refineries are not functioning. We are importing what we have in billions because of the negligence of President Muhammadu Buhari who also served as the Minister of Petroleum. Leadership is not based on influences or years spent in an organization or a period during which one served as a public figure. Leadership is based on commitment, competence and consistency, all of which eventually birth trust.

The Nigerian system is promoting mediocrity and nepotism by deploying resources gotten from other regions to build up the North. It is as if other regions in the six geo-political zones are designed to worship and bow to the North!

The recent set of Abacha’s loots will soon be squandered, probably that will be the end of infrastructural development in the North, since Abacha, who massively plundered the treasury is from there.

BUHARI OLANREWAJU AHMED

What Make Public Officers Bad

This is from Donald Duke: 
A former governor of Cross River State:

When I See Public Office Holders Misbehaving, Probably They Do Not Have a Good Wife or a Good Marriage

As governor, I was on call 24/7 sometimes.
I got very angry and could take my anger on anyone.
So, my chief of protocol bore the brunt one day.
I had a reception for guests and he placed them in rooms, not the way I would have done it, but he didn’t do anything wrong.
He used his own judgment.
I would have done it the other way, but I over reacted.
I spoke very harsh to him.
While I was doing this, my wife walked in and didn’t say a word.
She goes in, does some other things in my office and left.

When I got back home in the evening, I’d forgotten about it. It’s just a normal event in the day.
And she said to me, the way I spoke to this guy was wrong and that I had to go and apologise to him.
She said I had no reason to speak to anyone like that.
I said, what! He did this and she said, ‘Yes, I heard everything.

The way you would have done it was different, but he didn’t do a bad thing. He used his discretion. So, what are you going to do? You have destroyed that. Tomorrow, he is not going to do anything discretionally.
He would wait for orders and then you will get irritated at that. You have made him lose his self-confidence and that is wrong. You need to go and apologise to him. Why should you speak to someone like that? Because you are governor?’
I ignored her. I was in my room still fuming and she came back, and said I had to do it that night and not tomorrow because I kept saying I would do it tomorrow.
She said no, tonight. That he was not going to sleep well and so I did not have the right to sleep well when he was not sleeping well.
I said OK.
We got into the car and we drove to his house.
I knocked on the door.
His wife turned in.
They were about to go to bed.
She was in her night gown.
She saw me and was scared with the expression of, ‘Okay, you have come to fire my husband finally’.
The guy came downstairs, petrified.
My wife and I walked in.


The wife wanted to get up and leave.
I told the guy I came to apologise for my rude and harsh behaviour towards him and I told him am sorry.

They all got emotional but I got relief.

It was like a load had been taken off me.


I still get upset with things going up wrong, but I don’t get to a point I feel I am too big to say sorry.
And am learning to treat people better.
You can be referred to as your excellency today, but, the best, it will only last 8 years.
Senator?
Minister?

It isnt forever .
permanent sec! isnt permanent and we all know it's just a title and not a life long  position, Director,
CEO?,
DG
etc?

Life is a stage, a platform For services unto God.

 So let everyone take heed. Forgive and have regard for Human being.


God  bless you richly. Feel free to share it if you are blessed.

HOW TO PULL NIGERIA FROM THE BRINK

By Atiku Abubakar


On Monday, April 27, 2020, British oil and gas giant, BP, became the latest in a growing number of energy firms to declare a massive quarterly loss. Their loss was in the region of $4.4 billion dollars. Bear in mind that this was a conglomerate that posted a $2.6 billion profit in the corresponding quarter of 2019.

The challenges that are already engulfing the oil and gas sector will continue to plague that industry for at least the rest of the year, and may reach apocalyptic levels sooner than we expect. As I write this, there are hundreds of crude oil laden ships, all filled up, with nowhere to berth, and accruing daily charges of an average of $30,000.

We have also seen crude oil prices plunge to record lows, to the extent that some variants of the product have been given out for free, or worse still, producers have paid storage facilities to take their products. As at today, Nigeria is pricing its very low sulphur sweet crude at $10 per barrel, yet buyers are balking. Our sweet crude is becoming a little bitter.

I had earlier warned that Nigeria needs a Strategic Reserve to store unsold crude. Now, we have so much crude and no one to buy it, nowhere to store it, and little idea what to do with it. Barely three years ago, I had also alerted that the “crude thinking” promoted by our dependence on crude oil will lead to a rude shock.

“If you are still talking about oil, you are in the past. As far as I am concerned, the era of oil is gone. If you want to believe it, believe it. If you do not want to believe it, you will see it. It is crude thinking to continue to talk and base development projections on crude oil”, I had said at a public event in the nation’s capital.
We must face the fact that reliance on crude oil is failing Nigeria and other mono product economy crude oil exporters.

Now is the time for Nigeria and her contemporaries to cure their addiction to sweet crude. For far too long we have grown high on our own supply, to the extent that we have neglected almost every other sector of our economy.

This present rude awakening should be seen as a blessing in disguise — a blessing that compels us to take those drastic actions that will free us from the crude oil trap. We need to diversify our economy, and yes, it is easier said than done, but that does not mean it is an impossible task.

Prior to Nigeria’s October 1, 1960 independence from Great Britain, not only were we a nation self reliant in food production, but we also exported food to other countries, earning precious foreign exchange in the process.

Who can forget the great groundnut pyramids in Northern Nigeria? For example, in 1957, agriculture formed a whopping 86% of our export revenue. By 1977, agricultural exports had dwindled to 6%, and today, the figure is less than 3%.

How did our country go from being a net exporter of agricultural products to a net importer of food products? How did we go from a country that could feed itself to one that desperately depends on foreign imports for survival? The answer to these questions is leadership focus.

During elections, Nigerian politicians spend a significant amount of their campaign time discussing how they will manage the nation’s resources. However, the fundamental difference between a leader and a manager is that while a manager focuses on managing existing resources, a leader sets out a creative vision which the country must follow to chart a course to political and socio-economic greatness.

Certainly, what is abundantly clear is that Nigeria is never going to become an industrialized nation by selling more oil, even if the oil market recovers. The lessons from Venezuela’s current predicament come to mind. If oil and gas could have saved any nation, that nation would be Venezuela. Unfortunately, Venezuela is bankrupt and insolvent.

Saudi Arabia, despite its huge reserves and a highly publicized listing of Saudi Aramco, is feeling the pinch and working rapidly towards its Vision 2030, which requires Saudi Arabia to diversify from its dependence on Oil. Other prudent countries facing the same predicament are doing the same.

Oil economies need to learn a thing or two about economic diversification from the United Arab Emirates. Despite being a young nation, the leadership of the UAE has managed to diversify the economy of this country from an almost complete reliance on oil in the 1970s, to a country where 72% of the GDP comes from the non oil sectors of the economy such as aviation, tourism and services sectors.

In Nigeria, our diversification should embrace agriculture as the primary sector earmarked for development, because agriculture is a low hanging fruit, is key to ensuring food subsistence, and with the recent signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AFCTA), which favors Nigeria’s economy greatly, Nigeria can take advantage of this to become an agricultural powerhouse in Africa.
For example, Africa has the lowest intra continental trade amongst the seven continents.

Indeed, 68% of Europe’s trade is within the continent. However, Africa does more trade with non African nations than we do amongst each other. Our intra-continental trade is an abysmal 18%. This must change and Nigeria is key to altering this sad state of affairs.

Within the Agricultural sector, the African continent in 2014, earned $2.4 billion from the export of coffee to Europe. That sounds impressive. However, one country alone, Germany, made $3.8 billion from re-exporting Africa’s coffee in 2014. This trend continued into 2015, 2016 and has not changed to date.

What is it that Germany does to add value to the coffee, cocoa, and other produce that they buy from Africa that we cannot do in Nigeria? Nigeria can easily become a value-added re-exporter of African coffee to the world.
Ditto for tea, cocoa, wheat, sugar cane, and other cash crops.

There are none of these products that I have mentioned that Nigeria cannot either grow in commercial quantities or add value to, in the same way other industrialized economies are doing. I should know because I am already practicing what I am advocating. I have multiple profitable farms and other businesses in the agricultural value chain.

With about 60% of its land assessed as arable, I truly believe that Nigeria is capable of becoming the food basket of the rest of Africa, and in the process, it can capture a sizable portion of the $48 billion that goes towards food imports in Africa. That money should be circulating within Africa, strengthening our currencies, growing our GDPs, and enriching our people.

I was in Benin Republic recently and I was informed by one of the most successful industrialists in the country that Benin buys its cement from China. Why should a country that shares land borders with Nigeria have to import cement from China 7000 miles away, when Dangote cement is perfectly able, and I am sure willing, to provide the same product at a competitive price?

Is this not what the AFCTA agreement is meant to promote? Why would Nigeria maintain an insane policy of border closures at a time it desperately needs them open to promote trade?

Now is the time for Nigeria to make those hard decisions it has postponed for far too long otherwise the alternative is an apocalyptic scenario we would rather not entertain.

We must, as nation, begin to invest our resources wisely in order to maximize dividends. We must liberalize our land tenure system to make it possible and easy for some of the 27 million unemployed Nigerians to become farmers, even as sharecroppers.

Last year, Ethiopia mobilized its 100 million strong population to plant 350 million trees in 12 hours (a world record). Nigeria can similarly mobilize its population of twice that number to plant billions of cash crops through the planting season. It is possible. I have repeatedly charged my farm associates to sow seeds and they have done so successfully.

When the huge opportunities of agriculture are combined with a rejuvenated manufacturing and MSMEs sectors, then a new era of sustainability and prosperity beckons for Africa.

Nigeria is at the lowest point we have ever been as a nation. We have over indulged on seemingly cheap loans and have quadrupled our foreign debt in just four years. Taking more of such loans will just sink our country deeper and deeper into a quagmire. What is certain is that we can not continue with things the way they are now, except we want to ensure an implosion of our dearly beloved nation.

We must cut our coat, not according to our size, but according to our cloth.

Our Presidential Air Fleet of almost 10 planes should go. Our jumbo budgets for our legislature must go. The planned $100 million renovation of our Parliament must be cancelled. We cannot be funding non necessities with debt and not expect our economy to collapse.

Our civil servants must come to the realization that Nigeria cannot sustain its size and profligacy. The same cost saving measures must be adopted by the states and councils government.

From henceforth, our energies, resources and focus, must be on how we can diversify our economy, not on how we can increase our expenditure.

Echoes From the Creeks: The Story of Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha

by Onigegewura

The flight from Germany to London Heathrow Airport was short and smooth. A passenger in the first class section of the aircraft however wished the flight was shorter. He had just been discharged from a hospital in Germany where he was operated on for three hours and sixteen minutes. His stitches had been removed only a few hours earlier and he was planning to rest for some days in London before going back to Nigeria. 

The aircraft had hardly stopped when the passenger noticed that officers of the London Metropolitan Police had surrounded the plane. Some of them entered the plane and asked in a very loud voice: “Will Mr. Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and his two children kindly step forward?”

Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, the governor of Bayelsa State was surprised at the announcement. He managed to lift himself up from his seat, taking extra care because of his recently operated tummy. As a former military officer, he was however not afraid. He knew that once he identified himself as a serving executive Governor in Nigeria, they would apologise profusely for their mistake and allow him to go.

The governor however sensed that this was not just another routine check when the senior police officer who collected his diplomatic passport told him he was under arrest for money laundering.  The governor was not a legal practitioner, but he knew enough law to know that a governor enjoyed immunity from arrest and prosecution. He told the officers that he could not be arrested as a serving governor and that technically he was not yet on British soil under international law as he was yet to disembark from the plane.

His legal arguments however fell on the deaf ears of the British officers. They insisted that he must be arrested and that his country had waived his constitutional immunity. He was immediately handcuffed. When he was asked whether he knew a particular lady, he knew instantly that he had inadvertently walked into a cleverly laid trap.

He was politely informed that his London home would be searched. He demanded to see a warrant. It was shown to him. It was clear that they were leaving nothing to search. At his residence at 247 Water Gardens in Paddington area of London, the sum of GBP920, 000 in British pounds sterling and United States dollar was discovered in a safe. It was at this point that His Excellency was taken to Ilford Police Station where he was formally arrested for money laundering.

The news hit Nigeria like a shockwave.  His Excellency Governor Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, the Governor of Bayelsa State, the revered Governor-General of Ijaw Nation had been arrested in London!

DSP, as he was fondly called, was a physical giant and a political heavyweight. As a governor, he lived up to the meaning of his mouthful and jaw-breaking surname, Alamieyeseigha [pronounced as al-uh-mess-EE-ya] which means ‘the king can do no wrong’. As a governor, he was larger than life. His influence was however not limited to his native State. His was a figure that was recognized throughout Nigeria. In case you have forgotten, DSP was the Ganuwan Katsina [Advisor of Katsina]. He was the first person who was not of Islamic faith to be so honoured by the Katsina Emirate.

Following his retirement as a Squadron Leader from the Nigerian Air Force in 1992, he emerged as the governor of the oil-rich Bayelsa State on the country’s return to civil rule on May 29, 1999.

His Deputy was a former lecturer, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. It was a perfect pairing. Whereas the governor was boisterous and ebullient, his deputy was reticent and preferred to stay in the background. 

Unknown to DSP, he had been under coordinated surveillance even before he left the shores of Nigeria for his surgery in Germany. The London Metropolitan Police had earlier arrested a woman who was said to have tried to transfer between GBP10m and GBP20m from an account in the HSBC in London. The lady reportedly confessed fronting for the governor. Hence, the British Police officers were waiting patiently for DSP when he arrived at Heathrow.

At Ilford Police Station, DSP was granted conditional bail on self-recognizance. His passport was however impounded and he was asked to remain in London pending the conclusion of investigation into his case of alleged money laundering. He was also mandated to report daily to Paddington Green Police Station.

The news of DSP’s arrest was as incredible as the news of snowfall in Sahara Desert. From Bayelsa to Bauchi, From Langtang to Lagos, from Jos to Ijebu-Jesa, it was the same question on everyone’s lips: Could it be true? Almost everyone became an emergency expert on constitutional law. Lawyers and non-lawyers were having a field day on different television and radio channels analyzing the implication of the arrest.

DSP knew that the cards were stacked against him. He knew that if his country had not left him in the cold, the British could not have arrested him. He was however determined to fight back. After all, he was a trained fighter. He had been trained to fight as a military man. He put a call across to one of the most brilliant legal minds in London who incidentally was from Nigeria.

Fidelis Oditah is one of the few legal practitioners privileged to reach the pinnacle of their careers on two continents. A first class graduate of University of Lagos, he obtained his PhD from Oxford University in 1989. He became a Queen’s Counsel in 2003 and the following year, he was appointed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Oditah reviewed the facts of the case and according to DSP, the learned Senior Advocate “said the treatment meted out to me was not fair and that we should go to court to vacate some of the bail conditions.”

Oditah promptly filed necessary applications before the Redbridge Magistrates Court. On September 27, 2005, the Learned Queen’s Counsel argued the application. I have told you Oditah is brilliant but what you may not know is how brilliant he is. Let me digress. Oditah taught briefly at the Nigerian Law School before proceeding to London for his postgraduate studies. On this particular day, he stood before the podium in the Law School auditorium dictating his note to the students. The students didn’t realize anything was amiss until he moved away from the podium and the dictation continued. Yes! The genius was dictating the note without any note!


In less than 30 minutes, Oditah had argued his application. He was as smooth as silk and as persuasive as a poet. The Magistrate was convinced by the sublime arguments proffered. The conditional bail granted the former Squadron Leader was held to be invalid. The court declared that the police bail conditions were null and void.

Ganuwan Katsina was a free man!

DSP thought the worst was over. If only he knew.

As he stepped out of the court, he was immediately surrounded by officers of the Metropolitan Police. For the second time, Governor Alamieyeseigha was under arrest. He was again taken to his house where another round of search was conducted. According to the police, a fresh GBP100, 000 was found while another GBP5, 000 was found on him. When he was questioned, the governor reportedly retorted: “What is GBP100, 000?”

Twenty fours hours later, DSP was formally brought before the Bow Street Magistrates Court where he was arraigned on a three-count charge of money laundering. He was brought to court from police custody. If he was under any stress, it was not showing. He was sporting a light blue striped shirt under an overall navy blue sweater and trousers.


The first count of his charge was that he committed a criminal act of money laundering by being in possession of GBP920, 000 in pounds and US dollars contrary to the provisions of section 327(1) of Proceeds of Crime Act 2000. He was also charged with having GBP420, 000 in his account. The third count was that DSP transferred GBP475, 000 to another account contrary to section 93(1) of the Criminal Justice Act.

Following his arraignment, the court ordered that the governor-general be detained at Brixton Prison and his trial for money laundering was fixed for December 8. Brixton Prison was built in 1820 and had earned reputation as one of the worst prisons in London. However following several reforms, it is now a Category C training establishment and inmates can pursue a range of education courses at the prison’s Learning Skill Centre.

As the crow flies, the distance between Brixton Prison and his posh residence in Paddington is less than 7 miles. However it was a huge and uncomfortable transition for DSP who, a few days before, was mingling with the high and the mighty in the society. Now he found himself in the basement of life with the down and out. According to him: “They took me to Brixton Prison and kept me with mad people. I was with mad people for 15 days!”

I have told you that DSP was a fighter. He quickly asked his lawyers to apply for his bail. On October 4, hearing of his application for bail began at the Southwark Crown Court before His Honour Mr. Justice Geoffrey Rivlin who is also a Queen’s Counsel. His Lordship is the author of Understanding the Law. By the way, I hope you didn’t pronounce the name of the court as ‘south walk.’ On my first visit to the court, I told Taiwo Olaniyi that I have been to ‘south walk’. He started laughing. He then told me that the 'w' and the 'r' are silent.


Finally, on October 11 – fifteen days after he was ordered to be incarcerated with the ‘mad people’, DSP was granted bail by the Crown Court. It was however not an unconditional bail. It is what my prosecutor friend, Gbolahan Adeniran would call ‘bail with stringent conditions.’ According to Justice Geoffrey Rivlin, the bail was granted on six conditions.

In the first place, DSP must live and sleep in an address known to the court. He must also report daily to a police station known to the court. That’s not all. Securities must be lodged with the court to a total sum of GBP500, 000. DSP must provide three sureties of GBP250, 000. He was also restricted from going within three miles of any port or airport. The last condition was that he must not leave the jurisdiction of the court and he must not apply for the release of his travel documents.

Stringent conditions notwithstanding, DSP was able to perfect the terms of the bail. And for the moment, he was a free man.

There was however a small problem. DSP knew that as a governor he couldn’t remain indefinitely in the United Kingdom. He therefore asked his lawyers to ask the court to vary his bail conditions so as to enable him to travel to Nigeria in order to deal with the affairs of Bayelsa State. He asked for only four weeks. He undertook to be back to face his trial. The crown court considered the application. It was refused.

DSP must remain in London.

Following the refusal of the crown court to grant him bail, it appeared that Governor would not be allowed to leave Britain in a hurry. Yet he knew that it was risky for him to govern the state from ‘exile’. He therefore sent a letter to the House of Assembly asking for 120 days leave to enable him attend to his health challenges. There was no reference in the letter about his case in London. The thinking of the governor was that within the requested 4 months, his travails in London would have been over.

The governor was however shocked to his marrows when he learnt that two of his avowed loyalists in the House, the Speaker, Boyelayefa Debekem, and the Deputy Speaker, Jephter Foingha, had been relieved of their parliamentary positions. In their stead, the House appointed Peremobowei Ebebi and Bright Ereware as the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker respectively.

As if that was not enough, the governor was also informed that his deputy, the reticent Goodluck Jonathan, had been formally sworn in as the Acting Governor. To compound the matter, rumour of impeachment began to fly around the State. The governor realized that he had become the proverbial hen that perched on a line. Adie ba l’okun, ara ko ro okun, ara ko ro adie. Neither the hen nor the line would be comfortable. Something had to be done.

I have told you that the governor general was a dogged fighter. He instructed his lawyers to file a fresh application at the High Court of Justice. This time around, it was an application lawyers call ‘habeas corpus’ which is a Latin for ‘Produce the Body’ that was filed. The Court however asked whether such an application could be brought by someone who was already released on bail. Counsel immediately got the hint and the application was changed to that of judicial review.

Without boring you with the legal details, the issue raised in the new application was whether the decision to prosecute DSP should be quashed on the grounds that he was entitled to sovereign immunity in his capacity as Governor and Chief Executive of Bayelsa State, which is a constituent part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In other words, the issue before the Royal Court of Justice was whether a Governor and a Chief Executive of a State, which is a constituent part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is entitled to immunity in criminal proceedings brought in the United Kingdom.


This time around, DSP was represented by two formidable Queen’s Counsel, one of whom was a professor of law: Edward Fitzgerald and Professor Malcolm Shaw. The Crown Prosecution Service was also represented by another brilliant Queen’s Counsel in person of Jonathan Fisher.

Before I tell you what happened at the hearing of the application, I must tell you something else that had occurred. You already know that it does not rain, it pours, right? On Tuesday, November 8, the First Lady of Bayelsa, the wife of the embattled governor, Margaret Alamieyeseigha was arrested in her husband’s London home at 247 Water Garden Street. According to the Metropolitan Police, the woman was arrested in connection with money laundering.

At the hearing of the DSP’s application for judicial review, the parties submitted experts’ evidence on the position of Nigerian law on this very important issue. DSP relied on a report of Professor Ben Nwabueze to support his contention that he was entitled to immunity as the governor of Bayelsa. The CPS, on the other hand, adduced a report from a senior lecturer at King’s College, London, Professor Tunde Ogowewo to the effect that he was not.

That was not all. The Attorney General of Bayelsa filed an affidavit before the court wherein he claimed that his boss was entitled to state immunity. The Attorney General of the Federation however disagreed and contended, in his witness statement filed in London, that the AG of Bayelsa who deposed to the affidavit in support was also “an accomplice in the case against the claimant!”

According to the leader of the Nigerian Bar: “The immunity enjoyed by [the claimant as the governor] does not extend beyond the shores of Nigeria…It is lawful for the Crown to arrest, detain and prosecute the governor for money laundering offences.” In conclusion, the AGF submitted that: “the only person that can lay claim to sovereign immunity is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the doctrine of sovereign immunity in international law…”

At the end of the hearing on November 17, 2005, the Court adjourned the matter to November 25 for ruling.

There was no other issue being discussed in Nigeria and in the United Kingdom on the evening of that day except the case. People were wondering where the pendulum of justice was going to swing when the court reconvened the following week.

However while people were busy speculating, a drama of epic proportion was happening across international boundaries. If it had been a scene from a Nollywood flick, it would have been roundly condemned by film critics as the product of a lazy scriptwriter. But what was happening was stranger than fiction. It was beyond what someone from Ebinpejo Lane, Idumota or Iweka Road, Onitsha could have dreamt of!

On Monday, November 21, 2015, Nigerian woke up to the breaking news:

GOVERNOR ALAMIEYESEIGHA IS BACK IN NIGERIA!

What! How! Where! When!

Nigerians across the world went into an instant overdrive. Public analysts and social commentators ran all the way to the nearest media house to pontificate on international law. Journalists ambushed every available lawyer to get their learned view. Professors of political science and international relations became overnight celebrities. Correspondents maintained a siege on the State House to get government’s official reaction.

How did the governor general manage to leave the United Kingdom without his travel documents? When did he arrive in Nigeria? Who assisted him to leave the UK? Did he fly? Did he swim? He couldn’t have walked, that option was immediately ruled out for he was sighted in the UK on Sunday morning. Even a nomadic Fulani who is accustomed to trekking could not have walked from London to Bayelsa in 24 hours!

There was another theory. It was Professor Wole Soyinka who came up with the theory as a means of making light of the very serious situation. If the theory had been true, thousands of Nigerian who queue up daily at foreign embassies for visas wouldn’t have bothered any longer.

You want to know the theory? You won’t hear it from Onigegewura’s mouth. Let me quote the Nobel Laureate: “He said he did not escape. If you believe in tradition, there is what we call egbé carrier or ofe; it could be either of these that brought him to Bayelsa…we must come together to hold a conference and decide how this man vanished from Great Britain and landed in Bayelsa creek.” [Note to my daughter: egbe and ofe are two variants of a traditional Yoruba charm that is capable of metaphysically transporting a person over a considerable distance without being seen.]

The governor himself was not forthcoming about his mysterious disappearance in the UK and his more mysterious re-appearance in Nigeria. According to the UK’s The Guardian: “Mr. Alamieyeseigha was coy when asked how he evaded the British controls to make it back to his village in the Niger Delta. ‘I don’t know myself. I just woke up and found myself in Amassoma.” Incredible stuff!

Speculations were rife about how the embattled governor was able to leave the United Kingdom undetected. Some said he snuck into the country aboard a British Airways flight. Others claimed that it was by a chartered flight that the former Squadron Leader slinked in.

No less surprised by the mysterious return was the hard-fighting and tough-speaking Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu. He was one of the first persons to give a hint about how the governor could have escaped. When he was interviewed about the governor’s strange return, the anti-corruption czar said: “It is a sad development. It is something we should not be proud of. The act committed has to do with the British justice system.” Then he went on to throw down the bombshell: “We knew he dressed like a woman and forged documents. He passed through all the borders undetected!”


Alamieyeseigha dressed like a woman! Could it be true?

The Guardian [UK] appeared to corroborate this finding about governor’s newfound love for female garment. According to the publication: “Dressed as a woman, the governor is said to have taken a Eurostar train from London to Paris and then flown to Douala, a port city in Cameroon neighbouring Nigeria, where a speedboat took him home under cover of darkness. The disguise was helped by the fugitive’s weight loss during his stay in Europe, which included a tummy tuck operation in Germany.”

Trust Nigerians with their fertile imagination. Various images of the governor dressed as a woman quickly emerged. Thisday however took the cake with its front-page graphic representation of DSP dressed in a colourful lace blouse with a beautifully tied Madam Kofo gele and lipstick. The image was complete with a sparkling necklace. Two days later, Olusegun Adeniyi’s popular column in Thisday featured another image of the governor. This time around, DSP was sporting a beautifully cut blouse, thin necklace, and a full wig.

But did the fugitive governor truly come to Nigeria by way of Douala dressed as a woman?

I hope you remember that one of the conditions of the bail granted the governor was that he should report daily to a police station within jurisdiction every day. The governor kept faithfully to this term until Friday, November 18 when he failed to show up. The police officers were however not unduly alarmed. They were confident that with his papers safely locked up in the court’s vault, the governor would always be within their reach.

On Saturday, British undercover agents who were detailed to monitor him were said to have trailed him to a flat behind Hilton. According to Thisday: “He was said to have left the flat in the company of a young lady to another flat on Peckham Street where he spent the night. The next morning, Sunday, two ladies were seen leaving the Peckham flat by the undercover agents and it was much later when, the governor’s whereabouts became unknown, that they got wise to the realisation that Alamieyeseigha was indeed the ‘second woman’.” In other words, when a limping masquerade enters the groove and a limping man comes out of the groove, it is clear that the limping man was actually the person under the mask.

But again, did the fugitive governor truly disguise as a woman? More importantly, how was he able to evade the British security networks without detection? Well, you know that it is from the mouth of the owner of the garden egg that you hear the sound of its eating. Let’s listen to the governor’s side of the story.

According to DSP, officers of the Metropolitan Police assisted him to leave their country. “Every other day, the Metropolitan Police came to my house. So one of those days, they took me out of London to an awaiting aircraft and when I asked where they were taking me, they said, look we don’t want your political problems. Go and solve it. The day we saw your Attorney General [Bayo Ojo] in court making that type of statement, we knew it was not a criminal matter but political and we are not interested in getting involved. So I was flown to Ivory Coast. They had warned me not to say certain things they did. So I was lucky a Nigerian was coming to do business in a chartered flight because I had no passport.

I was just stranded in Ivory Coast in the evening when this Good Samaritan saw me. He was excited and asked what I was doing in Ivory Coast and I narrated my ordeal. So he said I should join him and he brought me back to Nigeria. I got home late. We flew to Lagos and the same aircraft took me to Port Harcourt. It was in Lagos that I called my ADC to come and pick me at the airport and that was how I got home. I never dressed like a woman to escape from London.”

From available records, it appeared that contrary to The Guardian’s report that DSP came into the country via Douala by a speedboat, Alamieyeseigha actually came in through Abidjan by a chartered flight operated by Kings Air owned by Senator Musa Adede. A few days after his arrival in the country, EFCC officials arrested two pilots of the airline. The pilots, Mobee Yinka and Toyin, were said to have been arrested over the role their airline played in the arrival of the governor in Nigeria.

Well, irrespective of how he came back to the country, Alamieyeseigha’s return was celebrated by almost everyone in Bayelsa. Thousands of Bayelsans trooped out to the Government House to welcome their hero. Seeing the multitude that came to welcome him, the governor was overcome by palpable emotion. He addressed the crowd in his native Ijaw language. He thanked God who brought him back from foreign wilderness.

According to him: “For 65 days or so, I found myself in the wilderness of foreign restriction and torment. However, God Almighty has used this travail to humble me and I pray Nigerians accept the will of God in my life…Today, I am back at my desk, forever committed to serve the people of Bayelsa and Nigeria.”

The governor had hardly settled down when prominent Nigerians began to pay him solidarity visit. After all, a dog that returns unscathed from the den of the tiger deserves to be commended.

If Alamieyeseigha had thought that his return to the country would mark the end of his travails, subsequent events which were happening almost at the speed of light appeared to prove him wrong. His return was roundly condemned by almost every vocal person in the country. Even DSP’s brother governors advised him to go back to the United Kingdom to face his trial like a man. The Yobe State governor, Bukar Ibrahim fired the first salvo when he condemned the act of jumping bail by a governor as ungentlemanly.

Ibrahim was not alone. Ali Modu Sheriff, the governor of Borno State was also unequivocal in his condemnation of his co-governor. According to him: “That the governor of a State in Nigeria is said to have done that sort of disgraceful act is really disappointing and a big embarrassment to our country.”

The Nigerian Governors’ Forum of which Alamieyeseigha was a staunch member did not spare him. The Forum advised the beleaguered governor general to face his trial, as members would not be party to any illegality.

Her Majesty’s government, from whose soil the governor escaped, also vowed to extradite him back to the United Kingdom. The British High Commission spokesperson informed reporters in Abuja that the United Kingdom had taken steps to apply for an international warrant of arrest.

Nigerian government also gave him no respite. It appeared that DSP had overnight become the proverbial goldfish with no hiding place. In a strongly worded letter he wrote to his British counterpart, Tony Blair, Nigerian Olusegun Obasanjo described the governor’s escape under the nose of British police as “most unbelievable.” According to Baba Iyabo, “Given the global war on terror and the reputation of the British security agencies for thoroughness, efficiency and effectiveness, not only does Nigeria need assurances on this matter, we also expect decisive statements and actions on this matter from the appropriate authorities at the British end.”

It was however the fiery human rights lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, who appeared to nudge the relevant authorities in the right constitutional direction. In condemning the governor’s midnight escape as ‘a national shame’, Fawehinmi called on the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to impeach him without delay. He said: “He has committed an international crime. The British government would invoke international law. No doubt about that, Alamieyeseigha is in trouble. He should be impeached immediately. Section 188 of the Constitution should be used to impeach him on the strength of the crime committed.”

As if that was the green light the parliamentarians were waiting for, the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Peremobowei Ebebi immediately addressed a world press conference to the effect that impeachment proceeding would be commenced against the governor if he failed to resign. According to the BBC, Ebebi declared that: “He [DSP] has to resign within two weeks or face impeachment. A governor who disguised himself as a woman to run away from justice in London should not be our governor. It is a slap on our collective dignity as a people and our sensibilities as a people.”

With the declaration coming from the legislators, the line of Rubicon appeared to have been crossed. Bayelsans and Nigerians waited with bated breath wondering whether the governor would resign voluntarily or dare the House to commence impeachment proceedings against him.

Then the unthinkable happened! It was no longer a rumour. 17 out of 24 members of the State House of Assembly formally signed a notice to impeach Mr. Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha as the governor of Bayelsa State. Addressing newsmen in Lagos on the development, the Speaker said: “The House got a report from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission where it mandated us to look into the development concerning the governor. We looked at the report and the Assembly decided that we should serve him the impeachment notice on eight grounds.”

In the report mentioned by the Speaker, the EFCC found that in 1999 when he became the governor, DSP declared five buildings [N50 million], 25 plots of land [N2.5 million], four vehicles  [N10 million]; and N5 million in bank and N.1m in cash. Four years later, the governor declared 7 buildings [N77 million with rental income of N4.5 million], 27 plots of land [N5 million], six vehicles [N14.8 million], and one boat [N2.5million].

The Commission however found that the governor had acquired the following properties and bank accounts which were not declared: Barclays Bank: GBP203,753.34; Bank of America: $1,600,000; GBP1, 350,000 was traced to NATWEST account linked to him; properties at 247 Water Gardens [GBP1.75million]; 14 Mapesbury Road, London [GBP1.4million]; 68-70 Regent Park [GBP 3million]; and a flat at Jubilee Heights [GBP241,000] were also found to be owned by him. The report also contained details of two properties in South Africa, and two properties in the United States, amongst other properties.

Following the receipt of the notice, the House directed the Chief Judge of Bayelsa to constitute a probe panel to investigate the allegation of gross misconducts leveled against the governor. The particulars of the gross misconducts as provided by the House include the following: Involvement in money laundering occasioning his arrest and investigation by officers of the Metropolitan Police; maintaining of four foreign bank accounts while serving as a governor [Barclays Bank Plc., London; National Westminster Bank, London; Royal Bank of Scotland; and Commerz Bank, London]; corrupt enrichment of his wife and children; and criminal diversion of public funds to purchase the following: One Billion Naira shares in Bond Bank, Chelsea Hotel in Abuja, GBP10m worth of properties in London, amongst others.

The governor was however unfazed by the accusation of corruption. In a broadcast he made to the people of the State, he informed them he was being persecuted on behalf all Ijaw people. According to him: “Be reminded that the modest triumph and pride I brought to the Ijaw Nation in the recent past was won on behalf of all our people. That is why the persecution I suffer today amounts to the persecution of all Bayelsans and the Ijaw Nation.” The governor then vowed to defend his mandate and concluded by quoting from the Book of Roman 8:20 “all things work together for good to them that love God…”

The governor didn’t stop at the broadcast. He promptly directed the State Attorney General to file a case against the Federal Government at the Supreme Court. In the suit filed at the apex court, the state government asked the Court to void the deployment of troops in the State by the Federal Government on the ground that it was calculated to intimidate the House of Assembly and the Chief Judge of the state into removing the governor from office by force.

That was not all. The governor then took pen to paper to respond to the issues raised against him by the House of Assembly. If you are looking for a classical statement of defence, I enjoin you to look no further than the governor’s response. In addition to his substantive defence, the governor also filed preliminary objection against the proceedings. Time won’t permit me to reproduce the entire statement, but let me tease you with the opener: [you have to wait for my forthcoming book for the rest; Yes, Onigegewura is compiling all our stories published on this blog and more into a book, in order to preserve them for our children yet unborn]

“SAVE AND EXCEPT as hereinafter expressly admitted, I, Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, the Executive Governor and holder of the office of the Governor of Bayelsa State hereinafter referred to simply as the Respondent CATEGORICALLY AND EMPATHICALLY DENY each and every allegation of fact contained in the purported Notice of Impeachment as if each and every such allegation is specifically set out and traversed SERIATIM.

1. Without prejudice to available legal and equitable defences which would be explored and exploited at and during the hearing before the Seven Man Panel” to be set up by the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, the Respondent shall by way of preliminary objection CHALLENGE the validity of the purported NOTICE OF IMPEACHMENT as well as the Annexure BYHA1 entitled “Interim Investigation Report: Case of Conspiracy, Fraudulent Diversion of Public Funds and Money Laundering – Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha” and would most humbly urge that same be struck out on grounds succinctly set out hereunder….” [Emphasis NOT mine]

What did I tell you? Look at that use of English Language! Categorically and Emphatically Deny! Explored and Exploited! Traversed Seriatim! Purported Notice! Grounds succinctly set out hereunder! And someone would be asking wetin lawyers dey do self!

In his defence, the governor denied all the allegations leveled against him. In particular, he denied using his position to corruptly enrich his family. According to him: “As a responsible husband and father, the Respondent is entitled to make adequate provisions to cater for [his] wife, children and dependent relations as is the practice all over the world.”

With regard to properties allegedly acquired illegally, it was the position of the governor that they were all acquired by the government to boost the internally generated revenue of the state government.

On Monday, December 5, 2005, the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, His Lordship Justice Emmanuel Igoniwari, formally constituted the Probe Panel as requested by the State House of Assembly. The panel was headed by Serena Dokubo-Spiff. Benson Agada who was the immediate past commissioner in the State was also a member, as well as Bolere Ketebu-Nwokafor, who was the National President of the National Council of Women Societies. Rufus Apulu, a retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army was also a member. Collins Bedeigha, from the Nigerian Bar Association, Gladys Brisibe, a retired Wing Commander; and Lady Mercy Alagoa were the other members.. With the inauguration of the panel, it appeared that the stage was now finally set for the commencement of the probe of the governor.

His Excellency however was not pleased with the names of the people appointed by the CJ to probe him. It was clear to him that there was no way a hen would get justice in the court where the fox was the chief judge. On December 7, he formally wrote to the CJ to reject the composition of the seven-man panel. In his letter to Justice Igoniwari, he claimed that he would not get fair hearing if Serena Dokubo-Spiff and Benson Agada were allowed to remain on the panel.

According to him, Dokubo-Spiff was the lead counsel in a case instituted against him in 2003/2004 by the Nembe Council of Chiefs  and that the information supplied to him by his clients would influence his sense of justice. It was also the contention of DSP that Dokubo-Spiff was a call mate of Bayo Ojo, the Attorney General of the Federation whom he accused of bias. On the part of Agada, the governor alleged that he was his former commissioner and therefore must be presumed to hold grudges against him for his removal from the state cabinet. I hope you recall that the AGF, Bayo Ojo, had filed papers against Alamieyeseigha in the London proceedings.

By the way, you didn’t even bother to ask me about the outcome of the London proceedings after the ‘miraculous’ departure of Alamieyeseigha who was the person who filed the application for judicial review. You recall that hearing in the proceedings was concluded on November 17 and Alamieyeseigha took leave of Her Majesty on November 20. You remember? Good.

On November 25, the Royal Court of Justice delivered its ruling on the issue whether the man whose name means The King can do no wrong should be tried by the Queen of another land. In the ruling delivered by Mr. Justice Stephen Silber, a Queen’s Counsel, the Court held that “I am satisfied that it would only rarely be appropriate to regard a sub-state is entitled to immunity. I do not regard Bayelsa State as entitled to immunity and so the claimant [Alamieyeseigha] himself has no such entitlement.” In other words, DSP had no immunity in London. Iyalode Ibadan, omo egbe ni l’Eko. [Note to my daughter: I won’t translate this because of my friends from Ibadan. Luqman Animashaun and Ronke Oyelami consider the proverb as a Lagos invention to deride the town of Bashorun Oluyole.]

I have told you that it doesn’t rain, it pours. Three days after the London Court threw out his application, the EFCC filed a case against the governor before the Code of Tribunal in Nigeria. In the 19-count charge filed before the Tribunal, the governor was accused of false declaration of assets, corrupt enrichment abuse of office.

Meanwhile, accusations and counter-accusations began to fly between the governor and members of the State House of Assembly. The governor informed Bayelsans that there were plans to assassinate him. According to him: “Even as I speak to you, I have it on good authority that there is a plan to assassinate or kidnap me. As a prelude to that plan, my official security is already being withdrawn.”

On their own part, the parliamentarians alleged that their lives were in danger. They claimed that: “As we are sitting here, our lives are in danger. It is God that is protecting us.”

It appeared that all the elements were conspiring against the embattled governor. As he was being buffeted in London, he was being pummeled by the House of Assembly in Yenogoa. He was also not being spared by the EFCC. As if that was not enough, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission [ICPC] succeeded in securing an order of the Federal High Court in Abuja to endorse the appointment of a private counsel to investigate the N1.7 billion contract scam allegation leveled against him.

The governor was alleged to have awarded contracts and paid over N1.7billion to fake and non-existing companies in the construction of the Niger Delta University. In the ruling delivered by Justice Anwuli Chikere, a private counsel was to be appointed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria in line with the provisions of section 52 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act.

I hope you are following me. I have told you that many things were happening at the same time and almost at the speed of light. Let’s leave Nigeria for a moment and check what’s happening in London.

You recall that when DSP was granted bail by the Bow Street Magistrate Court on  October 11, the court fixed December 8 for his trial. It was while waiting for trial that he jumped bail.

On December 8, the Bow Street Magistrate Court in London waited for the Defendant to appear to face his trial. It was however in vain that the court waited. DSP was nowhere to be found. Following his failure to show up, the prosecuting counsel from the Crown Prosecution Services, Mark Ludcraft told the court that Alamieyeseigha must be presumed to have jumped bail since he had not reported to the Paddington Police Station since November 18. The Court then ordered that arrest warrant be issued against him for his failure to keep to his terms of bail.

Twenty fours hours after the London court issued the warrant, Chief Alamieyeseigha lost his constitutional immunity. The probe panel set up by the CJ had considered the allegations against him and found him guilty of all of them.

On Friday, December 9, 2005, the Bayelsa State House of Assembly impeached the Ganuwan Katsina as the governor of Bayelsa State!

But that’s not the end of the story.

Immediately he was impeached, EFCC officials swooped on him the way the eagle does a money-swallowing snake.

The following Monday, Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as the second civilian governor of Bayelsa State. One of the first things he did on assumption of office was to remove the photograph of his erstwhile boss from where it was hung on the wall of the governor’s office. It was a symbolic gesture which signified the end of one era and the beginning of another.

In his first address to the people of the state on December 12, Jonathan admitted that his emergence as the governor was unexpected. He told the people: “This is an event none of us could have contemplated three months ago… I believe it is well known that I served Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha as his deputy loyally and honestly from the beginning of our tenure on May 29, 1999 until the sad circumstances that have caused me to succeed him today. I did not go out of my way to seek this.”

So what happened to the former governor? I have already told you that he was arrested by the EFCC immediately he was impeached by the House of Assembly. Following his arrest, he was kept in the gulag of the Commission for about twenty months. He was eventually arraigned alongside his six companies before the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court on a thirty-three count charges bordering on corrupt enrichment, false declaration of assets and money laundering.

On July 26, 2007, DSP pleaded guilty to three out of the thirty-three charges. Before he was sentenced, Justice Mohammed Shuaibu asked him whether he had anything to say as his allocutus. The man who once lorded it over the government of Bayelsa nodded and in an emotion-laden voice began to address His Lordship.

“I was brought to the country by the British government. In London, I was kept with mad people for 15 days. I was bleeding due to my state of health as I was arrested…I was not impeached but physically removed. I have had surgical operations five times. I did this for two reasons. I am 55 years old, I have lost a wife and children… If I were younger, I would not have pleaded guilty, but because of the killings, maimings and kidnap in the Niger Delta to which some people were claiming that there would not be peace until I am released, I have to do it.”

The court thereafter sentenced him to a term of two years imprisonment in respect of each of the charges and the terms were to run from December 9, 2005 the day he was arrested. As you may be aware, under our criminal procedure system, terms of imprisonment are to be concurrent unless otherwise ordered. In other words, the DSP would serve only two years.

The court further ordered that his London properties, GBP2.29 million cash, shares in a commercial bank valued at N1 billion, N105 million Naira cash and another $160,000 be forfeited. Justice Shuaibu ordered that the properties be sold and the proceeds transferred to the treasury of Bayelsa State Government.

However having regard to the fact that he had been in the custody of the Commission since his arrest in 2005, he was deemed to have served his sentence and he was therefore released the day following his conviction.

DSP was finally a free man!

But that was still not the end of the story. In 2012, the United State Justice Department won a forfeiture judgment against him for money laundering and corruption. Justice officials said he had accumulated million of dollars’ worth of property and bank accounts around the world during his six years as governor, a period in which he was paid a total of $81,000 in salary and declared $248,000 incomes from all sources.

The story however did not end there.

On March 12, 2013, DSP’s former deputy and successor, Goodluck Jonathan who had by then become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, granted him a state pardon. This pardon was however roundly condemned as it was seen as a setback in the fight against corruption.

The US Embassy in Nigeria said it was deeply disappointed by the pardon. The man who could be regarded as Alamieyeseigha’s nemesis, Nuhu Ribadu could not mask his disappointment with the pardon. According to the former head of EFCC that investigated DSP, the pardon was “going to do a great deal of damage.” The government, through its spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, however defended the action. In his words: “Alamieyeseigha had impacted positively on the overall economy of the nation.”

Finally, On October 10, 2015, Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha breathed his last in the garden city of Port Harcourt. He died at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. The cause of death was given as complications arising from high blood pressure and diabetes. The New York Times reported that the late governor’s health problems resulted from his transfer from a hospital in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, to avoid being extradited to Britain, where he was wanted for money laundering charges and for skipping bail. He was 62 years old.

And with that we have come to the end of the story of Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, the Ganuwan Katsina.

Historian Is Not A Judge. History Is.

I thank you for your time.

Olanrewaju Onigegewura©
History Does Not Forget

The right of Olanrewaju Onigegewura© to be identified as the author of stories published on this blog has been asserted by him in accordance with the copyright laws.*Echoes From the Creeks: The Story of Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha by Onigegewura*