Thursday 11 August 2016

My Mothers Fried Meat and Nigeria’s Thieving Elite – Written by Kayode Ogundami



I think I must have been 9 when my Mum caught me stealing fried meat from her steaming Egusi soup. Back then my Sister Iyabo and I were always given one piece of meat to share.  
On days when I had the task of dividing the meat, Iyabo got to choose and vice versa. We always ate from the same plate. Our younger brother Segun, who tragically died young, always ate with our Mum and Dad. He was the last-born then.  My other Sister, Dupe lived with my grandmother and I had no idea what the procedure was for ensuring she consumed some protein.

In our own case, the fact that we always had to share one piece of meat niggled away at me. I always wondered why our neighbour’s children got to have a piece of meat each while two of us had to make do with one.  In hindsight, I guess this was the first and perhaps most influential lesson in moderation, fairness and equity I was taught. It however wasn’t the biggest nor the most important that my mum would teach and again fried meat would also play a central role in my learning.  

One day my mum called me to keep an eye on the Egusi soup she was preparing and which was bubbling away on the hot stove in the communal kitchen my family shared with other inhabitants of the compound we called home.  

As soon as mother left, the fried meat started talking to me. Various pieces of fried meat danced to the beat from the heat; Egusi, Palm Oil; and the vegetable soup Yoruba - call ‘Sokoyokoto’ all conspired in a beat and dance whose whispers were too seductive to resist. My will was broken and I couldn't take it any longer. Since I was put in charge, there was really no reason I rationalised why I have to wait for dinner to share a piece of meat with my sister when I could and for the first time too, have one all to myself.  

I swooped in for the kill. Dipped my hand into that hot soup, didn’t even feel any heat and grabbed the most inviting looking piece of meat, but as my hand started the short journey into my mouth, I felt a hand grab my right fist. I did not need to turn to realise I had been caught, red handed.  My Mum the one I always call the ‘Lion’ of the house, smiled and said. "Don't worry Kayode eat it" 

The sarcasm was not lost on me, or the deadliness of that smile.  I dropped the meat on the floor, waiting for the beating of my life but my Mum didn’t raise a finger. 

We had dinner, Mum gave Iyabo and I the usual one piece of meat. I shared it and as I was about to pick my portion she directed Iyabo to eat hers and mine. The reason for her decision was of course clear to me but lost on my Dad who was unaware of what happened in the afternoon. So he protested, fighting my battle, my late Dad was the gentle Dove, not until you start seeing photographs or hear is friends tell tales of his gallantry as a Soldier in the Nigerian Army would you ever think he was once a Soldier, my dad in his usual manner gave up, the stern look from my Mum was clear, he simply let go promising to buy me something special as compensation and choosing not to argue with my mum. 

After we finished eating, we watched NTA news, said our night prayers, (that family prayer conducted by a Christian Father and a Muslim Father both continuously trying to convince us on the right faith), anyway that night we moved items around and as was the practice turned the living room into a bed room for us the children while my parents retired to the 2nd room. We lived in what is known in local parlance as room and parlour. 

I was fast asleep in the middle of the night when my mum woke me up. She also roused my younger ones and sent them into the other room to join my Dad. I cannot write what she did to me here. None Yoruba will never understand it suffice to say the punishment shaped my life.  I made up my mind never to take what does not belong to me again and in fact never even thought about it. Somehow my mother equated my first and last attempt at pilfering with such heinous crimes like murder in my mind. This is the day that I believe the foundation for my abhorrence for corruption was born. 

As we continue to fight to build a strong Nigeria in which the commonwealth is used for the common good, I can’t help but wonder what lessons the Mothers of the thieves of billions of naira taught? Surely, the majority of our mothers taught the same powerful lesson I received so how come we have ended up as a nation in which well-known figures feel no shame in stealing massive amounts especially given its impact on the lives of some 180 million Nigerians? When did it become culturally acceptable that stealing isn’t corruption or that padding the commonwealth of the many into the pockets of a few law breakers is acceptable or that a thief from my tribe is doing right by stealing as a form of revenge for the stealing perpetuated by the rogue from the other tribe.

How did we end up with a country where we can not have a cross party, cross tribe, cross gender, cross cultural, cross religion coalition in the fight against corruption and bad governance? 

Today 12th August 2016, 3 decades later as I mark my 48th year on earth, I continue to remember and feel my mother’s disgust. I believe it has guided my conduct and shaped the direction of my life. I wonder what Mothers of our ‘distinguished’ thieves’ make of their actions and if they feel the shame their ‘illustrious’ sons and daughters won’t or refuse to feel. 

We can continue to hold on to hope but until we agree to save Nigeria from Nigerians, that revolving door will keep producing the same corrupt element, those who steal, claim to repent, turn anti corruption campaigners and then refuse to return what they have forcefully taken away from the Nigerian people. It is never too late to save the homeland.

Please follow me on twitter via @ogundamisi 

Wednesday 23 March 2016

Fraud Alert: ‪#‎IstandwithBuhari‬ is registerd as a bussiness name. Soliciting over a Billion Naira from public officials - FraudHorn

Fraud Alert: ‪#‎IstandwithBuhari‬ is registerd as a bussiness name. Soliciting over a Billion Naira from public officials - FraudHorn



We have strong evidences of FRAUD against some elements parading themselves as members of IstandwithBuhari.
1. ISWB Concept
This is a registered business name (not an NGO) founded by Chinedu Okpalanma, the erstwhile DG of ISWB. Documents show that himself and some other elements are its founders. The attached letterhead clearly shows the business name ISWB Concept in two places.
2. Soliciting for Money
Contrary to many assertions by the ISWB elements that they are not looking to make or share money, that they are purely funded by members of the ISWB organization, we have evidence on the contrary by way of the attached letter. (Page 2)
As seen in Page 2, ISWB members have sent out many letters to Nigerians soliciting for ridiculous amounts of money. We obtained the attached letter from a VIP who was criminally approached for a sum in excess of N1 Billion Naira. We were approached by this same VIP in confidence. This VIP has already informed us that he intends to petition the relevant security agencies to look into the matter as he believes this is clearly fraudulent. We also have proof of several other politicians and heads of industry that have been approached by this dubious criminals. We will publish more letters/documents in due course.
We reckon it is criminal case and misleading to use a registered business name, as an NGO (i.e not for profit entity) soliciting for monies from Nigerians running into several billions. We have already sent a petition to the relevant authorities to look into the matter.
3. Chinedu Okpalanma
We have evidence showing Chinedu is the main founder, he remains within the organization as its arrow head working from the background never showing himself to the public while using other puppets to call the shots. He never resigned, He only changed his public role from DG to the Board Secretary of ISWB and still runs the show.
4. Ogochukwu Ezeaku
He is the founder & CEO of montage Africa. He is notoriously known for coveting top Government officials in return for favors. Montage Africa is known to host the annual MAWEA (montage Africa women in excellence award).
In 2013 he hosted an award where he celebrated several PDP Bigwigs including many persons that have stolen from Nigeria (and they claim they are fighting corruption). Amongst the list of his award recipients, Patience GEJ tops the list, with the likes of Diezani & Stella Oduah amongst those he celebrated. He is the Board Chairman of ISWB and now wants us to believe he is leading a campaign against corruption. We are yet to see ISWB attack Diezani or Stella Oduah in its anti corruption campaign. We attach relevant information which is widely available in the Internet.
In November 2015, he unsuccessfully organized another MAWEA event where he lobbied APC women faithful which turned out to be a disaster due to amount of those that shunned the event. This is why he is hell bent on coming at this government with deceit at any cost.
Ogochukwu operates completely out of the media reach just like his accomplice Chinedu. We know why they are hiding!
NB - 15 lungi Street Wuse 2 Abuja is the corporate HQ of both montage Africa and ISWB. Refer to the bottom corner of the letterhead.
NB - the GSM number 08087777318 is the official number of ISWB on its letterhead, fliers and billboard. It was the number our investigators reached Chinedu.
5. Nine million man rally
We call on the security agencies to invite the ISWB members to firstly deny them clearance for this deceitful rally. It is neither beneficial to the president nor does it justify the yearnings of many poor who do not even stand a chance of affording the trip to Abuja. If any group is allowed to assemble even 100,000 people on a working day (which 31st March is), that group is capable of undermining security and only Gods knows the type of agenda these people have. We have already sent a petition to relevant security agencies for further action.
OUR POSITION
We call on the CnC to immediately deploy the necessary government officials to dissociate his government from this group, to arrest the people responsible for this campaign of calumny, and have this group dissolved immediately.
We call on the elements of ISWB to call off their shameless plot of FRAUD within the next 24 hours. Failure to heed advice, will result in an all out assault as we plan to release full identities of members and their financial backers, pictures taken, proof of meetings, voice recordings, copies of letters and other documentation of this monumental FRAUD.
...more to come.
Signed,
FraudHorn
Committed to reporting verified FRAUD Activity in Nigeria.

Sunday 13 March 2016

Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II response to Sir Olaniwun Ajayi's book titled "Nigeria , Africa 's failed asset?"



"Let me start by saying that I am Fulani (laughter). My grandfather was an Emir and therefore I represent all that has been talked about this afternoon. Sir Ajayi has written a book. And like all Nigerians of his generation, he has written in the language of his generation.

"My grandfather was a Northerner, I am a Nigerian. The problem with this country is that in 2009, we speak in the language of 1953. Sir Olaniwun can be forgiven for the way he spoke, but I cannot forgive people of my generation speaking in that language.

"Let us go into this issue because there are so many myths that are being bandied around. Before colonialism, there was nothing like Northern Nigeria, Before the Sokoto Jihad, there was nothing like the Sokoto caliphate. The man from Kano regard himself as bakane. The man from Zaria was bazazzage. The man from Katsina was bakatsine. The kingdoms were at war with each other. They were Hausas, they were Muslims, they were killing each other.
"The Yoruba were Ijebu, Owo, Ijesha, Akoko, Egba. When did they become one? When did the North become one? You have the Sokoto Caliphate that brought every person from Adamawa to Sokoto and said it is one kingdom. They now said it was a Muslim North.

"The Colonialists came, put that together and said it is now called the Northern Nigeria. Do you know what happened? Our grand fathers were able to transform to being Northerners. We have not been able to transform to being Nigerians. The fault is ours. Tell me, how many governors has South West produced after Awolowo that are role models of leadership? How many governors has the East produced like Nnamdi Azikiwe that can be role models of leadership? How Many governors in the Niger Delta are role models of leadership? Tell me. There is no evidence statistically that any part of this country has produced good leaders. You talk about Babangida and the economy. Who were the people in charge of the economy during Babangida era? Olu Falae, Kalu Idika Kalu. What state are they from in the North?

"We started the banking reform; the first thing I heard was that in Urobo land, that there will be a curse of the ancestors. I said they (ancestors) would not answer. They said why? I said how many factories did Ibru build in Urobo land? So, why will the ancestors of the Urobo people support her?

"We talk ethnicity when it pleases us. It is hypocrisy. You said elections were rigged in 1959, Obasanjo and Maurice Iwu rigged election in 2007. Was it a Southern thing? It was not.

"The problem is: everywhere in this country, there is one Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba and Itshekiri man whose concern is how to get his hands on the pile and how much he can steal. Whether it is in the military or in the civilian government, they sit down, they eat together. In fact, the constitution says there must be a minister from every state.

"So, anybody that is still preaching that the problem of Nigeria is Yoruba or Hausa or Fulani, he does not love Nigeria . The problem with Nigeria is that a group of people from each and every ethnic tribe is very selfish. The poverty that is found in Maiduguri is even worse than any poverty that you find in any part of the South.

The British came for 60 years and Sir Ajayi talked about few numbers of graduates in the North (two at independence) . What he did not say was that there was a documented policy of the British when they came that the Northerner should not be educated. It was documented. It was British colonial policy. I have the document. I have published articles on it. That if you educate the Northerner you will produce
progressive Muslim intellectuals of the type we have in Egypt and India. So, do not educate them. It was documented. And you say they love us (North)."I have spent the better part of my life to fight and Dr. (Reuben) Abati knows me. Yes, my grandfather was an Emir. Why was I in the pro-democracy movement fighting for June 12? Is (Moshood) Abiola from Kano ? Why am I a founding director of the Kudirat Initiative for Nigerian Development (KIND)?
"There are good Yoruba people, good Igbo people, good Fulani people, good Nigerians and there are bad people everywhere. That is the truth. "Stop talking about dividing Nigeria because we are not the most populous country in the world. We have all the resources that make it easy to make one united great Nigeria . It is better if we are united than to divide it.

"Every time you talk about division, when you restructure, do you know what will happen? In Delta Area, the people in Warri will say Agbor, you don't have oil. When was the Niger Delta constructed as a political entity? Ten years ago, the Itshekiris were fighting the Urobos. Isn't that what was happening? Now they have become Niger Delta because they have found oil. After, it will be, if you do not have oil in your village then you cannot share our resources.

"There is no country in the world where resources are found in everybody's hamlet. But people have leaders and they said if you have this geography and if we are one state, then we have a responsibility for making sure that the people who belong to this country have a good nature.

"So, why don't you talk about; we don't have infrastructure,we don't have education, we don't have health. We are still talking about Fulani. Is it the Fulani cattle rearer or is anybody saying there is no poverty among the Fulani? Nigeria is ours to make!"  
Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II

Monday 7 March 2016

@Ogundamisi vicious attack unwaranted Say's Director General Chinedu Okpalanma of #iStandWithBuhari as he resigns.


*Director General of #iStandWithBuhari resigns, Comes Clean on allegations *





The Director-General of the #iStandWithBuhari campaign, Engr. Chinedu
Okpalanma, has responded to Kayode Ogundamisi, the journalist and political
commentator who accused him of being a fraud because of his past role as
co-founder of the #BringBackGoodluck2015 initiative. He said he was
dismayed by Ogundamisi’s  vicious campaign against his character and
person just so he could pull down a nationalistic movement to which I and
millions of well-meaning Nigerians have freely subscribed to via the
affirmative statement #istandwithbuhari.


Okpalanma has also resigned as the DG of the campaign, saying that he took
the step to show that the initiative is sincere and not about him. He said
that following the backlash which greeted the news that he was the DG of
the organisation, he felt the need to resign so that the group can achieve
its lofty ideals without being bogged by distractions about his personality.

Admitting that he was one of the founders of the group, he said he was not
alone as the campaign is a collection of young Nigerians from all works of
life and different religious beliefs & political inclinations who came
together with one ideal in mind: that it is time for us as individuals to
see ourselves as Nigeria and seize this golden opportunity towards ensuring
that Project Nigeria does not fail.

From the time Goodluck Jonathan won the 2011 election, I was one of his
biggest critics. I was vocal and marched on the streets during the
#OccupyNigeria protests, I wrote open letters to the Presidency in anger at
some of the names his government found worthy of national merit awards, I
also wrote on various public platforms on my disappointment at the then
President’s seeming inability to act even when it seemed there was
overwhelming evidence of impunity against his cabinet members. In all of
this though, I remained steadfast in the belief that things would change,
he said.

However, Okpalanma stated that as the 2015 elections approached, he began
to be convinced that the Jonathan administration was more under siege for
political reasons and that sabotage was a scheme being used to oust him by
any means necessary. Coupled with the revolution I was witnessing in the
agricultural sector & seeming revival of our railway system, I felt he was
my best candidate to continue and thus I put in my whole support for his
candidacy without coercion.

He however insisted that he never met the former president in person, was
not sponsored by the presidency as he went about expending resources in
trying to sensitize Nigerians to vote for Jonathan, and was never given a
penny or contract by former ministers, agencies of government, friends of
the President or even the embattled NSA Sambo Dasuki.

Okpalanma insisted in his statement that he withdrew support for Goodluck
Jonathan along with his group long before the 2015 elections. My reasons
then were simple. By November 2014, I was no longer comfortable with the
information filtering out on how huge monies were moved from person to
person in government circles.  I concluded then that Nigeria was being sold
off to the highest bidder without our knowledge, and I believed that even
if Goodluck Jonathan won the elections, there were facts to suggest this
same people around him fingered in various illicit transactions would
continue in office with him, as it seemed he was incapable of acting to
change things, he said.

As a result, Okpalanma said by December 2014, he started a process of
moving his support with that of 1.9 million Nigerians who had signed up to
his campaign, to supporting the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari. He
said there are people currently in government who can attest to the fact
that he stood with Buhari even before the elections.



He took exception with the attempts by some people to make it seem as
though only those who supported President Buhari before can participate in
any cause to support his policies now. Are these advocates now saying that
President Muhammadu Buhari  & his political party should not work with other
well-meaning Nigerians who believe in this administration and are ready to
sacrifice all to ensure things change for our collective good? He said.

Speaking on why he supported Buhari, Okpalanma said his turning point was
#DasukiGate. He lamented that such huge amount of money could have been
diverted by one individual under our noses, and even though he thought at
first that it was a witchhunt, he now believes it is true due to the
confessions by those who received cash. Furthermore, he said he understood
that the fight against corruption needed to be more people oriented than
government oriented when he saw some Nigerians defending #DasukiGate. That
was when I made up my mind to sign up with #istandwithbuhari, he said.

Okpalanma said it will be criminal to leave the task ahead to Buhari alone.
As at this moment, everything I am seeing shows me that President
Muhammadu Buhari is not sleeping on the job, but doing everything within
legal means to ensure Nigeria lives. To rejig a system that has completely
decayed and failed needs courage, prayers and support. I am doing my bit by
supporting #istandwithbuhari, not trying to bring it down. If my stand is
giving certain individuals or group of individual’s sleepless nights, then
May they remain awake for eternity, he said.

He insisted that the #istandwithbuhari group has no endorsement from
President Buhari and has not sought any sort of financial support from the
President or by extension his government. I have never vied for any
political position in my life (and have no intentions of doing same), nor
have I ever submitted my CV for consideration for political appointment to
any government, thus my involvement with #istandwithbuhari is not for
political favours. I am in this because I believe in this, period, he
said.




Sunday 31 January 2016

.@StellaOduah #‎AviationScam‬ disguised as Airport Renovation 26 point Commentary by Kayode @ogundamisi

I made 26 Comments on twitter regarding @StellaOduah and‪#‎AviationScam‬ disguised as Airport Renovation. Someone did kindly compile it here. Please read.




1. @stellaoduah if you love ‪#‎Nigeria‬ you will voluntarily report some of the contractors awarded 'airport renovation scam' to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
2. Dear followers I will be reviewing the 'Airport Renovation' contracts awarded by @stellaoduah as Aviation Minister under #AviationScam.
3. 1 of the highlight of @stellaoduah was the commendable project called 'Airport Renovation' but it ended up being one huge #AviationScam.
4. @stellaoduah you awarded Archvisual Solutions got paid N615,857,357.09 for 'upgrade of MMIA 11 terminal' but MMIA11 is a PPP & no renovation.
5. @stellaoduah why did ArchVisual walk away with N615,857,357.09 when they had no terminal renovation to make in MMIA11? #AviationScam.
6. @stellaoduah Ngonyama Okpanum collected N99,179,509.17 as consultancy remodelling of CAL,PH,YOLA, JOS & ENUGU terminals. #AviationScam.
7. @stellaoduah issue is whilst Okpanum walked away with N99,179,509.17 as 'consultancy' they never met with any on site firm. #AviationScam.
8. @stellaoduah now let us point out the amazing ABUJA CAR PARK extension contract. Maczoll ltd got N838,875,488.69 & work noted COMPLETED.
9. @stellaoduah anyone who flies via Abuja Airport will know that 'carpark extension' is far from 'completed' Maczoll ltd made free money.
10. @stellaoduah curious thing about Abuja car park contract is Maczoll got paid ALL its fee N838,875,488.69 b4 moving to site ‪#‎AirportScam‬
11. @stellaoduah how can you pay Maczoll all money even when they had not mobilise ONE WORKER to site? Abuja Aiport car park is a disgrace.
12. @stellaoduah Obis's ltd got N697,886,560.88 for upgrade of PH terminal building Airport and it is noted as 95% completed. #AirportScam
13. @stellaoduah if U've been to PH Airport lately that terminal building isn't 95% completed AT ALL Obis's ltd made a cool N697,886,560.88
14. @stellaoduah even Enugu & Owerri Airport Terminal buildings did not escape #AviationScam Enugu is claimed 100% Completed Oweri Completed
15 Obis's ltd got N598,095,100.69 for Enugu &Mesh Ltd got N459,070,736.28 for Owerri both claimed to have COMPLETED renovation #AviationScam
16. @stellaoduah what is mind mysterious about #AviationScam is that what is stated COMPLETED in your handover note tallies not with REALITY
17. @stellaoduah U spent a total of N7,537,636,232.61 under phase 1 for reconstruction & N7,793,222,484.17 for consultancy under phase 1.
18. @stellaoduah real #Aviationscam is how actual reconstruction N7,537,636,232.61 & consultancy N7,793,222,484.17 almost tallied?‪#‎weird‬
19. @stellaoduah I'VE spreadsheets up to Phase3. I will not even bother going any further, please review & help #Nigeria by speaking to EFCC
20. @stellaoduah it is obvious to me Airport Remodelling was a disguise for #AviationScam Airports now have ABANDONED PROJECTS & dilapidation
21. @stellaoduah if money paid to contractors had been well utilised U would have had legacy of handing over top class terminal buildings
22. @stellaoduah bright spot in #AviationScam is that GAT1 terminal was evidently completed but was it a scam to convince GEJ to release yams?
23. I am further amazed that you did not spare Enugu & Owerri Airport from #AviationScam one would think they would have been saved.
24. @stellaoduah the implication of Nigerian Airports Terminal building #AviationScam is that we now need more money to completed projects
25. @stellaoduah I hope you will have a rethink and voluntarily assist @EFCC_Nigeria in tracking down those firms involved in #AviationScam.
26. @stellaoduah I respectfully brought #AviationScam to your attention just in case you are an innocent victim. Best Regards Kayode Ogundamisi