Business
How Abacha Killed Musa Yar’adua with deadly Virus – Obasanjo reveals
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has alleged that former military dictator, Sani Abacha, injected a deadly virus into Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, an Army major general who served as his Chief of Staff, while the deceased, MKO Abiola and himself were in prison.
The former president disclosed this at a dinner program organized by an inter-denominational Christian organization, Christ The Redeemer’s Friends International of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 39 Chapter yesterday July 8th.
According to Sahara Reporters, Obasanjo alleged that Yar’Adua was poisoned by Abacha’s killer squad, adding that he was to be next victim, but that he was saved by God’s divine grace.
“Two people had earlier told me Abacha promised that three of us would not come out of prison or detention alive; myself. Shehu Yar Adua and MKO Abiola. And two of them did not come out alive. So, that I came out alive, maybe God has a purpose. And therefore if the purpose is for me to serve the people and by so doing, serve God, then so be it. Abacha claimed that I was plotting a coup.
I wasn’t the first to be arrested. When Shehu (Yar’Adua) was arrested, I tried to plead for his release. When Abacha said he didn’t know about Shehu’s arrest, I said to him, ‘the number two man in this country cannot be arrested without you knowing.’
He then said he would go and find out. In Abacha’s plan, he left God out of it and because he left God out of his plan, it (his government) eventually failed. There is God’s hand in the life of each and every one of us and every institution. I believe that very well.
When I was arrested, they took me to a house in Ikoyi (Lagos) and that became my abode (I was) in isolation, for three months. In the meantime, there were national and international pressures for my release, (former US) President Jimmy Carter was one of the world leaders that came to ask for my release. Some African leaders like Yoweri Museveni and Robert Mugabe came.
I believe it was because of those pressures that I was released from isolation in Ikoyi where I was under house arrest.”
According to the former president, one of the worst days on earth would be the day he was court-martialled and sentenced
“I must say that, that day, in a split second, it felt like the worst day in my life. What flashed through my mind was that I was forever ruined. I asked myself, ‘What did I do to deserve this? Is this what I get for serving Nigeria?’ But then, I told myself again that this was not done to me by Nigeria, but that one man did it for me.”
Obasanjo said he and Yar’Adua were detained in Jos and Port Harcourt prisons because they were the best prisons in the country at the time.
“I was to go to Jos (prison) and Yar’Adua was to go to Port Harcourt (prison). In Jos, I was visited by my colleagues, including Yakubu Danjuma, Joe Garba, Domkat Bali, many of our colleagues, and then family members and friends.
Then a decision was made that I was becoming too popular in Jos prison and I had to be transferred to Yola prison which is a native authority prison and I don’t need to tell you what life was there.
In Jos prison, before I was transferred to Yola prison, they had decided that Shehu Yar’Adua and myself should be poisoned. So, they took him from Port Harcourt prison to Abakaliki. In the process, he was injected with the virus that killed him.
The same was supposed to be done to me. The man who came took me from the prison to a guest house in the GRA in Jos, said, ‘We know you have a problem with cholesterol so I have to take your blood for a test.’ Then I said, ‘Not on your life, I don’t have any problem with cholesterol. I was slightly diabetic.
But God had taken care of it because I was checking my blood sugar almost on a daily basis and it had become better than normal. So, I refused him (the man) touching me with anything. So, they took me to Yola and he said, ‘when you get to where you are going, we will come again.’”
Obasanjo said a doctor and specialist in the prison saved him from being poisoned. “The doctor was a professional man in charge of the General Hospital in Yola.
He listened to my case that I needed special food because I was diabetic. He said the specialist would come to see me. The specialist turned out to be somebody from Okeogun in Oyo State. Two, he was a Baptist, and three, he had heard about me and knew me. So, he looked at me and said, ‘Don’t let anybody touch you with anything.
Within three weeks the man that came to me earlier returned again and said he wanted to take my blood. I said, ‘No, you have to get my doctor to come and take my blood for you.’
That was the arrangement between me and the doctor. And my doctor came and he brought a syringe and he took my blood and gave it to him. He now asked the man, ‘When would we have the result? ’The man said, ‘Within 24 hours of my getting to Abuja.’I haven’t heard the result until today.”
Obasanjo said after his release from prison, he gave into pressure to contest for the presidency and he ended up becoming president for two terms by the grace of God. “Nigeria that was a pariah state became a darling (of the world). What is the lesson for me?
I developed in prison but unfortunately, I was not able to sustain it. Maybe because there was nothing else to do in prison except to pray and fast. I used to fast a lot. On three occasions, I fasted for seven days, no water, no food… a unique power was given to me by God.
In all these, God did not leave me alone, and I know that. I say to people that God has never let me alone nor disappointed me in spite of all. I am a sinner. It is not because of my goodness, but because of the grace of God, and the grace of God continues to abound.”
…BUA Foods Will Be Nigeria’s Biggest Flour, Pasta Milling Company In 2024 – Abdul Samad Rabiu
Shareholders of BUA Foods Plc (“BUA Foods” or “the Company”), at the 3rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, on Thursday, 26 September 2024, approved the proposed final dividend payment of ₦5.50k per share.
The indigenous food manufacturing giant announced impressive financial performance as it recorded a revenue of ₦729.4bn, a 74.4% increase compared to the previous year. Profitability remained strong, demonstrating its resilience amidst evolving market dynamics, especially rising input costs. Profit after tax showed an impressive year-on-year growth, up 23%, from N91bn reported in 2022 to ₦112bn in 2023.
Addressing shareholders during the meeting, the Chairman of the Board, Abdul Samad Rabiu, thanked the shareholders for their undaunted commitment to the company’s shared vision. He mentioned that BUA Foods’ strategic focus on capacity expansion, and market penetration coupled with sound governance, yielded significant success.
He said: “Last year we successfully expanded and commercialised additional capacity in flour, pasta, and rice divisions, resulting in impressive volume growth across these divisions and overall strong business performance. With recent strategic agreements and new facilities planned for completion next year, we will become the country’s biggest pasta and flour milling company.
“Our performance is a testament to the resilience of our business strategies, underpinned by a culture of strong corporate governance. We are also focused on the optimisation of our internal processes to maintain excellence in a fast-changing world. With the dedication of our Management and staff, we will continue to deliver exceptional value to all stakeholders.”
Speaking further on growth ambitions, Rabiu said, “In 2024, we remain focused on accelerating efforts towards the completion of our Backward Integration Project in line with the extended Federal Government’s Sugar Master Plan 2.0, aimed at attaining self-sufficiency in the sugar sector.
“Additionally, we seek to further address key challenges in Nigeria’s rice production industry by enhancing local production, empowering farmers, and promoting sustainable practices. This project will contribute to food security, economic development, and environmental sustainability.”
Also commenting, the Managing Director BUA Foods, Engr. Ayodele Abioye (PhD), said, “Despite the challenging macroeconomic environment, we made good progress across key strategic pillars of expanding capacity, markets, products, and package offerings as well as expanding business capabilities with a focus on operational excellence, innovation, and sustainable growth.
“We will continue to leverage technology, innovation, and operational efficiencies to drive value creation and maintain a solid growth trajectory. We are committed to reinforcing our leadership as a home-grown food business with purpose.”
Speaking on the dividend pay-out, a shareholder, Mrs. Bisi Bakare, expressed her delight at the exceptional performance of the company.
She remarked, “We shareholders are very pleased today to receive a final dividend of N5.50 kobo from BUA Foods.
“I appreciate the board for putting smiles on our faces in this hard time. Declaring a N5.50k dividend despite the economic climate is very commendable and this has encouraged us to want to invest more.”
Another shareholder of BUA Foods, Farouq Muktar, commended the management for the year-on-year growth of the indigenous food manufacturing company.
He said, “I am very happy because of your commitment and the positive results we keep recording. This performance is highly commendable.
“We appreciate your strategic thinking which is one thing Nigerians need at this time. I commend BUA Foods management for always making us happy and not letting Nigerians down.”
In 2023, BUA Foods won several awards from reputable organizations. Among the awards won are Food Company of the Year, Innovative Indigenous FMCG Company of the Year Award, and Fastest Growing Food Manufacturing Company of the Year.
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Idera Pathfinder Foundation Boosts Education Sector In Ogun*
…Donates Block of Classrooms, Educational Materials To Schools
Ogun State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Adviser, who is also the Co-founder of Idera Pathfinder Foundation, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, has been commended for donating blocks of classrooms and furniture to his alma mater.
Commending the donor during the commissioning and handing over of the facilities to Moslem Primary Schools I and II, Isoku, Ijebu-Ode, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, informed that the donations which include, reconstruction of one block of four classrooms, fully equipped with 80 pairs of furniture and four teaching boards in School I, was an expression of passion for learners’ success.
Prof. Arigbabu added that one block of three classrooms, was also reconstructed and fully equipped with 60 pairs of furniture and three teaching boards in school II, to enhance conducive learning environment and promote quality teaching.
According to the Commissioner, the foundation also provided school bags and writing materials to all pupils in the two schools, commending the donor for supporting the ‘Adopt a School’ mantra of the present administration in the state.
“It is not common nowadays to see people giving back to their old primary schools; that is why I’m commending Mr. Okubadejo for this laudable gesture. The gesture will linger on in the minds of the pupils because it is engraved in their hearts already”, he said.
Prof. Arigbabu, while congratulating the management, staff and entire pupils of Moslem Schools I and II, charged them to put the facilities into good use, saying, “maintenance of projects encourages donors to do more”.
Earlier, Mr. Okubadejo, represented by his wife, who is also the co-founder, Mrs. Olufunke Okubadejo, noted that Idera Pathfinders Foundation is a non-political, non-religious and non-governmental organization established by Hon Oladapo and Mrs Funke Okubadejo to support the socio-economic and human capital development through targeted intervention in education and healthcare with a focus on the indigent, vulnerable communities and micro and small enterprises.
Mrs Okubadejo added that the foundation which has supported several people in the past is a movement dedicated to transforming lives, one step at a time seeking to bring peace, comfort and posterity to the society.
The Finance Commissioner, who was the Head Boy of the school in 1979, said the gesture was in memory of his mother, who was teacher in School I and later became a Head-teacher in School II, as well as expand the capacity of the schools for more enrolment drive, thereby raising future generations of educated and responsible people.
Appreciating the donor on behalf of other students, the Head Girl of the School II, Ibidapo Kafilat, expressed gratitude to the donors, promising to make judicious use of the facilities and writing materials.
Present at the commissioning exercise include The Onimoru of Imoru-Ijebu, Ogun State, Oba Munirudeen Adeposi, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Oluwatosin Oloko, Chief Olu Okuboyejo, a former Permanent Secretary in the state and Chairman, Ogun State Governor’s Elders Advisory Council, CDC/CDA and other notable dignitaries.
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