celebrity radar - gossips
APC Should Know That Propaganda Will Not Be The Magic This Time Around – CHIEF KENNY MARTINS
He has been into politics for quite a number of years. Chief Kenny Martins served in different capacities under past PDP regimes. The former Minister of Police Affairs in this exclusive and thought-provoking interview with Sahara Weekly, shed more lights on the Nigerian politics, national topical issues and ways out on how to ensure proper election in 2019. He also advised the APC not to rely on propaganda for victory in the forthcoming polls. Read on:
Three years down the lane, the people’s verdict is that the APC government has been a disappointment, as someone who has become a force to reckon with in Nigerian politics, what is your take on it?
Well, the fact is that they have disappointed some people but some people are still ready to give them a second chance, the question is which side is in the majority, those ones who believe they have done well or those who believe they have fallen far short of their expectation. I always tell people I have a problem giving verdict because the election is just seven to 8 months to go and this is going to be given by about 200 million people, we have about 76million having PVC now but if we are to talk about the noise here, it shows there are lots of short comings. One, we start with how they handle their inter-governmental relationships, they goofed from day one, they made a fundamental mistake, the house is divided against itself and cannot stand. In the time of Chief OlusegunObasanjo, when the late ChubaOkadigbo and AbubakarAtiku issue was going to happen, we won the election, OBJ moved to Defence House, then swearing in was two weeks away, moving to the villa was like three weeks away, so three weeks before the inauguration, two weeks before moving to the Aso Rock Villa, we saw a dichotomy between the Vice President and the President. The president had Evans Enwerem as a favorist,he was in APP but was among those that were added to PDP to support OBJ. In fairness to VP Atiku, he was 100 percent loyal, they have gone far, deep but it was not PDP who wanted Chuba Okadigbo, it was the people because we related more and I remember then that one or two other people were in contention that time, so I went to Defence House and met the president to tell him what I saw and if we should allow this dichotomy to take place when he is sworn in.The house was convened and they started the struggle for who becomes what, it will definitely split the senate and extended to the lower house which was why we have a split National Assembly back then. Your government had an issue and the consequence of that is you may not have a peaceful or stable tenure. He asked for what he can do, so I suggested he met with Atiku and I got Atiku the following morning. By 7am, we were together and I said what I needed to say and I said to Atiku that he shouldn’t allow the dichotomy, Obasanjo was his boss, they should allow the House to decide. We left that breakfast 40minutes later and the rest is history. Chief Evans Enwerem became Senate President and there was banana pill until Chuba Okadigbo came in, another round of banana pill and there was never peace at the National Assembly.
It is sad APC also started on the same seat. I am not saying something I don’t understand, I am saying something I have lived to witness, I have been involved, I have been a player, this time around, it is most sad APC fell for the same thing because there is no doubt that CPC already have a president, a major factor in the APC equation. ACN already had a Vice President, then naturally, those who became the game changers brought the equation that allowed opposition in Nigeria since independence, it took actions of the PDP, those governors, and in the whole of the north, all governorship elections were won in PDP but at the presidential level, they were won by wider margins with the same governors in the states, so that means the governors in PDP massively voted for Buhari so it means in APC, the PDP is a major factor. Naturally, the next position available is the senate presidency, then someone now says he is the landlord of Lagos State that he is currently in a meeting at the National Conference Centre that they shouldn’t convene the National Assembly at the senate chambers. They came there and keep their men and since then, they have been at a battle field due to this, it’s the destability that affected PDP that is also affecting the APC, why is it that we don’t learn from history in this country, we do not learn from mistakes, what is harmful in allowing Bukola Saraki to be a stable Senate President, run it in collaboration with the President and have a corporation. But talking about whether they have done well, certainly, every government has a legacy they leave behind because governance is so extensive, deep and wide so you definitely must have a power. Their power as I believe is solely centralized on fighting corruption, we have made anti-corruption a battle cry, a war cry and they are nationalizing and internationalizing it. It’s now an African Union issue, our President is now the chairman of the Union Corruption Tax Force so in that one, we have to give it to them. They are saying they are jailing only PDP people, it doesn’t matter who you jail, just fight anybody found guilty of corruption, someone will fight others sooner than later, in anti-corruption, they have shown prowess.
Most people believe the slogan of the APC is about going against Jonathan, what is your take on this?
That is the least concern of the masses because when I am hungry I don’t want to hear what Jonathan did, I want to hear what you are doing for me. You are supposed to be a baker, where is the loaf? That is the question the APC should ask itself, Nigerians are tired of excuses and actually if we are not careful, they are going to fail to convince the people on a second term bid on the basis of excuses of their last term. Nobody has ever won an election based on the failure of the former government, itis not done anywhere and they are not going to be the first to do it, it is not achievable. When people ask of what you have done, they want concrete things and achievements you can boldly point at. Propaganda do not win an election anymore in Nigeria.
As someone who is a voice to reckon with, what is the solution to the situation on ground. If for instance you have the ears of the President?
It is very simple, the president needs to come to terms with the people, it is starting to look like the Goodluck Jonathan’s period again where the president is isolated from national realities, the president should for one publish his number and promise to pick calls, Obasanjo used to do that, I remembered an incident when the Villa was supposedly on lock down, Major Al-Mustapha then called the President from the prison, so in essence, Mr. President needs to hear what the people are saying, he should stop listening to those close to him because they are not being sincere to him. We hear the people, we listen to them, it is not in consonance or in tandem with the reality as being preached by the All Progressives Congress today. On electricity, it is not enough to say there is power, I buy more diesel and still pay bigger bills, how doI address that? I travel the roads and they are as bad as when Jonathan left the three years ago, but they say they have done so much. Everything is skyrocketing, how does the bank and finance policy support buildings and mortgages which was easy those days, Nigerians cannot buy brand new vehicles anymore, why have we come to that level? What of the locomotive laws that was in place, how effective are they? When it comes to fuel, in the last four to five years, we spent billions of naira importing refined products. I need to ask one very important personality who says in this government, fuel will be twenty naira per litre, what happened? If there will not be subsidy, how come we are now talking of multi billion naira subsidy again, these are issues to be addressed. The agriculture policy, are foods growing and we have non-disrupting central farming district in the nation? Is it now replicating or reverberating in scarcity of food in economic hubs like Lagos? As a worker, am I able to pay my children’s school fees? These are issues that need to be addressed, I am not critical of the government but I wonder why we keep talking about the same thing. It is starting to look like maybe the good man should come and recognize us, that is the only thing I can think of because this government has failed. If there was any government that should be dancing ‘Skelewu’, it is this government because it is the only government that had massive votes after the late Chief MKO Abiola, are those voters still happy? So as to the solutions, the budget has come, no matter how well or badly manipulated by the national assembly, please, release the capital projects as soon as possible, let works commence, donot proffer economic theories that does not allow funds to go out. People are starving, nothing is happening. I know construction is on in all areas but you just have to look at the industries, what do you want to do for them about power? It is not enough to say the youths are lazy, where will they work? Many of the industries in Lagos are shut down and the churches are buying over those places and are also used as event centres. So I don’t know what to think about anymore as far as this government is concerned.
We have found ourselves at a cross road and some people believed come 2019, we should go back to the era of the so-called ‘corruption’ because things were still better then. What is your take on that?
The voters and their PVC will determine the next election and when they faulted Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for talking, he said something wrong. I accused him once of working for this government. He is just an echo-god of the nation, he is just reflecting and sending back the voice of the silent beings. He is just speaking for them but if as an echo-god, those ones are not saying anything then it means he is just a loud speaker, so this is why the government needs to be mindful of whatever Obasanjo says, they should listen because that is the voice of the people. There are killings everywhere, it is no more religious anymore. Because of its persistence, they have turned it to inter-religion, inter-tribal stuff and there is confusion all over, so the government needs to wake up, the pronouncement of the officials isn’t calming the people so security is a major issue.
Using you as a point of contact to other elder statesmen in Nigeria, what are you doing as a person to placate Nigerians and what are you doing to resolve these issues?
When a man is hungry, he will definitely be angry. The only way out is a man who has what it takes to listen and rationalize with the people because the problem has become a historical thing from one government to another government. Now, where some of us can get involved is by getting to those in power and what I have said here, I say more to them in terms of advice. I believe there are some deficiencies running the government with him and their responsiveness to the yearnings of the people isn’t connected to their needs. This government keeps getting own goals everytime, climb on the player in the box 18, they finish themselves, they are not helping matters. They make the government seems like an anti-people government, you need those who can say they have short comings, forget about Jonathan, talk about your plans rather than the past governments.
Let us talk about security especially in terms of the Police, Nigerians have lost faith in them especially the current government, taking Saraki, Police and Federal SARS, Nigerians do not trust them even in the judiciary, what is your take on this?
For the Nigerian Police, a country gets the kind of police it deserves. Nigeria is like an extension of the wider society because the values of the society are there, I donot see how the police can be different. You cannot give a national orientation; that is one of the things we voted for, a man who is renowned at making a re-orientation the focus of his policy drive but we have not found too much of that now unlike when he was around, the country shook then. I believe there is so much to be done for the Nigerian police and other security agencies. One of the reasons the security agencies generally apart from police, even the military flopped is because there is always contradictory positions at the top.
The governor is saying something, the commissioner of police is saying something else, there will be a clash, can’t both agree on how to solve their problems. Only the late General Sani Abacha, and some few others had very tight security, it was tolerable under Jonathan. We believe the security will be better but it will depend on the government also working with the people. Where in every state of the federation, the chief security officer, the governor isnot working in tandem with the Commissioner of Police, there will be problems. The police should go back and call a separate meeting with their governors and see how they can bring true security to all the 36 states of the federation including the FCT, Abuja.
Celebrating Sir Edwin Ogidi-Gbegbaje At 60 By Jimmy Enyeh
Majority of Deltans are unanimous in their submissions that the name of
Sir Edwin Ogidi-Gbegbaje, a celebrated top civil servant and retired permanent secretary in Delta State Government House has been recorded in the good side of history.
As he clocked 60 today, family members, friends, associates and well wishers have been falling over themselves to pay tribute to a kind hearted and jolly good fellow.
Edwin, a scion of the famous Gbegbaje family in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, a family noted for producing top bureaucrats and influential public servants.
For 35 years until he retired in January 2024, he added values to Delta State civil service, deepening its positive nuances and was one of the people that nurtured the civil service of the young state upon creation in 1991 to its now enviable heights, setting it along with others on a trajectory that has made it one of the best in the country.
Gbegbaje’s story is far from the proverbial rags-to-riches . He was born into comfort and high society, but suddenly lost his affluent parents in his first and third years at the University of Jos, but with good counsel and guidance of relatives who were bureaucrats, Edwin Ogidi-Gbegbaje made a career choice that saw him becoming a permanent secretary at 46, a very rare feat in those days.
In an interview conducted three years ago to celebrate his 57 years, he offered a glimpse into his life, challenges and triumph. “I come from the larger Gbegbaje family in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State. We have quite several branches of the genealogical tree. We have the Abesan. The patriarch of the family is Chief Gbegbaje Dasone.
“We have Oloyo Gbegbaje and Ogidi Gbegbaje. My parents were civil servants like myself. My mum was a social welfare officer who rose through the ranks.During the late Ambrose Ali administration in Bendel State, she was appointed permanent secretary. My father was a medical doctor.
“He was the first radiologist in the defunct Bendel State and second in the country. My father was the chief consultant radiologist in Bendel State. I also have an uncle, Mr. K Gbegbaje who was a permanent secretary. When he retired, he became the Chairman of Bendel State Civil Service Commission. I have an uncle who was the first Accountant-General of Kwara State. He was in the northern civil service in the 60s.He later became Chairman of National Oil. I am from a family of bureaucrats. I attended Emotan Primary School in Benin.
“I proceeded to Edo College. When I left Edo College, I had the desire to leave Benin. Even when I was admitted into UNIBEN to study Economics and Statistics, I wasn’t enthusiastic. So, I got admission to study Political Science in Jos in 1981. Prof Emovon from UNIBEN was the Vice-Chancellor in Jos at the time. As I was entering, Jos ceased being a campus of the University of Ibadan. I was there from 1981 -1985. I graduated before my 21st birthday.
“Unfortunately, I lost my dad as I was entering the university in 1981. When I was just getting into my third year, I lost my mum.
It wasn’t easy being the eldest among my siblings. In fact, I was encouraged to come for Christmas holiday in Benin without knowing that the evening of my arrival in Benin was the period of my mum’s service of songs.
“I didn’t have an inkling that such a thing had happened. I didn’t even hear that she was ill. I was shocked when I saw canopies in my compound at Ovie Whiskey Avenue close to Ekhewan Campus. A prominent Jos-based businessman from Ughelli encouraged me to visit home for Christmas.
“I graduated in 1985 and taught at a secondary school in Iko-Eket, Cross River State. Just as I was finishing, there were some advertisements for jobs. I didn’t see the one for NNPC early enough.Towards the end of 1988, my uncle who was the Chairman of Bendel State Civil Service Commission, said since I couldn’t get a private sector job, I should participate in extended interviews, especially since I had sat for ASCON examination.
“He advised me to start a career in the civil service. By the end of 1988, letters of appointment were out. I wasn’t conscious of the fact that the person who resumes first becomes the senior in service. I didn’t resume early. My uncle said I was supposed to have resumed instead of waiting to resume in the New Year. A few of my friends who were conscious of it had resumed and they became my seniors in service. I resumed on January 3, 1989.
“That was how my career started. We were supposed to come in as administrative officers Grade 7, but at that time there was a decree. So, by the time we came in, we were designated as personnel officers. We were regarded as the special class.
“Upon the creation of Delta State on August 27, 1991, we all had to move to Asaba. In fact, the movement was swift.
We were all not fully prepared for the swift movement. There was a surge of human beings into Asaba with the state creation. A lot of us couldn’t get accommodation in Asaba when we came. In fact, I stayed in Ibusa for nine years. It was when I met my wife that we moved to Asaba. A lot of my colleagues were sleeping in the offices then.
On his retirement, the Delta State governor praised Gbegbaje’s contribution to the growth of the state.
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, at the retirement thanks-giving service of Gbegbaje, urged civil servants in the state to emulate his virtues.
Speaking at a grand reception in honour of the celebrant at the Events Centre, Asaba, Governor Oborevwori described Ogidi-Gbegbaje as an intelligent, humble, diligent, transparent, process driven, selfless, accountable and compassionate bureaucrat.
While congratulating the retired Permanent Secretary for his diligent and patriotic service to the state, Oborevwori said Ogidi-Gbegbaje was very helpful in the last seven months of his administration.
According to him, “a lot has been said about Sir Eddy Ogidi-Gbegbaje and I also have a personal experience about him while I was Speaker and in the last seven months as Governor of Delta State, we have worked very closely and he helped me to settle down quickly.
“Sir Ogidi-Gbegbaje played his role very well, he is diligent in his duties and was always giving good and useful advise wherever he worked.
“Your service to humanity is something worth emulating and I must say that I enjoyed working with you. I congratulate you for 35 years of unblemished and meritorious service to the government and people of Delta State.
“We are going to miss you, the civil service will miss you, the machinery of government will miss you, you are retired but you are not tired, and your service is still needed.
“I want other civil servants to emulate your commitment to duty. So my message to other civil servants is that they should emulate Edwin Ogidi-Gbegbaje.
“If you look at his journey in the civil service from Bendel to Delta, you see his commitment to duty. Today, he has finished strong and we rejoice with him and his family”.
Chairman of the occasion and former Minister of Information, Professor Sam Oyovbaire, congratulated the celebrant for a successful retirement from service and urged other civil servants to emulate his kind virtues and commitment to duty.
From all indications, Edwin Ogidi-Gbagbaje is worth celebrating, he has touched numerous lives in the last six decades.
At the cusp of his 60th anniversary, the social and the civil service landscapes pulse with milestones he has achieved thus reasserting his worth as a rare force of nature. As family and friends join him in celebrating his 60th birthday, the image that pops into head is that of his genius and the passionate intensity he possesses, literally squizing water from stone as far as the public service is concerned. His brilliant performance as a permanent secretary, Delta State Government House, has earned him another appointment. He is currently the Chairman, Delta State Bureau for Pension and has been giving a splendid account of himself.
“In All Life’s Hardships, Keep Your Smile” By Prudent Ludidi
Let’s talk about a powerful tool that can help you navigate life’s challenges with confidence, resilience, and hope. That tool is your smile.
Life can be tough. It can throw us curveballs, test our resolve, and push us to our limits. But in the midst of hardship, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters. We forget to smile, forget to laugh, and forget to live.
Your smile is more than just a facial expression. It’s a symbol of strength, courage, and determination. It’s a beacon of hope that shines brightly, even in the darkest moments.
When life gets tough, it’s tempting to frown, to cry, or to give up. But I urge you to do the opposite. Smile. Smile through the tears, smile through the pain, and smile through the struggles.
Smiling doesn’t mean you’re ignoring your problems or pretending everything is okay. It means you’re choosing to rise above, to find the silver lining, and to focus on the good.
Your smile has the power to transform your mindset, inspire others, diffuse tension, and heal emotional wounds. It’s a powerful antidote to stress, anxiety, and fear.
Think about it. When was the last time you smiled? Really smiled? Not just a polite smile or a forced grin, but a genuine, heartwarming smile?
Smiling can:
Reduce stress and anxiety
Boost your mood and energy
Improve your relationships
Increase your resilience
So, how can you keep your smile shining bright, even in the face of adversity?
Find the humor in difficult situations. Laughter is a powerful way to shift your perspective and lighten the load.
Practice gratitude daily. Focus on the good things in your life, no matter how small they may seem.
Surround yourself with positivity. Spend time with people who uplift and support you.
Take care of your physical and mental well-being. Get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and prioritize self-care.
Remember, your smile is contagious. It can light up a room, brighten someone’s day, and change the atmosphere.
In all life’s hardships, keep your smile. It’s a reminder that better days are ahead, that you’re stronger than you think, and that you’re not alone.
Your smile is your superpower. Use it to overcome obstacles, to uplift others, and to create a ripple effect of joy and positivity.
Don’t let life’s challenges steal your smile. Keep shining, keep smiling, and keep pushing forward.
You are stronger than you think.
You are braver than you feel.
And you are capable of overcoming anything that comes your way.
So, smile. Smile with confidence. Smile with courage. Smile with hope!
celebrity radar - gossips
Lagos State’s Stability is a Barometer for Nigeria’s Stability – Amb. Tukur Buratai
Lagos State’s Stability is a Barometer for Nigeria’s Stability – Amb. Tukur Buratai
The Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS, Nigerian Army) and Former Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Ambassador (Lt General rtd) Tukur Yusufu Buratai, CFR has said that Lagos State has all the qualifications of a modern city and is one of the most populated cities in Sub – Saharan Africa. He went further to affirm that Lagos is also indicative of the degree to which Nigeria’s economic, political, social, and cultural landscape is deeply embedded within the global system.
He made this assertion on Wednesday 20th November, 2024 as the keynote Speaker at the Second Edition of the Lagos State University of Education Security Summit, with the theme: Insecurity, Cost of Living and Good Governance in the 21st Century.
Ambassador Tukur Buratai, while delivering the lecture in a paper titled: Lagos in Nigeria’s National Security and Defence Architecture: An Analysis.
Ambassador Tukur Buratai postulated in his paper that, “The presence of strategic military installations, the verse Atlantic Ocean and extensive coastline has placed Lagos State on the strategic defense map of the Armed Forces of Nigeria”, He said further that, ” While the sea provides a strategic economic status it could also be vulnerable to external attacks across the ocean”.
In his paper, Ambassador Tukur Buratai reiterated that the Lagos State government should begin to look at the options and implications of having its own security.
Ambassador Tukur Buratai also emphasized the urgent necessity to bolster our nation’s troop level to 800,000. He said a larger and more robust force will enhance operational readiness, improve our country’s capacity to respond to various contingencies, and strengthen our alliance on the international stage.
He also called for the establishment of a Marine Corps for the Nigerian Navy to be strategically stationed in key regions such as Lagos, Borno, Cross River, and Port Harcourt.
He also raised the pressing issue of the persistent lack of stable power supply in Lagos. He asserted that the Lagos State Government must urgently prioritize the development of independent power generation.
Ambassador Tukur Buratai also lauded the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s strategy regarding security in Lagos, which provides an example for governor’s throughout Nigeria. He said the governor recognizes that genuine security transcends mere physical presence or reactive measures. He commended the governor’s innovative approach, which has redefined the urban governance, and has also set a benchmark for other states to follow.
Ambassador Tukur Buratai also recalled that during his tenure as the Chief of Army Staff, he had the distinct privilege of witnessing the fruitful collaboration between the Nigerian Army and Lagos State under the leadership of Former Governor Ambode and now Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Ambassador Buratai, during the lecture, also appluaded the Lagos State Government on its infrastructural development in Lagos State, especially the Red and Blue Railway lines.
Ambassador Tukur Buratai also commended the Federal Government interventions in the development of Lagos State, while applauding the construction of the Lagos to Calabar Highway, he adviced the Lagos State and Federal Government on the security implications of opening up the high way, he suggested to the government to be proactive by early planning for its security when opened and becomes operational.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University of Education, Prof B. B Lafiaji-Okuneye welcomed Ambassador Tukur Buratai to the institution. In her words, she said, ” The great warlord and global peace ambassador is visiting our great institution for the first time. Sir, we appreciate you and what you stand for. Your desire for a Nigeria that is peaceful and safe, where the citizens and residents are free and are given every opportunity to prove their worth and contribute to the growth and development of the nation is evident “.
While making his contribution during the summit, the Commissioner of Tertiary Education, Lagos State, appreciated and commended Ambassador Buratai for adding value to the security summit and more importantly adding value to the Lagos State University of Education. The Commissioner also drew the attention of the participants of the summit to parts of Ambassador Buratai’s paper, where he elaborated on the strategy of social inclusiveness rather than the use of force to curb insecurity.
The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Barr Tolani Sule on behalf of the Lagos State University of Education, presented a Plague of Honour to Ambassador Buratai for his role in nation building.
Other discussant at the Summit included, HRM, Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun, (Arolugbade 11, the Oloja of Epe Land and the Vice Chairman, Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs), HRM, Oba Momodu Afolabi Ashafa ( The Aladi of Ijanikin Kingdom), HRM, Oba (Dr) Aina Josiah Olanrewaju ( IKUYAMIKU 1, the Oloto of Oto Awori Kingdom) and HRH, Oba Babatunde Ogunlaja JP ( ALADESHOYIN, the Paramount Ruler of Odo – Noforija Kingdom), all of whom spoke on the theme :Insecurity, Cost of Living and Good Governance in the 21st Century.
The event which was attended by various Traditional Rulers, Members of the Governing Council and Senate of the Institution, the Commissioner of Tertiary Education in Lagos State, Barr Tolani Sule, Captain of Industries, Security and Para Military Chiefs in Lagos State, various invited guests and the students.
Ambassador Tukur Buratai’s delegation to the summit included, Lt General Lamidi Adeosun (rtd), Former Chief of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Army, Colonel Emmanuel Adegbola (rtd), Comrade Oladimeji Odeyemi, Alhaja Toyyibat Adeosun, Alhaji Isa Dogo amongst others.
-
Business7 months agoMaxwell Opara Goofed Says AAS Investors As They Stand By Jesam Michael, Demand For Justice
-
society6 months agoExposing The Many Lies Of Wanted Cyber Bully, Dorcas Adeyinka + Her Failed Attempt To Blackmail The Odegbamis
-
society7 months agoAlleged Assault In Court: Setting The Record Straight, Jesam Michael is The Victim, Not Maxwell Opara
-
Politics6 months agoNiger’s Journey of Redemption Under Governor Bago* By Paul Dickson
You must be logged in to post a comment Login