celebrity radar - gossips
Davido rebuffs Dele Momodu, says Sophia visits Imade weekly
David Adeleke, the 23-year-old pop artiste popularly known as Davido has rebuffed claims by his estranged lover, Sophia Momodu on the circumstances surrounding the removal of their daughter, Imade, from Sophia’s custody.
In lengthy narrative issued last night, Adeleke alleged that Sophia had been in weekly contact with Imade up till last week and claimed that hospital authorities had sought to transfer the baby to officials of the Lagos State Children Welfare Authority on account of alleged drug use by Sophia.
Adeleke in his narrative said the hospital authorities recanted only after Sophia agreed to surrender the baby for care with him, saying his estranged lover had kept to the agreement until she recanted last week as she insisted on going along with the Adeleke family for the treatment and family vacation in Dubai.
Adeleke in the narrative poured invectives on the respected veteran journalist, Dele Momodu, who he accused of not taking care of his niece, Sophia, alleging that Mr. Momodu and his wife entered the scene as busybodies who he claimed did not bother about the welfare of their niece until she had a baby for him.
Vowing that he was manipulated by Sophia and that he would never marry her, he accused his estranged live-in lover of debauchery, saying that he was a well brought up man who would not condone such attributes of a woman as a wife.
Efforts to get Mr. Momodu’s reaction to the development were unfruitful as he did not respond to SMS and phone calls at press time.
He said: “In May, the same month Imade was born, Sophia settled in her fancy apartment for which I paid a hefty bill for a 2 year lease. Her baby was healthy. And she seemed happy. I would take care of all the financial needs of Imade and still pay Sophia a living allowance of N300,000 plus utility bills.
“Within a matter of weeks, Sophia missing and lusting for the streets of Lagos, especially the glitzy night life. She often left Imade home for clubbing, binge drinking and a life of debauchery and deviant living. She would sleep all day and party all night. When awake, she was addicted to the telephone and cannabis. She paid the baby no attention at all and seems to despise motherhood and parenting.
Blood polluted to the maximum level with cannabis
Imade was in her custody for two straight months, unchallenged and uninterrupted, until the baby took badly and severely ill in July. Imade cried, ceaselessly, for 48 hours. She was rushed to the hospital where her condition confounded medical experts. Several tests were conducted on her and later on the mother. Medical reports, herein attached, proved that Sophia’s blood was polluted to the maximum level with cannabis and she had by the process of breast feeding infected her child with complicated medical conditions associated with the use of alcohol and especially cannabis.
“The trouble spot for Imade was her lungs. She had difficulty breathing largely because of the contaminated breast milk and the severity of the “Second Smoke” of marijuana inhaled by the poor child.
“The medical experts at the hospital were enraged by the callous treatment of Imade by her own mother and declared her unfit for the caring and the nursing of a delicate baby. The team determined that they would hand over the baby to the Children’s Welfare Authority of Lagos State Government. My family started to plead with the hospital management. For the first time, Sophia too was sober, sorry and contrite. We pleaded that the baby would be kept from the mother once she was returned to us, and that we would take over responsibilities for Imade’s welfare.
“Voluntarily, Sophia, in the attempt to avoid the handing over of the baby to the children welfare authority, agreed to a compromise position that she would transfer Imade to the Adeleke family until the cannabis in the systems of both mum and daughter was completely out and comprehensively cleaned out.
“The medical expert also indicated that the full damage to Imade’s person could not be ascertained right away and that her mental state now or in the future could not be determined nor predicted, until perhaps when she would have attained adulthood. This was why and how Imade was transferred to the custody of the Adeleke family.
Imade flown to hospital in Dubai
“Meanwhile, Imade was increasingly worse off in wellness and she had to be flown to the American hospital in Dubai. I wrote a letter of release authorizing my sister to travel to Dubai with Imade. The hospital saved Imade who was returned to Nigeria with a medical equipment that had to be used daily to enable Imade to gain restful sleep and balanced respiratory rhythm. The photograph of this equipment is hereby attached.
“If Imade had not gone to Dubai, it is fair to say that she may not be alive today. Still, some people prevented her from keeping a follow-up appointment at the American Hospital in Dubai. For the silliest possible reason. My family would not pay for Sophia’s flight ticket and thus Imade would be disallowed from traveling for the vital purpose of medical conditions that lend oxygen to her life.”
“The claim has been made that the aborted trip to Dubia was to take Imade to America. This is not true. Imade’s Nigerian passport is right now with the Immigration Office with no American Visa embossed on it and Imade, though qualified to possess an American Passport because her dad is an American citizen, still does not possess an American passport. True, her passport is being processed but the truancy of her mother has caused a major delay. I therefore ask, how will Imade have entered America without a visa on her Nigerian passport?
“The only reason why some of us are dancing naked in the market place today, is because Sophia’s request to go to Dubai on my ticket was declined. She is demanding for her new car and a raise of her allowance to one million naira per month. The sole reason why she’s demanding for the custody of Imade is to justify the necessity for this delusional one million naira. A domestic matter that could have been quietly and sensibly settled has been tossed to the public domain with the brutal consequences to the most innocent actor in this drama, Imade.
“From December 23-28, Sophia lived at my father’s Lekki residence in peace, except for the first one hour when a medication was misapplied by her and Imade speedily vomited for a fearfully long time. Sophia did not know how to even bathe her own baby. She brought a friend to stay with her in a 3-bedroom flat with a resident professional nurse and nanny. Overall, her stay was joyful and in alignment with the thrills of the Christmas holiday season.
“On December 29, less than 24 hours of leaving my father’s house, Sophia was at the airport in the company of her uncle and his wife with malice aforethought and the aim to do maximum damage that would obstruct her child from travelling aboard to receive necessary and needful medical care. She was welcome to join us if she had bought her ticket or her uncle had funded her for the trip.
“ I offered to buy her a car and suggested a Toyota brand or Hyundai. She lost her cool and told me off. She wanted a fancy jeep and preferably, a Mercedes Benz Jeep. I laughed because she just wanted to be a Lagos Big Girl for nothing. She hardly can cope with the cheapest car much less the ruinous cost of maintaining a Mercedes Benz vehicle. In December she received 500,000 naira as her allowance without doing anything for Imade. Life is not a bed of roses. Neither have I ever promised Sophia a rose garden. Her spontaneous motions of delusions utterly baffle me!
“On her twitter page, she claimed she has recovered Imade from captivity. But Imade never was in captivity. Sophia certainly knows where Imade is. And it is where she left her on December 28, at my father’s house. What is the lie about? Sophia also claimed that she hasn’t seen her daughter in 5 months, this cannot be true. Sophie spent every Sunday with her baby at my father’s house since July 2015 when she voluntarily transferred Imade to the Adeleke family after the cannabis incidence. She and her daughter constantly appear on her face book and twitter pages throughout this period of 5 months. What manner of unreliable and lying person is Sophia? The picture of your reconciliation with Imade after “captivity” that you posted on your twitter page came directly from the photo shoot that you posed for at my father’s house during your Christmas stay. Why can’t you ever be affable with truth nor have a relationship with honour?
“Uncle Dele Momodu was the first to bring this domestic matter online and onto the internet. Uncle Dele Momodu ran smack into the internet highway on December 30 with Video recordings that he dishonestly, immorally and unlawfully recorded at a government facility and office at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. Uncle, you are wrong and you are not doing the right thing.
“Life is beautiful if we all live in simple ways and do not engage criminal gadgets to replace integrity and honour. Your recordings cannot alter the fact that I am “Davido” father of Imade and it cannot force me to be the husband of your cousin. In truth, I don’t know if you are uncle or cousin to Sophia. Still, Uncle Dele Momodu, it is immoral, unlawful and unethical to clandestinely record anyone, especially friends and family members.
“Late evening on December 30, I responded to your vicious internet publications that attacked me and my family. But my father’s counsel and the love I have for Imade prompted me to recall the arrow aimed at you. You see, my father raised me well, and I promptly complied with his advise. I thus deleted all references to the issue of December 29 at the Airport and apologized to you in particular along with all my fans. I showed you respect even if u had provoked me.
“Instead of reciprocating with love and elderly wisdom, you sustained your attack of me with even more venom and hatefulness. With all due respect for my dad, I am compelled to speak to your lies and your simulation of grand self-importance. I am 23 and you are almost 60. Your cousin has a baby for me. Rather than bring us together as a family, you wished for glowing embers to come out of cool cucumber. This is why you instructed your lawyers to put garbage on the internet in a matter that should be showcased in the court of law. Uncle, who offended you? Is it Davido, Sophia or Imade? It cannot be my late mum after whom I named Imade. Is it my gentle dad?
“I am 23 and a performing artiste that God immensely blessed and I have joyfully made good in the industry. I won’t do this forever, and I shall timely step aside in the nearest future. I have a degree and I am stashing my monies aside so that I can build a decent future for Imade plus my future wife and family. I believe as the bible says, “every good gift is from above”.
Source: Vanguard
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.
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