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Femi Fani-Kayode Sends Strong Warning To Governor Ganduje,Others

Published

4 years ago

April 14, 2021

A WARNING TO GOVERNOR GANDUJE AND THOSE THAT THINK LIKE HIM

“It is a glaring fact that Northerners occupy over 80 percent of Nigeria population and that is primarily why other minority tribes like Igbo and Yoruba should respect them for that. The insecurity everybody is talking about is everywhere. Before Nigerians particularly Igbos and Yorubas use to think that insecurity exist only in the North but today, insecurity in those tribes today is on the increase. Igbos and Yorubas are busy agitating for freedom, thereby creating their own insecurity with the establishment of IPOB and Oduduwa Republic which are now terrorizing the entire nation. My advice to every Nigerian is to support President Muhammadu Buhari in moving this country forward. He has achieved so much for the country and must be commended”- Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

This is one of the most shameful, insulting, specious, irresponsible, pernicious, perfidious and disrespectful statements that I have heard in years. It is also reflective of the author’s debilitating, deafening, gut-wrenching and mind-blowing ignorance.

Governor Ganduje is nothing but a decrepit old relic from the distant past and a fading and toothless old dinosaur who has not only lost touch with reality but who has also lost touch with common sense. Simply put he is either totally and completely insane or he is suffering from strong delusions of grandeur.

To him Southerners are like the Lilliputians from Gulliver’s Travels that are little better than field hands, slaves and serfs whilst Northerners are the “master race” who “own Nigeria” and who are “born to rule”.

Yet to Southerners he and the tiny group of little monkeys and excitable chimpanzees that think like him are nothing but a vulgar, primitive and crass dying breed of vandals, vagabonds, barbarians, bozals and lazy thinkers who believe that the shedding of human blood, brute force, conquest and violence is the answer to everything and who have no culture, no history, no heritage, no decency and no humanity.

Thankfully he does not represent anyone in the North but himself and this small handful of irritants and primitive thinkers and even more thankfully few of those that think like him still remain on the earthly plain.

He says Northerners own Nigeria and that they constitute 80% of the Nigerian people! Permit me to ask, which “North” is he talking about?

Is it the North West, the North East or the Middle Belt because these are three distinct and separate entities which are all manned and filled with people from different tribes and religious faiths.

The old North that Ganduje craves for and appears to be trying to invoke and resurrect is long gone, dead and buried.

For the last few weeks and months I have been at the forefront of those advocating for the building of bridges and understanding between the regions, zones, tribes, religious faiths and political parties in Nigeria. However statements like Ganduje’s make this appear to be an exercise in futility.

That we want to keep the peace, build bridges, enhance national unity, re-establish national cohesion and ensure that our country does not end up fighting a second civil war or engage in a second round of fratricidal butchery does not mean that we are weak, cowardly, scared, perturbed or living in trepidation of the North and neither does it mean that we have lost our testicular fortitude and capitulated to the archaic, anachronistic, godless and unacceptable philosophy and irreverent logic of ‘born to rule’.

It just means we are decent, civilised, restrained, mature and responsible leaders and people who hate bloodshed, who value peace, who seek to avoid conflict, who insist on ensuring that good sense prevails and who recognise the fact that war is the greatest evil that one can possibly imagine and that we must avoid it at all costs.

Despite our pacifist disposition it must also be clearly understood that there is a limit to our sense of restraint, patience and understanding and that limit is a clear understanding and acknowledgement of the fact that peace cannot come at the expense of Southern and Middle Belt liberty, dignity, self-respect, freedom and pride. Simply put we will not sacrifice our civil liberties, human rights and right to exist as freeborn citizens on the alter of one Nigeria.

It is either that Nigeria regards us as equals before God and the law and as freeborn and independent citizens or to hell with her and her much-touted, vainglorious and illusionary unity which cannot possibly be sustained into the distant future without making the necessary changes, sacrifices and concessions.

The slightest suggestion or suspicion that Southerners and Middle Belters are slaves, are a minority or are second class citizens in this country will deafen the ears and silence the tongues of even the moderates in our ranks and ultimately result in a brutal, violent and protracted conflict in which millions of people on both sides of the regional divide will die.

This is the sad and bitter truth and I see it coming so clearly unless we work hard to avoid it. This is why we need to be careful what we say and do these days because tempers are running high and the lid is about to blow off. In the South particularly people are just fed up and are no longer prepared to be restrained or reasonable.

They believe that they are under siege and they are facing an existential threat from hordes of barbarous, bloodthirsty and savage terrorists from outside our shores who seek to steal, kill and destroy and whose sole objective is to establish a permanent army of occupation and colonise the entire region.

Those of us that have been appealing to them to be restrained and not to perceive every Hausa Fulani person as an enemy are having a very hard time indeed and are more often than not viewed with suspicion and described as collaborators.

Whilst we are not deterred or concerned about such erroneous and absurd characterisations which are clearly not rooted in truth any further provocation may have the effect of setting aside reason and rationality and ultimately result in the eruption of a massive cauldron of fire and the release of death, destruction and the dogs of war.

Governor Ganduje has stoked the fire, increased the temperature, shaken the fragile table and added to the palpable tension that already exists in the nation by articulating his self-serving and nonsensical diatribe and his words have proved to be not only irresponsible but also utterly reprehensible.

Worse still this is the second attack by a prominent northern leader on Southerners in the last one week and this has not gone unnoticed in many quarters.

Is it all being orchestrated in order to push the South to the brink or bully us into submission? I really do wonder but if that is the idea it will not work. As a matter of fact it will have the opposite effect and it will provoke us to rise up to the occassion, pick up the gauntlet and resist the attempt to silence, subjugate and intimidate us.

Let me serve notice to Governor Ganduje and all those that think like him. If you continue to talk like this we will not attempt to build that bridge of peace anymore but rather we will burn it and damn the consequences.

Every day we receive insults from our own people in the South and Middle Belt for not going on the offensive and for urging them to remain calm and sheath their swords.

Instead of respecting and reciprocating our efforts Ganduje and a few others in the North are provoking our people all the more with their nonsensical, puerile and infantile statements.

We worked with some prominent and responsible northerner and Middle Belt leaders, like Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state and Comrade Awwal Abdullahi of the Northern Consensus Movement, just a few weeks ago during the food embargo against the South and together we ensured that our country pulled back from the brink and did not end up in war.

That was a great achievement and it proved that if we all choose to be reasonable, treat each other with respect and work together we can make things work in Nigeria and get rid of these divisions.

As a consequence of those efforts and the patriotic stance if many of the stakeholders that were involved in the discussions and negotiations lives were saved and we found a way forward. And the fact that President Buhari directed, backed and commended that effort says a lot for him.

Governor Ganduje and those that share his primitive and antedelluvian mindset should not spoil all that good work by insulting Southerners and compelling us to go back to the trenches. If he does both he and those that think like him do will ultimately regret it deeply.

The South is NOT occupied territory, she is NOT conquered land and she is NOT your vassal state. Southerners are NOT slaves, Nigeria is not owned by Northerners and neither can Southerners or Middle Belters be treated with levity, contempt and disdain any longer.

The Nigeria of 2021 is very different to the Nigeria of 1966 and the leaders and youths of the South are not as accommodating or pliant as the leaders and youths of yesteryear.

The calls for Biafra and Oduduwa are compelling and they have massive support in their respective zones. This cannot be wished away or easily dismissed and it cannot be underestimated.

The Igbo and the Yoruba particularly will be your worse nightmare if you continue to call us out, push us to the wall, insult us with reckless abandon, kill our people or spit in our faces.

I advise you and those that that think like you to mind your words or prepare for a cataclysmic and jaw-breaking response and reaction which may ignite our country into the greatest display of lethal fireworks in the history of Africa.

I also advise you to borrow a leaf from the millions of Northerners and the new generation of respectable and responsible northern leaders, like Shettima Yerima and Nastura Ashir Sharif, who do not share your shameful views and who see themselves as equal partners with their counterparts from the South.

We can be friends and brothers and we can work together to enhance national unity and better the collective future of our people but there is one condition: the South will NEVER be your slaves. Rather than that we will go our separate ways.

(FFK)

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Celebrating Sir Edwin Ogidi-Gbegbaje At 60 By Jimmy Enyeh

Published

28 minutes ago

November 22, 2024

Sahara Weekly

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.

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“In All Life’s Hardships, Keep Your Smile” By Prudent Ludidi

Published

3 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Sahara Weekly

“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!

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Lagos State’s Stability is a Barometer for Nigeria’s Stability – Amb. Tukur Buratai

Published

2 days ago

November 20, 2024

Sahara Weekly

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.