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celebrity radar - gossips

How a pastor duped me of N918M- Atiku’s wife

Published

7 years ago

May 24, 2017

Sahara Weekly

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Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s wife, Titi Atiku, on Tuesday told an Ikeja High Court that she trusted a business partner who allegedly defrauded her of N918 million because of his status as a pastor.

“I thought that the first defendant, being a pastor, he will not defraud me.

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“I thought that he was being genuine with me during our business dealings,” Mrs Abubakar said while being cross examined in the ongoing fraud trial against a pastor, Nsikakabasi Akpan-Jacobs, Abdulmalik Ibrahim and Dana Motors Ltd.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had slammed the accused with a 15- count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and fraudulent conversion of property worth N918 million belonging to THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd.

Amos Ibe, the defence counsel to Mr. Akpan-Jacobs, while cross examining Mrs Abubakar, questioned why she used different monikers in company documents relating to the fraud.

“Before I start cross examining you Ma, should I refer to you as Your Excellency?

“Why was the name Florence Doregos used in the petition from the EFCC which is exhibit one, as well as other fake names in documents you used to transact business with the first defendant?,” Mr. Ibe queried.

Replying, Titi said: “I am Her Excellency forever, it was under my instruction and direction that the petition was written.

“My name is Florence Doregos, my name is Titi Amina Atiku Abubakar, the Mrs in the petition is a mistake made by my Lawyer.

“Florence is my name and it was easy for me to use Doregos while I was in state service.

“The name of my biological father is Dorego Albert, we are from Ilesha but I have cousins who are from the Republic of Benin.

“I can choose Doregos, I can choose Albert as my surname, they are all my names, even Dino Melaye, his name is Daniel but he calls himself Dino.

“I can twist my name anyhow I want.”

Responding to Mr. Ibe’s questions about her identity when she married the former Vice-President, she said “I married my husband at the Ikoyi Registry in 1971.

“I was a Christian before I married my husband, Angelina is my baptismal name, Florence is my confirmation name.

“When I got married to my husband, I converted to Islam and I have been called Amina Titilayo, Titilayo was what I was called at home,” she said.

Mr. Ibe, however, still questioning Mrs Atiku’s real identity, told her that a book written in honour of her husband titled ‘Atiku: The Story of Atiku Abubakar,’ claimed that she was from a Local Government Area in Adamawa.

“I am from my husband’s Local Government Area by virtue of marriage.

“Whether I’m from the moon o, that’s not the matter on ground,” she said.

Mr. Ibe sought to tender the book written in honour of the former Vice-President to the court but it was rejected by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye.

“The document does not fall under the definition of a public document under the Evidence Act, it is a private document, it is therefore rejected,” Justice Ipaye said.

NAN reports that THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd, a company created in 2000 belonged to Mrs Atiku, Akpan-Jacobs and Fred Holmes.

She was allegedly to be the majority shareholder with 49 per cent shares, while Holmes and Akpan-Jacobs each had 25 per cent shares.

Mr. Akpan-Jacobs, who also doubled as the company’s Managing Director and Secretary, was accused to have gone to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and altered the share holding in his favour and forging the company’s board resolution.

He allegedly under the new share arrangement allotted 70 per cent shares to himself and 15 per cent shares each to Titi and Holmes.

According to the EFCC, welding a fraudulent shareholding power, Mr. Akpan-Jacobs sold a property belonging to the company to Dana Motors Nigeria Ltd for N918 million.

The property is located at Plot C63 A, Amuwo-Odofin Commercial Layout along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, the defence disputed Mrs Abubakar’s claims that she invested over N1.2billion in the business transactions with the defendants.

“Your petition stated that you invested over N200 million and in another document it stated that you invested over N1.2billion, which fact is correct?

“Do you have accounting reports, did you hire an auditor to look at the accounts, how did you arrive at N1.2billion?

“N200 million is the money I spent in building the bonded terminal, by the time it was ready, it was worth N1.2billion.

“Akpan-Jacobs never gave me any records, I was in the state service, I did not get any auditor, Akpan-Jacobs has the evidence of the money I spent, I didn’t know that our business transactions will become a court case,” she said.

Mrs Abubakar, while in the witness box, accused Mr. Akpan-Jacobs of using her company property as a collateral for a bank loan that he sought when he wanted to run for the Akwa-Ibom governorship election.

“He used my bonded terminal as a collateral for a loan when he wanted to run for governorship of Akwa-Ibom, when he couldn’t refund the money the bank wanted to acquire the bonded terminal, he sold it to Dana Motors Ltd,

“I was the largest shareholder of THA Shipping Company with 49% of shares, my German partner Fred Holmes had 26% and Akpan-Jacobs has 25%.

“Akpan-Jacobs never contributed a dime to the company, I couldn’t be involved in all the documentation because I was in service.

“He did the registration and promotion of the company, he brought all the papers to me at the villa to sign, he later fraudulently changed the shareholding powers of my shipping company to favour himself.

“He gave me 15 percent, Holmes 15 percent and he took 70 percent shareholding power for himself.

“I never entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with him to sell the company, that is why I’m in court, when he couldn’t repay the loan, he sold the company to Dana Motors Ltd.

“When the fraud happened, we initially agreed to settle out of court, but instead of settling, he went to sell the cranes and the company, giving the EFCC N16 million which I received, “ she said.

Mr. Akpan-Jacobs’ lawyer asked the court to cancel the next court date slated for May 24 for continuation of the trial on the grounds of his Ill health.

“My Lord, I ask for the previously adjourned date of May 24 to be vacated because I am currently battling ill health,” Mr. Ibe said.

Babatunde Sonoiki, the EFCC counsel however, opposed Mr. Ibe’s request.

“There have been four adjournments at the cost of the plaintiff, she flies in at great risk to her safety from Abuja for every court date and she is supposed to be helping to take care of a newborn of one of her children.

“We have another witness who has travelled on four occasions for 15 hours by road from Yola and the case keeps being adjourned, I will like to request for a cost of N750,000 from the defendants to cover the financial expenses of the plaintiff,” he said.

Justice Ipaye granted a cost of N100,000 against Mr. Akpan-Jacobs and adjourned the case until July 5 and 6 for continuation of trial.

(NAN)

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celebrity radar - gossips

‘Pity men’, Williams Uchemba laments outfits women wear to the gym

Published

17 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Sahara Weekly

‘Pity men’, Williams Uchemba laments outfits women wear to the gym

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Nollywood actor Williams Uchemba has lamented over the choice of outfit ladies wear to the gym.

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The movie star, in a video on his official Instagram account, lamented that women now wear revealing outfits to the gym, and the times he goes to the gym, he sees something he didn’t plan to see.

He also revealed that, due to this trend, he stopped going to public gym because of his desire to “make heaven.”

He said, “Ladies how far? Should all the men not come to the gym again? Because it’s getting out of hand and becoming appalling, I don tire. Make una try to dey wear beta cloth come gym nau, what is this?

“There are men that have made up their minds to make the heavenly race and na una dey plenty for gym. Whoever that sells these clothes to you people, their shop go burn down because what is going on? Every single time one comes to the gym, wetin you no plan see you must see am.

“Una don make up una mind say no man in this Nigeria will make heaven but It won’t work because I’ve left the gym for una, I’ve set up a gym in my house because I cannot cope, I want to make heaven. You will have 20 people in the gym, 300 are women, doing exercises.

“Have conscience, men are people’s children too, I’m speaking for all the men and we need to make heaven.”

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celebrity radar - gossips

Nollywood loses another veteran actor

Published

3 days ago

April 24, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Nollywood loses another veteran actor

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The Nigerian movie industry has again been thrown into mourning after the news of the death of another veteran Nollywood actor, Zulu Adigwe, surfaced on social media on Tuesday.

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Adigwe’s death was announced by a movie producer, Stanley Nwoko, in a post on his Instagram page .

Mourning the actor, Nwoko wrote, “Rest in peace, good actor.”

Adigwe’s death is coming two weeks after Junior Pope and three other Nollywood actors died in a boat accident in Anam River.

The actors were said to be on their way to a location when the incident occurred.

Adigwe gained recognition primarily for portraying fatherly characters in Nollywood films.

His breakthrough role came as Mr. B in the popular sitcom “Basi and Company.”

He also appeared in the highly successful 2019 movie “Living in Bondage: Breaking Free.”

Although born in Enugu State and spent his early years there, he later moved to Austria, where he completed his primary and secondary education.

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celebrity radar - gossips

ERELU OLAJUMOKE, AN ALLURING CHARMING BEAUTY MAJESTICALLY CLIMBED THE FIFTH FLOOR

Published

1 week ago

April 19, 2024

Sahara Weekly

ERELU OLAJUMOKE, AN ALLURING CHARMING BEAUTY MAJESTICALLY CLIMBED THE FIFTH FLOOR

…Celebrates Golden Jubilee In Glitz and Amazing Glory

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She is a damsel, an embodiment of beauty, brain and brawn, possessing the best of qualities any discerning mind would dream of. She is no one else than Erelu Olajumoke, Erelu of Ifetedo Kingdom and founder/Chief Executive Officer of Erelu Olajumoke Foundation. Very industrious, illustrious and extremely hardworking, Erelu Olajumoke, the Iya Ijo of Bishop Court Chapel in Alagbaka Akure will on Saturday, the 20th of April, 2024 celebrate her 50th birthday, stepping majestically into the fifth floor and marking a golden jubilee that looks every inch, good on her.

The effervescent, glamorous and charismatic Erelu Olajumoke is an enigma, a colossus who has contributed immensely to humanity and the entire global economy. She is graciously blessed with the spirit of giving. Erelu Olajumoke, a magnanimous lady of substance, value and valor has been practically involved in various forms of empowerment, spreading love, passion and absolute generosity to the poor, the needy, the old (elderly), orphans, widows/widowers, the impoverished, the underprivileged and the intimidated members of the society. Endowed with an uncommon traits of great-heartedness, Erelu Olajumoke took it upon herself to alleviate the poverty levels of the people by directly, impacting on their lives.

Oftentimes, this legendary philanthropist, who is very much aware of the fact that health is indeed wealth, has organized various medical outreach programmes that yielded great impact on beneficiaries. Through Erelu Olajumoke Foundation, this amazon of beauty has transformed the lives of many, bringing in, health care professionals from around the globe to give succor to those with health challenges. Her roles in the rejuvenation and revamping of people’s health are awesome and iconic. Those who have benefitted from her tremendous medical contributions would always say lofty tales about her.

As an outstandingly committed child of God, Erelu Olajumoke who is currently basking in the euphoria of clocking 50, has been and still involved in fundraising activities towards her church and evangelism. Her passion and zeal for spreading the good news of God, winning souls into the Kingdom of God and expunging sinners from the gory dungeons of sin are highly recognized and commendable. She is absolutely emotional and animated to the church, the Gospel and everything about her Creator.

An extremely supportive partner, Erelu Olajumoke is simply, the strongest pillar of support to the political and democratic achievements of her beau, the distinguished Senator Oluwole Olubiyi Fadeyi, the dynamic and zestful Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, Abuja.

As a matter of fact, Erelu Olajumoke has displayed so much affection for the amiable Senator through unwavering support, unalloyed devotion to his democratic ideologies and strategies coupled with her reciprocating fondness for the people her hubby represents at the Red Chambers. Erelu Olajumoke synergized her benevolent acts with those of her beloved Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi by catering for constituency needs under his Osun Senatorial District covering Osogbo, Ila, Boripe, Odo-Otin, Boluwaduro, Ifedayo, Irepodun, Olorunda and Orolu Local Government Areas.

The ‘birthday girl’, Erelu Olajumoke regularly extends her olive oil of love, passion and care for all widowed women and men in these communities not excluding helpless and hopeless orphans, out of school children, those experiencing excruciating poverty amongst other less-privileged within the Osun Central Senatorial District and beyond. Erelu stands as a rock of Gibraltar, upholding the democratic values of her hubby with in-depth determination, perseverance and tenacity. As the First Lady of Osun Central Senatorial District, Erelu Olajumoke has performed meritoriously contributing immensely to the successful foray and great achievements of her best friend, her best adviser, best confidant and above all best lover, the distinguished Senator Ajagunla Oluwole Olubiyi Fadeyi, the Tayese II of Ifetedo Kingdom.

With the input and advise from Erelu Olajumoke, Senator Olubiyi Fadeyo has brought new hope to the good people of Osun Central Senatorial District, giving our palliatives and economic empowerment equipments like buses, cars, motorcycles, tricycles, hairdressing equipments, barbing gadgets, grinding machines, freezers amongst other vital poverty alleviation to drastically and astronomically reduce poverty from the shores of that senatorial district.

In a nutshell, Erelu Olajumoke, who will be gathering high net-worth dignitaries, top celebrities, society bigwigs, powerful political stalwarts, family, friends and well-wishers come Saturday to celebrate her joining the club of the 50s, could be described as an awesomely delectable queen with an uncommon heart of gold.

Happy birthday to this rare gem, a blessing to humanity and the solid pillar of support behind one of Nigeria’s most reliable Senators, Ajagunla Olubiyi Oluwole Fadeyi.

Barrister Olaitan Ilori