celebrity radar - gossips
How Oluwo Of Iwo Was Jailed In The US By Tunde Odesola
Nestling aboard an incoming Delta Airline flight from Atlanta, Georgia on May 10, 2024, the window-seat view of the landscape and skyscape of Ikeja cityscape was gloomy. The giant American bird called Boeing glided through the clouds before swooping down intently like a hawk in hunt. There were no trees, no greenery in sight from my Skyview as Lagos spread out like a ghetto cast in concrete, iron, rubble and filth.
“Where are all the trees the Babatunde Fashola administration planted,” I asked myself. I answered myself, “Felled by the Godfather and his mafia who were happy to throw the baby out with the bathwater.” Like the Champions League is to Real Madrid, Lagos has become a political trophy belonging to the MD – Master Dribbler – who has dribbled his way to the Centre, and Nigeria now lies unconsciously at his feet.
The plane touched down around 10 a.m. Welcome to Nigeria! After about eight years, it felt good to be back home. A national anthem war would soon rage between ‘nationalists’ and ‘colonialists’, amid chants of ‘Arise, O Compatriots’ and shouts of ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’. The national anthem war was avoidable if leadership had a meaning in Nigeria. But leisurely, Captain Bourdillon draws hard on his cigar, steering the wheel of the sinking Nigerian ship back into slavery waters. The controversial descriptions of Nigeria as Fatherland and Motherland in the two national anthems show that Nigeria urgently needs a DNA test to confirm its legitimacy.
As passengers disgorged from the belly of the bird, I caught a whiff of the perennial Nigerian virus when a dirty-looking lady in mufti, whose wrinkled skin betrays bleaching cream overuse, held a ‘gentleman’ in suit by the hand, and led him from the back of the queue towards the front. Ironically, the queue was fast-moving.
I raised my voice in protest. “Una no even allow the plane land before una begin una madness! You, yeye man, you fit jump queue for US? You, (pointing at the ‘immigration’ woman), take that man back to the end of the queue from where you took him!”
I heard the yeye man tell the clutchy lady, ‘I told you it’s wrong, I don’t like causing a scene’ but the woman held his hand and led him on, all the same, prompting me to raise my voice louder, cussing and embarrassing them both.
An old man at my back in the queue said, “Young man, when last did you come to Nigeria?” I told him I didn’t understand his question. He continued, “Nigeria is not America. That’s the way we are here o.” I told him, “Every society needs eternal vigilance to oil the wheels of justice and fairness.” He shrugged, “Well, I agree.”
In no time, I was done with immigration and I landed at the carousel for my luggage. My luggage didn’t arrive on the plane: come tomorrow. Ok. No wahala. Tomorrow is a stone’s throw.
I hopped into a taxi. Portable omo Olalomi hopped in with me. The car stereo blared: “Ara adugbo (Zeh) /Tuntun ti de o (Zeh) /Zazoo (Zeh) /O po leti (Zeh) /O ye ke ti ma gbo (Zeh)… /Baddo sneh (Zeh) /Pepper sneh (Zeh) /Many many were wa n le (Zeh) /Ahh, repete (Zeh) /Unruly (Zeh) /Baddo Lee (Zeh) /Hacker (Zeh) /Ika (Zeh) /Te s’oju e (Zeh)… /Eje loju bi t’Abacha (Zeh) /Run’ju pa (Zeh) /Le’ju pa (Zeh) /Ma rerin (Zeh) /Kala (Zeh) /Daju (Zeh) /Hu wa ika (Zeh)… If you don’t understand these Yoruba lyrics, just imagine Adolf Hiler, ogres, members of Nigeria’s political class, together with Satan and his angels in a dark hall – you’ll understand the level of mercilessness Portable portrays in Zazoo.
‘Zazoo’ is the story of Nigeria’s degeneration. Though it has a multiplicity of meanings, a central theme of the song includes the glorification of internet fraud expressed in ‘Hacker’, ‘Kolu to n bo kaadi o’. It also praises extreme wickedness in the referenced stanza. Most of the song is street nonsense.
I smiled wryly. The taxi driver didn’t know why. He asked, “You too like Portable, sir?” I kept the plastic smile on and fetched my phone from my pocket. WhatsApp was my first port of call. I scrolled. A senior colleague had sent me news links. They were about the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi.
The senior colleague wrote, “See what you caused.” I skimmed through the texts and thought he was talking about the Oluwo’s aso òkè, which was similar to the one I wore during my father’s burial on Friday, May 17, 2024, in Lagos. I replied, “I’m not royal, I’m a hunter,” asking if he was talking about the aso òkè. My relentless senior highlighted to me the links to a story on the Oluwo done by two British tabloids, The Sun, and The Mail on Sunday.
Both British newspapers called the Oluwo a thief, a misfit, 419 king, Yahoo kingpin, ‘Kolu to n bo kaadi’ and jailbird.
Metaphorically, the reports of the newspapers intone that lacking royalty, honesty, loyalty, pedigree and bíbí ire – a Yoruba word for honour – the life of Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi and his emergence as the Oluwo of Iwo was a plot in the drama of the absurd, where a felon grabbed a crown to desecrate a town.
Specifically, on its May 19, 2024 cover, The Mail on Sunday splashed the picture of Akanbi in a close-up handshake with the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry. The handshake, however, went beyond the elbow when the newspaper befouled the picture with the headline, “Royal Exclusive: Harry and conman Nigerian king twice deported from US.”
The description of the Oluwo as a criminal is the view and product of investigation of the British media, not mine. In a three-part series, ‘Oluwo and the glorification of ignorance’, Tunde the son of Odesola, expressed his views about Oluwo Akanbi in 2022 when he described the conman as a con-king transmuting into a king-kong.
In its publication on May 19, 2024, THE SUN was extensively brutal. The headline of the paper’s story reads, “Dodgy Royal: Nigerian King who Harry called his ‘in-law’ is ‘CONMAN jailed and deported after trying to cash stolen £247k cheque’, with the rider, ‘The ‘Funky King’ (Oluwo) was jailed 15 months in 1998”.
Reporting the three-day visit of the 39-year-old Harry and his 42-year-old wife, Meghan, to Nigeria, THE SUN reveals Akanbi had been deported twice from the US and banned twice for life from entering the US.
THE SUN story reads, “But the Nigerian royal (Oluwo) is a convicted fraudster who was twice kicked out of America. He was allegedly first arrested in Boston in 1998 after he tried to cash a stolen cheque for £247,000 from aviation company Boeing.
“Akanbi posed as a successful businessman called Joseph Pigott but cops were alerted by a suspicious bank teller at BankBoston. The conman (Oluwo) was also charged for forging a cheque for £59,000 using the name Thomas Eyring. He was also reportedly jailed for 15 months and deported to Nigeria in April 1999.
“His £1,500 fine was waived ‘because of an inability to pay’. Despite being banned from re-entering the US, he was then said to have been caught attempting to cross the border in March 2011. Akanbi was with his then-wife Rakiya Saidu and young son and claimed they were going to New York to shop.
“Facing the prospect of a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a £197,000 fine, Akanbi pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to time served, deported and banned from the US for life a second time.”
If Akanbi had been jailed for 20 years, Iwo would never have witnessed these years of the locust nor would this big calabash of shame hang on the community’s neck. Iwo would’ve remained famous for the honour earned by former Oluwos, including Oba Parin, Oba Lamuye, Oba Samuel Abimbola, and Oba Olatunbosun Tadase among others. The sacred name of Iwo wouldn’t have been stained with dishonour.
If you’re close to Iwo, you could’ve heard their sons and daughters eulogise the impregnable security of the land, saying “Iwo ti o ni ilekun, ti o ni kokoro; eru wewe ni iran baba won fi n de ile.”
O ye descendants of Iwo, is it a mistake that your forebears left the city gateless and keyless? O ye children of Iwo, is it not too late now that a virus has crept onto the throne? Where were the ‘eru wewe’ small slaves sentineled at the gate when Akanbi crept into town? Sé wón gbà’bòdè ni? Did they sabotage?
Then-Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, stood up for integrity when he kicked out the Deji of Akure, Oba Oluwadare Adepoju, from the palace in 2010, for beating his wife, Olori Bolanle.
From Ife to Oyo, Lagos, Ijebu, Abeokuta, Ede, Owo, Benin, Warri, Sokoto, Kano, Bauchi, Gwandu etc, monarchs had been dethroned. Sadly, none of the deposed kings in Nigeria’s history parades the kind of criminal credentials as the Oluwo. Governor Adeleke, ICPC, EFCC, National Council of Traditional Rulers, Yoruba Council of Obas, Iwo kingmakers, Iwo people, over to you. Oluwo must go!
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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