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LAGOS GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION, WHY GRV FAILED -Kayode Salako …MY LABOUR  PARTY STORY PART 1

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LAGOS GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION, WHY GRV FAILED -Kayode Salako ...MY LABOUR  PARTY STORY PART 1

LAGOS GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION, WHY GRV FAILED -Kayode Salako

…MY LABOUR 

PARTY STORY PART 1

Immediately I gave him the ticket almost effortlessly, without the usual politicking and horse-trading, he started misbehaving, and making unhidden/uncultured moves to push me aside from his project.
I had thought I would help him get the ticket, and the project would be our project. The project of the party and the good people of Lagos.  I had thought we would run things together to achieve the success together.
My avowed mission then was to win Lagos for Labour Party, so that I can make a name for myself as the State Chairman who wrestled power from the ruling party.
I didn’t know much about him. I didn’t even bother to know. Badly enough, I didn’t even know he couldn’t write/speak the language of the state he wants to govern.
He hid his nature from me.
LAGOS GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION, WHY GRV FAILED -Kayode Salako ...MY LABOUR  PARTY STORY PART 1
I didn’t even know he has a popular Igbo name. I only knew that his wife and mother are Igbos, which to me, would even make our party to get good votes from the Igbo population during the election.
But, immediately he got the ticket, he started running things all alone with his people.
He sidelined almost all the Yorubas and prominent leaders and elders on the platform, and suddenly became purely Igbo inclined.
 Nothing Yoruba was ever attractive to him again.
He stopped listening to me, or anybody in the party – not even the elders and leaders I reported him to, on few occasions.
He eventually did away with me. And, when I reported him to the elders and leaders in our party the first time, hear what he rudely said to me, his State Chairman as at the time:
‘I am so mad at you right now Mr. Salako. Am I  owing you anything, or sharing your wife with you?! Do you think I don’t have a mind of my own, when I decided I want to come out to be governor. You can’t be sounding like a godfather in my life on this project. I don’t need a godfather, or anybody to keep telling me what to do. I have a mind of my own. Please, tell me. If I am owing you anything, I will pay you. Am I owing you anything, or what?! I am so mad at you right now. Am I sharing your wife with you, or owing you and your wife anything?! …”
This response was openly in the presence of all the leaders and elders that were present at the meeting on that fateful day.
The chairman of the leaders/elders forum of our party then, who presided over the meeting that day, Chief Sumbo Onitiri, also eventually saw what I saw about him in the course of the project, and backed out at the dying minute with disappointment.
He is now accidentally a cheiftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
 Salavador, who was the apex leader of the party in the state, also backed out along with many other prominent stakeholders, including many of the LGA/LCDA Chairmen of the party.
I also stayed on my own throughout the period, and voted for Babajide Sanwo-Olu to continue to run Lagos State as progressively peaceful as he has been running it over the last 3 years.
Throughout my stay in office as the State Chairman of the party, vindictively he never got my office involved in anything; gave me anything, or did anything with me.
I got no ‘shishi’ or any encouragement to run my office, or anything as at the period. I was completely sidelined.
All he was doing was working with my detractors for me to be removed as the State Chairman of the party, and he and his deputy, Princess Abiodun Oyefusi, eventually got me removed about one month and few days to the February 25 presidential/national assembly election with the help of Dayo Ekong, the current caretaker chairman of the party in the state (whom I nominated by myself to take over from me, because of my sincere love for her and the value I built for what we shared, when I was in office) and Sam Okpala, the insatiable and domineering state secretary of the party.
What was my offence?!
Because, I reported him to the leaders in the party to tell him to do the right thing with the party, which he never did.
He told all of us to our faces that he didn’t trust us. He said we should stay away from his project. He said he had his own people he wanted to use to run his election, and we all simply obeyed.
He didn’t want to be a godson to Salako, his state chairman, but all along, Chief Bode George, the leader of the PDP in the state and his wife, were all he was listening to, and not anybody else in the Labour Party in the state.
So, he preferred to be a godson to a PDP leader anti-partily as a Labour Party member and governorship candidate, but told the State Chairman, who fought so hard for him to get the ticket to go to blazes.
He was never Labour Party inclined at all from his operations, but purely PDP. He was just doing whatever he liked in the party, and not listening to anybody.
He ran his election alone, without the involvement of many of the prominent political stakeholders in our party, and God almighty simply corrected the mistake I made by working so hard, and by fighting almost all the powers that be in our party – both in Lagos and Abuja – for him to get the ticket to be the governorship candidate of our party.
He simply lost the election to Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
 That margin of win by Sanwo-Olu, wouldn’t have been that geometrically exponential, if all of us had been involved.
Violence, or no violence on March 18, there was no way he would have won the ruling party in the state, because almost about 70% of all the prominent field work tools in the party, were out of his project, including me, the man who led the team that built the political structures of the party in the state.
When Labour Party won the presidential election in Lagos State on February 25, all of us in the party were committedly and passionately involved.
But, on March 18, it was more of only him; his people and the emergency friends he imported from abroad at the tale end of the project.
God is not stupid!
He does not reward betrayals; habitual ungratefulness; operational arrogance and bad leadership character with ‘holy’ greatestness.
With what I know about him, he would have simply come to mess up Lagos, and set its progress 10 years behind.
That guy is characterless!
He is so mannerless, arrogant, proud, very deceptive, self-centered, childish; mean-hearted, unforgiving, operationally vindictive and immature in almost everything.
I made a mistake by working for his type to be the governorship candidate of our party, but God in His infinite mercies, corrected the mistake on March 18.
I could remember that one of the aspirants offered to give me 30 million naira and a brand new Jeep for him to get the ticket but I turned down his offer.
I refused and insisted on him, because I thought the only way my party could win Lagos was to use a youth/or a middle aged person, who could be so attractive enough to the electorate in the state.
‘Am I sharing your wife with you, or what?!’
What an insult from a boy, I suffered, and paid so dearly to establish and sustain as the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the state.
How can you be the candidate of a party in an election and you were treating members of your party, as if you were doing them a favor to work on your own project.
He was treating the state exco of the party anyhow, with so much disdain; he wasn’t relating almost well at all with the national/state assembly candidates of the party; he was calling the bluff of anybody, including the national chairman of the party (He hardly talks to Julius Abure about anything, and most times, picks his calls).
He treated the LGA/LCDA Chairmen of the party with so much disdain and hatred, because they were the structures left behind by Salako.
He became overtly irritated by anything that had to with Salako in the party.
To the extent that, he did not give any of the chairmen ‘shishi’, or supported them with any logistic resources to operate in their domains, during his governorship election period.
Rather, he handed over the little resources he expended to strange people, who were not part of the operational organogramic structures of the party, and yet you want those local government chairmen to go and face the political force of the ruling party in the state to win for Labour Party.
Ask any real member of the party, who worked closely with him, during the campaign period, he would tell you the story of how he ran it so shabbily, stingingly, self-centeredly, arrogantly and unculturedly like a saddist and a miserable school boy in politics.
I made the mistake, by working passionately to give his type the governorship ticket, but God corrected the mistake in his own interventional way on March 18.
– Olukayode Ezekiel Salako,
State Chairman Emeritus,
Labour Party, Lagos State.

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Among His Peers, Oba Orin Saheed Osupa Stands Out : The Fuji Star’s Storytelling Legacy By Alhaji Arems

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Among His Peers, Oba Orin Saheed Osupa Stands Out : The Fuji Star's Storytelling Legacy By Alhaji Arems

Among His Peers, Oba Orin Saheed Osupa Stands Out : The Fuji Star’s Storytelling Legacy

By Alhaji Arems

 

In the vibrant world of Fuji music, where the artistry of storytelling and cultural commentary thrive, Saheed Osupa has carved out a unique role as both an artist and an influencer of thought. Recently, his name has been lighting up social media discussions and generating significant buzz—not just because of his music but because of the depth of his words. Osupa’s trending status is rooted in his ability to subtly address pressing issues, particularly those surrounding the ongoing tension between fellow Fuji musicians Taye Currency and Pasuma Wonder.

 

 

Osupa’s recent contributions to this situation have not been straightforward; rather, he has adopted an artistic approach, using parables and proverbs—sometimes through complex storytelling—to impart wisdom. These nuanced messages, often hidden within his lyrics, resonate with fans who appreciate the clever way he brings age-old Yoruba wisdom into contemporary issues. One notable example involves a story about an animal (traditionally symbolizing patience and resilience) that many believe reflects Osupa’s thoughts on rivalry and pride. Through this parable, he seems to suggest the importance of self-reflection and restraint, especially in the heat of conflict.

Among His Peers, Oba Orin Saheed Osupa Stands Out : The Fuji Star's Storytelling Legacy

By Alhaji Arems

In a genre that values not only musicality but also the power of words, Osupa has long been seen as a master of *itan*, or storytelling. His recent songs echo the traditional Yoruba way of imparting wisdom through tales that serve as lessons. This is a skill that few artists have mastered, making his approach particularly impactful in today’s fast-paced digital world, where nuanced messages can often be overlooked.

Beyond the Taye Currency-Pasuma Wonder issue, Osupa’s trending status is also due to his reputation as a voice of reason and maturity in Fuji music. As a genre that is often vibrant and full of competitive spirit, Fuji has its share of rivalries. Yet, Osupa has often stood out by promoting unity and peaceful dialogue among Fuji artists. By sharing these reflective stories in his music, he adds layers of meaning that fans continue to unpack and discuss, drawing new audiences who appreciate both the artistry and wisdom behind his words.

The charm of Saheed Osupa lies in his timeless approach. In a world where trends are fleeting, he reminds fans of the importance of timeless values, urging reflection, humility, and understanding. As fans interpret and share his latest stories, Osupa’s message continues to resonate widely—proof that, in Fuji, the power of words can be as influential as the beat of the drum.

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What You Need To Know About Award-Winning Nigerian Actor, Mustapha Sholagbade

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What You Need To Know About Award-Winning Nigerian Actor, Mustapha Sholagbade

What You Need To Know About Award-Winning Nigerian Actor, Mustapha Sholagbade

 

Mustapha Ololade Sholagbade, born on January 1, 1989, in Ebute Metta, Lagos, is an accomplished Nigerian actor, producer, and filmmaker with a deep passion for Yoruba cinema. Originally from Abeokuta, Ogun State, he is the first child in his family. Sholagbade began his education at Kadara Primary School and continued at Sojomen Talabi High School, Akute, and Nawairudeen Secondary School, Ebute Metta. He later earned an Ordinary Narional Diploma in Business Administration from the Lagos State Polytechnic. Pursuing his passion for acting, he trained at Odunfa Caucus, where he graduated in 2010.

Sholagbade launched his acting career in 2005, making a name for himself in Yoruba-language films. His portfolio includes roles in popular films like Olowo Ghetto, Alaimo, Ebun Mi, Esi, Gold and Treasure, Liam, Emilomo Babaolowo, Oko Aunty Mi, Broken Bond (Tude), and Last Born. In addition to acting, he has also produced several films, further cementing his influence in the industry.

Beyond the entertainment world, Sholagbade is a versatile professional with experience in railway engineering, IT support, and site management in the UK. He is also a farmer and general merchant, demonstrating his entrepreneurial spirit and diverse skill set.

Throughout his career, Sholagbade has collaborated with top figures in Yoruba cinema, such as Yinka Quadri, Taiwo “Ogogo” Hassan, Funke Akindele, Femi Adebayo, Odun Adekola, Oga Bello, Baba Wande, Jide Kosoko, Funsho Adeolu, Fathia William Balogun, Saidi Balogun, Wunmi Toriola, and Mide Martins.

Sholagbade’s hobbies include traveling, business, football, filmmaking, and meeting new people, reflecting his dynamic and outgoing personality.

Sholagbade’s talent and dedication to his craft have earned him numerous accolades, including: Best Actor Yoruba – BON Awards, 2024, Best Supporting Actor– Afro Nollywood Awards, UK, 2019, Best Supporting Actor– Heritage Awards, Atlanta, USA, Best Supporting Actor of the Year (Yoruba) – City People Movie Awards, Best New Actor of the Year (Yoruba) – City People Movie Awards.

With his achievements and versatility, Mustapha Ololade Sholagbade remains a notable force in the Nigerian film industry and a proud ambassador of Yoruba cinema worldwide.

What You Need To Know About Award-Winning Nigerian Actor, Mustapha Sholagbade

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Coalition Congratulates Oluyede on Appointment as Acting COAS

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Coalition Congratulates Oluyede on Appointment as Acting COAS

Coalition Congratulates Oluyede on Appointment as Acting COAS

 

The Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria has congratulated Major-General Olufemi Oluyede on his appointment as the acting Chief of Army Staff, (Ag COAS, Nigerian Army).

Coalition Congratulates Oluyede on Appointment as Acting COAS

The Convener of the Coalition, Comrade Oladimeji Odeyemi, in a statement, said General Oluyede has the responsibility to consolidate the success achieved by the Nigerian Army under General Taoreed Lagbaja.

President Bola Tinubu had on Wednesday, October 30, appointed Oluyede as acting COAS pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, General Taoreed Lagbaja.

The Coalition said his appointment is a welcome development. It said: “Major-General Olufemi Oluyede is well qualified for the position. He was a member of the 39th regular course and commissioned as an officer in 1987. Aged 56, he was promoted to the rank of Major-General in September 2020. A professional and top-notch security expert, he brings a lot of hope and inspiration to younger officers as acting chief of Army Staff.

“His appointment is the way to go. As the acting Chief of Army Staff, Oluyede has the responsibility to lead an army that will administratively manage the institution, consolidate on the success achieved by General Lagbaja and his team to mop up remnants of insurgents, bandits and the ragtag criminal elements in the North, and dismantle the ethnic militias in the Southeast to bring peace in the country.

“The 56-year-old Oluyede shares a long history with General Lagbaja, with a track record and excellent service to the nation. Both are members of the 39th Regular Course and were commissioned as officers in 1987.

“Oluyede’s meritorious career began as a Platoon commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, advancing to Company commander at 177 Guards Battalion and later Staff Officer at the Guards Brigade and commandant of Amphibious Training School.

“Oluyede has been part of many notable operations, including the ECOMOG Mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in the Northeast, where he commanded the 27 Task Force Brigade.

“He has received honours, including the Corps Medal of Honour, and Grand Service Star, all recognition for passing the Staff Course and membership in the National Institute, and his dedication and achievements in service.”

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