celebrity radar - gossips
MY BOOK’S PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS ADVOCACY FOR THE AGED – Felix Amadi
The Chairman of Crown Insurance Brokers, Chief Felix Ohiri Amadi has enjoyed a successful career spanning over three decades in the insurance sector of the economy, having worked closely in chatting lasting solutions towards pension management, he knew exactly what the senior citizens go through after their active service years in accessing their pension benefits, the challenges of retirement age and reasons why people fail to plan for their old age. In his new book, Retirement in Nigeria, Amadi sought to highlight the need to build a robust retirement sector, where professionals would be trained on the intricacies of managing and caring for the aged. He recently engaged the media on why he embarked on the project, “Retirement in Nigeria”, his insurance career, amongst other sundry issues. Enjoy the excerpt…
How has it been with Crown Insurance Company during this time of the pandemic?
Crown Insurance Brokers Limited is a company that has been in existence for over three decades. We have had very good times and difficult times such as this season and it has caused us to scale down our operations at the moment in other to cope effectively during this challenging period.
How well has Crown Insurance been able to fair in the insurance sector of Nigeria since its birth?
There is no Federal Government Institution that Crown Insurance hasn’t managed either full or in parts from MPC, MPA, Police, Custom, DSS and much more. We have been part of their management over time and we have also managed some private institutions like Shipping companies, Oil and Gas companies, too numerous to mention. So, Crown Insurance Brokers Limited can be taken as one of the elite insurance companies in Nigeria. Our records are intact and the reference about us can be obtained from the Nigeria Corporation of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB).
With all the successes you’ve enumerated, it shows you’ve done well in the sector; what defines a good insurance company?
Insurance is a major aspect of risk management, whether it affects an individual or organization. Every insurance organization that cannot define the risk of an individual or the organization in a long term may not succeed because risk, if not properly managed to a long term can lead to a major hazard for either the individual or organization involved. Anybody that is managing another person’s risk and fails to define it well cannot have a lasting relationship and if an organization can’t keep a relationship then it will fail when its backups disengage. For the insurance companies that have succeeded, it means they’ve been able to define their client’s risks in a long term and have followed the procedures religiously.
What are the challenges of running an insurance company in Nigeria?
The challenges here aren’t different from the challenges of most other organizations. Economy is looking south and it’s been like this for some time that makes every organization that wants to remain in place to indulge in difficult management. Insurance as an area of endeavor is not considered most of the time as important as health and stomach care, so issues of risk management is put after the Medicare which is basic because people cannot combine them, even when they are aware they need it, the basics comes first. Historically, insurance in Nigeria hasn’t enjoyed deep penetration even with our efforts to create awareness and cause people to accept it.
What is the high point of your career as an insurance broker?
Well, over the years I have managed many public and private accounts and I have managed them veritably, it is difficult for me to single out one as the high point. When I was called by the Federal Ministry of Defense to review Military Pension as it was in serious crises; a lot of destitute were hanging round Ikoyi, claiming they were ex-soldiers who were waiting for their benefits so T. Y. Damjuma and Mrs. Delaja felt there was need to look critically into the reason the soldiers who claimed to be retirees were not being paid. That was where I was called to improve the management of retired soldiers in Nigeria. In 2015, Crown instituted what may have become the biggest Group Life Insurance Scheme other than the Omnibus scheme that is managed by the Head of Service in the Department of Security Services (DSS). That scheme has the signature Crown Insurance and it is one of the finest insurance schemes running now in the country. There are much more achievements to count regarding my high points in service.
If you weren’t an insurance broker what other business or career would you have ventured into?
I would have loved to retire as a professor; I would have functioned well as an intellectual. When I graduated from the University of Lagos, Akoka at the age of 23 the University enlisted me for post graduate studies in Colombian University, somehow I preferred going to work in other to support my younger ones, that was how I diverted my career in the world of academics. Before I decided to quite my dreams, I had calculated that at the age of 27 I would’ve gained my PH.D and if I kept working hard as I did at that time, I foresaw myself as a Professor at the age of 35/36 but all that didn’t happen because I diverted from it.
Some time ago you had a stint in politics, what was your intention when you delve into it then and currently are you still nursing political ambitions?
My sojourn in politics is still work in progress. When you see some people in the corridor of power in Nigeria, you’ll feel that they don’t have the indebt of love that is required from the leaders in a nation. Unlike some serious minded professionals that have attempted politics who go there to assist because they’ve seen some loopholes they think they can fill-in in order to move the country to a better place that was the motive that made me become a politician. I joined a political party, I was an active member of the party and secured a ticket to run for the senatorial seat of Imo East where I come from; I didn’t win but everybody says I made a very huge impact. You know that once you attempt a political position in Nigeria you are likely to sacrifice a lot of your personal savings so it’s not that I have quit politics but I am waiting to see my like minds come together to form a critical movement so that the country can be safe. If you are a reasonable human being in Nigerian politics and you have to go against fifty rascals out there, you cannot maneuver them; they’ll deal with you and make you seem useless. Our prayer is that more mature minds, more professionals and more of the ones that has the good of the country at heart should come up and work together to make this country a better place.
As 2023 approaches, do you have any intention of coming out for an elective position and are you one of the people clamoring for Igbo presidency?
I have no such plans now and it is too early for one to come out and start telling what will happen in three years’ time. Instead of clamoring for either Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba president pray that only a person suitable for the position will come and let’s advice those in government starting from the local government that politics isn’t about getting rich in government and gaining firm and power. Let them understand that politics is about governing the people with good will. All the people that think about how to win the next elections at all costs are the traditional politicians who have nothing to offer and I am not one of them.
Talking about groups like minds and professionals, few months ago, Pat Utomi, Olisa Agbakoba and others came together to form a coalition for 2023, what’s your take about such moves and would you embrace their idea?
Of course their ideas are good, more people should join them. They aren’t forming a political party; they are uniting to realize what’s in the best interest of the people, people like them are good people. Anybody who has intention in just willing and dealing is making a mistake because at the end of the day there might not be a country for them to continue to deal if they don’t protect the one at stake now.
Generally speaking Sir, what’s your assessment of the Nigerian political space?
A lot of improvement is needed. There are good people but I would say that they are in the minority, the job is to bring more people that are ready to save Nigeria and impact the people in a way that will benefit the country’s future; people have to forget about the old ways of becoming a billionaire without lifting a finger. Let them bring in people that will make impact in a way that the future generation will look back and say “but for this people”, that’s the way forward.
You’ve done well with your new book, Retirement in Nigeria; can you talk about it?
Retirement is one of those areas that are still lagging behind particularly from the point of view of those that are retired and aged. You don’t need to stretch your neck to have a view of those who are suffering because they have not received their retirement funds from either the state or local government. So there is need for our government to champion the cause of these suffering senior citizens, they say little or nothing about it and it’s bad. I embarked on retirement management research for the reason of the suffering retirees; the same thing I realized when I was called to manage the military retirement. If you go through the whole of Nigeria you’ll see that there is no solid literature that can be used as reference or capacity building in terms of retirement so I decided to write about it. No one talks about retirement till death and for one to be able to manage retirement in order for old people not to suffer it has to be well planned; between retirement planning and retirement management the time has come for further research for people both in the higher institutions and professional institutions to be trained for proper clarification so that when they are confronted by retirees or workers either as consultant or employees of Retirement Management organization, they would be adequately prepared. Federal Government has done well through the Obasanjo regime that saw the decay in pension management and they put together in a reform act in 2004, now successive governments have been managing pensions based on the reform principles yet no refunds are needed, the states and local governments have to look into the affairs of pensioners in their areas. What affects a part of the country affects everywhere so they have to begin to take issues that concerns pensions seriously. I do not want to review my book, let others do it for me but it covers a lot. The Retirement Management Industry has come, research is seriously needed in this area; we have Pediatricians everywhere who take care of babies but a lot of old people need care, they need a special hospital not General Hospital. Look carefully, you’ll discover that the traditional system of children taking care of their parents has collapsed. The reason is the world is now a global village and your child can decide to go and live in another country; while you as the parent is here in Nigeria. All the child can do is send money to you and money can’t take care of an old parent but if there is a professional who has passion and ethics governed by the profession will take care of you and get paid. An aged person doesn’t need money but care, but such things are lacking in this country and it’s in this book I’ve written. If you look around the entire world, countries that have the size and economic capacity of Nigeria all have elderly people whether they have worked or not, they collect a certain amount of money for their care but we don’t have that here and advocacy is needed. We don’t have so many elderly people in Nigeria who live beyond 70 and 80 years because of suffering, let this people live and be happy; let them not die cursing the government and the system. This book will help those that are making laws on social securities to begin to re-examine current positions to make amends where necessary so that those who will be managing pensions will manage better and those who will receive pensions will be happy and be thankful to the government.
What challenges did you face in putting up this massive volume of write-up “Retirement in Nigeria”?
Writing a book first of all needs a clear motivation. It is the motivation that guides and being that I’ve encountered a lot of retired people both as a consultant and individually, I know a lot of what they go through. Once you have motivation and you decide to do a thing out of your busy schedule you’ll create your time for passion because it is what you want to do properly not because of money but for impact and education; though it cost me time and money but for the sake that I wanted to do it and here it is ready to be presented to the world.
How soon should we expect the book on the shelves?
We delayed the public presentation because of the Covid-19 challenges but now we know that social distancing is the new order for safety so we’ll soon with safety measures adequately put in place present it to the general public.
Why Babangida’s Hilltop Home Became Nigeria’s Political “Mecca”.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s birthday visit to Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) in Minna (where he hailed the octogenarian as a patriotic leader committed to national unity) was more than a courtesy call. It was a reminder of a peculiar constant in Nigerian politics: the steady pilgrimage of power-seekers, bridge-builders and crisis-managers to the Hilltop mansion. Jonathan’s own words captured it bluntly: IBB’s residence “is like a Mecca of sorts” because of the former military president’s enduring relevance and perceived nation-first posture.
Babangida turned 84 on 17 August 2025. That alone invites reflection on a career that has shaped Nigeria’s political architecture for four decades; admired by some for audacious statecraft, condemned by others for controversies that still shadow the republic. Born on 17 August 1941 in Minna, he ruled as military president from 1985 to 1993, presiding over transformative and turbulent chapters: the relocation of the national capital to Abuja in 1991; the creation of political institutions for a long, complex transition; economic liberalisation that cut both ways; and the fateful annulment of the 12 June 1993 election. Each of these choices helps explain why the Hilltop remains a magnet for Nigerians who need counsel, cover or calibration.
A house built on influence; why the visits never stop.
Let’s start with the obvious: access. Nigeria’s political class prizes proximity to the men and women who can open doors, soften opposition, broker peace and read the hidden currents. In that calculus, IBB’s network is unmatched. He cultivated a reputation for “political engineering,” the reason the press christened him “Maradona” (for deft dribbling through complexity) and “Evil Genius” (for the strategic cunning his critics decried). Whether one embraces or rejects those labels, they reflect a reality: Babangida is still the place where many politicians go to test ideas, seek endorsements or secure introductions. Even the mainstream press has described him as a consultant of sorts to desperate or ambitious politicians, an uncomfortable description that nevertheless underlines his gravitational pull.
Though it isn’t only political tact that draws visitors; it’s statecraft with lasting fingerprints. Moving the seat of government from Lagos to Abuja in December 1991 was not a cosmetic relocation, it re-centred the federation and signaled a symbolic neutrality in a country fractured by regional suspicion. Abuja’s founding logic (GEOGRAPHIC CENTRALITY and ETHNIC NEUTRALITY) continues to stabilise the national imagination. This is part of the reason many leaders, across party lines, still defer to IBB: he didn’t just rule; he rearranged the map of power.
Then there’s the regional dimension. Under his watch, Nigeria led the creation and deployment of ECOMOG in 1990 to staunch Liberia’s bloody civil war, a bold move that announced Abuja as a regional security anchor. The intervention was imperfect, contested and costly, but it helped define West Africa’s collective security posture and Nigeria’s leadership brand. When neighboring states now face crises, the memory of that precedent still echoes in diplomatic corridors and Babangida’s counsel retains currency among those who remember how decisions were made.
Jonathan’s praise and the unity argument.
Jonathan’s tribute (stressing Babangida’s non-sectional outlook and commitment to unity) goes to the heart of the Hilltop mystique. For a multi-ethnic federation straining under distrust, figures who can speak across divides are prized. Jonathan’s point wasn’t nostalgia; it was a live assessment of a man many still call when Nigeria’s seams fray. That’s why the parade to Minna continues: the anxious, the ambitious and the statesmanlike alike seek an elder who can convene rivals and cool temperatures.
The unresolved shadow: June 12 and the ethics of influence.
No honest appraisal can skip the hardest chapter: the annulment of the 12 June 1993 election (judged widely as free and fair) was a rupture that delegitimised the transition and scarred Nigeria’s democratic journey. Political scientist Larry Diamond has repeatedly identified June 12 as a prime example of how authoritarian reversals corrode democratic legitimacy and public trust. His larger warning (“few developments are more destructive to the legitimacy of new democracies than blatant and pervasive political corruption”) captures the moral crater that followed the annulment and the years of drift that ensued. Those wounds are part of the Babangida legacy too and they complicate the reverence that a steady stream of visitors displays.
Max Siollun, a leading historian of Nigeria’s military era, has observed (provocatively) that the military’s “greatest contribution” to democracy may have been to rule “long and badly enough” that Nigerians lost appetite for soldiers in power. It’s a stinging line, yet it helps explain the paradox of IBB’s status: the same system he personified taught Nigeria costly lessons that hardened its democratic reflexes. Today’s generation visits the Hilltop not to revive militarism but to harvest hard-won insights about managing a fragile federation.
What sustains the pilgrimage.
1) Institutional memory: Nigeria’s politics often suffers amnesia. Babangida offers a living archive of security crises navigated, regional diplomacy attempted, volatile markets tempered and power-sharing experiments designed. Whether one applauds or condemns specific choices, the muscle memory of governing a complex federation is rare and urgently sought.
2) Convening power: In a season of polarisation, the ability to sit warring factions in the same room is not small capital. Babangida’s imprimatur remains a safe invitation card few refuse it, fewer ignore it. That convening power explains why movements, parties and would-be presidents keep filing up the long driveway. Recent delegations have explicitly cast their courtesy calls in the language of unity, loyalty and patriotism ahead of pivotal elections.
3) Signals to the base: Visiting Minna telegraphs seriousness to party structures and funders. It says: “I have sought counsel where history meets experience.” In Nigeria’s coded political theatre, that signal still matters. Outlets have reported for years that many aspirants treat the Hilltop as an obligatory stop an unflattering reality, perhaps, but a revealing one.
4) The man and the myth: The mansion itself, with its opulence and aura, has become a set piece in Nigeria’s story of power, admired by some, resented by others, but always discussed. The myth feeds the pilgrimage; the pilgrimage feeds the myth.
The balance sheet at 84.
To treat Babangida solely as a sage is to forget the costs of his era; to treat him only as a villain is to ignore the architecture that still holds parts of Nigeria together. Abuja’s relocation stands as a stabilising bet that paid off. ECOMOG, for all its flaws, seeded a habit of regional responsibility. Conversely, June 12 remains a national cautionary tale about elite manipulation, civilian marginalisation and the brittleness of transitions managed from above. These are not contradictory truths; they are the double helix of Babangida’s place in Nigerian memory.
Jonathan’s homage tried to distill the better angel of IBB’s record: MENTORSHIP, BRIDGE-BUILDING and a POSTURE that (at least in his telling) RESISTS SECTIONAL ISM. “That is why today, his house is like a Mecca of sorts,” he said, praying that the GENERAL continues to “mentor the younger ones.” Whether one agrees with the full sentiment, it accurately describes the lived politics of Nigeria today: Minna remains a checkpoint on the road to relevance.
The scholar’s verdict and a citizen’s challenge.
If Diamond warns about legitimacy and Siollun warns about the perils of soldier-politics, what should Nigerians demand from the Hilltop effect? Three things.
First, use influence to open space, not close it. Counsel should tilt toward rules, institutions and credible elections not kingmaking for its own sake. The lesson of 1993 is that subverting a valid vote haunts a nation for decades.
Second, mentor for unity, but insist on accountability. Unity cannot be a euphemism for silence. A truly patriotic elder statesman sets a high bar for conduct and condemns the shortcuts that tempt new actors in old ways. Diamond’s admonition on corruption is not an abstraction; it’s a roadmap for rebuilding trust.
Third, convert nostalgia into institutional memory. If Babangida’s house is a classroom, then Nigeria should capture, publish and debate its lessons in the open: on peace operations (what worked, what failed), on capital relocation (how to plan at scale), and on transitions (how not to repeat 1993). Only then does the pilgrimage serve the republic rather than personalities.
At 84, Ibrahim Babangida remains a paradox that Nigeria cannot ignore: a man whose legacy straddles NATION-BUILDING and NATION-BRUISING, whose doors remain open to those seeking power and those seeking peace. Jonathan’s visit (and his striking “Mecca” metaphor) reveals a simple, stubborn fact: in a country still searching for steady hands, the Hilltop’s shadow is long. The task before Nigeria is to ensure that the shadow points toward a brighter constitutional daybreak, where influence is finally subordinated to institutions and where mentorship hardens into norms that no single mansion can monopolise. That is the only pilgrimage worth making.
Ajadi Celebrates Juju Legend Femolancaster’s 50th Birthday in the UK
Nigerian Juju music legend, Otunba Femi Fadipe, popularly known as FemoLancaster, is being celebrated today in London as he clocks 50 years of age.
Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, a frontline politician and businessman, led tributes to the Ilesa-born maestro, describing him as a timeless cultural icon whose artistry has enriched both Nigeria and the world.
“FemoLancaster is not just a musician, he is a legend,” Ambassador Ajadi said in his birthday message. “For decades, his classical Juju sound has remained a reminder of the beauty of Yoruba heritage. Today, as he turns 50, I celebrate a cultural ambassador whose music bridges generations and continents.”
While FemoLancaster is highly dominant in Oyo State and across the South-West, his craft has also taken him beyond Nigeria’s borders.
FemoLancaster’s illustrious career has seen him thrill audiences across Nigeria and beyond, with performances in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States of America, and other parts of the world. His dedication to Juju music has projected Yoruba traditional sounds to international stages, keeping alive the legacy of icons like King Sunny Ade and Chief Ebenezer Obey while infusing fresh energy for younger audiences
He further stressed the significance of honoring artistes who have remained faithful to indigenous music while taking it global. “In an era where modern sounds often overshadow tradition, FemoLancaster stands as a beacon of continuity and resilience. He has carried Yoruba Juju music into the global space with dignity, passion, and excellence,” he added.
The golden jubilee celebration in London has drawn fans, friends, and colleagues, who all describe FemoLancaster as a gifted artist whose contributions over decades have earned him a revered place in the pantheon of Nigerian music legends.
“As FemoLancaster marks this milestone,” Ajadi concluded, “I wish him many more years of good health, wisdom, and global recognition. May his music continue to echo across generations and continents.”
celebrity radar - gossips
Gospel Songstress Esther Igbekele Marks Birthday with Gratitude and Celebration
Gospel Songstress Esther Igbekele Marks Birthday with Gratitude and Celebration
By Aderounmu Kazeem Lagos
Lagos, Nigeria — The gospel music scene is aglow today as the “Duchess of Gospel Music,” Esther Igbekele, marks another milestone in her life, celebrating her birthday on Saturday, August 16, 2025.
Known for her powerful voice, inspirational lyrics, and unwavering dedication to spreading the gospel through music, Esther Igbekele has become one of Nigeria’s most respected and beloved gospel artistes. Over the years, she has graced countless stages, released hit albums, and inspired audiences across the world with her uplifting songs.
Today’s celebration is expected to be a joyful blend of music, prayers, and heartfelt tributes from family, friends, fans, and fellow artistes. Sources close to the singer revealed that plans are in place for a special praise gathering in Lagos, where she will be joined by notable figures in the gospel industry, church leaders, and admirers from home and abroad.
Speaking ahead of the day, Igbekele expressed deep gratitude to God for His mercy and the opportunity to use her gift to touch lives. “Every birthday is a reminder of God’s faithfulness in my journey. I am thankful for life, for my fans, and for the privilege to keep ministering through music,” she said.
From her early beginnings in the Yoruba gospel music scene to her rise as a celebrated recording artiste with a unique fusion of contemporary and traditional sounds, Esther Igbekele’s career has been marked by consistency, excellence, and a strong message of hope.
As she adds another year today, her fans have flooded social media with messages of love, appreciation, and prayers — a testament to the profound impact she continues to make in the gospel music ministry.
For many, this birthday is not just a celebration of Esther Igbekele’s life, but also of the divine inspiration she brings to the Nigerian gospel music landscape.
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