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Pendulum: Not Too Young To Run, Not Too Young To Do Business

Published

8 years ago

March 17, 2018

By Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, one of the hottest slogans in our country today is “not too young to rule.” I agree absolutely. When I was approached recently by one of the exponents of this campaign, Mr Dayo Israel to be precise, I wasted no time in lending my voice, and my column to propagate what for me is the only way forward for the development of our dear nation. The reason for my excitement and willingness to contribute in my own little way towards proclaiming the message of the youths was simple. I was born in 1960, the year of our Independence. I grew up in an era when the destiny of Nigeria was controlled largely by people in their twenties and thirties. Those forty years and over, tended to take a back seat, in an avuncular or patriarchal mode and allowed the young Turks to have the field. This was because they believed that their time had passed and, that the younger generation that was to live the future, needed to be in control of that future. It was such a golden era that held out great promises to the future we all dreamt of and have been dreaming about ever since. But partly for the evil invasion of military coups, and the disastrous civil war that left our Eastern parts ravaged and devastated, I’m reasonably certain that Nigeria would have gone very far in the comity of nations by now. The same mindset that had led to those young “elders” to vacate the scene for vigorous, vibrant and vivacious young leaders would have continued to hold sway for the mutual benefit of our citizens and the country at large.

However, what has happened is that some of the young people who held sway at that time, are still very much around, ruling directly or by proxy. Their position is strengthened by the decimation of our erudite and visionary political elite by military miscreants who were only interested in feathering their nests and self-preservation. Therefore, we have a few inept and ineffectual leaders in power, who still want to govern Nigeria, when they are nearer 80 than 70. In a country of extremely gifted and undoubtedly brilliant young men and women, this should give us cause for grave concern. I’ve listened to arguments from rabid gerontocrats who tell us that the young of today have not justified their agitation for power to be handed over to them. They point fingers at some young Governors and Ministers who bungled their privileged assignments and looted the treasury dry. I agree that there are some notorious youthful leaders who have misbehaved badly! But there must be an opportunity for evolution and atonement and it is not all doom and gloom. This is particularly more so, because it is the mediocrity, buffoonery and lack of merit of these geriatric leaders that has brought those they now accuse to the fore.

We should therefore consider the pedigree of those youthful delinquents before we burden our youths with their shame. They emerged in the first instance due to our lackadaisical attitude to politics. I believe that the lackadaisical attitude was fostered by the debilitating years of military misrule and the penchant of the soldiers for undertaken failed democratic exercises just to assuage our hunger for civilian rule. Thereafter, once upon a time, and even at this moment, many of us came to believe that politics is the exclusive preserve of nonentities and never-do-wells. Since we cannot eat our cake and still have it, we should understand that the dregs of society we throw up would ultimately be the leaders we deserve, but the rulers we deride. I believe Nigeria deserves much better and we have many youthful and upwardly mobile people around today. This was the basis of my excitement when I first encountered Mr Akinwunmi Ambode over four years ago at a location on Glover Road Ikoyi.

Mr Ambode had shared his vision with me on that occasion in the presence of Mr Idowu Ajanaku, and the first thing that struck me about him was his humility and simple mien. He demonstrated beyond doubt that he knew his onions. He discussed ideas and a vision for a Lagos State that would be the pride of the nation in the development of infrastructure, social amenities and above all communal responsibility. He was of the view that if Government delivered on its pledges to the people by providing them with social amenities and welfarist programmes, the people would eventually rise up to the challenge, and perform their civic duties by paying taxes and treating amenities and infrastructure of the State as if it was their own to be cared for and nurtured. This was probably the accountant and financial adviser in him talking from an impressive background of practical experience. Ambode’s intimidating resume was, therefore, another attraction for me. I love cosmopolitan leaders who have had the dual opportunity to school at home and abroad; well-travelled and very exposed to new ways and means of doing things. While such people need political platforms to realise their dreams and vision, politics, for them, can never be the only priority. They just want to get the job done and move on to the next project. In about three years of attaining power, even his most vociferous and acerbic critics admit, privately and, oftentimes, publicly, that Mr Ambode has shown enough verve, vigour and promise of a greater tomorrow for our country. He has made his generation proud. Since no human being is perfect, the Governor of Lagos has made his own mistakes and I’m elated that he has found the uncommon courage to retrace his steps. That is the hallmark of a true leader – the one who errs and swiftly admits the error and makes amends. There is no use stubbornly and irascibly clinging to a mistake that can easily be cured simply because you do not want people to believe that you are fallible, when fallibility is merely a human trait.

All manner of ideas and suggestions are available to a leader. More often than not, not all government advisers share the vision of their principal. As a matter of fact, different people go into politics with different motives and mind-sets. A good leader would have to sift the wheat from the chaff, and swim or perish. Governor Ambode like a supersonic jet has entered his fair share of turbulence. The most raging, and mother of all, controversies, in Lagos right now, is the appointment of a company called Visionscape to take over a substantial chunk of waste management in Lagos State. Both Ambode and the waste managers have almost been wasted by those vehemently opposed to Visionscape and, possibly, Ambode himself. If anybody thought it was a joke that would soon blow over, they were wrong in underrating the determination, and total opposition, of those who felt short-changed by the new deal.

On a personal note, I experienced their fury after I posted an innocuous endorsement of Governor Ambode for a second term on my Instagram page. In this season of intolerance and cheap blackmail, the voltrons, as we call them, descended upon my page to throw darts , barbs and even missiles at Ambode and his supposed friend, Mr Adeniyi Makanjuola. I read that the whole of Lagos State has been taken over by garbage and filth. Some of the comments forced me to search other sites and I looked for any available information about this company they called unprintable names. What I unearthed was quite depressing. In fact, it scared me about what the future holds for our dear beloved country. It seems we have lost our ability to dialogue and understand each other forever. The unsubstantiated and unjustified ferocious attack on Adeniyi and his company made me to shudder with trepidation. I will tell you why.

I had read that Visionscape was a cheap company that lacks the capacity to handle the magnitude of the filth that a megacity like Lagos would generally generate. I doubt if anyone cared to probe further because my findings reveal otherwise. Unfortunately, social media thrives largely on self-help publications, imaginary and sometimes illusionary artificial and virtual reality. You need no education, exposure, job experience, known address or any advanced publishing technology to disseminate your drivel, jibes and even falsehoods. Your smartphone and sufficient data would achieve what all newspapers would never be able to distribute these days. And the more salacious the stories, the quicker they go viral.

Our youths who want to lead Nigeria should find pride, without prejudice, in Adeniyi Makanjuola of Visionscape. I have no doubt that whatever the challenges he may be facing today, he has a very bright future ahead. He comes from a background of serial investments, ranging from aviation to oil & gas, energy, finance and environmental utilities. Before returning to Nigeria at the age of 23, Adeniyi had completed his degree in Financial Economics from the University of Essex and obtained an M.Sc. in Urban Planning and Development from the University College London. On his return, he dabbled into aviation after discovering a lacuna in the onshore helicopter services business. What started like a hobby soon blossomed into a major player in the market place. Caverton Helicopters boasts of probably the single largest fleet of ultramodern helicopters in sub-Saharan Africa. Adeniyi has his fingers in many pies. His dream is to surpass the Dangotes, Adenugas and Elumelus of Africa. His foray into business has been passionate, rapid, remarkable and audacious.

Adeniyi and Harry Ackerman have worked closely in mining, oil & gas exploration in West Africa and the Middle East. The duo became partners as far back as 2009 after the latter suffered an excruciating injury in his fledgling rugby career. State-led strategies and privatisation of public utilities inspired Adeniyi to venture into familiar territories in Africa. Lagos being one of the 26 mega cities in the world is a natural place to be. The duo teamed up with local Emirati, Ali Ahli and led Visionscape Group, an environmental utility company, into the market to tackle the herculean task of cleaning up what was previously described as one of the dirtiest cities in the world. These ambitious entrepreneurs are poised to employ over 30,000 employees now, and much more later. It is not a joke. The anticipated turnover runs into billions, and naturally, there must be a lot of keen and vested interest as well as corporate disenchantment and envy. Indeed, it has been a battle of wits since they came into the high-wired deal that they agreed with the Lagos State Government.

Clearly those that have championed the campaign of calumny against Visionscape and Ambode know what they are doing and what they seek to achieve. They have been able to find support in people of like minds who can see no good in whatever others do to develop their environment and space. However, what they fail to realise is that for those for whom progress is the watchword, the sky can only be the limit. The venom of detractors only serves as an impetus to propel them to greater heights. I am not an apologist for Ambode and Visionscape but it seems to me that where great vision and courage has been shown, our duty is to give those involved a chance rather than condemn them form the outset.

Ambode and Visionscape should be content in the knowledge that those that have had eureka moments have never really been recognised and honoured in their own time. As the saying goes, time will tell!

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Ogun Central 2027: The Competence Question and APC’s Senatorial Choice

Published

23 hours ago

May 12, 2026

Sahara Weekly

LAs the 2027 elections draw closer in Ogun State, discussions about who should represent Ogun Central in the Senate are gradually gaining momentum. Across Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Odeda, Obafemi-Owode, Ifo, and Ewekoro, the mood among the people appears largely the same. The people have made their preference clear. Not in anger or protest but in the quiet and wilful way that voters do when they still believe you can do better. The unifying thing in the people’s agitation is the call for credible, competent, and accessible representation.

This is not a new demand from the people of the district. The demand for a paradigm shift has been growing in recent times. Residents across the district are showing a preference for leaders who can demonstrate measurable capacity in healthcare, infrastructure, education, youth empowerment and constituency development. The calls for palpable development, responsive engagement, and effective legislative outcomes have become too obvious to dismiss.

We can all recall that in the last elections in 2023, the All Progressives Congress rallied behind Senator Shuaibu Salisu with considerable optimism. Party leaders and stakeholders presented his candidacy to the people as the strongest path to meaningful progress for the district. That mandate carried real expectations, and it is fair to say that, in several communities, those expectations have not been fully met.

Concerns have been raised across town hall meetings, community forums, and on social media about the speed of infrastructural projects, the reach of scholarship and empowerment programmes, and the overall visibility of senatorial intervention in major sectors. Whether one attributes these gaps to constraints of the Senate’s systems or individual legislative capacity, the perception of underdelivery is widespread enough to warrant serious attention from party leaders.

For now, this dissatisfaction has not translated into rejection of the APC. Instead, it has taken the form of an expectation to do better next time. Voters in Ogun Central are not asking for a fundamental change in the party structure or traditions. They are asking for the incorporation of wider grassroots inputs and candidates’ worthiness in the process.

This presents both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is that the culture of selecting candidates through elite consensus without genuine grassroots consultation is a risk that may worsen the growing disconnect between elected representatives and the communities they serve. Political observers across the nation have questioned this practice repeatedly, and Ogun Central may be feeling its effects most.

The opportunity lies in what the APC does with this feedback. The party’s senatorial selection is not a formality to be managed. It places a decisive moment for public trust at the feet of the party leaders. It is also an opportunity to reposition the district for future outcomes. That means looking beyond the financially powerful or politically connected aspirants and instead evaluating candidates on measurable criteria like competence, work experience, community engagement, and constituency presence.

There is also a broader shift worth noting. The era in which financial muscle alone could determine electoral outcomes is visibly passing. Many voters across southwestern Nigeria, especially our people, are increasingly attentive to antecedents, accountability, and impact. They want representatives who can speak with authority in the Red Chamber, secure federal projects, and translate legislative work into visible improvement in their daily lives.

None of these is to suggest that Senator Salisu’s tenure should be written off. A single term in the Senate, particularly within Nigeria’s complex federal system, does not allow for a complete verdict. But it is sufficient for the electorate to form impressions, and those impressions should shape how the APC approaches 2027.

The path forward does not require the party to bring down the house. It only requires discipline. The leaders of Ogun Central APC would do well to begin inclusive consultations with stakeholders, community leaders, youth groups, women’s organisations, and ordinary party members so that the candidate who eventually emerges carries not just the party’s endorsement but also the people’s confidence.

The 2027 senatorial election will be more than a contest. It will be a test of whether the APC in Ogun State can translate its dominance at the polls into dominance in governance. The people of Ogun Central are watching, and their expectations are high. The party’s consideration or dismissal of the concerns raised above will influence public confidence in Ogun State.

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Alleged $1.5m Fraud: Court Dismisses Preliminary Objections, Bail Application of Intermediate Investment Holdings Boss, Ufoma Joseph Immanuel in Lagos

Published

5 days ago

May 8, 2026

Sahara Weekly

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, May 7, 2026, dismissed the preliminary objections and bail application filed by the boss of Intermediate Investment Holdings Limited, Ufoma Joseph Immanuel, over an alleged $1.5 million fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, arraigned Immanuel, alongside his company, Intermediate Investment Holdings Ltd., on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and forgery to the tune of $1.5m.

Count one reads: “UFOMA JOSEPH IMMANUEL and INTERMEDIATE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS LIMITED between April 2022 and October 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, induced Adebisi Adebut of R28 Holdings Limited to deposit the total sum of S1, 500, 000.00 (One Million, five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars USD) as investment described as to wit: “Cash and or Capital Cost in Chappal Petroleum Development Company Limited; Business Development Cost in Intermediate Investment Holdings Limited: Capital and or Capital Call in Chappal Energies Mauritius Limited” on the understanding that R28 Holdings Limited will be; (a) reimbursed the investment amount (b) paid a Development Capital fee of $2 250,000.00. (Two Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars) (c) 22.4% worth of shares in Intermediate Investment Holdings Limited which representation you knew to be false.”

Count two reads: “UFOMA JOSEPH IMMANUEL, sometime between April 2022 and April 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, forged a document to wit: TERM SHEET and purporting same to have been executed by Sherrif Oluwo and Olaniran Osotuyi in order to facilitate your obtaining money by inducement from Adebisi Adebutu of R28 Holdings Limited.”

The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charge preferred against him.

Following the defendant’s “not guilty” plea, the prosecution counsel, Babatunde Sonoiki, asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial and also prayed the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the International Criminal Police Organization, INTERPOL, pending the conclusion of its investigation.

Sonoiki also narrated how the defence counsel, Oluseun Awonuga, SAN, had physically assaulted his colleague, Emenike Mgbemele, at the sitting on March 2, 2026.

According to him, “My lord, the learned silk, physically assaulted my colleague on the staircase on his way to serve the defendant the charge as directed by the court.

“There is a video to that effect and we intend to tender it before the court.”

Though Awonuga did not respond to the allegation made against him by the prosecution counsel, he informed the court of a preliminary objection and a written address dated January 5, 2026, while urging the court to discountenance the counter-affidavit of the prosecution.

The prosecution, in a 21-paragraph counter-affidavit dated February 9, 2026, had urged the court to dismiss the notice of preliminary objections.

According to Awonuga, the Federal High Court, in a ruling, had ordered the EFCC not to arrest the defendant.

“EFCC has flouted the order by arresting the defendant and I hereby urge your lordship to discountenance their counter- affidavit,” he said.

Responding, the prosecution counsel, Babatunde Sonoiki, said that the ruling was part of the motion that had earlier been withdrawn by the defence and should not be before the court.

“ There is nowhere in the ruling that says the defendants cannot be arraigned in a court of competent jurisdiction.

“My lord, the ruling was delivered in a civil case; and according to the Supreme Court, a criminal case and civil case can go on at the same time.

“We urge the court to dismiss the application and order accelerated hearing in this case,” Sonoiki had said.

After listening to both parties, Justice Dada had, consequently, adjourned the case till May 7, 2026 ( today) for ruling.

Ruling on the application , Justice Dada held that: “The preliminary objection is baseless and the entire application is lacking in merit; and it is hereby dismissed.”

Also, Justice Dada, in her ruling on the bail application of the defendant, held that “On the basis of considering the antecedent of the defendant for not honouring the invitation of the applicant after he was granted administrative bail, I agree with the complainant that he is a flight risk; therefore, bail is refused.”

Justice Dada adjourned the case till June 24, 26, 29 and 30, 2026 for the commencement of trial.

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Ogun Central APC Race: ‘I Remain in the Contest’ — Sofela Declares Amid Consensus Speculation

Published

5 days ago

May 8, 2026

Sahara Weekly

By Solanke Ayomideji Taiwo

ABEOKUTA — A frontline aspirant for the Ogun Central Senatorial seat under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Emmanuel Adebola Sofela, popularly known as Shoffi, has dismissed widespread speculations that he has withdrawn from the race in favour of another aspirant .

Sofela described the reports making rounds in some political circles as “false, misleading and the handiwork of political detractors,” insisting that he remains fully committed to his ambition of representing Ogun Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly.

In a statement made available to journalists on Friday, the APC stalwart urged his supporters, political associates and loyalists across the six local government areas that make up Ogun Central to disregard the rumours and remain resolute in their support for his aspiration.
According to him, there has never been any agreement or arrangement for him to step down for any aspirant to emerge as a consensus candidate of the party.

“I want to categorically state that I have not stepped down for anyone in the Ogun Central Senatorial race. The rumours flying around are entirely false and should be ignored by all my supporters and members of the public,” he said.

Sofela expressed confidence in his chances of securing the APC ticket, stressing that his popularity, political experience and grassroots connection across the district place him in a strong position ahead of the party primaries.

The senatorial hopeful reiterated his determination to provide quality representation for the people of Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Odeda, Obafemi-Owode, Ifo and Ewekoro local government areas if elected into the Senate in 2027.

He noted that his aspiration is driven by a genuine desire to contribute meaningfully to the development of Ogun Central through effective legislation, empowerment programmes and people-oriented policies.

“My ambition is rooted in service to the people. I remain committed to the vision of giving Ogun Central a strong voice in the Senate and facilitating developmental initiatives that will positively impact our people,” Sofela added.

The APC chieftain further appealed to party members to remain united and avoid distractions capable of causing division within the party structure ahead of future political activities.

Political observers in the state believe the race for Ogun Central Senatorial seat is gradually gathering momentum as aspirants continue consultations and grassroots mobilization across the district ahead of the 2027 election cycle.