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Sen. Chris Anyanwu expresses her disappointment in Prof. Wole Soyinka in an open letter “my heart sank because this time, my dear Baba, my dear icon, you are wrong.”

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Sen. Chris Anyanwu, who moved the motion on the recently passed ‘Sexual Offences Bill’  has responded to Wole Soyinka’s open letter which was published over the weekend where he blasted a bill passed by the senate legalizing sex with underage girls. See her response below…
I have read your open letter published on a number of on-line papers. No one who read that letter could miss the fury embedded in your words. I know where that fury comes from: moral fiber, good conscience, and love of people. I want to assure you that it was the very same sentiments that drove me to come up with The Sexual Offences Bill and the same sentiments that led Senators and members to pass it.

As always, your aim was to speak as the voice of reason in our increasingly confused society.  I know you meant well. I know you acted out of your deep compassion for Nigerians and fatherly love for the children. But as I read your open letter, my heart sank because this time, my dear Baba, my dear icon, you are wrong.

You have been misled by the misinformation circulated by someone who could not read or comprehend a legal draft; someone who did not have the patience to read through a proposal, see what was recommended and what was finally accepted. You were misled by someone who deliberately distorted the content of one of the most profound bills ever passed by the Nigerian legislature, scandalized the proponent and the institution for reasons that you and I may not know.

No where in the SEXUAL OFFENCES BILL that I proposed; no where in the bill passed by Senate was it stated that you can defile an 11 years old. Nowhere in the bill passed by the Senate was the age “11 years” mentioned. Here is what was passed in relation to your area of pre-occupation which is defilement clause 6 (2):
“A person who commits an offence of defilement shall upon conviction be sentenced to imprisonment for life”.

You claimed that the bill re-defined “female adulthood as marital status”. Where in the bill proposed by me and where in the bill passed by Senate did you see adulthood linked to marital status? The extreme distortion of the spirit, intent and even content of this bill leads me to think that you may be talking about an all-together different piece of legislation. For emphasis, let me state that the bill makes no such linkages as you erroneously stated. I think it may be fear of Sen Yerima that is at play here. For your information, Senator Yerima and all other Senators who  participated in the debate on the two occasions the bill came up on the floor supported it as a vehicle for instituting a stringent law barring all ranges of sexual offences in Nigeria. They did this because they also have children, wives, daughters, even mothers and cannot afford to leave them in the current state where abuses are rewarded with a slap on the wrist of the
perpetrators because our laws are outdated, without strong in-built deterrence and the mechanisms for monitoring and control are absent.

This is just another case of people demonizing what is clearly in the public good because of deep-seated negative pre-dispositions towards individuals in an institution. By your strong advocacy against the bill, you have unwittingly stamped your feet in favor of maintaining the status quo. Where we are now.. the status quo.. is a world in which a six year old child is raped to death and then set ablaze. Where we are now is a place where a father rapes his 3 year old boys repeatedly and the mother weeps at night and cannot speak out due to shame and fear of her life. Where we are now is a place where young Cynthia in her struggles for self employment ran into a gang who drugged her, raped and murdered her. Where we are now is a place where foreigners come for tourism and turn children to their objects of tourism.

With all due respect Sir, I want to express my deep disappointment with your hastiness in flowing with the mob on this matter. I blame your press officers. I think they should have advised caution.  You have known me since the 1990’s. There is no way you could have sent feelers and I would not jump into the next flight to answer you.  In fact, a mere telephone call could have dispensed with the matter. If you had even asked someone to get you a copy of the Votes and Proceedings of Senate for that day which published the exact words in the legislation passed, you would have spared yourself the time and emotions spent over what is clear mischief circulated through the web. The people who started it all are hate-mongers. They merely took advantage of the negative public feelings they have built up against the legislature. You have no business with such people Sir.

I am sure in the most inner recesses of your mind you know I cannot in anyway be associated with any anti-people law. Nothing in my personal history, professional antecedents or even the hard work I did to push through pro-people legislations in Senate, could lead anyone to think of me as capable of working against children, the very people I fought for over the course of my 8 years in Senate. The Sexual Offences bill is only one of many I did. I also proposed the Occupational Safety and Health bill protecting workers in virtually all sectors of the economy from hazards at work.  The only group excluded are those in the oil and gas sectors who have been extensively provided for in the PIB.

There was no “accident” as you call it involved in this legislation. Neither was there an error in judgment. The bill has been fabricated to provide a strong deterrence against abuses. When implemented, It will mitigate the private sufferings of parents; reduce their fear of what happens in their absence to their children at school, in the play grounds, in the neighborhoods, even in religious spaces.

Nigeria today is not a safe place for children; not a safe place for girls; not a safe place for small boys; and it is not a safe place either for old women.  This legislation is proposes condign punishments for abhorrent crimes such as we are seeing in our country today. It even covers crimes yet to arrive our shores. Under this bill, pedophiles will be put away for life not made rock stars as we do today. This bill will bring sanity to our society. It will make Nigeria a better place for all.

I suspect that some of those fighting against the bill are fixating on the short title. Its long title shows what it is:  a sexual offences prevention bill; a tough deterrence to crime.  I want you to take time and read the final copy of the bill. You will be proud. You will realize that good things can come from Nigeria and Nigerians. It is not only legislations initiated by outsiders and handed to us locals to push for their passage that should be deemed as good for us. By passing that bill, National Assembly has kept faith with the people of Nigeria. It has provided the cover of protection under which Nigerian children can live normal lives of fulfillment without fear. By your robust advocacy against the bill preventing sexual abuses of children, you foreclose the future of children in this society. But if I read you correctly, I have no doubt that you will reverse yourself on this once you have the correct information. This is why I have written you
this letter.

You have made your first “imposition” on Mr. President based on your understanding of the false information circulated by the very offenders you despise. I plead with you as a man who has been found to be a great man of honor and bestowed with the highest literary honor in the world to reconsider your position.

Let me on behalf of the innumerable victims of abuse in Nigeria; let me invoke the spirit of Cynthia who fell victim in Lagos; and let me plead  on behalf of the many wives and husbands deliberately infected with HIV by their partners whose suffering impelled this bill, that you reverse your instruction to Mr. President.  The President of the Federal Republic looks to old sages like you for positive direction. That was what you intended to give him. But now that you know the truth, for the sake of your long established reputation and known love for Nigeria, turn it around and urge Mr. President to sign this bill that will protect our people, restore sanity to society and make Nigeria a better place for all.

I remain your loyal admirer and sister, Sen Chris Anyanwu.

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Oil Cabals crippled Govt Refineries, now working against Dangote Refinery – Pastor Adeboye

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How Prophet Kingsley Predicted The Rumble In Pastor Adeboye Led RCCG

Oil Cabals crippled Govt Refineries, now working against Dangote Refinery – Pastor Adeboye

 

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has urged Nigerians to pray for divine intervention in the face of efforts by unscrupulous oil marketers to thwart the operations of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, following the previous sabotage of Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries.

The respected clergyman made the call for nationwide prayers during the November 2024 Abuja Special Holy Ghost Service themed ‘Total Restoration’, which held in the capital city. While Adeboye did not explicitly name the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, his remarks echoed the ongoing attempts by oil marketers to prevent the refinery from functioning as it was designed to.

The Dangote Refinery based in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos is the only facility currently refining petrol in Nigeria, and Adeboye’s comments reflected the dispute between the refinery and oil marketers, who seek to continue importing fuel for personal gain.

Pastor Adeboye reminded the congregation that it was God who raised Aliko Dangote to establish a refinery after years of failed attempts to revive Nigeria’s four public refineries, which had consumed billions of Naira with little result. He questioned the persistence of fuel imports despite Nigeria’s status as a major crude oil producer.

“Are we under a curse?” he asked. “We have four refineries, we poured all kinds of money into them, none of them is working. But God raised someone to build a refinery that works. He is not my relative, he is not from my village. He is not even a Christian, but he is a Nigerian who says, ‘Why should my people suffer when I have the means to build a refinery that can work?’ Now he is refining petrol, and some people want to stop him from selling it, so they can keep importing.”

Adeboye also pointed out the damage caused by the fuel subsidy, describing it as a significant drain on Nigeria’s resources, contributing to the country’s mounting debts and corruption. He stressed that when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the end of the subsidy in 2023, Nigerians largely welcomed the decision, but oil marketers, who benefitted from the subsidy regime, were furious.

These marketers, the renowned pastor claimed, have formed alliances with some International Oil Companies (IOCs) and other powerful interests to obstruct the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. This includes restricting access to crude oil, forcing Dangote to import crude from countries like the United States, among others.

He called for prayer for the total restoration of the country, noting that the Nigerian people are suffering the consequences, as the prices of essential goods have soared, pushing many items beyond the reach of ordinary citizens. “The masses are the ones suffering because these marketers, who are bent on keeping imports alive, already have more money than they can ever spend,” he said.

Despite the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s capacity to meet Nigeria’s entire demand for petroleum products – and even to export surplus fuel – oil marketers continue to pressurise the government to allow ongoing petrol imports. This has placed additional strain on the Naira, which has continued to depreciate.

Recently, the Crude Oil Refineries Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN) urged the government to protect local refineries from unfair competition posed by importers and international petroleum traders, in line with provisions in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

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Prophet Kingsley Aitafo Set To Dedicate Multi-million Naira Church Auditorium

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Prophet Kingsley Aitafo Set To Dedicate Multi-million Naira Church Auditorium

Prophet Kingsley Aitafo Set To Dedicate Multi-million Naira Church Auditorium

It’s a season of Joy as Prophet Kingsley Oladapo Aitafo, founder of Oneness in Christ ministry has invited everyone to the altar laying and dedication of their new multi-million naira church auditorium on Saturday, November 23rd, 2024’.

 

We reliably gathered that the dedication of the new auditorium known as CCC Living Tabernacle will be held by 10am at Olorunlugo bus stop, along oko ope,off ijomo road,baba ode in Ogun state.

Prophet Kingsley Aitafo Set To Dedicate Multi-million Naira Church Auditorium

According to our information, many dignitaries, celebrities who have been partakers of the grace of God through Prophet Kingskey Aitafo are billed to honour the altar laying and church dedication of CCC living Grace Tabernacle.

In his words, the Shepherd in charge, prophet Aitafo attributed all the glory to God for the grace to complete the auditorium.

 

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Gov. Aiyedatiwa: A Choice for Consolidation and Continuity

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Aiyedatiwa is in panic mode, says PDP

Gov. Aiyedatiwa: A Choice for Consolidation and Continuity

By IDOWU AJANAKU,

“You can see what I have been doing since I assumed office, so I promise you that I won’t relent in my infrastructural projects”
-Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa

” The governor is performing well and needs to be supported in his ambitions. Here in Akure we have benefitted from his support of infrastructure”
-Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi ( The Deji of Akure)

With only a few days to the governorship election coming up in the acclaimed ‘Sunshine State’ precisely on Saturday, October 16, 2024 the empirical evidences on ground point to the political pendulum swinging in favour of the incumbent state governor Aiyedatiwa, for more reasons than one. While we must admit that it would likely evolve as an exciting two-horse race between two former deputy governors-Agboola Ajayi of the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) and Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress) APC) the facilitating factors that favour the latter against the former are crystal clear.

One of such is continuity combined with consistency. Having taken over the baton of political leadership upon the painful death of the former state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu back then in December 2023 he has solidified his footsteps by continuing with the projects on infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare delivery, industrialization and youth employment. That is across the three Senatorial Districts of the state. And good enough, the Deji of Akure who, incidentally is the Chairman of the Council of Obas in the state has testified to this as reflected in the introductory quote.

Furthermore, Aiyedatiwa happens to be the first governor to hail from Ilaje, the oil-rich local government of the state which has amply qualified it as an oil-producing state. Apart from financially benefiting with the monthly 13 % derivation from the Federation Account it has made it possible for the state to belong to the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC). The good people of Ondo state would therefore, not want to turn their back on the goose that lays the golden egg. That is common wisdom.

In a similar positive perspective, Ilaje Local Government boasts of the longest coastal line in the entire West African Sub-region. Once the seaport there which is under construction is fully developed, it will definitely act as the veritable linkage between the Lekki Seaport to the west and other seaports in Asaba, Calabar to the east.With Aiyedatiwa’s influence Ondo state would soon become an economic hub acting as a catalyst for massive employment generation, especially for the youths. With all that firmly in place Ondo state would continue to be well branded as an icon of peace, devoid of youth restiveness. But that is not all there is to the positive difference his presence in office would make on the quality of life or the Human Development Index (HDI) of Ondo people.

Like it or not, the power of incumbency has a critical role to play in boosting the chance of Aiyedatiwa emerging victorious in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.He belongs to the ruling APC and lest we forget, the party has over the years displayed the capacity to mend broken fences, assuage frayed nerves after contentious primaries, when it comes to being a united front to winning elections. We have seen that at play in states such as Katsina, Nasarawa, Kogi, Ogun, Ekiti and of course, Lagos. That explains why the current Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje has been doing all things humanly possible to offer the party’s support to Aiyedatiwa to win the election.

And as fate would have it, our subject has shown the consistent capacity to reach out to different segments of the Ondo state society- from the lowest rung through the middle class up to the upper echelon. He has given them his listening ear; promising solar light to the markets for the women to sell their sundry goods in the evening time, as well as stable infrastructure across the state. That of course, would provide the foundation for the Medium and Small Scale Enterprises MSMEs to keep thriving
Worthy of note is the interactive session the governor had with members of the Committee of Obas at the palace of the Deji of Akure Oba Aladelusi. After listening to their request for the construction of internal roads including those leading to and fro the markets, with Igbatoro Road not left out he had this to say. ” I won’t relent in my infrastructural projects.The solar power initiative will continue.We have competed phase one and we will move on to phase two”.

In addition, and to seal the unfailing element of Trust which is the key to the hearts of the led majority Aiyedatiwa affirmed that: “I have been addressing issues related to the Obas. The voice of the King is akin to God’s voice”. Such assurance would definitely have a spin-off effect on the kings convincing their people to throw their weight behind him.

So, looked at from the factors of incumbency, political affiliation, identity, zoning, having the common touch with the people right to the grassroots and of course, that of performance, Aiyedatiwa stands head and shoulders above his 16 other contesters. That is in a free, fair and credible election which we all look forward to during the governorship election in Ondo state, with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC ‘s quality performance to deliver the choice of the people. The Agency working in partnership with the police should guarantee security, to ensure that voting materials are delivered to the polling units as at when due. There should be no ballot box snatching, intimidation or shooting of innocent people by paid political thugs, to ensure the smooth conduct of the electoral process.

Interestingly, Aiyedatiwa has ‘Lucky’ as his name. Will it ring a loud and clear bell on that moment of the people ‘s decision? Time will tell.
But as Heather Wilson, the 11th President of the University of Texas at El Paso, United States of America, USA rightly stated: “The poll that matters is the one that happens on the election day”.

AJANAKU, is a member of strategic and communication committee of Aiyedatiwa campaign council.

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