celebrity radar - gossips

THE “TERRORISTS” OF KANU NNAMDI LED IPOB BY FEMI FANI-KAYODE

Published

5 years ago

November 2, 2020

Nnamdi Kanu’s ‘Disciple’, Ekpa Writes UN, Announces Himself As Prime Minister Of Biafra Government In Exile, Lists Other Ministers, Office Holders Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed disciple of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has described himself as the Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE). Ekpa, in a letter to the United Nations General Assembly, dated April 13, 2023, which he personally signed, urged the global community to recognise Biafra Republic Government in Exile, which he said was established to undertake the political and administrative governance of the ‘Biafra nation’ from outside of ‘Biafra’ territory. He also appealed to the UN to prevail on the government of Nigeria to unconditionally release Nnamdi Kanu and all ‘Biafrans’ held captive in any dungeon in Nigeria, and conduct a peaceful referendum to enable a peaceful and bloodless exit of Biafra from Nigeria. According to the letter obtained by SaharaReporters on Thursday, Ekpa stated that the indigenous people of ‘Biafra’ set up the exile government in their determination to exit the Nigerian state, while enumerating a plethora of reasons why IPOB wants the South-East region to exit from Nigeria. He said the Biafra Government in Exile will "undertake diplomatic and foreign relationships, arrangements and agreements, negotiations and pacts with other nations and interest organisations of the world on behalf of Biafra People”. “They are to be accorded all diplomatic privileges as due to any government official of their respective level. Biafra people, through their government in exile are sourcing for supports from all nations of the world to assist it exit Nigeria peacefully," he added. According to the letter to the United Nations General Assembly, an election was conducted and "Mazi Simon Ekpa was elected as the Prime Minister together with other Biafra Government in Exile officials, namely; Head of Finance –Mazi Ogechukwu Nkere; Deputy Head of Finance –Hon Lady Azuka Charlesnwankwo; Defense Minister –Hon. Lady Azuka Charles Nwankwo; Home Land Liaison –Dr M O & Prof C. O. N; Diplomatic & Foreign Affairs –Dr Sam Agubosim. Deputy Prof Anthony Nwannebuike Nwiboko; Coastal Region Orientation Coordinator-Madam Anirejou Josephine Erewa”. Others are Group Secretary –Victor Adim/ Dr Ruby Nnadi; Dept. Of Planning & Strategy –Paul Adinam; Information/ Media & Communication –Dr. Florence Agie & Mazi Ralph Chiamaka Ajere; Secretary to World Igbo Union –Madam May Ndirika; Military –Prof Anthony Nwannebuike Nwiboko/Mazi Solomon Nkwocha; Ministry of Health –Dr Ngozi Orabueze, Dr Offorma, Dr Sam and Dr Mora; Education –Dr Ruby Nnadi; Oil & Gas –Dr Ngozi Orabueze & Emma Maduabu; Pharmacy & Laboratory Science, Board of Nursing –Dr Benedict / Dr Florence Agie and Transport & Logistics –Amobi Eneh.

I watched my brother Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s interview with my brother Chief Dele Momodu on Thursday evening and I was inspired and encouraged.

Nnamdi spoke with such eloquence, passion, courage and strength. He is brilliant and irrepressible. He cannot be underestimated or ignored.

Every African should listen to that interview. He cleared a lot of misconceptions about himself and made his position clear on so many issues.

Most important of all is the fact that he had the decency and humility to tender his regrets and apologies where he may have got things wrong. That is the mark of a great leader.

I have loved and trusted him dearly ever since the first day we met and spoke for 3 hours when we were both incarcerated at Kuje prison in 2016.

From the first minute we got on like a house on fire and we have been close ever since. There is nothing that binds men together more than being locked up together in prison or being on the battlefield together and fighting side by side and shoulder to shoulder against a common enemy.

The truth is that Nnamdi is not just a friend but a brother. We do not agree on everything but we agree on many things and the fact that we can tell each other the blunt and bitter truth whenever we feel either of us has gone wrong is the source and strength of our relationship.

Most importantly we stand as a moderating influence on one another both in our public and private affairs and trust me when I tell you that this man is a stabilising force, a good family man and a peacemaker.

Yet whatever anyone chooses to say or feel about him the truth is that he won millions of new friends and supporters after that interview from all over the country.

I thank Dele for giving this great man the opportunity to express himself to the Nigerian people on a mainstream platform such as his which has a massive reach.

After listening to the discussion I was prompted to meditate and ponder on how IPOB is wrongly perceived by many Nigerians and to write the following. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride.

You call members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) terrorists yet you refuse to bring to justice those that have slaughtered or illegally detained and incarcerated 30,000 of their members in the last 5 years.

This number was given to me by Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, IPOB’s lawyer, whose home and community in Orifite, Anambra state was also attacked, burnt down and plundered whilst many of his people were slaughtered in a joint operation by the Nigerian military and police in a matter of hours.

I was there to spend the day with him and mourn the loss of his brother on a Sunday and the tanks rolled in on Monday morning just a few hours after I left!

When Ifeanyi called me early in the morning to say that they were under attack, that his house and his late brothers house had been burnt to the ground, that his elderly mother had been beaten to a pulp, that the Church building that I had given a speech in the day before had been pulled down and destroyed and that many of his people had been killed for no just cause, tears rolled down my cheeks.

Had he not fled for his life and gone into hiding Ifeanyi himself would have been killed on that day.

Any group of people that have been subjected to that kind of barbarism from the Nigerian state would have resorted to an open armed struggle by now but Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB have refused to do so.

Their struggle and quest for Biafran independence has remained relatively peaceful despite the provocation from the Nigerian state and the massive persecution they have been subjected to for 5 years.

Now tell me between IPOB and the Nigerian state who are the real terrorists? Who has done the killing? Who has terrorised? Who has spilled the blood of the innocent? Who has operated unlawfully and committed genocide and crimes against humanity?

Who has sponsored and protected the Fulani herdsmen and refused to curb and condemn their barbaric activities or declare them as a terrorist organisation?

Who has been soft on ISWA and Boko Haram and released and reintegrated thousands of their members into our Armed Forces even after they slaughtered hundreds of thousands of defenceless Nigerians, including women and children?

Who has unleashed their troops and security forces on their own people and killed thousands of their own citizens? Who has crushed and destroyed the lives and families of the innocent?

Who has burnt down Churches, slaughtered priests at the alter and who has sacked, pillaged, levelled, captured and renamed towns and whole communities?

Who has seized the land of farmers and raped their wives and children, butchered Christians and Shia Muslims and slaughtered thousands in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and the core North.

Who has hacked to pieces thousands in Southern Kaduna, Taraba, Plateau, Adamawa, Benue and murdered protesting children in Mushin and at the Lekki Toll Gate?

Was it IPOB or members, associates and friends of the Buhari regime and those they encourage and protect?

I am not a man of violence and I do not support the use of arms. Where anyone or group of persons, including IPOB, involves themselves in violence I am the first to condemn it.

I despise those that shed innocent blood and those that unleash mayhem, havoc and tyranny on innocent people.

Yet the bitter truth is that those that have done more of this than anyone else in this country over the last 5 years are the Federal Government and their friends, associates and allies and not IPOB, OPC, YOLICOM, MASSOB, YWC, Yourba Summit Group, MEND, NDVF, IYC, the Lower Niger Congress or any of the other regional or self-determination groups.

I am not a coward and neither am I chicken-hearted. Truth is my sword and the Lord is my shield and armour. I fear nothing and nobody other than God.

It is for this reason that I refuse to be cowed or browbeaten into joining the gullible and ignorant herd of lily-livered cheerleaders who take pleasure in attacking and demonising the victims of the state like IPOB instead of condemning the unbelievable cruelty and crushing wickedness that has been unleashed upon them by agents of the state.

And the only reason they do this is because IPOB has not been given adequate fair hearing in the nations media or the public space to explain and defend themselves or tell their own side of the story to the Nigerian people.

The bitter truth is that more than any other group in this country over the last five years IPOB have been misepresented, villified, attacked, demonised and subjected to the greatest and most horrendous form of misrepresentation and negative propaganda. If anyone is attacked in the south or any police station burnt, according to our media, it must be IPOB.

Thousands of their members are in cells all over the country as we speak and yet no-one speaks for them, no one cares for them and no one empathises with them. This is unacceptable. This is inhuman. This is unfair. This is unjust. This is evil.

Worse still to compare IPOB to Boko Haram, ISWA or the Fulani herdsmen is like comparing Little Red Riding Hood to the hungry and ravenous wolf or like comparing Mother Theresa to Jack the Ripper: it simply does not make sense.

Some have alleged that IPOB youths committed acts of violence throughout the East and parts of Rivers state during the #EndSARS protests. Unconfirmed reports suggest that some of them even killed policemen and other innocent Nigerians. I find these reports troubling but I do however question them.

The Nnamdi Kanu that I know can be impulsive and say some very harsh things at times but he is not a killer or a violent man. He is a formidable intellectual and a visionary leader and not a merciless, bellicose, violent, murderous and bloodthirsty barbarian.

God forbid such a thing but if he was a man that took pleasure in the spilling of blood he would have put one million Ak 47’s in the hands of his followers by now and all hell would have broken loose. Violence is not in his blood and neither is it in his interest.

On several occasions he has told me privately and has said publicly that IPOB’s struggle is and must always be a peaceful one and he is wise enough to know that anything outside of that will be counterproductive and would lose him a lot of support and sympathy.

If indeed IPOB youths, as opposed to thuggish hoodlums that are claiming to be IPOB or rogue elements within the organisation, have killed anyone anywhere then I wholeheartedly condemn it and such barbaric behaviour must stop forthwith.

Two wrongs can never make a right. The fact that the Nigerian state indulges in mass murder does not mean that their victims must also soil their hands with innocent blood.

And if anyone doubts that the Nigerian state is indeed a brutal and bloodlusting killing machine which seeks to crush dissent and silence those that do not key into its inherent barbarism then I challenge them to find out how many young innocent Igbos are being targeted and killed by security forces in Obigbo, Rivers state today in the name of fighting IPOB.

According to Amnesty International in Obigbo innocent people have been kept in inhuman conditions in a 24 hour curfew for the last 10 days without access to medicare, food, water and power and there are reports of extrajudicial killings with dead bodies all over the streets.

The group torture, psychological trauma and mass murder of Igbo people for whatever reason and under whatever guise in Obigbo is unacceptable. I condemn it in the strongest terms.

Where is our humanity? Must the Igbo always be slaughtered like flies in Nigeria? Do they not have red blood too? Does any race or human being deserve this type of targetting and treatment?

I condemn the killing of security agents by anyone in that community but does that mean that every Igbo there must be treated like a prisoner of war or massacred?

What moral right do we have as southerners to complain when northerners kill our people when we in the south are so ready to kill one another in such a barbaric and cruel way? Today I weep for the South and I weep for Nigeria.

Children and youths were massacred by soldiers at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos just two weeks ago and today children and youths, of Igbo extraction, are being targeted, hunted down like animals and massacred by soldiers in Obigbo in Rivers state. This inexplicable MADNESS and unconciable BLOODLUST must stop!

If the truth be told the real terrorists in this country are in Aso Rock and not on the streets of Igboland or in the ranks of IPOB.

Calling for a referendum and seeking to peacefully exercise your right of self-determination after being subjected to and confronted with 60 years of subjugation, murder, ethnic cleansing, tyranny and genocide does not make you a terrorist, it makes you a courageous man of conscience and a freedom fighter.

I am not from the old Eastern Region of Nigeria and therefore I am not a member of IPOB. I hail from the old Western Region where we have our own struggles and where we also seek to chart our own course and determine our own future.

That struggle is for either restructuring of the country or, failing that, the peaceful establishment of our own nation which we shall call Oduduwa Republic.

This is a noble quest because Nigeria has failed us just as it has failed everyone else. And if things do not change quickly it is a quest that will be achieved sooner than later.

Yet the struggle for freedom is not for the Biafrans and the sons of Oduduwa alone: it is also for the ordinary people of the core North who have been through hell and who have been subjected to unprecedented levels of carnage and savagery.

Again it is also for the people of the Middle Belt and the so-called minorities of the north who have suffered for so long and who have been denied, deprived and suppressed more than any other people in Nigeria. They too shall be free from the yoke, bondage and cruelty of imperial Nigeria.

Permit me to conclude this contribution with the following. No matter how many IPOB members you torture, jail and kill and no matter how many of them you misrepresent and demonise, they cannot be stopped because an idea whose time has come cannot be successfully resisted.

Like the great Libyan warrior Omar Al Mouqthar who was known as the ‘Lion of the Desert’, their battle cry is “we win or we die”.

Like the gallant and courageous Patrick Henry, who led the American people in their struggle for independence from Great Britain, their song is “give me freedom or give me death!”

That is their story, that is their song and it is ours too. Freedom calls and liberty beckons: one million tanks cannot stop them and all the misrepresention, disinformation, misinformation and lies in the world cannot deter them.

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Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact [email protected]

celebrity radar - gossips

Oba Ara Releases Emotional Tribute to Late Taiwo Adegbodu

Published

2 days ago

March 30, 2026

Sahara Weekly

Oba Ara Releases Emotional Tribute to Late Taiwo Adegbodu

Taofik Afolabi

The gospel music community continues to grieve the painful loss of Taiwo Adegbodu, a beloved figure whose sudden departure left a deep void among fans, colleagues, and loved ones. In response to this loss, renowned gospel minister Rotimi Onimole, popularly known as Oba Ara, has released a moving tribute song that captures both the sorrow of the moment and the enduring legacy of the late singer.

Oba Ara, a proud son of Isale Eko, channels raw emotion throughout the song, using heartfelt lyrics and soul-stirring melodies to reflect on his personal connection with Taiwo Adegbodu. In the tribute, he openly expresses how deeply the news of Adegbodu’s passing shook him, describing it as a painful and unexpected loss that is difficult to come to terms with.

The song goes beyond mourning, it celebrates the life, ministry, and impact of Taiwo Adegbodu. Oba Ara highlights the late artist’s dedication to spreading the gospel through music, his inspiring voice, and the spiritual influence he had on many within and beyond Nigeria. Through powerful verses, he paints a picture of a man who lived for God and touched countless lives through his ministry.

Listeners have described the tribute as both comforting and deeply emotional, as it resonates with the collective grief of the gospel music community. It serves as a reminder that although Taiwo Adegbodu is no longer physically present, his music, message, and legacy will continue to live on.

In honoring his late colleague, Oba Ara not only pays his respects but also offers a source of healing for fans and fellow ministers, using music as a tool to process grief and celebrate a life well lived.

celebrity radar - gossips

Buratai, Fagbemi , Shagaya, Olofa, Others Eulogise Olowu Kuta’s Olori On 60th Birthday, Foundation Launch

Published

3 days ago

March 30, 2026

Sahara Weekly

Buratai, Fagbemi , Shagaya, Olofa, Others Eulogise Olowu Kuta’s Olori On 60th Birthday, Foundation Launch

Eminent personalities across the Nigeria stormed the TFK Event Centre, Bala Mohammed Way, Guzape, Abuja, to celebrate the 60th birthday of Olowu Kuta’s Olori, Queen Jumai Amoke and her Foundation Launch on Saturday 28, March 2026.

From former Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen TY Buratai rtd, to the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; Olofa of Offa, HRM Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi. Even top businesswoman and socialite, Chief (Mrs) Bola Shagaya, was in attendance.

Other dignitaries were newly promoted Deputy Inspector-General of Police and former AIG Zone 2 , Lagos , Adegoke Fayoade, Major General Abdumalik, Major General Samuel Adebayo rtd (Fmr CDI);

Major General Anthony Omozoje rtd (Fmr Copp);

Alhaji Tajudeen Owoyemi (Asiwaju of Offa and CEO Radisson Hotel Nigeria;

Dr Waheed Olagunju, former managing director of Bank of Industry, Oniba of Iba, Lagos State, HRM Oba Dr Suleiman Raji ;

Justice Falola, Olu of Ile-Ogbo , Oba Adetoyese amongst many traditional rulers and captains of industry too numerous to mention.

Speaking at the occasion, the Chief Host, Olowu of Kuta, HRM Oba Dr Adekunle Oyelude Makama, CON , Tegbosun iii, who is also the husband of the celebrant commended Queen Jumai for ‘ her slender arms full of kindness’ to establish such humanitarian Foundation, ‘Amoke Children and mother in Need Foundation’ at a time Nigerians are going through economic crisis occassioned by the global meltdown.

Olowu also commended her steadfastness and love for the less privileged and downtrodden.

The monarch refrenced the task before his wife’s humanitarian gesture said her best is yet to come.

” Olori Amoke Jumai, I celebrate you. You will celebrate 70, 80, 90 and continue to shine as you continue to put a smile on people’s faces. I love you, “Olowu Kuta added.

To Lt Gen Buratai, a former army chief and former Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, the reward of hard work is more work.

Buratai, who also doubles as Balogun Agba of Owu Kuta, a chieftaincy title reserved for a generalismo congratulated Queen Jumai for attaining the age of 60 in good health.

The retired army General said he’s not surprised by the turn out of eminent personalities across the country to celebrate the Olowu Kuta’s Olori because she merited it through her hospitality to all, adding that Allah the most merciful, most beneficial would accept all her act of ibadah.

The minister of Justice, Prince Fagbemi, was full of praises for Queen Jumai for deeming it fit to have a place in her heart to accommodate the needy and less privileged in ‘our society.’

Prince Fagbemi urged the guests to contribute generously to support the Foundation in order to continue to alleviate poverty and put a smile on the faces of the people.

” I congratulate you on your 60th birthday and Foundation Launch. I wish you many happy returns of the day and many more fruitful services to the country and motherland”, Prince Fagbemi added.

The celebrant, Queen Jumai who was grining from ear to ear thankfully said she was excited by the turn out and the response of the people to her foundation.

Queen Jumai, however, promised to continue to use her resources and donations received for the good of the needy and less privileged in the society.

” I want to appreciate my own Kabiesi Olofa of Offa , for his presence and im I’m using him as a point of contact to all other Kabiesis present here, the minister of justice and Attorney-General, you’re welcome, sir; Mrs Bola Shagaya, I salute your enterprise, Lt Gen Buratai, I’m grateful, sir; DIG Fayoade, Justice Falola and other dignitaries too numerous to mention, I thank you, all. To my darling husband, Kabiesi Olowu , I thank you immensely for your support. And to my family and friends, I thank you , all. E se pupo!”, she said.

celebrity radar - gossips

Adron Homes Elevates Cultural Pride as Dignitaries Grace 39th Lisabi Festival in Abeokuta

Published

4 days ago

March 29, 2026

Sahara Weekly

Adron Homes Elevates Cultural Pride as Dignitaries Grace 39th Lisabi Festival in Abeokuta

The ancient city of Abeokuta came alive in a grand display of culture, history, and unity as dignitaries from across Nigeria converged at the iconic Ake Palace Ground for the 39th edition of the Lisabi Festival, an annual celebration deeply rooted in the Egba people’s heritage.

The event, proudly supported by Adron Homes and Properties Limited, witnessed an impressive parade of distinguished personalities, traditional rulers, government officials, business leaders, and cultural enthusiasts, all captured in vibrant pictures that tell the story of a people united by history and pride.

From richly adorned monarchs in regal attire to elegantly dressed guests reflecting the depth of Yoruba tradition, the images from the festival encapsulate moments of honour, reverence, and celebration. Each photograph portrays not just faces, but influence, leaders, and stakeholders who continue to shape cultural preservation and community development.

At the heart of the celebration was the revered Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, whose presence underscored the festival’s significance as a symbol of Egba resilience and identity. Surrounding him were eminent dignitaries whose attendance further amplified the prestige of the event.

Adron Homes and Properties Limited stood out prominently, not only as a sponsor but as a key driver of cultural sustainability. Through its strategic support, the company reinforced its commitment to preserving indigenous heritage while fostering community engagement. The brand’s visibility across the venue and within the pictorial highlights reflects a deliberate alignment with culture, tradition, and people-centered development.

Beyond real estate, Adron Homes has continued to position itself as a cultural partner, investing in platforms that celebrate history and strengthen communal bonds. Its involvement in the Lisabi Festival is a testament to its broader vision of building not just homes, but legacies rooted in identity and pride.

The 39th Lisabi Festival, as captured through the lens of dignitaries in attendance, is more than an event, it is a narrative of continuity. And through its unwavering support, Adron Homes has once again set the pace, demonstrating that corporate institutions can play a vital role in sustaining the cultural heartbeat of a people.

As the echoes of drums fade and the colours of the festival linger in memory, one thing remains clear: the story told through these images is one of unity, heritage, and the enduring partnership between tradition and progress.