Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday revealed that he was tricked to attend the reception ceremony recently held in honour of Bode George who regained freedom after completing a two year jail term.

Mr Obasanjo made this known in an interview with newsmen while preparing for his 74 birthday anniversary at his Hilltop Private residence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, scheduled to hold today (Saturday). He stressed that his attendance of the event was totally in error...

“You got it wrong again. I was not part of the celebration of Bode Goerge. He sent a passionate message to me from prison urging me to attend a family church thanksgiving and I believe that for whatever any family is giving thanks in the church or in the mosque and he invites me and I am able to go there, I will go there, whether it is for marriage, for burial, house warming or christening a child.” Mr Obasanjo said. “But when I got to the church, the atmosphere I found was more than a family affair. And I even took the opportunity to ask the state PDP Chairman that, ‘is this a PDP affair?’ And he told me it was not a PDP affair.

“Because I don’t see what PDP as a national party, as a party that is trying to form a government in Lagos State, as a party that formed government at the national level and in at least 27 states in the country, would be celebrating criminality because whatever we may say, the reason Bode went to prison should be condemned by everybody.

“And I have condemned it but he did not go to prison for political offence. If he had been sent to prison for political offence, then he comes back and all his political associates may get round him and PDP must do something noble and wholesome but in this case, PDP as a party must dissociate itself from celebrating criminality.

“When I asked the state chairman, he said ‘well, you know Area Boys, they do hijack these things.’ If it’s Area Boys, leave it to the Area Boys and not to PDP,” the party’s board of trustee chairman emphasised.

On the Federal Court judgement which pronounced Tunji Olurin as the party governorship candidate in Ogun State, Mr Obasanjo said: “Don’t forget that PDP is a family; there may be a little misunderstanding but we have to go to court for adjudication; the court adjudicates but as soon as possible, the family should come together and forge ahead.

“PDP nationally is a family; zonally is a family; state-wise it is a family; local government wise, it is a family; so the members in Ogun State should put behind them whatever might be their bone of contention.”

He said he had equally told Mr Olurin to extend his hand of fellowship to other people. “I have told him to set up a reconciliation committee. I am the Chairman of BOT of the PDP. As the Chairman of the BOT, I am supposed to be the conscience of the party. Whatever be the rift, I am supposed to find amicable settlement. I have done it in other states, why not in my state?” Mr Obasanjo explained.

A lot of people remember Eric Obuh also known as Vocal Slender a native of Delta State. Vocal Slender was a scavenger turned aspiring artist that was featured on BBC documentary “Welcome to Lagos” last year April. It has been almost one year since the showed aired and his fan base and popularity has skyrocketed. I actually met him through a friend that was working with him in order to help him out of his current situation. When I spoke to Vocal slender I was in admiration of his good spirit, but was saddened to find out many of the future developments we all thought was going to take place actually never came into reality. To find out if his life changed for the better read this interview.

How were you picked to be on the BBC documentary?

I was in the dump entertaining my friends, a lot of the guys were dancing to my song, among the crowd were some white men, they walked up and told me that they will like to film me working and singing that is how they began filming me for the documentary.

Did you think the BBC documentary accurately showcase your life?

Yes, the documentary did. They were able to introduce me to the world.

What happened with CokoBar , are you guys still working together?

I no longer work with CokoBar because he is not truthful. He made a lot of promises but he didn't keep them. He promised that he will give me 400 pounds, he promised a remix of my song ( owo ti ya pa) with Wande Coal,and also promised a musical video. The music video wasn't of good quality so they couldn't air it. Even after my performance in Manchester he didn't pay me, and I know that they paid him.

Has your life improved since being on the BBC?

Life is so hard now, I don't have a house of my own to sleep, I stay with friend, and sometimes it gets so difficult I feel like I am killing myself to live.  I hope that sooner or later my life will change for the better. If I was able to travel to London with CokoBar and was signed on to a label, my life would have improved by now, when I was in the dump I never begged to eat, but now I beg to eat. All the information that CokoBar put out on the internet was to make people believe he has done so much for me, but he never lived up to the promises he made.

How has your music career grown since being on the documentary?

First, I thank GOD for all he has done for me, the documentary has helped my career. Some of my friends who saw what I was going through have decide to help me with my music. Now my music is being played on all radio stations. If not for the documentary I would have still been working on the dump site by now.

What are some future developments for your music?

I would like to release my album, and set up a studio so my brothers can work on there songs, and a record label.

How can the Nigerians support your efforts in the music industry?

They can help me by giving me advice, by encouraging me, by helping me get on different shows, and by telling the world my story. All I need now is there support, so that I will not go back to the dump, I feel I have let all my friends in the dump down, because they believe if I make it they too can make it, but I know my GOD will not let me down.

Five students were killed and several others reportedly injured during a riot by students who wanted a share of the ₦15 million distributed by the Akwa Ibom State governor Godswill Akpabio. The tragedy occurred yesterday at the Government House Uyo and the Ibom Hall where undergraduate students and unemployed graduates gathered at the instance of the state governor.

The inability of some unemployed graduates, students of the University of Uyo, Uyo City Polytechnic and Akwa Ibom State College of Education to get a share of the money led to a stampede.

Mr. Akpabio had announced a ₦10 million largesse for undergraduate students who were supposed to get their money at the Government House. His running mate in the gubernatorial election, Nsima Ekere, was billed to distribute the rest ₦5 million to unemployed graduates who converged at the Ibom Hall.

Trouble started with the rumour that organisers of the event have taken away ₦4 million out of the ₦10 million given to the students. After waiting for more than four hours for the remaining ₦6 million to be shared, the students started a protest.

The protest turned into a stampede as security agencies tried to remove them from the premises. In the ensuing scramble, gunshots were fired by the police and the protesting students responded by hurling stones at the police officers.

At Ibom Hall, a few fortunate unemployed graduates got ₦1,000 each but the rest had to run away when they heard the gunshots. Matters worsened when the protesting students were joined by others in the adjourning streets of Oron and Wellington Bassey road leading to sporadic shooting which extended into the night...

During a telephone interview, Essien Udoma, the Student Union President of the University of Uyo, confirmed that they were invited by the state governor to collect ₦10 million but people under the aegis of Concerned Students for Gosdwill Akpabio, the organisers, made away with ₦4 million.

He said seven students comprising three each from the Akwa Ibom State College of Education and Uyo City Polytechnic, and one from the University of Uyo have been hospitalised in an undisclosed hospital. He refused to say how many were killed in the riots.

In what amounts to a reaction, the state government has banned all groups from gathering at the Government House for any reason. The commissioner for Information and Social Re-orientation, Aniekan Umanah, said any such rally should be taken to the PDP secretariat.

Is it still no sacrifice ? 

No sacrifice no sacrifice at all .....

its the heart of pdp letting people die  ....

"elton john"

Ambrose Alli University Sex-For-Grades Update: Dr. Otubu Fired; Judith Okosun Suspended For Six Semesters

 

Dr. Peter Otubu and Judith Okosun

Judith Okosun, the 400-level Mechanical Engineering student at the centre of the July 2010 sex-for-grades scandal at the Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma, Edo State, has been suspended for six semesters.

In a report, THE NEWS said that Engr. Peter Otubu, the lecturer whose demand of sexual favours in exchange for good grades led to the crisis, was fired by the University, this was confirmed by the university authorities today. 

In July 2010, Saharareporters broke the story of the scandal.  Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who is the Visitor of the institution, immediately demanded an investigation and report. 

The university, which Ms. Okosun’s lawyer claimed to have been informed of the incident from the beginning, although its spokesman denied it, set up two committees.  The student was found guilty of “breaching her matriculation oath”.

Also, the university offers no guarantee that another randy lecturer will not be waiting with a new grading “system”, or to exact vengeance.

Dr. Otubu’s case was instructive according to the university vice chancellor who rendered an account of his past to the NEWS magazine, as stated here: “Professor Sam Uniamikogbo, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, explained why Judith was also sanctioned. “The student was aware of the university’s rules and regulations and once any student violates any of the rules, that student will be disciplined,’’ he told TheNEWS.  The rules, said the Vice-Chancellor, forbid students from taking laws into their own hands, as Judith seemed to have done. Uniamikogbo is, however, still shocked by the conduct of Otubu. Prior to the scandal, the V-C said, Otubu was considered chaste; having helped the university authorities bust a lecturer who habitually demanded sex from married undergraduates. ‘‘It was Otubu that we put on the case. The married woman was told to play along. Otubu helped us to arrest the lecturer at the hotel to which he had invited the woman. I could never have imagined that a man we thought was clean and a veritable role model would be involved in this kind of scandal,” Uniamikogbo said ruefully...

The university terminated Dr. Otubu’s appointment on October 26 2010.

A source at the university told SaharaReporters that Judith has gone to court to challenge her wrongful rustication from the university.

A 28-year-old graduate of Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, Shehu Saleh Balami has launched a solid-fuel rocket in Kaduna. 

Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday in Kaduna, Balami said he took interest in rockets when he was a kid.

He said he was able to invent the solid-fuel rocket with support from friends under the aegis of Movement for the Propagation of Science and Technology in Nigeria, adding that he has also started research on how to make a remote controlled aircraft, a project he intends to embark on shortly.

According to him, he produced the two rockets with 100 per cent local content at an approximate cost of N30, 000 each.

He lamented that Nigeria after 50 years of independence still relies on advanced countries for satellite due to lack of conducive atmosphere for indigenous talented inventors to strive. Balami said there was a need for the Federal Government to provide an enabling environment for science and technology inventors in the country if it wishes to attain the desired Vision 20:2020.

“If the government pays attention to local science and technology inventors and support them financially, I believe very strongly that one day, we will be able to build our own satellite or the engine that will take the satellite into space,” he said.

On the other hand, this should be something of concern since this guy could be hired by extremists.

I hope he doesn’t go off  boundary with this.

This should be in the  Guiness Book of Records  

The number of ‘tenants’ allegedly defrauded by an estate agent in Lagos, has risen to 64, even as policemen at the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, are still collating names of victims. The Police have also confirmed that Omotayo Balogun, who other victims claimed was not one of them, was actually defrauded by the estate agent, Olatunde Najeem.

 
According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the SFU, Ngozi Isintume, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Balogun paid the sum of N500,000, to Najeem for a mini flat.
She explained that after the payment, Najeem failed to give the flat to him. According to her, it was based on that, that he (Balogun) wrote a petition to the SFU on December 2, 2010, which led to the arrest of the suspect.
She disclosed that it was when other victims heard that Najeem had been arrested that they came to report that they were also defrauded by the suspect.
The PRO, however, wondered why some of the victims resorted to being hostile to the policemen, who according to her, were working to ensure that they get justice..
“It is not true that Balogun was not defrauded by the same estate agent. It’s not possible for all the victims to know themselves. The police are in a better position to know the victims because, they come to complain to us and not to their fellow victims.
“Omotayo was the first person who wrote a petition to the police. Those who are alleging that Balogun was not one of the victims, did not even report the matter to the police. It was when they heard that he had written a petition to the SFU, leading to the arrest of the suspect, that they started showing up,” she said.
Meanwhile, Isintume has advised people to always carry out thorough investigation before paying for accommodation. She also urged other victims in the rent scam to visit SFU for further information.
Daily Sun had in its Thursday, February, 17, 2011, edition published report of the estate agent, who defrauded 51 ‘tenants’ the sum of N16.9million.