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The actress has denied reports making the rounds that she secretly got married to a man named Alaka and moved into his Lekki home a few weeks back. What she told an Encomium reporter below:

It's not a crime to be single and it's not a crime to be married. If I chose to tie the knot, it won't be a secret. For now, I am still single but if I chose to get married, my friends will be invited. I have nothing to hide and I have done nothing wrong. I am presently away but I have been receiving calls from people who are shocked as I am at the supposed breaking news of my secrets wedding. The report is false.

INVESTIGATIONS by The PUNCH have revealed that the Federal Government is in a dilemma about the probe of the Farouk Lawan-Femi Otedola $620,000 bribery scandal.

The government, sources affirmed, had been undecided whether to prosecute only Lawan, the suspended chairman of the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, who had confessed to receiving the bribe money or along with  Otedola, the Chairman of Zenon Oil and Gas, who claimed that he gave the bribe in a sting operation.

Our correspondents learnt that both Lawan and Otedola were recommended for prosecution by some legal minds in the Ministry of Justice. The ministry officials were said to have based their recommendation on the report of the Police Special Task Force that investigated the scandal.

A member of the Police Special Task Force, who pleaded anonymity, confided in one of our correspondents that that the report of the STF did not exonerate Otedola.

However, there were speculations that there had been pressure on the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), not to prosecute Otedola.

But Adoke said he had been no under any pressure not to prosecute Otedola.

“I am not under any pressure not to prosecute anyone. The file (on the scandal) has not got to me. It is with the Director of Public Prosecutions,” the minister told one of our correspondents on Tuesday.

 “The feelers we are getting from the government indicate that it is not ready to prosecute the businessman,” a top police officer said.

The source, however, said that the manner of the suting operation being claimed by Otedola was making it difficult for the government to exclude the businessman.

 The police source said that if the case was a sting operation, $620,000 should be used as exhibits in court and Lawan should have been arrested immediately the money was handed over to him and the Clerk of the committee, Boniface Emenalo.

Curiously, while State Security Service did not deny its participation in the alleged operation, it could not produce the $620,000 as an exhibit.

The PUNCH had last month reported that the Police Special Task Force had on June 13 written the Director-General of the State Security Service asking for the money and other exhibits.

Investigations showed that the SSS had handed over to the police neither the money exhibit nor the call logs, which included what transpired between Otedola and Lawan.

The police source said the failure of the SSS to release the money “cast doubt on its participation in the sting operation.”

Efforts by our correspondents to get the Police Force Deputy Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, were unsuccessful as he did not pick his calls. He did not also respond to a text message sent to him on the matter.

But an expert in constitutional law, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, said that both Otedola and Lawan should be prosecuted.

He said, “As far as I know, the law equally criminalises not only the person who is asking for a bribe, but also the person giving a bribe. So, both the taker and the giver of bribe have committed an offence.

“Potentially, Otedola himself is liable for prosecution unless it is established that it was a sting operation in which the police was involved.”

 Also, a group, Anti-Corruption Vanguard, also said that both Otedola and Lawan should be prosecuted.

Its Director-General, Mr. Dino Melaye, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said that it was illogical for the police to take the report of the investigation to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN).

According to him,   the police have power of prosecution.

But a lawyer, Mr. Emeka Ngige, SAN, said that Otedola should be prosecuted, if he made the bribe offer.

He said, “If it was Otedola himself that made the offer in order for his company to be removed from the list of indicted companies that benefited from the subsidy fraud, he can be prosecuted alongside Farouk Lawan.

“However, the law enforcement agencies are at liberty to use Otedola as a witness. It is within the purview of the prosecution to use the giver to get the taker.”

Another SAN, Mr. Yusuf Alli, insisted that Otedola should not be prosecuted.

He said, “The law in Nigeria is that if anybody acts like a whistle-blower, he has not committed an offence.  Why should he (Otedola) be prosecuted? He only acted as a whistle-blower.

“How did he become a sinner? I am amazed at the way some people are making comments, saying he should be prosecuted. Anyone involved in collecting money from Otedola with Farouk Lawan should be prosecuted.”

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid CF) Lionel Messi (Argentina, FC Barcelona) and Andres Iniesta (Spain, FC Barcelona) have been shortlisted by UEFA for the 2011/12 best player in Europe award.

Yinka Johnson, the banker accused of crushing a LASTMA official to death on Friday August 10th has been freed of the murder charge. The police, some LASTMA officials, eye witnesses and some members of the press visited the scene of the incident yesterday Monday August 13th to investigate further and afterwards all agreed that Yinka's car was not the car that hit and killed 33 year old Hammed Balogun. Eye-witnesses, including the one inside the bus that allegedly killed hammed, gave the police a clear account of what really happened that Friday. 

After the investigation yesterday, the police officially dropped the murder charge and instead arraigned her for driving recklessly. 

Yinka Johnson was brought to the Igbosere Magistrate Court today to face a one-count charge of driving recklessly. She was granted bail and ordered to pay fine. The case was adjourned to Sept 3rd.

There were indications on Monday that crisis might have engulfed the Northern Christian Association of Nigerian over the call on President Goodluck Jonathan to resign. The assocation had on Sunday called on the President to resign for saying he could not crush the Islamic sect, Boko Haram. The president reportedly said, “They are our siblings and you cannot set the army to wipe out your family”. The Northern CAN had expressed shock and disbelief at the President’s statement despite that the sect had killed several innocent Nigerians, particularly Christians, wondering why his administration could not descend on the sect. The spokesman for the body, Mr. Sunday Oibe, had said, “Jonathan has failed us Christians, he has failed Nigerians and he should resign as president because by this statement, it is very clear that he is not capable of handling the danger posed by the Boko Haram insurgency.” Our correspondent learnt that the Northern CAN spokesman had come under fire over the statement credited to him. A source within the leadership of the organisation, who would not want his names in print, told our correspondent on the telephone that “when I called the young man, he said he didn’t mean that our president should resign. We in the Northern CAN would not want to do anything that will cause crisis for President Goodluck Jonathan.” However, Special Adviser to Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State on Religious Matters, Reverend Joseph Hayab, on Monday warned religious leaders across the country against overheating the nation’s polity with inflammatory statement that could cause disaffection in the country. Hayab, in a statement in Kaduna on Monday, said the statement urging the President to resign was capable of inciting “Northerners and especially Christians against the Jonathan Administration,” warning that religious leaders must not overheat the Nigerian polity. The governor’s aide, a former Secretary-General of the Kaduna CAN, said, as a former Secretary of CAN Kaduna State and also a former PRO of CAN 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, added, “Northern CAN has no quarrel with the statement from President Jonathan that it would not be the preference of the Federal Government to send in soldiers to wipe out Boko Haram for the simple reason that Boko Haram are faceless and when soldiers are sent in to wipe out a faceless group it is the innocent that suffers.”

The Management of Leadership Newspaper has asked Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola to deliver on his promise to fish out the attackers of its photojournalist, Mr. Benedict Uwalaka. Uwalaka was attacked on Thursday by mortuary attendants at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja while covering the release of the corpses of victims of Dana plane crash to their relatives. In a letter signed by the Group Managing Director, Azubuike Ishiekwene, and titled, ‘Attempted Murder of Photojournalist Benedict Uwalaka’, the company insisted that Uwalaka did not commit any crime and had gone to the place on invitation. The letter read in part, “We appreciate the swift response of the governor to the incident and his public apology. More important, we note his promise to investigate the matter and to bring the culprits to justice. “Mr. Uwalaka, a photojournalist, committed no crime. He had turned up, on invitation, at LASUTH to cover the release of the remains of victims of the Dana Air crash. He had not even started his assignment when bloodthirsty hounds descended on him with broken bottles, iron rods and other dangerous weapons. “We request, therefore, that pursuant to your promise, you use your good offices to seek justice for Mr Uwalaka. All those who took part in the bestial assault and battery should be identified and charged to court immediately.” Meanwhile, the management of TOS Memorial, the mortuary where the incident occurred, said none of its workers was involved in the assault on Uwalaka. The legal counsel for the management, Mr.Kunle Carew, who spoke at a press briefing at LASUTH on Monday, said the Chief Marketing Officer of the mortuary, Mr. Bayo Ogunshola, only accosted the victim when he was seen taking pictures of the corpses against the management’s instructions. Carew said, “Everybody complied with the instruction. But, Uwalaka took another entrance to get a better shot and Bayo asked him to produce the camera to remove offending pictures. “While they were arguing, Uwalaka slapped Bayo thrice. But after he managed to get the camera, Bayo came back inside. Every other thing that happened, we are not aware of it.”

The traditional wedding ceremony of popular Lagos 'big boy' and business man, Felix Okoye and LPM/La E'space co-owner, Wonu Odunsi, will hold on Thursday August 30th in Lagos. Their church wedding will hold two days later, on Saturday September 1st. Cute couple! Big congrats to them!

From Abu Qaqa, the spokesman of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram, came another warning yesterday, that the sect would attack any government functionaries, security agents, security informants, Christians and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim. “We want to stress that in our struggle, we only kill government functionaries, security agents, Christians and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim but goes behind to assist security agents to arrest us,” he warned. A statement sent to journalists in Maiduguri yesterday evening believably authored by the sect’s spokesman, Abu Qaqa, also claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks in Sokoto, Zaria and Damaturu. Bellow are excerpts from the statement: “All praises go to Almighty Allah. This is a very important message from the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad. We wish to extend our profound gratitude to Almighty Allah for giving us the opportunity to fulfill the promise we made on launching spontaneous attacks in Sokoto. “We have reasons for all our activities and we only kill those who wronged us. We attacked Sokoto because many of our brethren have been incarcerated there. “We are gladdened by the successes we recorded at the office of the AIG in Marina and the police divisional office at Unguwan Rogo as well as the police station at Arkila. “We wish to reiterate that our crusade is not for personal gain; it is meant to ensure the establishment of an Islamic state by liberating all Muslims from the excesses of the infidels. “We strongly believe that Almighty Allah will reward us with his famous paradise in the hereafter as he rightly said in Chapter 9, Verse 111 of the Holy Qur’an. “We wish to strongly warn people to desist from collaborating with security agents. The fact is that we are the warriors of the Almighty and even the security forces are finding it difficult to contain our activities. “We want to stress that in our struggle, we only kill government functionaries, security agents, Christians and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim but engages in assisting security agents to arrest us. “We are also aware of the activities of some women who have been recruited to spy on us. This is a final warning to all of them. By God, whenever we catch any woman spying on us, we would slaughter her like ram. “We are responsible for the attacks in Bauchi and at the residence of Namadi Sambo in Zaria as well as the one in Damaturu where we bombed a patrol vehicle. “We equally dealt a big blow on JTF operatives in Maiduguri who, out of frustration, went back and killed innocent and defenseless citizens. “It is erroneous to say that we are killing Muslims. We don’t kill innocent Muslims. The fact and the bottom line of our struggle is to set the Muslims free from enslavement. We only kill the unbelievers.”

Some eyewitnesses on Monday insisted that a female banker, Yinka Johnson, accused of crushing an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, was not culpable.

Detectives attached to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation visited the crime scene on Monday for an on-the-spot assessment.

But as soon as the team arrived, scores of eyewitnesses told the detectives, led by Mr. Solomon Ogochukwu, that the LASTMA official was crushed by a commercial bus driver while he was attempting to cross the road.

One of the witnesses, Simon Eze, said, “The banker was driving against traffic and was attempting to navigate to the other side of the road when she was accosted by LASTMA officials.

“The lady pleaded with them but they were adamant. Even one man in a red car alighted from his vehicle to plead with them but the officials refused and went to get a towing vehicle.

“As one of the officials attempted to cross the road, he was crushed by a commercial bus but he did not die on the spot. The LASTMA officials suddenly blamed the banker and accused her of killing their colleague.”

The witness said the commercial bus driver whose vehicle was damaged, stopped for a while but later sped off.

Another eyewitness, Ilonze Benjamin, said the LASTMA officials could be careless at times in their bid to enforce traffic laws by jumping in front of moving vehicles.

Benjamin described the spot where the accident occurred as “very dangerous,” adding that many people had lost their lives on the spot.

He said, “The LASTMA official was not crushed by the lady. He had seized the car keys and was attempting to cross the road when he was hit.

“The modus operandi of LASTMA extortion is that they seize car keys of errant motorists and walk far away from the vehicle so that the motorist will follow them. After the motorist follows them to a corner, they collect bribe and allow the culprit to go.

“Those LASTMA guys have been doing this for a long time now but unfortunately, the deceased did not look well when he was crossing the road.”

PUNCH Metro observed that detectives and LASTMA officials set up objects on the road to illustrate how the accident occurred, while pictures of the scene were also taken.

But an unidentified LASTMA official insisted that the banker crushed his colleague.

As witnesses pointed out inconsistencies in the official’s claim, one of the officials burst into tears, accusing the witnesses of conspiring against the officials of the agency.

“Many of these so-called eyewitnesses were not there when the incident occurred. My colleague was killed by the woman. It’s because members of the public don’t like us that is why they are ganging up against us,” he said.

A resident, who craved anonymity, urged the state government to install CCTV cameras along the expressway for security reasons.

“With the new traffic laws in Lagos State, CCTV has become necessary in order to save citizens from being framed by traffic officials and policemen,” she said.

Some of the witnesses later wrote statements and handed them over to the detectives.

The General Manager, LASTMA, Babatunde Edu, had in a statement on Friday – the day the incident occurred – accused Johnson of killing the official, Hameed Balogun, while she was driving against traffic along Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The GM had said, “Balogun was killed by the banker along the expressway while he was carrying out his official assignment at his duty post at Mega City, Ajah area of Lagos.

“The banker, an employee of IBTC drove in a Green Landrover SUV with number plate CY 276 LSD against traffic from Mega Chicken inward toll Plaza two and was intercepted by three officials of LASTMA.

“Johnson started driving recklessly in order to escape and in the process ran over the officer. The deceased was rushed down to Germaine Hospital where he later died as a result of injury sustained from the accident.”

Adewale Olupitan-Hassan, who died after being allegedly brutalised by soldiers attached to the Flag Staff House, Force Road, Lagos, has been buried.

Olupitan-Hassan’s younger brother, Adedotun, said he was still hoping that the Nigerian Army authorities would allow justice to prevail by fishing out the perpetrators.

The Iya Oge of Lagos, Chief Mrs Opral Benson, 77, has been made the honorary Consular General of Nigeria to her country of birth, Liberia.

The proprietor of the Opral Benson Beauty Institute and widow of Nigeria's first minister of information, late TOS Benson, received an official latter on the 7th of August from the minister of foreigner affairs.

The fashion Icon will operate from Lagos, which has been her base for many years, instead of moving to Abuja where most consuls are based.

The Winners Chapel General Overseer, who takes education very seriously, is building a mega secondary school facility located at Gowon Estate in the Alimosho local government area of Lagos State. The new building, which is nearing completion, is said to have over 100 classrooms. The Bishop has already established the Kingdom Heritage Model Schools in different cities in Nigeria for primary education, Faith Academy; a missionary full boarding secondary school, and Covenant University.

King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal's daughter, Oyindamola Ayinde Marshall, is a product of the Brits School for Performing Arts & Technology, UK. She is currently working on her first hip hop album. Her stage name is Honey B

bin a while since I visited, wot did I miss

Ben Murray Bruce's first son, Jonathan Murray Bruce, 31, on Saturday August 11th married his longtime Irish/Nigerian girlfriend, Irene Chilabakis, 24, in Berverly Hills, California. Jonathan and Irene already have a one year old daughter.

THE recent declaration of self-government by a faction of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People took many by surprise. CHUKWUDI AKASIKE reports this ominous development

FOR many years, the people of Ogoni have felt the pangs of injustice in diverse dimensions, especially through the slow but steady pollution of their land.

Oil spills, gas flaring and other environmental degrading factors have dealt a heavy blow on the flora and fauna of the area. Though the cry of the Ogoni has reached its height, not much has been done to assuage their feelings.

Perhaps the most trying period for the  people was when in 1995, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists from Ogoniland were killing by the Gen. Sani Abacha-led military junta.

Although, the natives have repeatedly demanded basic necessities of life from government and oil companies in the area, no one expected that they could declare self-government.

On August 2, 2012, the factional leader of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, Dr. Goodluck Diigbo, did the unthinkable by declaring political autonomy for Ogoniland.

In his declaration, the outspoken Diigbo said he acted legitimately by reclaiming all the rights of the Ogoni. The leader of the splinter group was also said to have established a radio station known as ‘Ogoni Voice’ where he made the purported declaration of Ogoni independence.

“By this declaration of political autonomy, we, the Ogoni people, are determined to enforce the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples, without fear or retreat,” Diigbo stated.

According to him, self-government within Nigeria will bring “internal colonialism” to an end.

“The reason for the urgency of self-government for Ogoni is the concern that in the absence of a responsive government, the indigenous people of Ogoni will continue to suffer from historic injustices.

“In taking these measures, we are quite aware of the discomfort of about 56 local politicians that control local government politics in Ogoni. However, we care more about the 1.2 million people that have for too long been excluded,” Diigbo added.

He further said a transitional committee was already in place to facilitate dialogue and ensure peaceful transition within 30 days, while consultation with the national government and international community would begin without delay.

Diigbo’s declaration shook the entire Ogoniland.

But the excitement that came in the wake of Diigbo’s MOSOP declaration was dimmed by the reaction of what many agree to be the ‘main MOSOP’ led by the Chairman of the Provisional Council, Prof. Ben Naanen who immediately dismissed Diigbo’s pronouncement.

Naanen who expressed dismay at the declaration of Ogoni autonomy said, “At no time did the Ogoni people take any decision to establish a sovereign nationhood. The Ogoni Bill of Rights is clear about the aspiration of Ogoni people in Nigeria. The Ogoni want adequate representation in all the institutions of the Nigerian state as a matter of right. They want their economic, social and political rights to be protected in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A people aspiring to sovereignty cannot also be asking for representation at the same time,” Naanen said in a statement sent to SUNDAY PUNCH via electronic mail.

Naanen called on the Federal Government to deal with the problem of poverty and marginalisation affecting the people of the area. According to him, the situation in Ogoniland is responsible for the support Diigbo enjoyed from his community.

The MOSOP leader argued that people like Diigbo would not be able to cause confusion in Ogoni if the Federal Government had shown commitment towards the development of the area.

“Diigbo is seeking relevance. He is playing to the gallery and some people listen to him because they are poor and unemployed,” he added.

Similarly, the state governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, described Diigbo’s action as “treasonable felony.”

“Ogoni autonomy is not achievable. The man who declared Ogoni autonomy will run into the bush tomorrow morning. What Diigbo is doing is treasonable felony. You do not declare autonomy on the pages of newspapers and magazines or on radio and television,” Amaechi said.

The governor urged Nigerians to ignore the recent declaration by the MOSOP factional leader.

But an unyielding Diigbo disagreed with the governor’s description of his declaration.  

He said, “Issues pertaining to indigenous rights cannot be dabbled in by local or regional authorities that may be in conflict with indigenous rights, but rests on consultation with a nation state as Nigeria. I think Amaechi needs proper advice on international matters. It is also because of international instruments that citizens who want to live in an organised society are able to aspire to self-government, freedom and to organise and subordinate their rights. You cannot pick and choose certain aspects of civilisation and corruptly opt for permittivity as you deem fit.”

The flurry of reactions, which Diigbo assertion ignited, transcended Ogoni. A lawmaker representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Andrew Uchendu, expressed dissatisfaction over Diigbo’s declaration and urged the people of Ogoni to be wary of their utterances in order not to destroy the legacy of their past leaders.

Uchendu said he had a good relationship with past Ogoni leaders and that none of them, including the late Saro-Wiwa, who presented the Ogoni Bill of Rights, ever talked about sovereignty for the people.

The lawmaker, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Public Service, spoke of a letter written to him on December 1, 1994 by Saro-Wiwa when he (Uchendu) was in the Constituent Assembly.

The letter, according to Uchendu, was about the plight of the Ogoni people. “There was no declaration of sovereignty. Saro-Wiwa was more concerned with environmental degradation of Ogoniland and resource control,” he said.

Also, a lawyer and Chancellor of the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights, Mr. Jackson Omenazu, attributed the declaration of self-government to the loss of faith in the Nigerian project.

Omenazu explained that Diigbo’s action should not come as a surprise to Nigerians because the absence of social and economic security could push any tribe to call for autonomy.

He warned that more tribes could follow the Diigbo example if nothing was done to reverse Nigerians’ diminishing faith in the country.

“The indices we see in the country today can make any tribe to think of pulling out of the project called Nigeria. If the situation continues like this, more sections of the country will call for self-government,” he cautioned.

Diigbo’s declaration re-enacts  the revolution that was led by late Major Isaac Adaka Boro, who declared independence of the Niger Delta on February 23, 1966, at Akaima in present day  Bayelsa State.

Boro’s revolt was crushed by federal troops within 12 days. It is yet not certain, how far Diigbo’s can go.

MIKE ODIEGWU writes that the passage of the Bayelsa State Flag, Coat of Arms and Anthem Bill 2012 has thrown up questions on its implications for Nigeria’s sovereignty

The Bayelsa State House of Assembly last Tuesday passed an executive bill granting the state the legal backing to formulate its anthem, hoist its flag and own its coat of arms. The bill entitled: Bayelsa State Flag, Coat of Arms and Anthem Bill 2012, was sponsored by the Leader of the House, Dr. Sam Akpe. The lawmakers unanimously passed the bill without much ado.

Akpe described the bill as timely and argued that it was in line with the moves by Governor Seriake Dickson, to restore and give the state a unique identity. “As Bayelsans, we have come of age to be proud of where we come from as the only homogeneous Ijaw state. The bill when signed into law will be awakening our pride and honour reflected by the flag with a colour that is peculiar to our identity as a people,” he had said.

There is no doubt that Dickson will soon sign the bill into law since it originated from his cabinet. A day before the bill was passed, the cabinet was in a meeting where the decision was taken to rebrand the state. Dickson and his aides ruled that it was high time the government repositioned the state to represent the interest of the balkanized Ijaw nation.

But before the bill gets the assent of the governor, politically conscious observers are concerned about the legality of the action of the government. Is this singular act not an affront to the sovereignty, constitutionality and independence of Nigeria? Is there a tacit plan for the Ijaws to seek for self-determination from the Nigeria state?

A constitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, says there is nothing improper in the action of the state government. Ikimi who is based in Warri, Delta State, postulates that there is no aspect of the constitution that forbids a state from owning its coat of arms, flag and anthem.

Describing it as a welcome development, Ikimi who is the convener of the Forum for Defence of Justice and Human Rights, implored other states to toe the same path.

He said, “Let me first and foremost congratulate the members of the Bayelsa House of Assembly for their wise decision to pass into law the executive bill for the state flag, state anthem and the state coat of arms and their courage in asserting their right as a state. We call on other states of the federation yet to have their own flag, anthem and coat of arms to borrow a leaf from Bayelsa State.

“The legal implication of the above law is that Bayelsa has truly come of age as a state within the Nigeria Federation. Under a federal system of government, component states are allowed to have their own flag, coat of arms and anthem except printing their own currency or owning their own armed forces.

“For instance, during state engagements instead of playing the national anthem, a state can play its own anthem or display its coat of arms and flag on state owned building and institutions. It is a welcome decision and the state has not run foul of the law.”

Also, the former state Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Stanley Damabide, argued that it was constitutional for a state to have its unique symbols. According to him, Cap 13 law of the Anthem, Coat of Arms and Flag Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, makes a provision for states within the federation to have theirs.

“Constitutionally, issues of flag and coat of arms are not in the exclusive list. It falls under the residual list and it means states can legislate on it. The action of the state is allowed by our laws and does not in any way contravene the federal law. Our law justifies states having their symbols and flags. It does not affect the substance and oneness of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, he said.

Similarly, the state government says there is no ulterior motive in its decision. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Iworiso-Markson, maintains that it is borne out of the desire to propagate the culture, values and customs of the Ijaw nation and give the state a sense of identity. According to him, the emblems will be put to use immediately Dickson signs the bill into law.

“This decision also underscores government’s belief that this state, like any other state, is where the Ijaws, the fourth largest ethnic nationality, has as its home. Bayelsa is home to all Ijaws both at home and abroad.  The emblem therefore, will help to serve as a unifying force and rallying point for all our people. 

“It says a lot about the preservation of our culture, our essential values as a people and as a race.  These are the qualities that distinguish us and make us who we are – proud, great people of the Ijaw nation. There is therefore, a need to project our culture and uniqueness as a people. There is the need to preserve our values and pass them on as part of our heritage.

“More importantly, as a government, we view the decision to launch the state-own emblem, as critical to our development and it matches our drive to project Bayelsa as a world-class tourist destination, the new frontier for eco-tourism and an investment haven,” he adds.

He further argues that the development is not peculiar to the state, citing Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ogun and Ekiti states as examples. “The point must however, be made clear that the step taken by our government to announce the proposed launch of a state owned flag, anthem and coat of arms is not in any way different from what other states in the federation have done.

“It is common knowledge that virtually all the states in the southwestern region such as Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ogun and Ekiti states — have since launched theirs. The most recent was the North Central state of Kwara. In the South-South, Cross River and Rivers State are the only two states in the region that have embraced this noble concept. But none of these states elevated their quest for identity symbol like Bayelsa, which did it through legislation.

“We believe that Bayelsa being the only state that can be considered as the home state of the Ijaw race deserves to blaze this trail than any other state in the federation, given its uniqueness. This much is true because of the emphasis we place on the propagation of the Ijaw ideals and what we stand for as a people- the Ijaw ideology”, he maintains.

 The state chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria however says the state of President Goodluck Jonathan has simply imitated what other ACN states did in the South-West. The party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Christopher Abarowei, said the move has further given credence to ACN as a pacesetter in the country.

 “It is a welcome development as far as it is not at variance with the constitution and it is not done to undermine national integration. If states like Lagos, Oyo, Ogun and Cross River can have coat of arms, flags and anthem without undermining national security, Bayelsans should be given an opportunity to express their identity,” he said.

Also supporting the move, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Itse Sagay, said Bayelsa State as a unit of the Federation has the right to a level of autonomy and unique identity.

“I don’t see why not. We are a federation and each state has the right to a certain level of autonomy and identity. The flag, the anthem and the coat of arms are merely an implementation of that right. That does not stop the state from recognizing the national flag, which must fly everywhere,” he said.

BBA housemate Prezzo was appointed as an ambassador of the ONE campaign against hungerimmediately after the end of the reality show. But contrary to reports that he's getting $720k a year for the position and a diplomatic passport, the NGO has issued a statement clarifying that all the ambassadors that work with them do so on a voluntary basis. They do not pay a dime.

Prezzo was chosen after he won a competition in the BBA house to design t-shirts for the ONE campaign, which expressed ‘sustainable and smart agriculture means for Africa’s youth’. The t.shirts are currently being produced for ONE’s line of branded merchandise.