metro

Stop milking Nigeria, it will soon dry up, Obi of Onitsha tells politicians

Published

1 month ago

December 3, 2024

Obi of Onitsha, His Royal Majesty, Nnaemeka Achebe

Stop milking Nigeria, it will soon dry up, Obi of Onitsha tells politicians

ABUJA- THE Obi of Onitsha, His Royal Majesty, Nnaemeka Achebe, has charged the political class and those in leadership positions to put public interest above personal and individualistic interest if Nigeria as a country must grow beyond its current position.

Bold Leap which had a gathering of Nigerians made up of former Presidents, ex- Presidents of the Senate, past and present senators, and former governors was an autobiography of Senator Anyanwu with 600 pages, three parts, and 19 chapters.

President Bola Tinubu was represented by the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Zaphaniah Jisalo, the Chairman of the event and former President Olusegun Obasanjo was represented by former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark; former President Goodluck Jonathan was represented by ex-President of the Senate, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Jaja of Okpobo, former Senators, former Anambra State governors, Chris Ngige and Peter Obi, Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF’s spokesperson, Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini, Senators, Captains of Industry, among others were present at the event.

READ ALSO:

The Obi of Onitsha said: “Should we continue milking the cow, it will die. In this country, since independence, we’ve been talking and talking and talking and talking and talking. I think it’s time we begin to think about doing something because we have two alternatives. Keep milking the cow until it dies, because of our sectional interests, which we tend to protect, and our personal interests. People go into public service, not to serve the public, but to serve their interests.

“Either we keep doing that and milk the cow to death, or we do the opposite and place Nigeria above everything else.

“And I would like to add that time is not too much in our favour. It’s either we milk the cow to death very, very fast, or we can turn around the country very, very fast.”

Speaking on “How Do We Fix Nigeria-System, Structure, Institutions and Leadership?: A Panel Discussion,” former Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who was one of the four panellists, tongue lashed the political class, describing the current political and governance system as operational in Nigeria as “electorialism” and not democracy.

Fayemi, who served as Minister of Solid Minerals during the administration of President Muhamnadu Buhari, said: “On the systemic issues we have to confront, beyond going into the nature of the system we are operating, liberal democracy, parliamentary or presidential system, who cuts the substance of the question you ask? For me, the excuses are always going to be legit, why we are not operating right as a country. Is it the system, the institutions, or the leadership, or in fact, some would even say colonialism, because we must provide our own foundation. That’s why we have found ourselves in that situation.

“We have been fighting to forge what in political science we call elite consensus, but we need to go beyond elite consensus to national consensus and how do we get to national consensus without asking the national question, which is, who are we? What do we want for ourselves? Where do we want the country to be in 10 years, or 20 years, or 50 years? Every country that wants to really develop starts with a national vision and mission.”

READ ALSO:

Briggs, who advocated the restructuring of the political system, said: “We need to restructure our political system. We need to restructure the people we put in politics to represent us. And we have a problem with that. The problem originates from the Independent National Election Commission, INEC. INEC has let Nigerians down.

“I’m one of those Nigerians that INEC has let down. When you have a voters card and you cannot vote, it means that you’re not choosing the people who are representing you. Therefore, they owe you nothing. We are at the very worst stage that we can be as a nation. Patriotism is not the national anthem. A lot of people can’t even sing all the verses of either of the national anthems.

“So, patriotism is about what you do for your country, but specifically what it is that your country is also doing for you because you are. We’re all Nigerians. We’re not Ghanaians. We’re not British. We’re Nigerians. So, a country is to give and the citizens are also to give.”

She also described as a great error that activists and those who fought for democracy left the politicians to run the show.

“So if we are to succeed, then we must, as a people, as the electorate, make the decision as to who are these people that we are going to put in the position of power that we are investing in them to hold for us in trust, to make the right decisions and make the right policies for Nigerians. I have just one example which will tell us where we need to go.”

On his part Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who stressed the need to have the right people in the right place, decried the weak institutions, citing a case where a public officer who was prosecuted for embezzlement only received a slap in the wrest.

He said: “Last week, the former head of the police pension fund embezzled, according to the court, N23.2 billion. He was tried by the court and the court fined him N323 million and then imposed a two-year sentence on him for which he also gave, at the same time that they imposed that two-year sentence, a fine of N250,000, so that he can go free. So, someone embezzles N23 billion, then he wakes up and pays back N315 million and he works free to now take N22 billion and walk away.

“Now, we are talking about an illegal institution versus the person who was imposing that sentence. So, as far as I’m concerned, if we don’t have the right people, we will never get an institution right. And that is the only way we can go forward.”

On his part, Dr. Aminu Gamana, who noted that the country needed value reorientation, said: “We need societal reorientation in order to get things right. Otherwise, you will conduct elections every four years, people will come out and collect indomie or spaghetti and vote for someone who does not care about them.”

Stop milking Nigeria, it will soon dry up, Obi of Onitsha tells politicians

Related Topics:milking Nigeria Obi Onitsha politicians

Up Next

Lagos-Abuja bus passengers kidnapped in Kogi, abductors demand N100m ransom

Don't Miss

Lady arrested in Delta for allegedly luring teenagers into prostitution abroad

metro

Kidnapped Anambra High Court judge, 2 Rev. sisters regain freedom

Published

13 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Trends Admin

Kidnapped Anambra High Court judge, 2 Rev. sisters regain freedom

The two Reverend Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ, Vincentia Maria Nwankwo and Grace Mariette Okoli, along with an Anambra High Court Judge, have been released after being kidnapped last week.

The Reverend Sisters were abducted while returning home from a meeting, while the judge, whose identity was not disclosed, was kidnapped on Saturday at the entrance to his home in Awka.

A source close to the judge’s family confirmed his release on Sunday, just 24 hours after the abduction.

In a statement titled “Notification of Release and Expression of Profound Gratitude,” Sr. Maria Sobenna Ikeotuonye, IHM Secretary General, announced the release of the Reverend Sisters.

READ ALSO:

“I bring to your notice in joy that our dear Sisters Vincentia Maria Nwankwo and Grace Mariette Okoli, who were kidnapped in the evening of Tuesday, 7th January 2025, have been released unconditionally and in good health.

“We thank God and thank you all for your prayers and support all through these rough and uncertain days. May God forever be blessed through Mary our Mother,” her statement read.

The release of the kidnapped victims has brought relief to the people of Anambra State, who have been living in fear of kidnappings and other violent crimes in recent times.

Kidnapped Anambra High Court judge, 2 Rev. sisters regain freedom

metro

Gospel singer Temileyin caught with severed head of girlfriend in Abuja

Published

13 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Trends Admin

Gospel singer Temileyin caught with severed head of girlfriend in Abuja

A gospel singer identified as Oluwatimileyin Ajayi has been captured by some members of a church whose name was not given, located in Orozo, a community located on the border between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and Nasarawa State for carrying the decapitated head of his girlfriend in a polybag while attending a church service.

The church’s Bible Study teacher and General Secretary, Caleb Umaru, revealed that this incident happened on Sunday, January 12.

He noted that the incident took place at approximately 11 am during a thanksgiving service celebrating the conclusion of a seven-day fast.

He said,”It was almost the end of service around 11am during the final pledge and prayers.

“A church member, Bro Victor, opened his eyes during prayers and saw someone passing by the river close to the church, carrying a bag and his movement was suspicious.

“That drew his attention. He called the attention of another brother, Brother Amos.

“The two men discovered Ajayi sitting at the back of the church.

“When he saw them, he threw a black nylon bag into the river.”

Umaru explained that the water level in the river was low due to the dry season.

Adding that, “They inquired from him what he threw into the river and he said nothing.

“After many questions that he didn’t answer, they left him and went back but didn’t go into the church.

READ ALSO:

“While they were discussing outside, two bikemen came and asked the brothers if they had seen anyone pass through and they asked the bikemen to describe the person they were looking for.

“When the description matched, they told the bikemen that the person was at the back of their church.

“And the guy was still sitting there which I consider a miraculous intervention.”

“One of the motorcyclists stated that he had picked up the suspect from a nearby town, Loko-Tiye, and noticed blood dripping from the bag he was carrying.

“The motorcyclist asked the suspect about the contents of the bag, but the suspect requested to be dropped near the church.

“Not wanting to face the man alone, the motorcyclist called another rider to follow and track the suspect.

“The four men confronted Ajayi, demanding that he retrieve the bag he had thrown into the river.

“As the scene unfolded, church members gathered outside, and the pastor was notified.

“He came out to join the group before going back inside to inform the congregation about the troubling situation.

“People came outside and he was surrounded and he was repeatedly asked to open the bag.

“Ajayi suddenly started running and the men ran after him.

“It took the grace of God for the four of them to be able to catch him.

“That’s why you can see the video happened in a bushy area, like a farm. He ran very far.

“The bikemen started hitting his head with a stick but the church brothers tried to stop the bikemen from killing him because they wanted to follow the matter up.

“The guy was injured and was already weak and couldn’t talk and still no one knew what was in the bag.

READ ALSO:

“My pastor took a bike to go bring a policeman but he couldn’t find a police officer at the station until someone called a policeman to come and that’s why you can see in the video I shared one policeman interrogating him.”

Umaru added that the suspect was also questioned about the knife wounds on his hand, and he explained that he had gotten into an argument with his girlfriend.

The Bible study teacher said the suspect explained that he took her phone and found she was texting another man, which led to them dragging the phone and the girlfriend used a knife to cut his hand which led to the injury.

Umaru stated that, “He collected the knife and stabbed her in the neck.

“Someone went to open nylon back in the church area and someone came to report to us that it was human head that was inside the nylon where we were and people started rushing to go and see for themselves.”

When asked where he was taking the head, he said, a woman told him to bring the head to her.

The Bible study teacher further stated that, “The girl is from around Mararaba, Nyanya, and he doesn’t know her relatives.

“They carried his body because he was lying down and almost half dead and they put him in the police van.They also took the head.”

Ajayi was recognized by netizens, as a gospel singer, and Umaru confirmed that a friend from Lagos had mentioned his background as a gospel musician.

When the culprit was asked about the nature of his job, he said he is into social media management and he is a content creator.

However the police spokesperson for the FCT, Josephine Adeh, clarified that the area is part of Nasarawa State and directed the inquiry to Nasarawa’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ramhan Nansel.

But, Nansel has not made any comment regarding the issue.

Umaru stated that the incident has profoundly disturbed the church community.

“This was my first time seeing something like this physically. I only watch it.

“I have not seen something like this before,” he concluded.

Gospel singer Temileyin caught with severed head of girlfriend in Abuja

metro

5 things you need to know about 44-year-old Mojisola Meranda, 1st Lagos Assembly female speaker

Published

14 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Trends Admin

5 things you need to know about 44-year-old Mojisola Meranda, 1st Lagos Assembly female speaker

Mojisola Meranda has emerged as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly following the impeachment of Mudashir Obasa over multiple fraudulent allegations.

Meranda, who was Obasa’s deputy, was immediately sworn in after Obasa’s impeachment on Monday, January 13, 2025.

With this development, Meranda becomes the first female speaker. of the Lagos State Assembly.

If you’ve never heard about her, here are five things to know about the Lagos lawmaker representing Apapa constituency 1.

Early Life

Meranda was born on August 16, 1980 into the popular Akapo family in Lagos.

Family

Meranda was born to the family of late father, Chief Taoreed Lawal-Akapo was the Ojora of Lagos from 1977 to 1993, and and Princess M.A Lawal Akapo of the royal families of Ojora, Aromire, Onitana, Oloto, and Oniru.

READ ALSO:

Education

Meranda started her primary education at St. Charles Nursery and Primary School and then moved to Randle Primary School, at Randle Avenue in Surulere from 1986 to 1992. She proceeded to the Lagos Anglican Girls Grammar School (1992–1996) and Ansar-ud-Deen Secondary School (1996 -1998) for her secondary school education.

In 2013, she graduated from Lagos State University with a Bachelors of Science in Public Administration.

Lagos root

Meranda hails from a royal house in Lagos and her brother, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal is the Oniru of Iru land.

Political career

The 44-year-old lawmaker is one of the four women in the Lagos House of Assembly. Meranda was first elected as a member of the Lagos Assembly in 2015 having served in different capacities at the Apapa local government. She was re-elected in 2019 and 2023.

Meranda grew up in a family of politicians and developed interest in politics when she worked as a personal assistant to Olumuyiwa Gbadegesin, a senior special assistant on technology and special projects to Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his tenure and Lagos State governor.