‘Nigeria is a country of 200million mumus’ —Lagbaja 

 

Bisade Ologunde, popularly known as Lagbaja, in this interview  with SEYI SOKOYA , speaks on national issues, the entertainment industry and when he will remove his mask. Excerpts:

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It is surprising that you, Lagbaga, as one of those to reckon with in the entertainment industry in the country, is yet to say a word on the current challenges the country is facing. Why have you kept quiet?
I have never kept mute my brother. I have said things all the time and I am still giving my take. If you look back at my last album I have said it all. One can liken Nigeria to a country of 200 million mumus. Nigerians needs to wake up. We are behaving like jokers. I believe we are better and have gone far than the stage we are at present. It is like we are retrogressing and we need to act fast and wake up from our slumber. Everyone is aware of what is happening to us. In fact, all that is happening to us should not have come up, but it started gradually and every government in power condoned it. Little by little, it grew and became something big that they can not control any longer.
What is your take on the way the government is handling the rescue plans for the kidnapped Chibok girls?
It is not that the government doesn’t care about the children, but their slow action should be questioned. They probably believed it never happened. With what is happening now, something is wrong with our way of thinking. How many people talked the very first week this thing happened? It is just now that it has become noisy with the movement of “Bringbackourgirls” that we all appear to be showing concern. We need to wake up as a people. My brother, go and listen to “200 million mumus”, you will find answers to these problems.
Are you saying that the artistes who have come out to demonstrate over the issue are also part of the 200 million mumus?
It is a good thing to come out to the streets to demonstrate, especially on this issue. Nothing is wrong with the efforts of the artistes and other Nigerians in showing their concern on this matter because this noise, no doubt, has woken up the government now to turn this thing from politics to real action. But what I am saying is that even after, by God’s grace, we overcome this difficult challenge, we need to sit back as a people and address the fundamental problems otherwise every Nigerian will still remain mumu.
You claim the development was politicised. How vast are you in politics to have this understanding?
I am not a politician. I dont need to be one before I can be aware of what is going on in the country. What was the first thing a government official said after the Nyanya bomb blast? Nothing. They were just pointing fingers at a particular political party. That is politics; you didn’t even know what had gone wrong you were pointing fingers at a political element. We don’t need to turn everything into political show. Our main goal should be to make life better for the citizenry.
What is your advice to the President on how to rescue the girls as well as curb the insurgents terrorising the country?
On Boko Haram, according to what we have read and seen, there is nothing that can be used to back up their claims on Islamic fundamentalism. Even scholars all over the world who are knowledgeable Islam told us that it is a religion of peace. Islam can never attack children and women. They should accept that it was a mistake of the tenets of Islam and therefore release these innocent girls. Ordinarily, they may spend their whole lives nursing the trauma they would have been put through, surely this is the greatest injustice in the world. Mr President needs to wake up. He should stop being a nice guy. The job of a president is not the job of a nice guy. He doesn’t want to step on toes in any way and he wants to be good to everybody at all times. He wants to be friends with everybody, even those who don’t want to be his friends, which would have been good if things were all right and peaceful.
Why would you suggest such ideology?
He needs to realise that he is no longer serving himself. The moment you become a president, my brother, that moment you become the property of Nigeria and ensure to balance things and make things work for everybody. Therefore, you cannot be thinking of yourself, or not to step on toes. He has never come out in clear terms to show that he stands for something. I pray and hope he will bring our girls back, but it is beyond that. To be the president of a nation, you need to take tough stances. You can not beg me to become a president because I know my personality can not do it. Whoever is going to be the next president should get it straight that the position is not for jokers.
Do you also support the idea that the entertainment industry should have its own ministry since it added to the current economic growth of the country?
It is a welcome development that the entertainment industry added to the GDP of the country, but personally, I don’t believe in that. We can not have ministries for everything. It is uncalled for. Already there are ministries. Our problem is never the structure but the implementation. How can we be running 36 states in a country where the majority of the existing states are not viable economically and yet people are clamouring for more. It is the same principle, asking for more ministries, ministers, over heads and what have you. Even if the entertainment industry is contributing larger that oil, as long as it has a structure under which it is placed, it is okay. We don’t need a ministry.
No doubt you stunned the last Glo CAF award that was held in Lagos. What really inspired that performance?
(Laughs…) Nothing should be strange to you following Lagbaja’s history. I have always been doing creative things and always being at the edge of technology. I always push things, create fresh ideas. Many things are happening today in the industry and by the grace of God, I am a major pioneer. It is one of the crazy ideas I have got. Though it took a lot of troubles to get it done, that is the minimum that concept can do. We could have done much more than that, but because the Glo CAF awards is a short show and we had to cut it short. It was actually an excerpt from a bigger concept performance on stage that drives our music. It is more like a theatre based on music. May God give me the grace to complete that musical, then you will see the whole concept.
What about the animations, were they real?
Yes, they were real. One thing in this country is that we are blessed with talents. There are young chaps who are talented and what they lack basically is opportunity. What I do is to bring young people together, train them and make them work with me. So, the acrobatics, costumes, animations and multi Lagbajas you saw was a combination of the efforts of Lagbaja and the talented heads. Thank God for the awards because people may have seen it until the bigger concept and if I had died, people may not have the kind of concept being developed. But the musical is not taken away from the music. It is still music, but in a theatric performance.
What is it about your sax?
We have always been at the edge of technology. As I said earlier, my saxophone has been wireless from day one. You are right. It is connected wirelessly. The set up of that is a combination of a harmonizer with some delayed modulation box and the other one I was pressing is called a Wawa. It is actually made for guitars and it is usually big in the back then in the days of Jimmy Hendrix, but I have now modified it for my saxophone. So, I am combining traditional African drum to my music using today’s contemporary technology.
You are used to releasing two in one albums. What really prompted that idea?
It is basically like I am always recording, even if I have no plans for how I want to market them because the first reason why I am in this business is the fact that I love music. So, I am always recording. There are always many ideas and many of which had been recorded while almost half had been abandoned. Of course one would want to push them out for fans to enjoy but the only difficult thing is to market them because the way things work in the industry today is that you release a single and push it until it becomes a hit. Personally, I don’t care about that. I just want to be creative with music and my fans that know what I do well will have a large variety of works to enjoy. I don’t give dates or make noise about it.
Why are your songs always built around the feminine? Are you a freak for women?
It is not about being freak or crave for women. This is another unique thing about Lagbaja. Right from the start, I was probably the only person that dreamt up a thing like that. As I said earlier, I have always loved to do dramatic theatric life performances. I love to see and do everything I love. I became a musician because I love music. It is not about seeing Lagbaja alone all the time. That is why you would see a lady singing lead vocals and as the band leader, while I would sing at the background. It is what I enjoy doing from onset. So, once I employ a female singer, I make it clear to her that you are a singer and not a chorus girl. In my band, the female is also an instrument because her voice is an instrument like in “Never Far Away”, “Koko Bi Low”, “Skente le”, “Knock Knock Knock”, “Omo Jaiye Jaiye”. They are all virtually female lead songs. Aside that, it has always had a feminine touch.
Can you clear the air on what actually transpired between you and Ego?
What version did you have my brother, because I am aware that there are many stories about it. It was time for her to grow her career. I have heard thousands of stories about this but I am not moved. She left when the time was ripe for her.
So, why did you call it quit with her?
You see, people just cook all kind of stories. The bottom line is that most artistes would always, at one point in time, do their own thing either to run a band or be a band leader. She has grown to the point that she could do her own thing, at a point in time and that is simple. We never had any reason to separate as a result of a fight.
You have been on mask since you started music, are you not tired of it?
I can never be tired of my mask. People need to understand the fact that my mask is a symbol and not a gimmick. Its symbolism is for me to always remember the so-called common man. That he is faceless. And as long as the face of the common man is faceless, the mask remains. But if someday the common man is emancipated, my mask gets emancipated.
You must have been battling with heat or infection wearing the mask always. How have you been able to overcome this?
I have never had any form of infection. As I said earlier, I can not be tired of it. I am always off mask whenever I feel, especially when I am in door or when I go out on casual basis. You will find it difficult to identify me even when we meet at a bus stop. Despite the fact that my mask is a message, I also have a benefit of freedom once the mask is off. I don’t like leaving a pressurized life as a super star. Once my mask is off, you cannot identify Lagbaja. I visit lots of film houses, gallerias, shops and hang around with my family without my mask on.
Considering the tensed situation of the country and as one of the a-list artistes in the country, don’t you think you are not secured strolling into an event or on the streets alone?
The best things in life are simple. Your life is not in your hands, but in God’s hands. There is no amount of security measures you put in place that could prevent or avert any attack. Lagabja is all about simplicity. You go your way and leave everything in God’s hands. My brother, how do you want to protect yourself in this nation; God is the only perfect protector. Once the people love you, there won’t be any harassment whatsoever, they would always want to come close when they see you around.

                      Forbes names Akinruntan Nigeria’s richest monarch

The recent Forbes’ ranking of Africa’s prosperous monarchs which showed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Obat Petroleum and the Olugbo of Ugboland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Federick EnitiOlorunda Akinruntan, as the richest monarch in Nigeria has once brought to the fore the prestige and esteem which the emergence of the oil magnate as the Olugbo has brought to the nation’s traditional stool.
According to the international magazine which just made public names of the five richest kings in Africa, Oba Akinruntan is said to be worth over $300 million, coming behind King Mohammed VI of Morocco who is said to be worth over $2 billion. Mohammed derives his fortune from his control of Société Nationale d’Investissement (SNI), a large Moroccan investment holding company with assets valued at more than $10 billion.
Though, Akinruntan expressed delight that a Nigerian monarch was named among the five richest monarchs in Africa, he disagreed with Forbes estimation that put his worth at $300 million. He said the amount published was a fragment of his asset.
According to Forbes, “Oba Obateru Akinrutan is the Olugbo (traditional King) of Ugboland, a small oil-rich community in Ondo State, Nigeria’s southwestern region. Oba Akinrutan, who ascended the throne in 2009, is also the founder of Obat Oil, one of Nigeria’s largest privately-held oil trading companies. He founded the company in 1981 with a single gas station to meet the needs of his family and neighbouring community. Obat Oil now owns more than 50 gas stations across Nigeria as well as one of the largest tank farms in Africa, a modern storage facility that has the capacity to store 65 million litres of petroleum products. He also owns an extensive portfolio of prime commercial and residential real estate in London and Nigeria, including the landmark Febson Hotels and Mall in the Central Business District of Abuja.”

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 Akinruntan said his tank farm, which is the largest in Africa and third largest in the world, was built at over $600 million not to talk of another tank farm under construction which he said is four times larger than the present one and when completed would be the largest tank farm in the world. Also under construction is a multi-billion dollar gas plant and refinery which he said would help to solve the problem of importation of petroleum from other countries. He said the gas plant is being built in partnership with a reputable company in Poland.
Oba Akinruntan is a traditional ruler with high taste. No wonder the N30 billion ultra-modern palace he is building at Ugbo is said to be the largest in Africa covering over seven hectares of land. The construction work on the first phase is put at N10 billion, and it is nearing completion.
 Coming from a humble background to becoming the richest monarch in Nigeria, Akinruntan said, “I didn’t know that any international organisation was conducting any research on my business profile, that’s why I was surprised when a top security officer invited me to his office in Abuja and broke the news. I was not aware of it but immediately I entered, all of them stood up and hailed me as the richest monarch in Nigeria.
“I asked who did the ranking and the Forbes website was opened for me. A while after, I began to receive congratulatory messages from all over the world. I feel excited and happy because of my humble beginning, but God blessed me and made me a prosperous monarch today.
“I know my worth, and I am not surprised to be referred to as a wealthy monarch, but the joy here is that good news is coming from Nigeria and I am sure this will also enhance the status of many monarchs in Nigeria at international scenes.
“I am not making any money as a king, but I had become a wealthy businessman before I came to the throne of my forefathers. I am a serious person and a committed businessman. Many know my exploit in oil and gas, but they don’t know how far I have gone in real estate development and the hospitality industry. Without sounding immodest, I own the largest private property in Abuja Central District with business interests in some African countries.
 “It is God that blesses but He does not bless a vacuum, you must be financially disciplined, calculating and ready to acquire knowledge. Many laughed when I enrolled to study Business Administration at the Lead City University in Ibadan; they wondered that as a billionaire, I was sitting down with my children in a classroom, but I was not ashamed. I read and passed and I know what I also gained from that. The knowledge I acquired has tremendously helped me in taking some business decisions. I love to live a good life.”
Indeed, Oba Akinruntan lives a life of royalty. From a gold-plated Rolex wrist watch that is worth over $10,000 to riding one of the most expensive cars in the world, Rolls Royce Bentley 2014 model, which he acquired in 2012. The first person to use the car after the Queen of England, Akinruntan is a monarch in a rare class.
 He said, “I love Rolls Royce. It is a car for the royalty. Sometime in 2012, I was in England and I saw the latest Rolls Royce car drive pass and I went to the manufacturing company to make enquiries about it, they told me the one I saw belonged to the queen and the model was to come out in 2014, I said ‘no’, that I wanted it and we negotiated, that’s how I was using Bentley 2014 model as early as 2012. I remember when I drove it to the Presidential Villa in Abuja recently many presidency staff took photographs with it.”
 Apart from living a royal life, Oba Akinruntan said the philanthropic work which he has embarked upon has been his source of joy and inspiration. With Obat Foundation, which handles the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of his conglomerate, Oba Akinruntan has been able to impact positively on the lives of many Nigerians especially from the riverine Ilaje community. Hundreds of youths in the area have been awarded scholarships just as about 20 of them are being sponsored at the high-brow Lead City University, Ibadan. The monarch has also engaged in massive empowerment programmes for women by giving them money to encourage entrepreneurship among his people, just as he built some primary health centres in his community where free health is provided. Besides, he has just acquired some flying boats to serve as mobile clinic to take his free health mission to the rural dwellers in the riverine community.

He said, “If it pleases God to bless me and also make me a monarch, I think I have the responsibility of taking good care of my people. I love my people and they love me. Apart from scholarships that we give out to the students every year, we have acquired flying boats and equipped them with medical facilities with doctors going round to offer free medical services for our people. I am happy when I see people around me comfortable. I share their pains and their joy and that’s why my domain has been witnessing unprecedented development since I became the monarch. Many of our sons and daughters that had not been coming home before now come to own property and participate in the development of the economy of Ilaje community.”
A monarch whose philanthropic gestures have been acknowledged by the Clinton Foundation in New York said, “You cannot imagine how people monitor any little thing you do to uplift the less privileged and the vulnerable. I could not also forget in a hurry when the former American President Bill Clinton invited me to New York. The letter he wrote to me to acknowledge my little efforts was captivating and encouraging; I had no choice but to honour his invitation and I made Africa proud at that gathering.”

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                                            From entertainment to pulpit

 

Are you wondering where some of your favourite superstars have gone, or why you have not been seeing some old superstars who entertained you in the mid 90s on your screen? JOAN OMIONAWELE discovered some of them have found new callings.
Eucharia AnunobiIn the mid-80s and early 90s, this Nollywood actress appeared on almost every screen and entertained all Nigerians with her art. But after some time, the Glamour Girls star got enmeshed in some scandals and subsequently disappeared from public glare.
However, she bounced back, got married and had a son, though the marriage did not last due to irreconcilable differences. Again, the actress stopped acting for a while, to the dismay of her fans.
She announced in 2013 that she had now become an evangelist and was not granting interviews anymore.
“I have  moved from the things that don’t  matter to the things that matter more, which is doing the work of my Father who created me and made me an instant star when I least expected it in my life,” she declared in a recent interview.
Pat Attah
Remember Pat Attah? He was the hunk who got ladies drooling whenever he acted the role of an eligible bachelor in movies; but he bowed out of the scene just as the ovation was getting loudest.
The playboy actor, who once had dreadlocks, is now a ‘clean man’. Saturday Tribune gathered that he is now based in Hamburg, Germany, where he is reportedly winning souls for Christ.
Merely reading his posts online, one would acknowledge that the actor is a new creature in Christ, as he devotes his social network pages, including Facebook, to deliver his sermon and messages to those who care to read them.
Zack OrjiNo one who was an ardent fan of Nollywood can say he/she did not know Zack Orji. He was always given roles of a coolheaded father, pastor or a maltreated husband.
Zachee Ama Orji, was born in Libreville, Gabon, in the 1960s. A graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Orji, who has now been ordained an evangelist, landed his first movie role in 1991, in the flick entitled Unforgiven Sin.
He was the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria for a few years; then his roles in movies started reducing, till he finally stopped playing roles.
Well, the actor decided to dump ‘the things of the world’ and decided, according to reports, to become a worker in God’s vineyard.
Zack was ordained a full-time evangelist by Bishop Emma Isong of the Christian Central Chapel International (CCCI) about four years ago.
The veteran actor has been spotted in such cities as Abuja, Nasarawa and Makurdi where he is engaged in various evangelical activities. But this has not stopped him from storming the celebrity hangout, as he even landed a movie role earlier in the year.
Liz Benson
When Elizabeth Benson (also known as Liz Benson) featured in the movie, Diamond Ring, in the mid-1990s, movie lovers in Nigeria were awed at the professionalism of this prolific actress. She eventually appeared in many more movies. Many had thought that Liz Benson was here to stay.
But soon after, after becoming the toast of many film lovers, she simply disappeared. It was later gathered that she had got married to Bishop Great Emeya in 2009, at the Rainbow Christian Assembly in Warri, Delta State.
Liz Benson has since been ordained an evangelist in the church and presently runs the church with her husband.
Soul E
RnB singer, Soul E, was known for his hit song, E be like say, with 2Face in 2006 and got more notorious for his marriage to an older woman, Queen Ure, a banker.
However, about three years after the union, their marriage hit the rocks and both went their separate ways.
Nothing was heard from Soul E again, until he began posting some prophetic messages on Facebook warning Nigerians of incoming plagues and attacks. He also recently said he saw a vision in which Wizkid and Davido got involved in an accident.
The singer, who is preparing to release an all-gospel album, told Saturday Tribune in a chat that he would now want to be known as Prophet Soul E.
He has since married his second wife quietly and ministers round the country with his crew.

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You are here: Home / Feature / Rich and Famous / How Brazil soccer star, Neymar, spends his millions

How Brazil soccer star, Neymar, spends his millions

Brazilian football star, Neymar da Silva Santos, is just 22-years-old, but he has the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders as he tries to lead Brazil to the World Cup finals in his native country.

He has been compared to football legend, Pelé, and some believe that he is even better than Lionel Messi – who is a four-time winner of the FIFA Ballon d’or. Neymar is also one of the most marketable athletes in the world.

This all adds up to big contracts and a lavish lifestyle that includes boats, cars, and a famous girlfriend. This is fitting for one of the biggest stars in the world’s most popular sport.

World Cup diary: Brazil’s golden boy shows blond ambition

Neymar’s new hairstyle is the focus of attention in Brazil, while Argentina fans have been causing quite a stir in Copacabana.

There have been some fantastic spectacular goals in the first few days of this World Cup, but another matter is now the focus of attention in Brazil: Neymar’s hair.

The attacking maestro has somehow found time between team training sessions and sponsorship commitments to find a session with a stylist for a new, blonder look. Surely, even David Beckham would be impressed by the style-changing speed of the Brazil’s No 10.

Spare a thought, though, for those unfortunate fans who opted for a Neymar cut before the tournament, only now to be behind the trend again.

Now, here is how the superstar makes and spends his bucks:

• Neymar signed his first professional contract when he was 17 with the Brazilian club Santos where he was making approximately $1.2m (N192m) per year.

• In 2010, Santos rejected a $20m (N3.2bn) bid for Neymar to join West Ham United in the English Premier League. He was just 18 at the time.

• At the time, Neymar’s agent publicly rejected a pay raise from Santos.

• Later that year, Neymar rejected an offer from Chelsea in the Premier League that would have paid him approximately $4.8m (N768m) per year. At the same time, Neymar was becoming an international star with the Brazilian national team.

• Neymar then agreed to a new 5-year contract to remain in Brazil, making about $4m (N640m) per year.

• Huge pressure was placed on his shoulders when he was dubbed “The Next Pele.”

• Pele added even more pressure when he said that Neymar was better than Lionel Messi.

• Last year, Barcelona paid $119m (N19bn) to acquire Neymar from Santos.

• However, the transfer sparked controversy when it was revealed that $54m (N8.6bn) of the transfer fee was paid to Neymar’s parents. This led to the resignation of Barcelona president, Sandro Rosell.

• Neymar signed a 5-year contract with Barça worth $76.8m (N12.3bn) for an average annual salary of $15.4m (N2.5bn).

• Off the pitch, Neymar’s endorsements pay him $16m (N2.6bn) per year.

• He was named Eurosport’s “Most Marketable Athlete” for 2013, the second straight year he topped the list.

• In 2011, Neymar signed an 11-year deal with Nike worth $1m (N160m) per year.

• He has also appeared on the cover of the video game series “Pro Evolution Soccer.”

• He recently signed on with L’Oreal to start an advertising campaign for Drakkar Noir.

• Neymar has expensive taste and his list of extravagent purchases includes an $8m (N1.3bn) yacht that also costs $120,000 (N19.2m) per year to maintain.

• He also has a vast car collection that includes a Porsche Panamera Turbo with a price tag of $500,000 (N80m).

• He appears to have very expensive taste when it comes to earrings.

• He has an extensive model car collection.

• Neymar’s most recognisable expense is with him wherever he goes. Maintaining this hairstyle cannot be cheap.

• Neymar is currently dating Brazilian actress, Bruna Marquezine, who was recently spotted watching Brazil practice.

• Neymar has one son, Davi Lucca, from a previous relationship. Neymar reportedly pays $15,000 (N2.4m) per month in child support.

•Of course, if Neymar leads Brazil to a World Cup win on his home soil, his marketability and earnings will soar even higher and he will be able to purchase any house he wants.

Sources: businessinsider.com, theguardian.com

Dreams fall apart: Story of Nigerian ex-bank manager dying in US hospital

Ebere Ukwu
| credits: Azuka Jebose

Inside the intensive Care Unit of Wake Medical Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, seven thousand miles from her country home, Ebere Ukwu sleeps, eyes open; kept alive by the hospital’s life support machine. Her fate is hanging between faith and modern medicine. Her life didn’t have to come to this painful circle. She was an ambitious dreamer that wanted to explore her young world and excel. The ICU room wasn’t supposed to be her final destination. But early spring of 2013, her exciting life of adventure suddenly collapsed during a visit to the Emergency Room for minor aches, pain and high body temperature.

Her charming life began at the completion of university education in 1991. After her Youth Service, Ebere got hired as a staff of the United Bank for Africa. Few years later, she shifted her loyalty from UBA to other banks, finally settled at Unity Bank where she rose to become the branch manager of the Tin Can Island/Apapa branch.

Mr. Ezuma Ukwu, Ebere’s elder brother described her as a charming enthusiastic sister. “She was a giver of everything to make life easy for her friends and family. Ebere’s soul was a pot of gold: she dipped into it and touched so many lives with her candour and kindness: a character embedded in her religion.”

Ms. Ebere’s admiration for all things American pop culture was manifested in her young lifestyle and swagger. Her desire and love of Yankee life moved her to apply for a visa to the United States. She was granted a two-year visa. She waited for the right time to make that visit. It came during the financial institutions’ meltdown in Nigeria. She resigned her position at the bank and relocated to the United States.

Ebere arrived USA during the cold winter month of January 2013 in pursuit of life, liberty, happiness and opportunities. She anchored her new residence at her sister in-law’s place in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta was not friendly to her dreams of relocation and quick employment privileges. Ebere soon left Atlanta for Maryland, at the invitation of an extended family friend, to try few available menial jobs targeted towards new immigrants wishing to settle into a different social structure and culture. Ebere accepted an offer as a part time nanny. She was frustrated by the lack of appeal and job satisfaction. This wasn’t the job she expected from the land of dreams. Two weeks after her first job, she quit. Ebere is diabetic. During one of her daily chores as a nanny, she split her big right toe. The small gash was infected, thus, it resisted casual self medication. But Ebere kept nursing the minor wound.

Ebere reconnected with Tunde, her sister’s ex boyfriend who lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. She pleaded for Tunde’s assistance with employment and a new life direction. Tunde invited her to visit Raleigh and search for better employment opportunities she desired.

Ebere arrived Raleigh with severe temperature and fever. Two days after her arrival and still running high temperature, her host encouraged her to get immediate medical treatment at the ER of Wake Medical Center. She went to the hospital and was urgently admitted.

Doctors initially suspected she had been infected with Poliomyelitis but X-ray revealed otherwise.

Ebere’s sad condition has energised some Nigerians in Raleigh, they have adopted her. These families and friends allege she was conscious and interactive when she was admitted to the hospital and before treatments were administered to her. The X-ray from the hospital indicated that poliomyelitis was negative. However, the hospital allegedly began series of antibiotics treatment when she was admitted. She was relieved until a new medication was added. The new medication caused her severe reaction: affected her breathing pattern. She was scared of telling the hospital that the new medication was affecting her breathing: so she confided in Tunde. Tunde encouraged her to tell her care givers and request a change in medication. She courageously complained and her medication was changed.

Her unhealed right toe injury became a concern for doctors treating her. The doctors decided that the best treatment for the toe was amputation. The nurses informed Ebere that her toe would be amputated to prevent further infection. Ebere struggled with the decision to allow amputation; culture shock , as modern medicine was about to alter her body. She reluctantly agreed and surgery was performed.

Few days after the surgery, Ebere was blasted by massive cardiac arrest. Nurses found her on the floor of her room, unresponsive and in comatose. They attempted to resuscitate her, but she slipped deeper into coma. The hospital called her immediate “family” and friends, told them that she would never come out from comatose. She is brain dead. Doctors advised the family to consider turning off the life support machine. Her new family continue to hope for a medical miracle. Cost of keeping Ebere alive the past year has risen past $1m. Ebere lives through ventilation. She’s been vegetative since March 2013.

She survived various bouts of infections, developed a deep sacral ulcer, has a wound vac that runs on her twenty four hours, Foley catheter and colostomy insertions. She also had abdominal surgery procedures to correct anatomy of her intestine with a G tube insertion to assist her digestive system.

Her condition continues to get worse as she sleeps. Her skin is peeling off her body and she has developed bed sores. The hospital stopped treating any new health problems. It concluded her case is hopeless. It has requested the family to remove Ebere from its facility and return her to Nigeria. Ebere would not survive an intense 12 hour flight to Nigeria. Nigeria may not have a 24hr life support health care system that could keep her alive until miracle happens or family decides to let her go. None of her immediate family lives in the United States. Her family in Nigeria is not able to afford a plane ticket to the United States to decide her continued dependence on life support. Ebere’s voice and caretaker in this unfortunate circumstance is Dr. Ify Violet Hill, a Nigerian resident in Raleigh: “I don’t know her. But I have adopted her as my sister. I am here for her. Me, my husband and the Nigerian community. Her story is pathetic. She came here to chase a best dream, now she lies in the hospital brain dead. We don’t know what happened to Ebere.”

Dr. Hill has launched a fund drive to raise travel money and other expenses for Ebere’s family in Nigeria to visit their sister.

“She needs her immediate family here. They should come and see her in these final moments. She needs to hear their voices encouraging her to fight on, telling her they love her or wishing her eternal peace as she makes final exit. We need financial support to help this family see their dying loved one. Please help us with donations to fly few family members to visit her at the hospital. Ebere deserves to feel her family in her hospital room, even for the last time. Her brother was here last year but because of finance, he is not able to return.”

The Nigerian community have become her only family, offering hopes, prayers, vigils and at times engage the hospital in negotiations for Ebere’s care: a care for a fellow stranger who came to the city in search of a great life only to collapse and become brain dead at the hallways of the hospital.

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No quarrel with Timaya –Patoranking

Patoranking

Rave of the moment artiste, Patoranking, is believed to be having issues with his former boss, Timaya. But the young lad has said he has no problems with the self-acclaimed Egberipapa 1 of Bayelsa, calling Timaya his “boss.”

“Timaya is my boss and he will always be my boss. I don’t know what you are talking about. I have no issues with him,” he said on the phone when Saturday Beats contacted him.

However, it was reported that the up and coming artiste ditched Timaya and pitted his tent with a new label, Foston Musik, after Timaya had financed his Alubarika video. Sources also claimed Patoranking was no longer on talking terms with Timaya.

However, the new kid on the block claimed he spoke to Timaya “last week.”

“I think some people are trying to foment trouble. I can authoritatively tell you that I and Timaya are cool and we don’t have any problem.”

Patoranking just hit the limelight not so long ago and he has been doing well in the music scene. Among his hits is Girlie O featuring Tiwa Savage. He is also nominated in this year’s edition of City People Entertainment Award holding tomorrow (Sunday) in Lagos.

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APC, PDP, LP in battle of wills

L-R: Fayemi, Fayose and Bamidele

As the people of Ekiti State decide on who their next governor would be through their votes, the three major political parties in the state have been grossly engaged in a battle of wills with each party believing it would win in today’s election.

The major candidates contesting for the governorship election are Governor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party and Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele of the Labour Party.

Seven hundred and thirty-two thousand, one hundred and sixty-six voters registered for the election being conducted across 2,195 polling units in the state with 177 wards.

Of the 732,166 registered voters, 134,141 are in Ado Local Government Area; 22,845 in Efon Alaaye; 47,293 in Omuo; 42,285 in Aramoko; 40,856 in Ilawe; 27,091 in Emure; 42,267 in Ode, 43,070 in Ido; 49,274 in Ijero; 35,099 in Ise; 40,570 in Otun, and 49,918 in Oye.

The governorship candidates are banking on their areas of stronghold as one of the major factors that would earn them victory.

According to investigation, the three candidates are popular in Ekiti Central Senatorial District of the state.

Fayose and Bamidele hail from Irepodun-Ifelodun Local Government Area, but with different categories of supporters. While Fayose was said to have depended on commercial motorcyclists and some civil servants for support, Fayemi depends on the elite and professionals, among others. Bamidele relies on some factions of the APC and the PDP.

Fayemi’s deputy, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, who is from the Ekiti Central, also makes the APC candidate to be popular in the senatorial district.

Fayemi’s popularity in Ekiti North Senatorial District, where he hails from, is also an advantage to him.

Investigation has, however, shown that the three major parties would share votes in Ado, Ikere, Efon and Irepodun-Ifelodun local government areas.

While PDP was also said to be popular in Ise-Orun and Ikole local government areas, APC is a major dominant party in Ekiti West and Ijero local government areas.

In Emure Local Government Area, LP is a dominant party, while APC and PDP are popular in Ekiti East and Oye local government areas.

The LP is likely to also share votes with PDP in Ido-Osi Local Government Area, but in Gboyin, Moba and Ekiti South-East local areas, APC and PDP will slug it out in their attempts to win votes.

The investigation, however, revealed that APC would carry the day in Ilejemeje Local Government Area.

The governorship candidates have, however, carried their campaign trains to various organisations, groups and individuals to seek support.

The candidates have also visited traditional rulers in their various palaces for royal blessing.

They promised effective leadership through the initiation and implementation of robust and people-friendly policies.

During their various campaigns, the candidates listed areas that would occupy their priorities with emphasis on workers’ welfare and investment in education.

For instance, Governor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress during the week took to Twitter in the last leg of his campaign for second term in office.

Fayemi brought to fore the achievements recorded by his administration in the first term.

He tweeted, “Dear Ekiti people, it is four days to that day when we have to choose wisely. Let’s remember it’s one man, one vote as we cast our votes.

“For almost four years now, my team and I focused on restoring public confidence in government by putting the people first.

“We put the people first in development planning and execution by interacting with them on what their needs are.

“We reformed governance on the basis of openness, transparency, selfless-service, priority and accountability in the management of public funds.

“The results are there for all to see in the programmes and social welfare that we have delivered so far.

“I am inspired by those of you who strongly believe in the values of honour and integrity to continue to cast your lot with us.”

To seek sustained royal blessing, the APC candidate promised to continue to accord the welfare of Ekiti traditional rulers an utmost priority for them to perform the task of ensuring peace and stability in the state.

He stated this early in the week in Ado Ekiti while presenting vehicles to Attah of Ayede-Ekiti, Oba Mumini Orisagbemi, and the Olupole of Ipole-Iloro, Oba Oladele Babatola.

Represented by his Special Adviser, Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Aderemi Ajayi, Fayemi said all the monarchs in the 131 towns in the state were presented vehicles by his administration in 2013 with the exemption of the two traditional rulers, who had not ascended the throne at that time.

During last weekend rally organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union of Congress in his support, the APC candidate promised workers that his government would promote their welfare. Urging the people to come out on Saturday to vote for him, he said, “Nobody can intimidate us. It is true there are soldiers and police in town. We are the one paying their salary so they are here to protect us.”

The NLC President, Abdulwaheed Omar, led other National Executive members on a courtesy call on the governor after the Congress’ National Administrative Council and the Central Working Committee meetings in Ado-Ekiti.

Ayodele Fayose

The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Mr. Ayo Fayose, promised to provide jobs for youths if elected governor.

He promised to use his robust relationship with the Federal Government to ensure that Ekiti indigenes were allotted more slots in the Federal Civil Service, the military and the police, thus creating more jobs for the people.

At a forum with the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, he told workers that he would not victimise anyone if elected.

Fayose also promised to re-employ workers “unjustly” sacked by Fayemi’s administration.

The PDP candidate said he would prioritise the development of agriculture to encourage more people in the state to embrace the sector.

He specifically promised to initiate a buyback mechanism whereby the state government would buy produce from farmers in a bid to encourage more people to venture into farming.

Fayose said, “Most people do not want to go into agriculture anymore because it is not mechanised. They toil and cannot feed themselves. We must address it through mechanised farming. The key problem in agriculture here is the buyback mechanism. When you plant, you plant yam and you have a season for it and it gets bad because you cannot keep it. The government must be a buyback body.

“When you get mango, you cannot preserve it and it spoils, the farmer will be discouraged the next year. The government must be able to buy back these products. As a farmer, if your products are destroyed, you will get discouraged. Any government that wants to sustain agriculture must have a buyback mechanism and that is what I want to do.

“The same goes for the health sector. There is nothing wrong in buying drugs but at what rate? Today, you will find out that drugs in the hospital are getting more expensive. So, there should be control measures and intervention. There will be a situation in the health sector where all stakeholders have to come together and do a revolving fund to sustain medication.”

In the area of infrastructure, the PDP candidate boasted that he constructed all the major roads in the state during his first tenure. According to him, the current administration never built any new road but only embarked on road maintenance. He promised that he would construct more new roads in the state.

The former governor promised that he would not ban or restrict the activities of commercial motorcyclists.

He said physically-challenged persons and albinos would be given better care if he is elected governor.

During his meeting with various associations of artisans in the state, Fayose promised to ensure that all government contracts were done by indigenes.

The PDP candidate said local contractors would be patronised as part of the strategies to facilitate creation of jobs for the people.

Opeyemi Bamidele

Like his counterparts, the Labour Party candidate, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, also embarked on last minute campaign to get more supporters.

Already he has visited all the 16 local government areas in the state telling the people his plans for them.

To him, attention would be focused on creation of jobs for the youths.

Bamidele stated this during a meeting he held with the youths early in the week in Ado-Ekiti.

He also assured parents that he would slash the tuition fees in all the state’s tertiary institutions.

Bamidele said, “The current administration does not have the interest of the masses at heart. This has been demonstrated in all areas particularly in the tertiary education sector where exorbitant fees are being charged not minding the peasant nature of Ekiti residents

“It is against the philosophy of the founding fathers of the LP to charge schools at cut-throat rate and we shall not deviate from that. How do you expect a peasant farmer to send his wards to school with this kind of extortion?

“Go to Ondo State where the LP is in control and ask parents there how much they are paying in a similar institution even with better facilities and more conducive work environment for students and lecturers.

“Today, Ondo State charges N25,000 in Adekunle Ajasin University while APC in Ekiti is charging N150,000 and you can see the difference. I promise you that we shall replicate that policy in Ekiti State when we get to office. We will not make tertiary education an expensive commodity for your sons and daughters.”

It, however, came as a shock to Bamidele when news went round the state that he had not done anything for his hometown, Iyin Ekiti.

Some Fayemi’s aides, led by Chief George Ojo, addressed a press conference in Ado-Ekiti where they claimed that Bamidele had not contributed to the development of the town and didn’t deserve to be supported.

They described Bamidele as a failure and someone of no value to the community.

But Iyin-Ekiti elders rallied round the LP candidate whom they called their son and warned those sponsoring false news to desist from such.

The spokesman for the community elders, Chief Ojo Ogundare, described the tirades against Bamidele as unfortunate, saying that although the LP candidate is about 50 years old, he ranks within the first three in the hierarchy of those who have contributed financially towards the development of the town.

Recently, the LP candidate held talks with the Ekiti State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress where he promised to integrate the NLC into his government if elected the next governor.

Bamidele said the decision followed the need to stop the recurring disagreements between the NLC, other trade unions and governments at various levels.

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