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Pendulum: 30 Years of Living and Working in Lagos (Part 4)

Published

6 years ago

May 26, 2018

Eric

By Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, it is now four weeks that I have been educating and entertaining you about my 30 eventful years as a journalist and businessman in Lagos. My supersonic and meteoric journey was seemingly cut short by the three years I was forced to spend in exile, during the draconian government of General Sani Abacha. I ended my epistle to you last week at the point I arrived Accra, Ghana, in the evening of July 25, 1995. Let me say it loud and clear, I fell instantly in love with Ghana. By the time I woke up the following morning, I had to do two things; find my way around Accra to locate and meet the few friends I had on ground and link up with my amazing friends in England who were already meeting, planning and raising funds for me to fly out of Accra to London. I remain eternally indebted to so many people, most of them much younger. They stood by me like the Rock of Gibraltar.

First, I headed to the Osu area of Accra where the Abiolas had a company headed by Dele Gbajumo, who took care of me and treated me like a king. Then, I meandered my way to find an old Ghanaian friend, Fritz Baffour who had lived in Nigeria, but returned home to become a famous man. He gave me an Akwaaba reception immediately we reunited, showed me round important places and introduced me to distinguished personalities. My love for President Jerry John Rawlings started from my short sojourn in Ghana. I was impressed by his work. Little did I know we’ll be good friends in the near future. I enjoyed those three days spent in Ghana but was truly troubled by the country I had left behind in the hands of some adventurous, blood-sucking soldiers. On the evening of July 28, 1995, I boarded a British Airways flight from Accra to London Gatwick. At the Kotoka International Airport, Accra, I ran into the Editor-in-Chief of Tell magazine, Nosa Igiebor. We greeted warmly, as always. I soon discovered he was also heading into exile. Our flight took off and landed safely in London.

My friends were waiting anxiously for my arrival in London. I must say, I’m richly blessed by kind-hearted friends. They did everything humanly possible to ensure I did not feel too miserable. I stayed for several months in the home of Olugbenga and Ayo Olunloyo. Olugbenga is the son of the great mathematician and former Governor of Oyo State, Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo. I felt completely at home. Our friends came every evening from work to arrange barbecue and all sorts for me. The next headache was how to get my wife and first son, who was under one year old, out of Nigeria. I urged my wife to take the NADECO route but the stubborn Christian insisted God would clear the way for them through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The risk was huge, but she went ahead. Meanwhile, I waited anxiously and with great trepidation on the other side and could not sleep all night, like a victim of insomnia. I left early for Gatwick Airport and waited with bated breath for my darling wife and adorable son. I saw many known and unknown Nigerians come into the Arrivals Hall having passed through Immigration and Customs, but my wife and son took almost forever in showing up. I had turned into jelly, shaking and sweating simultaneously. Telephones were not that common in those days so I wasn’t even sure they were allowed to board the flight. I was about giving up and resigning to fate when they emerged from the belly of the airport. My innocent son was obviously enjoying himself on top of a trolley while his mum pushed him along with their luggage. The sight of them was such a great relief!

We left the airport thanking God, while my wife regaled me with the drama that unfolded as they headed to the boarding gate in Lagos. They were stopped by security agents who stared at their passports for eternity. One of them asked if she was Dele Momodu’s wife and running away too, and she froze on the spot wondering if she should deny me like Peter denied Jesus but she kept mute. Then the unbelievable happened and the guys waved them off as if mesmerised by the Holy Spirit. My wife would not let me rest about the efficacy of prayers and I’ve come to accept her as our prayer warrior in the family. I believe God will call us soon and our dream church will come one day. Anyway, that was how we settled in London.

I soon joined other dissidents in London that included, Bola Tinubu, Alani Akinrinade, Dan Suleman, John Oyegun, Bolaji Akinyemi, Wale Osun, Peter Obadan, Tokunbo Afikuyomi, and others. Life was tough and brutish. Many of us lived from hand to mouth and those who had something shared with others. We lived more like communists. I will never forget the interventions of Bola Tinubu in particular. I was a regular in his flat with access to his kitchen where I cooked and ate whatever was available, plus I gladly consumed his varied assortment of drinks. My friend, Orji Kalu, came around from time to time and made sure we met and had dinner either at his home in North Finchley or somewhere in the West End. He was kind and never abandoned me. Kalu and Tinubu even attended the christening of our second son in July 1996.

We spent months hoping against hope that some miracle would happen and Abacha would relax his grip on power. But it remained a pipe dream and mirage. Nothing of the sort happened. The winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Moshood Abiola, remained in detention and solitary confinement. The worst soon happened, in many ways. Abiola’s beautiful and dutiful wife, Kudirat was murdered in cold blood on the streets of Lagos. The Ogoni Rights Movement leader, Ken Saro-Wiwa was sentenced to death and ignominiously hanged. Papa Alfred Rewane was shot dead in his bedroom. It was bad news galore. Almost on daily basis, terrible and tragic news came from home. We met fellow rebels occasionally at the Quadrangle, somewhere off Edgware Road and deliberated on strategies that can free Nigeria from servitude and oppression. We did what we could. Meanwhile, my main offence, which led to me fleeing Nigeria, was that I was falsely accused of being one of the brains behind Radio Freedom, which later became Radio Kudirat. Though I had some information about its operations, I was not one of the operatives whilst I was in Nigeria. The main man then was Kayode Fayemi. I knew two other friends who were heavily involved in the clandestine project, Richie Dayo Johnson and George Noah. I would later join them. I passionately ran the Yoruba programmes and got a lady to do some Hausa versions intermittently.

The biggest challenge was how to liberate the uncrowned President-in-waiting, Moshood Abiola. We toyed with all manner of plots including meeting with Germans, by Bola Tinubu and I. The Germans promised they could carry out some Entebbe-like operation similar to the one by the Israelis in the days of Idi Amin Dada of Uganda. I must doff my hat to the commitment and dare-devilry of Bola Tinubu once he embarks on any assignment. I witnessed this first hand and hope to elaborate more in my autobiography later. He put in so much and his home in New Cavendish was a Mecca of sorts for most dissidents.

On a personal note, I had to fight a different kind of battle. How to look after my family. I must specially thank the British Government for the incredible support we were given. I’m not sure of a better and greater country when it comes to looking after refugees like us. I applied for asylum and got powerful supportive letters from Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and Kayode Fayemi who both confirmed my status in the political struggle to the Home Office in Croydon. Mercifully, I was granted full asylum by the British Government and was given refugee passports for myself and my family. Also, my cousin, Olusegun Fatoye miraculously spoke to me about finding something to do while domiciled in London. His idea and suggestion was that I should set up a magazine in London since that was my area of core competence back home in Nigeria. Not a problem. Trouble was where and how to raise funds. Our business plan showed we needed about £150,000 but if you sold our family, from first generation to the last, it was just impossible to raise that amount. And no bank was going to risk a loan on a brand new media company. My Uncle Chief Fatoye was God-sent as he scraped his account to drop the first £10,000 that launched Ovation. A few family members and friends scotched their accounts to bring out whatever they could put in. These were true believers in the dream that we could produce and deliver a world class publication.

We got a posh office in Docklands and this is another interesting story that must be told fully in the near future. The very day we moved in and we were having celebratory drinks, a bomb exploded next door. We all jumped up and started sprinting like Ben Johnson. “Abacha, Abacha, Abacha…” I screamed. I thought Abacha was on our trail to London. Unknown to us the bomb had been detonated by the Irish Republican Army (IRA). That was our baptism of fire. We were lucky that our building at Beaufort Court was bomb-proof and we were able to return the following week. The journey of how we assembled our team, did our best production, managed to print the maiden issue, the endless battle with bailiffs over our piling debts, and our eventual break and triumph are best reserved for my book. We give God all the glory for sustaining us.

A TOAST TO SIR SHINA PETERS AT 60

Here is a special tribute to one of Africa’s most gifted musicians, Sir Shina Peters, composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer and Afro-Juju creator. The story of our journey together is long and exciting. Our first encounter was a case of love at first time. He was launching his ACE album at the Railway Club in Ebute-Meta and I was asked to represent Concord newspaper, by our Managing Director, Doyinsola Abiola. It was a big carnival and that was where I met the footballer, John Fashanu, for the first time. Shina and I established a tight bond from then on. I wrote copiously about him in Weekend Concord which was the highest circulating paper at the time. I wrote the story that gave him the title SHINAMANIA for his second album. Shina was the craze in town.

He was the rave of the moment and we celebrated him endlessly. At a point, he was signed on by SONY Music where Keji Okunowo was Managing Director. I was appointed his public relations consultant. His biggest fan was Chief, Moshood Abiola, my boss and mentor. During my wedding in December 1992, Shina Peters was my Bestman. I actually had two Bestmen – Kunle Bakare was the other. We shared many fond memories at home and abroad. Shina brought together a new group of what we called yuppies in town, Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, Mohammed Gobir, Lanre Tejuoso, Segun Awolowo, Ayo Subair, Wale Otubanjo, Hosa Okunbo, Rotimi George-Taylor, and many others. It was unlimited fun at the popular hangout in Stadium Hotel Surulere, Lagos.

Shina exploded like an atomic bomb on the Nigerian music scene. I’m not sure anyone else has been able to cause such volcanic eruption. It a great tribute to the uniqueness of his music that he has succeeded in maintaining his stardom and he is still one of Nigeria’s iconic entertainers.

On May 30, 2018, my dear friend and Brother will be celebrated by the high society of Lagos, in a grand reception at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island. Let me hasten to warn potential gate-crashers, of which there will be many, that the bash is strictly by invitation.

Help me raise a toast to good health and prosperity for SIR SHINA PETERS AT 60…

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Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway: Prioritize Existing Unfinished Projects, Peter Obi Tells FG

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Eric

Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has advised the federal government to prioritize existing unfinished projects spread across the country instead of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.

Obi, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, stated that the project was a misplaced priority given the numerous unfinished roads throughout the country.

The former governor of Anambra State mentioned that the budget allocated to the Ministry of Works is insufficient for significant progress on the country’s various unfinished roads, much less their completion.

Obi therefore, advised that the government prioritize the existing infrastructural projects in the country before embarking on any new and colossal projects like the Lagos-Calabar super highway project.

“The Federal Ministry of Works 2024 capital budget of N892,461,262,656.00, additional funding from multilateral loan projects of N94,828,535,243.00, alongside other expected contributions from sources like the China-Exim Bank and the World Bank, will not be enough for serious work on all the critical roads, some of which I enumerated above, let alone their completion.

So, why embark on another huge project that will not be completed in the next 20 or 30 years?

“To do so will only exacerbate the problem of abandoned, uncompleted projects that are not contributing to economic growth and overall development.

“Therefore, while acknowledging the potential benefits of coastal superhighway infrastructure, I urge prioritization of our existing uncompleted projects. We must allocate resources towards repairing and completing existing infrastructure.

“In any development formula, the primary focus should be on completing and rehabilitating existing infrastructure rather than embarking on colossal new projects that may never reach completion within the next 30 years,” Obi said.

Back in March, the Federal Government began constructing the 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, designed to extend through 9 states with two spurs leading to the Northern States.

Recall that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, had earlier described the project as a fraud.

“Umahi had announced that Hitech would fully fund the project, and based on this, there was no competitive bidding. He (Umahi) then said that Hitech could only raise just 6% of the money for the pilot phase. This smacks of deceit,” Atiku said.

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2027 Presidential Race: Opposition Parties Under Attack

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

While it is still a whole three years before the next general election in 2027, The Boss has learnt that opposition parties in the countries are being muffled to pave the way for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to, and retain power.

From the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to the Labour Party (LP), and down to the New Nigerian Peoples Paty (NNPP), crises have engulfed the rank and files, in what a source told this paper was the attempt and making of the ruling party, APC, to decimate, destabilize and make redundant the machineries of the opposition parties.

It is believed that by 2027, the apparatuses holding together the various opposition parties would have weakened irredeemably to the extent the country would seemingly nosedive into the inglorious one party state that every civil right advocate and democrats abhor.

It is alleged that all the crises in all the opposition parties are being engineered by the President Bola Tinubu-led ruling APC, with the hope of getting the fibres of their system weakened, thereby luring the members of the crisis-ridden parties into the APC.

Slightly one year after the last presidential election, the two major opposition platforms, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party, have separately been embroiled in a crisis of confidence which has diminished their capacity to provide viable opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The crises in both opposition parties got to a head. The Labour Party led by its national chairman Julius Abure held its much-opposed national convention which was boycotted by its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi; its only governor, Alex Otti of Abia State; federal and state lawmakers elected on its platform, and the organised Labour.

In the Labour Labour, members have been embroiled in endless battle of supremacy with a faction led by Mr. Apapa steadily contesting the leadership of Julius Abure.

Consequently, the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, reverence as a leader in the fold, noting that whatever the party faces presently, that Nigeria’s problems are far bigger than the crises in his party.

The LP has been embroiled in crises — ranging from allegations of misappropriation of funds, and leadership tussle, to calls for the resignation of the party’s national chairman.

TheCable reported that “On March 27, the LP conducted a national convention in Anambra state where Julius Abure was re-elected as its national chairman.

Obi did not attend the convention, fuelling speculations that he may be mulling over ditching the LP for another platform.

Speaking during an appearance on HaveYourSay247, an interactive online session hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo over the weekend, Obi said he is confident that the crises rocking the LP will soon be resolved amicably.

“Whatever is happening in the Labour Party is so minute compared to what is happening in the country,” Obi said.

“So, for me, it is something we will resolve amicably, and it is not anything to worry about. Let us worry about the country.

“Let us worry about how the average Nigerian would be able to have a means of livelihood to be able to eat, that should be our worry.”

Obi said he has no interest in being the party’s leader but only to make sure things are done properly.

“I don’t see what I do in politics as being the leader of any place or not. My position is that just like I always say, I am not desperate to be president of Nigeria, I am desperate to see Nigeria work because I know it can work,” he added.

“We have a more desperate situation. Parties are just a means to be able to contest elections. What is important is that being a leader of a party does not reduce the price of food.

In the PDP, the shenanigans of former Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has practically kept the party in constant crisis with many observers concluding that the now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is working for the APC, and is just a mole in the PDP. Wike has denied the allegation, however,

But news filtered in last week as that the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.

Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.

The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NEC meeting on Thursday was not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.

“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.

“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.

It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.

The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.

Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.

While political stakeholders concluded that the outcome of the Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan; every page of what finally transpired at the meeting pointed to the fact.

The much touted removal of the party chairman, who is believed to be a crony of the Abuja minister, Damagum, retained his seat, with his executives.

“It is very clear to everyone that a lot of money politics is being played to cajole many loyal members of the party, forcing them into frustration, and eventually it of the party. The option afterwards, will be the APC. This, will for all intent and purpose actualize the intended one party state as an APC agenda.

The Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso-led NNPP is not faring better either. The only governor under their ticket, Abba Kabir Yusuf, just had the confidence of their party on him withdrawn. He was fighting for his political life until suddenly it was announced the the APC in Kano has collapsed its structure into the NNPP.

“This is just another APC strategy to actualize their hidden intentions. Time will reveal the very sinister agenda they harboring,” an analyst said.

Much as 2027 is still three years away, but intrigues are in play to render Nigeria a one party state, and perpetuate the APC in power. The three other opposition parties are basically under attack to bring to pass this unpopular agenda.

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Akwa Ibom Government, Governor Umo Eno Receive Top Honors at the 10th Wonders of the World Expo in Lagos

Published

5 days ago

April 21, 2024

Admin

The Akwa Ibom State Government and Governor Pastor Umo Eno were recognized with Travellers Awards at the 10th Wonders of the World Expo in Lagos for their sustained enhancement of infrastructure, support for local talent, and dedication to investment in the tourism sector. The ceremony took place at the National Museum in Onikan, Lagos.

While Akwa Ibom won the Most Active Tourism State of the Year, Governor Eno was adjudged the most Tourism-Friendly Governor of the Year at the event that had Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Lola Ade John in attendance.

According to Amb. Ikechi Uko, Founder/Publisher of ATQ Magazine, the organizers of the event which is in its tenth edition, Akwa Ibom State won the top prize “in recognition of its valiant and resourceful efforts to drive and sustain domestic tourism by promoting the industry.

‘In 2023, Akwa Ibom was one of the states that hosted World Tourism Day (WTD ) events. The state also organized the famous Christmas Unplugged, which featured music, food, and cultures from all 31 LGAs as well as ensured friendly policies.”

While hoping that the Travellers Awards would spur Akwa Ibom to do more to dominate the domestic tourism industry, the organizers hoped that the state would gradually evolve into one of Nigeria’s top international tourism destinations.

That was not all, the state Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh was also recognized as one of the Top 100 Tourism Personalities in Nigeria for demonstrating exceptional leadership and innovation in the travel and tourism industry, while other Akwa Ibom indigenes and entity were also celebrated: Mrs. Ime Udo, Honorary Special Adviser to the Governor( Tourism) won Tourism Promoter of the Year, Favour Udo won Tourism Photographer of the Year, Loretta Effiong and Prince Uduak Sunday (Qua Tours) were listed among the Tourism Personalities of the Year and Ibom Air won Airline of the Year International.

In his remarks, Sir Charles Udoh, who represented the Governor at the event, thanked the organizers for the awards and noted that Akwa Ibom is certainly enjoying the golden era when it comes to tourism development. He stated that Governor Umo Eno is very keen on making Akwa Ibom a leading tourism destination with his programmes and policies.

He revealed that with the new Victor Attah International Airport nearing completion, the purchase of a ferry for the Oron-Calabar route, new developments along its coastline and the restoration work that will be done at all its major tourism sites, Akwa Ibom is well on the way to becoming the number one destination for all domestic and foreign tourists.

In her speech, Tourism Minister, Mrs. Ade John hailed the organizers for hosting the Expo, where practitioners were lectured by top experts while also rewarding those who have excelled in the past year.

She affirmed that her ministry is open to partnership with public and private sector operators, adding that tourism development can only be successful through collaborative efforts.

The event, which attracted leading and budding tourism professionals, also featured interactive and entertainment sessions.

Apart from Sir Charles Udoh and Mrs. Ime Udo, the Akwa Ibom State delegation, also included: Mr. Michael Effiong James, Senior Special Assistant (Lagos Liaison) to Governor, Mrs. Eme Bassey, Special Assistant to Governor (Lagos Liaison) and Akparawa John Offiong, Deputy Director ( Culture) Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

More photos below: