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My Father Was Framed and His Accusers Apologised to Him – Kemi Oredein

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I’ve read it thoroughly and All I can say this. “One day, Taiwo’s story would be rewritten. A man was jailed for life, yet his business flourished and while in prison, he educated 36 children and even died a rich man leaving vast Estate. How many Nigerian politicians encountered such problems and still died rich?

Well, there’s much people don’t understand and would never understand. There was never a time my father begged for leniency. He told that court back then that if he had a hand in the robbery, he would die in prison and if not, he would return and HE DID RETURN.

He went into politics a wealthy man and of course he was a very intelligent and brilliant man nobody could beat. A political strategist that is yet to be equalled in Nigeria.

In his words “I thought it was a big joke. While in detention, the opposition party promised me freedom if I denounced Awolowo and I told them over my dead body. I had a bargain with them which of course they suspected I would not keep to cos they knew I was principled. I was shocked when I was jailed but I knew it was not over”.

A cabal wanted him out of the way at all cost. That’s a story for another day.

Once I watched a TV programme where one Olaifa, a veteran journalist, was interviewed and he was asked if he ever encountered any ordeal in the course of discharging his duty and his answer was “During Oredein’s Robbery case, I was a young journalist and I was very keen on getting to the root of the case. I was privileged to know that the prosecuting attorney was visiting Oredein and I wondered why. Of course, when I was found out, the authority was after me and I had to go into hiding for a while. Of course we, all knew what happened to Oredein”. I do not have anything against the writer, he only rewrote the history he has access to but the people who jailed my father knew he was innocent and GOD vindicated him.

One thing people don’t know however, is that the sugar company that was robbed belonged to him. He was a major shareholder and Partner. More than 40 Tate and Lyle Bicycles were parked in my compound when I was a child and we had the riders deliver proceeds of the day’s sales. How would a man rob himself? Laughable isn’t it? My father was an accomplished businessman and he abhorred crime. He built most of the buildings in The University of Ife with his foreign partner, Gougard, a German. These are facts that can be crosschecked. He was stupendously rich, he was well read, and he was powerful and was a power broker. He single handedly registered AG and others refunded his money later.

Samuel Taiwo Oredein was getting too powerful for them. His words were fire and when he moved, people moved. (According to Odemo of Isara) If only he had betrayed Awolowo, may be his story would be different. Out of all the founders of Action Group, only Oredein has a surviving “First child”. A son, who is going to be 80 yrs old next year. He refused to swear to an oath of allegiance and he never joined any cult. He was a High Chief of Ogere Land and the costume he wore back then “saki” was just honorary. He was a Christian to the core and his success was beyond them all.

He was a man after God’s heart and he came out of it all stronger. He was in prison for 10 yrs and he was still being wooed and was funding politics from there. Were people robbing for him while in prison? May GOD open our eyes of understanding. Once, Pa Jakande, said “Oredein was too open minded…that was what ruined him”. Baba Alayande had this to say “Your father had the Midas touch; he was a mirror they wanted to break at all cost”. Pa Alayande was a clergy. He stood with my father throughout his ordeal and had lunch with him every Sunday after his release till he died. Taiwo was just a big threat. He was too big a bone for their dogs. One day, some day, his story would be rewritten. A man who refused to swear with the life of his son, would swear with common robbers? The robbers even denied knowing him but of course when the state wants you the state gets you. I am very proud of my father and He remains my Hero. He looked at me once and said: “Never ever go into politics and don’t ever be in the company of politicians!”

While he was in prison, we went to the best of schools and had the best of life. He may be their kingpin. He is my Hero, my father, my everything. The man who sacrificed it all for his children. My prayer however is that anyone who judges my father would by GOD’S GRACE find himself in his shoes. They will be wrongly accused and feel the taste of his swear. His accusers apologised and even offered him political posts on his return from prison. They were scared. In their minds, they were like… jagunlabi tun ti de… Awon asiwere.

The man declined all offers and still lived and died in affluence. He bore his cross gallantly. I will walk with my shoulder and head high up and be proud to be an OREDEIN. A man who was predefined but demonized!

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Army Buries 17 Personnel Killed in Okuama Community

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The 17 military personnel killed in Okuama community in Delta on March 14 have been laid to rest.

The corpses of the soldiers, which arrived at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja at about 2:26 pm on Wednesday, were committed to mother death after burial rites were observed.

President Bola Tinubu, Service Chiefs and other dignitaries were in attendance at the burial ceremony.

DAILY POST recalls that the troops of 181 Amphibious Batallion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, while on a peace mission to Okuoma Community were ambushed and killed by some irate youths.

The incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call following a communal crisis between Okuoma and Okoloba communities in Delta State.

The personnel comprised one Lieutenant Colonel, two Majors, one Captain and 13 soldiers.

The officers are Commanding Officer 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt. Col. A.H Ali; Maj S.D Shafa (N/13976); Maj D.E Obi (N/14395) and Capt U Zakari (N/16348).

The soldiers are SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974); Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274); Cpl Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853); LCpl Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844); LCpl Sola Opeyemi (17NA/760719); and LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290).

They also include LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653); LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191); Pte Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079); Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911); Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162); Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079) and Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).

DailyPost

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Thomas Yormah Emerges As New WAEC Chairman

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By Eric Elezuo

The West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) has a new Chairman, he is Prof. Thomas Brima Rick Yormah, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Fourah Bay College and former Pro ViceChancellor, University of Sierra Leone as the 21st Chairman of Council.

According to a statement signed by Demianus G. Ojijeogu, the Head, Public Affairs, WAEC Headquarters, Accra, Ghana, Yormah was elected during the just concluded 72nd Annual Council Meeting of the body, held in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He succeeds Prof. Ato Essuman from the Republic of Ghana.

The highpoint of the week-long Council meeting was the recognition and honoring of three Ghanaian candidates with the WAEC International Excellence Award for their outstanding performance in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2023. They were Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi, (1st Prize), Master Dzandu Selorm, (2nd Prize), and Master Asenso-Gyambibi Daniel (3rd Prize). The three candidates were selected from 2,327,342 who sat the examination in The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

In the same vein, the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa, 2023 also went to Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi. In addition, two candidates from the Republic of Sierra Leone were honoured with the National Distinction, while one candidate received the National Merit Award. They were Miss. Mammah E. A. Raymonda, (1st Prize), Master Bangura Joshua, (2nd Prize), and Master Fillie Sahr Edward (Merit Award).

While the 71st edition of the Council meeting was hosted by Gambia, the next edition, which will be the 73rd in the series, will be hosted by Liberia.

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Kidnapped Edo PDP Chairman Regains Freedom

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The kidnapped chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, has been released.

Dr. Aziegbemi, who was set free by his abductors in the early hours of Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Report has it that he got to his Benin City residence at about 3am to the waiting arms of family and close friends.

“I am back home with my family. I am fine. I am just trying to rest and will talk to you later,” he was quoted as saying.

Dr. Aziegbemi, a former member of the House of Representatives, who represented Esan North-East/Esan South-East federal constituency of Edo State, was kidnapped on Friday, March 15, 2024 when his abductors who rode in two Toyota Corolla cars, trailed him after he left a meeting.

The gunmen overtook Aziegbemi’s sports utility vehicle (SUV) at a speed break as it slowed down along Osaro Street, off Country Home Road, close to his house at about 11pm on Friday night before seizing him.

It is not clear yet if a ransom was paid for his release as the abductors had reportedly demanded a sum of N50 million before setting him free.

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