Headline

Why I rode Molue in Lagos- Femi Otedola

Published

7 years ago

July 13, 2018

Editor

Billionaire Businessman and Chairman of Forte Oil, Mr Femi Otedola has revealed the real reason that he rode in a molue, the popular yellow buses in Lagos.

Speaking at the launch of three books by Ovation Publisher, Dele Momodu at the Nigeria Institute Of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, Mr. Otedola said he was motivated by two reasons.

According to him “Sometime back I had taken a ride on a bus in London, and when some people saw the pictures on my instagram page, they challenged me that I cannot dare do the same in Lagos, as a man who loves challenges, I decided to take it up. The other reason was that I really wanted to go down to the level of the real ordinary Nigerians and see how they commute and live their lives every day.

Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi & Otunba Bimbo Ashiru

Mr. Dakuku Peterside & Bashorun Dele Momodu

“That ride from Sango Ota was very revealing for me. It exposed the poor state of our transport system and the fact that government has failed in many ways to help the people at the lowest end of the economic ladder. The experience will remain with me for long”

Also at the occasion, Mr Otedola revealed his encounters with the late Bashorun MKO Abiola and how he made an attempt to free the late philanthropist from Prison.

In his words “My late father felt Chief Abiola would make a great president because of his deep wisdom, expansive heart and pan-Nigerian outlook.

Sir Gbenga Badejo & Sir Tony Chiejina

“A sad reminder of his arrest in 1994 was the picture of him alighting from a Black Maria. Upon seeing this, I called Ibrahim Abacha ( who later died in a plane crash) and requested to see him and we met at the South-West Ikoyi residence of Mr. Peter Igbinedion, the then MD of FAAN.

I told Ibrahim to tell his dad to release MKO as it was not fair for a man who has been denied his mandate to be so humiliated by being put in a Black Maria to which our host, Peter, interjected by saying who is this and he swiftly walked me out of his residence.

“I later ran into Mr. Igbinedion at Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s London residence in 2013 and he was begging for my number. How the tables have turned!

“We witnessed a man who abandoned the worldly comforts his wealth assured and was transformed in the fight for his mandate, believed in it and died for it.

“I have studied Chief Abiola’s life in politics, philanthropy and most importantly building people and his doggedness, fairness, wisdom and good heart are traits that should be emulated. He was a man for all seasons”

Otedola also regaled the audience with real-life encounters with the late MKO especially how he had had teamed up with Segun Awolowo, current Executive Director/CEO, Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to organize a concert.

” As a young entrepreneur I had a taste of Abiola’s magnanimity and kindness. I developed the idea for an Awolowo Memorial Concert which I shared with my good friend and papa Awolowo’s grandson, Segun who went to see Chief Abiola on our intention to have him as the chairman of the event and despite his political difference with Pa Awolowo in his lifetime, he not only showed up but arrived with his late wife, Alhaja Simbiat Abiola and they danced to the various artistes especially sir Shina Peters.
The highlight for Segun and I was the NGN100,000 cheque he gave us at the event. A huge amount back then and we admired it all the way to the bank.

“In 1991, I sold the idea to run for the governorship of Lagos state to my late father, Sir Michael Otedola and he dismissed it saying politics is not for Omoluabis and he also made a reference to the travails of Chief Abiola with the NPN leading to his much-publicized retirement from politics. After much persistence, I succeeded in getting him to run and the rest is history.

Bashorun Dele Momodu & Pastor Dotun Ojelabi

After my father’s victory at the polls and seeing the need to rest, the then governor of Lagos state, Brig. Gen. Raji Rasaki Rtd, advised him to rest for two weeks and restricted visits and provided the LASG Guest House by Joel Ogunnaike Road Ikeja for the purpose.

“After a week there, I went to see my late father after around 7.30am and lo and behold, I met Chief Abiola and Alhaja Simbiat waiting to see him in the living room and when he saw me, he said Great man, where is your daddy?
A great man referring to me as a great man struck a chord in me”

He also used the occasion to pour encomiums on Ovation Publisher, Dele Momodu.

The book launch was attended by the cream of Nigerian Society such as Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Pastor Tunde Bakare and wife, Alhaji Rasak Okoya, Mr Peter Obi, Former Governor of Anambra State, Hajia Bola Shagaya, Mrs. Modupe Oguntade (wife of NIgeria’s High Commissioner to Great Britain), Mr Fola Adeola, Mr Jimi Agbaje, Engr Rotimi Fasakin, Dr Dakuku Peterside, Rev. Mother Esther Abimbola Ajayi, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, Olori Ladun Sijuwade,Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi,Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Chief Dayo Adeneye (representative of Ogun State Governor), Hon. Kehinde Bamgbetan (Representative of Lagos State Governor), Mr Andrew Okeleke ( Representative of Globacom Chairman, Dr Mike Adenuga Jnr.), Sir Tony Chiejina (Representative of Alhaji Aliko Dangote), Mr Idowu Ajanaku, Habib Aruna, Pastor Dotun Ojelabi, Mrs. Betty Irabor, Dr Kayode Are and wife, Ngozi, Amb. Toye Okanlawon, Prince Damola Aderemi, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Princess Toyin Kolade, Mrs. Oyinkan Badejo-Okusanya, Mrs. Toyin Seriki, AIG Tunji Alapini (rtd), Mr. Kunle Bakare, Sir Gbenga Badejo, Ohimai Godwin-Amaize, Femi Akintunde-Johnson,Mr Abisoye Fagade, Mr Dayo Adedayo, Ms Joke Sogunro, Dr Reuben Abati, Simon Kolawole, Segun Adeniyi, Chief Donatus Okonkwo, Mr Biodun Fari, Ms Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, Azuh Arinze, Biodun Oshinibosi, Mr. Lekan Owoduni, Tope Fasua, Alistair Soyode, Omolara Wood, Mrs Toun Okewale-Sonaiya, Wale Oluwaleimu, Mr. Mayor Akinpelu, Mr. Tito Okpaise, Mr. Gboyega Okegbenro, Mr. Mr. Gbenga Olunloyo, Biodun Ponle, Messrs Lanre and Kayode Alfred, Ms Kemi Akinyemi, Chris Kehinde Nwandu, Ms Azuka Ogujuiba, Mr Adewale Jafojo and members of the Abiola Family

While Gbenga Adeyinka 1st was compere, Shuga band provided light music. Tastee Fried Chicken, Saheeto and De Potters were in charge of refreshments.

Headline

Tinubu Gives Akpabio Lifeline, Appoints Senate President As Head of Delegation to Pope Francis’ Funeral

Published

17 hours ago

April 26, 2025

Eric

Amid internal crises rocking the Nigerian Senate, and the Senate President, President Bola Tinubu has appointed Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to lead Nigerian delegation to the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City.

Akpabio leads Nigerian delegation that comprises Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese; and Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama of the Abuja Diocese to the funeral amid his ongoing struggle with sexual harassment allegations leveled against him by a fellow senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.

As part of Tinubu’s delegation, Akpabio is expected to formally deliver a letter to the acting head of the Vatican, conveying the president’s condolences.

Pope Francis passed away on Monday, April 21, aged 88. He will be laid to rest on Saturday, April 26.

In a statement released on Friday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced that the Senate President would lead a five-member delegation to the funeral.

Since February, Akpabio has been in the spotlight over sexual harassment allegation against him by Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The female lawmaker submitted a petition before the Senate against Akpabio in March.

Before the allegation, Akpoti-Uduaghan had had a face-off with Akpabio over seating arrangement in the Senate.

The altercation led to the Senate President ordering the sergeant-at-arm to walk the female lawmaker out of the Senate Chamber.

She was subsequently suspended for six months.

The decision sparked public outrage as many Nigerians have since been demanding for a thorough investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against Senate President.

Meanwhile, the Senate President has repeatedly denied the allegation, and the matter is currently in court.

Headline

Your Presidential Ambition Dead on Arrival, Presidency Knocks Atiku As PDP Stalwarts Defect to APC

Published

1 day ago

April 25, 2025

Eric

The Presidency has delivered a jab at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, declaring his 2027 presidential ambition and coalition-building efforts “dead on arrival” following the defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other top PDP figures to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In separate posts on X, Presidential aides Bayo Onanuga and Tunde Rahman mocked Atiku’s attempts to rally opposition forces, saying recent developments show his coalition is crumbling before it even takes off.

Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, wrote: “Atiku’s political future looks bleak. The coalition that he, El-Rufai, Babachir, and new member Baba-Ahmed are cobbling together has disintegrated. Potential allies, including former running mate Ifeanyi Okowa and defunct CPC members, are giving his leprous group a wide berth. Atiku is a loser again.”

Tunde Rahman, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, posted earlier in the day: “Things are really getting perilous and the future looks so bleak for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s coalition. After the PDP governors washed their hands clean of any such coalition plan, the defunct CPC wing he is also counting on has proffered support for President Tinubu.

Today (Wednesday), he got his biggest shocker ever. His 2023 election running mate, former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and Okowa’s successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, dumped the sinking PDP ship and hopped aboard the APC plane, and by inference, crossed over to the PBAT side.

Indeed, the counting of PDP governors crossing over to APC has begun. Isn’t Atiku’s coalition dead on arrival?”

The coordinated remarks followed a major political realignment in Delta State, where the governor, his predecessor, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and the entire PDP state structure defected to the APC – an event seen as a significant blow to Atiku, who has been working to form a broad opposition alliance against President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

Okowa was Atiku’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Atiku has yet to respond to the defection or the presidential aides’ comments, though acting national chairman Iliya Damagum earlier described the Delta exit as “unfortunate,” while insisting that the party remains focused and resilient.

Headline

Former Delta Gov, Ifeanyi Okowa, Defects to APC

Published

3 days ago

April 23, 2025

Eric

Former Governor of Delta State, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential running mate in the 2023 election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Okowa confirmed the news of his defection to ARISE NEWS on Wednesday following the announcement of the current governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, who also defected from the PDP to the APC on Wednesday.

The development was disclosed by Senator James Manager after a six-hour meeting at Government House, Asaba.

“All PDP members in the state, including the governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, all the local government chairmen and others, have agreed to move to the APC,” Manager stated. “We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat.”

Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr Aniagwu Charles, officially confirmed the sweeping political shift, attributing the decision to the need for renewed direction and enhanced governance in the state.

“There is a need for us to adjust our drinking patterns. And in adjusting that drinking pattern, we needed to make a decision that would further help to cement the development in our state,” he said.

Aniagwu added that the move aimed to sustain progress in law, security, and welfare, likening the PDP to a “palm wine whose taste has changed,” necessitating a change in “drinking party”.

He further indicated that the defection was unanimously agreed upon by key PDP leaders and stakeholders in the state, with a formal public declaration expected on Monday.

“By the grace of God, on Monday next week, we will be able to make a very big statement confirming that we are moving into the APC,” he said.

The mass defection represents a dramatic realignment in Delta State’s political landscape and could significantly alter party dynamics in the broader South-South region, historically a PDP stronghold.

Okowa will be received on Monday by Vice President Kashim Shettima alongside Governor Oborevwori.

AriseNews