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Between Jesu Oyingbo and Christian Martyrdom – Immanuel Olufunmilayo Odumosu (1915-1988)

Published

5 years ago

August 4, 2021

Eric

By Hon Femi Kehinde

B’olode Oku Ode Ohu gbegi – meaning – “once the valiant celebrator dies, the empire becomes a thick forest;”- is a very swift and apt metaphor, that describes the life, times and essence of the self professed Jesus Christ of Oyingbo, who came into prominence in 1952 and died in 1988. The empire eclipsed, almost soon thereafter.

Nigerians are by nature, people of great faith.

They still believe and could easily be vulnerable, to religious bigotry and indoctrination. No matter their level of education or sophistication, there is still the general belief, that there is the being or something that is responsible, for their existence in this world and which is deserving of their prayers, adoration and veneration.

Religion, being the opium of the masses, is certainly one of the most organised and most prosperous form of legal dishonesty.

Immanuel Odumosu latched on this and prospered.

Immanuel Olufunmilayo Odumosu was born in 1915, in Ijebu Ode to Jacob Odumosu.

His grandfather was Joseph Odumosu, a famous traditional healer and herbalist in Ijebu Ode.

Without the privilege of a formal education, Immanuel learnt carpentry and was self taught.

He served in the Post and Telegraph department (P & T) during World War II.

In the P&T, he was an active member in the workers Union and took an active part in the worker’s strike in 1945, which subsequently led to his disengagement from service.

He went back to his carpentry work and opened a workshop on Oil Mill Street, Lagos Island, Lagos.

Despite his dexterity in the carpentry business, he could not make ends meet and was constantly in debt and was at a time, jailed for six months, as a result of charges, brought by his creditors.

Life at this time was harrowing and unexciting. He needed an escape valve.

He attended various Pentecostal churches in Lagos for spiritual succour and comfort, but apparently, found none.

In the course of these spiritual adventures, Odumosu claimed he received visions and dreams from GOD, which he interpreted as messianic visions, that revealed he was a messiah that has come to redeem the world.

To him, this was a spiritual rebirth and he began to pronounce this, by holding evening meetings in his carpentry workshop.

He established the Universal College of Regeneration (UCR). His early sermons emphasised duality of the World and self discipline.

He saw a World that was in conflict, which he regarded as a conflict between the natural world and the Spiritual World.

He saw a natural world that was filled with evil machinations, principles and principalities and a spiritual world, which only him had access to, being the redeemer of the natural World.

In 1952 when he started this ministry, he denounced and detested alcohol, women and tobacco.

With a small congregation of about 30 members, he encouraged tithe giving, to assist the poor, the needy and the vulnerable in the Ministry.

He encouraged members, to fund his evangelical ministry.

In 1954, a wealthy member of his ministry, provided a property for Odumosu in Ebute Metta, close to Oyingbo market.

He encouraged his flock to relocate to Ebute Metta and live in rented properties, close to the church building.

He encouraged payment of tithe. As an emerging Ministry, he began preaching his sermons in loud speakers, placed outside in the church hall, at a location close to Oyingbo market.

Oyingbo market, established in the 1920s, was a great market of delight and prosperity.

When traders of the Apapa Road Market, in the 1930’s were relocated to swell the ranks of traders in Oyingbo, Oyingbo became a market of first destination to traders and one of the oldest and biggest markets in Lagos and Nigeria respectively.

Before Balogun market stole the show, Oyingbo Market, close to the Iddo Train station, was a beehive.

The fortunes and prominence of Oyingbo could easily be compared with the fortunes of the Ejinrin market, in the Epe-Ijebu division of the present Lagos state, Ejinrin, in the early 19th century, was the only point of contact between Lagos and other parts of the world as one of the major commercial centres for slave trade.

It was a destination hub, for transportation of slaves and commercial activities.

In Ejinrin, the Europeans constructed the second oldest sea port in Nigeria and also, the Colonial masters built in Ejinrin, the large market that had over 1,800 stalls, trading in cocoa, fabrics, fish, matches, wine, spirits and other consumables and export items.

Several multinational companies, like the UAC, John Holt, PZ, CFAO, Lever Brothers (Unilever Plc) had their first presence in Ejinrin.

Being a trading hub, Ejinrin had the first Post Office in Nigeria. It is this giant status of Ejinrin, that Oyingbo market, could be compared with in prominence, relevance and business activities.

It is this Oyingbo market that Immanuel Olufunmilayo Odumosu now shares proximity and attention.

The loud speakers from the Immanuel Odumosu’s Church, blows into the market, which now gave him the sobriquet – Jesu Oyingbo

Ebenezer Obey a great Juju music composer, singer and philosophical artist, espoused the beauties and gains of the Oyingbo and Ejinrin markets in some of his lyrics.

He sang – “Oyingbo market is so big, that nobody will notice the absence of anybody.”

“Oja Oyingbo ko mo pe Eni kan owa o” ; and that in equal prominence, “b’oko kan o re Ejinrin; egbe gberun e aa lo …”

“A lorry’s absence will never be noticed, in Oyigbo market!”

As a result of the market proximity, the membership of the Jesu Oyingbo Church – the Universal College of Regeneration (UCR) began to swell.

To initiate new male members, he would whip them with 9 strikes of the cane. Presumably, a cane inherited from his herbalist grandfather – Joseph Odumosu.

Then the bang came!

In 1959, he declared himself Jesus in Oyingbo and began to initiate various business enterprises, to form the new Jerusalem.

Among the ventures, were the Jolly markers and the happy day food canteen, deluxe bakeries, makers of good luck bread, barber shops, lodging and accommodation and etc.

In the 1959 declaration, he declared –

“I am He. I am Jesus Christ, the very one whose second coming was foretold in the New Testament. I have come and those who believe in me will have an everlasting life and joy. I am the missing of the trinity. I have come to prepare the faithful for the judgment day”

This Oyingbo declaration heralded the arrival of a new Jesus. Without the benefit of formal education or attendance of a theological school, this new Jesus, said the Bible had been planted in him, over night to evangelise the World.

To Immanuel Odumosu, his declaration as the second Jesus, was as a result of a divine revelation, straight from the Chambers of Heaven.

His mission was to save people from their earthly worries, comfort and redeem them.

He established communal enclaves and asked his followers to forsake their families and pack into the New Jerusalem and live with him.

The members were not only his congregation but also, part of his work force in his various business enterprises- a printing outfit, a bakery, restaurant, bar, salons, a construction company, real estate development, Bush clearing and all sorts, from where he derived enormous income.

Aside from occasional gift, he also derived some fringe benefits, which he considered as his entitlement as their redeemer.

One of this fringe benefits, was the fact that he had unlimited access to any of the wives to the men in his flock and could choose to do with them whatever he pleased to satisfy his unquenchable libido.

There was an occasion, when he married a man’s wife, in order to punish him, for his errant behaviour.

On another occasion, he handed over the wife of an unruly member, to other men in the flock.

At his will, he could call any of the women who pleased him to satisfy his needs at anytime.

He married a large number of wives, ranging from between 30 and 80, three of whom were also rumoured to be his biological children.

The real number of his wives could not be determined because of his communal life style, because any member’s wife could easily be appropriated.

In 1959, he had about 7 wives and he said, when questioned about his polygamous nature –

“I have not finished with wives yet, I am going to marry more, to save the faithful, I must behave like one of themselves. I must marry more women for am I not the shephard and they the sheep?”

Jesu Oyingbo became enormously wealthy as a shephard in the vineyard, and moving from the background of a carpenter, to a Jesus, he became a phenomenon.

In 1961, some of his followers got disenchanted with him and disgraced him on the pages of a Sunday Newspaper as “a fake, a cheat and a humburg”.

The folks did not stop there, they further went to the Police with the complaint that Jesus Odumosu has refused to let them have their share of a €50, 000:00(Fifty Thousand pounds) worth business concern, they have been running with him for many years.

When the Police searched Jesus Odumosu’s house and those of his more intimate followers, the sum of €5,000 pounds was recovered.

To Jesus Odumosu, prophethood is a trade.

Whilst Odumosu was making waves in Lagos, in the then Western region of Nigeria, another Jesus had also emerged in Ikot Ekpene of the Eastern region of Nigeria.

Nigerians are great lovers of panache. They like to dance, sing and parade in mortal ecstacy and belives so much in miracles and graven images.

Jesus Edidem Bassey, a former truck pusher, after proclaiming himself Jesus Christ was regarded as one of the richest men in the whole of the Eastern Region.

He had the most expensive building in Ikot Ekpene and he lived a life of stupendous luxury that could not be easily rivaled.

According to the Drum Magazine publication of July 1961, the life of this Jesus of Ikot Ekpene, was captured as follows- “He has a throne on which he is dragged through all the nooks and corners of Ikot Ekpene once a year.”

“He has male followers who obey his bidding without question. He is a God and can take any woman (provided she is one of his own flock) that he fancies. It does not matter that the woman may be married to one of his male followers. That he, a god, condescend to fancy his wife at all is accepted by any of his male followers as the greatest honour that a god can do to a mere mortal.”

The article further stated –

“The police have, until very recently, closes their eyes to the carrying-on of fake Messiah because none of their followers have ever come forward to complain of having been duped financially “

“Although we knew all along that they have been using religion to make money, we also know that they will continue to be in the clear until one of their followers defects and comes to us with a complaint.”

“Jesu Odumosu has been terribly shaken. Once one of the big ones is behind bars, without the heavens falling our guess is thst the lesser ones will disband and run for it”

“Until this happens, religion will continue to remain a cover for one of the most organised and prosperous forms of legal dishonesty in Nigeria. As long as the false prophets are protected from the police by the fanatical belief of their followers in them, religious confusion will continue.”

Perhaps, Wole Soyinka, the great writer, poet and author had the likes of these Jesues in mind, when he published his epic drama –

“The Trials of Brother Jero” – a light satirical comedy, that exposed religious hypocrisy, in the form of a charlatan or fraud, who preached to his followers on bar beach, in Lagos, Nigeria. He realised the mentality of his followers, in their search for money power and enhanced social status.

The drama was first produced in Mellamby Hall of the University of Ibadan in April 1960 and was eventually published in 1963 by the Oxford Press.

It exposed religious gullibility and credulity of one of his ardent followers-Chume, whom he had prophesied, would be promoted from Chief Messenger to Chief Clerk in the Civil Service and that a politician he had prayed for in the bar beach, would become a Minister of War in Nigeria.

He had also warned Chume not to beat his wife Amope, because unknown to Chume, Brother Jero had a secret relationship with Amope.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who also shared a Kuti blood with Wole Soyinka and whose mother – Grace Eniola, daughter of J.J Ransome Kuti was also of the Kuti family in Abeokuta. Fela, sang melodiously too, in his epic album-Suffering and Smiling.

“suffer suffer for World Amen, enjoy for heaven Amen…”

“Arch Bishop dey enjoy, Pope sef dey enjoy;” lyrically, exposed religious hypocrisy and gullibility, in sweet and revolutionary melody.

Immanuel Olufunmilayo Odumosu, later relocated from his well known abode and place of worship centre in Oyingbo, to Maryland in Ikeja, Lagos but the name Jesu Oyingbo had stuck. In Maryland, he was still Jesu Oyingbo.

In Maryland, all the adherents of his religious faith, now lived a communal life in an enclave.

In the enclave in Maryland, were nursery, primary and secondary schools.

In the enclave with about 700 worshippers, he had more than enough workforce for his sprawling business.

On Immanuel Street, Maryland, Ikeja, where he now had his Universal College of Regeneration, (UCR) were various inscriptions on his numerous buildings.

“Merciful and mighty”, “Prince of peace,” “everlasting father” and some of the buildings were surrounded by statutes of the original Christ.

There were also Caterpillars, tractors and also, sculptures of lions and mermaids with water sprouting from their mouths.

He had a multifaceted religious approach, prophesying Christianity, Islamic religion and traditional worship; after all, his grandfather- Joseph Odumosu was a traditional herbalist.

He justifies these liberal attitudes to religion by emphasising the disparity between him and Jesus Christ.

He said while Jesus came to sacrifice and suffer “taking care of the cross-carrying and crucifixion, he, the second Jesus, “simply came to enjoy life”.

According to him, while addressing some newspaper reporters – “I have come to enjoy my life my friend”; and in enjoying this life, he amassed stupendous wealth, both in cash and in kind.

His sprawling estate in Maryland- 7a,7b, 9,10,11,13,14,15,17,Immanuel Street, Maryland, Lagos, 37 Aliyu Street, via Felicia Ayodeji Street, off Ikorodu Road Ketu, Lagos: 370/322; 624 Ikorodu Road, Mile 12 Lagos, really exposed his wealth.

Asides from other vast properties and funds left in his UK and Nigerian Bank Accounts, he was very prominent and very friendly with his neighbours in Maryland.

Most evenings, he would show them films, through his projector, local and foreign movies. His bread- Goodluck bread from his bakery, was heavily patronised, by the neighbours and even Reverend Fathers and sisters and nuns, from the nearby St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Ikeja.

It was generally believed that his goodluck bread brings goodluck.

Jesus of Oyingbo had prophesied that he would never die but unfortunately, the immortal Jesu Oyingbo was gripped by the cold hand of death on the 17th of January, 1988 at a private hospital in Lagos, where he passed on at the age or 73 years.

To his worshippers, it was unbelievable that their messiah could die. He died and the worshippers waited for him for three days to resurrect, and when he could not resurrect after three days, the empire began to crumble.

Naturally, his death exposed the vanity of human life and the scramble for and partition of his sprawling estate, began, like the Berlin conference of 1884- The scramble for and partition of Africa.

Wives began to fight against themselves, children against children and old members of the enclaves who believed they were equally entitled to the spoils of war, began a frenetic struggle.

There were series of litigations, in fighting, backbiting and acrimony.

The eldest child – Olukayode Odumosu, filed an action at the Lagos High Court, for eviction of residents of the spiritual enclave.

On the 18th of June, 2014, after a long probate battle, Justice Ronke Harrison of the Probate division of the Ikeja High Court ruled that “all 167 children are entitled to share in the vast estate as beneficiaries in equal proportion”. Jesu Oyigbo died intestate, i.e. without a will.

There were numerous wives, as much as about 80. The sprawling estate became hide out for urchins and criminals and tenants who were as much as about 2,000 refused to pay their rent. The empire, which some of his adherents believed would resurrect in 1998, 10 years after the demise of Jesu Oyingbo, failed to resurrect.

Because dust has returned to dust, the Jesu Oyingbo empire became a fast weed of thick forest, in the sprawling high brow Street of Immanuel, in Maryland, Ikeja-which justifies that popular Yoruba aphorism –

“Bolode Oku Ode ohu gbegi”.

Also, after the death of Jesu Oyingbo, the popular Yoruba song –

“Emi o mo jesu Oyingbo, emi o mo jesu agege, emi o mo Guru Maharaji, Jesu ti mo mo, l’ Apata Ayeraye” meaning –

“I don’t know Jesus of Oyingbo, I don’t know Jesus of Agege, I don’t know Guru Maharaji, the Jesus that I know, is the rock of ages” became a prominent sing song. Interestingly, the Jesu Oyingbo phenomenon is still very contemporary in our modern world in its tomfoolery and charlatanism.

Religion, certainly, is the opium of the masses!

May the gentle soul of the self acclaimed second Jesus Christ – Jesu Oyingbo – Immanuel Olufunmilayo Odumosu, continually find peaceful repose with the Lord.

Hon Femi Kehinde is a legal practitioner and former Member, House of Representatives, representing Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa Federal Constituency of Osun State (1999-2003).

Featured

It’s Stupid to Say Only Southerner Can Be President in 2027 – Dele Momodu

Published

6 hours ago

May 4, 2026

Eric

By Christy Anyanwu (The Sun)

Veteran journalist and Publisher, Ovation Magazine, Chief Dele Momodu, is a former presidential aspirant and a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He has been one of the consistent voices against what he terms bad policies and actions of the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview, he spoke on the Tinubu administration, the opposition ADC, the 2027 elections and other issues of national importance.

What are your concerns about the 2027 general election? Do you have any fear?

I have no fear whatsoever, though there’s a bit of agitation everywhere. If you ask most people, they would tell you, Oh, Asiwaju will rig the election. They are sure Tinubu will do this and that. He has the power of life and death and so on and so forth, but I’m not bothered. As you get older in life, you begin to understand the God factor better. I believe that whatever APC likes, let them do. When it is God’s time, he will push them out and I think, this 2027, we are closer to it than ever.

You are in the ADC, and your party says the challenges and troubles in the party were created by the ruling party. Could you explain that?

I said APC, whether they like it or not, the whole world knows that they have failed. And now the people are thinking it is political parties that chase away government? No, it is not parties; it is the people. When the people rise up and say it was the people that chased away PDP that time, it was the people. In this case, those who will chase Tinubu and APC away are not just members of ADC. They are Nigerians who are fed up, completely fed up, who will look back at the last three or four years and ask pertinent questions like, Was my life better in 2023 than it is in 2027? Was security much better in 2023 than it is in 2027? Was electricity better? Was water better? Was infrastructure better? Was our foreign policy better? Was the quality of ministers better? When you answer all those questions, you will see that the majority of the answers will be no, no, no. And that is what will determine why people will vote them out.

Whenever you talk about voting APC out, voting Tinubu out, many people are like, Dele Momodu was very close to Asiwaju. What actually happened?

Nothing is happening. It is nothing personal. I love Asiwaju as a person but I have always maintained that I do not like dictatorship. And that is the main issue. I wish he would just perform well, instead of wasting money up and down, chasing shadows and all that, instead of just settling down to work. If he works well, it will be palpable. Everybody would see it. And Nigerians are not expecting miracles from Asiwaju. They just want the basic necessities of life. If he works, you will see it. Go to other countries in Africa and see how they are making progress. Here, we are just wasting money. Today, it is City Boys, tomorrow, it is City Girls. The profligacy is horrendous. You asked me, is Asiwaju not my friend and brother and everything? Yes, he is. I will never deny him. He is a good man. He is a nice man. But that does not make him a good leader. He is a great politician who knows how to manoeuvre his way and everything, but that does not make him a good leader, because leadership is not about politics. Leadership is about managing people and resources. And I don’t think he has managed our resources well. That is the truth. Only a true friend will tell you the truth. Everybody goes to him because their lives depend on him. They need one thing or the other, they will tell him lies. When tomorrow comes, they will dump him. When Buhari was there, when he was in power, everybody, including Tinubu, was praising him. After he left, they started blaming him for handing over a useless government to them. That is what they will do to Asiwaju whenever he leaves. I don’t know when, but he will leave one day. And you will see the true colour of human beings then. They will say the most horrendous things about him. I have no doubt about that. That’s when you will hear that EFCC is chasing him, chasing his family, chasing everybody. Why don’t you end that rat race? Just end it. Don’t victimize anybody. How could Nasir El-Rufai have done all he did for Asiwaju and the guy today is being harassed, and they pretend they know nothing about it? It’s because he committed an offence. When they put his name among nominees for the cabinet, you know, he was supposed to be a minister. He went for screening, then, suddenly, they said he wasn’t cleared by the security people. Who is fooling who?

As the 2027 elections approach, more problems are emerging in the ADC. Some people are claiming ownership of the party. There are issues of recognition by INEC and so on. Are you people going to merge with another party or what?

Let me tell you, I’m very worried about media coverage in Nigeria, especially political coverage. Because the questions you are asking me, I believe, should not have been asked. There are more issues within APC than you have in ADC. But because APC is in power, you all tend to pamper them and focus all attention on the opposition. In my own generation, journalists were more for opposition, for the betterment of the country. But today I don’t know why. And I will now give you a reason I am saying what I am saying. APC has problems everywhere. If you go today to Benue State, they are fighting in the party. APC members are fighting all over. In fact, in Ogun State, just yesterday, they locked out Otunba Gbenga Daniel. They were having a stakeholders’ meeting or whatever they call it and they locked him out. A former governor. Is that not APC? In Lagos State, nobody can utter a whimper. In Lagos right now, nobody is secure in the party. Those who were hoping to contest, the former governor, Akin Ambode, we were hearing he wanted to come back. We were hearing that even Gbajabiamila wanted to contest. We were hearing all sorts of things. We were hearing that Alausa, Minister of Education, wanted to contest. The President just gave an instruction and, right now, nobody is able to pursue their own ambition.

In Ogun State, the Lagos style has crept in. Suddenly, the President has chosen one man for Ogun State. I have nothing against the man. He’s my friend. He’s my brother. I have nothing against him but that system is tyrannical, where one man takes every decision. They have issues. People are grumbling. People are fighting. Some people have even taken APC to court in some states. So, I dare INEC to derecognise APC leadership. Some people even took the chairman of APC to court. Have you heard anything about it? No. Every day, what I hear on television is, ‘ADC, you have too many internal problems.’ Who doesn’t have problems? In the case of ADC, one man, or, maximum, three men, from nowhere, said the party belonged to them. So, right now, in order to kill any political party in Nigeria, all it takes is to raise one disgruntled man and say he’s a faction, and journalists, too, will start addressing him as a faction. Where on earth can one man just stand up, because he’s angry, he’s disgruntled, he’s bitter, he’s enraged, and then you call him a faction, a factioner? PDP, factions. Labour Party, factions. ADC, factions. And that’s how journalists have connived, by using these descriptions and adjectives, to justify murder in Nigeria. When we all kill this democracy, history will remember all of us, because journalists are the ones who should educate everyone. When did one man become one faction in a party? And, we all promote it.

When they talk about zoning, and it’s the turn of the South, when, tell me, when in Nigeria was it written in the Constitution of Nigeria that it’s the turn of the South? Tell me, I’m asking you, when? You cannot answer. In eight years of the North, whether the President passes or not, whether we have better candidates from other regions or not, no, now the only qualification is where you come from. So, if a man fails the exam, you will promote him because he’s the only southerner in the race. He has spent four years, let him finish his remaining four years; why are we so stupid? Why are we so docile? Why are we so backward? If you don’t agree with that, then they say, one man is too old, it doesn’t matter if the President is older or not, or if he’s healthier or not, we should beg him not to contest. When did we get to that level where you discourage people from pursuing their own dreams in life? I’ve never seen anything like this.

Joe Biden was much older than Barack Obama, he served under Obama and, later, at his age, he was in his 80s, he was President of America. It’s the same thing today with Donald Trump. Trump was removed in 2020. He’s back today. Now, people say Atiku should not run, he’s old. When did age alone become a crime? Are we not all wishing to be old one day? If God has blessed you with good health, will you kill yourself? Something is wrong with us, some people are manipulating our brains and we’re all behaving like ‘mumu’. Let everybody run, that’s democracy. I don’t care who gets the ticket of ADC. I swear to God Almighty, I don’t care. But let everybody go and fight for it and then tell us your qualifications, why you think you are better than the other candidates. It’s as simple as that. It is not just about, oh, this is where I come from, oh, it is the turn of the South. It is stupidity of the highest order that we are displaying, and the whole world is so ashamed of us, that Nigeria has not gone beyond this level of ethnicity and religion.

Now that you have mentioned Atiku, it’s a known fact that your preferred candidate in ADC is Atiku…

There’s no question about that: he’s my preferred candidate. But I don’t care if someone else might beat him. I don’t care. That’s why I’m different. I like Atiku for his credentials, for the things I have seen, for the things that I now know about him, I have followed him since when he stepped down for Chief Moshood Abiola in 1993 in Jos. I have followed him with keen interest. I don’t see any politician at his level who is able to manage his own business without living fat off Nigeria. Atiku left power in 2007. Have you heard that he controls any state in Nigeria, where he can go and take money like some people are doing in some states? These are little, little things that we should appreciate. He is not desperate, you will not find a vault in front of his house, you will not hear that he’s planning to go and rig at INEC. Why don’t we appreciate good people in Nigeria? Must we waste and sacrifice all our good people on the altar of greed, nepotism and all that? What is his offence? In 2019, Atiku gave Peter Obi a national platform. Bloggers kicked against him, they fought him. Today, some people say they are supporting Obi, abusing, attacking and insulting the man every day. I can never support that. Never!

I don’t have more than one vote but when people do what I feel is beneath us, we speak up. The same way I am complaining about Tinubu today, about the dictatorship, about everything, if I see the same thing with Atiku in the future, I will talk.

Really?

Did I not talk when Buhari’s people were misbehaving? I was one of those who supported Buhari but, within two months, I tendered a public apology. I will never support tyrannical behaviour and say, because I like Atiku, Atiku can say anything and do anything. Not me. If you ask him, he will tell you that Dele respects himself. I respect myself. I don’t follow people blindly.

Some people say you’re with Atiku because of his money…

Does Atiku have one per cent of Tinubu s money? Why do we talk this way? Go and ask Atiku, if I’m one of those scavengers who will beg Atiku. What money has he got more than the federal government, more than the state governments, more than all the governors in Nigeria? So, because of Atiku s money, that’s why I’m following Atiku? (Laughs) Oh my God!

What’s your assessment of Tinubu’s fight against corruption in Nigeria?

The only thing I’m interested in about Tinubu is the condition of the people. Whether he is fighting corruption or not, when tomorrow comes, you will see the truth. Every government comes and they say they are fighting corruption, when, at the end of the day, the majority of the fight is about witch-hunt. I am not interested, please. I don’t follow pretence and I don’t enjoy it. There’s nobody in Nigeria who does not know those who have unlimited or unrestricted access to the resources of Nigeria but they are untouchable. That’s fine.

Let’s talk about the insecurity confronting the nation. People are still dying every day. What’s your advice?

What advice can I give when all the governors are there? They just killed someone, a driver, around Edo State. Did Edo not promise to deliver three million votes to those who cannot protect lives and property? So, how do I talk about such things? Look, when we are ready, we will know what to do. We all know that we are not ready. Nigerians are not ready, especially our leaders who are desperate only to remain in power. They are not interested in anything else. How many people have you heard that Tinubu sacked in the military or in the police for incompetence?

What’s your take on Tinubu’s recent state visit to the UK?

In terms of sound and fury, it was okay. That’s what they wanted. They wanted people who would validate them and they got a willing partner in our people in England. That’s okay. Congratulations to them. But I don’t think that will change anything back home. They came back with more debts. Congratulations.

What do you mean?

Is that not what they reported? Did you not read about it?

It is said that Nigeria will gain a lot from that visit…

You can put out that you ‘think’ Nigeria will gain something. I told you they gained more debts. Is that not good news?

Culled from The Sun

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Xenophobia: Tinubu Orders Close Monitoring of Protests in South Africa

Published

7 hours ago

May 4, 2026

Eric

President Bola Tinubuhas directed close monitoring of the ongoing anti-foreigner protests in South Africa, as the Federal government raises concerns over the safety of Nigerians and demands justice for victims of recent incidents.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this while presenting a situation report, noting that authorities are on alert ahead of another round of demonstrations scheduled for 4 to 8 May.

“There is heightened anxiety over the series of anti-foreigner protests. The priority at this time remains the safety of our citizens,” she said, adding that the President’s directive underscores Nigeria’s resolve to prevent further harm to its nationals.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said images circulating across media platforms showing violence and xenophobic rhetoric have drawn global condemnation, describing the trend as “utterly condemnable and unacceptable.”

She, however, acknowledged that top South African officials, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, have publicly opposed xenophobia, extra-judicial killings and destruction of foreign-owned properties.

According to her, protests held between 27 and 29 April in Pretoria and Johannesburg were largely peaceful under heavy police presence, with no confirmed attacks on Nigerians during that period.

Despite this, she revealed that two Nigerians died earlier in separate incidents involving security personnel. Amamiro Chidiebere Emmanuel succumbed to injuries allegedly sustained after being beaten by members of the South African National Defence Force in Port Elizabeth, while Nnaemeka Matthew Andrew was reported dead following an encounter with metro police, with his body later found in a Pretoria mortuary.

“These incidents are utterly condemnable and unacceptable. Nigeria demands that justice be done,” the minister stated, noting that the Nigerian High Commission is closely tracking investigations.

She further confirmed that Nigeria has summoned South Africa’s High Commissioner in Abuja over the situation, as diplomatic engagements intensify to contain the fallout.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu added that Nigerian missions in South Africa are working with local authorities to minimise risks to citizens, while arrangements are ongoing for the voluntary repatriation of those willing to return home. About 130 Nigerians have so far registered for the exercise.

She also stressed Nigeria’s historical role in supporting South Africa’s liberation struggle, warning that recurring xenophobic attacks, often linked to political tensions, must be decisively addressed.

“Nigerian lives and businesses in South Africa must not continue to be put at risk,” she said, adding that both countries are engaging through existing frameworks, including an early warning mechanism, to prevent further escalation.

Featured

How Regional Arithmetic Favours Atiku Abubakar in 2027

Published

22 hours ago

May 3, 2026

Eric

By Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba

Nigeria’s 2027 presidential contest is shaping up around a potentially decisive regional dynamic, though it remains contingent on the widely speculated exit of Peter Obi from the ADC to the NDC. Should that realignment materialize, the race could feature two formidable Southern candidates, Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the South-West and Peter Obi from the South-East against a single Northern heavyweight, Atiku Abubakar from the North-East. Such a configuration would significantly reshape the electoral map and redefine the path to victory.

Drawing inspiration from the wisdom and uncommon analytical depth of the former presidential candidate Chief Dele Momodu, it is worth recalling how he accurately predicted the outcome of the 2015 Nigerian presidential election, breaking it down zone-by-zone and state-by-state with remarkable precision. His October 2014 piece, “Buhari versus Jonathan: In Search of a Mathematician,” remains a testament to strategic political forecasting. While I may not claim such mathematical exactness, I will make a clear and reasoned case that the most viable path to defeating Tinubu in 2027 lies in rallying behind Atiku Abubakar.

President Tinubu’s post-2023 strategy appears to have shifted after an early realization that his relationship with the North had weakened, with growing discontent and opposition forces he could neither easily contain nor ignore. In response, he seems to have turned decisively toward consolidating the South, strengthening ties in the South-South, engaging political actors in the South-East, and reinforcing his natural base in the South-West in a bid to secure that region as a unified stronghold. This creates the impression that the South may lean toward continuity. However, should Peter Obi contest independently, that cohesion fractures. The Southern vote would likely split between Tinubu and Obi, opening space for Atiku Abubakar to gain footholds, especially if he secures a strategic running mate from the region.

In contrast, the North presents a different and potentially decisive equation. There is a growing perception across the region that the political moment favors consolidation behind Atiku Abubakar more than ever before. Several factors are often cited in this regard. First is the belief among many Northern voters that the current administration has exhibited ethnic bias in appointments and governance. Second is the widespread perception of imbalance in policy direction and project distribution, with flagship initiatives such as the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway seen by many as disproportionately favoring the South-West. Third, the religious sentiment that played a role in the 2023 elections appears to be losing its mobilizing power, with many voters signaling a shift away from identity-based considerations toward broader governance concerns.

Additionally, persistent insecurity and underdevelopment in many parts of the North continue to shape political expectations, with many citizens prioritizing leadership they believe can directly address these challenges. Finally, Atiku’s recent positioning of 2027 as his final presidential bid, alongside renewed emphasis on his policy proposals, appears to be resonating with the significant segments of the Northern electorate. Taken together, these dynamics suggest that Atiku is strongly positioned to secure a more unified and possibly expanded Northern mandate than in previous cycles.

The implication is straightforward: a divided South versus a relatively unified North could tilt the balance. In such a scenario, Atiku’s path to victory becomes more viable, not despite Obi’s participation, but partly because of it. The 2027 election, therefore, may be less about religious alignments, as seen in 2023, and more about regional calculations.

While outcomes remain uncertain, this emerging structure suggests that the opposition’s most realistic chance against an incumbent lies in leveraging regional arithmetic effectively and in that equation, Atiku Abubakar appears strategically advantaged…

Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba writes from Kano, and can be reached via drssbaba@yahoo.com