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Toast to Soyinka by Wole Olaoye

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Soyinka is 90! Our very own teacher, playwright, poet, novelist, hunter, philosopher, rebel, musician, essayist, literary stylist, cultural beacon, social engineer and public intellectual has defied all odds to breast the tape of his 90th year.

If you ask, what’s in a number, you may attract the riposte, what’s NOT in a number. In their own esoteric way, numerologists break 90 into 9 and 0 and postulate that Number 9 brings us the energies of completion, universal love, inner-wisdom, and compassion while 0 adds its own vibrations of eternity and infinity – a reminder that we have access to infinite resources within ourselves when we remain connected to our spiritual essence.

A little over 50 years ago, many people who analysed his trajectory as an activist of the ‘talk-and-do’ hue, swore that the young Soyinka was destined to die young without even the remote possibility of having a nice-looking corpse. But whoever is monitoring when the crab goes to bed should prepare for a long vigil because the crab does not go to bed early (and the crab is Soyinka’s zodiac sign)!

Ninety years is special, culturally, spiritually and commemoratively. It is called the nonagintennial or granite anniversary. There are only about 22 million nonagenarians in existence, constituting 0.28 percent of the global population of 8.1 billion people. It is the privileged club of the anointed, those fated to be among the last set to tell the story of their generation — and Soyinka’s generation of intellectual elites was our golden generation.

It is not given to many people to be of abiding relevance to their country as Soyinka has been for six decades. By the time my path crossed that of Soyinka at the University of Ife in the 70s, he had already achieved fame (his foes will say, notoriety) and was a highly sought academic. I wasn’t a spring chicken myself having cut my teeth in journalism at DRUM Publications before returning to school.

As president of the students’ union, I knew that I needed the collaboration of those who had seen it all before and who would be there as trusted allies if things turned awry. In that sense, Soyinka was an uncommon counsellor and backbone. It was from him that I learnt that what matters in life is not the ‘ariwo ojà’, but the nobility of your convictions and the courage with which you pursue your ideals using all your talents, no matter the odds. He shares that honour in my life with his cousin, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Dr. Tai Solarin and Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

I pity those who, because of a disagreement over political perspectives, think that they can diminish Soyinka’s stature as a global intellectual. Great as the invention of social media is, it has, sadly been turned into a lynching machine by those that Nelson Ottah, (one of those who taught me how to chew the journalistic cud) would have described as “intellectual piccaninnies”.

Former presidential aspirant, Kingsley Moghalu has this to say on the matter: “Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka is a principled fighter for justice in our country and around the world. He is a phenomenon that unlettered and uncultured people may not fully understand in an age of lazy social media in which many don’t read or think deep.”

In 2014 when he turned 80, I invoked Providence to spare our elderly friend and pathfinder for many more years, especially as he still looked so comely and strong. In many ways, he is “a tree that makes a forest”, as I titled my column in Daily Trust at the time (https://dailytrust.com/kongi-a-tree-that-makes-a-forest/) In just one more decade, if the Heavens permit, we’ll be gathered to usher him into the club of centenarians. Happy birthday, Prof!

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Glo Partners Samsung to Offer Customers the Exclusive Galaxy S-25

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Digital solutions company, Globacom, has teamed up with Samsung, world’s leading manufacturer of electronic devices, to bring a new offer to Glo subscribers. This tantalising deal allows Glo customers to pre-order the highly sought-after Samsung Galaxy S-25 smartphone and enjoy unique benefits.

Samsung Electronics unveiled its newest flagship smartphones: the Galaxy S25 series which comes with cutting-edge advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and was designed to elevate user experience and set new standards in the industry on January 22, 2025.

The pre-ordering exercise kicked off on January 22 and closes on February 18, 2025 at Gloworld shops across the country. It gives customers the opportunity to select from the Galaxy S25 lineup, including the S25 Ultra, the top-tier and most sophisticated model, as well as the S25+ and the standard S25. They, however, come with different processors and storage options.

Customers who pre-order the Galaxy S25 or S25+ will receive complimentary gifts, including a Buds FE, a suit cover, and Samsung Care, while those opting for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, will receive a free Buds 3, a standing grip case, and Samsung Care.

Globacom is also delighting customers who purchase any model from the Galaxy S25 series with 18GB bonus data for 6 months under smartphone festival data plans, while they can also secure their pre-order at any Gloworld shop with an advance payment of ₦500,000. Pre-ordered phones will be delivered to customers from February 19 onwards.

“We are thrilled to bring this offer to our subscribers, who will enjoy unparalleled benefits, including innovative packaging. This partnership with Samsung reinforces our commitment to providing value-added services that cater to the evolving needs of our customers”.

The company advises other phone lovers who are yet to pre-order the new device to visit any Gloworld outlet close to them and join the list of the new owners of the Samsung S-25 phone before the expiry date.

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Another Gloworld Retail Office Opens in Maiduguri

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Technology company, Globacom, on Wednesday opened another Gloworld retail outlet in the Borno State capital, Maiduguri.

The new Gloworld shop is the latest in Globacom’s trademark customer interface shops, and is equipped with the latest technology for fast and efficient customer service and complaints resolution.

According to Mr. Augustine Mamuro, Globacom’s Regional Sales Coordinator, North East, the opening of the centre is in line with its “desire to bring its services closer to the people, create more platforms for customers to have access to Globacom’s wide range of products and services and give them more exciting experience on the network.”

He added that Globacom’s approach to customer service “is one that is underpinned by innovation and total inclusiveness. This is why we are consistently seeking innovative channels to make available our array of services to them”.

Mamuro assured the people of Maiduguri that the office is manned by well-trained, polite and customer-friendly staff who will provide first-class services and attend to customers’ enquiries as well as their service and product needs.

He also said the new shop will offer affordable Glo products, devices, smartphones and accessories, adding, that the people are assured of quick and satisfactory resolutions of all issues ranging from SIM replacement and registration to recovery of over-scratched cards, refill, unblocking of phones and laptop configurations for internet, as well as post paid bill payments and purchase of all Glo and other complementary products”.

The Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Umar Umar Kadafur, who was the Special Guest at the event, eulogised Globacom for deeming it fit to open a new Gloworld in Maiduguri for the benefit of the people.

He lauded the management of the company for its thoughtfulness in bringing its products and services close to the people of the state.

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I Don’t Belong to Wike’s Camp, Dakuku Peterside Declares

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Dakuku Peterside has publicly declared his political leaning in Rivers State, saying he does not belong to the camp of the former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Instead, Peterside, a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said he aligns with Wike’s predecessor and estranged former godfather Rotimi Amaechi.

“I am a friend to Rotimi Amaechi,” the former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship hopeful said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday.

“I am not on the side of Nyesom Wike,” Peterside submitted, adding that he is also not politically aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

He, however, said he was ready to provide advice for the incumbent governor on how to move the state forward.

“When Nyesom Wike was governor, recall that I was doing open letters to him consistently, giving him my advice. I did that for some time. If Governor Fubara seeks my advice, of course, I am willing to give that, like many governors,” he said.

Rivers is one of the politically charged states in Nigeria, a situation which could be attributed to the chunk votes and fat purse of the oil-rich state.

Like a coat of many colours, fragmented political camps make up the diverse and intrigue-filled state dominated by pugilists in the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where the incumbent governor belongs.

Leaders of the camps include Wike, a PDP powerbroker and two-term governor of the state from May 2015 to May 2023. Another political gladiator in the state is Amaechi, a former APC presidential hopeful and ex-transport minister who previously governed the state from May 2007 to May 2015.

There are also those loyal to Fubara and former governor Peter Odili; while former PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus; Magnus Abe; and Tonye Cole; amongst others, have their die-hard followers too. For over a decade, political crises have been Siamese to the State with followers of the various camps always at loggerheads.

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