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No Holds Barred: Dele Momodu Speaks on the State of the Nation, Edo Election, Others

Published

2 years ago

September 29, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

In his usual manner, and for love of country, Chairman of Ovation Media Group and celebrated journalist, Aare Dele Momodu, was online during the week to discuss in totality the state of the nation, status of the political parties, especially his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the hardship and the just concluded Edo State governorship election among a host of other issues.

The interview, which lasted over 90 minutes, was a carnival of revelations, discoveries and down to earth truths, which only be spoken by the likes of Momodu.

However, for as many that missed the broadcast, here is a detailed version of the interview:

Good afternoon, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.

So, you can send in your questions. I’m ready to take your questions, please.

Someone said I should speak about the Edo election. Yes, I’m ready to talk about it. I don’t shy away from speaking. The Edo election was a charade, was a sham…was shambolic, was a garrison operation, supervised by garrison commanders, military fashion. That is what happened! APC was desperate, because they needed to prove to themselves that they are loved by fellow Nigerians who are suffering under their government.

So they went all out. They went all out. They mobilized all their generals to go all out. They mobilized anytime there is; an election, and the number of policemen almost outnumbered the number of electoral officers, you know that something is wrong. Despite the presence of 30 something thousand or whatever you know, security officers be sent to the Edo state.

Some people still find time in the middle of the night to stop the process. What was recorded on INEC’s server sometimes became distorted at final collation. We’re all used to it. It’s only those who are blinded by political affiliation, ethnic coloration, may be a preliminary gains, may be, all combined, religious, prejudice, whatever. They are the ones who continue to support APC blindly. The truth is whether you support APC or not, I don’t mind. I’m a democrat. Everybody has the right to support their party.

But please remember that hunger is a leveler. Hunger has no religious bias, no ethnic bias, no political bias. Hunger is hunger. So as long as you are happy, you are hungry, you are happy, you are not hungry, you are happy, So be it. So what happened in Edo state are predicted and made it or go to happen.

I was born in Aladura church. You know, in Aladura churches, we see vision. We don’t just dream dreams. We see vision. We can tell you what will happen As far back as 2022, on the program on Channels TV with Segun Okibaloye, I told him clearly that if our ‘Oga’ gets power, we have a potential indicator.

Every paper I was abused black and blue. I don’t mind being abused. I speak to my friends. They’re my friends. I don’t shy away.

It’s only a useless democrat that would criticize its political opponents, but we keep quiet when it comes to their own people. The ones I have access to who are in government, I always make sure I advise them. And when they don’t listen, I go public. The ones I have access to, they know me. They are not the type that will hide behind one finger.

I supported Buhari wholeheartedly thinking PDP was not doing well, not knowing that I’m that what we saw was just a child’s play, we didn’t know the grandfather of them was coming. And within 2 months, when I realized that the man was leading us in the wrong direction, I apologized publicly to Nigerians. I didn’t hide it. I wasn’t a member of APC when I supported Buhari. When the Ya’adua cabals refuse to handover power to Goodluck Jonathan, I went on the street. I was nearly killed by the police. They grabbed my neck. I had some scars on my neck. They grabbed my neck in Abuja. I wasn’t a member of PDP. I didn’t know president Jonathan from anywhere.

But I believed we must always follow the rule of law. So I went on the street and campaigned vigorously that this is not fair. If our president, Umaru Musa Ya’adua, is truly invalidated, then why don’t we give power to the next man? You cannot keep an invalid in power and people of all their supporters have used us, but at the end of the day, good luck. Jonathan got the power. I didn’t because of that goal to go and join him in PDP. People don’t know my history.

When Tinubu and others said Saraki will not be Senate President, I went public to express that it is unfair. There was a partnership that formed APC; CPC Buhari’s party, APC; Tinubu’s party, and the breakaway faction of PDP. CPC had Buhari as number 1, CAN had Osinbajo as number,
number 3 should go to the PPP Breakaway faction now by Saraki, who was interested in being senate president.

Hey, they raised hell. They said no. I said no. That is my stand. You must be constantly principled, not just when it is convenient. That is what leadership is about. This Edo election, they too desperate. Infact, Uncle Adam Oshiomole went overboard. There was nothing that did not come out of his mouth, all in the name of politics. Someone is barren, someone cannot, you know, impregnate his wife. What is this? This is a man that we all supported when it was being oppressed.

I supported Adam Oshiomole. As a matter of fact, I and Oshiomole were having lunch in Tinubu’s house in Bordillion during which a had a case in court. One day I was speaking to him on phone. He called me. He said, Aburo, pray for me. I don’t know how this call case will go. And I said, don’t worry. I remember where I was exactly. I was by the Sunborn Yacht at the Marina in Lagos. I said, don’t worry, truth shall eventually prevail. We supported him. I never went to him once. I’m from Edo state. My father came from Edo state.

I never went to Adam Oshiomole, he’s alive to go ask for a contract. In fact, he promised me that once he becomes governor, he will bring me back home. He knows why I’ve been away. My father, I was born in Ile-Ife, but my father died when I was 13. So, and he never took me home. He said, I will bring you back home and we shall celebrate you. And that never happened for the 8 years, I didn’t mind. And when Governor Obaseki took over as Governor, we were at Tinubu Colloquium at Eko Hotel, and Adams tapped Obaseki and told him to bring me back home. Obaseki promised him that day to do so. About 3 years ago, I was warmly received by Godwin Obaseki. I went round, I met the Oba of Benin. I met everybody. I was warmly received in my home state.

Now, they say, it is because Obaseki offended some people. Did Obaseki offend more how APC has Nigerians more than the people? If Nigerians today have to choose between Obaseki and the Tinubu government, they will choose Obaseki 50 times. Despite his own imperfection, nobody is perfect. That is a fact. It is a fact. Even Nigerians today have to prove it. You know, by the way, what matter how bad Obaseki is, Obaseki cannot compete with the APC government in time for badness. Moreover, Obaseki was not on the ballot. It was Ighadalo who has never been in Obaseki’s government, it is a different thing. He is an independent business man who has made his mark globally. We should get serious. People cry every day on this social media. They are crying. I’m hungry. Help me. How many people can I help? Have I helped myself? Have I helped all my family members? Edo state is one of the most enlightened states in Nigeria. It’s a state where we know what is good from what is bad. And Edo state will not punish Aswe Ighodalo because of Obaseki. Anybody who knows Aswe will know that he’s a man of independent means. His life does not depend on Obaseki. Obaseki yet might have been recruited him, but he found one of the best materials that our state has ever produced. And Edo people are so enlightened that if they don’t want Ighodalo, they had their choice in Olumide Akpata. That’s the beauty of Edo state. We have produced the best of the best, the best of the best. Chief Anthony Enauro, one of the foremost nationalist in Nigeria. He was a radical till he dies. Go and read about Pa Igbodu, Dele Giwa, Samuel Igbemudia, Gabriel Igbinedion who at a point had Okada Airlines, John Mohmoh, Tony Mohmoh, and I can go on and on and on.

So, Edo is not a place where people will vote with cut their nose to spite their face. Edo people are too intelligent to follow APC blindly. That is why they sent all their garrison commanders to overwhelm the people of Edo state. That’s what he did. It was a blistering attack on our people. And what is worse is when a thief has convinced himself that he is the owner of a property. That’s the worst thing that is good on in Nigeria right now. A thief convincing himself. In fact, when a thief after succeeding in stealing, goes ahead to do praise and worship. That’s the worst part. It was “Operation Oga Wants it”. I heard about it before the thing was concluded. I will come back and speak about Obaseki. I will speak about PDP. I will force some claims where necessary. I won’t hide everything from it. Even PDP is not perfect. That’s my party. It’s not a perfect party right now. We have serious issues which must be addressed publicly because it’s of public interest.

So now these people convince themselves that they truly won in Edo state. What’s a travesty of justice. What an insult upon injury. What Babadash! God is very patient that is why people think they can occupy everywhere. What they have done is a rehearsal. They have just they are preparing for future elections. So that when tomorrow comes, the same garrison commanders will go from state to state and take over those states. It is civilian coup. That’s why they are appointing bad character to govern Nigeria. What I tell people is the story of Chief MKO Abiola. If he had died in his house, he would have just been remembered as a billionaire, but God loved him, he won the election and God used that to forgive him of all sins. MKO did not die a useless billionaire, he died as a martyr. That’s the highest level any man can reach in this life. I’m so happy for him. Extremely happy. I’m extremely proud of him.

People say I speak truth, I was born in Aladura church. I’m a child of destiny. I believe in destiny. Will not place my life or my faith in the hands of man. I’ll place it in the hands of God. I don’t have money. I struggle, but I have struggled to send my children to school; the best I can afford, and I’m struggling to run a business that today is more difficult to run because of the bad governance everywhere. Like I’ve said, this is not anything personal about Tinubu. But what he owes me and you are good governance. I will applaud him. I will give him a standing ovation. Nigerians are too brilliant to become what we have become. Rented, the wretched of the earth. If you ever read Franz Fanon, the book by Franz Fanon, titled The Wretched of the Earth, they turned us into beggars. We are no longer respected like we used to globally that’s all I’m begging Tinubu, I want you to disappoint those who said your government will be bad that’s the kind of positive disappointment we need from you. Disappointment can be in 2 ways. 1 is negative, the other is positive. When you don’t expect a man to perform and he performs, that’s the best form of disappointment. Edo state is a template, but the reason I’m bothered is not because, Asue Ighodalo lost ooo. It’s not because a PC 1, it is because this government is beginning to force Nigerians to plan ahead for them. No all Nigerians believe in peace like us, we have seen it all before. And we don’t want chaos in our country.

There is nothing these politicians want that Nigeria has not provided for them. Everything they want, Nigeria has given to them. Why can’t they just give something back to their country? I don’t if I wanted to have this money for tomato and pepper and all that when they give you rice. Instead of creating the entrepreneurs, India is creating millions of entrepreneurs, China is creating millions of entrepreneurs, Nigeria is creating rice merchants. Even if you can’t create one million entrepreneurs, create ten thousand. There is no part of Nigeria you will go to, you will not find Nigerians who are doing great things. Turn the South-East of Nigeria into a Slicone Valley, you will have engineers and even scientist greater than Isaac Newton. There is no where you will go that you won’t find Nigeria during great things. Why can’t they do it back home? So, Edo state on my mind. It is sad that these guys took Edu people for a ride. They they totally obliterated any form of resistance. You know when armed robbers invade your house, even if you have a gun in the house, you can’t shoot because you don’t know who will shoot faster. That’s what happened. Edo people were taken by surprise. By surprise, they just came in. In their helicopter, in their private jets, in everything, they invaded our space. And were all tongue tied. Until they left and went back and did their praise and worship, Edo people did not wake up from their nightmare. I’m sure right now, a lot of people have called me from Edo to say we didn’t vote for a APC. These people came and voted for themselves. So, and there was nothing we could do. We are still complaining about hunger. We don’t want to get killed, though. Poor people, hapless, helpless, hopeless at this stage. But help will come from God. Yeah, I don’t mind anybody wins. Please don’t get me wrong. It’s not this way, but it has to wait any longer. It’s about the process and the procedure. It’s not about Aswe doing it. Anybody who knows me knows that whoever wins, you are a winner, but win clearly. Don’t jack power and run with it, I jack power legitimately, I will applaud you. None of them is my enemy. Nobody is my enemy.

But in recent time, Uncle Adam has become too reactionary. A lot of our old comrade that we used to respect, they suddenly become reactionary. We didn’t know that they were comrades so that they can grab power. And after grabbing power, they will abandon the people that used to call them comrades. I didn’t know. The deceived us.

Anytime of Uncle Adams speaks now, I’m shaking like, is this the same man who used to pray, who used to lead people on the streets to demonstrate A man of fire. Suddenly, you change. It is not fair on those of us who believed in you and I’m saying it publicly. Uncle Adams, it is not fair on those of us who followed you and believed that you will be different in politics.

I remember when you were chasing this power. The time has come for you sir. If you don’t retire from politics please learn to be sober in politics. Our days are numbered. I number my own days. If I’m lucky to get to age 80 in my life, right now I’m less, I have less than 16 years to get to 80. I number it everyday. As recommended by the holy book, the Bible. Please number your days. This is not how you want to be remembered. That you are joining people who will grab power, by all means, because you want to seek revenge or vengeance against Obaseki. And I’m happy about what happened in our Oba of Benin’s palace. The fantastic king. You gave the impression that he advised you against your support for Obaseki. And the Oba said, no, I never said such a thing publicly. Egbon, as I call you, it is time for sober reflections. There is no sin that God cannot forgive. I’m not God. But you need I don’t know if you are a Catholic, if you are a Catholic, go and see the reverend father and ask God for forgiveness. You don’t need all this rascality. It’s not necessary. You don’t need it.

I have no problem with you supporting Tinubu. Tinubu supported you too, but don’t carry it too far. We all have people who have supported us in life, but our nation is bigger than any friendship. I don’t think I’ve ever spoken like this, but it’s gotten to a stage where we must all speak up. Especially those who have the voices and have the platform to speak up. We must all speak up and beg our friends in power to cool temper. Power is too transcient. It is very sad.

Now I wanted to talk about PDP and Obaseki and all that. I disagree vehemently with Governor Obaseki when he was fighting his deputy, for example. And I made every effort to speak to some of our mutual friends that they should intervene. In life, no matter what happens, I preach against vindictiveness. The governor felt to be betrayed by the deputy. The deputy felt the governor was undermining him. It doesn’t matter. Both of you, whether you like it or not, even if you are together, the end has come now. In another couple of days or weeks, you are both gone. So what are you fighting for?

I thought the governor could have managed that better. You see, because there is a saying in Yoruba, If there are no cracks in the walls, no lizard or anything will be able to penetrate. What the APC people are using now is the division everywhere, and they are deliberately escalating those divisions in Labour Party, in PDP, and other party. That is what they are doing. It is deliberate. They want to have a one-party state. If Tinubu continues like this, he cannot win a free and fair election in Nigeria. It is not possible. They know that if they create enough division, they will hide under that excuse to unleash terror on Nigeria. That’s all.

When I told people then that if Tinubu gets the ticket of APC, it will be difficult for anyone to defeat him. I said it. I never denied that I didn’t say I didn’t say it, but I said there are Yeah. I said it. I didn’t say I didn’t say it, but I said there was also one man who could counter him. I’m a very practical person and because I went to a good school, University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. I knew about how to do research, and I knew how to scout for the best materials anywhere, whether in business or in politics. And I said it. I said PDP would have to raise a formidable candidate against Tinubu, and let everybody rally around me, and then they can have a good fight. I will not tell you what happened.

Wike was interested. Atiku was interested. I was interested. But what happened? Peter Obi was interested. One of the brightest new forces in Nigeria. He came out forcefully, but his force alone would have been difficult to wipe out the forces of Asiwaju, a Maccabilian politician. You see, those who believe in Maccabile, they will do anything to grab power. So, a gentle man cannot grab power from them. They are the people, the people like. It doesn’t matter if they are suffering another strong leader, but they are happy. That’s the kind of person that Asiwaju is. So, the only person who had the network but needed support from others was Atiku Abubakar. That is not because I worked under him or anything, nothing. I’m just saying my own. You don’t have to agree with me. He’s the only man fully picked up, but he’s too much of a gentleman.

Gentlemen, you will find it difficult to take on Tinubu. I am saying publicly today. If you like, be the most brilliant Nigerian. Get the ticket of your party. Last week, I read somewhere that my dear brother friend, Rabiu Musa Kwankaso says he will contest again and he will defeat anybody. I love you sir. Don’t waste your time and resources. If you guys cannot come together and agree on one leader, even if only for one time, you will sign an agreement between you, all of you coming together, sign an agreement that this is our leader, this is our number 2, and this is our 4th shadow cabinet immediately against this APC. You are going nowhere, all of you. What you need right now is a formidable, and I know that the North has the capacity because they are not afraid by the like most people, the politics is in their DNA. They are very strong when it comes to politics. So it will be difficult for anybody to bully them the way we’re bullied in Edo state. It’s bullying. The only the only way, the only way APC will continue to win is by bullying. If you don’t bully them back…Do you think when they took out, Jonathan that time, that’s why they brought they knew that Buhari could not perform. They knew that Buhari was weak, but they knew that Buhari was the only person who had that force behind him from the north who could take on the PDP bezimos. They knew, right now, take it or leave it. Let every individual stand on his own and see how Nigeria will suffer. And if you are not careful after Tinubu, other will take charge are warming up. And you won’t be able to stop them.

If we all continue to be selfish, and think we can do it individually, nothing will happen. We all know the clear person that can take on Tinubu. Politics have become warfare in Nigeria. If you are unable to assemble enough generals against them, when force meets force. Like Isaac Newton said, actions and reactions are always equal and opposite. If you are not able to do that, we are going nowhere. So let’s all there’s no point doing a wasting your money on election.

I’ve told all my friends. I have friends who are fanatical about Peter Obi, some of them live in America. I’ve told them, I said, I know my brother, Peter is not desperate for power. He is brilliant. He deserves to get it, and Igbo man deserves to be president. But the Yorubas will say, you first of all chase away the hyenas before you come back to the Chicken. The reality today is that if all the forces are non mustard to get rid of APC, APC will soon become a monarchy where you will transfer power from father up to the 4th generation. You mark my word.

If you like, abuse me as usual. Oh, he doesn’t know anything. I know what I’m talking about. When you see Machiavellians, it’s only God that can rescue Nigeria. It’s only God at this day. It’s only God that can do it. Only God. Only God. You go and go and read the story of Mobutu Sese Seko in Zaire of old. Go and read the history. Go and read the history of Ofumvaye in Cote’dvoire. These things have happened elsewhere. People thought, oh, it’s a joke. It cannot happen. Before our very eyes, Donald Trump despite his roughness, his ruggedity, and everything. The man became president of America, the most powerful democracy on earth.

He forced his way to power, and he almost forced his way back to power before they took him out. And right now, the man is still struggling to write him off. I won’t write him off. I’m not a fan of Trump. I don’t like rough people. I don’t like people who are in. I don’t like people who are just reckless with everything they say and do. So that is my own opinion. I like gentle people. People think I support Atiku because of money. To note, Atiku don’t have one percent of Tinubu’s money. I know that for a fact. Atiku doesn’t control any state like Lagos in Nigeria. He doesn’t have one. Even Adamawa where he came from, the governor is supporting Wike and the rascality going on in PDP with our acting Chairman. When he was shedding crocodile tears in Edo, where was he when the rascality at Wadata Plaza in Abuja was going on. Wike is supporting Tinubu, you are supporting Wike. Simple logic, who are you now supporting, APC or PDP? That’s our own governor. Some of you have divided your own party. You don’t even know where you belong.

If they ask Wike, he will say no governor born of a woman can take him out of PDP. If they ask where he belong, he will say to work for Tinubu in 2027, and everybody is tongue tied, nobody can talk. With this, people will penetrate you because they know you are weak. They will continue to play on your weakness. If PDP was intact and all the governors of PDP were in town over the weekend for Asue, it would have been a different matter entirely, because then they knew that the mother hen is around. But when the mother hen is not available, the hen will soon become pepper soup. That’s what happened to us. They came fully prepared; led by the almighty Senate President, my good friend, Godswill Akpabio. The man is not afraid to show where he belongs. Right now, the executive and the legislature have merged. My country. Oh my god.

So I thank God for Nigeria. I love my country. I’m not telling anybody not to support their own party. Please feel free to support whatever your conscience tells you, but don’t support an then come and cry on social media. So, feel free to support who you like but I know one day God will help us. But heaven, I heard, help those who helped themselves. We must help ourselves. And, that that’s it.

So, help us spread the message of hope to our people. People have turned our hope into our business, but nothing is impossible. Maybe Tinubu will perform a magic and miracle, who knows? But I can tell you once it starts on a bad note, it usually ends on a bad note. That’s the one the history of Nigeria has taught me. When I said it during Buhari, people say I’m being too pessimistic. I’m not being pessimistic. It’s just reality. I would love to be able to go to Aso Rock too and relax and enjoy, you know, whatever they are enjoying. But trust me, that’s not all there is to life. I owe Tinubu something and what I owe him is genuine advice. He’s surrounded right now by lackeys and praise singers who will tell him all is well, all is not well. If you can hear me, all is not well. Don’t let them deceive you. We hear them. We see them. We all meet now. We’re all human beings. We are fellow Nigerian. We meet, and we know what they say behind. We know what they say. All is not well, Mr President. All is not well. Don’t let them deceive you. All is not well.

I’m sure you get security reports and feedback. Some of them might tell you because they know that’s what you want to hear. They might tell you, but if they tell you the truth, they will tell you that outside the shadow is tough. Mr. President, outside is very tough. I’m begging you in the name of God.

I see the way I’ve been watching you lately, the way you dismiss these things. They’re saying that Edo state is a testament to the fact that you are doing well and your policies are been appreciated by the people. It’s all lies. There is no way you can dress this thing on. So, don’t let people deceive you. Outside is tough, the rich are also crying.

You have to go back to the drawing board first. Your cabinet is very weak. The weakest I have seen. I love star-studded people. When you see a team that will perform, they will tell you they have just bought this player and all. That’s how you see a serious team. Or when you see a team that is buying people whose legs are already dead to come and play World Cup, you know that they are not ready. Your team is very weak. Forget about you owe people. You don’t owe anybody. You you owe yourself and God only to do well. That’s all. Not everybody realizes their dream in life. Not everybody can realize their dream in life. You’ve realize your dream. Whether by move, by crook, by whatever anybody says, it doesn’t matter any longer. You are the president of Nigeria. And what you owe Nigeria is good government, good governance. And that’s what we demand. It is not a fight.

If you are doing well, only a mad man will say you are not doing well. Even you yourself will know when you are doing well. It’s called self assessment, but if by your own assessment, you think Nigeria is where it should be right now. You say people should sacrifice and your people are not ready to sacrifice. How? People are fasting on our behalf but they see you eating all kinds of food. No disciples would have followed Jesus if he didn’t lead by example. That’s what I owe you sir. ‘Ema binu’.

My warmest regard to everyone at home, and abroad.

I love you .

I’m not doing it to impress anybody. I’m doing it for the sake of generations of born.

Many of our children don’t want to come back home. So how can we be happy? And it’s not everybody’s father that will have access to government money. So that’s the thing. So we have to work hard. We are not fighting government. It’s not a fight. I’m sorry. But if you think it’s a fight, sorry. I’m just picking my mind. It’s not a fight. It’s just the truth that must be told. So that when we all go to our God, we will say at least let it be said of us that we played our part. That’s all that’s all I want to benefit from it. I don’t want any I don’t want anybody to even praise me. I’m not doing it for for that. But people should learn to be very, very, conscious. Conscience is very important. Truth is very important. We’re not saying the government should be perfect. There is no perfect government anywhere. What we are saying is that there is a minimum standard you must not fall below.

Thank you all, thank you for thanking me, I’m not, it’s not by my power, I think it’s God just looking through me, God is just giving me the vision to talk to my people, to encourage them, not to waste this opportunity that God has given them. Even if you stole power, you already have power, do something with it. That’s all. That’s all. Nobody is fighting you again. We’ve left you God’s word.

We have seen the process. The process that Goodluck Jonathan left. We have wasted it. Why are we talking about Goodluck Jonathan today? Because he left a process no matter how bad the shortcomings of his own government, he left something that we will always remember.

He left a free and free election, and he left power when he was defeated. If he wanted to hang on to power, nothing would have happened. People would have died. They would have wasted lives, but he will be remembered for it too forever. You know?

So it’s not funny. It’s not funny. And what is going on in PDP, some people, when God has blessed them, they start playing God. When God has blessed you, don’t play God. If you are a Muslim, a Christian, animist, whatever you practice, let’s all come together and rescue our country.

What are the names of the ministers in the cabinet?

I swear to God Almighty and I’m not being cheeky. If you ask me to name 10 ministers out of, I don’t know how many they are now, maybe 30 something or 40 something, I won’t know them. I will struggle to remember just them. I will struggle, trust me. Whereas when we were younger, we used to know names of ministers, governors, commissioner in different states of Nigeria. Because they were all distinguished men and ladies.

So these days we don’t have such people again. Imagine Babangida’s government at that time is coming next. Oh my god. Those guys were hot. He picked them the best of the best. Imagine in foreign affairs, at 80, he is still of sound mind, very sound character.

Forget about the the mistake, the last error, which was the amendment of June 12. He had one of the best cabinets in Nigeria. Unforgettable.

Look at Yar’adua, he had Dora Akiyuli; God bless her soul. You remember good deeds no matter how long. Wole Soyinka as chairman of FRSC, Dr Tai Solarin; a socialist in People’s Bank, Helen Fawehinmi, that’s a great name from a great family. I’m from a great family. It taught me so much in life. Chief Gani Fawehinmi who drove to my wedding in Ijebu Igbo. I was one of those who worked actively with the late Yinka Odumakin to make him the Senior Advocate of the Masses at the University of Ife, when Nigeria would not recognize his brilliance as Senior Advocate of Nigeria, which he eventually got. I was within the day he was released from prison when he was handed over to the then Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuwade.

Things have happened in Nigeria. We know our history. That’s why we can say the things we are saying. We know Nigeria very well. And there was nobody. When it comes to Nigeria, there was nobody I did not fight. It didn’t matter. They eventually accepted me that I knew what I was saying.

Featured

Ogun State Clemency Impact Report by Hezekiah Deboboye Olujobi

Published

2 hours ago

July 7, 2026

Eric

Five case files involving seven individuals were reviewed by CJMR and presented to the Ogun State Board of Mercy, resulting in one full release and one sentence commutation.

OGUN STATE CLEMENCY AS A NATIONAL REFERENCE POINT

In a landmark demonstration of constitutional mercy and restorative justice, the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON, granted clemency to 81 inmates across correctional centres in celebration of Democracy Day. This reflects rehabilitation and humane correctional justice, including release from life imprisonment, commutation of death sentences, and reduction of custodial terms. However, beyond this gesture lies a national question: how many convictions across Nigeria still require urgent constitutional review?

MERCY DOES NOT EQUAL FINAL CERTAINTY

Mercy restores liberty; it does not necessarily establish the correctness of a conviction. Clemency may remove a person from the gallows or open the prison gate, but it does not automatically answer whether the original conviction was safe, complete, or supported by fully tested evidence. Common concerns include incomplete records, abandoned appeals, weak identification, disputed confessions, questionable dying declarations, and missing material witnesses.

OGUN STATE: BOARD OF MERCY REVIEW AND FULL CASE FILES

Five case files involving seven individuals were reviewed by CJMR and presented to the Ogun State Board of Mercy, resulting in one full release and one sentence commutation.

Adeyemi Faleye – Robbery
Musiliu Owolabi – Murder
Monsuru Mukaila & Abdullahi Ogundoyin – Robbery
Arinola Akinleye – Murder
Korede Odubela & Olalekan Lawal – Murder

OUTCOME OF THE FIVE CASE FILES

Adeyemi Faleye – Granted total freedom.
Musiliu Owolabi – Sentence commuted to ten years imprisonment.
Monsuru Mukaila and Abdullahi Ogundoyin – Death sentences had earlier been commuted to life imprisonment following CJMR’s 2024 presentation, but their applications did not receive further consideration during the current review.
Arinola Akinleye – Presented for review because of concerns surrounding the alleged dying declaration and the non-presentation of material evidence from the son.
Korede Odubela and Olalekan Lawal – Application not considered because the conviction was considered too recent.

This demonstrates structured engagement between CJMR case review and the Ogun State Board of Mercy clemency process, reflecting measurable impact on executive mercy decisions.

CASE STUDY ONE: ADEYEMI FALEYE – ROBBERY CONVICTION AND FORENSIC REVIEW

For fifteen years, Adeyemi Faleye, a taxi driver and father of twins, lived under the terrifying shadow of death following his conviction for armed robbery. In 2023, a court registrar who understood the mission of CJMR contacted the Centre concerning his case. That single contact opened the door to a fresh search for truth.

By 2024, CJMR had carefully reviewed the records of proceedings, the judgment, and the available court processes. What emerged was deeply troubling: serious questions surrounded the integrity, credibility, and reliability of the evidence upon which Adeyemi Faleye’s conviction had been founded.

The Beginning of the Ordeal

On 28 February 2011, Adeyemi Faleye left home in search of his daily bread. According to him, while travelling from Aferiku towards Idiroko, his vehicle developed a mechanical fault at Mede. While waiting for his mechanic, he was apprehended by members of the OPC vigilante group on the basis that there was a robbery incidence that happened in the previous night. That arrest marked the beginning of a fifteen-year nightmare. He was subsequently charged with conspiracy and armed robbery and was sentenced to death by hanging on 13 February 2018. Throughout the trial, he maintained his innocence.

CJMR’s Intervention

As part of its prison ministry and wrongful conviction review programme, CJMR visited Adeyemi Faleye in custody. Following his persistent claim of innocence, CJMR undertook an independent forensic review of the judgment, witness testimonies and court records.

Issue One: The Arrest Narrative Collapsed

Adeyemi stated that he was arrested around 8:30 a.m. beside his broken-down vehicle by OPC vigilantes. However, police witnesses presented conflicting accounts, including a claim that he was arrested after a gun battle near the scene of the crime. The OPC vigilantes who allegedly arrested him never testified. If he was arrested beside his vehicle, how could he simultaneously have been arrested at the scene after a gun battle?

Issue Two: Material Contradictions in Prosecution Timeline

The prosecution witnesses presented conflicting timelines: PW1 stated he was robbed at his petrol station at about 8:00 p.m. on 27 February 2011; PW2 stated the robbery occurred at about 10:00 p.m. on 27 February 2011; These two people are petrol stations owners in the same environment. PW3 recorded the report time as 3:10 a.m. on 28 February 2011; PW4 stated the incident occurred at about 1:00 a.m. on 28 February 2011, while the accused maintained that he was arrested at about 8:30 a.m on 28 February, 2011. These are material contradictions. Furthermore, no substantial amount of money was recovered from the accused as proceeds of the alleged robbery, and no petrol station attendant or other independent witness testified to corroborate that a robbery occurred on the night of 27 February 2011.

Issue Three: The Confessional Statement

The conviction rested substantially on an alleged confessional statement. Adeyemi denied making the statement and maintained that it was written by the police. The unavoidable question is: who truly made the statement? Significantly, the investigating police officer admitted during cross-examination that he wrote the statement on behalf of the accused. The statement itself conflicted with the prosecution’s timeline. According to the statement, the robbery occurred around midnight or 1:00 a.m., whereas prosecution witnesses placed the incident between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Issue Four: The Question of Reason and Logic

The prosecution’s narrative suggested that armed robbers remained around the vicinity of the crime scene for many hours after the robbery. Is it probable that armed robbers would remain in the same environment for as long as twelve hours waiting to be arrested? No independent witness testified about any gun battle, no petrol attendant testified, and no forensic evidence linked Adeyemi to the alleged crime.

The Turning Point: When the Trial Judge Spoke Beyond the Law

After sentencing Adeyemi Faleye to death, the learned trial judge recommended him for executive pardon. This recommendation was highly significant. It suggested lingering concerns regarding the totality of the evidence and the moral certainty required to justify the irreversible punishment of death. For CJMR, this recommendation became one of the strongest pillars upon which its intervention was anchored. When a judge convicts with the law but pleads for mercy, it may mean that the law has spoken, but justice is still unsettled.

CJMR’s First Intervention in 2024

Following its forensic review, CJMR prepared and presented a comprehensive petition to the Ogun State Board of Mercy in 2024. The petition highlighted contradictory evidence, conflicting accounts of arrest, failure to call material witnesses, and the doubtful confessional statement. Upon review, the authorities commuted Adeyemi’s sentence from death to life imprisonment. While this removed him from the shadow of the gallows, CJMR maintained that the case pointed to a possible wrongful conviction.

CJMR Returns to the Case in 2026

In 2026, CJMR embarked on a wider exercise of gathering complaints of wrongful convictions across the South-West. During this process, thirty-two complaints were received. Out of these, fourteen cases involving nineteen persons were carefully selected for further review and intervention. It was within this broader justice initiative that CJMR revisited the case of Adeyemi Faleye and once again approached the Ogun State Board of Mercy. This time, CJMR argued that mercy alone was insufficient. The Board was urged to consider the totality of the evidence, the contradictions in the prosecution’s case, the doubtful confessional statement, and the recommendation of the trial judge himself. CJMR maintained that where substantial doubt exists, justice demands more than commutation. It demands freedom.

CASE STUDY TWO: MONSURU MUKAILA AND ABDULLAHI OGUNDOYIN – TRUCK DRIVER AND MOTOR BOY CASE

The case of Monsuru Mukaila and Abdullahi Ogundoyin also raises serious questions deserving public attention. They were reportedly a truck driver and motor boy who were chartered by a man to load iron rods from a site to Berger. According to available information, the person who allegedly chartered them later ran away, while the driver and motor boy were apprehended.

Police investigation reportedly revealed that the man who chartered them was later arrested and subsequently released. The iron rods were also returned to the owner, who reportedly showed no further interest in pursuing the matter. It was alleged that a security guard was tied during the incident, which formed part of the basis upon which the matter was treated as armed robbery.

However, further concern arose when an allegedly exorbitant amount was demanded for bail. This reportedly led to an argument between the police and the driver. Following this disagreement, the driver and motor boy were charged to court for armed robbery and were eventually sentenced to death.

Upon reviewing the case, CJMR presented it to the Ogun State Board of Mercy. The outcome was the commutation of their death sentences to life imprisonment.

This case deserves further review because it raises important questions about the original complainant’s interest, the role of the person who allegedly chartered the vehicle, the return of the property, the alleged bail demand, and whether the full facts were properly weighed before the sentence of death was imposed.

CASE STUDY THREE: ARINOLA AKINLEYE – QUESTIONS SURROUNDING THE DYING DECLARATION

The case of Mrs. Arinola Akinleye raises important questions deserving careful review. Mrs. Arinola Akinleye was convicted in connection with the death of her husband following a mysterious fire incident. A significant aspect of the prosecution’s case was an alleged dying declaration said to have been recorded by the police.

However, the circumstances surrounding the alleged dying declaration raise serious concerns. According to her son, who remained with his father until his final breath, no such declaration was made identifying the cause of the fire or implicating his mother. He maintains that his father passed away without making any statement concerning how the fire occurred or who was responsible.

Available information further indicates that immediately after the incident, Mrs. Akinleye sought assistance by inviting a neighbour to help rescue her husband. While accompanying him to the hospital, the neighbour reportedly diverted to a police station and handed Mrs. Akinleye over to the police.

Another matter of concern is that the son, who was present with the deceased during his final moments and could potentially have provided direct evidence regarding whether any dying declaration was made, was not called as a witness during the trial. It must also be noted that counsel to the defendant reportedly raised the issue that the prosecution shielded away the evidence of Arinola’s son because of the possible impact his evidence could have had on the case.

These circumstances raise important questions: Was the alleged dying declaration accurately recorded? Why was the testimony of the deceased’s son, who remained with him until death, not presented before the court? Could his evidence have assisted the court in determining whether any dying declaration was ever made? Was all relevant evidence placed before the trial court?

These questions do not, by themselves, determine innocence or guilt. However, they highlight issues that may warrant careful post-conviction review to ensure that justice is not only done but is also seen to have been done.

Legal Significance

A dying declaration can constitute important evidence in criminal proceedings. Where credible questions arise concerning whether such a declaration was actually made, or where a material witness capable of clarifying the issue is not called to testify, those matters may deserve careful scrutiny during post-conviction review. Such review does not undermine the courts; rather, it strengthens public confidence in the administration of justice by ensuring that convictions rest upon reliable and fully examined evidence.

CASE STUDY FOUR: KOREDE ODUBELA AND OLALEKAN LAWAL – RECENT CONVICTION AND REVIEW CONCERN

Korede Odubela, a 75-year-old man, and his wife were arrested in 2013 on allegations relating to the death of their daughter. They were arraigned alongside seven other persons arrested for unrelated offences. On 14 May 2025, the wife and four other accused persons were discharged and acquitted, while Korede Odubela and Olalekan Lawal were convicted and sentenced to death for murder. Their application for clemency was not considered because the conviction was considered too recent.

This case remains important to the report because it reflects the need for transparency in case review and the need to understand why some accused persons are discharged while others arising from the same broad proceedings are convicted. It also shows why a structured post-conviction review mechanism should not depend only on the passage of time but should also consider the nature of the evidence, the role of each accused person, and whether there are unresolved questions requiring attention.

OYO STATE: ABANDONED AND STALLED JUSTICE

Alao Tunde – Like Musiliu Owolabi in Ogun State, his appeal was struck out in 2024, yet he remains in custody on the allegation of armed robbery, the offence he obviously did not commit. Tunde Adewole – Arrested in 2010 on the allegation of murder he obviously did not commit and on death row since 2015 without meaningful appeal progression. Friday Okoro – Arrested in 2009 along with his case mate on the allegation of armed robbery and convicted in 2014; his co-defendants were released in 2015 while his conviction was reaffirmed in 2024.

OSUN STATE: EXTENDED INCARCERATION WITHOUT RESOLUTION

Victor Akpoyibo has spent about 25 years in custody while his Supreme Court appeal has reportedly remained inactive since 2014. Ibrahim Ayuba’s appeal has reportedly not been heard at the Court of Appeal since 2018. Richard Adesanmi’s appeal failed in 2017 without meaningful progression thereafter.

EKITI STATE: CASES TRAPPED IN UNCERTAINTY

Kayode Seun was sentenced to life imprisonment on the allegation of kidnapping in controversial circumstances with an inconclusive appellate outcome. Ayodele Oladimeji remains a case of concern after being sentenced to life imprisonment on an allegation of rape despite questions surrounding the absence of the victim in court and disputed medical evidence. Abdulrashid Mutairu was arrested at 17 in 2017 and convicted in 2020 along with three others including his mother on an allegation of murder; his mother died in prison during the appeal process in the Supreme Court.

LAGOS STATE: NEED FOR STRUCTURED REVIEW

Lagos State cases involve disputed confessions, weak identification, long-term imprisonment, and abandoned appeals requiring systematic review. Many convicts remain helpless and hopeless without meaningful appeal support.

CJMR NATIONAL COMPILATION (2025)

CJMR compiled 14 wrongful conviction complaints involving about 20 individuals across South-West Nigeria. Only Ogun State has engaged meaningfully with review processes; others remain largely unresponsive.

NATIONAL PATTERN OF CONCERN

Recurring issues include abandoned appeals, missing records, prolonged detention without review, incomplete evidential foundations, disputed confessions, questionable dying declarations, and non-presentation of material witnesses.

CONSTITUTIONAL IMPLICATION

Justice is not only conviction but continuous constitutional reviewability of convictions within a reasonable time. The establishment of independent conviction review panels to examine post-conviction claims would serve as a corrective mechanism and provide a faster avenue for justice.

AFTER FIFTEEN YEARS

After fifteen painful years of incarceration, the Ogun State Government under Governor Dapo Abiodun granted Adeyemi Faleye amnesty. The taxi driver who once stood under the shadow of the gallows walked out of prison a free man. Musiliu Owolabi, whose case was struck out at the Court of Appeal, had his sentence commuted to ten years imprisonment. Their stories remind us that the search for justice does not end with conviction. Truth, persistence and restorative justice can still prevail.

Releasing individuals into society without clarifying the circumstances that led to their imprisonment may permanently attach stigma to persons who may not have committed the offences. If indeed a judicial error occurred, would Adeyemi Faleye ever receive an apology?

But this is not about one freed man. It is about the many still behind bars. It is about the silent prisoners whose case files are gathering dust in High Courts and Courts of Appeal across Nigeria. It is about those whose appeals have died quietly in registry drawers. It is about those who have been forgotten by the system but not by conscience.

THE REAL QUESTION BEFORE THE NATION

If one case file reviewed carefully can lead to the discovery of doubt and eventual freedom, then how many more files across Nigeria contain similar injustice waiting to be uncovered? CJMR respectfully urges Attorneys-General and Boards of Mercy to conduct comprehensive reviews of identified cases in the interest of justice, fairness, and constitutional responsibility.

THE REASON FOR THIS REPORT

When an appeal has been exhausted, even up to the Supreme Court, yet an individual continues to cry persistently on the claim of innocence, should that cry simply be ignored?

This report answers that question in the negative.

The finality of judicial proceedings is essential to the rule of law, but finality should not extinguish the search for truth where credible questions continue to arise. History has shown that wrongful convictions can occur despite the existence of appellate safeguards.

Whenever a prisoner persistently maintains innocence, society has a moral and constitutional responsibility to pause, listen, and carefully examine whether new evidence, overlooked facts, incomplete records, evidential contradictions, or other exceptional circumstances warrant further review.

The purpose of such review is not to undermine the courts or reopen every concluded case indiscriminately. Rather, it is to strengthen public confidence in the administration of justice by ensuring that no potentially innocent person remains imprisoned simply because all ordinary avenues of appeal have been exhausted.

This is the reason for this report.

CONCLUSION

Nigeria must move from isolated clemency to institutionalised conviction review systems. One potentially innocent person in prison is a constitutional responsibility awaiting correction.

CJMR does not seek to weaken the administration of justice. Rather, it seeks to strengthen public confidence in the justice system by ensuring that credible claims of wrongful conviction receive careful, impartial, and timely review.

SCRIPTURAL FOUNDATION

The motive of CJMR is based on the command of Scripture:

Proverbs 31:8–9 calls us to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and to ensure justice for those being crushed.
Psalm 82:3–4 calls for justice for the poor, the orphan, the oppressed and the destitute, and for the helpless to be rescued.
Proverbs 24:11–12 warns against ignoring those unjustly sentenced to die and reminds us that God weighs the heart and judge’s human action.

When questions of innocence arise, the law provides the framework for determining the truth, but conscience often provides the reason to begin the search. Whenever a person persistently cries out in innocence, someone should pause, listen, investigate, and allow the evidence to be carefully re-examined. Where error is discovered, the oppressed should be vindicated.

Thanks to those individual, churches and organization supporting this cause, may God bless you abundantly.

I want to sincerely thank our team at the CJMR for your commitment to the vision may the Lord reward you abundantly.

Signed:

Hezekiah Deboboye Olujobi CRJ
Founder, Centre for Justice, Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR)

Centre for Justice, Mercy and Reconciliation is a grassroots organisation focusing on advocacy on behalf of those on death row and persons detained unjustly in South-West correctional centres, with remarkable achievements.

Contact: www.cjmr.com.ng | 08030488093

Featured

A Dream at 35, 000 Feet

Published

3 hours ago

July 7, 2026

Eric

By ‘dayo Adedayo

Some dreams are born in the silence of the night. Mine was born somewhere above the clouds.

At exactly 11:03 a.m. on 19 June 2003, aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight from Lagos to London, an idea suddenly came to me. As a Virgin Atlantic Gold Card holder, I had been given one of their black notebooks.

Throughout my travels, I filled it with thoughts, sketches and ideas that I hoped one day would become reality.

That morning, one page changed everything.

The idea was remarkably simple.

I wanted to build a place where every state in Nigeria would have its own room, telling its own story through photographs, objects and experiences. At the heart of it all would be one grand gallery dedicated to Nigeria itself, a celebration of the very best our nation has to offer.

It was only a thought.

A thought written in black ink.

A thought patiently waiting for its appointed time.

The years rolled by, but the dream refused to fade. Instead, it grew stronger.

I travelled relentlessly across Nigeria, documenting our people, cultures, festivals, landscapes, architecture, wildlife and traditions. Every journey added another piece to the puzzle. Every photograph strengthened my conviction that Nigeria deserved to be seen through a different lens.

Then, about eight years ago, I decided it was finally time to give the dream a physical address.

And then came another unforgettable day.

At exactly 11:20 a.m. on 15 October 2022, the first shovel pierced the earth and construction of the DAP Experience Centre, Lagos officially began.

Nineteen years had passed since that life-changing moment aboard the Virgin Atlantic flight.

As the first scoop of earth was lifted, it felt as though every kilometre travelled across Nigeria, every photograph ever taken, every museum visited around the world, every obstacle encountered and every prayer whispered had led to that very moment.

The foundation being dug that morning was more than the beginning of a building.

It was the foundation of a dream that had patiently waited almost two decades for its appointed time.

Through a friend, I approached one of Nigeria’s finest architectural firms, Adeniyi Coker Consultants Limited (ACCL).

I had only one instruction.

The building had to be intentional.

It had to be contemporary.

It had to be timeless.

It had to be impossible to tell where the front ended and the back began because the site sits between the Lekki–Epe Expressway and T. F. Kuboye Road in Oniru, Lekki.

The lead architect, Mr. Yinka Ogundairo, supported by Mr. Tunde Adegbenro and Mr. Olabode Fakorede, produced a design that completely blew my mind.

Before putting pencil to paper, they researched some of the finest museums and galleries across Europe and America. Every lesson learnt from those iconic institutions found its way into the drawings placed before me.

That was when I knew I had to experience them for myself.

My research took me through 46 cities across the world, visiting museums, galleries, visitor attractions and cultural centres to understand what makes people curious enough to walk through a door and inspired enough to leave wanting to return.

I remain deeply grateful to the French Embassy for granting me a multi-year visa after reading the passionate letter I wrote explaining the research journey I intended to undertake. Their belief in my vision became part of this remarkable story.

What stands today as the DAP Experience Centre, Lagos, is therefore not an accident.

It is the product of twenty-three years of dreaming, researching, travelling, documenting and refusing to give up.

The journey, however, was anything but easy.

Obtaining planning approval took almost two years. During construction, advances in digital technology compelled us to redesign sections of the building, sacrificing two planned floors so the Centre could embrace the future rather than become outdated before opening.

By the end of the project, my face had become considerably darker than the rest of my body.

Construction under the Lagos sun has a way of changing one’s complexion! 😂😂😂

Together with UF-A Consultants as Structural Engineers, MFA as Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, and Ladchrislord as Civil Engineers, an extraordinary team transformed an idea into reality.

Yet the building itself tells a story long before anyone steps inside.

It proudly stands on three giant visible pillars, symbolising the three great regions upon which Nigeria stood at Independence in 1960.

The building has six principal sides and a smaller seventh, representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory.

Scattered across the structure are 154 windows of varying sizes.

Each window represents one of the 154 destinations every Nigerian should experience before returning to their Maker.

At the entrance, visitors will find the complete list, allowing them to tick off where they have been and discover where they should go next.

The building also contains 98 steps, representing 98 fascinating places to visit within Lagos State. These, too, will be listed so visitors can continue exploring Lagos long after leaving the Centre.

Perhaps the most unusual feature is what you will not find.

Very few perfectly straight walls.

Very few perfectly straight windows.

That is deliberate.

Life itself is rarely straight.

Each generation simply contributes its own little part before leaving the rest for those who follow.

Our ambition stretches far beyond bricks and concrete.

We are bringing a touch of Times Square in New York to Nigeria by wrapping sections of the complex, including the security building, energy room, water treatment plant and parts of the ground-floor façade, with giant LED displays celebrating the very best of Nigeria.

The experience begins immediately you walk through our doors.

The ground floor welcomes visitors with a café, to be operated by Cafe One, alongside a merchandise store offering more than 500 carefully curated Nigerian souvenirs.

On the first floor lies our digital experience.

Visitors will experience Nigeria through an immersive 5D theatre unlike anything currently available in Africa.

Then comes one of our signature attractions, the Boat Room.

Without leaving the building, visitors will journey by boat from Marina in Lagos into the Atlantic Ocean, through the creeks of the Niger Delta, onward to Onitsha, up to the majestic Confluence at Lokoja, before returning once again to Lagos.

The same floor also houses a Documentary Theatre and a Photography Library for students, researchers and photography enthusiasts.

The next level celebrates analogue photography.

Here, visitors will trace the evolution of photography from the humble pinhole camera to today’s mobile phone.

Original equipment, historic exhibitions and a fully operational traditional darkroom will allow younger generations to witness how photographs were created before the digital age.

Returning to the ground floor, visitors can transform their own photographs into treasured keepsakes, from framed prints and throw pillows to key holders, rings, fridge magnets and many other personalised souvenirs celebrating Nigeria.

The DAP Experience Centre is for everyone.

For children discovering their country for the first time.

For families seeking unforgettable experiences.

For schools extending learning beyond the classroom.

For tourists searching for authentic Nigeria.

For researchers, historians, photographers and lovers of culture.

And for every Nigerian who has ever wondered just how beautiful this nation truly is.

Within these walls, you will travel across Nigeria without leaving the comfort of one building.

You will meet our people.

Discover our history.

Celebrate our diversity.

Experience our culture.

And, perhaps for the very first time, see Nigeria not through headlines, but through her beauty.

That little idea written into a black notebook at 35,000 feet has finally found its home on the ground.

Welcome to the DAP Experience Centre, Lagos.

Welcome to Nigeria.

Featured

Court Reserves Ruling in Times Multimedia Suit Against Afreximbank Over CAX IP Dispute

Published

2 days ago

July 5, 2026

Eric

By Andrew Orolua

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has reserved ruling in the intellectual property suit between Times Multimedia Ltd. and the African Export-Import Bank, Afreximbank, and others, following arguments on a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

The matter came up on Thursday, July 2, 2026, before Honourable Justice Osiagor.

Times Multimedia Ltd., a Nigerian media and events company, is the originator and registered proprietor of “CAX” – the Creative Africa Exchange.

Court documents state that Times Multimedia conceived CAX in 2017/2018 as a continental trade and investment platform designed to finance, market, and monetize Africa’s creative and cultural industries. In 2018, the company formally presented the CAX concept, framework, and business model to Afreximbank for partnership and institutional backing.

Following engagements with Times Multimedia on the CAX proposal, Afreximbank in 2020 launched its own initiative known as the Creative Africa Nexus, CANEX. Times Multimedia alleges that CANEX substantially adopted the core concept, objectives, and structure of CAX without license, attribution, or contractual agreement, leading to the present suit for intellectual property infringement.

Afreximbank and other defendants filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection, contending that the bank enjoys immunity from judicial proceedings in Nigeria under the _Afreximbank Establishment Agreement, 1993_, Section 9 of the _Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges Act_, Cap D1, LFN 2004, and the _African Export-Import Bank (Privileges and Immunities) Order, 2014_.

Afreximbank was established in October 1993 by African governments and investors to promote intra-African trade. Nigeria is a founding signatory. Article 50 of the Establishment Agreement provides that the Bank enjoys immunity from legal process except to the extent that it expressly waives such immunity.

Counsel to Times Multimedia Ltd. opposed the objection. Counsel argued that the immunity claimed by Afreximbank is not absolute, and that the same Establishment Agreement contains provisions contemplating circumstances where the bank may be sued or subjected to judicial proceedings, particularly in respect of commercial transactions.

The claimant’s legal team further urged the court to interpret the relevant instruments holistically and to avoid any construction that would unjustifiably deny an aggrieved Nigerian entity access to court in the absence of a clear and express exclusion of the court’s jurisdiction, as guaranteed under Section 6(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.

Counsel for both sides argued extensively for over one hour. At the end of proceedings, Justice Osiagor reserved the matter for ruling and adjourned the case to Monday, 29 September 2026.

The ruling will determine whether the suit can proceed against Afreximbank before the Federal High Court.