All The Interviews @ Global Excellence Magazine’s 23rd Anniversary

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Society must give women freedom to express themselves Rights activist, Adetoun Onajobi

Toun Onajobi

Adetoun Onajobi is famous as a social media and human rights activist. Through her consistent social media campaigns, Adetoun notes in this interview with the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT that there have been steady changes in the Nigerian political setting as well as the way children and women are treated in a society that she believes is patriarchal. Although, she admits, the consequence of lending her voice to entrench a just and fair society affects her personality and what she stands for, she remains unyielding in her resolve. Beautiful Adetoun also revealed certain secrets her followers might not know about her, one of which is her silver-spoon background; the mouth-watering deals offered her to dump her ‘noisemaking’ and join in ‘eating’, peace in her marriage. And many more. Excerpts…

  

You’re, no doubt, a celebrity lady by the normal standards. How would you describe your experience stepping into the limelight?

Well, everybody is a celebrity. I can say I’m a known figure, a public figure. And obviously, someone like me would be in the limelight. I would always be in the news, for controversy or public affairs because I’m always on the government’s neck, which I feel is one of my rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, I don’t feel anyhow. I’m just in my space, and anybody can be in that space.

Many people believe the tigress in you is always on display when you do your talk shows, what is your calm moment like?

The irony of it is that I’m a very quiet and shy person. But when you have to deal with issues like the one I do, you have to come out with your pain; the tigress is the pain that we feel, the pain that the common man feels. The tigress is the pain that we see our children go through, the tigress is what the system is showing us. The Bible says that ‘out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh’. So, whatever comes out of my mouth is definitely the sign of the pain that I’m going through inside of me.

Is it in your character to speak for the other person or you do this just for doing sake?

It has been me ever since I was young. I’ve always believed that we’re not all the same. Some people want to talk but they don’t have the opportunity, some people have the opportunity but they are scared. In this society that we are in, culture also plays a key role in the ability of the common man to speak; the fear of how it affects the family name, the fear of societal stigma, the fear of threats and so on. Basically, a lot of people are subdued. And for people like us who don’t feel threatened by anything, obviously we would speak on behalf of others. You see, we are all one, whether one person is big, one person is small or one person is rich, one person is poor, we’re one family. I can pick up a gateman, I can pick up a housemaid and we would still end up living in the same house. No matter the disparity that we want to attach to it, we are all one. So, for me, my voice is for everybody, not mine alone.

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What really inspired you to create content for your social media talk show?

Basically, what triggered me is the fact that, over the years we’ve come to realize that the Nigerian system has gone so bad. The government people feel that they are not questionable and answerable to anyone.  And the truth of the matter is that, no matter what it is, the government has to be answerable to the people. Here, I realized that our problem has become contempt. For instance, the redesigning of the Naira notes, everybody is just shouting. We talk on our social media spaces but do we make any move, no we don’t. So, understanding this has put a lot of pressure on my conscience to speak out.

 

Women are already finding their voices and speaking up more. What does this portend for social change?

If more women are coming out to talk now, I think there would be a huge pressure to drive change. An average woman should look at it that, even in your home, if you want to collect something from your husband, the husband can say he doesn’t have. But the next thing is when you mount pressure, the husband always succumbs. So, if women keep coming out, the association of men, the association of thugs, rogue politicians and leaders who feel they’re not answerable to anybody would start conducting themselves in proper manners. And there would be a positive impact on the system. We addressed this issue during the International Women’s Day that the more the energy from the women, the more the pressure for men to succumb. So, I don’t think anything should scare anybody anymore with the situation the country is in now.

How do you feel when people hail you as one of the women using their voices to drive change?

The truth of the matter is that I don’t feel anything attached to that compliment. This is because some people would say what you’re doing is right and some would say what you’re doing is not right. I don’t want anybody to appreciate me for what I’m doing, I want you to come on board and let’s do it together. All that we have is our voice. So, anyone appreciating me is like calling me a fool; something like ‘keep it up, we support you’. And you know what that means. Why are you not on the same train with me? Also, why the appreciation doesn’t really thrill me is because these same people who say they appreciate you would be the same people that would bully you at the slightest error. They would talk down on you, call you all sorts of names and make you feel less valued. So, anybody who wants to appreciate me for putting my life on the line and putting the life of my family at risk should join me.

 

Tell us about your experience struggling to fight people’s perception about your person and what you really stand for.

I’m not bothered about that anymore. Since I’ve been in the public face it’s always been that kind of battle. I won’t try to change anybody’s perception about me. One thing I’ve learnt is, be yourself and overtime, people will come to accept you for who you are. The problem we have is that we are quick to jump at news. People are quick to react to whatever they hear. If somebody says he or she is a warrior and the person says oh, I’m not fighting today, people would not bother to check if the person’s health is not fine or see if he or she has been threatened. What they would say is that she has been bribed, she has been sorted out. For me, nobody called me to display my patriotism or my agitation. This is not an office where I was appointed. So, at this point, I don’t think when anybody says anything about me, I’m bothered. I just want to do the right and ensure the right thing is done.

 

How do you set your everyday targets?

I don’t have goals or targets day by day. You wake up to different news every day. You can prepare to go to, say, Ibadan today and hear that there’s an attack on Ibadan road; obviously the trip is cancelled. What I do is every morning when I wake up, I try to speak positive and energy into myself. I try to let the spirit of togetherness run in me day by day. That’s why at any slightest stuff I can get triggered because as I wake up my mind is set that anything can happen today. I wake up every day being positive to embrace whatever comes my way. So, if any problem comes my way, I’m at alert because I already know that there’s nothing certain in this country and you can’t prepare for a country that is not certain. If I was living abroad, it’s a different story.

 

What else do you do apart from running a talk show?

To the glory of God, I’ve been in business for 15 years. I’m a practising pediatrician and I own the biggest empire of baby folds in this country. I can say I’m the most experienced, the most qualified and the biggest that runs ‘babyology’. People who don’t know would say I don’t do other things. I’m a big time businesswoman.

 

You have been very outspoken about what you consider the ills in government. While some applaud your guts, some maintain that you are just rooting for an invitation to be part of the system, to join in eating the national cake. How do you react to this?

What is a national cake? We have to first ask ourselves; what is a national cake? What is the system? That is the system of collective rogues. I don’t want to join a system of collective rogues; I want to join the power behind people who would drive change. Change is a certain thing; we just need to attain it. When people tell me, ‘Toun, come and join our political party, I tell them that the problem is not about joining a political party, the problem is, once you get there, whatever your motive is, you would not be able to achieve it because they already have their template. And it is like if you cannot beat them, you’ll have to join them. 99.9 percent of people who go into politics always say they’re going there for change. Once they get into office, give them nine months to 12 months, you would see the change. When you ask them why they change, they would say oh! that place is not easy, it wasn’t envisaged. For me, I want to be in my space. I’ve created my own space where I can be part of the government. What I do is a check on the government. Everybody can be the government and lend a hand in what is going on. I think the problem is the mindset of the people.

 

Are you saying that you’ve not been approached to be part of the system?

If I say I’ve not been offered I would be telling a lie. I have been offered many times that I can’t even count. What I keep telling them is that my place is not in government. And if I have to convince you more on that, I would intentionally not have a PVC to vote so that you will know that I’m disqualified to be part of your government. But I have my PVC to be able to exercise my rights.

Toun Onajobi

Did it ever get to a point that you felt scared it could be risky critiquing the establishment?

I’ve got to that point several times. I’ve received threats, messages, calls and I’ve had physical encounters. But it is not everything we will come out to say because we also don’t want to put fear in the minds of people who are looking up to us. I walk clean because I don’t have anything negative about my person and what I stand for. It is not as if people pay me to push things for them. When you start to get yourself involved in those things, then you become contradicting. I’ve had opportunities where I sat down with government officials who asked me ‘Toun what do you want’ and I told them I don’t want anything, just do the right thing. And they said ‘can you then stop attacking us’ and I told them we would stop when you start to do the right thing.

 

You seem very passionate about your beliefs; do you feel disappointed when people don’t see your points the way you feel they ought to?

No, I don’t. I don’t because we are all different. This question takes me to when the Tinubu saga happened and I lost 12, 000 followers on my social media pages. I used to talk not minding whose ox is gored. And some people, especially those in diaspora, said ‘Toun, you can be more civil, at least you’re educated’ blah blah. I said my father taught me that when you’re in the zoo you speak the language of the animals; speak the languages that people can understand better and that’s the language I speak. To some people it doesn’t go down well because they feel oh Toun is a woman who has class, who has pedigree. But the truth of the matter is, the way I communicate I don’t think anything is wrong about it. So, when people don’t understand, obviously it’s not every time we’ll understand each other. But the bottom line is, the people that the messages are being directed to, understand.

 

What does it mean when you call yourself Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s daughter; is he your biological father?

(Asiwaju Bola) Tinubu is old enough to be my father. Out of the 36 states in Nigeria, Tinubu owns one (laughter) whether the constitution accepts it or not. He has Lagos State in his grip. I live, I feed, I work and I’m married to a proper Lagosian. So, automatically, Tinubu is our father. Some people would be in denial. But if you’re living in Lagos, Tinubu is your father. So, he remains my father.

 

 Women often get criticized for their lifestyle choices, looks and even relationships, would you like to share what critics don’t really understand about your relationship?

Women are most criticized about their lifestyle. I get criticized about the religious aspect of me. I am a prophetess and I’m a Gospel musician. Over the years, we grew up having a wrong perception about religion, culture, morals and values. Because of this, a lot of people have done everything humanly possible to disengage themselves from religion, because they believe if you’re a Muslim you must dress this way, you must do this and that; there are dos and don’ts. Somebody like me gets criticized and I see a lot of women getting criticized and battered. It shouldn’t be. This society has to allow people to express themselves. The thing is, the way I feel is the way I dress, the way I want to be appreciated is the way I dress. You see women wear things that will showcase their big butts; it’s self-appreciation. If you don’t have self-love, if you don’t have self-appreciation to yourself first, then it’s going to be difficult to survive in a society. This is one of the problems our government has. Our government has not been able to put rights and laws and policies that allow people to do things the way that makes them happy. The story is different in other parts of the world. So, at this point, people should stop criticizing women about the way they express themselves and the way they dress. If you kill a woman’s morals, you’re definitely killing that woman’s survival. And the more women die in our society the more problems we would encounter in the society. So, we’ve got to the point where we should give women the liberty and the freedom because the woman on an average is going through a lot on her own.

 

How do you cope being a mother and maintaining a public figure status?

I’m a mother generally. I’ve become a sacrificial lamb. In my business I have over 50, 000 customers. And basically, once any customer comes it is ‘Mama T, your baby, your baby’. I have a partner who is very accommodating and understanding as well. It’s not easy. But I try to have my time where I work, I try to have my time where I relax and I also have my time for the public because 90 percent of my life is for the public. Even my biological children have come to understand that their mother is for everybody.

 

What was your growing up like and what has really changed about you with time?

My growing up was not golden, it was platinum. I was raised by a billionaire father and I have seen everything that comes with wealth. The only thing that I’ve not been able to taste is the other side of life like poverty to be able to balance it. The place where I am now, I see people day by day who go through the institution of poverty and I’m able to appreciate where I am coming from. So, I’ve seen it all. Maybe that’s why I’m never motivated with anything.

 

What is your beauty routine?

I love natural therapies. The only thing that I don’t do is to rub cream on my face. I love to scrub my body. I take a lot of water and I love to do my detox because it is only detox that can help one to survive in this global warming. And I eat a lot.

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A language error can be costly both to a spokesman, the principal and the state -Ekiti governor’s CPS, Yinka Oyebode

Yinka Oyebode

Journalist and communication strategist, Olayinka Oyebode is the special adviser on media to the governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji. Formerly an editor with The Nation and The Punch newspapers respectively, Oyebode had served as chief press secretary for eight years to the immediate past governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi. In-between, he served as the special assistant on media and communication to Dr. Fayemi when the latter was appointed as minister of mines and steel development. In all, the easy-going English & Literary Studies graduate of the University of Ado-Ekiti says he is fulfilled, having been privileged to apply successfully his talents, interests and values to serving his people. He spoke to the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT, about his first love, journalism, his experience as the governor’s chief publicist, qualities of his past and current principals, among other sundry issues. Enjoy…

 

How would you describe your eight-year experience working as Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s press secretary?

I will describe it as the golden era of my career- it was enriching, engaging and fulfilling. You know Governor Kayode Fayemi is a national and international figure. A very well sought after public intellectual, a highly cerebral statesman and master strategist. He also served as Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and maintains his cordial relationship with the civil society as well as the international development partners. He is one governor who is committed to all round development of his state-focusing on both the rural and the urban development. So, serving as his Chief Press Secretary means you have to be on top of your game. You have to be articulate, yet measured in your media and public engagements.  You have to be energetic as well. And most often, you are measured by the intellectual rating of your principal as CPS. So, I would say it was a huge task. But I thank God I was able to deliver on the job. Governor Fayemi also made the job easier for me because he is loved by the media and his public engagement is top notch.

 

You have again been appointed in the same capacity by the incumbent Governor Oyebanji, did you really plan to stay this long in government and what are the realities of governance that holding the CPS office has opened your eyes to?

Well, I see the divine hand of God in all this. Yes, as a journalist I had always loved and wished that someday I would be a spokesperson (Public or Corporate Affairs Manager) of a blue chip company or spokesperson (CPS) to a Governor, but I never imagined that I would stay this long because of the complex nature of government. I can only ascribe all that has happened in the last 12 years to God’s grace. God’s grace sustains me. My experience these 12 years is massive. What the public sees is the glamour of the office, they don’t see the ugly side – the stress, the sacrifice, the compromise.

 

 

Many believe that former Governor Fayemi looks calm on the exterior but actually is a no-nonsense man on duty, how would you describe his personality having been so close to him while in office as governor and minister?

Governor Fayemi is a go-getter. He doesn’t take no for an answer. He does not believe there is a situation that is unsurmountable. So, he expects you to work smartly. Which means he expects you to study the situation and come up with a solution and not amplifying or glamourising failure. So, he gives you a task and watches you quietly go about it. Yes, he provides hints on how you can get the job done, but watches you get it done and earn some accolades. And if you fumble, he looks at you from the corner of his glasses and smile- he then lectures you on how to get such tasks done.

 

With regards to promises made to Ekiti people, would you say the Fayemi administration was able to record a hundred percent success in its performance?

Governor Fayemi performed excellently in terms of socio, economic, infrastructure and human capital development in the state. He is a man of his word and did excellently well in fulfilling all his promises. Even till the very last day in office he was still supervising projects and commissioning completed ones. His agriculture policy and partnership with big names in agribusiness has helped the state drive industrialisation. He utilised his connection with the international development agencies and that translated in massive support for so many projects in the state. So many projects were and are still being funded jointly with the World Bank, AfDB, USAID, EU, DFID among others. As a compassionate leader, his policies were carefully woven to take care of the vulnerable in the society. These include the monthly stipends for elderly citizens, food bank and comprehensive renovation of general hospitals and all primary health centres across the 177 wards. The number of roads built and rehabilitated by his administration is more than the total number of roads built by all the administrations before him. JKF as he is fondly called, must be credited for giving Ekiti State a new image of a prosperous state with focus on the future. The agro-allied cargo airport, knowledge zone and agric zone which are key legacies of his administration have created huge potentials for the state in terms of investment drive, job opportunities and revenue drive.

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How would you compare your days writing reports in the newsrooms of The Punch and The Nation with speaking on governor’s behalf, in terms of the challenge and comfort?

They are different ball games. As a journalist, you think you enjoy some measure of immunity over what you write- so you can write anything.  You also have your Editor (if you are lucky) who can guide and help you moderate your views so you don’t run into problem. As spokesperson to a Governor or highly placed official, the way you structure your messaging is very important. And any mistake you make is always very costly both to you, your principal and to the state. For me, tact and caution are key components of my engagements.

 

It’s been two months since Governor Oyebanji’s emergence in power, what are the positive signs so far on his promised six-points agenda for Ekiti State development?

Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji is well prepared for the task of governing the state. He understands governance and the people. So, he hit the ground running. He has successfully shown the people that he feels and shares in their pains, aspirations and joy. He started by responding swiftly to the issue of bad road occasioned by massive rainfall. He started with township roads in the state capital and moving gradually to the local government areas. He also ensures the continuity of prompt payment of workers’ salaries and pensions and has started paying outstanding deductions. He has also been able to secure the support of the elites as well as the international development agencies in repositioning the state.

 

When Governor Oyebanji said at his inauguration that he would run an all-inclusive government, what exactly did he mean; are members of the opposition parties going to be invited into government at some point?

What that means is that he is going to consult extensively and get the views, support and input of all well-meaning Ekiti citizens regardless of their political and religious affiliations. That has started. Governor Oyebanji has been able to get support of elders of the state, the youth, the women, professionals, artisans for the government. The governor also said he would bring very talented Ekiti citizens from any part of the world to work for the government. That has also started.

 

Governing a state like Ekiti is said to be challenging considering the fact that it’s not buoyant both economically and financially, relying majorly on what comes from Abuja. What magic does the governor plan to perform to change this trend successfully?

The administration is not going to rely on what comes from Abuja alone. Already, the governor has reviewed the workings of the internal revenue service in the state and has challenged them to deploy technology in their operations. He is also working with private investors and international development agencies to partner with the state. The private investors are being wooed with incentives and the international agencies with assurances that the Oyebanji administration would build on the level of trust and record of performance of the Fayemi administration. The administration would boost its economy by making Ekiti the number one destination of choice for investors. To achieve this, the governor is also working on ensuring safety and security. So, I am optimistic that Ekiti economy will improve and the people will enjoy prosperity.

 

There’s the issue of herders and farmers’ crisis that has refused to go despite the effort of the last government. What are the new ideas to deal successfully with this trend?

Security and vigilance are key. Then fostering understanding among the stakeholders is important to the government. Conscious efforts are being made in this regard. And the environment is becoming more peaceful.

Yinka Oyebode

Perhaps, if you were not a journalist you wouldn’t be in this position; why in the first place did you opt for an uncommon career such as journalism?

I have embraced journalism since my 100 level in the university. I was one of the most prominent campus journalists then at Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti (now Ekiti State University). By the time I was in my final year, I had known I would practise journalism, so I started freelancing for some news organisations in my final year and continued during my national service. Journalism provided me the platform to ventilate my views and correct some ills in the society. So, I am fulfilled working as a professional journalist. My mother didn’t feel comfortable about my choice, but my late dad encouraged me to follow my passion.

 

Having gained a lot of experience in this job, what kind of research do you recommend to be a successful government’s spokesman?

To be a successful spokesperson, one must understand his or her principal, the environment and the public. One should also be able to build a reputation as a thoroughbred professional, whose words can be believed and not a charlatan who peddles falsehood. For me, the public trust is key. If the public cannot trust what you say as a spokesman, they definitely will not trust what your principal says or does.

 

Please, narrate one of your memorable experiences as a governor’s CPS.

Well, it was one costly experience that taught me the virtue of patience and being thorough. So, I was given a task by my principal, Dr Kayode Fayemi to publish a book for one of his friends in 2012. He sent me the manuscript for the book and asked me to send it to a publishing house in Dubai to give us an estimate. I did and we were given an estimate. I reported to him. About two weeks later the Governor asked me to finalise discussions with the publishing house and I did. Alas, when I was asked to send the final manuscript, I sent a different document on my system as an attachment. I actually sent the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as the manuscript together with the cover page of the book. And the publisher asked me rather vaguely whether that was the final document for which I responded in the affirmative. So, he published the constitution of Nigeria in the correct cover of the book. The books were shipped into the country barely four days to the book launch. I joyfully called the writer to pick the book at a warehouse in Lagos and when he opened one of the books he realised that the content was the constitution of Nigeria! He called me and I was dumbfounded when he told me the mix up. And it was barely four days to the public presentation of the book. I quickly called the publishing house and they sent me details of the content I sent to them. I walked up to the Governor and broke the news. And he simply asked me: “So, what is the solution?” I told him what I considered the solution achievable within four days to the public presentation and he asked me to get to work. I swung into action; miraculously, a national crisis, a nationwide protest happened the next day and the book presentation slated for Abuja was postponed. Within a week I reprinted another batch of the books and delivered it before the rescheduled date for the public presentation. That thought me a bitter lesson to always double check.

 

Tell us about your family and educational background.

My parents were teachers and that means I was raised in a disciplined environment with honesty and accountability as the watchwords, in addition to being diligent. I grew up as the family jester and entertainment. I could mimic things, I could act and recite poems as well. I was also responsible for picking my dad’s daily supply of newspaper- Daily Times and or Sketch. By virtue of their frequent transfer, I attended so many primary schools in different towns. I studied English and Literary Studies from Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti and graduated in 1994. I was President of one of the most formidable campus press clubs- The Campus Watch and served two terms. I freelanced for the defunct Third Eye Newspaper and Kebbi News as a youth corper. I started my journalism career as a reporter with Post Express Newspaper in 1996. I later worked in Punch and Nation Newspapers. I have received local and international trainings and certifications in journalism and Peace and conflict resolution. I am an alumnus of Lagos Business School, Lagos; International Institute of Journalism (IIJ) Berlin, Germany; Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Schlaining, Austria; University of Kings College, Halifax, Canada; and I’m a Belz Fellow of World Journalism Institute, New York. As a political reporter, I have covered elections in Ghana, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Germany, Canada, US and United Kingdom.

 

You lost your father recently, tell us about your closeness with him and your mum and what you are missing about father in particular.

I lost my dad about a year ago. I miss his wise counsel. He was my number one cheer leader and number one critic at same time. He believed in my capacity and he instilled in me early in life the virtues of honesty, integrity, hardwork and courage. Prudence is another thing I learnt from him. Because he was well informed, our political discussions were always very interesting. My mother is my prayer warrior and number one adviser. I couldn’t have asked for better parents.

 

With the benefits of using social media to engage the citizens, do you think there are aspects where social media also creates problems for government entities?

Social media has compounded the work of a spokesperson. Now, if you issue a statement, once you hit the button it circulates around the world. And if, peradventure, you notice a slight error, it becomes quite difficult to retrieve the material. That is unlike the time we relied on the traditional media where you can call the newsrooms and stop the use of an erroneous release. Again, fake news moves fast on social media and damage control is now quite herculean. The absence of a control mechanism has made the social media a reckless zone and opened to manipulation by mischief makers.

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No civilized tradition ruler would work in opposition to government of the day
Olowu of Owu Kuta, Oba Oyelude Makama

HRM Oba Hameed Oyelude Makama, the Olowu of Kuta kingdom

 

His Royal Majesty, the Olowu of Owu Kuta in Osun State, Oba Adekunle Oyelude Makama, well known as a vibrant king is no doubt very passionate about the development of his kingdom. His dream, he says always is to see Owu-Kuta, an ancient community, developed under his care to a global village that boasts of all the amenities that one can find in modern cities across the world. The well-connected traditional ruler who was recently appointed as the vice chairman of the Osun State Council of Obas hosted the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT in his palace where he spoke extensively on his life, lifestyle, his development drive and efforts to engender peace and unity among Osun State traditional rulers and Nigeria in general. Excerpts…



What is your angle to the controversy relating to Yoruba oba being a practising Muslim or Christian?
There’s no room for controversy. First and foremost, a Yoruba monarch is assumed to be ageless. If a toddler is crowned a king, people would call him baba. In Yoruba belief, that toddler has become a father and leader. It means a king is ageless; ditto to religion. No traditional ruler in Yoruba land doubles as religious leader. We are strictly traditional rulers installed to maintain and uphold culture and tradition, not religion. In the letter of appointment given to every traditional ruler in the Southwest, it is explicitly stated that, quoting the governor; “I hereby appoint you based on a certain section of the chiefs’ law of the Southwest, as applicable to Osun State, as a traditional ruler of Owu Kuta kingdom to maintain culture and tradition…” Nothing else is attached, any other thing is addendum. So, we in the Southwest ruling class are strictly traditional rulers, not religious rulers. Traditional rulers that double as religious leaders are in the North. Their system in the North is different from ours in the South. The Emirs are religious leaders and traditional rulers; they are appointed in the mosque. They are addressed as spiritual leaders.

The 2022 Kuta Day celebration held few weeks ago, tell us about the changes your majesty’s reign has brought to the community in the last 12 months.
In the last one year under review, my community has witnessed tremendous transformations both in terms of infrastructure and other developments. We’ve added one kilometer to the Kuta community road network done by the immediate past governor, Gboyega Oyetola. Our son who is a member of the House of Representatives has brought us solar lights. Almost every corner of Owu Kuta is lit already. Within the last Kuta Day and this year’s edition, I can confidently say that I have enlisted about 12 sons and daughters of Owu Kuta in the federal jobs at different levels and fields. That is my major area which I don’t fail to do every year. We have also empowered some our youths in entrepreneurship skills. We give them cash support to stand on their own and lots of other humanitarian activities.

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Congratulations on your appointment as the Osun Council of Obas vice chairman, what positive developments should the Osun traditional community expect from your contributions?
Thank you. I will continue to play my role as I always do. I have been playing the role before I was made the vice chairman and I will continue to do it. I am used to it, supporting the government of the day and I will put in all my best to ensure that the new government of Ademola Adeleke succeeds for the progress of Osun State. Every reasonable monarch should support the government of the day. I am always ready to give my all for the success of the government and the traditional institution.

Why do some traditional rulers fight the government and some easily blend with the action of the government in power?
We are not supposed to be politicians but fathers for all. Those traditional rulers who have challenges with the government, I would not want to speak for or against them but I, Oba Hameed Adekunle Oyelude Makama, the Olowu of Owu Kuta kingdom would blend effectively, work with Governor Adeleke and support him to succeed in office. I am a pro-establishment monarch and that is how it is supposed to be with every traditional ruler.

Young people are leaving the rural communities to cities like Lagos, Abuja and others in search of living. How are traditional rulers encourage the youth to stay back and grow the communities and themselves?
Of course, we are aware that there’s migration of the youth to urban cities. That is what we have been working on. We are working to encourage them to stay back. There must be the rightful atmosphere for them to stay in the community, to thrive and survive. We will continue to liaise with various tiers of government in order to create meaningful environment for our youths to be able to stay back home and contribute to the development.

As a custodian of the Yoruba heritage, would you say that the value of the race is improving and what more can be done to earn its global respect the more?
The value of Yoruba race is improving. However, we traditional rulers need to do more; we need to lead by example.  Also, our respective states in the Southwest must reintroduce history in the school curriculum. Yoruba language should be made compulsory in the schools’ curriculum. The Lagos State house of assembly has set the pace, so other Southwest states should follow suit.

The issue of superiority causing division among Yoruba obas seems to have dropped significantly, is that correct?
You’re very right. The seniority issue is dropping.  Ego has actually affected the unity and progress among Yoruba monarchs. If you look at it, since the ascension to the throne of His Imperial Majesty the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the tension has really died down. The level of the Ooni’s humility, despite being the head of Yoruba monarchs is second to none. If any Yoruba oba is arrogant, then it is natural with such an oba. The issue of seniority should not even arise among us traditional rulers because none of us can combine the kingdom of another with his. I, particularly, am not in competition with anybody; I’m in competition with myself. I always want my today to be better than my yesterday. I want my tomorrow to be better than my today.

You have so many friends in high places and you are able to maintain the goodwill, tell us how you manage to do this.
Well, it’s a virtue that I treasure and have been able to keep. I still maintain friendship of about 30, 40, years till date. Yoruba would say ‘eniyan l’aso mi’, in literal meaning, friends are my fortune. For instance, my kingdom, Kuta is a remote community yet no day passes without one of my friends from the urban city, far and near visiting to say hello. They visit me from different walks of life despite the distance. This is my small London.  I appreciate them for that.

What type of politics do you think they should play if it is necessary that kings must play politics?
If it is necessary that kings must play politics, they should play politics of unity. We should stay away from politics of division.

What is your daily routine like and what sports do you do to relax?
I play table tennis; I do jogging and I walk for fitness. My routine begins at 8.30 in the morning after which I receive visitors. I don’t
retire to bed until about 11 in the night.

What has been a king taken away from your normal life?
It’s not easy but I’m used to it already. It’s my 10 years and some months on the throne now. Once in a while I’d just want to shut down, pack my baggage and go to Lagos for rest. I could go for three days and then return to my kingdom.

Do you do vacation abroad too and what is your choice location?
I have my kids and Olori abroad, in France. They have been there before I ascended the throne. But I am not able to relax there because it is another pressure entirely having to attend to their needs (laughter). I run away from the pressure in Nigeria and go there to face their pressure too (general laughter). When I need to really relax, I travel to outside London.

HRM Oba Adekunle Makama, the Olowu of Owu Kuta

Do you have a particular designer for your unique royal outfits?
I go for any dress that looks fit on me. I really don’t have particular designers for my wears.

You are not required to take sides in party politics, but what would be your honest advice for Nigerians regarding who becomes the president in 2023?
My honest advice to Nigerians is for us to have fear of God, not because of money, and look at whom among these presidential candidates that can deliver and vote for him or her. We should look at the candidate that has capacity to deal with the problems militating against Nigeria; security, economic recovery and, particularly the unity of the nation. We should vote for any of them that we feel has the quality to lead Nigeria out of these challenges.

How has the traditional council in Yorubaland been tackling the menace of kidnapping and killings in their territories?
The traditional rulers do not have a right of place in the constitution of
the country yet. We do not have the power of arrest and prosecution. We can only support the government by giving information.


Stunning Actress, Juliet Ibrahim Shares Secrets Behind Her Style and Sexy Figure

Juliet Ibrahim

 

Juliet Ibrahim, one of the most beautiful and seasoned thespians to come from Africa spoke to the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT about her unmatched acting prowess. A Ghanaian by birth, beautiful Juliet recalls her exciting moments in her acting career and relationship. Enjoy…

 

Describe your experience after the first movie that launched you to stardom.

I played a lead role in the movie; ‘Crime to Christ’ and that was my launch pad. It announced me to the world. I acted alongside talented actors like Majid Michel and Kalsume Sinare in this movie by Venus Films Productions. Majid played the lead character, a hardened criminal and I played Naomi, his girlfriend. The movie was a big hit. It wasn’t an easy journey as I was stereotyped because of my skin colour, and a lot of people believed I got roles because I had a pretty face and shape. Thankfully, I was welcomed wholeheartedly by many amazing people who saw beyond my appearance.

Developing tough skin and closing your eyes and ears to distractions can lead to success in life.

 

As a star actor, do you think an actor could turn down a role because he or she doesn’t like a character he or she is paid to play?

A refusal to take on a role can be attributed to many reasons, most of which are only known to the actor. Some reasons could be changes to the role that weren’t initially agreed upon, scheduling conflicts, pay changes, not wanting to work with people they don’t feel comfortable with, or if they feel the production doesn’t feel professional.

As a showstopper, tell us about the designer dresses, jewelries and beauty kits you have in your wardrobe and the new favourite ones you’re planning to add.

I’m not hung on labels or brand names, I wear whatever I feel suits me and looks good on me. Most of the time, I work with stylists who help me look fabulous on the red carpet. Sometimes, designers either reach out to me or to my stylists asking to dress me. I love Made in Africa brands too, so it’s not all about the ‘big names’ alone.

I have the ‘Shades by Juliet Ibrahim’ lashes line and the Juliet Ibrahim’s Moda Lipstick line, so I’m covered on that.

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What fascinates you about the film industry generally?

According to legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg “Every time I go to a movie, it’s magic, no matter what the movie’s about.”

Films tell amazing stories and I especially love the number of people who work on a single project to make it a reality. I love the entire film industry but one thing I love in particular is the number of people who work on it. It goes beyond the actors, producers or directors, other professionals like writers, editors, cinematographers, makeup artists, costume designers, camera specialists and more also have an input, so the industry impacts so many lives positively.

 

 

You are an actor, author, singer, speaker and influencer, which of these careers would you say brings you the biggest pay?

I am an entrepreneur and to me any kind of business venture I delve into must write me a good pay-check. Each of my career choices has been an addition to my livelihood. I am also a compere, host, keynote speaker, film producer, director among other things.

 

Share with us some special moments in your journey as an actress.

The number of special moments I have experienced is too much for me to recount them all. Whenever I have the opportunity to be a part of a project, it is always a special moment.

 

What is your idea of romance?

Romance to me is loving wholeheartedly without any reservations and accepting each other just the way he or she is. Romance to me is to know your woman or man is capable of taking care of his or herself, you still want to take care of him or her in your own way.

It’s the intentional, unmistakable, consistent and deeply affectionate efforts one puts in to make it work.

 

Do you think the emergence of online movie series is the right platform for actors to establish themselves, and do you think web series really have a future?

Our profession should not be left behind as the world evolves. It’s not uncommon for performers to be discovered online because of a skit or song they performed. In today’s world, everyone is his/her own brand. In order for people to be able to find you, you must make it easy for them to do so.

As for web series, they are gaining more acceptance and popularity because of their high production values and homegrown fan bases. As a result, I would say they are here to stay.

 

When you decided to make acting a career, did you get the support of your loved ones, especially parents?

Since I was a little girl, I had always dreamt of being in the spotlight at some point in my life. I used to act, dance and sing when I was as young as three years old. It just so happened that I gravitated towards activities that were able to put me in the spotlight, despite my shyness. I joined a drama and singing group and as a teenager, I already had an idea of what my future would look like and what I wanted to make of it. My parents were very supportive and I received a great deal of support from my mother who used to record us when we practised at home or during talent shows.

I have a passion for other things but acting was my first love.

 

 

If you were asked to pick your best actors and actresses both in Ghana and elsewhere, who would they be?

There is no doubt that every fantastic actor to come from Ghana or Nigeria would be on the list, their contributions are both exceptional and greatly appreciated. It is especially important to recognize those who have paved the way for others like us.

 

What was your first reaction when you were awarded as Most Beautiful African Woman and was the award based on movie appearances?

I remember that it was from A-Listers magazine and I really don’t know what their criteria for choosing me was. It’s a privilege to be seen as a beautiful woman, that being said I don’t see it as a drawback or a determining factor in how people see or assess me. I know people may think ‘oh she’s probably dumb’, ’She’ll surely need to depend on people to do stuff for her’ and all of that but that’s not the way it is, I’m a decision maker, a fast thinker and I’m not just ‘all beauty’ I’ve got a beautiful brain too. (laughs)

 

 

Celebrity status has robbed many of the control of their privacy. Would you like to share your experience in this regard? Would you miss stardom when you’re no longer in the movie industry?

Celebrity status is certainly no walk in the park. In an ironic twist, once a celebrity becomes famous, they constantly avoid the public’s attention. In our daily lives, we must cope with gossip blogs that fabricate and misrepresent information. We usually don’t suffer from paparazzi as our western counterparts do, but nowadays, with social media, this is even worse. Anybody can record you in the middle of your lunch,  on vacation, at your child’s school or even in your neighbourhood and post it online without your permission.

As for missing stardom, I don’t have plans of retiring from the industry.

 

What is your honest opinion about the Nigerian movie industry, Nollywood, and what are your sweet memories working with Nollywood?

In a recent interview, I discussed how brotherly love unites us. Comparisons are unnecessary. Our goal is to promote African films internationally together.

As of right now, both industries are experiencing growth. Although our journey isn’t over yet, we’re learning something new every day, so we’ll eventually succeed.

Nigeria is like a second home to me. I was welcomed with open arms by the Nollywood industry. Working in Nigeria is as enjoyable as working in Ghana.

 

 

Fans talk a lot about your shape. How have you been able to maintain your amazingly sexy figure?

Do they? Lol. Well, that shape didn’t happen overnight, I was skinny and gangly while growing up, then after I had my son, the curves came out and stayed. That being said, I maintain a healthy lifestyle, I keep up good eating habits, I work out occasionally, I do sit-ups on my bench, bicycle and squats, and I also use some non-surgical procedures to maintain the shape I am in. I sleep a lot, drink a lot of water and eat a balanced diet.

 

Ego wars are often heard of among actresses. The competition is obvious, no doubt. Please, your experiences for upcoming actors to learn from.

Oh well, I don’t engage in such, I’m in no competition with anyone other than myself. As long as you face your primary goal, you will be fine, avoid gossip, hearsays, don’t fan the flames of rumours, don’t badmouth anybody and avoid envy.

 

What do you think defines failure and success?

Failure is the inability to meet expectations we set for ourselves. Achieving our expectations is what we define as success. What we need to realize is that without one, the other doesn’t exist. We need to fail to be able to try again in order to succeed.

 

How would you like to advise young ladies about men and marriage?

I’m probably not an authority on that, because I’m still in this category myself. In a nutshell, take time to reflect on what you want from life and don’t let society dictate what you should do.

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Award-winning author, Toni Kan, shares the success story of his PR firm, Radi8

Toni Kan

 

 

Creative writer, Anthony Kan Onwordi is one of the most formidable wordsmiths in the world of journalism, public relations and literature. Better known as Toni Kan, the Master’s degree holder in English Literature from the University of Lagos has to his credit notable works of fiction that have earned him many accolades, including the Ken Saro Wiwa NNDC Prize and a writing fellowship from the Heinrich Böll Foundation. Toni Kan, who is 51 years old this year shares his career journey with the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT, including his golden years in journalism where he left to pursue a career in communications and public relations before joining the banking, telecommunications and publishing industries. Enjoy…

 

Tell us how you’ve fared at 51, regarding the hustle and bustle of life.

I am just 51 years young, thanks. On a serious note, it’s been a good life if you ask me. God has been good to me. People say I talk about God a lot and it’s true because I don’t know where I would be without Him. I was born in a small town called Ibusa and went to school in the old Bendel State but thanks to God and the talent he gave me I have become Toni Kan, the award winning writer, the PR expert, well known journalist and serial entrepreneur. It has been good 51 years.

 

A science student graduating to become one of the master writers of literature; how was the experience like co-writing your first book, ‘Diana: Princess of Wales’ and how did the reading public receive you?

It is interesting that you talk about the book on Diana: Princess of Wales, at this time when the Netflix documentary by Harry and Meghan is causing wahala. That was the first book I published. It wasn’t the first I wrote though. I co-wrote it with my friend, David Njoku in three days and nights. We just shut ourselves in my office at Hints, reading, writing and drinking lots of whiskey. Dr Ibe Kachikuwu, the publisher of Hints Magazine had bought all these magazines and papers from London, Ok, Hello, Sun, Daily Mirror etc with stories about Diana and we pieced everything together to produce a book of over 100 pages in just three days. Book done, we went to the press and that book was on the streets in less than one week after Diana died. I remember that a journalist, my egbon, Oji Onoko of Thisday wrote a scathing review. He said our book was “history told in a hurry”. It was the best PR we could get and that is why I never get angry with a review of my work, whether positive or critical. Dr. Kachikwu also took out a full page advert in Thisday. Anyway, the book sold 50,000 copies in less than one week and we had to do a re-print quickly. It was mad.

 

Please, share the success story of your public relations firm, Radi8.

Radi8 is my baby and the vehicle God has used to bless me tremendously. Through Radi8, I have met captains of industry, state governors, ministers and presidents of countries. I started it in 2010 with three of my friends, Peju Akande, Chidi and Williams. We all worked at 234next. They were on my marketing team at 234next where I was Director of Marketing. I remember that the publisher had given us an advertising target of 300m for three months. I told him we couldn’t raise 300m for a new online publication but that I could promise 100m. Anyway, after three months we brought in over 100m as advertising. It was crazy but thanks to my friends in corporate Nigeria like Charles Aigbe at UBA and Celine Loader at First Bank and others at Oando and my former oga, Jim Ovia at Zenith. Anyway, I had good friends. The publisher and his advisers said what we got was too small and tried to play my team against me. He said he would fire me and let them stay. But we all resigned. I had left Visafone and they had left good jobs to come and work with me at 234next. So without a job and with families to feed, I told them. “guys if we can raise over 100m for these people, we can at least raise 10m every three months for ourselves so let’s start our own PR firm.” That was it. Our first name was Illumi8 but that was when Illuminati was reigning so we dropped it for Radi8. Our mission statement was to help “bring your brand to light”. I was PR lead, Peju was advertising, Chidi was design and William was events. Along the line, Chidi and William dropped out and Peju and I soldiered on. Radi8 is 12 years old now. We have worked for clients all over; Seplat, Emzor, GE Nigeria, Oriental Energy, StanbicIBTC, FirstBank, NCC, Shell, LIMGE, Resource Intermediaries, AA Holdings and clients we can’t mention because of confidentiality. Lots of clients. Our core discipline is Crisis Management. When you have a reputational problem and you need it sorted, you call us. We make sure it doesn’t stink to high heavens. This is the main reason why you won’t hear that Radi8 won this PR award or the other. Our award is the money in our account and clients we keep getting from word of mouth. How am I going to enter a campaign I did to save a CEO who was caught in a hotel with his side chick for an award? You get it? Anyway, when it comes to Radi8, our biggest achievement is that in 12 years we have not owed salaries once, we have loyal friends in the press and our staff don’t resign except to move on. Three of our foundation staff are still with us. That for me is the biggest achievement. Staying solvent and keeping staff happy. These days, I have taken a back seat. Peju runs the show and I just advise.

 

Readers naturally are glued to authors whose books have alluring attractions; inform, educate and inspire. What is the core objective of your writings?

You know, when I write, my core objective is to make sure the reader keeps turning the pages. I want to tell a good story that keeps you engaged. I am not writing to teach or change the world. I have not finished learning so what am I teaching? That would be arrogant. So, my thing is to create good characters, come up with good plots and hold you spell bound. I like to set my stories in the city. Lagos. Jos. Asaba. Those locations are always in my books. So, yes, I like to entertain and inform maybe teach you a new word.

 

What do you enjoy most about writing books?

I started writing because I read Flowers and Shadows by Ben Okri. After reading that book, I was crying and I said “ha, one day I will write a book that will make someone cry o.” It was shocking because I was 11 years old and by that time I had read over 200 books. So, to read one that hit me hard surprised me.  So, that was my motivation. When it comes to writing I want to suck the reader in so much that he or she becomes part of the story. That’s what I like.

 

Which among the books you’ve written or co-written would you pick as top three?

They say books are like children, you don’t have favourites but the book that has given me the most fame and fortune is “Nights of the Creaking Bed”. It was published in 2009, it has never been out of print, it is used as literature text in over 10 universities but has been used for over 9 PhD dissertations and continued to sell well.

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Are you an organic writer, or do you plot ahead of what to put in a book?

Yes. I usually have a fair idea of where I am going, who the character is, what they do and where they live but if you write, you will know that sometimes the story starts writing itself and you just go along for the ride. It is what it is.

 

When you’re not writing and not running PR, what else do you do to stay afloat?

I am not one to stay in one place or do the same thing over and over again. I am restless. So, I write,  I do PR, I work for a company like Glo and then I resign to go and write a book. Friends say to me, why can’t you stay still and I say to them because there is so much to do. It’s a problem because journalists don’t see me as journalist even though I was editor of Nigeria’s top selling magazine at 26 and was first to sell an online publication in Nigeria. Writers don’t see as just a writer even though I am one of the most prolific writers in Nigeria. People don’t see me as PR company owner because I keep working from the client side but the truth is that not very few people can do what I do. I go to work for a client and he says this campaign was so good; why don’t you come in as full time consultant or General Manager? I consider it; the pay is good, Peju is running Radi8, so I say why not but once I get tired of it or the love begins to thaw, I head out. I have that luxury. What I didn’t mention is that Radi8 has a publishing arm. We write biographies and ghost write autobiographies. We have done 10 books in the past eight years from Shonibare to Jibunoh, Jimmy Jatt to Julius Agwu, Austin Avuru to Oba Elegushi; we are just finishing one on Lemi Ghariokwu.

I also co-own two online publications; thisislagos and thelagosreview. So, that’s how I stay afloat.

 

What is your most treasured possession as an author?

My brain. This brain that God has given me and my prodigious imagination. I also treasure my ability to keep to deadlines. I am disciplined.

 

What category of readers are the target of your books?

Everybody. I am reader agnostic. I want everyone to read my books except children. My books can sometimes be PG18. In fact, my children didn’t read my books until they were 18. That was why I was happy to co-author the book “Who’s who Among Yoruba Gods” with Peju Akande and Jahman Anikulapo. It was published last year in Germany. At least, my nine years old child can read that.

 

Public relations people are called spin masters based on the creativity of the promotions they produce. Please, tell us about Radi8’s innovation and achievement.

As I mentioned earlier, our USP is Crisis Management and ability to do Thought leadership. We do crisis communication and think pieces. Things that C-Suite executives appreciate and not these “5 things you must know about Papa Ajasco” or publicity press releases. We do serious stuff.

 

Please, recall some of your memorable career moments.

I have had a lot of career highs. Working with Jim Ovia, Mike Adenuga and Austin Avuru are career highlights. These are very smart and successful men I have learnt from and continuing to learn from. I have a mentor, Jimi Awosika, the Baale of Insight and Troyka.  I launched Visafone and ntel. Those were good ones. I launched Apprentice Africa and ran the Intern for Bank PHB. I handled crisis communications for Covid-19 at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. I was invited to speak at the Financial Times Africa conference alongside Dangote and Mo Ibrahim. Those were highs. At radi8, we have done lots of things that I am proud of but I will talk about three. A while back when Eugene Juwah was head of NCC, he got into trouble with one of his staff and was on the verge of getting sacked. He came to us and I remember taking a meeting with my friend and collaborator, Niran Adedokun. We went to work and I recall how much Tunde Rahman helped us. He was editor of Thisday then, he gave us front page mention. That problem went away in less than one week. I can talk about this because he is late. Then I am also very proud of our PR for Seplat’s IPO in Lagos and London. It was the first big test of our capability to do big ticket business in Nigeria and outside. We delivered. I also recall when we handled Emzor. We had what we called The Emzor Monthly run. We would do a mini-marathon then and end up with a music show. God, we had everyone from MI to Dr. Sid, D’Prince to Jodie, Jesse Jagz to Sound Sultan, Brymo was starting out then. I remember the day Olamide came, he couldn’t even look me in the eye. Anytime, I asked a question, he would say “ask my boss”. His boss was ID Cabasa. Now, Olamide is The Don. I remember how one of the friends I invited kept saying “Toni, this Olamide will be big.” He was right.

 

Who are your biggest clients at Radi8 and what are the most incredible experiences you’ve had working with them?

I have given a list already and it runs across oil and gas and pharmaceuticals and consulting and government and not for profit. Now, when you say biggest clients, the company can be big yet you don’t get paid a lot but you keep them on your books because when the smaller company hears you work for Company A which is big, he will say ahh, I can’t pay you o. Then you say just let us know what you are comfortable paying. Usually, they will offer what you wouldn’t even have asked for because they are looking at you as PR company to that big Company A. It’s something you learn.

 

What are your travel experiences and where outside Nigeria do you enjoy holidaying?

I went to London for the first time when I was 20 and I have gone back almost every year for 31 years now. It is my favourite city in the world after Lagos. As for travel, I have been to almost 20 countries in Africa and beyond but if you want to give me a free ticket, buy me BA to London.

 

Tell us briefly about your family and how you give back to society. 

I am married and blessed with children. I am seeing six children through university. Only two are my biological children. I have willed my books numbering over 1,000 to the English Department of my alma mater. I also like to buy Single Malt whiskey for my friends. That’s how I give back to society.

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“My Boobs My Most Cherished Body Parts” Star Nollywood Actress, Adediwura Blarkgold

Adediwura Blarkgold

Adediwura Becky Adesegha aka Adediwura Gold got thrilled as she spoke in this interview about her passion for the show business. Adediwura, an English Language graduate of the Lagos State University is one of the celebrated Nigerian Nollywood actresses. She told the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT about her career fulfillment, which she said is derived from her creative and emotional desire. She also talked about her style and the progress of Nollywood, noting that the industry now is profitable unlike in the past when all that the practitioners had to show for was name and fame.

She says more…

 

How does it feel as a mother combining acting with running private businesses?

As a mother, juggling between acting and business has been easy because I am passionate about the two despite that they require different skills, different areas of concentration as well as managing the timing.

 

 

Tell us about how Adediwura has evolved positively since the Tenifab days first experience as an actress.

Oh! Wow… Finding my feet stamped on the entertainment soil was a little rough as a freelance actor. All I did was to think outside the box and I understand millions of ways one can impact positively in the society and the people therein.  And we are here. 

 

Your dream was to become a movie superstar; given how much effort you have put into acting; tell us about the progress of that dream.

Initially, I was scared when progress wasn’t growing as I envisaged but I later realized I have got too much at my table immediately I started my NGO and business. Yeah, I suspended some to win the other so I could grow in all areas, which I am thankful for now.

 

For women, age is just a number, tell us how you keep fit and the game you enjoy playing to maintain your figure.

I am so lazy when it comes to any routine in keeping fit; sometimes, I play an extremist; I eat, drink (soda), dance etc. in excess. I don’t do any exercise because I have arthritis.  Basically, I don’t have any beauty routine as to keeping fit. I hate stress jare.

 

Aside from being an actress and entrepreneur, you are also into charity, tell us about your NGO and what informed your setting it up in the first place.

I started my charity organization, Giving Is Fun Initiative in 2015 basically to support and empower widows all over the world.

My mum is a widow and I know all she had been through pushing us to survive. It was so tough and rough; I mean very rough and that motivated me into helping other women on the same journey. See, if I am asked to spell poverty, it’s not about me writing it out as P O V E R T Y, it is my experience on how I dined and wined with poverty that can give a sound meaning.

  

You have a flourishing career in acting and running successful businesses, which one would you dump for the other if need be?

Obviously, none. I am so passionate about the two. Though one fetches more money (laughter)

 

 

You travel a lot; share your travel experiences in areas that you feel can help grow Nollywood.

My trips aren’t about Nollywood or business, so it has nothing to do with Nollywood. I travel on private grounds. Yes, I get my little recognition as an actor whenever I make my trips and trust me, I cultivate a very good act anywhere in order to keep the flame burning as a Nollywood actor.

  

Share your honest impression of social media; some say it is adding to the glamour of celebrities while others believe it is taking away their privacy.

Here is where self-control comes to play. It is an individual opinion; how you want social media to affect your life matters. If you feel spreading your private life online is worth it then so be it and if you feel all you want is the glamour, paparazzi etc. then play along. Once you become a celebrity, there’s nothing private about your life anymore. Remember you wanted the fame, to be known, so guide it with jealousy.

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How would you compare the chances of actors who were from movie families and those without movie background, in terms of acceptance and growth?

It’s a plus for them because someone has sacrificed his all to give them the platform, all they need is management and to keep building on it. The recognition is there already. We have the likes of Adebayos, The Kosokos etc.

 

 We are in an era where even new actors demand huge pay for movie roles, how was it like when you started with Nollywood?

All I wanted then was fame, the platform and I didn’t really care about the pay. I did a lot of jobs then without being paid and some gave me peanuts. Na sacrifices wey I owe them be dat (laughs) Now, I get my payment before stepping out to any location. I have paid my dues.

 

In order to serve as a guide for younger women, what do you have to tell us about your experience in a relationship, past or present?

Let’s not delve into the past. My current relationship is sweet. That’s all I can spill jor (smiles).

  

Share with us your fashion collections, your favourite designers both locally and abroad.

I rock anything that suits me. Mind you, sometimes I play designer freak but it’s damn expensive so I save to buy a few and mix them up with tiwa n tiwa (local fabrics) you know. Trust me, I slay in both effortlessly (winks).

  

What are your pastimes; do you dance, sing or enjoy any sport?

I watch movies and I enjoy chatting with my close pals. It can be on the phone for hours and I can watch movies till day break. I’m a freak on both.

  

How do you cope and react when the media is focused on your private life more than it does on your social activities?

I don’t care. Na dem know wetin them dey find o. Two can play the game ni (laughter)

 

In the past, there was the issue of women having to sleep to earn roles in Nollywood, is the story any different now?

This shit happens everywhere, not only in Nollywood. I think our girls are wiser now and they preserve their dignity more.

  

What qualities naturally draw you to the opposite sex?

The whole thing is mixed up jare. I am confused now because I have realized that you hardly get two out of the qualities you want in a man. What I wanted in A might be in B and you know you can’t swap qualities, so I just size up what I see in them.

 

 

Following your break into the limelight with ‘Alangba’ movie, which one of your other productions do you think is worth talking about?

Please go and watch ‘40th Birthday’ on YouTube. It is a true life story and I exhausted almost all of my skills into the production.

 

 Share a moment in Nollywood when you felt the happiest and your down moment.

My brain is blank on that. I can’t remember anything and I don’t want to share my down moments in Nollywood.

 

 Beautiful ladies have their most cherished body parts, which one is yours?

My boobs are my most cherished body parts. Boobs! (general laughter) 

 

 Would you consider going into party politics if the offer comes to you?

I won’t say no. Only God knows tomorrow.

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Most people attacking me don’t even know me, but it won’t stop me Dr. Reuben Abati

Dr. Reuben Abati

 

Dr. Reuben Abati is a highly cerebral journalist whose core competence covers design and management of communications structures and processes, in-depth analysis of concepts and issues, media and government relations, with a bias for societal impact and laws. In this interview with the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT, he spoke about his life as a professional writer and public figure, among other sundry issues.

 

It’s been 37 years of your foray into the journalism world, would you like to share the challenges and successes encountered so far?

I believe that I have had a good run so far.  The other day, I asked someone to do a compilation of some of the materials that I have produced over the years. I was amazed at the number of volumes that was collated, and yet we had not yet even scratched the surface. I have two persons at the moment who are looking for other materials particularly from the 80s and early 90s. I have written for romance magazines, and I have done mainstream journalism, from print to television, radio and the internet. This profession has taken me everywhere, beyond my imagination and I am excited that this is a field of engagement that keeps you busy until your walking stick fails you. There are some of our leaders in the profession who are over 80 or close to 80 and are still very active. If there are challenges, I would think these would be as follows: one, the challenge of being misunderstood by persons who may read motives into what one does; two, the fact that journalism is one profession where you are constantly taking an examination. I tell people, that every journalist is only as good as his last byline. You are constantly challenged to put in your best, either you are reporting news or expressing opinions in any medium. The simple thing to note is that there is an audience out there that is watching and evaluating and some members of that audience are even more knowledgeable. A good journalist must be a good student of virtually every subject, with an unusual passion for knowledge. There is no money in the profession but it can bring enormous fulfilment, fame and open doors to life-transforming opportunities.

 

You studied Theatre Arts and later went into teaching. What really attracted you to journalism?

I studied Theatre Arts. I also studied Law. I also studied journalism, which is something many people have forgotten despite the fact that my resume is out there. I also studied Management and Leadership. I have certificates in all these regards. I am still a student, with a Matric No, seeking more knowledge. The love of writing and communication attracted me to journalism. It was originally something I did on the side, writing book reviews, literary essays, opinion articles for newspapers across the country but it then became the main thing. I used to teach but then there was this prolonged ASUU strike that lasted for a whole academic session, and during that period, I had even more time for journalism. By the time the universities re-opened, I was already in mainstream journalism. Teaching then became my part-time work as a visiting lecturer until 1999 when I couldn’t combine it with my Year 5 studies in the Faculty of Law, at Lagos State University, with also serving at the same time as Deputy Chairman, Editorial/Editorial Page Editor of The Guardian Newspapers.  

 

In other climes, the media is believed to be very influential and respected, what best describes the place of media in Nigeria, nay Africa?

The media is important in every jurisdiction – to inform, educate, provide entertainment, set agenda, defend the powerless, give voice to the voiceless, and hold government accountable. It is perhaps for this last reason that the relationship between authoritarian governments and the media has been adversarial. Tyrants do not like to be held accountable. They don’t want journalists to ask questions. The media thrives better in democratic jurisdictions. The history of the Nigerian media has been one of struggles with power systems and figures, from colonial times to the present. Its tradition has been largely adversarial, and it is one of the most robust media systems in Africa, despite all attempts that had been made over the years by the military and politicians to subvert it. Across Africa, it is also influential, to varying degrees as determined by the prevailing political and economic circumstances in each country.

As a seasoned journalist, how healthy do you think it is for the industry and society when the media company is solely funded either by one person or the government?

Pluralism and diversity are two factors that enrich and strengthen any media system. Where government exercises a monopoly of ownership, the media is turned into an instrument of propaganda and deceit.  Here in Nigeria, we have a liberalized media system: there is government ownership but there is also the independent media. One major development was the liberalization of the broadcast industry in the 90s. A plural ownership structure allows consumers of media content to make a free choice, diversity of views is encouraged, and society is richer for it. On the question of individual ownership, it is unfortunate that here in Nigeria we do not yet have a private, independent media that is organized like a public trust, with shares on the stock exchange as in the case in other jurisdictions especially the Western world. What we have are media houses that are owned by individuals, and to the extent that ownership determines and influences content, most of our media houses are extensions of the owners – for all kinds of reasons including power and influence, ego, profit and politics. Funding of the media is a major problem. After all things considered, it must be realized that the media is a business. The cost of production is high. Most of the inputs, newsprint for example, cameras, microphones are imported. Many media houses cannot even afford to pay salaries for months on end. This is an issue that needs to be addressed.

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It’s being said that when a company is a heavy advertiser, its influence on the editorial team of a news outlet is infinite. Is that correct, and how do you react to that?

Advert revenue is a major source of sustenance for any media outfit. As I have said, media owners are primarily business men. For every business, Return on Investment is important, and indeed it would be foolhardy that any media house is a form of charity. Far from it. In truth, advertisers bring revenue, they buy space. It is a mutually beneficial relationship. The more visible and successful a media house, the more advert attention it receives, a direct indication of its impact, visibility and reach. Advertisers follow their own plans guided by these factors but the only problem here is that advert companies do not always try to keep their own part of the bargain. They cut corners. They owe. They try to cheat. They ask for heavy discounts. Do they try to influence media content and promote their interests and sometimes withdraw their adverts from media houses that do not co-operate? Yes, they do. They are free to insist on their importance. But no media house worth its salt would allow advert agencies to dictate its content or editorial policy. That would amount to a violation of the integrity of the media.

 

How has it been combining writing columns, running a news website and co-hosting on public policy issues on television?

Exciting. My various engagements keep me busy and I derive joy from what I do.  When you reach a level where work becomes a kind of play, you just keep forging ahead. That is precisely how it has been. You left out radio. I present CityTalks with Reuben Abati every Saturday on City 101.5 FM. I do other things too. Yes, I co-host The Morning Show as lead anchor on Arise News but I also have another programme, ThisDay Live: The Sunday Talk Show, also on Arise News.

 

People marvel at your style of writing and presenting your views, what kind of research is required before coming up with your flair that grabs public attention?

I may have answered that question already. I am a perpetual student. I read. I move from one programme of study to another, and I guess these things show one way or the other. I always tell people that journalism is one profession where you can’t pretend for too long. You either know your subject or people will figure you out and quickly move on. I am glad that for more than three decades, many people still appreciate my work on all fronts.

 

How has your experience been working at Arise News?

Great. Fulfilling. I have been associated with Arise News since 2017, and here we are, more than five years later, still going strong.

Journalists always want answers where they feel things have gone wrong, but it is often interpreted as ascribing too much causal power to journalists. Do you have something to say about that?

It is the duty of journalists to ask questions, to investigate the meaning of things and events, and set agenda for good governance and the objectives of an open society.  Nobody teaches a medical doctor how to do his work. Nobody dictates to lawyers how to prepare briefs, or legal opinions. But too many people think they can dictate to journalists how to do their work. It is absolutely disrespectful. Some of our colleagues don’t help matters by the way. Oftentimes, the Nigerian media creates false heroes, and iconizes persons that do not deserve attention. When such persons think they have become important, they turn on the same media and begin to dictate the norms of practice, helped of course by our own colleagues who get too high on their own supply for one reason or the other. Everyone should just be reminded that the media plays a constitutional role, as indicated in Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution and that the right of free speech is a universal and fundamental right.

 

Please, narrate one of your memorable experiences touching on issues considered too hot on Arise Morning Show.

No issue is ever too hot on The Morning Show. We take on every issue on its own merit. We have no friends; we have no enemies. We endeavour to offer depth, perspectives and range and I guess that is why the programme is popular. We intend to sustain our niche, no matter whose ox is gored.

 

Interviewing guests can be taxing sometimes, especially guests that come prepared; how do you navigate when it appears your guest is having the command of the show?

No guest can ever take over the show. He or she would be reminded that a guest is not allowed to take over the show. And you can be sure that with me sitting down there, that won’t happen. In any case, we are not at war with guests. It is a conversation, not a combat. Our focus is to enlighten the public and promote ideas, and we also come to the show every morning, prepared.

 

Did you think you would be doing journalism for a living when you were much younger studying other courses?

I wasn’t studying other courses. As an undergraduate student of Theatre Arts in Calabar, I was taken through a programme of study that covered many fields, including media and communications. This is what people do not know about the study of Theatre Arts. It is a multidisciplinary field that exposes students to such areas of specialization as Dramaturgy, Theory and Criticism, Literature, Practical Theatre, Music, Dance, Acting, Performance, Directing, Technical Theatre, Management, Sociology and Media. I was the star student not just in my department but the entire university. I eventually specialized in Dramaturgy and Directing. My sub-specialization was the media – my teacher in Sociology of the Media and Radio was Dr. (later Professor) Emmanuel D. Akpan. Mr. Frank Speed taught us Television Production. When I went to Ibadan, I focused more on Dramatic Literature: Theory and Criticism.  But I also took courses in Media Practice: I was taught film and media studies by Dr. Hyginus Ekwuazi, and Speech Arts by Mrs Ajayi. I can go on and on. But I guess in life, you can’t do everything. No matter how talented you may be, you’d end up somewhere. And that is why it is easy for Theatre Arts products to excel in so many fields. In other words, I am saying that journalism is not something I stumbled upon. In addition to my background and experience, I was also Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow in Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park, United States, 1996-97.

 

It would be deceiving to think everybody would understand your nature. How do you define yourself as an individual?

Simple. Studious. Curious. Something of an introvert although many people would not believe that. But I like to keep to my own space because that is the only way you can pursue a contemplative life more successfully.

You had the incredible chance of working with one of the most admired Nigerian presidents, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. How does that opportunity rub on your public undertakings today?

For me, working in government as Presidential Spokesman and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity was like taking a second Ph.D.  If I have the opportunity again to work in government, I would do so again and I would like to encourage anyone else who gets such an opportunity to simply go ahead. It is easy to stay outside and throw stones, making untested assumptions but when you experience both sides, you gain more knowledge about how Nigeria works. How you make use of that knowledge subsequently of course, depends on who you are. Speaking for myself, I feel enriched. I have had cause to tell people that if I am given the opportunity to run this country, I know exactly how to go about it because I have worked at the highest level, with a President who gave me such level of access and exposure that many Presidents would deny their advisers.  I was truly privileged.  But don’t ask me what I saw. It is not everything that a hunter sees in the forest that he comes home to blab about.

 

How honestly do you deal with controversy when you feel hit either rightly or wrongly?

I am indifferent. It is occupational hazard, or perhaps collateral damage. As our late icon, Babatunde Jose put it, in this job, we are perpetually “walking the tight rope”. As it was, so it is, so shall it ever be, life without end. I once wrote an article in The Guardian, rejoinders kept flowing in for about six months. Jahman Anikulapo had to create a special focus on the rejoinders, running commentaries every week. In the end, I have been proved right on the issue of music, sense, shape and sound.  Time takes care of everything.

 

People always try to put people down, what is one thing you feel Nigerians should know about Dr Reuben Abati?

I am just doing my work. I enjoy what I do and I should be allowed to do it. People tell so many lies about me, and most of them don’t even know me. That won’t stop me.

 

Are you on sabbatical from politics or do you have a plan to go back sometime in the future?

Tomorrow is in the womb of time. In life, nobody should ever rule out anything. But right now, I am happy with what I do which is simply journalism, writing and public intellectualism.

 

What is a typical week like for you?

I’m busy round the clock but I am not complaining. I am grateful for the opportunities God has given me.

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From banking to politics, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas speaks on policies that enhance good governance

Hon (Mrs) Jumoke Okoya-Thomas

Princess Olajumoke Abidemi Okoya-Thomas is a three-time member of the  House of Representatives of Nigeria under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing the Lagos Island I. The daughter of Asoju Oba of Lagos, the late Chief Molade Thomas-Okoya, who is currently the Southwest APC women leader, in this interview shares with the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT, the story of her journey from banking to politics, her life at 66, passions and lifestyle. Excerpts…

You’re turning 66 years of age in less than 50 days, how have you been able to maintain your beauty and youthful look?

First, I would like to attribute most of it to the blessings of good genes. The aging process was kind to both my parents and I can say that I feel pretty good for my age. That doesn’t, however, mean that I don’t make any effort. I am very intentional about maintaining a healthy diet and I find that being active is really the key. While I no longer do the type of rigorous exercise I did some 20 -30 years ago, the demands of politics and civic engagement require that I remain mentally alert and physically agile.

 

You are seen as Amazon of Lagos State politics and rallying point for Lagos women, tell us about the challenges of managing this enviable status.

Leadership comes with its responsibilities and challenges and the interpersonal aspect of it is probably one of the most significant as it requires wisdom, patience and a lot of tact. Of course, there will be differences of options from time to time but the women of Lagos are first and foremost sisters confronted oftentimes by the same issues, regardless of party affiliations. The way I try to handle challenges is to stay focused on the important issues which unite us while promoting solidarity.

 

You have been consistent with your call that women deserve a better place in the Nigerian political space. What specific measure have you been taking to encourage the participation of women in politics and is it yielding results?

Efforts to propel women’s political participation has to be done across board from building capacity to ensuring a level playing ground, particularly as it pertains to access to resources.  As a former federal legislator, I was saddened by the obstacles to the passage of the Gender equality bills and I am sure that you are aware of my strong advocacy in this regard. Similarly, I am also a strong advocate for ensuring that women have the requisite skills to compete on the political landscape and that structures are put in place to ensure equity.

 

As a three-term member of the House of Representatives, tell us about the experience you have garnered giving a voice in a space that is dominated by men, and how much you were able to use the opportunity to impact on your constituents.

You are right, politics is still very much male dominated in Nigeria and if we want things to change, we need to keep talking about it and bringing it to the forefront of the national discourse. The progress has been oscillating and I believe we need legislation to drive real change. Concerning the impact of my tenure as a member of the House of Representatives, I believe my constituents will attest that I was very committed and accessible. Some of our constituency’s projects are still beneficial to the residents in the communities.

 

You also regularly hammer on discipline by women in politics and love among women; are these some of the issues hampering the success of women’s high chance in politics?

I am a strong believer in humanity. Politics like all human endeavours should not bring out the worse in us, in fact losing one’s humanity because of politics is actually antithetical to the tenets of service. Ensuring discipline and compassion in politics is not just for women, it’s for everyone.

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It’s 21 years already that you decided to test your strength in politics, what has the experience been if compared to your days as a banker?

It is a completely different ball game. I guess the startling difference for me was the public glare that comes with being in public office. At the same time, the experience I garnered and the skills I acquired in the banking industry were an asset to me in politics.

 

How would you honestly rate the performance of APC government’s seven years in power, considering the general outcries?

I will be objective in my response. There’s no denying that the prevailing economic and security situation in Nigeria needs to improve but we need to take this in context. First of all, the economic impact of the global pandemic cannot be underestimated and I think the government has tried to mitigate this as much as possible. Even on the security front, which is a cause of concern for all of us, some gains have been made. The war against terrorism is not a conventional war and in no clime has it been straightforward. APC has made progress and we will build on those through the next APC administration under the leader of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu.

 

Do you think qualified women are being obstructed from entering politics or there’s less interest by qualified women to decide for politics?

Politics is not a particularly friendly terrain, especially for women unfortunately, which is why some of us have to be deliberate in supporting the young women who are just starting out in politics.

 

Some would say gender bias is why Nigeria has not been able to elect a woman as president. Do you see a woman becoming Nigeria’s president in the near future?

Certainly, Nigeria will have a female President of Nigeria in the future. I don’t think it’s as far-fetched as it sounds.

On a personal level, is there anything you love or hate about politics?

I loathe the acrimony that pops up once in a while but I love the zeal to contribute to the development of one’s nation.

 

Style is how we express ourselves. Tell us your personal style statement.

I would say I strive for a balance between comfort and elegance.

 

People marvel at the energy with which you run support campaigns for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition, what are your expectations regarding the 2023 elections?

My energy comes from a strong conviction that our presidential candidate will deliver good governance to Nigerians once in office. We plan to run a clean and well-prepared race and of course, I am expecting victory for the party across board.

 

How do you cope running the family as a mother and staying active on the political scene?

The kids are all grown now but when they were younger, I had to ensure that there was a balance. Juggling family and professional life is not an easy task and while working mums may find it hard to spend as much time as we would want to at home, we try to ensure that the time at home is quality time. My kids and I are best friends, we have a strong bond and I am glad that my career was not at the expense of family.

 

What are your hobbies, favorite music and holiday location within and outside Nigeria?

I love Nigerian music; the gospel genre is what I listen to the most in my private space.

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Primate Ayodele’s Prophetic Bombshells for 2023!

*Igbo will rule Nigeria before breakup

*I see sickness, death of 3 Nigerian past leaders

*I see calls for relocation of FCT from Abuja

*Mass revolt will shake Nigeria in 2024

*Dollar will crash to N350

*Bandit leader, Turji will be killed

*Yoruba kings will be kidnapped, assassinated

* Transport unions will be scrapped 

Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele

 

 

Popular servant of God and leader at INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele has released the annual divine messages for the incoming Year 2023. The prophecy hand book will be unveiled to the public at a press parley on Friday 23rd of December, 2022. The Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT presents below excerpts from the new year prophecies. Read on…

Divine messages for Year 2023 and beyond

I’m going to take your questions in four categories; politics, economy, climatic conditions and entertainment. In politics, Nigeria is pregnant. In 2023, the unexpected is going to happen. I do not have any candidate among those who are contesting elections. But God revealed to me that if Atiku wins the presidency, Nigeria’s economy will improve and if the APC candidate, Tinubu gets the ticket, Nigeria will be a little better. If the Labour Party wins the presidency, it is going to be a government for the poor where the rich will be complaining. PDP government will be for the poor and the rich, the elite under APC government but the grassroots will enjoy it including the uneducated.

 

APC desperate to win in 2023

What God has shown me is that APC is using all means to win the election next year; legally, illegally, physically and spiritually, even financially. APC is very desperate to win. PDP and Labour Party are taking this election matter with levity, the two candidates are not fighting the battle with seriousness. APC is ready to buy anything that can be bought to win the election.

 

Still on politics

There are states where both the APC and PDP will fight to win. Lagos is for APC, Labour Party can’t get what they expect from Lagos. PDP will come behind APC in Lagos. Anambra State is between PDP and Labour Party. In Kwara State, it is between APC and PDP. PDP may spring a surprise in Kwara except APC sits up. APC should not underrate Bukola Saraki now because what PDP is doing in Kwara in terms of mobilization is what APC had done before to win the state. In Osun State, it is between APC and PDP. I don’t see the Labour Party in the equation. I don’t see Kwankwaso’s NNPP making any progress. He is just wasting his money and energy. He can only get a few national assembly members and maybe local government chairmen. In Oyo State, it is between PDP and APC. Ekiti is for PDP and APC. Enugu is for Labour Party and PDP. Abia State will be shared between the Labour Party and PDP. Ebonyi is for APC and PDP. Cross River is for PDP and APC. Katsina is for PDP and APC. Adamawa is for PDP and APC. Kano State is for PDP and APC. Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, Nasarawa and Jigawa states are for PDP and APC. Above all, INEC must use BVAS for the election, otherwise, Nigerians will be disappointed and they will suffer three times what they are suffering under this present government. With BVAS, APC is out of the race because it will be difficult for any party to rig itself into power. With BVAS, I see PDP winning. So says the Lord.

 

I see problems if any party wins

There will be problems if any of the parties wins the 2023 presidency. It does not matter whether it is APC or PDP. We have to pray well because I see problems. There must be tight security in place during and after the election. None of the candidates should rely on any past Nigerian leader to win the election because it will not help.

 

CAN made mistake

The Christian Association of Nigeria got it wrong. Instead of consulting with the candidates, why didn’t they pray to God for a right leader that will take Nigeria to the promised land? Nothing is currently working in Nigeria. Buhari has failed.

 

Igbo will rule Nigeria

The Igbo time is coming to rule Nigeria. Nigeria will still break but not now and an Igbo will become president before then. And the 2023 election will be held but I see the date of election being changed. The Yoruba Nation people will discourage their members to boycott the election. Biafra Republic will come to pass, Oduduwa Nation will come to pass but it will not be realized by their present leaders; it is only the North that will stay in Nigeria. Keeping the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu in prison continuously will threaten Nigeria’s security. Nigeria must prepare specially trained security personnel for the purpose of 2023 elections. Security must be tightened and deployed to every vital part of the country during the election. The 2023 election will cost the Nigerian government financially multiple folds of what it has ever spent on elections in the past. Money will determine the coming elections. Nigerians will not vote their conscience in 2023 but their stomach, it is no money, no vote. Nigerians will sell their conscience because of the poverty the past and present governments have created. There will be no votes for any party that doesn’t give money.

 

Judgment time for those who destroyed Nigeria

2023 is the beginning of God’s judgement on those who have ruled and contributed to the destruction of Nigeria. Tension will begin to rise in Nigeria before the next government spends one year in power. Nigerians will revolt against the next government. Things are going to start changing from 2023. I see revolt. I see that two of the past leaders will either die or are on sickbed in 2023. Their deaths will give a signal that Nigeria can be better. There is a curse on this country. If we don’t reverse the curse Tafawa Balewa placed on Nigeria, the country will remain the same.

 

Faces behind insecurity

There are people behind the insecurity challenge that Nigeria is facing. They must be arrested. If the government fails to make this move, the insecurity problem will persist. Those who are behind insecurity are in the security system and those in charge know them. The politicians are behind insecurity in Nigeria because they are gaining from it, and God will soon expose them. Kidnapping and killings will end but not today and not tomorrow. Terror attacks will be minimized but it won’t end completely. The Fulani herdsmen crisis will be a thing of the past. A new government will set up a controlling agency to handle the cattle rearing issue.

 

Bomb attacks in states

Let’s pray that explosions and bombings do not happen in some states. The next government will have challenges in its first four years. Nigerians should not expect miracles from the next government for the next four years, irrespective of the party that wins the election. The next four years are for fixing and cleansing. A little change will happen but to put things in order, it will take the next government eight years. Let’s pray against ethnic crises and religious crises. I see mosques and churches being attacked. Security problems will spread to markets, schools and other public places. There should be cleansing in the army, air force, police and DSS because bad eggs are many among them. There should be general overhauling in the security system and competent hands must be brought in.

 

Restructuring

Restructuring is the answer to Nigeria’s challenges. But I don’t see any of the presidential candidates restructuring Nigeria. If they say they are going to restructure, they are telling a lie. There are evil forces behind successive governments’ inability to restructure. No president will restructure when those leaders who are against restructuring are still alive. Some people have to die to have a new Nigeria. If those people holding Nigeria to ransom are still alive Nigeria will not progress. There will be calls for the relocation of the federal capital from Abuja to have peace and unity. The capital has to be at the center between the North and South. Otherwise, Nigeria will not move on. Any leader who wants to succeed as Nigeria’s president must seek the face of God.

 

Economy

CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele has ruined Nigeria with his money policies. He is supposed to be removed. He doesn’t understand his job. I saw the introduction of new Naira notes way back. I also said then that N5,000 Naira notes will be introduced. I heard they are planning that already. It will come out. Nigeria’s economy will collapse if Emefiele remains in office. I see the Naira coming down to N350 against the Dollar. I see diesel selling for N1, 500 per litre, smallest bread will sell for N500, petrol will sell for N500 per litre, three pieces of tomatoes will sell for N1,000, a bag of foreign rice will sell for N80, 000, local rice will sell for N50,000, a sachet of water will sell for N50. The poor will cry more. Nigerians must vote right in 2023 to prevent these calamities from happening. I’m not saying this to scare anybody or to make anybody clap for me, this is how God has sent me to present it. There is massive corruption in CBN, NNPC, Customs. The anti-corruption agency people are doing their best. But the man at the EFCC helm, Bawa, will not be appreciated. There are many secrets that they can’t expose, if they do, Nigeria will sink.

 

More refineries will be built

When a new government gets to power, they will weaken the anti-corruption fight. That is why I’m warning Nigerians again not to vote for a wrong candidate as president in 2023. I said in 2015 that Buhari would not perform to expectations. Electricity tariff will be increased again. I see bad fuel being sold to Nigerians. Our refineries will bring more problems. Dangote refinery, they should not bring politics into its running, otherwise, the refinery will shut down. I don’t see Dangote refinery working at the capacity they have promised. I see some irregularities in Dangote refinery.  I see more refineries coming up apart from Dangote refinery. Every part of Nigeria will have oil. Nigeria is blessed, bad leadership is the problem. Oil will be found in the North, South and East of Nigeria. I repeat, if Nigeria continues on this path, I am seeing serious mobilization against the government; precisely in 2024. A mass protest will erupt that the government won’t be able to control and the international community would wade in. So, Nigeria must get its leadership right in 2023.

 

Obi, Tinubu, Atiku and North

I see that Northern power brokers are divided between Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Abubakar Atiku of PDP and Bola Tinubu of APC. Some Northerners love Obi, some love Atiku and some Emirs love Tinubu. I don’t see any past leaders supporting Tinubu’s ambition. I see Northerners betraying Tinubu and people within his party, people who are close to him, will also betray him. I’m not Tinubu’s enemy. Ordinarily, I would prefer him to others, but that is what God revealed to me about him. Not all politicians contesting would be alive on the day of election, not all those who win would be sworn in and not all those who are sworn in would complete their terms. The incoming senate president will not cooperate with the incoming president. He will be independent. But the incoming House of Representatives speaker will work with the new president. Some incoming assembly speakers will not finish their terms.

 

Entertainers will suffer scandals, die

A lot of entertainers will die. Some of them will face challenges. Kizz Daniel, P-Square, TuFace, D’Banj, Tiwa Savage, all of them need prayers against serious challenges, losses and satanic influence. Davido too. Also, Pasuma, Obesere, Atawewe, Osupa and Muri Thunder need God’s guidance against loss of life, accident, loss of money and properties. I see division in their bands and controversy on contracts. They need God’s protection around them. Nollywood actresses should pray against scandals. They must pray for unity among themselves and pray against sickness and sudden deaths among the prominent ones. Let’s pray for Juju and Highlife musicians’ health. I see divisions in PMAN. They must pray well. Fuji music association must pray for unity and cohesion. I see the death of a prominent rapper, prominent comedian and prominent television broadcaster and presenter. TVC, Channels TV, AIT should pray. Arise TV people should pray against the death of any member.

 

Judiciary

I see the death of judges, in federal high court, appeal court and Supreme Court. Nigeria’s chief justice will be scandalized and blackmailed. I see attacks on top Emirs’ palaces. Some of Nigerian past leaders will fall sick and their time on earth has come to an end. I see many Yoruba obas being disgraced. I see them being kidnapped, assassinated and their palaces set ablaze. They also need prayers against accidents. I see the death of prominent General Overseers in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan. I see the death of a prominent Islamic scholar.

 

Banks will shut down

Some Nigerian banks will shut down. They will run into debts due to the economy. Prudent Bank, Heritage Bank, Zenith Bank, Jaiz Bank, First Bank, Wema Bank, Owena Bank should be careful because of CBN regulations. Access Bank, GT Bank and FCMB must be careful. Some of them will run into problems and lay off their staff. I see Nigerians using 5G from 2023. Telecoms VAT will increase, airport VAT will increase, the government will increase taxes in order to balance the economy but that will not bring the solution. Air tickets will increase, aviation fuel prices will increase and petrol prices will increase.

 

I see plane crash

There will be plane crashes within Africa and I see a plane crash in Nigeria. Police and air force must pray against helicopter crashes. I see Nigerian security killing the bandit leader, Turji. I see the killing of ISWAP and Boko Haram commanders. Police and army will go on strike. A lot of things will be exposed about soldiers fighting in war fronts. I see floods killing people and destroying properties in Nigeria.

 

Agricultural produce

There won’t be a boost in agriculture next year because of floods. Nigeria must have a food reservoir now. Southwest will suffer food scarcity from next year because the governors have not done well in agriculture. Bank rates will increase. I see challenges in the communication industry. Airtel will have challenges but it will have new devices. MTN will face litigation. NCC will have problems with the telecom companies. Nigeria’s communication minister will face challenges. Telecoms will experience poor services across the board. Globacom will have new equipment to improve its services but it will have challenges with competitors and others that don’t want its progress. I see Globacom starting telecoms banking soon and it will pioneer more innovation in the industry. I see changes and divisions in NURTW. Government will attempt to proscribe the union in the next two years. I see the local government becoming autonomous, collecting their allocations directly.  Let’s pray against the death of a lawmaker in Lagos State, a member of GAC and a local government chairman. Osinbajo, Amaechi will make new political moves. Amaechi will face political battles. Fashola will take a new political stand; Kayode Fayemi too will take new political steps to be relevant. El-Rufai will suffer political robbery. Ayo Fayose and Ngige will face political challenges. Some current political players will be forgotten before 2023 ends. Oyo governor, Seyi Makinde will perfect political strategies to win a second term. Wike group will not last and Wike will be shocked politically. Climate change will shut down the world in 15 years. It will be deadlier than covid-19. I see a leadership crisis in NUJ and they must pray against losing any member. Let’s pray not to lose any member of the sports writers’ association. If Nigeria listens to divine warnings, we can win the 2024 Nations Cup match. Let’s pray not to lose any member of NFF and against crisis in the board. The current NFF president will perform better than his predecessor and he will fight corruption in the NFF successfully. But there are satanic members within who are ready to fight him. Nigeria will qualify for the world cup match in Egypt. During Gusau’s time if Nigeria bids for the 2025 Nations Cup hosting, we will get it. Let’s pray against the death of a footballer or a footballer collapsing on the field. Let’s pray against the death of players in Plateau United, Kwara United, 3FC, Gombe United and Sunshine FC. Let’s pray against the death of a coach and a referee in Nigeria.


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Although people warned that PMAN had failed, we made success of it –Pretty Okafor shares his story as PMAN national president

Pretty Okafor

 

Pretty Okafor has a successful track record of managing and producing major corporate events. A fine arts major graduate of Yaba College of Technology, Pretty together with Junior (now late) are among pioneers of Afro Hip-Hop music in Africa in late 80s. He told the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT about his passion for music and entertainment generally, how he is making a success of his chance as president of the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) and many more… 

 

PMAN is the body that manages the techniques and tones of the day-to-day affairs of music in Nigeria. But some VIP musicians would tell you that PMAN does not determine their success in the industry. What do you have to say about this?
This is correct, PMAN doesn’t determine the success but PMAN determines the progress leading to the success of musicians, none of these artists can travel out for the first time without an endorsement letter  from the music Union and none of them has ever got a work permit outside Nigeria without first getting a recommendation letter from the music Union. In the past, they have been getting it through the back channel because PMAN was busy fighting within themselves. Since my team and I took over and the Union infighting settled, they have all been registering to become members before getting any of these letters.

What has happened to the glitz and fanfare the PMAN was used to be known for; is it due to seeming lack of interest by those that matter?
Fighting is very shameful, especially when it has to do with leadership of any sort, even when parents fight in the presence of their children, it’s nasty. No one likes to be associated with that kind of attitude.

Are you satisfied with the current state of the Nigerian music industry? What are the development agenda you were set out to achieve and what results are you getting already?
As at the time my team and I got into PMAN, someone advised us to stop wasting our time and resources that PMAN has failed, it’s dead and forgotten but we had a different conviction and belief towards the organizations and establishments. If we don’t fix it, this is what we will leave for the next generation. Incompetent people make organizations fail and not the structure. With structures and a team driven by good hearts and heads, it’s a win for PMAN. I’m not satisfied but we are getting there, I promise you, you’ll see and hear of new vibrant and noteworthy projects.

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As a music enthusiast, which one among the gospel, hip-hop, rap, Juju, Fuji genres would you say is the most popular at the moment, in terms of general acceptance?
All these genres have represented very well but the most successful is the transition of Afro Hip-hop to Afrobeats, which has taken the whole world by storm and I’m proud to say it was created by Junior and Pretty in 1990.

It is widely believed that before most musicians go on stage, they smoke and use hard drugs. Do you agree with that notion and where does the PMAN come in on this?
That is a total fallacy, drug usage is more with politicians and not just musicians. I’m a bonafide musician and from my childhood days till now, I have never taken alcohol or even smoked before and we have a whole lot of musicians that are like me. Drug epidemic is a war that needs to be carried by every right-thinking Nigerian.

You have a successful record of managing and producing major entertainment events in the past, is this connected in any way to your management style as PMAN president?
I’m sure it is part of it; managing and producing events is what I love to do and I am very dedicated and focused. I always work hard to make at least 70% delivery in whatever I do. I’m not a perfectionist but I always try to be better in whatever I do. I love teamwork and the successes you see today in PMAN should be credited to my team.

Let’s talk about the Junior & Pretty years; and did you have a privileged background? Please, share your experience of the past and what are you missing about those times?
I didn’t have a privileged background; no, not at all. I was born in Ajegunle into a royal family but we lost all of our wealth during the civil war.  My father came back to Lagos to take back his property and unfortunately he found himself in the slums because the present occupiers, his tenants, refused to give him access to his houses and hospital. So, yes; I was born in the ghetto and started on the streets. I am an Ajegunle boy but with a royalty mentality. My father kept hammering this on us; ‘son, know yourself!’ I miss those days when people believed in us not because of our background or what we have achieved. Right now, everything is so strange.

The PMAN office at Lekki is one of your dream projects that came to fruition. How long did it take you to achieve this and what are other achievements that you can share with us?
The final judgement we got in court that put a hold on all the infightings came on November 12, 2020, and all these were achieved within two years; biometric card registration for PMAN members with Zenith Bank, purchase of PMAN corporate headquarters called ‘The Nigerian Music House’, PMAN FM, a 24-hour radio station meant strictly for musicians. And believe me when I say it is an answer to our prayers, especially for musicians. It will help musicians to promote themselves. A music radio for musicians by musicians. ‘PMAN FM, for us by us’.
You once said that you came on board PMAN to unlock a goldmine of wealth for Nigerian musicians, how much have you been able to achieve in that regard?
The biometric card registration gives all PMAN members the opportunity to be part of the global residual content revenue. It also protects musicians from exploitation around the world by helping them to code their own contents with a digital imprint so as to help access their digital royalties, performance royalties, mechanical royalties and much more. If that blueprint and structure is followed properly, then the music industry will be generating over 16 trillion naira yearly to boost our economy. The first time I said this was in 2016, so I’m repeating it again.

Before you came on board, PMAN was in comatose for some years. What do you think your predecessors were supposed to have done but missed doing to make the necessary turnaround?
Peace is always the answer. While the elephants fight, the jungle will be very unstable until there’s peace. Before any matter gets out of hand, always find a resolution, a common ground and have in mind that you represent other people.

The international recording companies left Nigeria because of piracy. The reason then was that people were no longer buying records from shops. Tell us the magic your administration deployed to fight piracy almost to extinction.
The solution is simple. The world evolved and we went from physical to digital and now we are taking advantage of the securities available in placing digital imprints on each of our property to avoid piracy and introduce transparency.

Tell us about your family and your favourite sports.
I’m from Okaforanyanwu kingdom in Oru East of Omuma in Imo State. I’m the seventh child of the family. I am proudly married to the love of my life and her name is not Bolanle or Monica. She’s very calm and knows how to support and encourage me; together we have four amazing children, a wonderful girl and three outstanding boys and I’m a happy man. My favorite sport is basketball. I only wish I could play with the kids more often.


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No actress should give sex or money as bribe for movie roles –‘Anikulapo’ actress, Bimbo Ademoye

Bimbo Ademoye

 

Nollywood actress, Bimbo Ademoye is one of the most elegant and hardworking actresses in the Nigerian movie industry. Recently, her comic and hilarious videos on social media have put her more in the faces of her fans. In this interview, she speaks about her acting career and childhood dreams.

 

Have you always wanted to be an actress?

Yes, I have always wanted to be an actress since I was seven years old. I used to act in front of the mirror. I will act in front of the mirror and correct myself, inject one or two things as I display my skills.

 

You have one of the most amazing figures especially your tiny waist. What do you do to keep in shape?

I have to be very honest with you. I have gained a lot of weight right now. While filming, we stay awake almost all night and as you work, you might feel like pecking on something. Thanks to my waist trainer, they help me maintain my figure. When you wear the waist trainer, your body will try to grow but there is no space for that. So, it’s one of the things that gives me that snatched figure.

 

Do you have a phobia for anything?

Yes, I do. I have a phobia for heights. I think I am the only Nigerian or the only person in the world who doesn’t like to sit by the window in a plane. If I am by the window, it’s either you cover the curtain or you change my seat. I don’t want to see anything strange.

 

Would you take a movie role where you are required to go naked, or a sex scene?

Never! My dad is watching. I can’t play such roles.

 

What would you consider before accepting to take on a character?

Everybody is trying to improve on his craft. These days, I have been very picky with the role I play because I need something that is very challenging. Everybody knows that I am funny at this point and I say that with all humility. So, I am tired of funny scripts. That is why I need something different; let me show you that I can make you cry just like I can make you laugh. Let me show you that I can make you surprised just like I can make you laugh. I am not saying that I am tired of comedy or funny roles but let me slowdown on that path a little bit.

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What is your honest opinion about the sex-for-roles issue in Nollywood?

Nobody should give sex. Nobody should give money. Just do your thing. It is difficult to tell them what to do because what works for me might not work for them. I will just say put in your best, follow your passion.

 

What are the things you look out for in playing romantic roles?

Give me an actor who has the same level of energy as I do. If you can pretend like you love me, I too can pretend like I love you too. But if you are acting as if you cannot stand me, I will also pretend as if I cannot stand you too. Someone that is supposed to be my husband must share the same energy with me.

 

What are some of the challenges you have encountered in your acting career?

It started out on a positive note for me because I came into the industry through an amazing woman. I can say that I have been very lucky. I didn’t experience the issues of sleeping with producers because of roles. So, the journey has really been a smooth one for me.

 

You started out as an English actress, what was your experience crossing into the Yoruba genre?

I have already featured in two Yoruba movies. One was strictly a Yoruba movie, the second one was by the legendary and amazing Kunle Afolayan titled Anikulapo. I haven’t really done a lot of Yoruba movies, not because I don’t want to but because I am not ready to go in that direction. Once I am ready, trust me, I will go there and take over.

Tell us about some of the movies you have produced

One of my movies is called ‘Lola’s Gift’. ‘ I am also one of the executive producers of the most talked about movie, ‘Gangs of Lagos’ by Jade Osiberu, and ‘Sugar Rush II’. I was an actor in part one of Sugar Rush. I also co-produced a movie called ‘The Landlord’. We are already at post production.

 

 

What are the qualities that make a good movie?

A good storyline and perfect casting. Like I said earlier on, I don’t care how much your budget is. Just give me an amazing actor that will give me the same amount of energy that I will give to him or her.

 

-Akin Sokoya


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Tinubu presidency will guarantee the economic prosperity Nigerians desire –Lagos lawmaker, Desmond Elliot

Desmond Elliot

 

Everyone knows Honourable Desmond Elliot. He is the dashing actor turned politician who has impressed both his critics and admirers with his intellect and ability to learn fast the rudiments of politics and emerge as one of the young but powerful forces to reckon with within the Lagos APC. Currently, he is the lawmaker representing Surulere constituency 1 and those who know will tell you he has surpassed the expectations of many. Little wonder why, only a couple of months ago, he won the party’s ticket for another term to serve his constituency. He is going for his third term.

A lot of people have been giving him credit for doing such a great job and successfully getting a ticket for his re-election bid. But the very down-to-earth and sincere Desmond Elliot will tell anyone who cares to listen that he owes it all to the love and support of three powerful politicians who have played very critical roles in his political trajectory. They are the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa and last but by no means the least, the APC national leader and standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Desmond Elliot has never hidden his love for Tinubu. He is always glad to tell people that he had been an admirer of the Jagaban long before he, Desmond Elliot, became a politician. And today, as his leader and the man on whose shoulder the hopes of APC winning the 2023 presidential election rests, Asiwaju represents to him much more than a party leader. He represents hope. He represents the key to a better and prosperous Nigeria. Hon. Desmond Elliot never hides his passion for Asiwaju, this explains why he could speak about Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for hours on end without tiring. Last week, he had a one-hour chat with Global Excellence correspondent, KUNLE LAWAL in his office. Read on….

We are just a few months from the presidential elections, how confident are you that 2023 is sealed for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory?

I’m sure you can see this big portrait I have in my office; it has been here since 2018. You can see what is written on it, “MY PRESIDENT.” This was done way before Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu signified interest to run. That portrait you see is about four years old and it was a prophecy that I believed. You cannot build people and when it’s time for people to support you they will disappear, it’s not possible. He is someone who has lifted up individuals who have in turn blessed people. Some might say, ah, it’s because he knows your father. He doesn’t know my father. He never met my father. It just took me signifying interest, going to him, linking up, remaining faithful to the cause. He pin points talents. He’s a talent builder. He can see your innate gifts. And it doesn’t just happen to everybody. There are people that are specifically blessed with things like this and that’s the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am so hopeful for this country upon his emergence. He is a stickler for parties. Even when he went through a turbulent situation in this party, he never left. He stuck with it. He stayed right there. For years, he was quiet. He never spoke against the party. These are the things people should learn from. Let’s not be moved about the things going on in social media. That’s not his person. That’s not who he is. They talk about him being a drug lord. This is a person that served as a Senator. He finished that one, he became a governor and built people. They didn’t say he was a drug lord then. Now, suddenly, they begin to come up with all sorts of nonsense and nobody asked, why didn’t they convict him before now if he truly did any of these things? He didn’t go to school, he changed his name, he’s 205 years old, he’s this, he’s that, yet he’s more visible than every other person. He is more talked about than every other person. Then, it means there is something about him that makes him special.

I am very hopeful and I know the shocker will be the fact that those who didn’t even vote for him will be shocked how their vote will be protected when he becomes president. This is someone who doesn’t care where you’re from. Whether it’s Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Nupe, it doesn’t matter to him. He always says it, the capacity to perform, he’s got it and he will perform. The one that excites me the most is the devolution of powers, the decentralisation of the center. Let the Republic become the Republic. Let’s become the federation we want to be where regions, states can stand on their own. Give more powers to the state, more powers to the regions so that they can build from the ground up. And then, if it’s paying taxes to the federal government or whatever you want to do to the federal government, do it. Let the federal government remain what they ought to be-federal government. I think with this we can begin to see the kind of change we want to see in our country. Then, most importantly is the sense of nationhood, the pride that we are Nigerians. Individually, we are, but collectively, we are lost. Then, I think Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will also help in bridging the gap between the people and governance. There is a huge distrust amongst ourselves and with Asiwaju, I believe many will find out that once somebody is in government, that doesn’t make you the enemy. I have been a victim of such a situation where you are in government and they now begin to see you as the enemy. You are loved by people, then, suddenly, they begin to see a side about you that you have never seen by yourself. And they begin to tell you things you don’t even know about yourself. And you begin to wonder, are these people talking about an imaginary Desmond? And Baba was right, that it is saddening when he sees some kind of reports on social media. And it’s true. You see, service to humanity is a choice. I chose to serve, that’s why I’m taking everything that’s been thrown at me. So, to directly answer your question, I am very confident, one hundred percent confident that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria next year by the special grace of God almighty.

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But how can the mindset of the people you just talked about change?

People should simply learn to trust those in governance more. They should learn to give them the benefit of the doubt. Not condemn and crucify all the time. I don’t think that will change anything. You should learn to charge them to do more and think outside the box in delivering the dividends of democracy such that, I, Desmond, I can beat my chest tomorrow and say I did well. I walk on the streets of Surulere, I am not scared because I know I have been fair to my people and the party appreciates this which is why I got my third term ticket. I can bet that with Asiwaju at the helm of affairs, in no time, people will begin to trust the government again. Because with him, his yes is yes, his no is no. But let’s not begin to expect a quick turnaround as some other candidates are saying. I do not see it. We are going to have at least a long time of going through the fire in trying to fix this country. We have a huge problem with orientation,  as a people, we should love and respect for one another, we have the issue of corruption to deal with, we have the issue of security to deal with, we have the issue of jobs to deal with. Yes, the problems are enormous but I believe that we will be able to sort them out.

I can’t wait to have a better Nigeria. Like we say, it’s a renewed hope. I believe from the north, south, east and west, everyone will be a beneficiary of these dividends of democracy. It’s not going to be an easy task but why not give it to someone who knows what to do, not someone who’s coming to experiment? Someone who can speak. He is a detribalized Nigerian. He only looks at what you can do, not which part of the country you’re from. And he’s someone who fears Good, so let’s go. I’m not saying he’s a saint, I’m not saying he’s a messiah but I’m saying he’s the best we can find anywhere in the country today as far as understanding what the complexity of this country is and knowing how to make things come together. You can see it from the APC primaries, how it looked like; there was no hope and everything aligned at the very last minute. It only shows the mastery of the politician that he is and what he can do. When you look at him, he appears very unassuming, but trust me, what is up there inside his head, only God can give. So, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, my president by the grace of God come 2023, we wish you all the best, we are here to support you and to make sure you have a smooth ride to the White House which is Aso Rock.

 

Does the noise and confidence from Peter Obi and his Obidients camp bother you? They say they will shock Nigerians next year when the presidential election takes place..

There is no doubt that the third force has come, there is no doubt about that. I would’ve wished we had a situation where educated and internet savvy people would objectively analyse these cases. I know we are hurt. I know we are going through a lot of pains as Nigerians and we are looking for the next best option. But let’s critically and objectively look at the next best option, that’s what I want us to do. I want to toe the line of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in not calling names of people that are not too important in this race. I am not bothered about the importance of those people but what I am happy about is that there is a third force, so any politician vying for office will know he’s  not getting it on a platter of gold. It’s going to be fought for. And everyone can see that, inspite of everything, this president does not tamper with electoral processes, unlike the previous government. He has said it loud and clear that he believes in democracy. For him, whoever wins gets it. Just a few days ago, Osun governor was sworn in by a different party. If it was a different party that was ruling, they would’ve upturned the results. Let’s give kudos to whom kudos are due. Look at BVAS, if Asiwaju and the government wanted things differently, it could’ve been manipulated. But the APC is saying, you know what, let’s go and win fair and square. That’s what it is and that’s what it will be. So, yes, we may not have got all we need from the government of the day but there is so much the government of the day has done, making sure democracy thrives.

 

 Your last words on the Muslim-Muslim ticket that hasn’t been able to sit well with majority of Nigerians..

Well, I don’t know about the majority of Nigerians but I do agree that, at first instance, you raise eyebrows at the combination. But I do know that, for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doesn’t even account for religion to be anything, and with the growth of this democracy, it shows that one day we will have a Christian-Christian ticket and it will fly. So, I am only going to appeal that we have somebody who is from the south and that should supersede his religious affiliation and we have somebody from the north, and that should also supersede his religious affiliation. Let’s see how we can grow the ideas of these people. Religion can make sure you go to heaven but it cannot guarantee you nation building. It cannot guarantee you developmental building. It does not even guarantee you security, so let us pay attention to those things while on earth that will keep us strong and virile while keeping our religion that will keep us to see God when we die. So, my appeal to us Christians is, let’s look at a man who has supported us in every way and has been there for us. I don’t need to over-flog the fact that his wife is a pastor, all his children are Christians, so what are we talking about?


Secrets I have told no one about my bond with Baba Suwe –Star actor, Yomi Fabiyi

Yomi Fabiyi

 

Nollywood actor, producer and director, Yomi Fabiyi is renowned for his acting skills. The Abeokuta, Ogun State born thespian who doubles as a human rights crusader in this chat with the Editor, FOLORUNSHO HAMSAT reveals the secrets behind his rising fame and success in the film industry, his views about Nollywood progress, among other issues. Read on…

 

People say you’re better as an activist than an actor because of the seriousness you put into your action, do you take that as a compliment? 

Smiles… I appreciate the kind words but quite honestly, it is because people are not used to seeing an actor in Nigeria volunteering or advocating tenaciously for human rights as I do recently. In addition, most of my previous exploits on human rights were not given publicity until now. If there is fair publicity for both, you will notice I am doing very well equally. Filming is what brings food to my table while human rights is part of giving back to society.

 

 

When you attended your first audition, were you apprehensive or you realized immediately that acting was something you were destined to do in life? 

Acting for me never started with an audition, Baba Suwe just introduced me after a few informal training and rehearsals but my first time on a movie set, I didn’t even know what I was doing. I was extremely nervous to my bone marrow.

 

 

With your young age and having distinguished your expertise in acting, where do you place yourself in the Nollywood space? 

Quite honestly with regards acting and filming, I am still in my first phase, though I have won Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor but I feel I still have loads to offer. I am just scratching the surface. With good health and longer life, I will become a unique reference point in acting and filming in Nigeria.

 

Would you like to share in brief your journeys, struggles and triumphs in movie acting?

It has been rough, tough and smooth. However, to have reached a stage I am growing at my own pace and offer others my platform via Rocklaf Studio Film Academy. They are becoming star actors and filmmakers in their own rights.

 

Naturally, actors dream of making it big in the industry but they get disappointed when they fail. How do you encourage colleagues who find themselves in such a situation?

Failure shouldn’t define anything, it should be a template to learn, adjust and do better. Never let disappointment stop you from trying.

 

What other qualities aside talent do you think can take an actor to the height of career success?

Talent is never enough, qualities like listening than talking, humility, constant practice and hard work, regular research, punctuality, penchant for quality etc.

 

Every man aspiring for success gets scared of imaginary enemies; how do you respond when you feel despised or attacked for certain reasons?

Public perception are important especially if you are in public space or render services to the public. Unfortunately, in this day and age of social media, some cowards take advantage of the anonymity of social media to perpetrate their evil mindsets and hurt their targets with any slight opportunity, unconfirmed stories and unethical practices. People now don’t know the difference between core journalism and criminals violating rights on a daily basis in the name of blogging. So in most cases, I don’t read or pay attention. Those are not public opinion but evil and pull him down syndrome, I ignore and do my things.

 

You always speak glowingly about your late boss, Baba Suwe; what other secrets do you share with him apart from training under his watch?

The simple truth is, nobody is perfect but the singular interest and acceptance plus the guide, feeding, accommodation, connections got through him all formed a huge part of me today. He deserves that I must not forget him. He also had so much trust and belief in me in some areas that he found me almost indispensable. At gunpoint, Baba Suwe will defend me that I can never steal anybody’s money or hold back his balance. He always made me feel valued and consider me an asset when with him. Any time we saw eye to eye, he would become lively and so happy. We had our misunderstanding but we always found our ways around issues, we never shut the doors permanently against each other. He held my hands when taking my first steps in the industry, so glad I held his hands too when taking his final steps. During our last conversation, he thanked and prayed for me and said I hope you come back and meet me alive and his voice went quiet. I will miss my boss.

What is it that you are missing most with his death?

The fact that he is my boss alone. That his comedy would have resonated with this day and age of social media and skits are there. I miss how he laughs at my jokes even when they are not funny.

 

You are one of the best dressed Nollywood actors. Is this regular with you or do you do it for the camera alone?

To be honest, I dress more for the camera because there is always specification, details or requirements, either by the scene or event. I get lazy to dress without anywhere as this job entails you to stay more indoor or in a confined place. Poor me, my sense of fashion is  still very low and I feel it can get better.

 

 

Tell us about the success and challenges of your film academy, Rocklaf.

It’s about the most difficult and challenging environment. Social media turns most of these protégé into uncomfortable desperate folks. They want the same attention, followership and prominence like those in the business far ahead of them. If you don’t meet the expectations of some, they leave and try to indoctrinate some. Some are talented and patient but need resources to cushion what opportunities you give. Some come in as voyeurs and confusions. They will drag anyone by all means necessary just to rise to the top. They know what draws attention online and they careless. But overall, right before my eyes, the dreams of these proteges have been fulfilled. When they celebrate, when they are celebrated or when they or their families write and call to thank me.

 

 

What is your response to the observation that Nollywood practitioners do not really support one another, Yoruba actors in particular, despite the public show of comradeship?

It is a sensitive issue. Yes, nobody wants to help anybody if they feel it may cost them little or part of their public appeal, acceptance, fans base etc. They won’t help if it will make them lose something. The truth is this; Nollywood is an industry with competitions, when you dedicate your time to help or eulogize others especially when unsolicited, it appears to some that you’re seeking familiarity or being subservience. The worst are those who quickly feel you are doing it for monetary gains, cheap fame or whatever. Whoever you have helped when down would ignore or look down on you when he is back up. So, people prefer to do little or nothing. I just ignore all these and help when I can.

 

Why do you think an actress would offer her body for roles in movies; is it for a quick rise to stardom or to make up for lack of talent?

Offering one’s body for roles is unhealthy from a professional point of view but this is happening in almost every industry.  To some, offering their bodies unlock doors faster, in the case of movies, instead of going for auditions or attending training/rehearsals, some do this. However, we must learn to differentiate those who go into relationships with any adult of their choice due to genuine sexual connect. Our job is passion driven and with the constant work and close proximity, people tend to develop feelings towards another. Irrespective of the source, the final output will expose your choices and decisions if right or wrong.

 

Netflix seems to be the most-talked-about global movie streaming, have you considered shooting for or having any of your films ready for the channel?

Netflix is a consideration. I am just looking for help and finances to make a film to meet their standards. The reputation, skills and intellectual resources are available.

 

Would you like to discuss your marital life and how would you advise actors on peaceful and lasting marriage?

I am presently single. Maybe soon I will give marriage a re-think. Too many things are militating against successful marriages.

 

Do you still get invited for movie roles and what would make you reject an invitation; the fee or relationship?

Sure, I still get invitations. As we speak, a script is on its way to my WhatsApp. The producer just notified me. I will read and get back to him. And at Rocklaf Studio Int’l, we have many productions we do, plus my MC job. It’s a tight calendar. I hardly reject movie scripts; most scripts that come to me are based on merit not favouritism, who can advertise online or because I lobby. And, of course, when I am needed, they either have the right payment that is dignifying if I can’t charge them.

 

Tell us about your personal movies and which do you consider the best of all so far?

All my movies are good and it gets better after every last production. It’s difficult to pick any as the best overall, not even when I am still very active in movie productions. There are rooms for positive development. I am just getting started.


I had challenges early in my career because my handlers didn’t understand my brand –Star female talking drummer, Ara

Ara

Nigeria’s foremost female talking drummer, Aralola Olamuyiwa, commonly known by her stage name Ara shares her journey and experiences playing the talking drum in this interview. She revealed that she learned how to play the talking drum by herself. The self-acclaimed “queen of drums” said she learned how to play the drums by watching the men perform, adding that they “refused” to teach her. Ara said she listened to Nigeria’s veteran singers and learned how to play the drums to their sounds.

 

You are known as the first female talking drummer in Nigeria. How has the journey been for the Ara brand? 

Well, let me say, thank God for the journey.  Of course, every journey has its downside; the good, the bad and the ugly. What is most important is understanding and identifying every season of your journey. We can’t always win; we lose some, we win some. Some of the challenges that you lose would serve as a life lesson to help you get to the next level. So, sometimes, it’s important to actually lose or fail so that you can have a better understanding and in-depth knowledge of your journey and not take things for granted. It’s easy to take things for granted and get carried away by the fame, glamour, money and everything. So, sometimes, God needs to suddenly draw the hand brake of our lives. When that happens, it is calling you to caution; to take cognizance of happenings around you; be it in your spiritual life, marital life or any other area of your life. So, the journey has not been without any of these. But above all, I thank God for the kind of people he brought and keeps bringing my way during these seasons. Yes, it’s not easy, sometimes you just want to give up but when you remember that it’s not about you — it’s not about me as the first female talking drummer, it’s beyond me. God always finds a way to bring me back.

 

You mentioned stumbling blocks; what are some of the challenges you faced in the male-dominated industry? 

At the initial stage of my career, of course, it was the fear of being accepted in a male-dominated field but we quickly got past that. I was celebrated and still being celebrated. And the number one problem which most talents have is not understanding the business side of being a talent. If you do not understand the business aspect of being a talent, you would get into a lot of trouble like I did. One of which is signing a contract without your lawyer and once you do that, you more or less have got into a very deep mess that you must wriggle your way out or you wait until the contract expires and dies a natural death, which was the situation in my case. I fell a couple of times because I did not understand the business aspect of showbiz and I had a major trust issue; I couldn’t trust anyone. The few people I came in contact with, they may have been good people but I had trust issues in terms of management and individuals who wanted to manage me. Also, to me, I realized that they didn’t understand the brand because managing a brand like ‘Ara’ is different from managing a hip hop artiste. Ara is a world music artiste – an institution first and foremost. So, you just manage Ara at that level, like an institution. I ran into a couple of problems. I made money, I lost money because I wasn’t doing the right thing by investing. My marriage ran into a ditch and I had to move on. That was another emotional setback that took me time to overcome. I got back on my feet and tried my hands on a few other businesses. I ran a boutique while still doing my music, ran a unisex hair salon and everything went down the drain because I didn’t have the experience and I didn’t get good business advice.

 

Would you say the issues you had in your career and marriage affected your creativity in any way? 

I wouldn’t say that my relationship affected my creativity or talent or ability to perform. As a matter of fact, ‘Ara’ the brand is the extrovert but Aralola Olamuyiwa is more of an introvert. So, I am able to separate both. When I was going through that emotional turmoil in my marriage, I wrote a couple of songs. I had my son, and then diverted my entire attention to him. One of the songs I wrote then, which was produced by Wole Oni is titled ‘Otito’. That song talks about the truth. At that point in time, I was lost and I just wanted the truth. Then I did a couple of gospel and motivational songs. I made a full gospel album from my experience.

How would you advise upcoming artistes from the “trenches” signing contracts that look attractive to them at the moment? 

My advice to them is: if you have the talent, look for someone that genuinely believes in your talent. Look for someone that is not in competition with you and make sure that you’re visible. Starting out, I had the opportunity to perform at an end-of-year party for children at a bank. I was getting visibility, even from primary school as a drummer, singer and dancer. So, it’s important you put yourself out there – be visible and look for someone who believes in you; someone who genuinely roots for you because you can’t do it alone. You may get noticed, or together, you may know some people who would say we believe in what you’re doing, let us support you. It starts from people who believe in what you’re doing and can give freely to support the development of your brand and talent. And then, one day, somebody may recommend you and say “I know somebody who knows somebody.

 

 

As a talented artiste, why the talking drum out of the wide range of musical instruments?

This is the same question Prof Wole Soyinka asked me when he invited me for lunch at his house and it was one of the most memorable times of my life and career. That was in 2006 or 2007.

For me, it is spiritual because the talking drum chose me. It is beyond music for me. During the last Ayan Agalu festival in Ile-Ife, the Ooni of Ife made me understand that the first Ayan Agalu was a female in Ile-Ife and was a favourite of Adimula and that “Ayan” was called “Ayo” meaning favourite. Now, I am still begging for time to sit before the Ooni to tap into this history. I made a few calls to Professors that I know in Yoruba and we had a deep conversation but I wouldn’t want to put it out there until I have concluded my research on that. But in conclusion, she (Ayan) came and it is believed that she re-incarnated with me.

 

Your craft has to do with live band and stage play, do you nurse the fear that the talking drum may become obsolete in the Nigerian music industry?  

Not at all. I will tell you why. Can the people do without our culture? Our culture is our DNA. Can you do without your DNA? It is who we are; there are different aspects of our culture and music is one of them. The talking drum is a prominent traditional musical instrument of the Yoruba people and culture. There is no way that it would go into extinction.

 

 

You haven’t been linked with anyone romantically since your last relationship. Are you in a relationship?

I am not seeing anyone. I am a very single woman but very open to love. I still look forward to being loved and loving, and I look forward to getting married again when the time is right and to the right person.


Gov Abdulrazak is Everything You Need in A Politician with Good Characters -Engr. Nurudeen Adeyemi

Engr Nurudeen Adeyemi

 

Engineer Nurudeen Adeyemi Balogun is a man of many parts. In this interview with AKINLOLU ABAYOMI, humble and good –natured Nurudeen Adeyemi who was one of the Kwara South APC Senate aspirants objected to the idea of referring to  professionals leaving Nigeria for developed countries as  ‘brain drain’ while also giving  his take on  other issues.

Read on…

 

Why is the aviation industry in Nigeria not at par with the ones available in the developed countries? 

It is a  capital-intensive business  and the rate of returns and the horizon  of  investments  matters.

Among the advantages over there is the liquidity of the assets, the leaderships of those countries also  get financial institutions to subsidize some of the financing needs. The various manufacturers have their own lending and corporations that tend to generate, leasing the assets and now for the assets to be in service while revenues are generated but the same is not readily available in Nigeria because the operators almost have to come up with all they have to buy 15-year and 20-year-old aircraft.

And then the issue of policy somersault too, because we are doing an investment with a very long horizon,  you need a stable environment for your projection to work but in Nigeria we have a lot of policy somersault that does not allow you to  have a great planning. What you base your business assumptions on today, you find out that by tomorrow the operating traditions and environment have changed. So that makes it very challenging for operators. You are operating in Nigeria and you are receiving revenue in Naira. Yet, some  of the operating costs that you are supposed to pay like aviation fuel, for example, are sometimes made  in US Dollars. So you’re running an economy that is both naira and dollar while your revenue is largely in Naira. So that makes it a very difficult operating environment.

 

How can we get things changed for the better in  Nigeria? 

Any reasonable government should make improving the standard of living of the people a priority. How can we improve the standard of living of our people?.   Our large revenue driver which is oil is either stagnant or declining.

We are trying to diversify.  Nigeria will soon become the 3rd most populous country in the world. So, we are in democracy and we cannot begin to mandate to people how many children they should have.  Yet,  it is  challenging  taking care of the people that we have, so there is a conundrum  and dilemma facing the government. That’s just a reality of our time. What we need to do really, I always say that there’s no prosperity without productivity and most of these large economies that we want to mimic are largely running a 24- hour economy, unlike our own 8-hour, 10-hour economy and yet we want to replicate a productivity that those large economies have. It’s nearly impossible. What do I mean by that?  When you build a factory in USA, India or China, that factory largely operates 24-hour service which means I secure men that work for 24 hours. They either work in 2 or 3 shifts which means machine is likely manned by 2 or 3 individuals in one day. The same machine comes to Nigeria, and that machine works for only 8-10 hours. You only have one person working so, imagine if I have a strong capacity and that capacity is able to work 24 hours, that means 2 or 3 Nigerians are able to get a job. That’s the only way we can fight the huge unemployment that we caused our economy after we expanded rapidly faster than our birth rate because we already have a problem. So if we are just keeping all the problems, we will not solve the backlog of the problem we have, which means our economy actually has to expand faster than the problem that we already have in order to deal with the deficit that we currently have. Now, if we want to have 2 or 3 people working with the same machine, we need to be able to travel in odd hours. In the middle of the night, 2, 3, 4 o’clock in the morning, people are on the road. How can people be on the road in the morning in the face of insecurity?  How can people be on the road 2am, 3am in the face of power challenges? Because those factories are to run 24 hours profitably but cannot run so well on generators.  You are now talking about people’s movement which talks about road, we are talking about power for the factory and we are talking about a safe environment that allows free movement so that people can move around. For the 24-hour economy to work, we need to tackle insecurity, power and our infrastructural development that if we have a man in Ilorin, living in Esie should not be the problem because it’s only a few kilometers apart. Anybody working within 25 kilometres from the factory should be able to commute there within  one hour or less and that is how things work in most of the developed countries-either they  have mass transit that allows people to live far away from where they work or the road network system is safe enough for people to move far; distance is not a problem. Those are some of the impediments that we have to tackle; if we don’t tackle them, we cannot rapidly expand the economy and if we cannot expand the economy, our deficit will only get worse.

Engr Nurudeen Adeyemi

 You have lived in the USA for years  now and people have been complaining about Nigeria losing its best brains to other countries, they call it ‘brain drain’, what is your take on this?

Let me go to the issue of brain drain. The truth of the matter is that no country develops without its diasporans, Almighty Allah told our prophet to go and seek knowledge and every scripture encourages seeking knowledge. The people that we are talking about go overseas to learn more, calling it brain drain is a misnomer. Well, these people leave, they go and gain some more knowledge. They are more valuable later than when they initially left. They are exposed to the newest and greatest technologies. The question for us is how are we able to allow them to bring back those knowledges for the benefit of Nigerians and I think that is the case. Nigeria should create a culture, Nigeria should look towards creating a culture where the people at home are not seeing themselves as competitors with people in the Diaspora but rather the two as collaborators. It’s almost as if Nigerians are seeing the people in Diaspora as just a cash cow.  They will always talk about billions of dollars that they repatriate home  every year and paying little attention to the benefit that they can gain from the knowledge  that they have to bring and that is where leadership structure and messaging  and all of those things make sense. China, India and many others depend on their  people in Diaspora to help them develop the country. China actively sent its people across the globe to go and learn and bring those things back. India did the same thing and is still doing the same till today in the areas where they know they do not have the technology.

In Nigeria, it’s as if you are forcing yourself on the people. People are actively rejecting  you. That’s how they make the Diaspora feel. And same thing in the sphere of politics. Our people are always like ‘won Fe fi bread kowa lomi obe je’. Someone has seen how democracy is supposed to work and he is trying to bring the experience home; they say ‘rora o. Awa na gbon o. E ma lo gbajue fun wa o’. You know those kinds of  things.

For those of us that choose to stay, it is a huge sacrifice of our time and possibly sacrifice of financial gain because we may feel that it is not just the money that you  send to people but see to   the betterment of the people and for engagement and knowledge transfer. The whole point of trying to go around the world and gaining  knowledge is not  for you to die and be buried with those knowledges.

Not everybody can write a book, for those that cannot write a book, it is teaching by sharing what you have learned, sharing what you have come across with other people is the way to success. So the difference speaks for everybody. The people that come and go, they made some sacrifice monetary wise and then the people that stay, they are making a huge sacrifice; money and time. Time, like they say is very precious.

 

You are one of the prominent Kwarans supporting the reelection bid of Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. Why?

Well, Governor  Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is an embodiment of one thing that you  look  for in any politician or anyone seeking to direct the affairs of the people. One, is that he has  the good  intention to do the best for the people. Two, that they have the requisite character that will allow them to do the best for the people. Three, that they have the requisite knowledge. What I mean by knowledge is that they have the wherewithal to direct because somebody can have the intention but they don’t know how to do it and that may be a problem. Having the intention and the knowledge is not enough because at some point the system is going to fight you. So it is your character that will allow you to stay and allow you to fight the battle silently. For me and for many of us, over the years, one of the things that we had always and constantly stood  against is the concentration of development and wealth in the state capital. For anybody that understands development strides of any society very well, it is when development is spread around and people in those areas do not see the need to migrate somewhere, then we can all develop together. So trying to concentrate development in the state capital will make it overly congested and the quality of life in the state will drop. But when you spread development evenly across the state, people in the rural areas don’t see the need to migrate to the capital because when everybody stays where they are and develops their area, they invariably contribute to the overall development of the state. Under this administration, the intention is to spread development across the senatorial districts as strongly  as possible and this is the first time in a long time that there is no agitation that “okay bring the governor from here, bring the governor from there because if our own child is the governor then we would have got the development that we are looking for”. So the governor is trying to be fair and  equitable to all which is one of the traits  and characters that we are talking about. He is not doing it because it is easy, he is doing it because it is the right thing to do because he is constantly fighting those battles.  The main duty of any government is to take care of its people and when we are looking at the promises and approaches of this governor, he has tried to be people-centred in his approach. However, we may criticize the civil service for productivity, performance and all things.  The governor has prioritized  not only keeping up the current payment of salaries and pensions but working very hard to offset the backlogs that he met on the ground. Those are some of the things that we are talking about. Now, not only the civil servants, we also have to take care of the people. So we have the ‘owo isowo’ to help the people in the non-formal sector. We have the ‘owo arugbo’ to take care of the aged. That is the social investment programme. We have the ‘kwaraprenuer’ to aid our emerging businesses that are mostly youth-driven. So the government is creating a social investment programme worth appreciating. We need to rebuild the foundations of the economy.

His administration had to deal with almost two years of pandemic and some of his programmes were essentially delayed. But with enough patience, those visions we pictured will become a reality to all of us soon. The government has provided an enabling  environment  for  businesses to thrive and this will  bring jobs to Kwarans.

We have the garment factory that will provide thousands of items for Kwarans. We have the Visual Art Institute that  will help to revolutionize film-making industry. Nigeria has one of the biggest film-making industries in the world, unfortunately the quality is low because a lot of attention is not being paid to the post-production activities. To shoot a movie in some instances takes like three months but even if you come to Hollywood you will find out that they shoot a movie for three months and spend the next nine months in post-production,  more efforts and concentration are put into post-production. So that is one of the things the government is doing to tap into the post-production activity of the film-making business which will not only improve the quality of the movies but also create high-value chain for the people of Kwara and that is the thing that we are all looking forward to.  Kwara is getting better daily and that is why we are supporting  Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq administration. The two critical areas that one has to look at is the area of education and health, and he has looked to those aspects  for the benefit of the people by hiring high quality teachers to help our students, bringing technology to the classroom via ‘Kwara learn’, upgrading a lot of our higher institutions to make sure that their accreditations are up-to-date, making sure that what they needed is being given to them at the right time so that there are no lapses and the students are  given their  best education.  In the aspect  of healthcare, making sure that ICU, our dental unit and all the institutions are getting the necessary equipment that they need to perform, oxygen plant for the ICU. So those are all the things that people like us see in him and trying to give him our support to ensure that he continues the good work. Like I said, when you inherit a deficit of infrastructure and other things, you always have to run faster than you need to be in order to be where you need to be.

Tell us about yourself

I am  Engr. Nurudeen Adeyemi Balogun. I am from the ancient city of Esie, the ancient city of Offa. My great grandfather was the Balogun of Offa and  later the Balogun of Esie.  We have many Baloguns across Kwara south.

I am a husband and  a  father  and I  was honored with  the chieftaincy title of Akinkanju Omo of Esie Kingdom by His Royal Highness, Oba Yakubu Babalola, the Elesie of Esie Kingdom.

I attended GSS Omu-Aran, Ilorin Grammar School and Government High School, Ilorin.

I received a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering  from the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY , a  Masters of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC.

I got a  Master’s  degree in  Business Administration  from Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan.

I am a professional engineer with many years in the automotive industry working for Chrysler Corporation, Daimler-Chrysler AG, and Ford Motor Company.

Along with others, we earn a US Patent number 6,270,440 for innovative ideas generated.

I was a member of the Cadets Brigade Staff and the President of the International Students Association of North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC.


Female politician, Omolola Bakare itemizes her development plans as Ogun assembly aspirant

Omolola Bakre

 

 

The 2023 general election is about two months away and the candidates for various elective positions across all political parties are already reeling out their manifestos. These manifestos are expected to contain their policy plans, a sense of what the electorate should expect from their administration should they win the election. In Ogun State, precisely Ijebu Ode Local Government Area, one of the biggest LGAs in the gateway State, one name kept bleeping on the lips of many and the name is that of a consummate grassroots politician, Hon. Omolola Olanrewaju Bakre, the All Progressives Congress, (APC) House of Assembly candidate vying to represent the people of Ijebu-Ode State Constituency in the 2023 general elections. Hon. BOO is also widely acknowledged for her countless humanitarian services and far-reaching philanthropic gestures. Mrs Bakre Omolola, the people’s “Honourable BOO” had a chat with AKIN ALADE on varieties of issues most especially the 2023 general elections. Excerpts… 

 

Please, introduce yourself.

Thank you very much, my name is Omolola Olanrewaju Bakre from Ijebu Ode local government Area of Ogun State and staunch member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, rooting to represent the good people of Ijebu Ode State constituency at the Ogun State House of Assembly in the forthcoming general elections.

 

How was life before politics?

I recalled my crawl at cradle towards finding my feet to move and run at adulthood, with all the struggles, I thank God I have an enviable record of nature and nurture. I attended CMS Primary School, Ogere-Remo where I shone as a brilliant and intelligent pupil before proceeding to Ositelu Memorial College Secondary School, also in Ogere-Remo, where I was equally outstanding. Afterwards I studied Broadcast Journalism at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos, and later proceeded to The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State where I obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Marketing. I went further to study Economics at the Lagos State University. After that, I made another bold stride, bagging a Degree in Housing and Social Work from South Bank University, London, United Kingdom and at the moment, I am studying to obtain Bachelor of Science in Mental Health Nursing at the University of Essex.

 

The 2023 general election is just some couple of months away and you as one of the eligible names on the platform of APC in Ogun State, how prepared is your party?

Did you mean APC? As a party we have always been on our toes, we don’t sleep on little victories but we have redoubled our efforts to get things right and serve Nigerians better, let me tell you, if the elections are being conducted tomorrow, APC will sweep all elective positions because we have done extremely well to alleviate the challenges of Nigerians. Also, we have been able to effect possible changes across strata of the economy- human capacity building, welfare and security, so APC is still the party to beat in the coming elections.

 

What informed your decision to venture into politics, particularly as it is believed that politics is not a game a woman can play effectively? 

Politics or no politics, I have always been a community person, I love assisting members of my constituency and I strive to bring developments to them to the point of using my personal resources, maybe that was what informed the decision of my  admirers and loyalists to persuade me to aspire for the elective position of Ogun State House of Assembly member for Ijebu-Ode constituency, come 2023 because I was practically dragged into it.

 

Your philanthropy has been widely attested to by many, how do you manage it with your little resources?

It has been God, there is nothing one can do behind the benevolence of God, to put smiles on the faces of my people. I have been distributing various gifts ranging from foodstuffs to other consumer items to the less-privileged in all areas of Ijebu-Ode and environs coupled with physical developmental projects.

 

Putting your journey of life in perspective, what did you intend to do differently if elected?

My passion is to make impact in governance through sponsorship of bills that touch the lives of the downtrodden, particularly in my local government area. Although I have been doing that, touching lives through my pet humanitarian project which is, Lola Bakre Helping Hand Foundation (LBHF). I strongly believe there is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down to the people and lifting them up. I have been in the world since the early 1980s and I understand that there is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of his/her way to make life beautiful for others. My mum’s life experience really showed me better examples. LBHF is on a mission to provide free education to young and underprivileged children by building schools and equipping them with necessary materials to make the children’s education easy. “We are also out to empower widows with necessary skills for them to be self-employed. As we are on a plan to make our missions feasible, you should know we are not just full of words as we have taken a lot of bold steps, extending our blessing to some primary schools in Ogun State, by providing them with free writing materials. We are also planning to pay a reasonable amount of students’ school fees, empower widows and build a place where we can properly engage the widows with different skills. At the moment, however, we are sharing hampers to our well-meaning followers, to express our love and gratitude for the support and loyalty through the years, as they celebrate Christmas. We are not presently where we wish to be because of lack of fund but we are better than where we started and are putting all things in place for a brighter future.

Finally, any word for your supporters and the people of Ogun State as we prepare for the general elections

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is a man with impeccable character, a political leader of repute who has paid his dues in engendering democracy in Nigeria and if we look around, who is better equipped to lead us to the promised land, other than him, so let us all embrace him, support him and vote him because I have a firm belief that the project Nigeria is achievable with him.

In Ogun State, we are blessed with a seasoned administrator, a tested and trusted governor in person of Prince Dapo Abiodun who has continued to show leadership by example and always set to recapture the lost glory of the gateway State.

Look at what we have been able to achieve in the last couple of years, it is quite tremendous, laudable and well appreciated across sectors of the economy.

My charge to the people of Ogun State is that they should support His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun and all other All Progressives Congress candidates in Ogun State in order to continue to have the change that we deserve and yearn for.


So Far, the National Assembly Has Exhibited Leadership Capacities -Engr. Dare Bankole

Engr Dare Bankole

 

Engineer Dare Bankole who was the Isin/Oke-Ero/Irepodun/Ekiti PDP reps candidate  in the 2019  general election was in May this year nominated by the party for the same elective position ahead of the 2023 general election.

In this interview with Akinlolu Abayomi, Engineer Dare said he will ensure quality representation if elected as a reps member next year while also predicting victory for his party.

 

 

How would you assess the relationship between the executive and the legislature since the beginning of the current dispensation in 1999?

Our democracy is still growing but we are improving, different scenarios have been enacted and these are not unexpected but if you consider the pros and the cons, sometimes such a situation can ensure sincere and genuine check and balances on the part of the executive and the other two arms of government which can actually make us achieve the desired developed democracy.

There are rooms for improvements but I will say the relationship between the executive and the legislature has been excellent, the autonomy for the legislature at the federal level is already seen by all unless a decision is taken to voluntarily make themselves subservient to the executive, it is only at the state level that we may seek and express the need for the legislature to get financial autonomy but by and large, I will say  that our democracy is growing and developing.

 

You are the Isin/Oke-Ero/Irepodun/Ekiti PDP reps candidate, why do you think electors in your constituency should consider you as their best choice and the preferred representative in the House of Representatives?

I love my people so much and I care about their wellbeing.  I consider quality living as very important and I want the best for my people. My people have seen and discovered the qualities they want in me.

My people have a strong trust in me. I am created for service to humanity, a vessel for achieving God’s purpose in people’s lives and particularly in the lives of the needy.

The platform of the House of Representatives beyond initiating motion and bills will also afford me the opportunity to contribute to some motions that will be brought to the floor of the house by other colleagues and when trying to pass a bill into  law or debate a motion, you are not talking about just the immediate constituents, the law will apply to everybody in the country. So, in essence one is to represent the country through the platform provided by the constituents and at the end of the day, the aggregate contribution on the floor of the house is the one that will lead to the review or amendment of the existing laws of the land and probably come up with new ones as the need arises. So, it is a huge responsibility, one must understand the yearnings of the people to adequately represent them and one must be a vanguard of their desires to make sure their yearnings get crystallized into enabling laws of the land.

I have the qualities they need in their representative and by the Grace of God, they will vote for me.

 

  How will you assess the role played by the legislative arm of government in nation- building efforts?

I must tell you that with subsequent governments or regimes and with the subsequent inaugurations of the national assembly, we have seen more vibrancy, maturity in the conduct of the affairs of the national assembly, we are seeing a situation now where it is not just about party allegiance, it is about the capacity of the leadership of the  national assembly and this was demonstrated under Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki’s leadership during the eighth senate.

Even after leaving APC for the PDP, the senators  still demonstrated it  that  they have gone beyond partisanship, they believe in his capacity as  Senate President, they made it clear that they  have moved beyond selfish and partisan interests, there were  robust deliberations on issues that are based on principles and belief system, their contributions  moved beyond  being sentimental to being objective for the purpose of bringing out what was the best for the people, so I must say that there has been maturity in the way things are done and it’s just  like old wine that gets better with age.

 

 You are about to join the section of the national assembly where the level of vibrancy is higher than what obtains in the senate.  What will you do differently if you eventually get elected as a reps member?

  Thank you very much, believing that God would crystallize my aspiration and effort in the election and subsequently get inaugurated as a member of the House of Representatives, what I think should be the focus is to approach the responsibility with all sense of seriousness, the issue of being in the House of Reps is not for the fun of it, it is something that involves a huge responsibility, you must go back and research,  this I had done because this is not the first time I will be standing as a candidate.

I know what my people want because I am well-prepared for the  job and this information will guide me to really work better and get things done for my people.

We will be bringing a new dimension to empowerment programmes and we will prioritize skill acquisition for our young people. It is through this that we can secure a good  future  for our young  people,  promote self- development and make them  become self-dependent.

 

What do you think are the chances of your party in the upcoming general election in Kwara State?

I must say the chances are very bright;  Kwarans have seen what they had been made to experience under APC government and they are eager to ensure a quick end to hardships and sufferings.

There is also the need for all Nigerians to place national interest above other interests because things had never been this bad.

Kwarans will vote for PDP, they are counting the days and  they want the APC voted out because of their lies and propaganda and  failure to run an open government.

In Kwara State, there are only two parties; PDP and others.

 

 

Our people know us and they will vote for us, it is only in PDP that we have an effective and  avibrant political structure headed by our leader, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki. Any group that does not have a leader will have members doing things in a disorderly manner, even  bees,  dolphins, elephants and other wild animals live in cooperative groups and get ruled by a single leader, so when someone talks about a group not having a recognized leader,  you will know  that there is a whiff of mischief in the air.

Tell us about yourself

I am Engineer Dare Bankole, I attended Anglican Comprehensive High School, Oke-Opin.

I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical/Electronics engineering from Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomosho and a Masters degree from University of Salford, Manchester,  United Kingdom.

I am a professional Project Manager, a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.  I was the Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero/Ekiti PDP House of Representatives candidate in the 2019 general election and I appreciate my party for again getting me nominated as candidate for the same elective position ahead of next year’s House of Representatives election.


Why I’m eyeing Ogun Assembly under PDP –Hon Odewunmi Kehinde

Odewunmi Kehinde

In Nigeria, the period very close to general elections is usually exciting and full of hope for a better future. Because most administrations do not do particularly well, people are tired of them before the end of their tenure, and are idealistically looking forward to a messiah who will take over at the end of that cycle and turn things around for the country. Ahead of the 2023 general election, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP House of Assembly candidate for Odeda State Constituency, Hon. Odewunmi Kehinde Hassan popularly known as O’kenny in this interview with AKIN ALADE explains that in Ogun State, Peoples Democratic Party’s choice of gubernatorial candidate would determine the party’s impact in the general election. He sees former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ladi Adebutu as the only one with the capacity to defeat the All Progressives Congress, brings the rays of sunshine and good governance to the people of the gateway State.  

 

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Hon. Odewunmi Kehinde Hassan popularly known by many particularly in the political spheres as O’kenny, born over five decades ago in Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun State but hails from Odeda local  government area of the gateway state vying to represent the good people of Odeda State Constituency at the Ogun State House of Assembly in the 2023 general elections on the platform of the most acceptable political party in Nigeria, People’s Democratic Party, (PDP).  The name Odewunmi Kehinde is a household name not only in my homestead of Odeda local area but across the entire state both in the private and public sector due to my well documented contributions to the socio-economic development of my immediate community and the state at large over the years.

 

The recent court judgements that validated the candidacy of yourself and all other candidates vying for elective positions on the platform of PDP in Ogun State, what do you have to say about it?

If you could recollect, before 2019 general elections, we faced similar challenges but we came out stronger from it and learnt how to thread the rope better, the beauty of Democracy is that it gives room for different opinions, we agree to disagree and at the end of it all, the interest of the people must be of utmost importance, PDP has become a united family more than ever before, all aggrieved members have been pacified and brought back to the fold to ensure victory, you can’t rule out what we went through in the last couple of months in politics. Our challenges show how formidable we are as a political party and I want to use this medium to congratulate the party leaders and our steadfast loyalists who made it happen. Also, I want to appreciate the judiciary for upholding the true sense of justice on the people’s mandate.

 

In brief, can you give a history of your heritage, Odeda local government area?

Odeda Local Government Area which is about 10 kilometres from Abeokuta (the State Capital) has an extensive landmass mostly grass, the vegetation of the Local Government is mainly orchard and of thick grasses. Thus, the land is suitable for agriculture and livestock rearing with population of about 99,000-115,000 people according to last censor.

As I said earlier, Odeda is an agrarian area, with the population predominantly farmers of Egba extraction and we contribute so much to the internal generated revenue of the State but nothing much has been benefitted from government as a result of the misrepresentation from the state Assembly and other strata of government in years past; a trend I intend to correct if elected in the 2023 general elections.

 

What are the major challenges you would say is confronting Odeda?

In Odeda we have so many natural resources yet untapped putting our people at back end of development most especially our youths. Odeda is blessed with vibrant youths but they are not adequately empowered. As we have a very large mass of arable land for agriculture, not to talk of other mineral resources such as lime-stone, granites etc. if the government tapped into all of them and give our youths and women opportunities, I am sure we are going to give more to the state internal revenue.

Odewunmi Kehinde

Having been doing well in your private life and business. why did you decide to join politics most especially with the general assertion that it is a dirty game?

Let me first correct the impression that politics is a dirty venture and not meant for the saint, you see, my own ways of playing the game is a little bit different from others. It depends on how or which angle you view it.  I strongly believe we can change the narratives if we are truly ready for change and compete favourably with developed countries, a society doesn’t operate in abstract, people must take actions. If everyone is running away from politics, then we continue to have this set of mindless people superintending over our collective future bringing our dear Nation to ruins and I Odewunmi Kehinde is ready to effect the needed change starting from my State Constituency, Odeda.

 

You contested for a seat at the Ogun State House of Assembly in 2011, what really went down at the time?

In politics, nobody is bigger than the platform on which you intend to run, party decision is key in actualizing one’s political ambition, so it wasn’t as if I was not good enough back then but the party, I mean the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) felt that there was need to balance the scale and respect the zoning mechanisms, you know PDP is known for respecting the rule of law and putting people first in decision, so the party leaders prevail on me to step down my ambition which I obliged and fast forward to 2022, here we are by the special grace of God, we shall triumph at the polls.

 

Would you say Odeda has witnessed the desired growth and development commensurate with the enormous potentials and human capital development?

I wouldn’t say that, because if I gross over it, I will be doing a great disservice to my people and what I stand for politically. Odeda has not been treated fairly at all, the kind of people we pushed forward to represent our interest are only going there to divert and corner our collective resources to their purse thereby neglecting their primary assignment which is to cater for the well-being of the people by coming up with life-changing bills and opportunities.

 

Fast forward to 2023, what has changed now that once again prompted you to vie for the same seat in the coming elections?

What is going on in Odeda presently called for a paradigm shift away from the misrepresentation by the current administration to a more productive one which I am offering my people as I called for their support. I stay among them and I understand where the shoe pinches and I am ready to offer solutions because there won’t be a disconnection between the legislative and the executive under the PDP administration, thank God, we have seasoned administrator piloting the affairs of government in person of Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu. When a good relationship exists between the executive and the legislative arms of government, the grassroots enjoys the real dividends of Democracy.

 

If voted in, what are the things you intend to do differently?

Doing the right thing involves many sacrifices especially in the society where things are upside down but if we look at the outcome, we should pay the price for the Prize. I want to assure my people that for Odeda State Constituency which I am vying to represent in 2023, the change that is coming is a positive one and it will be very constructive and will bring meaningful development to the life of our people.

 

Do you have an acronym for your agenda and your programmes of development will center on what and what?

Our people have seen it all and it is obvious they are tired of their present situation, if you go to the street, both old and young ones are rooting for my party, PDP and  Odewunmi to come to their rescue and I keep promising them that is exactly what we are out to do. What I intend to do is to introduce and sponsor different bills capable of adding values to my constituency such as the need to comprehensively declare state of emergency on agricultural sector, periodic youth employment programmes, women and aged support and aid opportunities for rural women, facilitating employment opportunities, facilitating rural road network to assist our farmers in transporting their farm produce. Also, working closely with the executive by making them understand how Odeda and its citizens have been neglected for decades; making sure our local government is functioning very well among other laudable plans.

 

In less than three months to the general elections, how do you rate the chances of your party to win across all elective positions?

My chances and that of my party are extremely big, more than before because the present administration has performed woefully and people have seen that the only party capable of bringing back the good old days is PDP and they have been supportive. In fact, the gubernatorial candidate of my party, PDP, Hon Ladi Adebutu has mandated that all seeking elective positions in the 2023 elections should go and compile a comprehensive list of what the electorates in each of the State Constituencies needs tagging it “Contract with the People. This contract will be counter signed by respective House of Assembly, related National Assembly candidates and our governorship candidate, with respective communities for onward execution when we come into power by the special grace of God in 2023. If given the chance, I will be accountable, available, and maintain close communication with my constituents”. I also promise to offer good representation and legislation if given the mandate in the forthcoming election. My bid for the Ogun State House of Assembly to represent the good people of Odeda State Constituency stems from a burning desire to turn the tide through an all-inclusive and progressive process. So I ask you all to join hands with me so that we can together change the narratives.


Wonder Dayo Kujore’s Son, Doyin shares his dream for Juju music, plans to immortalize his late father

Doyin Kujore

 

Adedoyin Kujore, the musician son of the late Soko music exponent, Wonder Dayo Kujore spoke about his steady success flying his father’s flag. He told AKIN SOKOYA, how he is determined to keep the family legacy and plans to take modern Juju music to an enviable height. Enjoy…

Do you write your songs; you buy compositions or do you do both?

Yes, I write my song myself and sometimes, if I feel like using another musical perspective or concept, I seek for it.

 

You take a bit from your late dad’s style, what instrumentals and dimensions have you infused that makes your style more unique?

Of course, I included different styles of composition to complement his own ‘Soko’ music style.

 

 Were you close to your father when he was active on stage or did you decide to take up from where he stopped after his passage?

I was very close with him both on the stage and off the stage. Sometimes, I followed him to his shows as a backup singer and with that, I learned a whole lot from him.

 

 

Your father was an amazing songwriter and lyricist; do you think you can improve on what he left behind?

Yes, I can. I have been doing that before his demise. He used to come to my club shows back then, and times without numbers he gave good recommendations based on my style of entertainment.

 

What is your position in the family and are you the only one among Wonder Dayo Kujore’s children who is taking after him in music?

I’m the first son, second born of the family. I am the only one in the Juju music line. One of my siblings is a performing artiste too but he chooses Hip Hop style.

 

Do you have your own musical band or you took over your dad’s band and what is happening to your dad’s band at the moment?

I have my own musical band but after my dad’s demise, I decided to blend both my dad and my band’s members together and since then it’s been amazing.

 

 

Did you really have interest in music from childhood even with your musical background or you had plans to do other things?

I have been a fan of music since I was young; listening to my dad’s music back then made me feel extraordinarily good and that was what inspired me.

 

As the most popular child, what are your thoughts and plans about your father’s legacy, given that his other wives and your siblings might have interest in profits that come from his songs?

I want to keep the flag flying. I wish to do more musical concerts, shows around the world and with God, I believe it’s going to move higher than expected. More so, I wish to have a big club in Lagos that will be named after my dad and by doing so, I believe every member of my family will definitely benefit from it.

 

Tell us how fans have been reacting to your music style and what new ideas do you have coming for them to enjoy.

The people’s reaction has been very impressive and inspiring. I didn’t expect the love would be this massive. The people’s reactions have made me understand how acceptable my dad was in the society, both among his fans and in the music industry. The Association of Juju Musicians of Nigeria (AJUMN) and his fans were so wonderful during his burial and after the burial. I want to use this medium to say thanks to each and every one of them. God bless them all.

 

Do you do other things for a living aside from music?

Yes, I work with a travel agency.

 

What are your future targets as a young and growing musician?

I want to become a juju music superstar, I wish to build a big club and name it after my dad.

 

With the dominance of the Hip-Hop genre, do you think Juju songs still have a place with modern day music fans?

Of course, Juju music is still standing. Many hip-hop artistes are even copying lyrics from Juju music to complement theirs. It shows that Juju music will remain relevant forever.

 

 

Tell us about some of your songs and music albums if any yet.

I have a song playing on Faaji FM already. But the full album shall be released to the market soonest.

 

What is your view about the controversy around musicians and women?

I must not lie, that aspect of women can’t be left out in the life of an artiste, especially musicians. Women are the livewire of musician’s survival. Through them we get shows. I have a mother, I have sisters, so there’s no way I can remove women from my life.

Share your growing up years, home and school pranks and challenges.

I went to Shilloh primary school in Agege, then I attended State High School also in Agege. I then had my OND in Accounting at Lagos State Polytechnic. Then I started my music career.


“Success in Nollywood is based on having someone at the top” Fast-rising actress, Eno Udo spills

Eno Udo

 

Akwa Ibom State born sizzling actress, Eno Udo is the face behind National Integrity Awards organized annually to reward achievers from different professions and careers. In this interview with RAHMAN ISMAIL, the Kwara State Polytechnic Business Administration graduate shares her successes and aspirations. Enjoy…

 

Before your first movie experience with J.T. Tom West’s ‘Death Warrant’, was it your childhood plan to be an actress?

Before my first movie experience with late J.T. Tom West, I had already written my first drama script in primary 5, so I already had it in mind to go into movies and drama.

 

You went from movies to soap operas, how was the experience like comparing both sides?

I actually went from soap operas to movies. Both are actually very good experiences but soap operas take longer to shoot and produce while movies are faster.

 

Please, share your up and down moments as you strive to make a name in Nollywood.

My down moments are firstly when some A-list actors come on set and look down at actors and whose faces are not well known. Secondly, when some producers continue using their group of actors, thereby not giving other faces who are not part of their group the opportunity to join their group. My up moments are when my fans see me and appreciate my work.

 

Does your family influence your personal and professional choices in any way, in terms of support?

My parents and family have always supported me from primary school till date.

 

Tell us about your relationship experiences both within and outside Nollywood.

I have met different people; some have been there as family who taught me what life really is.

 

How do you react to the notion that most Nollywood actresses who flaunt expensive cars and mansions have other stuff they do outside acting; does acting alone really fetch billions?

Yes, most actors do other businesses apart from acting but it is not different from what other people in other professions do. With what is happening in the country now, everyone needs to survive.

 

 

Nollywood is believed to be a male dominated industry; do you think women can stand on their own without relying on their male counterparts’ support?

Women are really standing out now in Nollywood with or without men.

Tell us about your annual awards for celebrities. How did you develop the idea and are you getting the desired results?

My idea came from the fact that so many awards are being organized day in day out but we still have some people whose integrity has stood out and they are yet to be really celebrated. And Yes, I am getting desired results. For example, the last National Integrity Awards event was a great success.

 

What is your daily and beauty routine?

I have my quiet time with God and I love trying out different dishes in my kitchen. I don’t joke with my facials and looking good.

 

Tell us about your next movie projects.

By his grace, I am also a movie script writer. I have just written my next movie script and I am looking at shooting it early next year.

 

What dictates your fashion and style taste?

I follow trends but most especially I sometimes sit down and create my own designs from things I see in my environment.

How would you rate Nollywood now compared with the past?

The truth is that success in Nollywood now thrives on godfatherism. If you don’t know who is who in the industry, you might not get good roles. It is different from the past when you could get choice roles on merit.