SCHOLARSHIP: Senator Rafiu Ibrahim Secures Licence for First Lady Pilot in Kwara South

The Kwara South Senator,  Dr. Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim has rallied round a young, promising and outstanding First Lady Pilot in Kwara South to secure her license with money from him and his associatiates within the soil of Kwara South.

The lady whose story was first circulated on social media platforms cut the attention of the Kwara South Senator, Dr Rafiu Ibrahim. When the Senator saw the story online, he decided to raise the money needed by the outstanding lady to secure her license.

In the circulated story soliciting for financial support, the lady cried out for five million naira (N5m) to complete her payment before the license could be secured.

Senator Rafiu, who personally saw the story online called the attention of his Senatorial Constituency Office to make enquiry about the girl and her needs. From findings, the Offa Descendant Union has raised five hundred thousand naira for the lady. She has equally gathered, from other personal donation, four hundred and seventy thousand naira (N470k), leaving the lady with about four million and thirty thousand naira only (N4.030m) as ballance.

The Senator who was moved by the zeal of the young Lady Pilot and her outstanding performance gannered Four Million Two Hundred Thousand Naira for her to collect the license and use the reminant for other logistics.

The Senator, in his country home, Ojoku, Oyun LGA did the symbolic presentation to the lady pilot in his residence.

The lady, Miss Khadija Olabanke Adigun, a native of Offa, Offa LGA of Kwara, broke down in tears before Senator Rafiu Ibrahim to appreciate his gesture and contributions to the success story of her life.

Miss Khadija, noted that the action of the Senator has not only ensure the success of her career but has also changed the story of her life. She prayed for continuous blessings, divine guidance and called on Almighty God to give the Senator an ending better than his current possition.

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Official Announcement: Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid C. F. inform that, as per Cristiano Ronaldo's wishes and at his request, the club has allowed the player to complete his move to Juventus F. C.

Real Madrid would today like to place on record its thanks to a player who has shown himself to be the best in the world and made his mark on one of the greatest periods in our club's history and on the world game.

Apart from the titles he has lifted, the honours secured and the on-field achievements during these nine years, Cristiano Ronaldo has been a role model in terms of commitment, hard work, responsibility, talent and self-improvement.

He became Real Madrid's leading all-time goalscorer, having scored 451 goals in his 438 appearances. In total, he won 16 pieces of silverware, including four European Cup crowns, three of which came in successive years, with these four continental triumphs coming in the past five seasons. In terms of individual honours, as a Real Madrid player, he won the Ballon d'Or on four occasions, The Best award twice and claimed the Golden Shoe three times, amongst many other accolades.

Cristiano Ronaldo will forever be one of Real Madrid's biggest icons and will represent a unique figure for future generations.

Real Madrid will always be his home.

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Offa Robbery: Ilorin Youth Group Tasks Police on Diligent Investigation

The Ilorin Emirate Youth Development Association (IEYDA) on Sunday urged  the police  to be diligent in its investigation of  the bloody April 5 robbery incident in Offa.

The association made the plea  in Ilorin in a statement jointly signed by its National President, Alhaji Babatunde Salaudeen,  and National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Uthman Jagunma.

The association also  expressed worry that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki,  was linked with the  incident.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  recalls that Mr Jimoh Moshood, the force spokesman, had asserted at a  briefing that some suspects arrested in connection with the  robbery incident had  indicted Saraki.

IEYDA, however, said that while the association was for  equity and justice in the police investigation, it was opposed to any  attempt to ridicule and embarrass a renowned indigene of Ilorin based on politics.

“The association strongly stands against robbery and political thuggery and as such condemns  same in its totality, particularly the Offa robbery which led to the death of innocent citizens.

“The association remains one of the numerous bodies which  promptly condemned the robbery attack and sympathised with the people of Offa community through a press release.

“We therefore also maintain  that the Ilorin Emirate Youths will not be a party to any attempt to ridicule, embarrass and disgrace any of the sons and daughters of the Ilorin Emirate,” it said.

NAN

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BREAKING: Two More Offa Bank 'Robbers Implicate' Saraki

• Jimoh Moshood, Force Public Relations Officer, said this in Abuja on Wednesday while addressing journalists.

Two more suspected armed robbers arrested in connection with the high-casualty attack on banks in Offa, kwara State, in April, have implicated Senate President Bukola Saraki in their confessional statements.

Jimoh Moshood, Force Public Relations Officer, said this in Abuja on Wednesday while addressing journalists.

The latest link of Saraki to the Offa gang comes three days after five gang leaders who were part of a dozen that killed 33 people during the wide-ranging operation confessed that they were being sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles by the Senate President and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State.

As a result, the Police invited Saraki to the Force Intelligence Response Team office at Guzape, Abuja, so he can “answer allegations indicting him from confessions of five gang leaders”. However, Saraki was later informed a written explanation would suffice.

His security aides — as well as those of Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of representatives — were withdrawn by the Department of State Services (DSS) hours after. But they were restored on Monday, following protests by the new Peoples Democratic party (nPDP) bloc of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

THE FULL STATEMENT

UPDATE OF POLICE INVESTIGATION INTO THE INDICTMENT OF SENATE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, SEN. BUKOLA SARAKI FROM CONFESSIONS OF FIVE (5) GANG LEADERS ARRESTED FOR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE OFFA BANKS ROBBERY AND GRUESOME KILLING OF MORE THAN THIRTY THREE (33) INNOCENT PERSONS INCLUDING PREGNANT WOMEN AND NINE (9) POLICE OFFICERS ON 5th APRIL, 2018, IN OFFA, KWARA STATE.

“Nigeria Police Force have arrested two (2) out of the three (3) suspects mentioned by the Overall Gang Leader of Offa Bank Robbery Ayoade Akinnibosun a.k.a AY during parade of suspects on 3/6/2018

“Senate President, Sen. Bukola saraki is still under investigation in connection with the Offa Bank Robbery

“It will be recalled that on 3rd June, 2018, I paraded before the Media and the Public Fifteen (15) suspects, (Five ‘5’ Gang Leaders and Ten ‘10’ principal Suspects) who admitted, confessed and volunteered statements to the Police Investigation Team on the active criminal roles they played in the Bank Robbery of Six (6) Commercial Banks, attack on Divisional Police Headquarters, Offa and the killing of Thirty Three (33) innocent persons.

“These five (5) gang leaders confessed to the Police as follows:

“Ayoade Akinnibosun a.k.a AY ‘M’ 37Yrs – Gang Leader From Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State. Confessed to have coordinated the Bank Robbery and the killing of Thirty Three (33) innocent persons during the bank robbery.

“Ibukunle Ogunleye ‘M’ 36Yrs – Gang Leader from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State, confessed to have killed Two (2) Persons during the bank robbery.

“Adeola Abraham ‘M’ 35Yrs – Gang Leader from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State. Confessed to have killed Five (5) Persons during the bank robbery.

“Salawudeen Azeez ‘M’ 49Yrs – Gang Leader from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State. Confessed to have killed Two (2) Persons during the bank robbery.

“Niyi Ogundiran ‘M’ 37Yrs – Gang Leader from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State. Confessed to have killed Two (2) Persons during the bank robbery.

“The other Seventeen (17) suspects volunteered confessional statements admitting their active participation in the Offa bank robbery; they also corroborated the confessions of the five (5) principal suspects mentioned in paragraph two (2) above.

“During the parade, the main gang leader, Ayoade Akinnibosun a.k.a AY ‘M’ 37Yrs, mentioned three (3) other suspected vicious and notorious political thugs and in possession of Firearms, ammunition and other dangerous weapons working according to him for the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki in the Kwara central Senatorial District, namely Alhaji Kehinde Gobiri aka Captain, Alhaji Oba Shuaib Olododo aka Jawando and Alhaji Dona.

“Two (2) of these suspects namely Alhaji Kehinde Gobiri aka Captain ‘47yrs’ Native of Ilorin East LGA Kwara State and Alhaji Oba Shuaib Olododo aka Jawando ‘53yrs’ Native of Ilorin South, Kwara State are now in Police custody and have admitted to various crimes and criminalities they have committed in Kwara Central Senatorial District under the guise of political thuggery for the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki. They are currently under investigation and will be charged to court on completion of investigation.

“Consequent upon all the above and the confessions of the Five (5) gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and some of the other Seventeen (17) suspects arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery and the gruesome killing of THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons admitted and volunteered statements that they were political thugs of the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed. The Five (5) gang leaders further confessed during investigation that they are political thugs under the name Youth Liberation Movement a.k.a “Good Boys” admitted and confessed to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed. These confessions were made before the media and the public on the 3rd of June, 2018. It is therefore, evidently clear that the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki has case to answer.

“It was also discovered during further investigations that three (3) gang leaders who participated actively in the Offa Bank Robbery (i) Ayoade Akinnibosun aka AY (ii) Ibukunle Ogunleye aka Arrow and (iii) Adeola Abraham followed the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki to Oloffa’s Palace when the Senate President paid a condolence visit to Offa after the Bank Robbery.

“New revelations from further investigation into the matter show that all the five (5) gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran have direct connection to the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki as new pictures of one of the five (5) gang leaders when paraded by the Police early in the week was in ‘Aso Ebi’ (trouser) used during the Senate President daughter’s wedding. The Five (5) gang leaders further admitted that they attended the Senate President daughter’s wedding held recently.

“The Nigeria Police Force will not be cowed or succumb to intimidation from any quarter in carrying out a thorough and discreet investigation into the Offa Bank Robbery where significant successes have been recorded. The ongoing investigation will be driven to a logical conclusion.

“Meanwhile, the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki is still under investigation in connection to the Offa bank Robbery and the Nigeria Police Force will do everything possible within the ambit of the law to ensure that justice is done in this case.

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Photos: Parade of Offa Bank robbers

The Nigeria Police Sunday paraded some suspects believed to involve in the Offa bank robberies.

Second in command of Offa Bank robbery, Ibikunle Ogunleye paraded by Police Public Relation Officer Jimoh Moshood and Commander of IRT, DCP Abba Kyari during press Conference at Police Headquarters Abuja yesterday. 

Police Public Relation Officer Jimoh Moshood and Commander of IRT, DCP Abba Kyari parading 5 gang leaders of Offa Bank Robbers with other members of the gang including Jeep with plate number Saraki and other arms used by the gang during offa Bank robbery at Police Headq

Police Public Relation Officer Jimoh Moshood and Commander of IRT, DCP Abba Kyari parading 5 gang leaders of Offa Bank Robbers with other members of the gang including Jeep with plate number Saraki and other arms used by the gang during offa Bank robbery at Police Headq

Leader of Offa Bank robbery, Ayoade Akinnibosun (a.k.a AY) paraded by Police Public Relation Officer Jimoh Moshood and Commander of IRT, DCP Abba Kyari during press Conference at Police Headquarters Abuja yesterday. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

The investigation into the Offa Bank Robbery and gruesome killings of more than THIRTY THREE (33) Innocent persons in Offa, Kwara State on the 5th April, 2018 directed by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni, has made significant progress, successes and more revelations have been recorded.

The Gang Leaders and some of the principal suspects arrested for their active participation in the robbery and the killing of innocent persons have made confessional statements admitting to the various criminal roles they and their sponsors played in this dastard and heinous crime.

The Five (5) gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and some of the other Seventeen (17) suspects arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery and the gruesome killing of THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons which includes (some pregnant women and nine (9) Police personnel) admitted, confessed and volunteered statements that they were political thugs of the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed.

The arrests of the above mentioned Five (5) Gang Leaders and seventeen (17) others were made possible after the arrest of two principal suspects (Kunle Ogunleye aka Arrow 35yrs and Michael Adikwu an Ex-Convict) whose pictures captured by CCTV in one of the Banks during the Banks robbery were circulated to the media and the public. The two (2) principal suspects confessed to be among the suspects led by the five (5) gang leaders listed in paragraph 2 above to carry out the Offa Banks Robbery, the attack on the Divisional Police Headquarters, Offa and the killings of THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons on the 5th of April, 2018.

During interrogation, the five (5) gang leaders mentioned in paragraph 2 further confessed and volunteered statements that they carried out the Bank Robberies, the attack on the Divisional Police Headquarters in Offa and the killings of THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons during the robbery of the following six (6) banks (i) First Bank Offa (ii) Guarantee Trust Bank Offa (iii) ECO Bank Offa (iv) Zenith Bank Offa (v) Union Bank Offa (vi) Ibolo Micro Finance Bank Offa and (vii) the Divisional Police Headquarters, Offa on 5th April, 2018.

Millions of Naira from the Banks and Twenty One (21) AK47 Rifles belonging to the Nigeria Police Force in the Armoury of the Police Divisional Headquarters, Offa were admitted to have been carted away by the Five (5) gang leaders and the other Seventeen (17) principal suspects during the Banks robbery.

The Five (5) gang leaders confessed and volunteered statements to the Police investigators, giving a clear account of how they planned and carried out the Banks robbery operation in Offa, the attack on the Police Division in Offa and how they killed the THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons during the robbery.

The Five (5) gang leaders further confessed during investigation that they are political thugs under the name Youth Liberation Movement a.k.a “Good Boys” admitted and confessed to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed.

In the course of discreet investigation into the confessions of these five (5) gang leaders and the other seventeen (17) principal suspects, a Lexus jeep GX-300 (Ash Colour) with a sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” used by the gang leader (Ayoade Akinnibosun ‘M’ 37Yrs) during the bank robbery and the killing of the THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons was taken to Government House, Ilorin on 16th May, 2018 where the sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” was removed before another plate number (Reg. No. Kwara, KMA 143 RM) registered in the name of Ayoade AKinnibosun the Overall Commander of the Offa Bank Robbery was then attached to the vehicle to cover up the identity of the said vehicle. The exhibit vehicle was subsequently recovered from the premises of the Min. of Environmental and Forestry in Ilorin, Kwara State. While the sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” removed from the vehicle was recovered from one Adeola Omiyale who drove the said Lexus Jeep to Government House, Ilorin immediately after the Bank Robbery.

The Personal Assistant (Political) to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Alabi Olalekan, who is privy to information that the Police is looking for the lexus Jeep as an exhibit used in the Offa Bank Robbery and the killings of THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons directed one Adeola Omiyale to relocate the Lexus Jeep to Government House, Ilorin. The PA (Political) is currently in Police custody and has made useful statement assisting the Police in further investigation into the case. A revolver pistol and pump action gun were recovered by the Police Investigation Team from the Personal Assistant (Political) to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Alabi Olalekan’s Farm where he directed his brother to hide them after his arrest by the Police.

In order to conceal evidence, the Chief of Staff to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Yusuf Abdulwahab who has been arrested and taken into Police custody, arranged the removal of the sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” from the exhibit vehicle and also registered the exhibit Lexus Jeep used in the Offa Bank Robbery and the killings of THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons in the name of Ayoade AKinnibosun, the overall Gang Commander of the Offa Bank Robbery while the Ayoade AKinnibosun was already in Police custody for more than six (6) days before the registration of the vehicle.

Investigation is ongoing and effort is being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large. All suspects involved will be arraigned in court for prosecution on completion of investigation.

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki is being invited by the Nigeria Police Force to report to the Force Intelligence Response Team office at Guzape, Abuja to answer to the allegations levelled against him from the confessions of the Five (5) Gang Leaders, namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and some of the other Seventeen (17) suspects arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery and the gruesome killing of THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons which includes (some pregnant women and nine (9) Police personnel).

The Nigeria Police Force will continue to ensure that the rule of law prevails in every case under Police investigation and every offender is brought to justice.

· Twenty Two (22) Suspects now in Police Custody.

· Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki is being invited to report to the Police to answer allegations indicting him from confessions of Five (5) Gang leaders arrested for active participation in Offa Bank Robbery and Killings of THIRTY THREE (33) Innocent persons.

SUSPECTS

i. Ayoade Akinnibosun a.k.a AY ‘M’ 37Yrs – Gang Leader (Coordinated the Killings) From Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State.

ii. Ibukunle Ogunleye ‘M’ 36Yrs – Gang Leader, Killed Two (2) Persons. From Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State

iii. Adeola Abraham ‘M’ 35Yrs – Gang Leader, Killed Five (5) Persons. From Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State.

iv. Salawudeen Azeez ‘M’ 49Yrs – Gang Leader, Killed Two (2) Persons. From Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State.

v. Niyi Ogundiran ‘M’ 37Yrs – Gang Leader, Killed Two (2) Persons (Latest Confession). From Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State.

vi. Michael Adikwu ‘M’ 30Yrs – Sectional Gang Leader, Killed Twenty Two (22) Persons, mostly at the Police Station.

vii. Kabiru Afolabi ‘M’ 26Yrs – Principal Suspect

viii. Omoseni Kassim ‘M’ 28Yrs – Principal Suspect

ix. Kayode Opadokun ‘M’ 35Yrs – Principal Suspect

x. Kazeem Abdulrasheed ‘M’ 36Yrs – Principal Suspect

xi.. Azeez Abdullahi ‘M’ 27Yrs – Principal Suspect

xii. Adewale Popoola ‘M’ 22Yrs – Principal Suspect

xiii. Adetoyese Muftau ‘M’ 23Yrs – Principal Suspect

xiv. Alexander Reuben ‘M’ 39Yrs – Principal Suspect

xv. Richard Buba Terry ‘M’ 23Yrs – Principal Suspect

xvi. Peter Jasper Kuunfa ‘M’ 23Yrs – Principal Suspect

xvii. Ikechukwu Ebuka Nnaji ‘M’ 29Yrs – Principal Suspect

xviii. Moses Godwin ‘M’ 28Yrs – Principal Suspect

xix. Adeola omiyale ‘M’ 38Yrs. From Isanlu Isin Town, Isin LGA, Kwara State.

xx. Femi Idowu ‘M’ 34Yrs

xxi. Alabi Olalekan ‘M’ 49Yrs-PA Political to Executive Governor, Kwara State

xxii. Yusuf Abdulwahab ‘M’ 58Yrs –Chief of Staff to Executive Governor, Kwara State

EXHIBITS

i. Two (2) AK47 Rifles

ii. Two (2) Barrette Pistols

iii. One (1) Pump Action Rifle

iv. One (1) Revolver Pistol – In Police Custody in Ilorin

v. Lexus RX300 Jeep with Reg. No. Kwara, KMA 143 RM belonging to Ayoade Akinnibosun (Gang Leader) – Used for the Bank Robbery

vi. Mercedes Benz – Compressor with Reg.. No. Lagos LT496 KJA belonging to Ayoade Akinnibosun (Gang Leader) – Used for the Bank Robbery

vii. One (1) Toyota Prado Jeep with Reg. No. 19KWGH belonging to the PA Political to the Executive Governor, Kwara State – In Police Custody in Ilorin

viii. One (1) Toyota Camry Saloon Car with Reg. No. LRN 481 FE – In Police Custody in Ilorin

ix. The Cash Sum of Six Hundred Thousand Naira (N600,000.00) – In Police Custody in Ilorin

x. Four (4) Phones of victims recovered

xi. One (1) Sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony”

ACP JIMOH MOSHOOD

FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

FORCE HEADQUARTERS

ABUJA

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2019: Why my mechanic wants to be President – Reuben Abati

Erstwhile Special Adviser to the president, Goodluck Jonathan, on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, has posited that the reason former CBN deputy governor, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, Fela Durotoye, Omoyele Sowore and other new breed politicians now feel they are good enough to be Nigeria’s president is as a result of the manner the exalted office “seems to have been mishandled and demystified.”

He argued that the increasing political consciousness in the country; the anxiety and frustration of the citizenry were among factors that made ordinary Nigerians like his mechanic aspire to run for the highest office in the country.

In an article entitled, ‘2019: Nigeria’s emerging political leaders’ published yesterday, the public affairs analyst revealed how his car mechanic approached him to announce the mechanic’s bid to take over Buhari’s job.

The essay reads in part, “The process of that demystification has taken different shapes and tones since the return to civilian rule in 1999, but now everything seems to have gone so bad, far beyond expectation. My mechanic couldn’t have phrased this national dilemma better. He came to see me the other day, full of excitement…

‘Oga, I have come to inform you that I am thinking of running for President.’ I thought the guy was talking about the Presidency of the Mechanics Village Association. So, I brightened up. No, he meant President of Nigeria. I removed my eyeglasses and dropped my pen.

‘President of Nigeria? How? Look, have you been drinking?’

‘Oga, you know I am a Christian. I don’t drink. I am serious oh. I have been thinking about it for a while. I can do a better job. The way these people are running Nigeria, some of us have good ideas about what can be done. If we leave this Nigeria to these politicians, they will finish all of us. Anybody that likes this country should get involved.’

”I paid attention to him.

“Oga, look at me, I can do it. We can do it. I have worked it out. By the grace of God, I will be the next President of Nigeria.”

“I had known this mechanic for a while, but I never suspected he had very tall ambitions. I had not yet given him my honest opinion; he had already conscripted me. “We can do it”. We? Every Nigerian politician is an optimist, and the most optimistic are often the ones who don’t even stand a chance at the polls.

“I pretended to be interested all the same; so he continued with his campaign.

‘Oga, you know me. Am I a lazy man? No. I am not.’ When people insist on answering their own questions the best you can do in the circumstance is to listen.

‘What this country needs now is a mechanic, somebody who can take a look at a vehicle that is having problems, and fix it. We mechanics do that every day. When they bring a car to you, first you diagnose. What is wrong with the car? Why is it not functioning well, and then you go straight to the problem and fix it. Why can’t people fix Nigeria? If we mechanics were to behave like politicians, this whole country will be littered with broken down vehicles. In the hands of these politicians, Nigeria is broken. E be like say Nigeria don knock engine sef. I am the man who will fix that engine.”

Noting that the number of these aspiring presidents keeps increasing every day, Abati observed that “the names of a popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, and that of the legendary footballer, Kanu Nwankwo have also been mentioned as potential Presidents of Nigeria.”

Recalling a recent exchange between the minister of communication, Adebayo Shittu and Sowore,

the former presidential spokesman noted however that there is the tendency “to dismiss this category of aspirants as Minister Shittu has done, in part because they do not preach the message of religion, ethnicity and money, and they do not seem to have any Godfathers who can offer them existing structures in exchange for conditions of service.”

The article ended by stating that Sowore and Durotoye are already exercising much influence among the Nigerian youth, pointing out that this is not just on social media but also across the educational institutions and the streets.

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Omoyele Sowore - Presidential Aspirant: The Latest Comedian In Town

Omoyele Sowore (in blue native dress) praying at a mosque in Ibadan It was so easy for me to select the title of this piece. Truly, Sowore is the latest comedian in town. 

People are praising his so-called audacity. You praise an energetic young man for wasting his time and energy? What I think is that his shows videos on the cyber space are really entertaining to many. 

While we derive fun from them, we should as well advise him to properly channel his energy and define his purpose. We want to take back Nigeria is not a statement of purpose for someone who want to lead Nigeria. 

So far, I haven’t seen how he has started differently from our deceitful politicians we complain about. His first points of call is at an Emir palace and a church. Before I could ask when he is visiting my mosque, I saw him in a video ‘praying’ with Muslim faithful at a mosque in Ibadan. Even Buhari did not do this early in his day in the wilderness, which still stands him out of the crowd. 

How is Sowore’s approach of visiting religious houses different from Omisore eating two corns simultaneously on the street at the eve of electioneering in order to impress voters? So, Sowore has started with the same deceit of those he wants to put in prison. Even Buhari had to tone down on locking people up when it dawned on him he needed the thieves.

 The issue with the likes of Sowore who think they have the medication to our malaise is that they think becoming the president is the only way to start solving the problem of Nigeria. It only tells you they are empty in thoughtfulness. For most of his video I have entertained myself with, I did not see anywhere he demonstrates that he knows what he is talking about. 

All those Aluta-like talk to a handful of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube account holders in a hall cannot disrupt a local government election in Ondo state, let alone a presidential race. Believe you me, Ondo state, his home state, needs him more than the entire Nigeria.

 Perhaps, his local government of origin need his solution most, provided he has any. Our know-it-all braggadocios never want to start it small on a local political space where he can be projected by his performance. No, they wake up from a dream one hot afternoon and wants to become President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Perhaps, it is this type of a hot-afternoon dream Dele Momodu had in 2011 that he wanted to become the President. 

Nigeria Presidency is this cheap! Buhari toiled for thirteen uninterrupted years. Atiku has been scheming to become the President since 1992 and he has not rested. Even a sitting President had to beg a vice president to be able to do a second tenure as Nigeria President. And a former anti-corruption Czar who was just too naïve like any other political jester had to start reversing himself, praising those he once called the greatest thieves on earth, because he wanted to become President or Governor overnight. Get it right. 

I am not denying the possibility of a young person becoming the President of Nigeria. Such a young person, and any Nigerian for that matter, needs to learn and have what it takes to become a President. 

The current Indonesia President, 56-year-old Joko Widodo, should be a case study to our theatrical youths and adults who truly want to rule Nigeria. Joko Widodo is son of no one. But his work as a City Mayor projected him to the presidency. No, it is Obama and Macron, the latest poster boy for youthful leadership, our comedians brandish. 

Even them, they didn’t wake up overnight to become the president of their countries. Go read about their lives. If Sowore is serious a bit, it should be that he starts this for an ambition he wishes to realize in ten years from now. And for him to realize this fast, he should continue this bragging for the next ten years, but with serious modifications that shows he understands Nigeria and her problem. 

During this period, he is on ground advancing his ideals, demonstrating that his solution can solve problem and engaging the real victims of corruption and poverty.

 These are the peasants of whom majority live outside the cities. Fiery talk to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube account holders will not make any impact even in the so-called disruption he wants to cause. Fiery speeches with substance has never won any one presidency anywhere, let alone one with so much vacuousness. 

Presidents become fiery when they have ascended the seat. Wikipedia can help him on the political and leadership history of Rodrigo Duterte, the fiery-talking President of the Philippines. If actually Sowore wants to become President in 2019, he has started too late. 

Besides, his approach is like he wants to do a 2nd term as UNILAG student union president. Even to achieve this, he needs to secure admission first either through JAMB or post-UME test. For now, Sowore is only trying to outdo Dr. Damages. 

PoThose Facebook, Twitter and YouTube addicts who welcome him with posters at every of his comedic outing only increase his state of trance. May Allah spare our lives beyond 2030 (sic) A. S. M. Jimoh (anehi2008@gmail.com or On twitter: @anehi2008).

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