NNAMDI KANU’S TRAVAILS: A BARE BAIL DEVOID OF LIBERTY, SAYS MIKE OZEKHOME

I congratulate Justice Binta Nyako for being courageous enough to even grant bail at all to IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, on health grounds. This is predicated on the truism that the Judiciary has been so humiliated, browbeaten, terrorized and emasculated by the Executive, that it takes extraordinary courage and daring bravado, for a Judge to even grant bail to a much vilified Nnamdi Kanu, whose only “crime” is that he seeks self determination for his repressed, oppressed, suppressed and marginalized indigenous people of Biafra, a right recognized even by the UNO and AU in all self – determination instruments.
The catch here however, is that in granting the bail, the Judge, apparently trying to tread softly, took back with the right hand what she gave with the left hand. Bail is a constitutional right. It is guaranteed by section 35(5) of the 1999 Constitution, with or without conditions attached. But any conditions so attached to bail must be such that the grant of bail is itself not rendered meaningless and impotent as in the Nnamdi case. Kanu’s bail conditions are outrightly stringent, punitive, discriminatory, profiling and stereotyping. Hear them:
He must produce 3 sureties, who must deposit the sum of 100m each (a ready recipe for corruption).
One of the sureties must be a highly respected Jewish leader since Kanu practices Judaism as his religion (discrimination on the basis of religion).
Produce a highly placed person of Igbo extraction (discrimination on the basis of place of origin and ethnic group).
Produce a respected person who resides and owns landed property in Abuja (a call for the elitist money bags).
Must not attend any rally or grant an interview (breach of freedom of movement and speech).
Must not be in a crowd exceeding 10 persons (denial of freedom of Association).
Must surrender his Nigerian and British passports (denial of freedom of movement).
Must sign an undertaking to be available for trial at all times (normal. This is the main purpose of bail).
His wedding ring and reading glasses to be given back to him (thank God for tokenism).
Must provide monthly update on Kanu’s health (yes, to ensure his health is improving).
Some of the bail conditions are not only troubling, unsetting and punitive, but are simply unconstitutional, as briefly highlighted above.
Section 42(1) of the 1999 Constitution provides that
“a citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:-
(a) be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions are not made subject to; or
(b) be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions.
(2) No citizen of Nigeria shall be subjected to any disability or deprivation merely by reason of the circumstances of his birth.
It is crystal clear from these constitutional provisions that the stringent bail conditions granted to Nnamdi have clearly discriminated against him and subjected him to “certain disabilities or restriction” on the basis of his religion, place of birth, political opinion and ethnic group.
What the bail conditions are simply saying is that it will be illegal, forbidden and contrary to the bail conditions were Kanu to do the following:
(a) Kanu cannot be received by a multitude of his village people, kindred and kinsmen, who have missed his presence since his mindless incarceration over one and half years ago, contrary to the right to freedom of Association granted by section 40 of the 1999 Constitution.
(b) That Kanu cannot express his right to freedom of expression clearly guaranteed by section 39 of the Constitution.
(c) That Kanu cannot exercise his freedom of movement guaranteed by section 41 of the Constitution.
(d) That Kanu cannot receive sympathizers, well wishers and political Associates, once they are more than 10.
(e) That Kanu cannot freely exercise, without being monitored, his freedom of religion and conscience contrary to section 38 of the Nigerian Constitution.
(f) That Kanu cannot, at any given time, even in his household or larger family setting, host more than 10 people (ludicrous; unnatural!).
(g) That Kanu cannot even visit any hospital to take care of his health, because the hospital staff of Doctors, nurses, para-medical staff and other patients, must surely exceed 10 (contrary to section 17(3)(c) of the Constitution.
(h) That Kanu cannot attend church service or the synagogue worship to glorify God in thanksgiving for his release, since such place of worship will harbour hundreds if not thousands, of people (contrary to section 10 and 38 of the Constitution).
(i) That Kanu cannot even go to a busy motor park, airport, seaport, Parks and Gardens, Cinema hall, theatre, to transport himself, watch films or relax, or even go to Shoprite to shop.
(j) That Kanu cannot deliver lectures to students, or groups, or participate in seminars, workshops, summits, conferences, etc., as these involve many people.
(k) That by way of summary, Kanu should remain a hermit, marooned like Robinson Crusoe in the 1719 novel of the same name, by Daniel Defoe, who spent over 28 years as a castaway, after he was washed up on the shores of a deserted island, near the mouth of Oronoco River in South America.
Day by day, we subject the Nigerian society to bottomless ridicule and derision in the comity of Nations. Bail conditions are simply to ensure the attendance of a person in court, and nothing more. Once excessive or punitive, bail loses its purpose, function and goal. I urge Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers to immediately file an application before the same Justice Binta, for variation of the bail terms to more favourable ones, that will make Kanu a human being once more. I urge the Nigerian judiciary to stand up “gidigba”, to defend the rights of all Nigerians against executive lawlessness, judicial timidity and legislative rascality. God bless Nigeria and Nigerians.
-  MIKE A. A. OZEKHOME, SAN, OFR, FCIARB, LL.D
CONSTITUTIONAL LAWYER AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST

“I Never Supported Buhari For President” …Obasanjo

‘Against The Run of Play’, Olusegun Adeniyi’s new book which has been generating interests on wider scales, has revealed yet another intriguing aspect of the drama that characterized the 2015 general elections that ushered in the incumbent administration of  PresidentMuhammadu Buhari.
An excerpt from the book quoted former President Olusegun Obasanjo as saying he never supported Buhari’s choice as then President Goodluck Jonathan’s successor. According to Obasanjo in the book, he was not one of the drivers of Buhari-For-President, all he wanted was an alternative to Jonathan who he believed was breaching an agreement he made to him not to run for second term in office.
The excerpts;
“The former President recalled how Jonathan became the Vice President in 2007 and how he stuck out his neck for him to be elected president in 2011 to solve minority agitation.
He said: “You know of course that Jonathan was not my first choice as running mate to your late boss (Yar’Adua), it was Dr. Peter Odili. But whether by fate or some conspiracy, Odili had hurdles that made it impossible for him to take the position. That was how I settled for Jonathan.
“I saw the emergence of Jonathan as an opportunity to solve the minority agitation. The three majority ethnic groups can always sort themselves out but not so for the minority.
“A good example is my state here in Ogun. Despite the best intentions, nobody from Ogun West has been able to become governor because of this minority issue and it will take a conscious effort to make it happen. “So, it was in that context that I had to plead with prominent people in the North to allow Jonathan run for a term.”
On Jonathan re-election bid in 2015, Obasanjo spoke of how the ex-President told him that he would not seek a second term in office.
He added: “I confronted him several times but he kept deceiving himself and when I could no longer put up with it, I had to register my opposition to the idea on record as I did in my letter to him.
“I didn’t join them in supporting Buhari; I joined in opposing Jonathan so Buhari was just a beneficiary of my opposition to Jonathan since my opposition was AOBJ: Any Option But Jonathan
“Jonathan and his handlers believed they could buy the election and they were so arrogant about it that the PDP would print only one nomination for him and him alone.
“If he was wise, he would have yielded the ticket to somebody else in the PDP.”
He said although Jonathan enlisted Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Bishop David Oyedepo to beg him at the Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, he said he stood his ground that Jonathan must abide by one term agreement.

Ayorinde: Recession Lessons Other States Must Learn From Lagos

As Nigeria gradually makes its way out of economic recession, the House of Representatives on Wednesday commended the Lagos State Government’s role, saying that the success story of the State was not only benefitting residents, but helping to get the nation’s economy back on track.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Economic Recession, Hon. Olabode Ayorinde who said this when he led members of the Committee on a courtesy visit to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the Lagos House in Ikeja, said the State currently dictates the pace of the economy in Nigeria.
While congratulating the Governor on his developmental strides in the last two years, Ayorinde said other States could learn from the template Lagos deployed to tackle the economic recession.
He said: “We take legislative notice of the serious development that is going on in Lagos State and with your permission, we don’t mind interacting with those that are in charge perhaps there are one or two things that we can recommend to other states in the nation because in togetherness we can only move this nation forward.
“Talking seriously, the economic power of Lagos State also dictates the pace of the economy in Nigeria. Some of the steps that Lagos is taking now, some other States that have not been able to pay salaries may not be able to take such steps. We are looking at this nationally; for example, if an industry is working in Lagos that is employing about 5000 persons I am sure that the company will not employ only citizens of Lagos State. So, it is to the benefit of Nigeria and if the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country increases, it is not a factor of where it comes from, wherever the economy has been improved, it is national income and Nigeria will be better for it.”
Earlier, Ayorinde said he was in Lagos with his team to inspect some of the moribund industries in the State, with a view to coming up with appropriate legislations that would help them get back in business.
Responding, Governor Ambode said his administration intensified its capital expenditure to reflate the State’s economy, noting that 60 percent of its budget last year was ploughed towards infrastructural projects in all parts of the State to tackle recession.
He said such projects contributed significantly to keep the State’s economy afloat with low income earners engaged, adding that it was important for government at all levels to keep spending on infrastructure.
“Every contract or construction that you see in the nooks and crannies of Lagos, there is a bricklayer that is employed; there is a driver that is driving lorry load of sand; there is that food seller that is given the workers some food and a minimum of N5,000 in every household has a multiplier effect on the economy.
“So, that is the sure way that we have done this and we have not kept that development in one area, we have replicated it in all the senatorial zones so that those living in Badagry can earn income in Badagry and actually improve on the economy. This is what we think should be replicated by other States in the country and even at the national level. You need to spend your way out of recession and that is why it appears there is nothing like recession in the city of Lagos,” Governor Ambode said.
The Governor also said that his administration invested massively on security and reviving a 24/7 economy for the State through the Light Up Lagos project, saying that such was important for the economy to thrive.
Besides, Governor Ambode called for convergence between fiscal and monetary policies to tackle recession, while also urging lawmakers to come up with legislations that would take people out of poverty.
“I want to enjoin our legislative house that we need to fast-track some of our legislations that are really people-driven and also back us in terms of the executive decisions that will take us out of recession,” he said.

RRS Arrests Eight For Traffic Offence

Operatives of Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos Police Command today arrested eight miscreants in Ojodu Berger for allegedly extorting motorists and ordering them to park on obstruction in for fee.
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, had directed the RRS to clear up the traffic congestion in and around Ojodu – Berger following the activities of touts in the area.
Those arrested were Adedeji Adewole, George Wudu, Shafun Adigun, Abdullahi Ibrahim, Usman Mohammed, Segun Owolabi, Afiz Lookman, Saheed Banji and Gbenga Waheed.
One of the passers-by who applauded the move, Barrister Yemi Ayo, commended the State Government for transforming Ojodu Berger.
“Our main problem is our drivers. They always mess up the entire place.
“Everywhere is free now. You can conveniently drive in and drive out. One can only hope that the kind of exercise you are doing here today can be more consistent”, he added.
The miscreants have been transferred to the Lagos Task Force office in Oshodi for prosecution.

Stanley Obi, CEO, Salescraft Properties: A Shining Light for Young Entrepreneurs

Stanley Obi, Managing Director/ CEO of Salescraft Properties Limited has become a role model, corporate strategist and entrepreneur per excellence. Since his foray into entrepreneurship and real estate investment he has been a shining light to young and prospective entrepreneurs.

The astute board room guru, popularly known as Apostle Landlord sits atop Salescraft Properties Limited, an innovative and fast growing real estate company in Nigeria.

He has wide range of professional experience spanning marketing, human resources management and real estate. His leadership assets have strengthened Salescraft Properties’ culture of innovation, expanded the company into new markets, and extended its product portfolio. Over the years Salescraft Properties has mentored numerous Nigerian youths and

 undoubtedly, Stanley Obi is a shining light for young entrepreneurs. He has the passion to always mentor young entrepreneurs to success. For many years, he was living the dream of an aspiring business executive.

The world of real estate investment is filled with high-energy, ambitious, and untiring hotshots like him. But all his hard work paid off. He stood out from the rest and landed the most-coveted positions.

This tremendous exposure gave him what he needed to become an entrepreneur. Consequently, he incorporated Salescraft Properties Limited five years ago.

The firm is key housing solutions and advisory provider and the first in its sector in the country.

Stanley Obi is a big name in real estate. He is what you call a guru. Many don’t know that he is one of the property developers in the Lekki corridor. He started quite early and he has over the years built up a huge property portfolio that is very, very impressive.
He combined his wealth of experience in the Nigerian business terrain with a ‘never say die’ attitude because he realized from the onset that to survive in life, you cannot afford the luxury of giving up your dreams.
 He later plunged himself into real estate with a revolutionary mind-set to do what private developers regarded as nearly impossible.  The company was set out with a lofty vision to become the best real estate company in Nigeria, and out of Africa
Within five years of operations, Salescraft Properties under his leadership had been directly involved in various housing Estates in Lekki, Ikorodu, Atan Ota and Asaba in Delta State. He believes that to be truly successful and build sustainable wealth, you must create wealth for others thus his relentless zeal to impact positively on the lives of others. He is regarded in many circles as a mentor par excellence. His entrepreneurial acclaim is founded on mentoring people who subsequently help to create additional value in the lives of others, in what has been severally applauded as a chain reaction of positive developmental culture.
He is a down to earth and very jovial character. He is a deeply religious man who believes in the
unity and universality of one God that reigns in the affairs of men.
His journey to the top however, didn’t lay out in flat miles; he experienced several ups and downs, most of them daunting experiences that would have caused the lily-livered to buckle and yield to defeat; but like the proverbial cat with nine lives, he kept picking himself up by the jockstraps, trudging through his crucible of challenges till he chanced on success and acclaim in common hours. He has nurtured his company to a multi million naira investment, a venture he started with about twenty thousand naira ten years ago.
On the company various services he said in a media interview: “We came into this industry five years ago and within five years we have done exceptionally well. We started with prosperity garden estate in Atan Ota phase 1, now we have phase 2. From there, we moved to Ibeju Lekki Phase 2, there, we have Lekki premium estate. We also have estates in Ikorodu and Azagba-Ogwashi in Delta State. Our mission is to make million of people home and abroad landlords. We are consistently passionate about developing cutting edge solutions in the real estate industry that meet the needs of the rich, the average income earners and anyone who desires to own a landed property and homes no matter their income level”.

The difference is clear, Salescraft Properties is unique. The company is known for unique performance in service delivery and known for being unique in the kind of people it employs.

Everywhere you see a member of staff of Salescraft Properties, it is the same culture you see, the same relationship you feel and the same quality of service delivery that you get as well as the same sense of belonging. Within the period of five years Salescraft Properties has become a mega brand in the industry.

Stanley Obi, aka Apostle Landlord is on a mission. He said in a media interview “Apostle landlord is a man on a mission. And my mission is to see millions of Nigerians home and abroad become landlords. We are passionate about this. It’s a drive, it is a calling. What we want to see is that, people who run helter skelter, from morning to night have somewhere they can relax and they can have something or somewhere they can call a home. And it starts by acquiring a land and that is where we come in. We can help you to own a piece of land and also cross the second hurdle of building. So our mission is to see millions of Nigerians own piece of land through affordable land”.

At 78, Buhari congratulates Tony Momoh

President Muhammadu Buhari warmly congratulates veteran journalist and former Minister of Information and Culture, Prince Tony Momoh on his 78th birthday, April 27, 2017.
President Buhari joins Momoh’s professional and political colleagues, his friends and family in celebrating the cerebral statesman whose career in journalism, as an editor and administrator, covers some of the most dramatic, and defining moments of Nigeria’s history.
As he turns 78 years old, the President extols the courage, versatility and nobility that the former Information Minister has exuded in making tough and selfless decisions for the benefit of the nation, which includes choosing to serve with opposition parties, like All Nigeria Peoples’ Party and Congress for Progressive Change, with all the odds.
President Buhari recalls with delight his many insightful encounters with the septuagenarian over the years, affirming that Momoh will always be remembered for his unalloyed support for the truth that culminated in the electoral victory of 2015.
He prays that God will grant the former minister longer life, good health and more wisdom to serve his community and the country.