The Man Who Sat On The Tor Tiv’s Throne By Reuben Abati

This is about Stephen Nyitse, the young man who on the day of the coronation of the new Tor Tiv managed to beat security and went straight to where the king’s coronation seat, stool, throne had been placed and sat on it. We are told this caused a stir, and not a few in the crowd must have shouted: “abomination!”,  Even the President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Benue branch, Bishop Mike Angou considered Nyitse’s action sacrilegious. He went to the seat, to anoint and rededicate it. Bishop Angou’s intervention obviously was meant to cast out whatever demons Nyitse must have inflicted on the already consecrated kingship throne. It is possible also that the ordinary people in attendance and the chiefs of Tivland interpreted it as a bad omen. Africans including the educated live in a world of spirits, demons and magic. Every act or gesture among them, is considered spiritual or religious.
     The other side of it has to do with social hierarchy and customs. Our social life is heavily stratified. People are expected to know their place. Young persons are not supposed to disrespect or question elders.  Wisdom is necessarily attached to old age, even if that is definitely untrue. Women are expected to submit to men, and that remains the case for all women in many of our communities. The poor are expected to worship the rich. Employees are expected to be loyal obedient servants.
      This is the content of our socialization in traditional communities, during the colonial period and even long after colonialism. When we were growing up, there were many things that were taken as normal that would today look absolutely ridiculous to our children.  Children were not expected to talk back to their parents: if you did that, you could earn many strokes of the cane.  In many families, whenever the father of the house was at home, nobody would try to be assertive, and any news that Daddy was returning from work would send both the children and their mother scampering in all directions.

Wole Soyinka: A Sojourner among Liars by Reuben Abati

WS: A sojourner among liars

By Reuben Abati

PROFESSOR Wole Soyinka was quoted saying his latest book is the "nastiest" that he has written so far.

Professor Wole Soyinka

InterInventions: Between Defective Memory and the Public Lie- A Personal Odyssey in The Republic of Liars (Ibadan: Bookcraft, 2015, 136pp) is quite close to being just that. But who knows if an even nastier book may follow as Soyinka embarks on the task of exposing lies in our Republic as he has promised that InterInventions, a follow up to Interventions series (I-IV) will be dedicated solely to the dismantling of lies in the public space: malicious and non-malicious lies, lies told, lies magnified, lies fraudulent, murderous lies, accidental lies, uttered from depraved minds whose sole intention is to create burdens for their victims; malign, impugn and lower the other so they can be raised or their stomachs can be nourished at other's expense.

Ex-Obasanjo spokesperson, Remi Oyo, dies at 62

Former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria and presidential media aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mrs Oluremi Oyo, has died in the United Kingdom, where she was undergoing treatment for cancer.

Her husband, Vincent Oyo, confirmed her death.

Below is a statement issued by her husband on Thursday.

Vincent  writes: With gratitude to God for a life well spent, I regret to announce the death of my dear wife, Dame Felicia Oluwaremilekun OYO.

Brigadier-General Adekunle "Black Scorpion" is dead, President Jonathan commiserates with family

ADEKUNLE WILL ALWAYS BE REMEBERED AS ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED MILITARY COMMANDERS OF HIS GENERATION – PRESIDENT JONATHAN

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan extends sincere commiserating to the family of  late Brigadier-General Benjamin Adekunle who passed away earlier today.

The President joins them and other Nigerians in mourning the very courageous soldier who achieved national fame during the Nigerian civil war for his gallant leadership of the 3rd Marine Commandoes in the successful effort to defend the unity and territorial integrity of the country.

President Jonathan believes that General Adekunle's civil war heroics, which made him easily one of the most celebrated military commanders of his generation, have ensured that he will always be honoured and remembered as a valiant soldier who served his fatherland exceptionally well at a very trying time in its history.

As the Black Scorpion's soul returns to the Almighty Creator, President Jonathan enjoins his family, friends, former military colleagues and all who mourn his passing to also give thanks to God for blessing the nation with fearless soldiers and patriots of his calibre who stand ready to lay down their lives for the peace, unity and progress of their country.

President Jonathan prays that God Almighty will  comfort the grieving family and associates of General Adekunle and grant his departed soul eternal rest.

REUBEN ABATI
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
September 13, 2014.

Nasir El-Rufai Comes Under Fire For Sending His Daughter Abroad For Studies

Former FCT minister Nasir El-Rufai was blasted by Nigerians for sending his daughter to  a foreign university.


El-Rufai had posted a picture from his daughter’s graduation, with the caption “Another daughter graduates with a good honours degree……congratulations Kheria…..”

People however criticized him for sending his daughter to school abroad when they felt he could have done something about it when he was a stronghold in the Obasanjo regime.

Are these comments merited? Check some of them out below.

PHOTOS: NIGERIA CENTENARY AWARD NIGHT

President Goodluck Jonathan and Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

FORMER HEADS OF STATE GEN. ABDULSALAMI ABUBARKA; GEN

MOHAMMADU BUHARI; GEN YAKUBU GOWON; PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN; FORMER PRESIDENT

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO; FORMER PRESIDENT SHEHU SHAGARI; GEN. IBRAHIM BABANGIDA; AND

FORMER HEAD OF INTERIM NATIONAL GOVERNMENT CHIEF ERNEST SHONEKAN AT THE NIGERIA

CENTENARY HONOURS AWARD IN ABUJA ON FRIDAY (28/2/14)

PHOTOS: PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN IN ADDIS ABABA

President Goodluck Jonathan left Rwanda President Paul Kagame, and Saharawi President  Mahamed Abdolaziz right at the Opening Ceremony of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Heads of Government in Addis Ababa Ethiopia on Thursday 30th Jan. 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan left Rwanda President Paul Kagame, and Saharawi President  Mahamed Abdolaziz left right at the Opening Ceremony of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Heads of Government in Addis Ababa Ethiopia on Thursday 30th Jan. 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan and the Foreign Affairs Minister of State  Prof. Viola Nwuliri at the Opening Ceremony of the 22ndOrdinary Session of the Assembly of African Heads of Government in Addis Ababa Ethiopia on Thursday 30th Jan 2014

Former Heads of State Gen Abdusalami Abubakar, Former President Chief Olusegun  Obasanjo and Former South African President Thambo Mbeki, at the Opening Ceremony of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Heads of Government in Addis Ababa Ethiopia on Thursday 30th Jan 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan and the Foreign Affairs Minister of State  Prof. Viola Nwuliri at the Opening Ceremony of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Heads of Government in Addis Ababa Ethiopia on Thursday 30th Jan. 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan and the Agric Minister Dr. Akinwumi Adesina at the Opening Ceremony of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Heads of Government in Addis Ababa Ethiopia on Thursday 30th Jan. 2014

Former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar  and former South African President Thambo Mbeki on arrival to the Opening Ceremony of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Heads of Government in Addis Ababa Ethiopia on Thursday 30th Jan 2014

Courtesy: State House Abuja

Another Open Letter: Obasanjo an egomaniac, says Edwin Clark

Edwin Clark

The season of letter writing may not be over in Nigeria yet as elder statesman and former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark joined the fray to excoriate former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his 18-page letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.
In his 10-page delayed response to Obasanjo, titled: ‘Let The Truth Be Told Before It Is Too Late,’ and made available to P.M.NEWS this morning, Chief Clark described Obasanjo as “a mischief maker” and “an ego maniac who always want to play to the gallery.”
Obasanjo wrote his letter to Jonathan on 2 December last year, titled ‘Before It Is too Late’, triggering a political tremor that is yet to quieten down.

The Ijaw pre-eminent chief and political godfather of President Jonathan, condemned Obasanjo for writing what he called a treasonable letter to the president, adding that Nigeria does not belong to Obasanjo as pointed out by Iyabo Obasanjo in her open letter to her father.

Iyabo's Letter to ex-President Obasanjo

Iyabo’s 11-page letter to her father,Gen. Obasanjo

“It brings me no joy to have to write this but since you started this trend of open letters I thought I would follow suit since you don’t listen to anyone anyway. The only way to reach you may be to make the public aware of some things. As a child well brought up by my long-suffering mother in Yoruba tradition, I have been reluctant to tell the truth about you but as it seems you still continue to delude yourself about the kind of person you are and I think for posterity’s sake it is time to set the records straight.

“I will return to the issue of my long-suffering mother later in this letter.

“Like most Nigerians, I believe there are very enormous issues currently plaguing the country but I was surely surprised that you will be the one to publish such a treatise. I remember clearly as if it was yesterday the day I came over to Abuja from Abeokuta when I was Commissioner of Health in Ogun State, specifically to ask you not to continue to pursue the third term issue.

President Jonathan performing better than Obasanjo – Presidency

President Goodluck Jonathan has again taken a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying the ex-President left Nigeria in darkness after his tenure.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this during an interview on Sahara TV on Saturday.
During the interview, Abati responded to questions on the several issues involving the Presidency, and tongue-lashed the opposition for attacking the President on almost all issues.
On the proposed national conference, which was scheduled to hold this year, Abati praised the President, saying it would be better than the political reform conference that was organised by Obasanjo.
He said, "The last political reform conference, organised by Obasanjo failed. It ended up the discussion of tenure elongation and third term ambition."

Al-Mustapha dismisses Obasanjo’s comments over acquittal

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former chief security officer to Nigeria’s erstwhile maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha, on Monday faulted former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s opinion that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan influenced his acquittal, for the murder of Kudirat Abiola, at the Appeal court.

Mustapha described the allegation as unwarranted.
The Lagos State Governnment has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the judgement of the Appeal Court.
AL-Mustapha expressed surprise that Obasanjo could make such insinuations in his controversial 18-page letter to President Jonathan, arguing that, after all, the case is still in Court.

Abati blasts Obasanjo, says ex-president turning self to ‘Headmaster’

Dr. Reuben Abati, President Goodluck Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity this morning lambasted former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent letter to President Goodluck Jonathan on the state of affairs of the nation, describing Obasanjo as a ‘Headmaster’ trying to treat Nigerians like ‘pupils’
Abati spoke this morning on Yoruba live programme on Faaji 106.5 FM, Lagos tagged ‘Oyela’. He frowned at Obasanjo’s unwarranted incessant meddling into the government and governance of President Goodluck Jonathan administration. Saying such interferences is becoming self-serving and not to the best interest of Nigerians

'BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE' PRESIDENT JONATHAN REPLIES OBASANJO

                                                                                                  December 20^th 2013

His Excellency,

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR

Agbe L’Oba House, Quarry Road,

Ibara, Abeokuta.

RE: BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE

I wish to formally acknowledge your letter dated December 2, 2013 and other previous correspondence similar to it.

You will recall that all the letters were brought to me by hand. Although both of us discussed some of the issues in those letters, I had not, before now, seen the need for any formal reply since, to me, they contained advice from a former President to a serving President. Obviously, you felt differently because in your last letter, you complained about my not acknowledging or replying your previous letters.

It is with the greatest possible reluctance that I now write this reply. I am most uneasy about embarking on this unprecedented and unconventional form of open communication between me and a former leader of our country because I know that there are more acceptable and dignified means of doing so.

BE READY TO PAY THE PRICE OF TREASON, PRESIDENCY WARNS APC

We have noted with utter disdain, the reckless and  irresponsible call by the APC on Sunday for the National Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against President Goodluck Jonathan.
Ordinarily, we would not have dignified Alhaji Lai Mohammed's latest vituperations in the service of his paymasters with a response, but we thought it necessary to warn that the Federal Government will not standby idly and let the nation be plunged into unnecessary crises and political instability because of the desperation and apparent readiness of the APC spokesman and his gang of power-seeking desperadoes to sacrifice the well-being of the country on the altar of their selfish personal ambitions.
The Presidency totally condemns the decision by Alhaji Mohammed and his party to move further beyond the bounds of honourable and acceptable political conduct with the senseless call for the impeachment of a President who continues to sincerely devote himself to the discharge of the sacred mandate freely given to him by Nigerians.

Letter to Jonathan…Al-Mustapha replies Obasanjo

the former Chief Security Officer to the late Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Al- Mustapha

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha yesterday challenged Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to produce evidence on his claims that President Jonathan interfered with the murder trial of the late General Abacha’s former chief security officer.
Al-Mustapha, who is abroad, also denied being used to run an assassination squad to target Jonathan’s political opponents ahead 2015 elections.
In his December 2 letter to the President, Obasanjo said Jonathan interfered with the court process to set a murderer free, and organised a presidential reception for him.
The former president did not name names, but it was obvious he was referring to Al-Mustapha who was freed by the Court of Appeal in July over the murder of the late Kudirat Abiola.

Obasanjo: An Exit Strategy by Reuben Abati

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

The President's political strategists, faced with the widespread opposition to the now infamous third term agenda, are reportedly working on what the media has termed "Plan B". The original plan was meant to ensure an amendment of the 1999 Constitution to offer the President an additional period of four years in office. The on-going debate of that proposition in the National Assembly indicates that it will be difficult for the "third termers" to gain a legislative two-thirds majority in that regard. Plan B is designed as a face-saving option.

The failure of the third term proposal on the floor of the National Assembly translates simply into an open demonisation of the President and his supporters. The President in particular, has suddenly become an enemy of democracy who must be stopped at all costs. A Plan B which, as proposed, would offer him a two-year extension in office as President could reduce the effect of this open disgrace. Its architects obviously do not want the Presidency to be ridiculed. They can pretend that their plan is to protect the Presidency as a key democratic institution.

The Atiku Revolt against Obasanjo's Third Term by Reuben Abati

The details of what was discussed by the 200 anti-third term campaigners who were barred from holding a meeting at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, on Wednesday, April 5, have now become public knowledge. When this is placed beside the motives of their traducers masquerading as state agents, it is safe to conclude that it is indeed a sad moment for Nigeria. The third-term gang included Major-General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Alhaji Ghali Na'Abba, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Audu Ogbeh, former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji M. D. Yusuf, Alhaji Gambo Jimeta, Governors Bola Tinubu, Boni Haruna, Orji Kalu, and Senator Uche Chukwumerije.... It was in one word, a gathering of well-known opponents of the Obasanjo administration - many of whom have had cause to criticise the government openly on issues of policy, and in the cases of Ogbeh, and Ghali Na'Abba, and former Governors Bisi Akande, Segun Osoba and Niyi Adebayo, these are bold critics of the ruling PDP and its methods.

Third Term and the National Assembly by Reuben Abati

The present National Assembly and all the Houses of Assembly in the states face a strong moral burden following the conclusion of the so-called public hearings on constitutional amendments in the country's six geo-political zones. It is left to them to process the various recommendations and amend the constitution accordingly. They are in a position to either defend the interest of the people or betray the entire nation. The politics of constitutional amendment has thus been reduced to the issue of the integrity of our lawmakers. It is possible to take a cynical view and conclude that this National Assembly which has been accused of indolence, and an acute obsession with privileges and opportunities for self-enrichment would behave true to pattern. Or that the lawmakers in the states will simply read the lips of their Governors. That is, they will willy-nilly turn the constitution amendment process into an assault against the people, trade with the issues and damn the consequences. But that is precisely the reason why all concerned Nigerians should begin to speak up and confront the lawmakers with the moral weight of the choices that they are about to make.

OBASANJO’S LETTER UNBECOMING, SELF-SERVING AND HIGHLY PROVOCATIVE

We have noted the publication on several websites today of a letter recently written by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
The Presidency acknowledges that it has indeed received the said letter from Chief Obasanjo.

We however find it highly unbecoming, mischievous and provocative that a letter written by a former Head of State and respected elder statesman to President Jonathan  has been deliberately leaked to the mass media in a deplorable effort to impugn the integrity of the President and denigrate his commitment to giving Nigeria the best possible leadership.

While many patriotic, objective and well-meaning Nigerians have already condemned the leaked letter as self-serving, hypocritical, malicious, indecent, and very disrespectful of the highest office in the land, President Jonathan has directed that none of his aides or any government official should join issues with Chief Obasanjo over it.