A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has discharged Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola and Kolawole Shittu, both former aides to former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, of N3.5billion fraud.

Speaking with journalists after the ruling, Makanjuola, who was accused of fraud alongside two others, expressed relief and gratitude to God over the outcome of the suit filed against him.

“To God be the glory, I have been vindicated. It’s been a tough journey for me for almost eight years, but at the end of the day, I just want to thank God for seeing me through,” Makanjuola said.

He praised the court’s decision, citing a recent Supreme Court judgement that deemed the funds in question to be a source of legitimate and valid commercial transaction.

“The court confirmed that with the Supreme Court judgement, the criminal charges cannot proceed again, and that’s the end of it,” he said.

Makanjuola and Shittu were represented by Mr. Paul Erokoro (SAN) and Mr. Ojukwu (SAN), respectively, who led other lawyers.

The third defendant was represented by Mr. Wale Adewumi Esq and his colleagues.

LEADERSHIP recalls that in 2018, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Makanjuola and three others before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on charges bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and payment of funds without going through financial institutions.

During their arraignment, the EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Iheanacho, alleged that the defendants, including Melrose General Services Limited and Robert Chidozie Mbonu (now at large), conspired to disguise the origin of N3.5 billion paid into Melrose General Services Limited’s Access Bank account in December 2016.

Iheanacho further alleged that Melrose General Services, Obiora Amobi, the operation manager, made a cash payment of N300 million to Robert Mbonu from the N3.5 billion without going through a financial institution.

Additionally, it was alleged that Makanjuola, Saraki’s Deputy Chief of Staff at the time, and Kolawole Shittu, a cashier in the Senate President’s office, made cash payments of $500,000 without using a financial institution in December 2016.

The EFCC claimed that the offences violated the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, and were punishable under the same Act.

The defendants pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of N250m each with two sureties.

The defendants in 2020 challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the criminal charges, same being an invalid charge which violates the principles of law. The court, having listened to arguments of both parties, struck out the case based on an invalid and improper charges.

However, in January, 2021, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), re-filed the criminal charges against the defendants at Federal High Court, Abuja.

In May 2024, they were rearraigned before Hon. Justice P.O. Lifu after the third amended charges bordering on conspiracy, accepting cash payments beyond the threshold and stealing.

The defendants, again, pleaded not guilty, and their counsels made applications for bail, which were granted.

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Kano have arrested one of the masterminds behind the kidnap of the mother of ace political singer, Dauda Kahutu Rarara.

Daily Trust gathered that the operatives also killed one suspect in a covert operation.

According to a highly placed source in the Command, N26.5 million was also recovered in the process.

The source said the Kano command’s tactical team based on reliable intelligence busted a gang of five bandits in Makarfi bushes where they were sharing the ransom.

“One Hamisu Tukur is currently in custody with gun shot injuries, while Bature was killed,” the source said.

Daily Trust reported that the armed men had broken into the residence of Rara’s mother, Hajiya Hauwa’u Adamu, in Kahutu, Katsina State. and abducted her about three weeks ago.

She however regained freedom after spending 20 days in captivity.

[DailyTrust]

Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag has named a 26-man squad to face Rangers in today’s pre-season friendly tie.

Ten Hag included the likes of Casemiro, Jadon Sancho and Andre Onana in his squad to face Rangers at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium.

This clash is Man United’s second of the pre-season campaign following Monday’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Rosenborg in Norway.

Man United’s squad against Rangers:

GOALKEEPERS:

Dermot Mee
Andre Onana
Radek Vitek

DEFENDERS:

Sonny Aljofree
Harry Amass
Rhys Bennett
Jonny Evans
Will Fish
Louis Jackson
Sam Murray
Habeeb Ogunneye
Maximillian Oyedele
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Leny Yoro

MIDFIELDERS:

Casemiro
Toby Collyer
Jack Fletcher
Hannibal
Samuel Mather
Mason Mount
James Scanlon

FORWARDS:

Amad
Ethan Ennis
Joe Hugill
Jadon Sancho
Ethan Wheatley

The Niger Delta Indigenous Contractors Association (NDICA) has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to hasten project execution in the region.

The contractors also threatened to drag International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the region to court for failing to remit their three per cent dues to the commission for more than five years.

They decried the situation saying the attitude of the IOCs had retarded implementation of projects to facilitate the Niger Delta development. 

The contractors in a statement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State at the weekend said there was an urgent need for President Tinubu to exempt NDDC from the TSA.

Darlington applauded Tinubu for appointing technocrats and people of good character to serve on the board of the commission.

The contractors said: “It is through their leadership that Niger Delta has seen positive developments and progress within the region.

“While we reflect on the outcomes of the summit, it is evident that there is still much work to be done to address the challenges facing the Niger Delta region.

“In this regard, we call on Mr. President to consider exempting the NDDC from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system. Such an exemption would enable the NDDC to operate more efficiently and effectively, thereby enhancing its performance and impact on the region”.

Darlington urged the NDDC to prioritise payment of contractors, award of signature projects of high importance to the region, mobilisation of contractors for timely execution of vital projects.

He insisted that such priorities were essential for the sustainable development and prosperity of the Niger Delta region.

He expressed gratitude to the critical stakeholders, who graced the just-concluded NDDC Summit with their presence, especially former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Senate President, Godswll Akpabio and governors of the Niger Delta states among other key dignitaries.

Also a prominent member of NDICA, Kelvin Gigi,  urged the IOCs and the Ecological Funds to remit their contributions and monies due to the NDDC promptly. 

He said the funds were essential for the NDDC to carry out its mandate and implement crucial projects that would  benefit the people of the Niger Delta region.

He said: “As a concerned association, we will not hesitate to institute a legal action against the IOCs if at the end of August this year they refuse to remit their dues to the Commission. 

“It is very clear that contractors are being owed by the commission because of the inability of the oil majors to pay their dues to the commission”.

Reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, on Saturday, officially rejoined the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party.

The deputy governor, who returned to the APC in Benin, the state capital, alongside prominent members of the Dan Orbih-led Legacy Group of the PDP, said he was back to add value to the party.

He said, “On behalf of the Legacy Group, I announce our movement to the APC. We have come to add value to the party.

“It is time to take back our state. We will not talk too much because action will speak for us. We are not afraid. We are ready to move forward.

“We, the homeboys, are ready to take our state back through the APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa.

“We are not troublemakers, but if it comes, we will use it to rub our body, and we move on.”

Shaibu got to the venue at about 2:08 pm and walked straight to where former Governor of the state, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, was seated and knelt before him, which drew applause from party supporters.

Details later…

[Punch]

•Speaks on the construction of a refinery Nigeria banks on for economic revival, his frustrations, achievements, expectations

•It’s like swimming in the middle of the sea, getting tired but making efforts to swim out lest you drown

Three places have been etched as outstanding experiences for me over my years as a journalist.
One was in St. Peter’s Basilica and some ancient churches I visited in Rome while touring Europe with the Eagles in preparation for the USA ’94 World Cup finals.

The Basilica is 452 feet high. Its dome is the highest in the world. As tall as it is, the church sits on the tomb of St. Peter, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. But the wonder to me is the use and the design of marble and tiles up to the last foot. There were no cranes when that church was built. How workers were able to brave the physical challenges to construct such an architectural masterpiece is a striking question.

The second place of wonder to me is in Egypt, the Pyramids. Everybody knows about the Pyramids but note this. The height of each pyramid (there are about seven of them) is about 139 metres and the average weight of a stone used in building them is 2.5 tons. The largest granite stones weigh 25 to 80 tons each. Now the wonder. These pyramids are in the desert. They were built between 2700 B.C. And 1500 B.C.

How did they move those large stones to the desert? How did they mount them one after the other to that height at the time when there were no cranes? You need to visit the Pyramids to appreciate why it is one of the wonders of the world.

Interestingly, a third wonder that I have just seen is not far from where I work in Lagos, Nigeria. It is the Dangote Petroleum Refinery at Ibeju Lekki in Lagos.

President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote led a large team of media and businessmen on a tour of the refinery last Sunday. A lot has been written and said about the engineering marvel. President of the Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba simply described it as ‘monstrous’.

I don’t know how to start capturing our tour last Sunday. But you may understand better when told that a tour we started at about 7.30 am ended at about 7 pm. It was a visit to the wonderland they say is seven times the size of Victoria Island. It covers an area of approximately 2,635 hectares.

It has a total storage capacity of 4.5 billion litres which can cover 20 days of crude requirement. The refinery has a 435 MW power plant that can meet the total power requirement of Oyo, Ogun Osun, Kwara, and Ekiti States. It is huge. It is massive. It is monstrous, as Eze put it. And in the words of Arise News Ojy Okpe, the elegant one Dr. Ruben Abati introduces as Ojynika Orjyyyy Okpeeeee, “It’s Dangote Planet”.

From one section to another, we rode on buses. At a time, I had the chance to ride in the same bus with Dangote himself and Devakumar Edwin, the Group Executive Director, Strategy, Portfolio Development and Capital Projects.

There were about seven other buses. It was amazing how Dangote mastered the refinery and explained the technicalities and functions of many sections. Did he witness every construction? From the hangars or quays where crude oil can be evacuated into pipelines leading to the refinery and where refined oil can be discharged into ships, we then drove to the main refinery.

We saw different plants, Petrochemical complexes, Nitrogen plants, Hydrogen generating plants, Raw Water Treatment Plant etc. We drove past more than 80 storage facilities some more than the size of football pitches. Some could store 60m gasoline products. Inside the Dangote Industries Free Zone, there are 10,000 housing units for staff. Workers are up to 30,000. We visited the fertilizer plant and its storage facility. There’s a lab for fertilizer and another huge one for petroleum products.

The refinery is built to refine any type of crude. There are control rooms. Everything about the Dangote Refinery is extraordinary. When I got close to him I asked “must a refinery be this big?”
He smiled and said “It’s the biggest in the world, it’s the first of its kind.” There were other posers from colleagues. Were there times he regretted going into this and even thought of throwing in the towel? What lessons came his way while constructing this? He was at home with every question on the bus ride and during the question and answer time after the tour.

“We possibly could have had a second thought if we knew the magnitude of what we were going into. Yes, maybe we wouldn’t have started if we knew” he said. Many saw him. Could he have stopped? Were there frustrations that made him think of quitting? “Yes, there were frustrations but it’s like when you are swimming and you’re in the middle of the sea what do you do when you’re getting tired? You have no option but to continue and swim out.”

The first frustration was finding out that a great part of the land they bought had to be sand-filled as the place was marshy. They spent hundreds of billions doing that. The next was from the indigenes who challenged any action on the land because of their shrines in the place. More compensation would have to be paid to appease the gods. There were many more. Dangote had to build a port as moving crude from the Apapa port was going to be a herculean job. Was that part of the original plan? Many other things came up as construction went on. And for the lessons, experiences, and challenges he encountered, Dangote plans to write a book. “I plan to write a book on project implementation in Africa,” he said.

They started construction of about 31 units of the refinery simultaneously. That was hectic and perhaps one of the things he could have done differently.

In Africa especially in Nigeria, you construct the roads leading to your projects, you provide your own water, security and many other things that are responsibilities of the government. But he was determined to surge on. It is always in his character to top the chart of any business venture he goes into. “We have so many things that deserve places in the Gunness Book of Records here,” he said, adding “soon we will invite them for a tour of this place to see for themselves.”

The Dangote Refinery will go public in the first quarter of 2025, he hinted. Production of fertilizer and some other items are on. The refinery is expected to start producing petrol in August. The visit to the Dangote Refinery was revealing, and mind-blowing to many. To me, it is one of the wonders of our journey as a country. It is a project Nigeria should be proud of and one government should pull all strings to ensure it benefits the people.

For better understanding of magnitude of what we have at the refinery, read 25 FACTS ABOUT DANGOTE REFINERY below. But before then, some words from Aliko Dangote may interest you.

“Our new petroleum refinery is coming with many benefits”

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery Project is amongst our many initiatives towards supporting the transformation agenda of the federal Government. The Government is focused on turning Nigeria into a manufacturing hub, by adding value to our natural resources through processing and refining.

Our goal is to produce within Nigeria most of the goods that were usually imported despite having abundant resources for domestic manufacturing of the same goods. Our investment in cement manufacturing has made Nigeria self-sufficient, thereby transforming us from an import-dependent to cement exporting nation. We commissioned Dangote Fertilizer Plant in March 2022. With the nation now self-sufficient in the production of fertilizer, the surplus is going for the export market thereby generating crucial foreign exchange earnings for the country.

We conceived Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals as an answer to the perennial shortage of premium motor spirit (PMS) in the country. The completion of the project is another milestone for us at Dangote Industries Limited. It is the largest single-train refinery in the world with 650,000 barrels per day refining capacity. It marks the attainment of self-sufficiency in domestic refining of petroleum products and provides excess capacity in refined products, which will now go for the export market.

The refinery is designed to maximize gasoline production, which will account for 53 per cent of the production capacity, compared to most of the refineries in the world which produce between 20 to 25 per cent gasoline. The petroleum refinery can meet 100 per cent of the requirements of Nigeria, of all the liquid fuel products – Gasoline (PMS), Diesel (AGO), Kerosene ( DPK) and Aviation Jet Fuel (JET A-1)

Our new petroleum refinery is coming with many benefits. Refined petroleum is the main source of energy in the transport and powering of machines. The byproducts are also the basic materials of many diverse products as plastics, pharmaceuticals, solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, and clothing.
Our strategy of producing local goods that were hitherto imported creates jobs in the domestic economy instead of providing jobs in developed economies, the source of the imported goods. With the coming onstream of this refinery, thousands of direct and indirect jobs are already being generated from the activities and operations connected to the project. These jobs are helping to address the challenge of youth unemployment.

We envisage that 60 per cent of the production capacity of this petroleum refinery can meet the entire requirement of Nigeria while the remaining 40 per cent is earmarked for export. Exporting refined petroleum products will not only save the huge amounts of foreign exchange but will also trigger a massive inflow of the same into the domestic economy. The retained market foreign exchange can be invested in other projects that will stimulate more diversification of the Nigerian economy.

We surmounted numerous obstacles in our journey to build this refinery. To bring Dimensional Cargoes close to the site, we developed a port with four quays, which has a quay loading bearing capacity of 25 tonnes per square meters. This was done to bridge the distance between Apapa Port and our project site. The company also invested in 2,570 construction equipment including 2,238 civil construction equipment and 332 mechanical construction equipment.

The Petrochemical Plant is designed to produce 77 different high-performance grades of polypropylene. Petrochemical is the source of raw materials for many manufacturing and assembling plants. Products from the plant will serve as raw materials for the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is used extensively across a broad range of industrial, technical, and everyday applications including widespread use in building, transport, packaging, electrical/electronic and healthcare applications.

These new projects will no doubt, create linkages in the Nigerian economy leading to the evolution of ancillary industries that will use their byproducts as starting materials.

25 Facts about Dangote Refinery

1. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and petrochemicals a subsidiary of Dangote Industries Limited, is the world’s largest single train petroleum refinery.
2. The 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) crude oil refinery with 838 KTPA polypropylene plant, covers area of approximately 2,635 hectares and is located in the Dangote Industries Free Zone, Ibeju-Lekki,Lagos.
3. Total storage capacity of 4.5 billion liters which can cover:

• 20 days crude requirement
  -Product storage for 15 days of Nigeria’s gasoline consumption

1. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is an industrial plant that transforms crude oil into various usable petroleum products such as diesel, gasoline (petrol), jet fuel and kerosene.
2. The Refinery produces Euro-V quality gasoline and diesel, as well as jet fuel and polypropylene.
3. The Refinery is designed to process large variety of crudes including many of the African Crudes, some of the Middle Eastern Crudes and the US Light Tight Oil.
4. Dangote Petroleum Refinery can meet 100% of the Nigerian requirement of all liquid products (Gasoline, Diesel, Kerosene & Aviation Jet) and have surplus of each of these products for export.
5. The Refinery is designed to use the latest technology to comply with stringent guidelines and regulations to protect the local environment, and at the same time produce the latest environmentally friendly petroleum product for worldwide markets.
6. The Refinery design conforms to World Bank, US EPA, EU and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) emission/effluent norms.
7. The Refinery has its own dedicated steam and power generation system with adequate standby units for reliable / uninterrupted utility supply to operating plants.
8. It has a 435MW power plant that can meet the total power requirement of Ibadan Distribution Company, covering five states, including Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Kwara and Ekiti.
9. Dangote is one of the few companies in the world executing a Petroleum Refinery and a Petrochemical complex directly as an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Contractor.
10. The Petrochemical Plant is designed to produce 77different high-performance grades of polypropylene. Petrochemical is the source of raw materials for many manufacturing and assembling plants.
11. It maximizes Gasoline which is in high demand-53%of the production capacity compared to 22% of the existing refineries in Nigeria.
12. It maximizes value addition- Extract maximum value from every barrel of crude.
13. It minimizes low-value Fuel Oil.
14. The Refinery is estimated to generate an annual market value of US $21 billion for Nigerian crude oil, Foreign exchange savings/earnings US $9.9 billion.
15. 56% of the production would be exported, with a foreign exchange generation of approx. $17 billion.
16. It ensures over $25 billion addition to the GDP, through massive value addition within the country.
17. Products from the plant will serve as raw materials for the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is used extensively across a broad range of industrial, technical and everyday applications including widespread use in building, transport, packaging, electrical/electronic and healthcare applications.
18. Dangote Industries developed a port and constructed quays with a load bearing capacity of 25 tonnes/ sq meters to bring Over Dimensional Cargoes close to the site directly to handle liquid cargoes.
19. The Jetty is situated at a distance of 12.3 km from the refinery thereby effectively reducing the travel time.
20. The Refinery has capabilities for both land and sea evacuation to serve both domestic and export markets
21. Dedicated marine facilities for off take of crude and loading of petroleum products

•Self sufficient marine facility with ability for freight optimization.
•Largest single order of 5 Single Point Mooring systems (SPMs) anywhere in the world.
•2 crude SPM for unloading ships up to ULCCs.
•3 products SPM for product exports up to Suez Max vessels.
•2 X 48″ sub sea crude pipelines with interconnection.
•3X24″subsea pipelines for products and imports.
•120 km subsea pipeline.
•Crude offloading capacity – 108,500 barrels/hour (17.25million liters /hr).
•Product loading capacity – 77,000 barrels/hour (12.32million liters/hr).

25. Dangote Petroleum Refinery maintains high standards for all its business practices, valuing health, safety, environment and rights for its employees, compliance with all applicable local and international laws, and being a committed partner to host communities, governments and also environment friendly.

[Vanguard]

Chukwuka Ikwuazom, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has withdrawn from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential election.

The NBA election is currently in progress, with members casting their votes online.

In a statement, Ikwuazom said the electoral process has been compromised and manipulated.

“It is with a heavy heart that I, Chukwuka Ikwuazom, SAN, announce my decision to withdraw from the 2024 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Presidential race,” the statement reads.

“This decision has not been made lightly but is necessitated by a series of alarming developments that have compromised the integrity of the electoral process.

“Since the commencement of voting earlier today, my supporters and I have observed disturbing patterns that do not align with the actual votes cast.

“It has become increasingly evident that the integrity of the electoral process has been compromised. Despite the overwhelming support from my dedicated supporters, the reported figures do not align with the true expression of our votes.

“It would appear that the system has been manipulated to favour a predetermined outcome, consistently placing me in third position.

“As a candidate committed to upholding transparency and the rule of law, I cannot in good conscience continue to participate in a compromised electoral process. Therefore, I am withdrawing from the presidential race effective immediately.

“While today marks a sombre moment for our bar, let us remain resolute in our commitment to upholding the principles of justice, fairness, and integrity within our noble profession.

“Together, we must continue to strive for a bar association that is free from manipulation and true to the aspirations of its members.”

Ikwuazom thanked his supporters and asked them to “stand down from further participation in the election process and to cease all monitoring activities”.

[TheCable]

President Bola Tinubu congratulates Justice Stella Anukam on her re-election as Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights for another term of six years.

Justice Anukam was re-elected at the African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting Executive Council in Accra, Ghana, on Friday.

The Nigerian obtained her law degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (formerly known as University of Ife), Osun State, Nigeria, in 1984, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in August 1985.

She is also a chartered secretary, chartered arbitrator, and seasoned administrator.

Justice Anukam has served as former Director of Special Programmes at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in Abuja, Nigeria, and as former Director of the International and Comparative Law Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

President Tinubu commends Justice Anukam for her contributions to the development of human rights jurisprudence on the continent and enjoins her to continue to bring her invaluable knowledge and insights to the African Court.

The President states that his administration will continue to support the candidature of competent and qualified Nigerians for international positions, noting the country’s strategic importance in the global community.

The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights is a continental court established by African states to ensure the protection of human and peoples' rights in Africa.

It complements the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

The court is composed of eleven judges nominated by member states of the AU and elected by the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

Nigeria is a state party to the Protocol establishing the Court, having ratified it in 2004.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

Not having sex before marriage ought to be good. Restraining yourself from all that tantalizing stuff is tough alright, but that is what the Bible says and we all (believers) know that God is always right. Uncle, no touching; aunty, no sneaking. Keep the marriage bed undefiled. All solid contents must be kept in the bra, in the boxers. You can look, even imagine (though that is a sin too) what is in there but you can’t weed or cultivate the land. You can salivate but you must not sip or suck before you say ‘I do’ and have been handed the license. Then and thereafter, can you start drilling and depositing, planting, harvesting, as the licensed owner of the rig and land.
The waiting time can be mean on both the body and the spirit. Christian courtship is hard but the wedding night and the sweetness thereafter is usually very rewarding. I remember a young bride who ran to the pastor two weeks after the wedding, distraught, confused.
“I can’t cope, pastor.”
“Cope with what, sister”
‘My husband wants sex every day. Is it food? I’m tired. I’m sore. I’m walking funny. I’m even afraid to go home after work. He is a Christian, why does he want sex every day? It is carnal, isn’t it?’
The pastor laughed and called in a female counsellor (you can guess who) who explained to the frightened bride the coping skills. One, her brand new groom is a dude, a raging bull who has been kept in check until he got his license to do as he pleases. He’s making up for lost time. Two, sex is food for all healthy male, Christian or not. A dude is a dude. He wants his woman all day, if possible. There are strategies to avoid wear, tear and bruises. Whenever the couple waited, God happily endorses all activities and everybody is happy.
Unfortunately, it is not always so. It has been discovered, so, so sadly, that there are now terrible, embarrassing ungodly complications to this ‘no-sex-before-marriage’ part of Christian courtship. What is ordinarily supposed to be a beautiful worthwhile wait has been found to bring the kind of torture and nightmare that is confounding and debilitating. Too many Christians are evil, too many courting couples a disgrace to both God and the body of Christ. In fact, I’m restraining myself from calling them murderers because what they bring into a Christian union after saying ‘I do’ before God and man is nothing short of marital terrorism.
A man who professes to be born-again, tongue-speaking, demon-binding Christian abstains from sex during courtship only for the bride to discover on their wedding night that the groom’s weapon is only for peeing! Yeah, he has only two legs. His third leg is virtually non-existent and divorce is not supported by the Bible except on grounds of infidelity and even then you are not allowed to remarry until your spouse dies. Someone help me out here. What if the person you divorced lives to be 100?

Or this other scenario: the turban-wearing, no-earrings but beautiful sister insisted on keeping her body holy, the marriage bed undefiled. Three years after wedding and plenty of lies on why she was waiting on the Lord for the fruit of the womb, the real reasons for her childlessness came to light. Sister’s uterus was removed years ago after a tragic abortion in the university. She didn’t tell the man she professed to love. She didn’t confide in the pastor.
According to her, ‘I believe God will give me a new womb, a brand new beginning.’
Ah, faith is great. But what is wrong with letting the man you are going to marry into this great secret so he can decide whether he’s down with the arrangement or not? What is wrong in letting the guy know what he is getting himself into, what the total package is so he can join his faith to hers and they can have faith raised to power two (like faith2)?

The shocked husband recounted the horror of the heart-rending discovery this way: ‘She kept her on insisting on prayers instead of going to have ourselves checked in the hospital. She was moving from one prayer mountain to the other, doing vigil and fasting round the month. Yet we couldn’t conceive. On my own, I decided to go and run tests on my system. I got the all clear and that was when I became suspicious. I threatened to call the pastors, report her to the church marriage counselling unit, summon a family meeting, and finally I moved out. I told her I’d move back in only if she agreed to the tests. That was when she broke down and confessed. I was devastated.’

Now, how does a pastor deal with that, dissolve the marriage or remind the deceived husband that their marriage vows were ‘till death do them part’? Imagine you are a parent reading this, if the husband was your son, what would you do? How would you feel? This son of yours is 36, his wife is 32 and she has no womb! You are all members of a denomination where even breathing the word ‘divorce’ is almost a sin, will you happily accept your lot and wait for a new womb from your lying daughter-in-law or are you going to damn all consequences and tell your son to ‘throw the trash out and get a proper woman who will bear you children?’

Is the definition of unfaithfulness, infidelity, just about having sex with someone you are not married to? Is going into marriage knowing you are deceiving your partner in the worst possible way godly? How will the church stop their members from trying polygamy and extramarital affairs when the skeletons start dancing ‘shaku shaku’ outside the closet? How can the church stem the rate of failed marriages in the body of Christ when young men and women go into marriage for the wrong reason, wearing only barefaced lies as wedding garments?
Should the church just accept that this new trend of hiding very important details during courtship, as part of end-time turbulence or should pastors just remember that they are end-time shepherds who must do their jobs with wisdom?
Dear godly reader, imagine that it’s your daughter who ended up with the man whose third leg is incompetent, malformed or misshapen? That on the wedding night, your daughter who had kept her virginity till age 25 was the one who discovered that her husband’s manhood is the same size as her pinky, her smallest finger! The thing can pee but it can’t be put to work. It’s just there, like a toddler’s pecker. You spent millions of naira on the wedding ceremony, had high hopes for this marriage and here you are with a son-in-law who could not consummate the marriage. It’s not his fault that he was created with a weapon that can’t plunge or fire but it is what it is. Your daughter may have to resort to self-help at some point. Pastor, this is one member of our congregation that is most likely to look for sex outside marriage.

But Ariyike’s story is the most pathetic. She is the respected daughter of a respected pastor. She was even a youth pastor herself. So, of course, keeping her body as the temple of God was a given. Her husband is a petroleum engineer based in one of the South South states. The couple re- located there right after the wedding. Six months later, Ariyike called her parents that she was com- ing to visit in Lagos. Everyone had missed her, her parents were eager to hear the expected news that she was pregnant. She wasn’t but she looked different, subdued, withdrawn. One week became two weeks and Ariyike still refused to go back to her husband. After a long sermon, she told her parents she was not returning to her matrimonial home, ever. Was he beating her? That was the only question on everybody’s lips. It seemed the only reason a young bride would run back home, right? It wasn’t Ariyike’s reason. Her husband is so oversized, his manhood off-kilter, heavy duty, scary weapon that scared the poor girl shitless the first time he confronted her with it.
“I tried to cope but he’s just too big. He leaves me bleeding sore and crying the few times we tried. It’s scary, I can’t go back. It will kill me. You don’t understand what I’m talking about because you have not seen it. Please don’t make me go back otherwise, I’ll run away.”
What does a pastor do when confronted with a case like this? What do parents do when their daughters-in-law or sons-in-law are discovered to have covered up facts that are this important? True, it can’t be easy to fully disclose to anybody including your mother that you have deformities down there. Imagine all the beautiful girls with crazy cleavages out there with private pains deep inside them, the men with abnormalities they can’t talk about below their belts. I read that one out of 165 male births may reproduce a baby with micro-penis. There is penile torsion and scrotal transposition too. I read that many men “suffer” from penile torsion in various degrees – corkscrew – like third legs that are sometimes competing with a horse’s weapon built to scare. The scrotal transposition is where the scrotal sac is situated above the shaft making the equipment look like elephant ears. The women’s troubles are broadly termed Mullein duct abnormalities and they reach all the way in with all kinds of implications. I’m not a doctor, just a Christian and a mother worried about protecting these young ones from unfaithful spouses-to-be, hiding important details, from the ‘absent’ uterus to python or pinky-sized penises. Should we test all ‘spirits’ and see which is true or just fly blind in that direction? I’m just asking.

The Federal Government said it has launched a comprehensive strategy to lead Africa’s digital trade revolution within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Vice-President Kashim Shettima, disclosed this on Friday while delivering a keynote address during a Stakeholders Summit held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. According to him, the roadmap would harness trade as a catalyst for economic growth and continental cohesion in line with AfCFTA objectives.

Shettima outlined key components of the roadmap to include implementation of AfCFTA’s Digital Trade Protocol and the development of expansive technical talent hubs.

Nigeria’s strategic position

Shettima said Nigeria is in a unique position to spearhead the continent’s technological transformation.

“We are in a vintage position because we are the continent’s largest ICT hub, and as such, we must lead the way to the future of this peculiar wave of the industrial revolution.

“Our collaboration must prioritise comparisons of our policy initiatives to those of developed economies and fine-tune them to sustain our place and fast-track our growth,” he said.

“The plan also focuses on enhancing digital infrastructure investments, promoting disruptive innovation and entrepreneurship,” he said.

Shettima emphasised the need for strong synergy between the public and private sectors in implementing the AfCFTA’s Digital Trade Protocol.

Government’s digital programme

He assured the Federal Government’s commitment to investment in digital infrastructure and human capital development to drive the process.

According to him, for a sector upon which all others rely to survive, digital technologies hold the nation together, and the country cannot afford to slow down.

“Our programmes, from the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) to the ongoing intervention to train three million technical talents (3MTT) by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, to the Outsource to Nigeria Initiative (OTNI), are lifelines in our digital economy.

“They offer us an avenue to not only maximise our potential but also commit to the adoption of the Digital Trade Protocol within AfCFTA,” he said.

Investment in digital trade

Earlier the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijjani said the Tinubu administration has been investing significantly in every aspect of the digital trade protocol towards harnessing opportunities in the country and continent at large.

According to Tijjani, opportunities that exist within the single market area are unprecedented and could best be harnessed through effective collaboration and networking facilitated by digital technology.

The Special Assistant to the President on ICT Policy, Dr Salihu Nakande, thanked Tinubu and  Shettima for their commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda. This, he said laid a solid foundation for the digital transformation journey in the country.

He said their continuous support has led to the discourse on digital transformation which would lead to a prosperous Nigeria.

What you should know

Earlier this week, President Bola Tinubu launched the Guided Trade Initiative under the AfCFTA, signaling a pivotal moment in boosting intra-African trade and fostering economic diversification.

The initiative is anticipated to unlock an estimated $50 billion in economic opportunities for Nigerian businesses.

-President Tinubu underscored AfCFTA’s transformative potential, positioning it not merely as a trade pact but as a catalyst for industrialization, equitable growth, and continental prosperity. According to him, Nigeria is steadfast in creating an enabling business environment that fosters innovation and enhances the competitiveness of local enterprises across diverse sectors.

[Nairametrics]