Hardship protest: Ex-envoys, former military officers worry as demonstrators wave Russian flag
Admin
Some Nigerians, including a former general and ex-diplomats, have expressed worry after some protesters in the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest waved what appeared like the Russian flag.
They said the scene did not portend well for the country and warned Nigerians and the Federal Government to guard against foreign incursion.
The nationwide protest, which commenced on Thursday, August 1, was in response to the hardship experienced by citizens in the country.
No fewer than 17 people were reportedly killed by security agents, who also arrested many protesters across the country.
On Saturday, photos and videos of protesters in Kano waving the Russian flag went viral as the demonstrators chanted in Hausa, “We don’t want bad government.”
Some prominent Nigerians raised concerns about the security implications for the country.
A lawyer, Bulama Bukarti, said the images indicated the growing support for Russia in Northern Nigeria.
He wrote, “Two aspects of the ongoing hunger protest in Nigeria particularly intrigue me. Firstly, there is a small but growing support for Russia and a corresponding rise in anti-West sentiment, especially in Northern Nigeria. Some protesters in Kano carried the Nigerian flag alongside the Russian flag, and there have been calls from some participants for demonstrators to bring Russian flags and photos of Vladimir Putin to seek Russia’s assistance.
“More concerning is that these protesters do not seem to be affiliated with any pro-Russian group; they simply made amateur flags as observed by @Aliyussufiy who took the first photo, suggesting that this sentiment is developing organically. This trend is likely to expand, especially as malign actors may observe and exploit it.”
A former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, asked the authorities to monitor the situation and take precautions.
“This may indicate various underlying sentiments or influences that need to be carefully assessed and addressed by the government,” he added.
An award-winning journalist, Philip Obaji Jr. said, “President Vladimir Putin and Russia must be excited to learn that Russian flags were displayed by a number of protesters in Kano in northwestern Nigeria during today’s Enough Is Enough protest to #EndBadGovernace.”
Russia, an Eastern power, has been fingered in the coup d’etats in some West African countries, notably Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
The military governments of the three countries have also pulled out of the Economic Community of West African States being chaired by President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria.
A social media user, Kawu Garba, called on the Department of State Services to investigate the incident.
He said, “Why are the protesters in Kano raising Russian flags? Is Russia sponsoring protests in Nigeria to cause anarchy? @OfficialDSSNG needs to investigate this.”
Also, a political commentator, Kayode Ogundamisi, said the protesters might be ignorant.
He said, “Whichever of the divide that may be responsible for distributing those Russian flags, either pro or anti-protest, that person dey mad. You lot have ABSOLUTELY, no idea! Beware of what you wish for.”
The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said he was not aware of the images but promised to get back to our correspondent. He had yet to do so as of press time.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, and the DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, did not pick their calls and had yet to respond to the messages sent to them as of the time of filing this report.
Security experts raise the alarm
Analysing the presence of the Russian flag, a retired Brig.-Gen., Bashir Adewinbi, cautioned Nigerians against conspiring with external forces to undermine the country’s democracy and security.
Adewinbi, while speaking with Sunday PUNCH, described the situation as unfortunate.
He said, “It is unfortunate that some Nigerians are waving foreign flags in a national protest. Our people should be careful; they should not create room for anybody to destroy our country.
“I must say that a coup can never happen in Nigeria. There can be no coup attempt against President Bola Tinubu. The security chiefs are with him and he has educated them. I don’t think any senior officer will come out and announce anything like a coup in Nigeria. We are all united, we are for the unity of the people, and we will maintain it. We will protect our democracy.”
A former Nigerian ambassador to the Philippines, Yemi Farounbi, called on the organisers of the protest to avoid any external influence.
Farounbi said, “It is an unfortunate incident to fly the flag of a foreign country during your protest. When you recall that there is Russian presence in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Congo, one begins to wonder that you may be having an externalisation or an external indication of an internal domestic protest against certain circumstances.
“It is tragic, and I do not think that is what the organisers wanted. Certainly, that is not what Nigerians want. They do not want Nigeria to become impacted by ideological warfare between the West and the East. They do not want to see a replacement of Russia-backed military action in Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate. Perhaps, it is a reason for the patriotic organisers of the protest to stop the demonstration before it becomes something that some people will take over from them or turn Nigeria to a pawn.
“Those who are supported by this Russian regime have broken away from ECOWAS to form a separate body. It is something that other West African countries should be wary of.”
A retired Director at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Adesola Abolurin, called for the intervention of the Economic Community of West Africa States.
He attributed the call for Russian intervention in Northern Nigeria to the closeness of Niger Republic to the region.
Abolurin said, “This should not be unexpected given the volatile situation of that region, particularly since they are nearer to Niger Republic, so that is expected and, the organisers of the protest should have known that the protest will be hijacked by foreign agencies; where do they get the Russian flags from? They must have gotten them from across the border and one will expect that people will infiltrate our border from Niger and Somali and that is exactly what has happened now.
“The Russian flags must have come directly from the border. And the earlier the ECOWAS intervene in the crisis in the region, particularly in Niger Republic and Mali, the earlier they approach them, appeal to them to come back to the fold, the better.
“Already in Kano they have the issue of Emirship and this should have put into consideration by security agencies, but unfortunately, that was never done. They have a lot of problems already in the North, every little destruction in the North will escalate from the other side”.
A former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, suggested that those waving the Russian flag and dancing during the protests might not be Nigerians.
“The people flying Russian flags and dancing during the protest may not be Nigerians but Nigeriens,” Akinterinwa said.
He emphasised that the protest, initially planned for August 1 to 10, could shift towards a more aggressive demand for President Tinubu’s resignation due to accusations of bad governance.
The former NIIA DG warned, “The situation we have now could prompt a coup d’état.”
On his part, a former Director of DSS, Mike Ejiofor, said the government and security agencies must not handle the issue with kid gloves.
“In the security circle, you don’t dismiss such negative display. You will recall that the DSS had an intelligence report that there was a foreign influence in what is going on and that what the protesters are trying to achieve is a regime change. Russia has no business in interfering in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
“We have to intensify our intelligence gathering efforts both the national intelligence agency and the state security service must look at these threats even though they had highlighted them earlier. Citizens must also be security conscious of whatever that is happening around them”, Ejiofor said.
Col. Abdulwahab Ademola Lawal, the Head of Research Savannah Centre for Development and Training said, “The main issue is about regime security and the Russians do not mind having military coup detat and military government in this State, but the US and the Western power are concerned about democracy. The Russians are trying to create regime security for authority in those places where they are threatened.
“This is a new trend that we should watch out for. It means that there are promoters of this new trend and the influence is pressing down from Niger and Mali to continue to distabilise Nigeria. Nigeria should be worried by this, we should be worried because it means that there is an extension of Russian influence in Nigeria now. If you look at what is currently going on in the Sahel, there is a lot of Russian influence in the Sahel, they are already in Sudan, they are in Mali, they are in Niger, they are in Bukina Faso, they are in Central African Republic, so Russian influence in Africa is expanding, I won’t be surprised if there are elements in Kano who want to gnashed into this question of Russian influence in Africa.
“The sentiment of most African countries now is anti-America, they are anti-France and they are looking for alternative security architecture, therefore it is becoming a trend across Africa. You are aware of the Wagner African corps, it is an influence that really pressing down on Africa, they are pressing down on Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic, it is a new trend of security challenges, the sovereignty of Africa is under challenge by Russia and so we are returning to the cold war era with the challenge between the West and Russia”.
Russia denies involvement
But the Press Secretary of the Russian Embassy, Yury Paramonov, denied Russia’s involvement in the ongoing protest in the country.
He said, “The Russian Embassy in Nigeria does not have any information about any groups of protesters using the Russian flag or other state symbols of our country. We have not seen such photo or video materials and would appreciate it if The Punch could provide us with such materials if they exist. Even if such incidents did occur, it would be the decision of individuals. We do not know why they might have used Russian flags.
“The Russian Federation is in no way involved in the current events in Nigeria. Moreover, Russia does not provide any material or financial support to the protesters.”
[Punch]
“When I Was Leading Workers, When They Tear-gassed Us, We Threw The Tear Gas Back” – Oshiomhole
AFOLABI
Former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Adams Oshiomhole, has disclosed some details on how he led protests during his leadership of workers in the country and reacted to Police resistance.
According to him, during his time, they (as protesters) sometimes had antidotes to the teargas fired at them, and threw them back at the Police.
The Edo North Senator said protest is never a tea party, and sometimes, the Police might also have to take some uncomfortable decisions in the discharge of their responsibilities.
“Is there anywhere in the world where you haven’t seen protests being resisted by the police? It is an uncomfortable responsibility they have to take,” he said on Channels Television’s The August Protests show on Saturday.
“When I was leading workers when they tear-gassed us, we sometimes had the antidote; we threw the tear gas back.”
Oshiomhole stated further that Police may not deliberately want to tear gas protesters, but they and other security forces might, of a necessity, have to use different methods to resist protesters.
“If police believe that you might have to destroy or kill someone, they might have to use those methods. Any protest is a struggle; it is not a tea party.
“So, I, of course, did not celebrate that but I saw a commissioner of police in one state procuring not tear gas but water to give to those who were protesting peacefully,” he said.
The ex-president of the NLC commended the “civil” conduct of the police as the #EndBadGovernance protests entered the third day, saying police gave sachet water to peaceful protesters in states like Lagos.
“It is not about how the police respond now but in totality, the police under this IG has been quite civil,” he said.
On protesters calling for a ‘take back’ of Nigeria because they lost the 2023 election, the former Edo State Governor said election is the only constitutionally-allowed method for a change of government.
He added that Nigeria is not under foreign occupation, so therefore, the protesters can’t talk about reclaiming Nigeria.
“Some people want regime change. You cannot peacefully demand that because the Constitution forbids you to make demands that are unlawful within the position of the Constitution.
“The only legitimate for those who lost the election is that they must, as of necessity, under the constitution, wait for the next round of elections. Till then, there is nothing they can do. If they seek to short-circuit the system, there will be a problem,” he said.
CSOs score security forces low: Hungry Nigerians, protesting peacefully, brutalised, some killed
Admin
Four days into the nationwide demonstration that would last for 10-day, the protesters have told the Federal Government that if it fails to accede to their demands, they will continue to display their displeasure.
They vowed not to be intimidated by the hostile gestures expressed towards them by security agents, saying their demands were legitimate.
On Thursday, demonstrators, with placards and banners with different inscriptions hit the streets of Abuja, including the Eagle Square, Federal Secretariat, National Stadium, and suburbs of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, as well as other cities across the country chanting: ‘We dey hungry, end bad governance,’ kick-starting the mass action.
In a show of force, security forces clashed with the peaceful protesters, leading to the loss of several lives; similarly, properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed in some states, including Borno, Kano, Kaduna and Kebbi.
Worried by the development, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, and activists expressed dismay over how the protesters were attacked and some killed by security forces.
In separate conversations with Sunday Vanguard, security operatives were scored low for unprofessionalism.
Policy brutalising peaceful protesters – Adeyanju
An activist, Deji Adeyanju, who accused the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, of giving order to the police to brutalise the demonstrators, said it was disappointing to hear that Nigerians were killed.
Adeyanju said until a highly placed individual was held responsible for unleashing violence on peaceful protesters, there would be no end to the killing of non-violent demonstrators.
His words: “The President, in clear terms, warned the police against using force. The Nigerian Army who are there with protesters did not attack them, but the police are the aggressors.
Look at what happened at Eagle Square, Borno State and many other parts of the country. Protesters are protesting peacefully and the police cannot exercise restraint. The IGP should be held responsible for all the violence unleashed on peaceful protesters across the country.
“He gave the order and must be held accountable for the violence unleashed. Not until somebody is held accountable for acts like this, it will persist, continue and fester. There must be consequences for the bad behaviour of the police across the length and breadth of the country. Very high-ranking police officers have told us that the order to crack down on protesters came from the IGP. The President should act accordingly. Protesters will continue to improvise and try to beat police brutality.
Citizens have shown that despite the attacks, they are still willing to come out. Thursday attacks will not deter citizens from coming out and whether anybody likes it or not, protest is a fundamental human right given by the constitution, not the President, IGP, Service Chiefs but the constitution, and nobody can circumvent that right.”
Govt may provoke conflicts by promoting counter protests –HOMEF
Sharing his thoughts with Sunday Vanguard, Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey said the first day was impressive.
According to him, he believed that Nigerians succeeded in sending a clear message to the government.
He said: “The people have shown remarkable respect to the rule of law. They have also largely conducted themselves peacefully. We will likely see a repeat of the protest in the days ahead.
I’m concerned that government may provoke conflicts by the promotion of counter protests. Truth is that counter protests are okay, but protesters have to maintain their lanes, present their case and not provoke clashes. Any government that doesn’t take this protest serious must be on another planet. The points made by protesters are solid and direct. Willful blindness to the demands of the people could precipitate a variant of protestations that may be calamitous to current power structures.
“Some public officers think we are in a military government. The colonial mentality is simply annoying. Nigerians and Kenyans are struggling in the same neocolonial and neoliberal situation where the drivers of governance are taking instructions from forces that push outdated economic ideas that are basically anti people.
Similar objective conditions produce similar outcomes, terrors and pains. The use of live bullets on peaceful protesters is criminal. The shooters, the commanders and government must be held accountable for the carnage.”
Coming days of protest will be pivotal —ActionAid
Expressing optimism that the coming days of the nationwide protest will be pivotal in determining the trajectory of the nation, Country Director of ActionAid, Nigeria, AAN, Andrew Mamedu, urged the President and state governors to take the protesters seriously.
Mamedu, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, said: “The protest dynamics are evolving differently across various locations.
In the FCT, the number of protesters at the MKO Abiola Stadium decreased today compared to yesterday, whereas Lagos saw an increase in turnout. Sokoto State, which had no protests yesterday, witnessed protesters taking to the streets today. The coming day will indeed be pivotal in determining the immediate trajectory of our nation.
“AAN’s situation room also reported the use of excessive force and live ammunition against protesters, leading to deaths, which is unacceptable, especially in locations like Niger, Borno, Kaduna, and Abuja.
“The continued infiltration of peaceful protests by hoodlums in Lagos, Abuja, Niger, Maiduguri and Yobe is also troubling, as it has even led to the imposition of curfews in four states. These developments pose a significant threat to peace and stability.
“It appears that Tinubu government and other state governments are not taking the protests seriously, despite the gravity of the situation. If they were, they would have addressed the nation and protesting citizens directly by now. Instead, they have invested resources in trying to suppress the protests, which suggests a lack of willingness to engage with the protesters’ concerns.
“Furthermore, the insensitive comments from cabinet members, including serving senators, ministers and even past government officials reinforces this perception, indicating disconnect between government and the people.
Rather than dismissing the protests or using force to suppress them, government should engage with the protesters, listen to their grievances, and provide a detailed plan with clear, time-bound actions to address bad governance and adopt pro-poor policies that can alleviate the severe economic hardships currently being faced. This is the only way to ensure that the situation does not escalate further and that the country can move forward in a positive direction.”
On the accountability of those security agents who killed protesters, he added that government must investigate and hold security agents responsible for the killings and injuries during the protests accountable.
“This includes the use of an independent panel to investigate these issues, identify and prosecute those responsible and provide compensation and support to victims’ families.
Government should also take steps to prevent future abuses; including reforming the security sector and ensuring that security agents are trained to respect human rights.
“To change the narrative, we advise government to adopt a transformative approach by implementing policies that increase accountability to citizens, undertaking constitution reforms that amplify citizens’ perspectives, introducing policies that reduce the cost of governance, enforcing anti-corruption measures within government, and embracing a bottom-up approach to governance that enables the government to listen to the voices of the majority of citizens and promotes healthy dialogue, ultimately addressing the root causes of the protests and minimizing the likelihood of future unrest,” he said.
Tinubu needs to immediately address Nigeria –Global Rights
Lamenting the President’s refusal to calm frayed nerves, Executive Director of Global Rights Nigeria, Abiodun Baiyewu, said: “Let us be honest, when people are extremely hungry, the propensity to violence is much higher, and what they are protesting is bad governance. Bad governance is what has led people to this state.
We have high level of violence in places like Kano, Jigawa and Katsina. Like we mentioned in our press statement, the government had sufficient time to prevent this. They had been notified long enough to prepare for the protests; for example, crowd control. How that has panned out in some places was very careless of government.
You would expect that they would use things like water repellant and rubber bullets, but police officers are firing live bullets at people. Rather than control the crowd, they are aggravating the crowd by instilling violence in those places.
“There are places where things got out of hand, like Kano. For places where people were killed, there must be investigations.
“Nigerians did not want to protest. Meet their demands – crash the prices of food, ensure that we can have a decent living they will not be on the streets. One of the reasons why there is hunger in the land is also because the entire country has become insecure. The food baskets of the country are under siege: places like Benue, Plateau, Taraba, and Kaduna states where a lot of the food comes from are under siege. We must face realities and ask ourselves questions.
People can no longer afford medications, or transportation. Industries are closing down, and the Tinubu administration cannot say they are not aware of all these things.”
Tinubu’s failure to address protesters disappointing — RDI
Executive Director, Renevlyn Development Initiative, Philip Jakpor, on hisn part, also expressed disappointment over the silence of the President, saying he has displayed disregard for Nigerians.
His words: ”The federal government has shown complete disregard for Nigerians in the way the legitimate protests have been handled. The President who described himself as a man of the people during the general elections in 2023 has failed to address the people and assuage their grievances at the time it is most needed. The security agencies that are supposed to protect the peaceful protesters and maintain law and order are accused of actions that have triggered violent reactions including use of live bullets, tear gassing and forceful dispersal.
“This is not what Nigerians bargained for. The protests are well-intentioned to draw attention to the plight of Nigerians as a result of confusing economic policies and flip-flops that have pauperised the citizenry. It is very unfortunate, but Nigerians are undefeated in their demands for good governance.
“RDI’s recommendation is for the government to address corruption and prune spending along the lines of the call on Nigerians to tighten their belts. The wastage, especially at the level of the executive and the National Assembly must be curbed. Pro-people policies must be put in place, not the demeaning distribution of palliatives.”
If govt believes protest will simmer down, they are mistaken —ANEEJ
Also speaking to Sunday Vanguard, the Executive Director of Africa Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, David Eholor, said: “As we can all observe, the protest is going on in many parts of the country. In some locations, we have seen peaceful protests while in some other locations, there have been some bits of violence. The future with the protest hinges largely on how government responds to citizens’ demands.
“People have been patient, but concrete and lasting solutions are not forthcoming.
Government officials appear unprepared, while citizens are increasingly frustrated. If the government believes they can wait until this unprecedented protest simmers down, they are mistaken. While protests are not new in Nigeria, this one is uniquely driven by hunger and bad governance exacerbated by reckless government policies and unabated looting and mismanagement of public funds. People are desperate for immediate intervention, and I anticipate the protest gaining momentum beyond its initial 10-day plan.
“Instances of police brutality against peaceful protesters have been reported in some locations, this could further worsen the situation. Additionally, each day government delays addressing these issues raise the risk of opportunistic individuals hijacking the protest for criminal activities like looting and violence.
“I am not sure of the number of deaths but certainly when protests of this nature start, it could get out of hand and that’s what we are witnessing. We do not pray for the Kenya experience to happen in Nigeria, that’s why ANEEJ issued a statement at the beginning urging Nigerians to avoid violence and focus on the issues.
“I am using this medium again to speak to Nigerians to avoid violence so that we don’t end up worse off at the end of the protest. The security agents should allow peaceful protesters to exercise their rights and not use tear gas to harass and disperse them.”
Days ahead look unsettling – Plan International
Sharing insights into the nationwide demonstration, Country Director of Plan International, Charles Usie, said: “The days ahead look unsettling. The reports trickling in suggest there had been violence in some places with some protesters shot dead by security personnel. This is condemnable. As an organisation, we implore the protesters to be peaceful and should not allow miscreants to take over their legitimate demands of good governance.
“We also call on law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint in managing the protesters. Non-violent protests by citizens are a legitimate part and parcel of a democracy. Our concern is the safety of the protesters, especially young people, including girls. There appears to be insensitivity on the part of some highly placed public officials who have been indiscreet in their use of language.
“We are also concerned about the safety of public infrastructure as we do not have another country of our own. Overall, we are particularly worried about the safety of young people who are the future of the country. News reports suggest that more than 10 protesters have died already. That is not a good omen.
“Government at the national and sub-national levels have in some ways responded to the protest, the issue is how seriously, and to what extent that response indicates that the government takes this protest seriously?
“Government needs to do more to stem the rising tide. When the citizens do not feel safe or secure, it forebodes anarchy. Government should cut down the cost of governance. The workers should be paid a living wage and the economy should be diversified. For instance, the cost of fuel should go down. Indigenous refineries should be supported to do well.
Support for modular refineries as a measure to address our fuel crises should be taken more seriously by the government providing support for the licensed modular refineries and targeting having more.
“Every country considered developed today supported their local industries to become functional and standing. Provided it is for the generality of the people, the industries should be supported.
“The humongous budgets for lawmakers and other government functionaries will not take us anywhere. The people are not stupid.
“We can take a cue from Kenya. The government has cut down on so many things to assuage the people.”
On security agents accused of killing protesters, he said: “They should be prosecuted and made to face the law. It is not a crime to protest. There is nowhere in the world where law enforcement officers are not asked to account or held to account for their actions in handling or treatment of citizens. Nigeria cannot be an exception if we are to be counted among civilized countries.
“People must be made to account for their actions. The risk also is that where peaceful protesters are murdered in the cause of exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression, association and gathering, it tends to push otherwise non-violent persons into a state of anarchy. We need to guard against that.”
The 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, is set to lead a delegation from Kano State to meet with President Bola Tinubu, to deliver a message from the people of Kano State, amidst the nationwide protest.
According to Bayero, the delegation is expected to relay the concerns of the people of the state as expressed during their visit to his palace during the protest.
Bayero in a statement released through his Press Secretary, Abubakar Balarabe Kofar Naisa, on Saturday, sympathized with those affected by the incident negatively by the protest in the state.
He said, “As always, in times of hardship, people should draw closer to God and pray, as only He can bring comfort.”
Bayero called on the people of the state to maintain peace and avoid violence or damaging government and private property.
He urged parents to take care of their children’s upbringing. He quoted the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who said that each person is a shepherd and will be questioned about what they were entrusted with on the Day of Judgment.
Bayero prayed for the souls of those who lost their lives, for the recovery of the injured as well as the restoration of the losses incurred during the protest.
Adele, the Grammy-winning British singer, has opened up about her battles with her gender and sexuality.
The ‘Set Fire To The Rain’ hitmaker singer shared her thoughts on her sexuality while addressing fans who attended her sold-out concert in Munich, Germany.
While on stage after her performance, Adele who is known to be straight and was formerly married to Simon Konecki, said she often feels like a “gay man trapped in a straight woman’s body”.
“I often think I am a gay man trapped in a straight woman’s body,” she said.
Her comment sparked a wave of mixed reactions on social media with many fans questioning if she was trying to openly admit to being gay.
Others argued that they were not shocked because the singer is known to be an avid supporter of the LGBTQ community.
Adele is considered one of the greatest British singers of all time. She is the best-selling female artiste of the 21st century in the UK.
She has earned a plethora of nominations and awards for her craft which include 16 Grammys, 12 Brit Awards, an Oscars, a Primetime Emmy, and even a Gold Globe.
The 36-year-old has also put four studio albums ’19′(2008), ’21′(2011), ’25′(2015) and ’30′(2021).
[TheCable]
Controversial singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has lamented that he didn’t receive any monetary reward despite supporting President Bola Tinubu.
According to him, he was “used” but he decided to be calm.
Speaking during a recent Instagram live session with fans, the ‘Zazu’ crooner claimed that “fighting” the government was a vain job, stressing that the government has nothing to lose.
He said: “I supported Tinubu but I didn’t get any money. I was used but I am calm. You’re k!lling yourselves in the name of fighting the government. The government has nothing to lose.”
Naija News reports that the grand wedding ceremony took place on Friday at the National Mosque in Abuja and was followed by a luxurious reception.
The couple shared moments from their special day on a dedicated Instagram page, #Sash24, giving a glimpse into the joyous occasion.
The caption reads, “Together in faith and love from this day forward, Insha’Allah.”
Emir Sanusi Speaks As Protesters Return To Kano Streets
Meanwhile, Muhammadu Sanusi II has urged residents of the state engaging in the #EndBadGovernace protest to avoid being used by agents of destruction in the Northern region and Nigeria at large.
Naija News reports that Sanusi made the plea following the return of protesters to the streets of Kano despite the curfew imposed to check widespread violence.
Some protesters reportedly regrouped in Tudun Wada of Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano on Friday afternoon, after Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf relaxed the curfew to enable the Muslim faithful to observe Jumaat.
Many protesters wielded placards while others sang and clapped as they marched on the streets.
Speaking at a press conference held at his Gidan Rumfa palace on Friday evening, Sanusi expressed concern over how public and private properties were looted and vandalised owing to the protest that was billed to be a peaceful demonstration against hunger and hardship in the country.
[NaijaNews]
The Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde has commended youths and parents for ensuring peaceful demonstration across the state in the ongoing agitation to address hunger and hardship in the country.
The Governor’s appreciation was contained in a statement on Saturday in Ibadan by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade following the sustenance of the peaceful protest which entered the third day since it began on Thursday, 1st of August.
The statement recalled that Governor Makinde was among the first set of leaders to publicly embrace the constitutionality of the #EndHungerProtest with an admonition that the protest must be peaceful to achieve the desired result.
The Oyo State’s helmsman further appealed to Nigerians to be law abiding and ensure that their agitation did not result to rancour and incitement throughout the period.
The Governor praised people of the state, especially the youths, for keeping their end of the bargain as they expect the federal government to make life better for all and sundry.
He equally called on Nigerians in states where various degrees of violence were recorded during the protest, to allow peace to reign in their quest for good governance.
[Leadership]
Nigeria Police Force on Saturday released an update on incidents recorded in the nationwide protests against economic hardship in the country.
The Police also dismissed a report by Amnesty International that 13 individuals have so far lost their lives in the ongoing protests, which began on 1st August, 2024.
This is even as the Force said it has also arrested a total of 681 individuals alleged to have committed various criminal offenses, recovering two AK-47 rifles and assorted live ammunition from protesters.
The Police warned that the ongoing protest has turned violent, and advised law abiding citizens to immediately withdraw from the protest.
In a statement by Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer on Saturday, the Nigerian Police said the total number of deaths recorded so far during the protests is seven.
According to the statement, nine Police officers sustained various degrees of injuries during attacks by protesters.
Giving a breakdown of incidents from the first two days of the nationwide protests, Adejobi said: “In Borno State, four (4) individuals lost their lives and thirty-four (34) were severely injured in a terrorist attack by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP elements who infiltrated the crowd of protesters and detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
“Additionally, an incident occurred involving an unregistered Honda Prelude car that ran into the protesters, resulting in the deaths of two (2) civilians.”
The police spokesman also said that there was another incident reported in Yauri Local Government Area of Kebbi State where a group of individuals mobilized to loot a shop, leading to a local vigilante man killing one of the looters.
He said there were no other recorded fatalities during the protests apart from those he mentioned.
However, Adejobi explained that incidences of armed robbery, arson, mischief, looting of public institutions and private businesses, destructions of both public and private property were recorded during the protest.
He said arrests were made with respect to the criminal incidences and a number of recoveries made from the suspects while the protest was going on.
[DailyPost]
Nigeria has secured at least $1.25 billion in loans from the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to boost electricity supply under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
On December 14, 2023, the World Bank approved the $750 million Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) project in Nigeria.
More recently, on July 31, 2024, the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) approved a loan of $500 million to the Federal Republic of Nigeria to help transform the country’s electricity infrastructure and improving access to cleaner energy sources.
About the World Bank’s $750 million DARES loan to Nigeria
The loan from the World Bank is structured into three distinct segments, cumulatively forming the $750 million total financial package. This package is segmented into credits of $350 million, $250 million, and $150 million, each earmarked for different facets of the project and subject to currency conversions as necessary.
The primary implementers of this project are the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Lagos State Electricity Board (LSEB), with significant support from the Federal Ministry of Power, the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Nigerian Electrification Regulatory Commission (NERC), and the Federal Ministry of Finance.
According to the press release announcing the loan approval, $750 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA), is being used to leverage more than $1 billion from private investors and additional funding from different partners.
Contributions include $100 million from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet and $200 million from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Other collaborators in this initiative include the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the German Development Agency (GIZ), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll), and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
This ambitious DARES project aims to provide over 17.5 million Nigerians with better access to electricity through distributed renewable energy solutions. The goal is to tackle the electricity access deficit.
The DARES program will assist the Federal Government of Nigeria in coordinating and finance off-grid electrification efforts. It will also aid states in developing capacity and policies to promote rooftop solar energy.
Nairametrics earlier reported that the federal government plans to provide subsidy to developers and operators of solar mini-grids in unserved and underserved areas in the country. The subsidy will be provided through a World Bank approved loan of $750 million under the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) project.
About the AfDB’s $500 million electricity loan to Nigeria
According to a statement from the AfDB, this funding will finance the first phase of the Economic Governance and Energy Transition Support Program (EGET-SP), aimed at transforming the country’s electricity infrastructure and improving access to cleaner energy sources.
The statement also noted that the loan will help close the financing gap in the Federal Budget for the 2024/25 fiscal year, specifically supporting the implementation of Nigeria’s new Electricity Act and the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan. These initiatives are designed to decentralize the electricity supply industry and attract investments from subnational governments and the private sector.
What you should know
Nigeria has secured approval of nearly $2 billion in loans from multilateral organisations, especially the World Bank before Bola Tinubu became president.
For instance, on June 23, 2020, the World Bank approved $750 million as a loan for Power Sector Recovery Operation (PSRO) project to improve the reliability of electricity supply, achieve financial and fiscal sustainability, and enhance accountability in the power sector in Nigeria.
Nigeria also got approval of $500 million on February 4, 2021, for the Nigeria Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP) aimed at improving Nigeria’s electricity distribution sector. This program performed below expectation, which led to World Bank planning a supervision mission, scheduled from July 8 to July 12, 2024, in response to the persistent challenges and underwhelming progress of the program.
There is also the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), for which Nigeria got an approval of $350 million on June 27, 2018. The World Bank recently restructured the loan to Nigeria to ensure the completion of seven critical power plants in educational institutions, bolstering the nation’s energy infrastructure. According to the Restructuring Paper on this restructuring involves an extension of the project’s closing date, with the new deadline for the loan project set to December 31, 2024.
Despite all the loans approved to Nigeria, the power sector still struggles as Nigerians faces poor electricity supply.
[Nairametrics]
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The Nigeria Labour Congress on Saturday called on the Federal and State Governments to stop the “massacre” of citizens during the ongoing #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest.
The NLC, in a statement signed by its National President, Joe Ajaero which was obtained by our correspondent in Abuja, said the deployment of security operatives to the venue where citizens were peacefully protesting instead of deploying them against bandits was thoughtless.
Ajaero said the police, not the citizens introduced violence to the peaceful protests.
Protesters have continued to hit the streets in Lagos, Oyo, Abuja and other states as they call for, among others, the reversal of fuel subsidy removal and the skyrocketing price of goods and services in the country.
The ‘End Hunger’ protest has, however, been marred with reported lootings by hoodlums in Kano and other northern regions with the police going after the culprits to recover some items.
In the statement, Ajaero said, “With unconfirmed reports putting casualties at 40+ in two days of managing the EndHunger protest across the country, we have sufficient reasons (backed up by reports and video clips) to call to question the professionalism of our security personnel as this represents nothing but massacre of citizens. Had the security personnel deployed the same thoughtless brutal precision against bandits or other criminals, our country would have been an eldorado.
“As the lead agency in internal security management, the police bear the burden of this massacre. Kaduna State police command under the watch of Compol Audu Ali Dabigi represents the worst-case scenario in which one of the fleeing protesters was heard on camera desperately appealing to deployed police personnel to not shoot until his voice was drowned by a hail of bullets with the resultant death of a protester on the spot and several injured.
“In the same breadth, Edo State Police Command under the personal command of COMPOL Funsho Adegboroye represents the best in crowd management as he could be heard interacting and cajoling the protesters and almost effortlessly bringing them under control.
“It might be convenient to argue that the two states do have different socio-cultural milieus, however, an incontestable truth common to both, and indeed, all the states is that human life is sacred and should never be taken.
We are deeply saddened by this wanton taking of life by trigger-happy police personnel.”
Speaking further, Ajaero recalled Abuja protesters’ experience with security operatives.
“In Asokoro, Abuja under the command of Compol Bennett Igweh, protesters were heard querying why the police were shelling or tear-gassing them as they were marching solemnly without breaking a twig. One noticeable pattern was that once police personnel introduced violence, all hell broke loose in fulfilment of the credo that violence begets violence.
“We pause to ask, what happened to all the years of training or experience? No lessons learnt or was this a case of loss of human values on an industrial scale? Don’t our police personnel watch their colleagues in other parts of the world manage equally challenging (if not worse) situations?
“For a start, we demand that the cops with blood stains on their hands be fished out for appropriate disciplinary action. Ditto their commanders.
“Secondly, adequate compensations should be paid to the families of casualties while the government should be responsible for the treatment and rehabilitation of the injured.”
The NLC warned that if the police failed to put a hold on violence, its members would be forced to act in protection of the ordinary citizens.
“In the days ahead, we look forward to a better crowd control mechanism even as the new directive from the IGP would sound to some of the personnel as a license to kill without reason.
“We will be monitoring closely as the situation unfolds. The police as the lead-agency vested with power and authority on issues of internal security should not only lead by (a good) example but an inspiration to other services.
“However, if the police in self-righteousness consider this advice as meddlesomeness and persist in their slaughter, they will be unwittingly creating a situation they were supposed to help avert in the first place. And we as members of organised labour will be left with no choice than the moral burden to act in protection of ordinary citizens,” the statement added.
[Punch]
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha has called for the suspension of the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Friday, Onyejeocha urged protesters to halt their demonstrations, citing concerns over the recent loss of lives and emphasising President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving living conditions for Nigerians.
“My heart goes out to those who lost their lives during the protests,” Onyejeocha said.
“It is quite unfortunate that these things have to happen this way. I plead that we should sheathe our swords, embrace peace, and stop at this moment.”
Onyejeocha reassured that President Tinubu has heard the public’s concerns and is actively working towards addressing them.
She urged protesters to trust in the president’s efforts and to support the government’s initiatives.
Similarly, Shuaibu Audu, Minister of Steel Development, urged protesters to trust the Renewed Hope Agenda and suspend the demonstrations.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Lizzy Okoji, Audu highlighted intelligence reports indicating that some individuals might attempt to hijack the protests and incite chaos.
Audu assured Nigerians that their expectations for good governance would be met by the end of President Tinubu’s first term in office, and urged patience and trust in the administration’s efforts.
On Wednesday, 31st July, the world woke up to the devastating news that our mother, the music legend, thespian and journalist, Onyeka Onwenu had passed away. 'The elegant stallion', as she was famously known in the entertainment circle, reportedly slumped after a private performance in Lagos on Tuesday night.
She was promptly rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, aged 72. We understand thst our mother was healthy and literally full of life before the unfortunate incident. She obviously bowed out of earth stage like a legend, doing what she loves most, which is putting smiles on people's faces through music and entertainment.
The news sent currents of grief around the globe as fans and well wishers have praised her contributions to music, entertainment and politics in Nigeria. From the president to the ordinary citizen, we appreciate all the tributes and encomiums that have come in our time of mourning. We also take solace in knowing that our mother was a standout musician, thespian, broadcaster, politician and a social crusader. She was vocal, assertive, passionate and brilliant.
We are overwhelmed with all the well wishes. We also recognize that it is the joy and memories that she gave to Nigerians that has afforded us such an immense outpouring of love. We are very aware of her diverse and multitalented nature. An icon, a musical legend, a movie star, a journalist, a humanitarian and a politician, our mother was a world-class performer who serenaded and blessed multiple generations with the beauty of her voice while preaching unity and love.
We are honored and deeply touched by all the kind words, condolences, and gestures of support from Nigerians of all ages and from around the world. The expressions of love and admiration for her now extends to us and they have brought much comfort and solace at this most difficult period for us. The impact of her life and legacy will always be felt, especially by us, as we continue to draw inspiration from her lifelong advocacy of peace, unity, and One Love.
Tijani and Abraham Ogunlende.
Sons of Onyeka Owenu
Her biggest career moments, lovelife and more
Legendary singer Onyeka Onwenu died last Tuesday moments after an amazing
musical performance at the 80th birthday party of Stella Okoli, founder of Emzor Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company did not give any indication that that would be her last performance.
She was simply elegant as she entertained the guests with her evergreen songs. She was said to have slumped in her seat afterwards and was rushed to the hospital where doctors battled in vain to revive her. The 72-year-old queen of songs, in her autobiography titled “My Father’s Daughter”, which she released in 2020 recounted her journey into the world of music. She also spoke about controversies surrounding her and how she fell in love at the age of 13.
In her memoir, Onyeka Onwenu first revealed how her music life started: “ I was holidaying in Chicago with my cousin, Godfrey DanChimah who was married to Sonny Okosun’s sister-in-law, Ada. One day, Sonny called their house and I picked the phone. We got talking and I told him that I was interested in professional music.
“He asked for a demo tape, which I sent to him , it was my cover of “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin. He liked it , but warned that jazz may not sell well in Nigeria.
”Towards the end of my stay at the United Nations, another Nigerian artiste came calling. Dora Ifudu’s song, “Ada” was making waves around the country, I wanted to find out from her what it was like being a female musician in Nigeria.
“Dora gave me a history of her struggles in the industry, she talked about criticisms and unwarranted attacks by the press and the difficulty of controlling one’s productions and demanding higher value for work. I was not discouraged. With my media skills, I had something else to fall back on, if music failed. I just wanted to follow my passion.
“ Once in Nigeria, I contacted Sonny Okosun and we began planning my debut album. I was fresh and had no clue about contracts on how the Nigerian music industry worked. Sonny took all the decisions for me. He selected the songs. However, I brought my own interpretation and twist to them. Even before a contract with the recording company, EMI, Nigeria, was presented to me, we had begun recording the album with his band at the EMI studios in Lagos. There was excitement in the air about a new singer , which was me.
“In those days, making music was done with the whole band playing the song and everything recorded at the same time. If there was a mistake, we started all over again.
“Once Sonny Okosun , the producer felt satisfied with the basic work we had done in Lagos, off we went to London for post-production at Abby Roads Studios of EMI International, which was made famous by the Beatles.”
Recounting further, Onyeka Onwenu narrated how Sonny Okosun punished her for turning him down.
“In London, , we drove straight to the hotel, where we would be staying. I waited to be checked into my room by Charles Okosun, my designated manger and Sonny Okosun’s brother but he led me into Sonny’s room, where my bags had been placed. I immediately asked for my own room or there would be no recording.
“ Being a novice, I was not privy to the financial arrangement that Sonny Okosun had made on my behalf with EMI. I did not have a lawyer or anyone to advise me. On the London trip, I brought along some money for myself, which I relied on when Sonny Okosun decided to punish me for turning him down. I paid for all my expenses on the trip.
“When we completed the recording, with an overlay of the lead and backing vocals, and live guitar work, we mixed and mastered the sound. We also shot the videos of all six songs on the album. With a group of dancers and a small studio audience, no rehearsals, just passion for making music, we delivered a good performance. Everyone was happy, including Sonny Okosun. He had maintained a hostile attitude towards me and only communicated through his brother , who was my manager.
“ In 1981, I released my first album, “Endless Life”. Although it was a remake of Sunny Okosun’s previously released works like “Help” and “Kenelum Jehova”, I brought my own interpretation to the songs. I added a cover of “Walk Right Back” by the Everly Brothers and Nigerians were introduced to the singing reporter, as Chinua Achebe had called me. Having made a small name, as a TV journalist, it was not surprising that my musical career took off aided by my popularity on television.
“I started getting invitations to live performances, which I excelled in . That was how I began to earn a living from music.”
Onyeka, however, stated that at an early stage of her career, she was dissatisfied with the technical quality of our recording.
“I would note, listening to the radio,that each time Nigerian produced music came up, the quality dropped. It bothered me. It became imperative for me to improve the quality of my musical output.
The queen of songs, also recalled that when she joined the industry, it was vibrant and the economy was strong compared to what we have today.
“There were some capable and talented women in the industry such as Dora Ifudu, a singer/songwriter, filmmaker and photographer, Martha Ulaeto, who mixed the operatic with a powerful African influence, Funmi Adams, a classical singer who blended her songs with contemporary folk music, Nelly Uchndu and her Igbo folklore, and Comfort Omoge, a traditional artiste from the mid-western Nigeria among others.
My love life
On her love life, Onyeka recounted:: “I fell in love for the first time at the age of 13 in 1965 and two years before the outbreak of the Nigerian civil war. Looking back, I realize that I was indeed too young to know what love was. What does a 13-year-old know about love, anyway?
“I am not sure, however, that in my case love was something conceptualized as much as it was intensively felt. I was struck by a bolt of lightning from out of the blues. My heart skipped a beat each time the object of my attraction entered my space and I wanted to be in his presence for as long as possible.
“The attraction was not physical at this point. It was a meeting of two souls that effortlessly understood each other.
Strong connection I felt from day one
“This strong connection was felt from day one, as I saw myself in his eyes, and he thought that I was beautiful. The sound of his voice was like something I had heard before, there was a sense of familiarity in it. The attraction between us was so powerful that I said to God, not long after meeting Prince Charming that I had met the man I was meant to marry. If the person in question was not the one, then God Himself , should just forget it, because I would not marry another. It was an ultimatum.
“I was so sure of what I felt that my heart’s conviction came out in such a steely, matter-of-fact way, and with so much determination, firmness and finality. It was almost frightening that a girl of 13 would know her mind and express it so fearlessly. What a pugnacious little girl I must have been. I had no idea of the meaning of the words I was uttering, they just came tumbling out from the very depth of my soul
“I did learn a huge lesson afterwards; be careful what you say, what you ask for and what you wish for because you may just get it.
Age of innocence
“ At 13, I was in my second year of secondary school. It was a time when, if you fancied a guy , you stayed far away from him. You were too shy to even admit that he was your love interest. If you saw him on one side of the road, you quickly moved to the other. There would be no contact, only an inner excitement that you had just sighted him. It was the age of innocence.
“My prince was a friend of my brother’s and the whole family knew and liked him. They were probably aware of my attraction to him. Later events would bear me out.
“During the school holidays, our house was filled with a lot of people, friends, schoolmates and acquaintances.
“ If you had friends , even of the opposite sex, you brought them home and they became friends with the whole family. There was no ‘corner-corner’ love as we say in pidgin English. Everything was out in the open and devoid of physical contact, of course.
“My prince Charming really fit the bill. He was tall, dark and handsome young man. A versatile, artistic, Shakespeare-quoting kindred spirit who lit up the room for me. There was something very special about him, an uncommon civility that made him interesting to engage. I am not sure that he was fully aware of my feelings for him.
“I do know that he was fascinated and was always attentive. He was interested in whatever I had to say and never talked down at me. I was treated with a great deal of respect almost as an equal. For this young man was the romantic focus of a girl’s active imagination, one made vivid by fairy-tale and romantic novels of the cheapo kind, like the ones exchanged among friends, worn out , frayed and slightly torn, from use.
“In those gushing stories, the Princess always got her Prince Charming in the end and they lived happily ever after.
“Could this love story, intense as it felt and hardly understood, be the product of the imagination of a 13-year-old with a creative mind? What were the chances that this strapping, good-looking man , fancied by more beautiful and sophisticated women would fall for little , old me, in a city like Port-Harcourt, where he had by far better choices? But he did and hopelessly so.
“By the close of 1966, when the echoes of war were heard in Biafra, the love of my young life had left Nigeria for further studies in Europe. I was trying to survive the war with the rest of my family. My brother , Richard and sister Zoe, were also outside the country. My love and I lost contact and I had no idea whether I would ever see him again.
I remained in love with him
“I remained in love with him all this period. In fact , throughout the Nigeria/Biafra conflict, I was known as Miss “No Man’s land.-the area or piece of land between two sides of a conflict . It belonged to no one. There were a few token and peripheral friendship, for sure but they were all just that. I wanted to be by myself mostly, alone with my fantasies and dreams. I thought constantly about the man who had captured my heart.
“In 1971, after the war had ended and just months before I was to leave for school in the United States, I ran into Prince Charming on the streets of Lagos. It was quite simply by serendipity.
“From then on and in full view of my family, we began a friendship. I was 19 years old. He was 26. We talked for hours, went out for meals and danced at a family gathering. My love worried in a letter later on , that my mum may not not have approved of the obvious relationship.
“At 19, I had matured into a sensible young woman who could take care of herself . I had my mother’s trust. In the period of our re-connection, my love had fallen hopelessly in love with me. For the next three years, and with the knowledge and acceptance of my family, we began a truly romantic relationship , one which we both expected would end in marriage. Yet my darling was sensitive and respectful. It was not a physical relationship.
“I was still a little green behind the ears, having just survived a brutal war and still trying to catch up with the world that had moved ahead of me by four years. Yet my love considered me beautiful and extraordinary. He would write a few weeks after I arrived in the United States from Nigeria.
“ My love and I were from a time when writing was how you communicated with people. There were no mobile phones , no email and no internet. With him in Europe and me in the United States, we wrote regularly even as we spoke occasionally on the phone.
“Those letters, I now realize, were instrumental in helping me survive my first two years in a foreign country. Having a friend and a mentor, who understood me, who, in fact, saw the potential in me before others did, was the deciding factor in my ability to thrive intellectually and emotionally. His love and attention gave me confidence in myself and my abilities…
Why I didn’t marry the love of my life
You must be wondering by now, why I didn’t marry my Prince Charming who had fallen head over heels in love with me. I wonder too. Looking back at the time we drifted apart in 1973, I realize that our timing was off. We were both not ready to marry and settle down; I was a sophomore at Wesley, with a whole life of learning ahead of me. The intensity of the emotions was overwhelming sometimes. We were still oceans apart and the long-distance romance was tasking.
“We had no time together, my love and I to talk. Later on, he had plans to come over to study and live in the United States, but they did not plan out. We lost touch and we both moved on . On my part, I did so, with much sadness.
How we found each other again
“My love and I found each other again in 1980, just as I prepared to return to Nigeria for good. It was a momentous reunion, an indescribably exquisite time together. We explored my city, New York . Walking on the streets of Manhattan and talking about everything under the sun. We listened to free classical music with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, together with thousands of others in Central Park. Alone for the first time in eight years, we had a wonderful time rebuilding an almost-forgotten friendship. Again, my darling was a sounding board for my idea about coming home.
“Again, my Prince Charming had found his way back into my life, at a time of great change and transition. Moving back, to Nigeria, a rather traumatic venture was made easier by his friendship, support and counsel. He was even at the airport to welcome me back, together with my whole family.
“My acclimatization to Nigeria was complete, my friend and I went our separate ways again.
The intensity of our feelings being just friends is difficult. We lost contact for 27 years until we bumped into each other at a local airport in Nigeria in 2009 and yet again, it was by serendipity. He had moved back to Europe and was just visiting home. It was a difficult meeting this time. We were like two ships passing each other in the night.
The impact he made on my life
“Looking back, I understand why. I was going through a lot of emotional upheavals in my on-again, off—again marriage. The worst thing I could have done , would have been to add another emotional dimension to the muddle. I fled. After this uneventful chance meeting, I was sure that I could now put this friendship in a box and store it away from view, forever.
Perhaps, I thought I succeeded in doing that until serendipity threw up another meeting , one which reconnected us, once again, at a time of great transition in life. After the airport sighting in 2009, this meeting had taken 10 years . But then, we had known each other for 35 years. I have tried in all this time to define the relationship I had with this special person in my life., and the continued strong connection we feel, as if we were meant to help each other along life’s way.
“The timing of this most recent meeting has provided me with the opportunity to write about someone who had played a major role in my life, even when he was not physically around me. The story of my life would be incomplete without this sometimes sad but always inspiring love story.
“My friend and I may be in contact or we may not. But no matter how many oceans are between us, I remain grateful for this friendship and all that it taught me.”
“To the love of my life, I owe a huge debt of gratitude.Thank you for your kindness, for trusting in me with care, respect and appreciation. Thank you for believing in me. It gave me confidence. You saw my potential, even before I did and you convinced me that I was made for great things. Learned so much from you , even when you were not around, your compassion was palpable. Even now, I feel your encouragement. I hope I have not disappointed you. Thank you for being my brother and mentor, my friend for not being afraid to love me for myself, even as a pugnacious 13-year-old. Your friendship has enriched my life and I am glad that I finally have the opportunity to say, “Thank You.”
How I branded her Elegant Stallion —Azuka Jebose
Today, Nigeria mourns the loss of a beloved creative talent, Onyeka Onwenu. Rather than focusing on her passing, I’d like to share a personal reflection on how I came to brand her as the “Elegant Stallion.”
In the 1980s, Onyeka was Nigeria’s beloved music diva and broadcaster. Her success in music and pop culture paved the way for her entry into movies when Nollywood exploded in the 1990s. Her iconic nickname, “Elegant Stallion,” was born out of entertainment journalism and became a brand she proudly identified with until her death.
In 1987, I had the privilege of covering a Music Against Apartheid tour in Southern Africa, featuring Onyeka, late Sonny Okosuns, and Christie Essien-Igbokwe. As the entertainment editor of The Punch, I was invited to be the MC for the sold-out concert at Rufaro Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Sometime in1987, a young Zimbabwean music promoter, Steve Chigorimbo, arrived to Nigeria’s music business. He came from Harare and recruited famous Nigerian musicians for a southern Africa tour, billed as Music Against Apartheid. I was invited to cover that event. The night before a stadium sold out concert, Steve urged me to be the MC.
Earlier, the tour had taken the groups to Lusaka, Kitwe and Kabwe, major cities of Zambia.
The first major performance in Zimbabwe was at the Rufaro stadium. By midafternoon of the concert date, Rufaro stadium was packed with excited concertgoers, including university students
.
The mood was intense. When Onyeka walked onto the stage, she was poised, elegant and magnificent.
She approached the microphone confidently; her band slowly began to belt out rhythms from her latest dance release then, Winnie Mandela, one of the tracks from the DANCING IN THE SUN album.
She walked onto the stage, seduced the microphone, and held it tightly as she smiled at the crowd: then she steadily began to caress the microphone. As she began to sing, the toned back muscles of her legs cushioned, her neck vein vocals popped and pushed the smooth chocolate skins onto radiance.
The night before the concert, I met a young Zimbabwean woman named Zolfor West, who would later inspire the nickname “Elegant Stallion.” After an unforgettable one-night stand together, she called me her “stallion,” symbolizing power and strength from our previous night’s happy ending rendezvous.
The next evening, as I watched Onyeka perform on stage, I was struck by her poise, elegance, and magnificence. I wanted to capture her essence in my review, so I drew inspiration from my encounter with Zolfor. I wrote: “Onyeka has matured from a saint to a sinner, from a pretender to a real performer. Here comes our Elegant Stallion.”
That description stuck, and thanks to entertainment journalism, Onyeka Onwenu became synonymous with the “Elegant Stallion” brand. Today, we remember her as an iconic, hot, sexy, brilliant broadcaster, singer, and entertainer who left unforgettable moments on our lives. She has galloped into eternal sunset. Go well, my elegant stallion. Azukajebose
The lesson from our first encounter —Azuh Arinze
My first encounter with the no-nonsense and highly principled Elegant Stallion, Lady Onyeka Onwenu, MFR, is a great lesson on why we should never give up.
Back then, at the defunct FAME Weekly, where I started my journalism career as an intern, I had suggested an interview with Ms Onwenu during one of our editorial meetings as my story idea for the week. Raising his face from what he was reading, the gentleman who offered me the first opportunity ever to write, Mr. Femi Akintunde-Johnson, aka FAJ, adjusted his sitting position before telling me that Aunty Onyeka, like I called her, took us to court over a story that obviously didn’t ‘jell’ with her. “But you can still try”, he added, not wanting to discourage me.
After securing an interview appointment, in the course of which the interviewee equally reminded me of the court case, the unexpected happened! I found out on getting back to the office that the interview didn’t record. My tape recorder malfunctioned.
Down and demoralized, and again without informing my boss, I wrote Ms Onwenu a moving letter, begging for another opportunity and also explaining what happened, as best as I could. I dropped the letter in her office with her PA and no sooner did I get to the end of Isaac John Street (in Ikeja GRA, Lagos), where I was waiting to catch a bus than I heard someone calling my name.
I turned and behold it was the PA. “Madam says you should come back!” Trembling, I followed her to the office where the One Love superstar not only empathised with me but also consented to another interview. And so began a relationship that spanned over 25 years, and to be candid benefitted me immeasurably.
Besides always being there for me and constantly showering me with love, Aunty Onyeka played for me (FOC) on August 6, 2005 when I got married to my beautiful wife, Nkoli, at the Niteshift Coliseum, in Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos.
Despite residing in Opebi then, and I living in Akute, a border town between Lagos and Ogun, when we had our first child, Nmesomachukwu, she equally journeyed all the way most Sundays just to attend baptism classes preparatory to being my daughter’s godmother.
Years later, she asked me to see her in the office and on getting there, she handed me a cheque which she said must be used to open an account for her goddaughter. Surprisingly, about a month before this sad and shocking news, she asked for everybody’s account numbers which she credited yet again.
I could go on and on enumerating all the beautiful ways she impacted my life and that of my family and business.
On Saturday, July 27, 2024, at exactly 3.28 PM, she called to give me a quick update concerning an issue. If only I knew that that would be our last encounter and conversation.
My whole family is in tears. Particularly her goddaughter, Nmesomachukwu. She’s remained frozen ever since I broke the news to the family.
Please, continue to remember us in your prayers, especially as we grapple with this heavily devastating news.
Rest in peace, Aunty Onyeka Onwenu! —Azuh Arinze
Good night, My Crush, the Elegant Stallion —Emeka Alex Duru
I will always miss your beauty, your carriage, your courage, your music and the masculinity
of your voice. You were Onyeka Onwenu to others. For me, you remain “Onyii”, the one I encouraged my daughter to emulate. The sting of your passage hurts more, coming exactly four years after the death of my saintly Mother-in-law, another beautiful heart. It is well with your souls —Emeka Alex Duru
[Vanguard]