FEMI FANI KAYODE: Abati is the product of same sex marriage

CHARLES NOVIA: My Oga at the Top's Perspective

Obafaiye Shem, the Lagos Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Defence Corps, would never have imagined in his life that he would start off a viral and new-Naija lexicon with his famous phrase, ‘my Oga at the top‘. I caught the bug just a day back when I started receiving blackberry broadcasts with whimsical coinages about it and I had to go on youtube to see the interview for myself. Briefly, Commandant Shem was asked to give the correct web address of the NSDC and he made the now-famous phrase..’my oga at the top will not allow me..’ or something close to that.

US Condemns Presidential Pardon for Alamieyeseigha

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha  

The United States has expressed disappointment over the state pardon granted former governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State and the former managing director of Bank of the North, Alhaji Shettima Bulama.

Alamieyeseigha was impeached and later convicted for money laundering and other corruption offences in 2007, while Bulama was convicted for defrauding the defunct Bank of the North.

Apparently referring to the pardon granted the two men who were convicted for corruption, the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria in a statement Friday said it was deeply disappointed over the pardon. “We see this as a setback in the fight against corruption," embassy spokeswoman Deb MacLean said, adding that the U.S has no further immediate comment.

The federal government had on Tuesday announced state pardon for Alamieyeseigha, Bulama and five others after a National Council of State meeting in Abuja.

The others were late Maj. Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua; former Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya; former Minister of Works, late Maj. Gen. Abdulkareem Adisa; ex-Major Bello Magaji and Alhaji Mohammed Lima Biyu.

The inclusion of Alamieyeseigha and Bulama on the list had elicited intense criticism within and outside Nigeria. Only on Thursday, the global anti-corruption organization Transparency International called on President Goodluck Jonathan to rescind the pardon granted to Alamieyeseigha.

According to the vice-chair of Transparency International, Akere Muna, “This decision undermines anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria and encourages impunity. If the government is serious about uprooting public corruption, sanctions against those who betray the public trust should be strengthened, not relaxed.

“President Jonathan should show that he is committed to fighting corruption and endorse the efforts of law enforcement agencies to end impunity for corrupt officials.”

But defending the decision to pardon Alamieyeseigha, the presidency on Thursday said apart from the remorse he had shown, the former governor had been quietly playing a key role in stabilising the volatile Niger Delta region.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the President, Dr. Doyin Okupe, also appealed to Nigerians and members of the civil societies to keep an open mind on the pardon granted the former Bayelsa governor.

Okupe, who reminded Nigerians that Alamieyeseigha was removed from office in a manner that was largely seen as not being entirely above board, said the former governor had been adequately punished for his misdemeanour and demonstrated enough sobriety after he served his sentence.

The pardon granted late Shehu Yar’Adua, Diya and Adisa have also become controversial with fresh facts showing that the Council of State might have acted in error.

The former military men were pardoned for their offences by former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar in the twilight of his regime in March, 1999.

Abubakar, in a gazette dated March 4, 1999, had granted “clemency” to nine military officers and soldiers convicted for their involvement in a phantom coup during the regime of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, Diya and Adisa inclusive.

Similarly, Abubakar had granted a posthumous pardon to Yar’Adua at the same time that he granted a pardon to former President Olusegun Obasanjo when he released the latter from prison where he had been incarcerated by Abacha for the 1995 phantom coup d’etat.

But the Presidency defended its action, saying that there was a difference between clemency granted Adisa and Diya in 1999 and the recently granted state pardon.

DELE MOMODU: An Open Memo to our Service Chiefs

Pendulum By Dele Momodu

Our dear Generals, let me apologise for my lateness in sending this important memo to you. I had planned to write to you immediately after my last letter to the Inspector General of Police. That should have been the logical progression but events happened at supersonic speed in the last few weeks that I was forced to change topics regularly. Even this week, I was almost forced to change my mind by the latest gaffe of the Presidency that offered official pardon/clemency to those who needed it and those who didn’t without going into the merits or demerits of the pardons. They just never seem to get it right, whether in timing and/or execution.

It was the same slipshod manner that they treated the granting of national honours by awarding lesser Honours tothose who had already received higher honours.  In a similar fashion they bungled renaming of the University of Lagos after our martyr for Democracy, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. It is becoming obvious that something has gone terribly wrong when those saddled with huge responsibilities act before they think. The legion of Presidential aides and advisers inside the gilded cage of Aso Rock should have pondered long and hard before taking some of these decisions that have far-reaching implications. 

Reproductive Women Warned of Painful Menstrual Period

Painful Menstrual Period

Reproductive age girls have been warned never to assume that painful menstrual period is a normal development, but should seek to know why they have to undergo serious pain during their period as it could turn out to be a product of endometriosis.

A Gynaecologist, Dr. Yemi Ajayi of the Nordica Fertility Centre described endometriosis as a female health disorder that occurs when cells from the lining of the womb (uterus) grow in other areas of the body, which can lead to pain, irregular bleeding and problem of getting pregnant.

Warri Prison Van Attack: Police Arrest Five, Recover Corpse

 Police Headquarters

Following Wednesday’s bloody attack on a court-bound Nigerian Prisons van in Warri by bandits believed to be in alliance with some inmates of Warri Prison, the police yesterday said their manhunt for the culprits had yielded some dividends.

The police said in Warri that four persons had been arrested in connection with the early morning operation which took place at Okere Roundabout, a stone-throw from the Warri Prison, during a round-the-clock joint police and military offensive against the hoodlums.

Watch the Remixed Version of 'My OGA AT THE TOP' VIDEO

Click to Download or Listen to 'My Oga On The Top' remix

So, I was on my own jeje, writing my stories in the office when someone sent me the remixed video of the embarrassing moment. I don laugh tire. My colleagues had to carry me up from the floor where I fell laughing.

HAHAHAHAHHA!!!! So some people do not want my dear Shem Obafaiye ( the Lagos State NSCDC Commandant, who could not say his organisation's website when he was interviewed on Channels Television) to rest. According to impeccable sources, Obafaiye is presently in Kogi State for his father's burial.

Although the video is hilarious to say the least, but it simply confirmed things; NIGERIANS ARE TALENTED. They only need an opportunity to explode (mind you, I'm not endorsing what the guy did because we all make mistakes). Listen and enjoy!!! Kapish?

-The video was apparently culled from typicalnaija.com

Finally, 'Oga at the Top' Replies Cynics?

Lagos State NSCDC Commandant, Mr Obafaiye Shem, who was interviewed on Channels Television and couldn’t tell his organisation’s website, has issued a statement in his defense, saying his “reluctance to put ‘ dot.com ‘at the end of the website was totally intentional and not regrettable”

And if you haven't watched the video, here is the link My Tots Exactly: NSCDC: The embarrassing "My Oga at the Top" Video. 

Hear him “I intentionally shied away from using the dot com”, as it sounded sexual, in fact, too sexual to be uttered on “Live TV”. The presence of a Woman on the panel (Maupe Ogun ) made me “too uncomfortable to say the word 'com’, an acronym of ‘cum’ as it would have been embarrassing for her”

“Look, i did not want to embarrass myself by saying such dirty word. There was a woman there, how would i have sounded? I am a man of high moral standing. If you think i’m telling lie, ask MY OGA AT THE TOP. That Is All”

By CKN Laff It Off.

Second ‘Pardon’ for Yar’Adua, Diya, Adisa Raises Questions

Former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha

The state pardon granted last Tuesday to former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, the late Maj. Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua; former Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya; and former Minister of Works, the late Maj. Gen. Abdulkareem Adisa, among others has stirred a fresh controversy.

Fresh facts, which came to light Thursday, showed that the Council of State might have acted in error by granting the late Yar’Adua, Diya and Adisa the pardon following the discovery that the former military brass were pardoned for their offences by former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, in the twilight of his regime in March, 1999.

Finally, 2face & Annie Idibia receive promised jeep

Finally, 2face and Annie Idibia got their brand new Toyota Prado SUV from the Akwa Ibom state governor, Godswill Akpabio, as wedding gift. The state government yesterday released a photo showing Annie and 2face being presented with the SUV by the state's commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah.  Not only did governor Akpabio give them an SUV, he also promised to fund the traveling expenses of 20 of Annie's family members to their Dubai wedding.

Following the buzz that followed the gift, The state commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah released a press statement. It reads;  "Following spurious and false speculations in the social media concerning the wedding gift by Governor Godswill Akpabio to Mrs. Annie Innocent Idibia, née 

Macaulay, I wish to state as follows:

That the Governor of Akwa Ibom State Chief Godswill Akpabio, donated ONE Prado jeep to Mrs. Annie Innocent Idibia, nee Macaulay a daughter of Akwa Ibom State and renowned artist during her traditional marriage at Eket.