Innocent Ojefia Blog

Confirmed: nothing ever changes in Nigeria. The more things change, the more they stay the same. This immortal epigram of Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, the 19th century French critic, journalist and novelist, captures the fortune of the Federal Republic of Drama aka Nigeria. That is why when anything happens these days, I’m like: haven’t I seen this before? I’m seeing repetition all over again. As we say in Nigerian Latin, “Soja go, soja come, barracks remain the same.” I’m no longer as excited or as agitated as I used to be. An Igbo proverb says what a dog saw and is barking ferociously is the same thing a goat saw and barely bleated. It’s a depressing feeling of “I’ve seen it all”. The kidnap of 105 female students of Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe state, was Chibok all over again. As it was in April 2014 so it is in February 2018. The president has changed, the service chiefs have changed and the crime scene has changed — but the details are so alik...

It has been noticed that the world renowned billionaires mostly drive simple and cheap cars in deep contrast to the loud folks without strong financial base.  Billionaires are basically billionaires, and can afford to splash funds on things they don’t even need like luxury cars, mansions, yachts, and private jets. See the cars driven by the world’s richest men. (1) Warren Buffet Known as the smartest investor of all time and one of the richest persons on the planet, Buffet despite his large pool of resources is well known for his modest lifestyle. He rides a Cadillac XTS worth only about $45,000. (2) Mark Zuckerberg   Another billionaire famous for his simple and non-extravagant lifestyle is Mark Zuckerberg. Despite being the founder and CEO of the world’s largest social networking platform Facebook, Zuckerberg is often spotted in his black Acura TSX which is reportedly to have a retail value of only $30,000. 3) Alice Walton   Alice ...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced dates for general elections in the country for the next 36 years, starting from 2019 to 2055. Prof. Mamood Yakubu, Chairman of the commission, made the announcement at a consultative meeting with leaders of political parties in Abuja. Yakubu said “In 2019, the dates are Feb. 16 and March 2; in 2023, the dates are Feb. 18 and March 4. “In 2027, the dates are Feb. 20 and March 6; in 2031, it is Feb.15 and March 1. “In 2035, it is Feb. 17 and March 3; in 2039, it is Feb.19 and March 5 and in 2043, it will hold on Feb. 21 and March 7. “In 2047, it is Feb.15 and March 2; in 2051, it is Feb.18 and March 1; in 2055, it is Feb. 20 and March 6.” The chairman further pointed out that in other democracies of the world, periods of elections were generally known and were not topics for speculation. Yakubu explained that the aim was to engender certainty in the election calendar and allow for long-term planning by ...

Last week, former President Olusegun Obasanjo was in Bayelsa State preaching love. He went at the instance of the State Governor, Seriake Dickson who wanted him (since the incumbent president is not readily available for such task) to commission projects built by the state government as part of the activities to mark the sixth anniversary of the government of Dickson in the state. Obasanjo did a little more outside the official schedule. By some arrangement, he was appropriated to lay the foundation stone of the second private refinery after Dangote’s, but the first in that region of the country, penultimate Saturday. The Azikel Modular Refinery sitting on about 20 hectares is being powered by Dr. Eruani Azibapu Goodbless, President of Azikel Group in collaboration with foreign partners.   The reception for the former president was good. Governor Dickson described him as a lover of Bayelsa and its people who, while as President appointe...

A witness in the trial of retired Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, has told the court how the former military personnel gifted N35m to the Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners’ Chapel. Atewe who served as the Commander of the military Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, in the Niger Delta before his retirement, is standing trial for allegedly diverting N8.5 billion between September 2014 and May 2015. Atewe is standing trial alongside a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi; Kime Engozu, Josephine Otuaga and six companies namely Jagan Ltd; Jagan Trading Company Ltd; Jagan Global Services Ltd; Al-Nald Ltd; Paper Warehouse Ltd; Eastpoint Integrated Services Ltd and De-Newlink Integrated Services Ltd. The trial witness, Nkem Ahidjo, told the court yesterday that himself and Atewe met in Abuja some years ago where they worshipped at the Aso villa church. He said he built a strong relationship with Atew...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reviewed the outcome of Tuesday’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and surmised that the ruling party has finally collapsed. The PDP also noted that the confusion, impunity and lawlessness in the APC has further exposed the failure of the Buhari-led Presidency, adding that this accounts for its rejection by Nigerians ahead of the 2019 polls. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Wednesday said the APC has ultimately lost its soul and can no longer be reckoned with as a political party, having been hijacked by the Presidency cabal. The party alleged that the Cabal in the Presidency has overthrown its constitution, suppressed dissenting voices and now imposing a dictatorial regime within its ranks, reminiscent of a military coup. The PDP said the development in the APC has further exposed the desperation by the Buhari Presidency to seize the political space, even within ...

  The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the claim by President Muhammadu Buhari that PDP squandered the sum of $500bn oil proceeds within 16 years as baseless, unfounded, and unsubstantiated. The party urged the President not to allow his aides railroad him into peddling such groundless allegations and bandying of unverified figures, as doing that could detract from his personality. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Tuesday, said the figures alluded to by the President does not even tally or reflect the actual oil related profile of the nation during the said period and urged the President not to allow his handlers set him up for public ridicule. The entire country is aware that the Presidency is on a feverish mode over their bound-to-fail 2019 re-election bid for which they have resorted to making spurious claims against the PDP even when it is clear to Nigerians that the PDP has since rebranded while preponderance of thos...