For Nigerian women to compete favourably on the nation’s socio-political field and assume leadership positions in various areas of human endeavour, there is need for them to synergize and work together as one to achieve a common gold. This was the take home and the unanimous conclusion of leaders of thought and gender influencers who spoke at the 2020 edition of WOMANIFESTO conference, held virtually on Wednesday, December 9, in Abuja.

Women leaders and activists such as; the wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Co-Convener of Bring Back Our Girls and former Minister of Education in Nigeria, Oby Ezekwesili, University of Lagos Law Lecturer/Convener of WOMANIFESTO, Dr. Abiola Akiyode Abolaji, Prof. chairperson of Gender and Constitution Reform Network, Joy Ezeilo all called on Nigerian women to stay together and develop a platform capable enough to be able to wrestle political, economy powers from their male counterparts.

These renowned activists made this assertion during the day 1 of the second edition of the 2020, which was largely virtually hosted in Abuja yesterday

The Conference tagged the Covid Edition and themed ‘Building Momentum for What Nigerian Women Want: Coalescing of voices and demands’ was attended by over 100 women globally.

In her opening remark as the chair of the WOMANIFESTO 2020, Prof Ezeilo encouraged Nigerian women to come out and speak out against gender based violence as well as take a bold step into getting involved in the socio-political environment in the country.

“The era when it’s popularly believed that the place for the women is in kitchen is over and should be made to be over by us. No one can change our situation but us. To this end, we have to be resolute and form ourselves into organisations to be able to achieve this,” she said.

She however, cautioned women not to allow themselves to be used by some elements, who could derail this aim and objectives.

The wife of the Ekiti State governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, who spoke issues related to gender based violence stated that a new culture orientation was required to groom the next generation of men who will see women as counterparts rather than weaker sex.

According to her, Nigerian women need to build new orientation such as public and corporate, social and civic and academia. “We have not done very well with public and corporate engagement. It is time for us to properly engage public sector and private on feminism. A lot more need to be done,” she enthused.

On social/civic, the chairperson of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum Wife revealed that the engagement in this area has been a bit adequate. “Let us continue to engage the religious leaders, traditional leaders and other stakeholders in the society for proper upbringing of the boy child who would be within the next generation of men.”

“For the academia, I want to commend Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Abolaji for the fantastic work she has done and continue to do in this direction. The academia has networked well but other levels of engagements need to double up,” Mrs. Fayemi said.

She revealed that her project is working on having a month as a national women month but April every year has been proposed.

The keynote speaker, Dharmaraj Krishanti, Executive Director, Centre for Women’s Global Leadership and Convener Feminist Alliance for Rights Herstory and Future of the 16 days of Activism on Ending Violence against Women, said that time has come for women to take their destiny in their hands.

According to her, “Women must understand what they want and go for it. The era of demand is over we should go for it. We should seek to occupy political space, private sector and other sphere of endeavour if we must make the necessary change we desire.”

She however cautioned women to do it discreetly.

In her welcome address, the convener of WOMANIFESTO, Dr. Abiola Afolabi said, “National Women’s Dialogue 2020, in commemoration of the first anniversary of WOMANIFESTO conference is a national conversation proposed for women from different groups to reflect on the gender equality results experienced in Nigeria since November 2019; and to deliberate on using the opportunity of budget preparation to advocate for governments resourcing of women’s aspirations; (c) to strategize for 2023 elections.

She said, “The discussion has to focus on strategies for making Womanifesto: What Women Want to work. Women groups will come up with definite implementation strategy to work in the 36 states across the country to advocate for expansion of budget for women.”

Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, retired Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor is dead.

He was aged 85.

He reportedly passed on Thursday evening in a Maryland hospital in the U.S., according to Persecondnews based in the U.S. but published by a Nigerian, Mr Femi Soneye.

He died in active service just as his predecessor, Prof. Adebowale Adefuye who died on August 27, 2015.

In a statement issued by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari has described the late ambassador as an ”outstanding judge of rare courage”.

Shehu said Buhari had directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work with Justice Nsofor’s family on the burial arrangements.

The President also prayed God to comfort all who mourn the departed jurist.

”President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed heartfelt commiserations with the family, friends and associates of Nigeria’s Out-going Ambassador to the United States, Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor over his demise,” the statement read.

”In a telephone call to Jane, the widow of the retired justice in New York on Friday, the President described Amb. Nsofor as ‘an outstanding judge of rare courage and truth who is not afraid to give justice to whom justice is due.’

“Apparently referring to the 2003 presidential election during which Justice Nsofor delivered a minority judgment as a member of the Election Appeal Panel in favour of Gen. Buhari as candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), the President said the country will miss people with such exemplary pedigree.

“President Buhari, who has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work with Justice Nsofor’s family on the burial arrangements, prayed God to comfort all who mourn the departed jurist and grant his soul eternal rest.”

According to a biography published in allgov.com, by Steve Straehley, David Wallechinsky, Nsofor stepped in the saddle on November 13, 2017.

The biography reads: Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor, a retired justice from Nigeria’s Court of Appeal, assumed the office of country’s ambassador to the United States on November 13, 2017. It’s Nsofor ’s first ambassadorial posting.

Nsofor was born March 17, 1935, in Oguta, Imo State, Nigeria. He graduated from London’s now-defunct Holborn College of Law in 1962 and added an LL.M from the London School of Economics in 1964.

He began teaching at Holborn College of Law in 1964 and went into private practice the following year. In 1977, he was appointed to the bench in Nigeria and served as a judge of the Imo state High Court. He spent the last 13 years of his career, until mandatory retirement in 2005, as a justice on the Court of Appeal of Nigeria.

In 2003, Nsofor was the dissenting vote in a three-justice panel in a contested presidential race between Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and the incumbent Olusegun Obasanjo, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Nsofor wrote that the PDP had engaged in intimidation tactics and violence: “I find that the substantial non-compliance with the mandatory electoral law amounts to no election. I also find that there was violence perpetuated by President Obasanjo…May Nigeria never and never again see a black Saturday like April 19, 2003.”

However, Obasanjo was confirmed as president for a second term despite Nsofor’s objections. Twelve years later, however, Buhari was elected president of Nigeria.

Buhari first appointed Nsofor an ambassador in 2017. His confirmation hearing on March 1, 2017, didn’t go well. He refused to recite the national anthem when asked to by one senator, Gbenga Ashafa, who was concerned with Nsofor’s age and fitness to serve. When it was suggested that, at age 82, Nsofor might be too old to be an ambassador, he replied: “Go and ask Mugabe who is still working.”

Robert Mugabe was forced out as Zimbabwe’s strongman leader in November 2017 at age 93. Nsofor’s nomination was denied. When asked later if he was posted to France how he would deal with 39-year-old French President Emmanuel Macron, Nsofor said, “I will respect him despite his age.”

However, President Buhari renominated Nsofor at the end of March and after a more subdued appearance before the senate, he was confirmed to be an ambassador on June 7.
Nsofor is married and has three children.

President Muhammadu Buhari has lambasted international media outfits, CNN and BBC over their reports on the EndSARS protests, which were critical of the Nigerian government.

“It must be said that foreign press coverage of the ENDSARS violence was not balanced, especially from CNN and BBC. I was disgusted by the coverage, which did not give attention to the policemen that were killed, the stations that were burnt, and prisons that were opened,” Buhari tweeted on Wednesday.

Buhari’s displeasure for the foreign media’s reportage came more than six weeks after security forces of the Nigerian government allegedly shot at armless protesters at Lekki Toll Plaza in Lagos, Nigeria.

Prior to the shooting, thousands of Nigerians, mostly youths protested against extortion, harassments and extrajudicial killing of citizens by personnel of the Nigeria Police.

About 12 protesters were killed on the night of Tuesday, October 20 2020 in Lekki and Alausa areas of Lagos, according to Amnesty International.

The international rights group said it has visual timelines that shows personnel of the Nigeria Army and police opening fire at the protesters.

Amnesty International’s claim aligns with that of DJ Switch who filmed the shooting and alleged killing of protesters on that night on Instagram.

She said “we were counting bodies and removing bullets shot at us by the military.” Her claim was denied by the Nigeria Army and police who claim their personnel did not shoot at the protesters initially. The army later told a judicial panel in Lagos that military personnel only shot blank bullets and not live rounds.
While the denial continued, both BBC and CNN released separate visual investigations detailing movement of state security personnel at the scene.

Both investigations showed military personnel shooting directly at the protesters who sat on the floor singing the Nigerian national anthem.

The international media outlet also unveiled the identity of a protester who reportedly died on the night of the shootings.

CNN said a forensic probe of the bullet casings recovered from the scene of the incident revealed that live bullets were fired at the protesters

The Nigerian Embassy in Germany has sacked one of its local staff who is a security officer after he was found guilty of sexual abuse and other criminal activities.

The security officer is identified as Martins Adedeji Oni, and the termination of his appointment is with immediate effect.

The Embassy made the announcement in a series of tweets on its official handle @NigeriaBerlin on Tuesday and noted that it has zero-tolerance towards all abuses of office.

Oni’s sack is coming one month after a viral video on social media showed him in a hotel room half-naked arguing with an unknown person who accused him of demanding sex from females who applied for passport renewals.

Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Tuggar in reaction to the viral video said that the embassy has “zero-tolerance policy towards abuse of office and especially of sexual misconduct.”

Ambassador Tuggar explained that investigation into the matter would be done with urgency and due diligence.

The Embassy in its update on Tuesday added that said the probe committee found Oni guilty of the allegations.

See the full statement of the Embassy below…

THE Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has terminated with immediate effect the contract of Mr Martins Adedeji Oni, a security officer at the mission. His dismissal follows an investigation into allegations of corruption and sexual misconduct.

Mr Oni was suspended from duty on 17 November after reports emerged that he had curried sexual favours in return for help with the renewal of a passport.

The Embassy immediately established an Investigation Committee to examine the allegations and any related issues, and to make recommendations for action.

The Committee interviewed Mr Oni and other witnesses as part of a thorough examination of these very serious charges. It concluded that Mr Oni was culpable and in violation of all the relevant codes.

As a result, Mr. Martins Adedeji Oni contract with the Embassy as a Local Staff has been terminated.

The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to further stress its zero-tolerance policy towards all abuses of office, and especially of sexual misconduct.

The Embassy is grateful for the help of the public in tackling such abuses.

As public servants, we pledge to follow all due process as part of our continuing commitment to deliver the highest ethical & professional standards in all our operations, also at Consular & Immigration.

Thenigerialawyer

• by Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK)

States & Areas Offices of Public Complaints Commission. Daily Law Tips (Tip 701) by Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK)

Introduction:

On 16 October 1975, the federal government of Nigeria created a Public Complaints Commission (PCC) with powers to control administrative excesses (non- adherence to procedures or abuse of law). Not too many persons in Nigeria are aware of the over 44 years old federal government agency. By the way, the PCC has offices across all sates in Nigeria and even in Local Government Areas and wards in Nigeria. This work will reveal the state offices and the area offices of the PCC as well as the names and contacts of the persons in charge of those offices.

Relevant Powers of the Public Complaints Commission:

The Public Complaints Commission is empowered by the Federal Government of Nigeria, to receive and treat complaints of administrative injustice from any person in Nigeria. The Public Complaints Commission (PCC) is Nigeria’s Ombudsman.

The Public Complaints Commission (PCC) has powers to investigate any matter, where there is injustice against any person by any government office, ministry, department, agency or corporation. This includes, where an administrative decision is (i) contrary to any law or regulation; (ii) mistaken in law or arbitrary in the ascertainment of fact; (iii) unreasonable, unfair, oppressive or inconsistent with the general functions of administrative organs; (iv) improper in motivation or based on irrelevant considerations; (v) unclear or inadequately explained; or (vi) otherwise objectionable.

Details of the Headquarters of Public Complaints Commission:

The headquarters of the Public Complaints Commission is located at No. 25 Aguiyi Ironsi St, Council 900271, Abuja, FCT. Its phone numbers are +234 700 342 5722, +234 80705021082, +234 8103950853 and +234 8106263493. Its emails are [email protected]and

[email protected]while its website is https://pcc.org.ng. The PCC works on Mondays to Friday from 9am to 6pm.

States and Area Offices of Public Complaints Commission:

Below is the list of all state offices and area offices of the  Public Complaints Commission.

continue reading

Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande a former journalist who became governor of Lagos State from 1979 to 1983, changed the housing statistics in Lagos State in just one tenure of 4 years by building more than 5 low cost houses Nick named Jakande estates.

Thirty seven years after, one of the estates entrance gate is nicknamed Oga’s ATM.

This is situated in Oke-Afa area of Oshodi/Isolo LGA or the Ejigbo LCDA.

The reason for the nickname is hidden, even though the operation is open and done with impunity. In 2013 the Lagos State government under Governor Babatunde Fashola dualized a 6km road from Jakande Estate gate to Ijegun, a suburb of Lagos thereby opening both social and economic activities in the area.

Back to the real story of Oga’s ATM, the impunity and lawlessness of motorcycle riders (okada) and tricycle (keke Marwa)m spoced with the hijack of Lagos by danfo drivers will normally surprise an onlooker as police, LASTMA, council officials and even NURTW all parade the place without any attempt to caution anyone or enforce traffic flow.

A thorough investigation revealed that over 1,120 okada, 175 tricycles and over 50 mini buses registered with Oga’s ATM company that constitute this nuisance contribute N200 for okada, N200 for tricycle and N300 for mini buses every day for the company (Oga’s ATM). This daily levy excludes the usual NURTW daily tickets, our investigation uncovered.

A quick calculation of the daily earnings for the Oga’s ATM is about N217,000, and a whopping N6,510,000 per month and an annual haul of N79,500,000. This is the price the public pays a few enemies of the society to lose their peace and right to use a government facility built for public good.

This pool of revenue excludes the hundreds of street traders that operate their stalls at every available spot with a cluster that makes it difficult for even a pedestrian to find a spot to step on. With their additional revenue, the clique must be smiling home every year with at least N80 million. When added to forced levies on organised businesses and corporate organisations around there, Oga ATM yields far more annual income for the gang.

This is not government revenue but the one exploiters have created out of government facility for themselves against public interest.

A further probe to understand who are the beneficiaries of this illegal tax and the forces behind the Oga ATM revealed that the criminal clique is operated by LASTMA, Landlords Association Executive body of the Jakande Estate, police, Local government officials and some other hideous interests. These make up the board members of this Oga’s ATM company. Little wonder that close to 10 years of dualization of the road, with different tenure of local police chiefs, LGA chairmen, LASTMA, landlord association exco’s in the area, nobody ever attempted to stop this impunity and lawlessness because of Oga’s ATM interest.

The benefit of ease of movement at that spot is lost. It is so bad that everyday, a new okada and keke parking lot springs up closer to the road and shrinking the space for movement.

Even corporate and other organized businesses in the area including banks, supermarkets, filling stations, service firms and many others have been subdued and lost their rights to do their businesses,

If only there is a government in Lagos, that lawless would long have stopped existing as crime is also thriving there since all movements crawl to near stop and leaving Lagosians at the mercy of people of questionable character and mission who have found nesting place there over the years.

Another loss the public suffers there is the perennial collapse of the road around that axis. The money the state government spent to construct the roads is lost as the congestion and refuse heaps generated around there compound the weight on the road. It took the personal intervention of a petrol station that came up around there some months to fix the lane that leads to Isheri from the spot.

The garbage generated from the illegal trading around at this spot has been a trouble for the state government to clear all year round.

Residents who have already given up on the chaos and live with it at high risk to their lives as motorists and others are constantly robbed at the logjam say it is only the state government that can rescue them from this menace they have lived with for years and don’t even know when it would end.

General Overseer, Spirit and Life Family Bible Church (SLFBC), Benin City, Edo State, Apostle Deb’rah Eunice Gordon-Osagiede, has died.

The death of Apostle Gordon-Osagiede, who founded the Jesus Women Prayerbound Ministry, was announced by his son, Bishop Gordon Osagiede Jr.

In a statement, Bishop Osagiede Jr. said his mother died Monday morning after a brief illness.

He stated that the death shocked the family but they took solace in the peace God gave to them.

“The Name of the Lord is a strong tower and is mighty. We serve a Good and Gracious God who will never leave us nor forsake us,” the statement read.

“Beloved what I’m about to share with you won’t be easy to take and I know it is only by the Grace and the Love of God that we shall overcome. As the Word of God tells us to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. I am informing you beloved with a pained heart that Our Mummy, the First Lady of Global Evangelism, Daughter of Jesus Christ to the Nation’s has gone to be with her Heavenly FATHER.

“She passed away this morning after a brief illness. This shock (sic) us heavily, this Storm is big! But God gives us his PEACE at this TIME. We have Peace in this Storm. I pray for your heart which is heavy, I pray the Holy Spirit comfort you. I pray that your Faith in God remains strong. We have overcome in Jesus Name.”

The deceased lost her husband, the founder of SLFBC, on December 25, 2002.

Apostle Gordon-Osagiede was born to Selby Uduehi and Lucy Ojeme. Her father hailed from Eko-Ewu in Edo state and was a retired police commissioner. She had siblings from her parents.

She was a mother of seven; six sons (three Adopted sons) and a daughter. She was also a grandmother.

During her time on earth, Apostle Gordon-Osagiede was involved in evangelistic outreach meetings that moved her to many parts of Nigeria and overseas.

Her global outreaches included: television & radio programmes, crusades on marriage & family (Christian Parents Assembly) & Glory of Virginity seminars for singles, Youths of Excellence fellowship for youths and Mothers’ & Fathers’ Assembly retreat sessions for couples.

She was prophetically addressed in all evangelist meetings as the First Lady of Global Evangelism (by her husband of Blessed Memory, Bishop (Dr.) Gordon Osagiede).

Apostle Gordon-Osagiede was a pioneer in the crusade against sex-trade, prostitution, sexual perversion as she championed this cause throughout the globe with the above outreach programmes and especially in her state, Edo State.

She was a writer with a flair for focusing on total salvation, marriage, family relationships and women ministry.

Apostle Gordon-Osagiede was the General Overseer of Spirit and Life Family Bible Church (Worldwide) – a global Church with locations in the five continents of the world and over 500 in the Pastoral Team comprising of over 50 nations of the world.

She was also the President of Godhead Prayer Ministry – a global Interdenominational family-focused prayer ministry with its locations throughout the five geographical regions.

Her other assignments included Initiator, Women in the New Nigeria (WINN) focusing on women and youth; Initiator, Godhead Self-Sufficiency Entrepreneurial Program, Jacksonville, Florida; CEO, Tabitha Widows Rehabilitation and Empowerment (with free skill training services); CEO, Jesus Women Orphanage Home; National Crusader against prostitution, child trafficking, and abuse; CEO, Rose of Sharon Diagnostic Center, a community-based medical support service; A Crusader, rehabilitating ex-convicts and victims of substance abuse, and A Propagator of The Girl-Child Education with Scholarships.

She was a renowned recipient of numerous national and international awards. Her most recent award was during the 7th Annual International Women’s Day Celebration.

Apostle Gordon-Osagiede was selected out of 150 women worldwide and awarded by the United States Congress as the only representative of the African continent amongst the Top 20 Global Women of Excellence for 2019. (Aledeh)

Nigerian disc jockey, Obianuju Udeh popularly known as DJ Switch has sounded out a rallying call to Nigerian youths in light of a possible second wave of #ENDSARS protests. 

The DJ gained nationwide popularity after she filmed the shooting of protesters at Lekki toll gate on October 20. She has since fled the country alleging threats to her life from the Nigerian military. 

She has now in a new video called on the Nigerian youth to continue lending their voices to the #EndSARS campaign or risk being killed by poverty, insecurity and other challenges in the country.

The #EndSARS protest, which was earlier halted after it was hijacked by hoodlums, had started to gain momentum with the issue among top Twitter trends in Nigeria since Monday.

The gifted DJ said while backing the movement could be challenging, remaining silent would amount to resigning to continue enduring the situation of things in the country.

“We’re up against people that have all the power, money, resources and control all the security arms. It’s like being thrown into a gunfight with a stick. How do you win a fight like that, so yes, it’s very demoralising…,” she said.

“I get it so we switched off. But please allow me to remind you of the people who cannot switch it off. Those who can never again think of how to make their daily breads. The real heroes that died for you and me.

“Look, there are two options as l see it. One l like to call the short term option and the second l call the long term option. Mind you both options have the same outcome. Short term option, we go out there, screaming at the top of our voices demanding change, we want our country back, standing on our constitutional rights and knowing the government we have, they just waste all of us in the end.

“The second long-term option, we do nothing, we still die, maybe one by one but we will still die off either from poverty, a very poor health sector and security personnels.”

Buttressing her point, Switch said the need to speak out has become imperative because the masses are always the worst hit by hardships in Nigeria.

“Let me tell you something that might be difficult for you to swallow: you and l are most likely to die before these our leaders. With all the money that they’ve stolen, these leaders have access to the best medical care, but what can you and l brag of? People die in hospitals because there’s no proper medical attention,” she added.

“In terms of security, our leaders are also well guarded by the police and even the army. Before armed robbers go to our leaders, they come to us first, who do we have guiding us. These people have peace of mind and they sleep well in their air-conditioned homes.

“So, pick one, long term or short term because it’s the same outcome. Nobody should be forced to do anything. Everyone is trying to stay alive so it’s understandable. But please, these people have all the power and resources, but we only have one power which is our voice and we must use it in whatever capacity that we can.

“When we don’t see #EndSARS on the Twitter trends or talk about it, the people that are trying to help us will think maybe nothing is really happening.

“Maybe government has given in to the demands of the people. I can assure you that there are people fighting for us. You can take my words to the bank, people are fighting for us, let us help them, let us be part of the solution.”

Watch the video below; https://www.youtube.com/embed/TqdWEyAKQsY?autoplay=1&controls=1

On the said night of Tuesday, October 20, the DJ who was present at the toll-gate had taken to her Instagram Live where she revealed that men of the Nigerian Army had opened fire on peaceful protesters gathered there.

Recall that the #EndSARS protests started as a campaign against misconducts of the now-disbanded special anti-robbery squad (SARS) and expanded focus to overall police reform.

The renewed call began on Saturday, October 3, 2020, following unconfirmed reports that men of SARS shot a boy in Ughelli town of Delta States and made away with his SUV.