BBOG FRANCHISE INFRINGEMENT:UNVEILING THE SINFUL MOTIVE BEHIND EZEKWESILI'S RIGHTEOUS ACT

When the Bring Back Our Girls campaign started after the kidnap of over 200 school girls over 2 years ago by the Boko haram sect, it afforded a lot of opportunists and attention seekers a medium to showcase their skills.The legitimacy of the cause meant there was only one side and one side only, so it was only a matter of who could perform best where the lights glitter.Anyone who wasn't taking photos with his placard was taking ones of him crying.
The founder of the BBOG campaign movement, Hajiya Bala Usman has since gone on to become the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority after spending time as the Chief Of Staff to the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.Not a few people thought Obiageli Ezekwesili, a Former Minister and Vice-President of the World Bank was just waiting to be 'rewarded' by the Buhari government after its swearing-in.She had been the face and voice of the group and it wasn't out of place to think a man that trumped the pro-people card all the way to victory was going to surround himself with people like her.There couldn't possibly be any better promotional stuff than those pictures of her shedding tears. Ezekwesili's allegations of franchise infringement by African Support and Empowerment Initiative (AFRISEI), an NGO set up by a daughter of the President, Hajiya Hadiza Buhari Bello at an event meant to raise funds further underlines the sinful motive behind a most righteous act.
My people in the north say:" On the day you will have to take your bath, you cannot hide your belly button".Its all starting to come to the fore.That someone wants to raise money to help rehabilitate the Chibok girls means someone is stealing the shine off Ezekwesili and her people.That someone wants to ensure the girls return home to a better life for them and their parents means getting undue praise to the Ezekwesilis of this world.That is what is really illegal as far as they are concerned.
Franchise Infringement is merely a God-sent conduit to deploy their botheration against those they feel want to make heaven without dying.
Yes,the plight of the Chibok girls isn't top priority.If it was, Ezekwesili would commend Hadiza Buhari Bello and call for more efforts in helping the released school girls who have been subjected to unspeakable trauma over the last 2 years.Buhari's daughter would be getting a visit from the BBOG group and not threats of a letter from their lawyers.And as far as Franchise infringement goes, Somebody seems to have forgotten the phrase 'Bring Back Our Girls' was traced to a hashtag by a lawyer on Twitter.
It wasn't originally conceived by Hadiza Usman, Ezekwesili or any of the other persons parading themselves as leaders of the movement and he didn't as much as raise a voice to the use of it because he was supporting a good cause.It is preposterous for Ezekwesili and her gang to now claim ownership of the BBOG franchise just to frustrate a lady looking to help the Chibok girls in her own little way.
Its okay to soak up the good publicity and other attendant benefits of engaging in a good cause, nobody has a problem with that.But it becomes everybody's problem when you try to balk other efforts aimed at helping the objects of that cause. 

AISHA BUHARI:THE 'DESIGNER' FIRST LADY THAT FOOLED MY PEOPLE

I don't really care whether Aisha Buhari belongs to the President's kitchen, other room or even another man.That is their personal problem. What I am worried about is the fact that some Nigerians are celebrating her for wanting their most loyal friends in government.
If the first lady had criticized the President's friends for being inept ,then I wouldn't have bothered even if we decided to name a state after her but as things stand, I can't help hating those singing her praises and admiring her for other things.
I admire her for having the guts to say what she did without being scared of losing the first ladyship which could mean never being able to afford Salvatore Ferragamo Capes.The one she wore to the African Ladies' Summit in Brussels costs about $2600 (N1.157M) and that is just about N50,000 less than her husband's monthly salary.I respect the lady for paying little or no attention to the fact that she might never 'rock' a handbag like the one she used on her August trip to the US if Buhari divorces her.It was a Hermes Birkin bag and its worth over N10M.Then you also have the £10,000 Choppard diamond watch she wore while attending the 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York alongside her husband and daughters just last month.She didn't seem to bother about that and It intrigues me to no end.
The first lady's new 'fans' should be asking how she was able to afford all these and whether or not we have suddenly started running a government of friends for friends, something the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti would refer to as 'Paddy Paddy Government'?.Is a cabinet reshuffle or an inner circle shake-up the only condition attached to her support for Buhari come 2019?.Does she think any of the women who have seen her in those accessories would be dumb enough to allow themselves be swayed by whatever she thinks or says even if she decides to campaign for her husband in 2019?.
You just have to give it up for how she was able to pull it off.To look a people in the eye, sell such a disgustingly self-serving interest to them and still have them applaud her for it is sheer genius.
But not all of us are fools.A lot of us would rather the President surrounds himself with capable hands than true friends in these trying times.Rewarding the people who voted him in by steering us out of this mess and delivering on his electoral promises far outweigh the merits of any friendship.The President had once defended his lopsided appointments by erroneously pointing out that he was covered by the constitution and more notably, that he needed to reward friends who had 'suffered' with him all the way to the Presidency.
I remember saying at that time that we were in trouble.We not only had a President who didn't understand a provision as explicit as that of Federal character in our constitution, we had a man clearly placing loyalty above competence.You need not look far to find out how he aggravated an already bad situation.
For what it is worth, the Buharis are cut from the same cloth and either way, their philosophy on governance is not what we need.I hope everyone realizes that.

IN GOD'S COURT, BUHARI WILL NOT BE PARTIALLY DEAF

There are people very skilled in the art of escaping the truth and the only time they don't deploy those skills are when the truth favours them.The most privileged of the lot are the partially deaf.Their condition avails them the special luxury of selecting what they want to hear even though they heard all there is to hear and it is almost impossible to prove otherwise.
Our President flew overseas to treat an ear infection earlier in the year (the nature of which was never disclosed), so needless to say that his 'truth dodging' skills are as legit as they come.Buhari listens with the good ear when people agree with him that the arms deal scam perpetrated by Dasuki was most abominable and anything being said about the unlawfulness of Dasuki's continued detention after being granted bail falls on the bad ear.
Its been almost 2 weeks since the ECOWAS court sitting in Abuja ordered his immediate release and awarded N15M as damages but all that has fallen on the President's bad ear.The damning consequences of this judgement worry me more than the amount awarded.We are demonstrating to the world just how low we have degenerated to by flaunting our disregard for the most basic democratic tenet; the rule of law.Anyone with the best interest of this nation at heart isn't any different from him at the moment.They are hoping God takes control.When our leaders turn oppressors and stop our laws from applying to some, the victims can only hope for their day in God's court.On that day, Buhari will not be partially deaf for God knows all that is in the heart of men.
The EFCC still hasn't answered the  critical questions bordering round its modus operandi.Patience Jonathan and Ayo Fayose have all claimed that the provisions of Section 34 of the EFCC Act which states that the EFCC must obtain a judge's order before freezing their bank accounts were not adhered to.Sen.Musiliu Obanikoro is also claiming that no search warrant was presented before his house was searched and documents carted away in the raid on his Lagos home.Neither the EFCC, the President or his agents have debunked these claims with proof.Laws exist to regulate human conduct.No authority no matter how highly placed has the right to just barge into your house and begin to search your belongings or walk into any bank and order that your account be frozen.The law puts checks in place to safeguard the rights of all citizens.But where these laws are a luxury not afforded some and where orders of courts are obeyed only when they fall on the right ear of the man in charge, then what we have is a dictatorship.When our laws are subjected to discretionary obedience and the judicial system is rendered powerless, there is a place where nothing is hidden and no one will bully the weak.That place is called God's court.
After an alleged attack on the Chief of Army staff by members of the Shi'ite islamic sect in the Northern city of Zaria in Kaduna state, the army embarked on a killing spree of its members leaving 347 dead (official number).The leader, Sheik Elzakzaky appeared critically wounded in photos of his arrest and is still being held in captivity as we speak.Some state governments have recently banned the sect and in what seemed an orchestrated attack in about 4 northern cities, its members were descended upon while performing their annual shura procession.The attacks extended to their homes after the procession had ended and it was sad to see innocent men and women butchered right in their houses.A lot of shi'ite members have been protesting before the procession and what have they been protesting against?.The reluctance to release or prosecute its leader.They were mostly on the streets in their ceremonial outfit to protest an injustice done to them.
The Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani while speaking with Buhari after the Zaria killings, urged him to treat the matter with utmost caution so a small matter doesn't degenerate into a bigger one.This is where our President's deafness has landed us.
In God's court, Buhari will not be able to feign ignorance of the many calls to prosecute that man since last year.He cannot claim that the constitution he swore to uphold does not specify a time frame in which a person can be held without trial.There is no doubt as to the ear that listens to his aides say he is laundering our image and attracting foreign investors with the constant trips abroad but I also pray that same ear listens to the implications of his deafness. 
The international community frowns at human rights violations and everyone seizes every opening to parade itself as an advocate of these rights.The U.S was said to have considered lifting the arms sale ban it placed on Nigeria under the Leahy Law until the killing of the Shi'ites in Zaria.The continued detention of Elzakzaky and the non-prosecution of the military officers indicted by the Judicial Panel of inquiry set up to probe the incident does us more harm than good.This country has a lot of agreements in place with Iran; the spiritual home of the sect and it is unlikely we are still in their good books.
At the end of the day, Buhari's deafness affects us all.What a lot of people saw as an unparalleled zeal to see the guilty punished, they now consider a worrisome problem.
For the people no longer guaranteed any protection by our laws, they will have their day in God's court.A day when all ears will hear.

OYEGUN:THE APC NEEDS A CHAIRMAN BEFITTING ITS NEW STATUS

The current crisis spawned by the Ondo guber primaries in the APC further highlights what was never in doubt-the party is not being run well. Sometimes to move forward in life, you have to leave some people behind.The APC Chairman, John Odigie Oyegun is one of the major reasons why the  party still hasn't grown accustomed to life as Nigeria's ruling party.
The APC's primary objective was kicking out the PDP and its really sad that the party's framework still reeks of that desperation.Oyegun came in handy when the 'unofficial' party leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu needed a man that would nod to his every word as party chairman and now that actual leadership skills count, the time has come to make the leap to a Chairman befitting its new status.Having benefited directly from the internal crisis that plagued the PDP under Bamanga Tukur, the party knows first hand the ills of having the wrong man in charge.
The National Assembly leadership tussle just after the APC assumed power was Oyegun's first real test and he failed woefully.President Buhari stayed true to his promise of non-interference and with Tinubu reluctantly following in PMB's footsteps, he was saddled with the responsibility of handling the divergent interests involved.Despite having chosen its preferred candidates in a mini-election, the Chairman still couldn't rally the troops or at least ensure they all attended the meeting with President Buhari.Like we all know, what followed was the Saraki 'coup'.
While Oyegun may still boast the support of a lot of party members including the President, he has certainly not done enough to deserve it.
Some time in March this year, Oyegun said elections into the party's BoT leadership positions would be postponed by a week because President Buhari wanted to be part of the process and more than 6 months after, the elections have still not held.While I agree Atiku Abubakar squaring off against Bola Tinubu for the BoT seat may have drastic consequences on the party's well-being, its also a pointer to Oyegun's ineptitude at preventing or resolving internal conflicts.The major problem the party has had to contend with since its ascent to the apex is its inability to keep the house united at all times and that could ultimately prove its greatest undoing.
I may not agree with Comrade Timi Frank on a lot of things but I'm with him on the fact that the party deserves better than Oyegun.When the deputy national publicity secretary of the APC  came at Oyegun for hinting that the party was searching for a capable replacement instead of elevating him to the substantive role, it underscored the fact that the Chairman had lost the respect of some high ranking party members.Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu; arguably the 2 most influential APC members have just being added to that list.
A lot of people expected Oyegun to move against Frank and ensure he is removed to keep the house in order but he never did.A high ranking member coming out publicly to attack the Chairman without having exhausted all means of pressing home his grievances in-house definitely didn't augur well for the party.Sadly, Oyegun has not only allowed Frank; a man who argued that Saraki's corruption charges be dropped because he helped the APC win elections continue to paint the party in bad light, he has left the substantive national publicity secretary post vacant.
The time has come for change in the APC.What Tinubu put in place was a haphazard arrangement and the side effects are starting to become obvious as it has become twice as hard to live with the mediocrity they ordinarily would have.
Tinubu reportedly agreed to help secure Buhari the party's 2015 presidential ticket in return for leading his CPC flock into the APC arrangement and allowing him total control of the party's machinery.Agreeing to these terms was the only other criteria for leadership positions asides an endorsement by Bola Tinubu.The party has since grown into Nigeria's ruling party but with a man like Oyegun in charge, the ship might just sail back to the opposition dock.Perhaps they are cut out for that.

LETTER TO MI:TOO MANY CHOCOLATES IN A LOST CITY

Dear MI,

First of, i must say i'm a huge fan and i've been one from the jump.You would think that would deter me from speaking my mind but it turns out its quite the opposite.Guess I wanna see you become a better you.
Its no secret you had long taken over key decision-making from Audu Maikori before he stepped down as Chocolate City boss.You were responsible for almost every artiste the label had signed since you,Jagz and Ice Prince.It was quite easy; you baked the most bread and more or less put the others on.While I am not disputing the fact that you may very well be the best rapper on these shores, i must say you haven't done well as a label executive and that, quite ironically, is more down to your love for music than anything else.
Well, Love is irrational, Love is toxic and Love is wicked.
Love blinded MI to the most basic principle of label management-you don't sign every artiste you love.Asides having to consider a probable investment-return ratio within a certain time frame, you also have to worry about how much time you can devote to their careers, Moreso for a recording Artiste/Exec like yourself.
A budding talent is like a baby and these days, promos are more unconventional than they used to be.The importance of time and attention cannot be over-emphasized.Asides, Dice Ailes and maybe Koker, none of your signees have come close to getting enough of these.I'm talking solid back to back releases in the space of three months with at least a video and enough buzz to not escape the average music lover.
There are just too many artistes on your label and what I am used to seeing is just songs or videos on blogs.Know how Don Jazzy managed to have us all talking about Reekado Bank's SPOTLIGHT album before it dropped even with no hit single and anything outstanding about the artiste?.He pays quality attention to his artistes' careers-lnterviews, lots of 'he & us, he & they' photos; a testament to the unconventional route promos are taking these days.
Jazzy knew when to flood the airwaves with his singles and knew when to give us a break.He cut him loose to go feature on non-mavin tracks (some by upcoming artistes) before and after the album dropped and the end result?.Reekado is everywhere you turn with no bonafide hit to match all the efforts.
I'm an avid music follower but I still can't remember watching or reading any Dice, Nosa or Ruby interviews.If you ask me, leaving Choc City gave Milli all the promo he couldn't get on the label for UNLOOKING and yes, so many people are starting to know Pryse just after she left you.
Sometimes I wonder if you have any money left at all at the end of the day.The label has so many artistes it has to spend on one way or the other without getting anything in return and by 'spend' I mean salaries, allowances, bonuses or whatever remunerative framework you have carved out.Know the sad part bro?.You keep talking about expanding!!.Yea, thats what it is-TALK.You had Jagz's Jagz Nation and Ice Prince's Super Cool Cats become part of Chocolate City and I wondered why a record label run solely from the pockets of its President and Vice with no visible success would talk about emulating Aftermath, Universal and Sony by incorporating its artistes' imprints?.The answer is simple; you are getting way ahead of yourself.
Perhaps a day will come when we will start to run our labels like the oyibos do by talking structuring et al in detail but for now, here remains Naija.If it don't mean more naira then it don't mean anything at all.Expanding a virtually non-existent business doesn't make sense to me.
While we understand it is the dream of every label to run Africa, signing another Kenyan act (Qritical) after watching the Victoria Kimani experiment blow up in your face doesn't speak well of your business acumen.Thats charity bro.
Finally, the part where I offer some free advice.Free up the roster and retain a very 'bankable' few while also improving the promotional aspect of things.Watch what you learn from the white man because we simply aren't even close to them yet as far as music being a business is concerned.Its better to worry about how best to get returns on your investments than being  excessively standardized.
I guess thats all I have to say.All the best.

                                   Yours,Sincerely,
                            Umar Sa'ad Hassan

'BUHARI, PLEASE LET US ASK YOU....'

There are two types of bad Presidents.Ones that erroneously believe they are on the right track and ones that aren't even on any track at all.The first types are very much concerned with optics while wallowing in their illusion of a 'better day some day' because it is the only currency they believe can buy them patience while the second types just go with the flow.Their enthusiasm appears drained by the fact that they know they aren't headed anywhere and are stuck with a people who are stuck with them (Oh no, we don't do resignations here).
The appellation-'clueless' fits President Buhari more than it did President Jonathan.GEJ might be a lot of things but at least he had the nerve to answer to the Nigerian people.He hosted Presidential media chats at an average of once every 6 months.We didn't have to believe in his 'good work', he always popped up to defend it as best he could.Buhari on the other hand, has hosted just one in about a year and 5 months in office and what makes his situation quite anomalous is the fact that in such short period, Nigerians have had to contend with probably the worst suffering in the history of this country.From December 30 2015 when his maiden media chat held to this day, more questions have constellated than in the reign of any President in recent memory. Nigerians want to hear first-hand details of the confusion and indecisiveness involved in the handling of the fuel crisis.How he removed subsidy and reinstated it before finally bumping the price to N145.
We know to well that previous administrations mismanaged our funds and failed to diversify our economy.As a matter of fact, we are tired of being reminded by Buhari why we voted him in in the first place, he needs to tell us about concrete short and long term plans to walk us out of this mess and not bore us with what the PDP has or should have done.Accountability and Transparency were words that featured prominently in the APC   Presidential campaign. 
Even if Buhari were one to allow his work do all the talking for him, it has become imperative that he reverts to his mouth because the story his work tells is one of sheer ineptitude and utter incognizance.Nigerians have a lot of questions they need answered.With the current state of things, one would ordinarily expect PMB to go out of his way to create more avenues to interact and reassure Nigerians and not shy away from existing ones.
A leader with a clear vision and mission or at least one under an illusion he is such, would rigorously pursue our patience by any means necessary and 'Baba Clueless' doesn't seem any of the two.
In a nutshell, the President's relations with us in these trying times go mostly 1 of 2 ways:assurances to rid us of our problems without letting us in on how he intends to do that or heaping the blame on previous governments.
We just can't become big time agro-exporters and in just a year or two and expect it to replace or viably complement oil, it takes ample time and resources to make that happen.Quite frankly, the talk about agriculture is one every government before his seemed to have being 'passionate' about and if he doesn't lay different plans, he won't get a different result.
In his trademark confusionist approach to key issues, after reversing the Jonathan administrations's ban on rice importation through the land borders, he has gone on to re-instate the ban.I simply cannot understand how that makes sense at a time when Nigerians are facing untold hardship due to food scarcity.Well, they may be some sense to that but the President hasn't made himself available to enlighten us.
From where I stand, the PDP may have inflicted serious damage but Buhari seems to be compounding our problems.
While I understand his handlers  may be wary of his tendency to fumble under pressure, having watched him tell 'those christians to go and fight Boko Haram' when questioned about concerns over his decision to join a coalition of Arab states to fight terror and also shockingly refer to his appointment of Ibe Kachikwu (from Delta State) as a South-Eastern appointment amongst other things, they must understand a 'disconnect' will do him more harm than good because it gives the impression that he simply has no solutions to our problems and is scared of being asked questions.
For the good of both of us, Buhari please let us ask you.