Aokpe Pilgrimage Centre, thrives as a tourist product in Nigeria

 

OREDOLA ADEOLA

Despite the low attention given to the development of tourism in Nigeria, promoters of tourism in the country have continued to sort themselves out by sojourning to different parts of the country discovering and promoting tourist products at their own expense.

One of such products that has attracted so much attention in recent times is AOKPE PILGRIMAGE CENTRE, a key religious and faith tourism site,
, located in Okpokwu Local Government area of Benue State. The centre is managed by the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo.

The authentication of Aokpe Pilgrimage Centre coincided with the 21st Special Day of Grace Anniversary of Our Lady of Aokpe Mediatrix of all Grace, held at the pilgrimage centre.

The centre became a tourist and pilgrim site, when the Blessed Mary, made an first appearance in October 1992 at Aokpe, to a 12 year old girl, Christiana Inegbu Agbo (the visionary). Apparently the then young Christian had no idea of “the beautiful and shinning lady” who made appearance to her on the day.

However, the appearance of the blessed Mary, mother of Jesus Christ all over the world, which is often called APPARATION, has reportedly happened in different Africa countries. The first acknowledged appearances were in Egypt where her images and shapes appeared on a wall for several nights. Another historic appearance was also recorded at Kibeho, in Rwanda. Since then Kibeno had since been consecrated as the a Marian site by Christians in that country.

Since about 23 years of consistent appearance of the Blessed Mary in Aokpo, with the recent appearance which occurred in September 2004, the centre has attracted millions of pilgrims and devotees, who converge at the site every August 4, declared as the Special Day of Grace by the blessed Mary, for worship and prayer.

 Besides the celebration of the supernatural appearances of the Blessed Mary, devotees also visited the site annually for  spiritual healings, divine encounter and deliverances. The most significant are the miracle of the Sun and healing from Holy Spring water. 

Having discovered the potential as a tourism site, tHE Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) has recognized and identified  the pilgrimage centre as a religious tourism site, worthy of recognition and onward publicity to attract more local and foreign pilgrims.

The Director-General of NTDC, Mrs Sally Mbanefo, while delivering her speech described the pilgrimage centre as one of the many credible religious tourism sites in Nigeria that need to be promoted within and outside the country. She observed that Kano State also has a religious tourism for Muslims (Edil - Moulud) as well.

Mbanefo said: "Aokpe Pilgimage Centre is our Jerusalem in Nigeria. You do not need to go to Israel for pilgrimage anymore. God has blessed us in Nigeria with one of the world's most privileged and blessed sites by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"The Aokpe itself, like so many apparition places, has continued to attract visitors and pilgrims from all walks of life since the activities of the pilgrimage centre hit the headlines in 1995 in Nigeria.

"Aokpe, an Idoma territory in Benue State has become the second largest town in the state due to the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary who appeared to the Visionary, Christiana Inebu Agbo in October 1992. Since then this place has become a religious pilgrimage centre for both Nigeria and foreign pilgrims who visit Aokpe for spiritual healings and genuine evidence of Christian fidelity and divine entrustment of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of all graces.

"Therefore, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation has recognised and identified Aokpe Pilgrimage Centre as a religious tourism site worthy of recognition and for onward publicity to attract more foreign pilgrims all over the world like Jerusalem in Israel. This will form part of religious tourism for NTDC like Shiloh and Redeemed Pilgrimage convention which holds in December every year in Ota and Lagos respectively and Edil – Moulud which holds in October yearly.

"In view of the importance of this site to the good people of Benue State, Aokpe Community in Ugbokolo, Okpokwu Local Government area in Benue State, and Nigeria at large, I hereby approve and authenticate Aokpe Pilgrimage Centre as Religious Tourism site under the Tourism Development Corporation Act, which encourages religious tourism in Nigeria."

The NTDC boss, while reiterating the NTDC's commitment to exploring tourism to ensure a sustainable growth to the nation's economy and human capacity development, and also, maintain high best practices in our operations in Nigeria, enjoined the Benue State government to intensify efforts at making the road to the pilgrimage centre motorable.

Meanwhile, the Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, in his keynote address noted that his administration is willing and ready to provide the necessary enabling environment for the realisation of authentication of Aokpe as a pilgrim centre.

Ortom who underscored the importance of pilgrimage to Christianity and Islamic religion, noted that if the volume of pilgrims who troop to Mecca, Jerusalem and Rome for pilgrimage vis-a-vis the monetary value on the economy of the countries can be replicated in Aokpe, "not only would the rural economy get a boost but the state and country at large would benefit from the multiplier effects of these."

The governor corroborating the fact that Aokpe apparition ground has become a prominent religious tourist destination which deserves international attention expressed optimism that NTDC would project the site as a credible and must-visit pilgrimage centre.

Ortom lauded the efforts of the Sally Mbanefo-led administration for promoting domestic tourism, adding that "Your choice of visiting Aokpe at this time is most appropriate, when Nigeria is currently experiencing economic hardship as a result of dwindling oil revenue. As such the time has come for a diversification of the economy from the mono-oil economy to a multi-economy and, tourism is seen as one of the preferred sectors.

The Mbanefo-led administration is practically championing the promotion of tourism in Nigeria with domestic tourism as a viable catalyst.

Benue State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Sekav Dzua Iyortyom, appreciated the efforts of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation for adopting and encouraging the pilgrimage centre as a tourist site on the Nigerian Tourism Map.

Iyortyom, represented by Benue State Director of Tourism, Mrs Dooter Ajoko, expressed optimism that "The world would also come to Aokpe just as we go to Israel and Mecca for Pilgrimage. God has provided for us what we have been praying for, and we shall make sure we sustain it."

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Facebook hits 1 Billion in a single day

OREDOLA ADEOLA

Mark Zuckerberg , the founder of Facebook, has revealed that for the first time ever, one billion people used Facebook in a single day.

The Editorials, exclusively obtained this from Zuckerberg who disclosed that earlier on Monday, August 24, 1 in 7 people on Earth used Facebook to connect with their friends and family.

He said, ‘’When we talk about our financials, we use average numbers, but this is different. This was the first time we reached this milestone, and it's just the beginning of connecting the whole world.

‘‘I'm so proud of our community for the progress we've made. Our community stands for giving every person a voice, for promoting understanding and for including everyone in the opportunities of our modern world.

‘‘A more open and connected world is a better world. It brings stronger relationships with those you love, a stronger economy with more opportunities, and a stronger society that reflects all of our values.

He however thanked the subscribers to his social media platform for being part of the Facebook community, for everything they have contributed to helping the medium reach the milestone.

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TUNDE FOWLER… the stylish tax master

OREDOLA ADEOLA

TUNDE Fowler’s appointment as FIRS boss, is one of the many appointments made by President Mohammadu Buhari, which some of the critics described as credible. According to them, he is a round peg in a round hole.

Fowler, who headed the Lagos State Inland Revenue Service for almost 10 years, is a quintessential tax collector. His track record remains unmatched among tax administrators in Nigeria.

The Editorials, gathered that during his period as LIRS boss, he helped to grow the internal revenue of Lagos state, which has grown to more than double the federal allocations to the state. He transformed LIRS into a money spinning agency, from about N1billion when he was appointed in November 2005 to about N23 billion monthly in 2014.

Having served as LIRS boss, for almost a decade, he brought into the service, transparency and seeming accountability. He is a core professional dreaded by tax defaulters in the state.

He introduced a model in tax administration and development which increase the state’s tax base astronomically. This has insulated the state from the impact of the country’s dwindling revenue from crude oil sales. He stopped the agency’s staff from collecting cash from tax payers. He introduced a reform where tax payers directly pay their dues into a special account operated by the agency.

As the former LIRS boss, usually avail all the legal means at his disposals to collect tax revenue on behalf of the state. It was under his administration that Alpha Beta, a tax audit agency, allegedly owned by Bola Tinubu, was consulted by LIRS as a consultant to coordinate the data of those under the tax obligations.

He is known as a radical tax master, by the cult of Lagos big boys and high net worth individuals in the formal sector, i.e professionals, who often don’t remit their taxes to the state. These categories of people, avoid him as they often don’t like to be caught in his web. He and his boys are feared like Nazi Zombies. The gossip about him is that ‘at the mention of Fowler, every CEO/MDs must bow.’  

Beyond his track records, as a seasoned banker and principled tax master, his administration as LIRS boss, was marred with so many controversies which led to some of his controversial resignations.

He was also criticized for his brazen love for flamboyant things of life. This became evident when he gave his daughter, Funke and her husband, Abiodun Kuku, a glitzy wedding bash in United Arab Emirate, UAE in 2011. He was alleged to have used tax payers’ money to charter the flight which took 300 guests to Dubai for the wedding reception. This action placed his hard-earned track record in spot light leading to the rift between him and Governor Fashola.

Fowler is also admired by most Lagos big girls, who swirl around him like bees around a hive. You get the tax man’s call for a dinner, YOU ARE MADE. The gossip about him is, ‘FOWLER ROCKS’. High society reporters fondly tag him ‘money man’, for his ideal to taste and audacious lifestyle.

He flaunts fleet of exotic cars and boat worth millions of naira, which makes Lagos big boys jerk. He is not a time waster when it comes to acquiring choice luxury items, that money can buy. He some staff of the agency who are privy to his assets, disclosed to Editorials, that Fowler owns attractive buildings across different locations in Lagos state.

Immediately after his appointment, controversy has also raged over his questionable Honourary degree following concern raised by bloggers over the credibility of the certificate as the school mentioned in his credentials presented to the president for scrutiny stated

  

  

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HOW OBASANJO, VIRGIN ATLANTIC AND GREED KILLED NIGERIA AIRWAYS

By Nwachukwu Okafor

MR PRESIDENT , I must confess that I am one of those who were surprised by your long-pursued election. Your dexterity in fighting for what you believed in for so many years has inspired many Nigerians including myself. Since that historic election, I have paid a very close attention to the man and his message.

One of your first messages which was delivered in the second week after the election was that in 16 years the previous administrations which was run by the People's Democratic Party PDP, destroyed all the major employers of labour, you mentioned; Nigeria Airways Limited, Nigerian Shipping Line and Nigeria Railway Cooperation.

This particular message resonated with me, for I was one of those that were chased out of Nigeria's Airways Limited by agents of the state who placed the gates of the company under lock and key, thereby destroying the collective aspirations of many Nigeria and sending a lot of people to their early deaths.

A lot of lies have been told about why the Airline was liquidated by those who destroyed it. They said the Airline was heavily indebted and her operations were being mismanagedand therefore there was no need to put more money it. That is very far from the truth! Recently, Nigerians read in the papers about recommendations advising Mr. President, that indebted private airlines should be formed into a National Airline. Such life line was never extended to Nigeria Airways Limited before her liquidation. That notwithstanding, the recommendation will portend grave injustice to Nigerians and will be a grave mistake which this government cannot afford. I shall return to this later.

Nigeria Airways Limited: The Golden Geese When Nigeria Airways was formed in 1958, after separation from West African Airways Corporation (WAAC), it was to provide Air Transportation and also serve as a backup to the Nigerian Air force. Over the years, NAL performed these functions very creditably supporting troop movements, sports delegations hajj uplifts, cash movements by the CBN etc. Often times the Airlines services were never paid for, but NAL continued to fulfill the aspirations and mandates of her shareholder the Federal Government of Nigeria. Unfortunately, as the years went by there was no effort by successive administrations to re-fleet the Airline and NAL began to lack capacity, but never capability for among her staff were the best trained aviators any country can boast of.

What The President Needs to Know It has been said, that as at the time of her forced liquidation, that NAL was indebted to the tune of millions of dollars. This is a lie that has been propagated by those who had other reasons to liquidate the Airline. The biggest debt which NAL owed at a time was to Equator Leasing Cooperation(ELC). The amount of the debt was for $31 million, which resulted from nonpayment of lease rentals of a DC-10 aircraft which NAL leased from ELC. I can authoritatively report that the debt was paid by the General Abdul salami Abu-Bakr administration. Details of this transaction still exist with the Nigerian High Commission.

The final document was signed off by the High Commissioner and the money was released from the Federal Government accounts in London. The truth is that as the time that Nigeria Airways was liquidated, the only debts being owed were trade debts which are current operational debts.

It is a known fact that NAL was the biggest real estate investor of all government Agencies. As at the time of her liquidation NAL owned about 300 prime properties scattered all over the world. The last valuation performed by ODUDU AND COMPANY, a real estate firm in Nigeria (valued the properties at billions of naira), yet the company was sold. Some of these properties included the large expanse of land beside Arch Bishop Vinning church in Ikeja G.R.A, including the Ikeja golf course.

They also included properties that were returned by the General Abacha family after the General's death. NAL had about five choice properties on Kwairanga Street in Kano, the same street where the General lived. Some of these properties were sold to the General's representatives by NAL Management under a directive from the Ministry of Aviation. When the General died NAL approached the representatives and these properties were released. Now those properties were part of what was sold in the forced liquidation of NAL, yet Nigerians are yet to be told how much was realized from these sales.

Mr. President Sir, in 1998, the then management of NAL, decided to create five profit centers from the core business of the Airline. Five companies were set up. These included the following:

SKYPOWER AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY (SAHCOL) SKYPOWER HOTEL AND CATERING SERVICES (SKYCATER still in existence) SKYPOWER PROPERTIES LIMITED(SKYPOL) and, SKYPOWER PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED(SKYPRINT). These companies were set up to be fully owned subsidiaries of NAL. They were asked to fend and survive their own. One of these companies, SAHCOL became very successful and at a time was adjudged the best managed Government owned Company by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

This particular money earner was sold by the past administration as part of the liquidated assets of NAL and is now in private hands and till date Nigerians' are yet to be told exactly how much the company was sold for and what the money realized, was used for. The accounting firm of Babington Ashaye & company were appointed liquidators of NAL and disposed of all assets of NAL but not her liabilities especially to the staff.

This Firm took over all assets all NAL including over 300 real estate, which were all sold. These assets were one of the main reasons why NAL was prematurely liquidated! Since Government is the single share holder of NAL, her assets therefore belongs to the Government and the Nigerian people. The liquidators of NAL are duty bound to account to Nigerians about their investments.

NAL's Staff Emoluments The airlines staff were among the best in the world of aviation. They included members of the elite Presidential fleet who flew Nigerian Presidents from the days of President Gowon. Some of them are still in service, yet some were allowed to die unsung by a Government they dedicated their lives to.

A case in point is Captain Abdullahi Shehu, a first class Pilot who served several years on the Presidential fleet but died at the Ilorin General Hospital for lack adequate medical care. He is eminently qualified for a posthumous Presidential honour. Since the liquidation ofNAL,Nigeria have lost over 400 professional Aviators who served in the Airline but were refused their due by the Government. The government of President Shehu Musa Yaradua paid five years salary arrears to the staff, with promise to pay the balance, but he did not live to fulfill that promise.

If the proceeds of the liquidation of NAL are to be properly accounted for, it will be enough to pay the benefits and set up another airline without taking money from the government coffers.

Involvement of Virgin Atlantic and Other Vested Interests Mr. President, the traffic pattern between Lagos and London is for upper class passengers who fly British Airways Limited, the Middle class passengers and others who flew Nigeria Airways limited, Virgin Atlantic and the rest. The competition was actually between British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Their battle ground however shifted to NAL, Lagos -London route being by far one of the most lucrative routes of these airlines. When Virgin started making overtures to the government to partner with NAL, British Airways fought back and went as far as letting NAL fly one of her Aircraft for free.

Nigeria AirwaysManagement resisted this intrusion by Virgin Atlantic using our Government. The Managements warning about the true intentions of Virgin Atlantic fail on deaf government ears and NAL was forced to go into a forced marriage with Virgin Atlantic. The predatory business practices of the Virgin Mamagement were one of the final straws that destroyed the Airline. With Nigeria Airways out of the way, Virgin Management sold another dummy called Virgin/Nigeria to the government. Thiscontraption was never planned to fly as the agreement was skewed to fail and fail it did.This cleared the way for two predatory Airlines from Britain to occupy the Nigerian airspace without any competition whatsoever!

The Advice of The Handover Commitment Nigerians learnt from the pages of Newspapers that this committee advised that some local airlines which are heavily indebted should be formed into a National Airline; this will be a huge mistake and shows a lack understanding of the aviation industry by the members of the Committee. Several questions needed to addressed. · What will become of the huge debts of these airlines? · Will they relinquish their shares to the Government? · What about their labor issues, will the government pay off their staff before paying off NAL staff who actually worked for the Government?

These and several other questions are reasons why this recommendation is not workable. In the very recent past they Government of Nigeria invested over NGN35 billion in a private Airline called NICON Airline from the so called Aviation Intervention Fund. That Airline is now history yet, they promoters are yet to account for the money they received from the government

THE NEED FOR A NATIONAL AIRLINE The President recognized theneed for National Airline in the second week after his historic elections and I will amplify them. The return on investment(ROI) in the aviation industry hovers around 13-15%, yet countries continue daily to shore up their national carriers for reasons that I will mention a few bellow:

Nigerians are travelers. They are the darling of most airlines and that is why most of the Airlines will use every diplomatic muscle to come to Nigeria. Nigeria is also mainly a cash economy, so people daily buy ticket with cash. These monies are then moved out of Nigeria by these foreign Airlines without investing anything in the economy. A national Airline will retain these funds in Nigeria.It's estimated that capital flight in the Aviation industry will reach over N350 billion by the end of 2015. Nigeria can no longer afford such wanton exploitation of our airspace!

A national airline will invest in adequate manpower development for the industry. That was one of the duties performed by NAL and today all those trained by NAL are either dying off or becoming old. So we are left with the importation of manpower for a sensitive industry such as aviation, without any care as to the various implications especially to our national security.

A national airline brings in tourists and businessmen who in turn, bring in much needed foreign exchange to support the economy. This is why the British Government supports British Airways; KLM is supported by The Netherlands, Air FRANCE by the French Government, Emirate Airline by the UAE,Lufthansa by the Germans, Ethiopian and Egyptians Airlines by their respective governments. Nigeria should follow the examples of theses developed economies that support their national airlines, with the attendant and accruable benefits to the country.

Hard Facts About the Aviation Industry's Capacity to Boost the Economy and Provide over 100,000 Jobs in the Next (5) Years The Oxford Economics in their report on the Nigerian Aviation industry gave the following facts,

"The aviation sector contributes NGN 119 billion (0.4%) to Nigerian GDP. This total comprises: NGN 59 billion directly contributed through the output of the aviation sector (airlines, airports and ground services); NGN 34 billion indirectly contributed through the aviation sector's supply chain; and NGN 27 billion contributed through the spending by the employees of the aviation sector and its supply chain. In addition there is NGN 78 billion in catalytic benefits through tourism, which raises the overall contribution to NGN 198 billion or 0.6% of GDP.

Major Employer The aviation sector supports 159,000 jobs in Nigeria. This total comprises: 44,000 jobs directly supported by the aviation sector; 64,000 jobs indirectly supported through the aviation sector's supply chain; and 51,000 jobs supported through the spending by the employees of the aviation sector and its supply chain. In addition there are a further 130,000 people employed through the catalytic (tourism) effects of aviation.

High Productivity Jobs The average air transport services employee generates NGN 3.5 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) annually, which is nearly seven times more productive than the average in Nigeria.

Contribution to public finances The aviation sector pays over NGN 8.5 billion in tax including income tax receipts from employees, social security contributions and corporation tax levied on profits, with a further NGN 17.0 billion of revenue coming from VAT on domestic and international flights originating in Nigeria. It is estimated that an additional NGN 8.9 billion of government revenue is raised via the aviation sector's supply chain and another NGN 7.1 billion through taxation of the activities supported by the spending of employees of both the aviation sector and its supply chain.

The above are bare facts about this hugely neglected industry. The truth will become more apparent when we have a national carrier. The verifiable estimation is that if run properly a new national carrier will generate an additional 100 000 jobs in the next five (5) years". The above facts and much more are part of the reasons why Mr. President should urgently fix this industry.

Investment/Hidden Funds in Aviation The big question will be about the source of funds assuming the Federal Government decides to embark on this venture. I have shown that when the proceeds of NAL'S liquidation are accounted for, the Government will realize enough money to invest in this new venture. In addition to the above is the issue of BILATERAL AIR SERVICES AGREEMENTS BETWEEN NIGERIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES (BASA). Air spaces are valuable property owned by the Government. Where country A decides to fly into country B's airspacesix times a week, countryB must be able to fly into country A's the same equal times as B. If for any reason country B cannot fully use her capacity which is called frequency in aviation and A is doing more flights than B, such excess frequency are monetized.The details of these agreements and much more are what is contained in Bilateral Air Services Agreements between one country and another and is known as BASA.

Before the liquidation of NAL,she was in charge of Nigeria's BASA rights and moneys accruing from these rights came to NAL. With the liquidation of NAL, the Ministry of Aviation assumed this responsibility. The money is warehoused at the Central Bank of Nigeria with certain percentage of the proceeds going to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA. The funds in this account runs into millions of dollars and this is verifiable. Assuming that the Government cannot find funds, BASA money is more than enough to start two new Airlines!

Yet, there are better alternatives. Nigeria is a country that is blessed with so much intelligent and brilliant minds. In these group you find entrepreneurs who given the right incentives will invest with the government to give Nigeria a befitting National Airline. Government's equity will come in form of her BASA rights and provision of Sovereign guarantees. These guarantees will assist the new start up airline to access funds from so many finance agencies that are ready to advance funds to institutions giving the right parameters. These institutions include but are not limited to the following:

 AFREXIM BANK (A PAN AFRICAN BANK BASED IN CAIRO) · BOEING FINANCE CORPERATION · AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK ADB and; Several other leasing agencies across the world. There are many other financial arrangements and scenarios which can be used to access funds from the international financial market for projects such as this. In conclusion, I have shown that the decision to liquidate NAL were for reasons that were very inimical to the economic well being and corporate existence of Nigeria.

I have also shown that proper accounting of proceeds from NAL'S liquidation can settle her staff benefits and set up a new National carrier. I have also provided alternative sources of financing which are practicable and will help Mr. President bequeath a functional and sustainable aviation industry to generations yet unborn.

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June 12: "Why Ooni Betrayed MKO Abiola......"- Oba Sikiru Adetona

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The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade’s role in the aftermath of the annulment of the 1993 presidential election is widely thought to have been less than noble. In Awujale, the recently released autobiography of Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Sijuade’s connivance with those who annulled the election is brought into sharp focus

His position as the most revered traditional ruler in Yorubaland has not innoculated Oba Okunade Sijuade Olubuse 11, the Ooni of Ife, from public scorn. Since 1993, much of the mystique around him has been eroded, largely through the carnage sparked by the controversial annulment of the 1993 presidential election, aka June 12. Oba Sijuade came out of the annulment saga with grave reputational injuries from which he is yet to, and may not, recover, given the decision of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, to re-invite public attention to Sijuwade’s role in one of the most grotesque episodes in Yoruba and Nigerian history.

The medium chosen by Oba Adetona is Awujale, his recently released autobiography, in which the 11th chapter is dedicated to the annulment and the struggle for the de-annulment of the election won by the late Chief M.K.O Abiola.

In Awujale, Adetona presents what can hardly be described as a worm’s eye view. And in the book, the Ooni does not come out smelling like roses. As one of the most prominent Yoruba traditional rulers, Adetona was regularly invited to meetings with General Ibrahim Babangida, the military president that annulled the election and installed an Interim National Government, ING, headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan.

As the widespread anger provoked by the annulment and Babangida’s ING contraption raged, the former military president hoped to limit the damage to his reputation and that of his government, appealing to leaders from all the country’s geo-political zones, especially the South-West, which felt wounded because of Abiola.

For one of those meetings in Abuja, writes Adetona in Awujale, he arrived on a Thursday. The meeting was to hold the next day. While in his hotel room on the day of arrival, Adetona called the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, to say that there was a need for a meeting of Yoruba traditional rulers, where they could arrive at a common position to be presented at the next day’s meeting with Babangida. Adeyemi agreed. Adetona then suggested that there was also a need to inform the Ooni and asked Adeyemi to accompany him to Sijuwade’s room.

Adeyemi, however, was not keen because of the rivalry, over superiority, between him and the Ooni. Eventually, he gave in. The late Oba Adeyinka Oyekan, Oba of Lagos, was also informed. He agreed that a meeting was required, but refused to accompany them to the Ooni’s suite. However, he said he would support whatever position the meeting adopted.

In the Ooni’s suite, Adetona and Adeyemi met the Ife monarch dining with Alhaji Ado Bayero, Emir of Kano. Another Yoruba monarch, Oba Frederick Aroloye, the Owa of Idanre, writes Adetona, sat in a corner. When the two dining monarchs finished their meals, they went into the Ooni’s room for a discussion, after which the Ooni came out to meet Adetona and Adeyemi.

“When we told the Ooni the purpose of our meeting, he said he had met the Northern Emirs. Their position was the same as ours. We asked how and he said that they wanted a fresh meeting to be called of the Council of State along with us. The Council of State, as enshrined in the constitution, has powers to advise the President,” Adetona writes.

But what the Northern traditional rulers wanted was not exactly what the Yoruba monarchs wanted.

“Our mandate from the Yorubas was that the election had been concluded and our son was clearly the winner. So, all we wanted was that they should just simply release the results,” the author explains.

Adetona then insisted that if a Council of State meeting was to be called, it should be for the purpose of ensuring that the election was de-annulled and the wish of the people respected. The Ooni agreed. But the Alaafin, writes Adetona, said there was no need for another meeting because the key members of the Council had already expressed their opposition to the annulment.

When Adetona and the Alaafin left the Ooni, they went to discuss seating arrangements for the next day’s meeting with the other Yoruba traditional rulers. Apparently suspicious that the Ooni could switch positions, the monarchs agreed that they would sit in a way that would ensure that the Ife monarch was hemmed between two of them “so as to forestall any wavering of position.”

The planned sitting arrangement was foiled. As the traditional rulers walked into the venue of the meeting, they found seats that bore each attendee’s name. Babangida came in, explained the position of the government and sought reactions from his audience. The first came from Ibrahim Dasuki, then Sultan of Sokoto, who said very little apart from accusing the government of using traditional rulers to quell crises brought upon the nation by the government itself.

He suggested that Babangida should invite members of the Council of State to join the traditional rulers in the discussion of the annulment. The Ooni was the next to speak and presented the position of the Yoruba obas: declaration of Abiola as the winner.

It was something the meeting had not expected. “You could have heard a pin drop,” writes Adetona. Next was Bayero, who expressed no opposition to what the Ooni said, but called for a fresh Council of State meeting. After him spoke the Oba of Benin, who condemned the annulment and rejected calls for a Council of State meeting.

The natural rulers continued turning the heat on Babangida. According to Adetona, Gbong Gwon Jos, the late Chief Fom Bot, told the meeting that he could not return to his domain if Babangida did not to de-annul the election, as his subjects had demanded, and asked the former president to find accommodation for him in Abuja. A traditional ruler from the South-East, Adetona writes, was more dramatic, telling Babangida to quit as president. “Please go. Please go,” he shouted.

Then Babangida cut in, explaining that the decision to annul or de-annul was not solely his, but that of the military heirachy. He kept on calling on others to speak, but the obas observed that he was calling only people who sat to his right. The obas sat to his left. This drew a protest from the Alaafin, who Babangida was forced to ask to speak.

The Oyo monarch insisted that another Council of State meeting was needless because the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, a member, was out of the country, while some other key members had expressed their disapproval of the annulment in the media. Other traditional rulers told Babangida that he should save the country from a huge crisis by respecting the wishes of Nigerians.

Then, Babangida attempted one more throw of the dice. In a somewhat emotional tone, he told the meeting how close he and Abiola were. His government, he added, had paid Abiola hefty debts owed him by previous regimes. The sum, Babangida said, was about $600million. The scent of money scrambled a particular royal head–the Ooni’s.

“When he heard this piece of information, the Ooni became angry and said something to the effect that if Babangida paid him (Ooni) that much, he would be living on the Island of Capri in Italy,” Adetona writes.

Sijuade then got up to go to the toilet. Adetona followed, spewing criticisms at his fellow oba for going against what the Yoruba traditional rulers had agreed on. After the meeting, watched by Uche Chukwumerije, Information Secretary in the Interim National Government, the Ooni told journalists that he was in support of Babangida’s position that a fresh election should be held and that the obas should return to their domains and tell their people to prepare for the election.

Adetona thought he had not heard Ooni right. “To assure myself that what I heard was true, I invited one of the reporters, who was there when the Ooni was speaking to my room. This was a reporter from The Nigerian Tribune. Fortunately, the Alaafin was with me when the reporter played the tape for us. We were stunned,” the Awujale writes.

From his hotel room, the Ooni called Adetona on the intercom and announced gleefully that he had told the world (through the media) of the Yoruba position. Adetona replied that he was not sure that Sijuwade’s claim was correct. Adetona, accompanied by the Alaafin and the reporter, went over to Sijuade’s room. The Ooni repeated his claim that he presented the Yoruba position to the press.

He was instantly put to shame, when the reporter was asked to play his tape, which contained the opposite of Ooni’s claim. Adetona and the Alaafin then pressured Ooni into granting another interview, restating the position of the Yoruba. He did and the reporter was asked to take the interview to media houses for publication the next day. The interview was published by newspapers the next day, but Chukwumerije had caused the first interview to be used on the network news of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA.

In the book, the Awujale was unsparing in his attack on former Nigerian leader, Olusegun Obasanjo. He described him as a Judas, “who would betray his people,” who lacks credibility and squandered “the enormous goodwill,” which he carried into office “with a performance that left him with a second term short of tangible achievements.”

Oba Adetona recalled an event on 24 July 2002, the late Abraham Adesanya’s 80th birthday in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, when in a ride with Obasanjo to a makeshift helipad he told Obasanjo how disappointed he had become over Obasanjo’s pussy-footing on the issue of federalism. “This was the dividing line for me in our relationship,” Awujale recalled and

Adesanya’s birthday presented an opportunity for him to tell Obasanjo how he felt about him, when they rode together in a Mercedes Benz limousine, with former Ogun governor, Olusegun Osoba, as witness. “It was going to be a short trip but I had something to say and so it had to be said quickly enough while the three of us shared some privacy. I said there was a time when I had trusted Obasanjo so much so that I could swear by his name, but that the trust was now gone. Obasanjo asked why. I answered that Obasanjo was no longer credible.” The Oba recalled further in the book, that at another time when he visited Obasanjo in Aso Rock, Obasanjo revisited their earlier conversation during which he told the Awujale, accusatorily, that he painted him a Judas. Awujale reconfirmed the labeling according to his account.

“I told him that I not only remembered but still maintained that he was a Judas who would betray his people…I had no qualms about speaking plainly to him. In high office, people who surround leaders tend to skirt around the truth,” Awujale wrote.

The Awujale was clearly not impressed by Obasanjo’s tenure as Nigeria’s leader. ‘‘Eight years in office was ample time to put electricity on a very strong footing. Eight years was enough to put down a strong foot against corruption and make a clear difference. Eight years was adequate for orderliness and the rule of law to triumph in every facet of our society. These were the basis upon which I gave my support for the office,” he submitted.

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