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OPINION: Angels In Police Uniforms

Published

1 year ago

June 14, 2024

Tunde Odesola

His parents named him Edison – after an American – Thomas Edison, who invented the lightbulb, motion picture camera and the revolutionary music box known today as the turntable, among 1,093 patents. But no one calls him Ed(i)son, people call him Pelé, a name, which he initially rejected, long before the name became synonymous with soccer immortality.

Born Edson Arantes Do Nascimento, the name Pelé was borne out of a childhood joke a preteen friend cracked on the street of Três Corações, São Paulo. The joke was on Pelé. Like many nicknames are creations of error or mischief or both, some innovations like the Penicillin, microwave, fireworks, saccharin and potato chips were produced in error, too. But Pelé loved his nickname, Dico.

Call it rags-to-riches or grass-to-grace supplication, the thunderous reversal-of-fortune prayers by Nigerians in endless religious revivals, crusades and vigils underscore the country’s biting poverty amid government’s impotence. I’ve worshipped in white churches in the US, they don’t shout, “Fire! Fire! Kill them! Strike them! Destroy them!”

In church, Americans pray for the safety of their immediate community, national economy and prosperity, even as they express their desire to make paradise. Whether in church, at leisure or at work, many Americans have their guns tucked away under their car seats, that is, if the guns are not strapped in (concealed) holsters on their bodies.

Verily, I say unto you, brethren, the rejected name, Pelé, cannot become a global brand without hard work. When people seek the face of God in churches, mosques shrines etc, praying for their shame to be turned into fame through a ‘s’egan mi d’erin’ miracle, they should also work hard, face their fears, and not feed them.

Self-educated, Thomas Edison surely had his fears but he didn’t feed them. He believes hard work is superior to genius, and he crystallises his thought in this famous quote, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

In an interview, Pelé, the Brazilian soccer god, discloses the origin of his nickname in smattering English. “We used to say in Brazil, my name was Edson Arantes Do Nascimento because now everybody recognises only Pelé. If you say Edson in some place, nobody knows who he is. When I was around 8-9 years old, a little boy in the street called me Pelé.

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“For me, that time, it was ugly (the name Pelé), you know, because I got mad with him. I said, ‘Hey, my name is Edson, why you call Pelé? What you mean Pelé?’ Everybody starts to laugh. I don’t know if it was a joke, or (because) I did (something) wrong or (I got some) pronunciation wrong; nobody know up till now why (what it means). I just remember I fight with him; I was in the school, I got three day suspended because he called Pelé, (I) say my name is Edson, this ugly name I don’t like. But now, I like it because it’s an easy name to pronounce.”

Unofficial sources say owing to his innocence and thick Minas Gerais accent, Pelé mispronounced the name of Vasco de Sao Lourenco’s goalkeeper, Bilé, as Pilé, a slip his childhood friend wasn’t ready to overlook, dipping Pilé into the frying pan of mockery to make the world a sumptuous meal called Pelé.

Bilé the goalkeeper was a teammate of Pelé’s father, João Ramos do Nascimento, nicknamed Dondinho, who scored five headed goals in a match, a feat which Pelé publicly coveted but failed to achieve.

Regarded by fans as the king of jogo bonito – the beautiful game, Pelé, who was declared a national treasure by the Brazilian government in 1961, died of colon cancer complications in Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein hospital, on December 29, 2022, aged 82. His soul has been resting in peace thenceforth.

Though the Nigeria Police Force was established in 1930, its origin could be traced to Lagos, with the creation of a 30-man Consular Guard in 1861. Unlike the name Pelé, however, the name, Nigeria Police Force, wasn’t a product of an error. The naming of the force was deliberate.

Naming the nation’s foremost law enforcement agency the Nigeria Police Force wasn’t a brand blunder aka misbranding. However, you may describe the naming and its claims as puffery – a parlance in advertising that defines exaggerated and untrue claims about a product or service. The motto of the NPF, “The police is your friend,” comes to mind.

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Despite not supporting the revisionism change of the national anthem by the Bola Tinubu administration and being contemptuous of the CHANGE mantra the Muhammadu Buhari administration paid lip service to for eight years, an incident happened on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, which gave a ray of light that all hope is not lost in Nigeria.

On the fateful day, I was in company with my friend, Wole Adeniyi, a chartered accountant. We were coming from Ekiti State en route to Lagos when I decided to pay Osun a glancing visit. We had visited WEMA Bank and UBA in the city capital and were heading towards the Ajegunle area from Olonkoro when I urged Wole to indulge me pay an unscheduled visit to the Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, Dr Tunde Badmus, who lives in Osogbo.

As we neared the roundabout at Dugbe, vehicular traffic was building up. When we came within sight of the roundabout, I noticed policemen in an unmarked black colour mini bus popularly called ‘Korope’ were harassing a young driver of a black 2013 Toyota Camry in a heated argument.

“Kilo n sele,” I asked the young man as our vehicle snaked its way abreast of the scene. “They want to cheat mi ni o. They said I hit them, look at my car, look at their bus. They want to cheat me o!” I told the young man, “Don’t move, just stay right there. I’m coming.”

I turned to Wole, “Please, park.” “You said Asiwaju is likely to go and play golf. You will miss him,” gentleman Wole cautioned. “No, I won’t,” I stated, hopping out of the vehicle as Wole meandered in search of a place to park.

I walked back to the roundabout, took a look at the scene and it was as clear as a full moon on a starless night that the police vehicle was the one that hit the Camry. The armed policemen from the State Tactical Squad were telling the driver to move his car to the divisional police station which is just two blocks away. “Don’t move your vehicle,” I told the driver as I took many pictures and videos from different camera angles. The policemen took pictures, made some markings on the road and verbally added ‘obstruction of traffic and causing tension on the road’ to the numerous ‘offences’ of the Toyota driver, which included ‘wilful stopping of police vehicle bearing criminal suspects’.

A shouting match ensued. “You people are wrong. Your vehicle hit the Toyota from the side,” I told the policemen. “No, he hit us from behind,” they said. “If he hit you from behind, why is there no scratch at the back of your bus or the front of his car?” I asked. “Are you a policeman,” they responded, probing: “who are you sef, can you identify yourself? “I will identify myself to your commissioner,” I retorted.

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Just then, a clean man in mufti walked to the scene, inspected the two vehicles, took pictures, made some markings on the road and told the two parties to come to the nearby station with him so the rage on the road could abate. The young driver looked at me, I told him to drive the car to the station. Wole and I went back to our car and drove to the station.

At the station, the clean man in mufti, Mr Eyinade Ifeoluwa, whom I later identified as the Divisional Traffic Officer, conferred with the Divisional Police Officer, Mr Akinloye Oyegade, who came out to listen to both parties. Osun State PUNCH correspondent, Bola Bamigbola, joined the fray at this point.

After extensive talks, the DPO said the DTO had briefed him, adding that he was waiting for the Tactical Squad policemen who went to the state headquarters to return before he would make the result of police investigation on the case known.

Inside the station, Wole, Bola and I engaged the DPO and the DTO in further talks. I told them of the respect I have for the police, recalling my interventions on behalf of the police.

The next statement of the DPO moved me to tears. “As I said earlier, we have conducted our investigation and we know who’s at fault. Road accident investigation is the easiest thing to conduct for the police. I’m waiting for the policemen to come back from the state headquarters. They are the ones at fault. When they return, I’ll tell them the three options open to them: beg the driver, if he agrees, good; if he doesn’t agree, they will repair his car. If they don’t, I will take the next step.”

The policemen arrived from their assignment and the DPO told them they were at fault, giving them the options available. As they were talking with the driver, I left my phone number with the driver as I left the station.

Nigeria is redeemable.

Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com
Facebook: @Tunde Odesola
X: @Tunde_Odesola

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Trump Administration Proposes New Rule Limiting Nigerians, Others

Published

8 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

The Trump administration has unveiled a proposal that would restrict the length of time international students can remain in the United States for their studies.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the regulation, which is expected to be published on Thursday, would impose a four-year cap on student visas and other categories of temporary admissions.

According to Fox News, the DHS said the proposal is part of efforts to curb “visa abuse” and strengthen the government’s ability to “properly vet and oversee these individuals.”

It added that some students have “taken advantage of U.S. generosity” and become “forever” students by staying enrolled in colleges to prolong their residence.

“For too long, past Administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the U.S. virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing untold amount of taxpayer dollars, and disadvantaging U.S. citizens,” a DHS spokesperson stated.

“This new proposed rule would end that abuse once and for all by limiting the amount of time certain visa holders are allowed to remain in the U.S., easing the burden on the federal government to properly oversee foreign students and their history,” the spokesperson continued.

Currently, F visa holders may stay in the U.S. for the “duration of status,” meaning the period they are enrolled full-time. The new proposal would allow stays for the length of a programme but would not permit them to exceed four years, generally less than the time needed for postgraduate studies.

Foreign journalists would also be affected. Under the plan, they would receive an initial admission period of 240 days, with the possibility of a single extension for another 240 days, but not longer than their assignment.

The DHS said regular assessments would provide “proper oversight” and help reduce the number of people residing in the U.S. on temporary visas.

But education experts warned the measure could hurt universities financially. International students typically pay higher tuition and have fewer opportunities for scholarships, which contributes significantly to the financial support of American colleges.

“It will certainly act as an additional deterrent to international students choosing to study in the United States, to the detriment of American economies, innovation, and global competitiveness,” Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, said in a statement to Politico.

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Russia Hits Ukraine With ‘Massive’ Deadly Overnight Strikes

Published

12 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Russian forces launched a “massive” attack on Kyiv on Thursday, hitting the Ukrainian capital with strikes that killed at least four people and wounded around 30 others, Ukrainian officials said.

The attack came as Moscow and Kyiv traded blame over an impasse in diplomatic efforts towards a peace deal spearheaded by US President Donald Trump.

AFP journalists in Kyiv witnessed powerful explosions that illuminated the night sky and left behind a column of smoke.

Ukraine’s Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said the strikes killed four people and wounded “about 30 people.”

Those killed included a 14-year-old girl, while five children aged seven to 17 were among those who sustained “injuries of varying severity,” Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the city’s military administration, said.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the strikes as a “massive attack” that caused damage in several districts of the capital.

Tkachenko said Moscow had fired ballistic and cruise missiles as well as Iranian-designed Shahed drones from different directions to “systematically” target residential buildings.

Red tracer bullets sailed through the night sky in an effort to intercept drones above the city centre, an AFP journalist saw. At least one missile appeared to be shot down.

Around 100 people took refuge in a subway station, with some lying in sleeping bags and others holding their pets.

A five-story building in the Darnytsky district had collapsed, and a shopping mall was hit in the city centre, Klitschko reported.

– Ukrainian attacks on Russia –
Kyiv suffered one of its worst attacks of the over three-year war on July 31, leaving more than 30 people dead including five children.

Ukrainian officials also reported a Russian strike in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region on Thursday.

Russian authorities said they destroyed over 100 Ukrainian drones overnight. A Ukrainian attack sparked a fire at an oil refinery in the Krasnodar region but caused no casualties, according to local officials.

Russian forces have been slowly but steadily gaining ground in Ukraine in recent months, as diplomatic efforts have accelerated.

Trump held a high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this month, followed by a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and European allies.

But there has been little progress since then.

Before concluding any peace agreement, Ukraine wants security guarantees from the West to deter any future Russian attacks.

Moscow has cast Kyiv’s demands as unrealistic and has raised particular objection to the notion of stationing Western peacekeeping troops in Ukraine.

Zelensky said on Wednesday that members of his administration would meet with US officials in New York on Friday.

The Ukrainian leader said he saw “very arrogant and negative signals from Moscow regarding the negotiations”, urging extra “pressure” to “force Russia to take real steps”.

AFP

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Two US Pastors Arrested In $50m Human Trafficking, Fraud Case

Published

12 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Two church leaders in the United States have been arrested in an alleged multi-million-dollar conspiracy after multiple Federal Bureau of Investigation raids across the country on Wednesday, including one in Hillsborough County’s exclusive Avila neighborhood.

In a statement issued via its website on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice said Michelle Brannon, 56, was arrested at a mansion near Tampa, while David Taylor, 53, was arrested in North Carolina over allegations of multi-million dollar money laundering, forced labour and human trafficking.

According to the DOJ, Taylor and Brannon are the leaders of Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International.

The Justice Department said Taylor referred to himself as “Apostle” and to Brannon as his Executive Director.

FBI officials said law enforcement arrested Brannon early Wednesday at 706 Guisando De Avila in Hillsborough County, which is owned by the church, according to property records.

Investigators arrested Taylor on Wednesday morning in North Carolina, while SWAT and FBI agents also raided a hotel owned by the church in Houston.

A 10-count indictment alleged that Taylor and Brannon ran call centres in Florida, Texas, Missouri, and Michigan to solicit donations to the church.

The pair convinced their victims to work at the call centres and work for Taylor as personal servants – referred to as “armour bearers” – for long hours without pay, according to the indictment.

Federal investigators said Taylor and Brannon “controlled every aspect of the daily living of their victims,” who slept at the call centre or in a “ministry” house and were not allowed to leave without permission.

The indictment also says the suspects forced the victims to transport women to Taylor and ensure that those women took Plan B emergency contraceptives.

The church received about $50 million in donations through its call centres dating back to 2014, according to the DOJ.

Taylor and Brannon are accused of using much of that money to buy luxury properties, luxury vehicles, and sporting equipment such as boats, jet skis, and ATVs.

Taylor and Brannon face charges of forced labour, conspiracy to commit forced labour, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Each alleged crime carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan returned a 10-count indictment against two defendants for their alleged roles in a forced labour and money laundering conspiracy that victimised individuals in Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said the two defendants were arrested in North Carolina and Florida in a nationwide takedown of their forced labour organistion.

“Combating human trafficking is a top priority for the Department of Justice.

“We are committed to relentlessly pursuing and ending this scourge and obtaining justice for the victims,” he said.

Also speaking, U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan, said, “We will use every lawful tool against human traffickers and seek justice for their victims.

“A case like this is only possible through a concerted effort with our federal partners across the country and the non-governmental agencies who provide victim support. We thank them all.”

“The indictment of David Taylor and Michelle Brannon demonstrates the FBI’s steadfast efforts to protect the American people from human exploitation and financial crimes, including forced labour and money laundering.

“The alleged actions are deeply troubling. I want to thank the members of the FBI Detroit Field Office, with strong support from our federal and agency partners in the FBI Tampa Field Office, FBI Jacksonville Field Office, FBI St. Louis Field Office, FBI Charlotte Field Office, FBI Houston Field Office, and the Detroit IRS-CI Field Office, in addition to several local, county and state law enforcement partners, for their role in executing this multi-state operation.

“The FBI in Michigan will continue to investigate those who violate federal law and remain focused on ensuring the protection and safety of our nation,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman of the FBI Detroit Field Office.

“Money laundering is tax evasion in progress, and in this case, the proceeds funded an alleged human trafficking ring and supported a luxury lifestyle under the guise of a religious ministry.

“IRS-CI stands committed to fighting human trafficking and labor exploitation, and pursuing those who hide their profits gained from the extreme victimization of the vulnerable,” said Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of IRS Criminal Investigation, Detroit Field Office.

According to the DOJ, conspiracy to commit forced labour carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000, while forced labour carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.

It noted that conspiracy to commit money laundering carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $500,000 or twice the value of the properties involved in the money laundering transactions.

It was gathered that Brannon appeared in federal court in Tampa on Wednesday afternoon, but an attorney for Brannon wasn’t present.

A judge asked where her attorney was and whether she had representation.

Brannon told the judge that she had two private attorneys, out of St. Louis and Oklahoma, who were already working with them. However, she said she hadn’t heard from either of them.

The judge said the attorneys were not able to be reached through the phone numbers provided to federal prosecutors. It’s not clear if Brannon has legal representation at this point.

The judge continued Brannon’s hearing to Thursday afternoon. He instructed Brannon to find an attorney in the Tampa area in the meantime.