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OPINION: Now That Natasha Has Made Akpabio Happy
By Festus Adedayo
In South Africa under the presidency of Jacob Zuma, any analysis of government and governance without factoring sex into the mix was tame and lame. Zuma was a notorious polygamist who had six official wives as president, many more by unofficial account and 22 children from the liaisons. He was a kingpin of lechery. On May 8, 2006, a South African court under Judge van der Merwe acquitted him of rape of Fezekile Ntsukela Kuzwayo, an HIV-positive AIDS activist, who was the daughter of his friend, Judson Kuzwayo. During trial, Zuma pleaded that the sex was consensual but admitted that he had unprotected sex with the lady. He then stunned the world with his bizarre claim that he had “showered afterwards to cut the risk of contracting the infection.”
In the process of studying power relations in Nigeria, sex as a phenomenon is often understudied or underrated. In other words, while power relations are known to be shaped by a complex interplay of factors that range from the economic, political, social, to the cultural, including individual characteristics and relationship dynamics, hardly are gender and sex reckoned with.
In my piece of March 6, 2022 with the title, Buhari’s Serial Rape Of Nigeria’s Lady Justice, I doubled down on a sub-theme of the powerful role sex plays in national politics. To do justice to this, I recalled a September 7, 2008 cartoon sketched by Jonathan Shapiro, award-winning cartoonist with the Johannesburg-based Sunday Times whose cartoon identity was Zapiro. I illustrated the piece with a submission that though political cartooning may look harmless, it can be nerve-racking, provoking the bile of political office holders and triggering a huge political umbrage in the process. This cartoon triggered a huge ball of fire in South Africa. Named ‘Rape of Lady Justice’, in it, Zuma, who was then leader of the African National Congress (ANC), and later to become president, was seen loosening his trousers’ zippers for a sexual romp. On his head was a shower cap. Before him, flung on the bare floor, was a blindfolded lady with a lapel inscribed, “Justice System” hung on her chest.
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Four hefty and menacing-looking men knelt by the Lady Justice’s side, holding down the “wench”, whose skirt was half peeled off. They were political surrogates of Zuma in the ANC, which included Julius Malema, then leader of the ANC Youth League. The scale of justice had fallen down beside the Lady Justice, with one of the men smilingly beckoning on Zuma to clamber her, muttering, “Go for it, boss!”
That cartoon shot Zuma into a fit. Indeed, he immediately sued Zapiro for the sum of £700,000. Massive reactions followed it, ranging from the condemnatory to the laudatory. The ANC, SACP and ANC Youth League pilloried it as “hate speech,” “disgusting” and “bordering on defamation of character” and then petitioned the South African Human Rights Commission for redress.
I went into all these dogo turenchi, just as I did in another piece I wrote on February 6, 2022, to ask that we must not underrate the power of sex in high places. In that February piece, I borrowed a line from Irish poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde, who said, “everything in the world is about sex, except sex. Sex is about power”. With it, I submitted that the Wilde theory should tell us that there is an intersection between gender, sexual power and political power. This was further escalated by renowned scholar, Prof Wale Adebanwi, in one of his journal articles, where he submitted that “the African man of power must display or exhibit his virility – particularly sexual virility.” In the same vein, Zimbabwean journalist and blogger, Fungai Machirori, urged us to study the sexual histories of our men in power because, from the rhythm of their silently dangling penises, we may find a compass to their politics.
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Last Thursday, the ghost of the spat between Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and senator representing Kogi West, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, will seem to have rested. In the relations of power in the senate, on that day, Akpabio, it will seem, had succeeded in showing Akpoti-Uduaghan that, as bland-looking as the old Nigerian pence looked, it was not a currency to be trifled with by the Kobo coin (Bí tọrọ ṣe yọ to, kíì s’ẹgbẹ Kọbọ). Not only was she suspended for six months for violating senate rules and bringing the senate “to public opprobrium”, her salary and security details were withdrawn while her office would be locked during the pendency of the suspension.
If you watched the senate proceedings leading to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, you would be sorry for Nigeria. Then, African-American Sterling Brown would come to your mind, just as you visualize Jonathan Shapiro’s cartoon in Akpabio figuratively loosening his trousers’ zippers for a forceful sexual romp with the Lady Justice. With same lens, you would see Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, Adenigba Fadahunsi and other fawning senators holding down the “wench”, smilingly beckoning Akpabio to “Go for it, boss!”
Like Africans, African-Americans grew to know the wisdom which teaches that injustice is a furnace that burns and destroys. The life of Sterling Brown, professor at America’s Howard University, folklorist, poet and literary critic, was chiefly dedicated to studying black culture. In one of his poems entitled “Old Lem,” Brown wrote about mob violence and injustice which black people suffered in the hands of the American criminal justice system. American writer and civil rights activist, James Baldwin’s ‘The Fire Next Time’ also speaks to this theme. In the America of the time, black parents, aware of the danger of their blackness and the violence and death they could suffer, deployed folklore to cushion them, even as they told stories that depicted their skewed realities.
There was this famous folklore told to African-American children while growing up. Entitled “Old Sis Goose,” it goes thus, as I reproduce it verbatim: One day, “while swimming across a pond, Sis Goose got caught by Brer Fox. Sis gets pissed off because she believes that she has a perfect right to swim in the pond. She decides to sue Brer Fox. But when the case gets to court, Sis Goose looks around and sees that besides the Sheriff who is a fox, the judge is a fox, the prosecuting and defence attorneys are ones too and even the jury is comprised entirely of foxes. Sis Goose doesn’t like her chances. Sure enough at the end of the trial, Sis Goose is convicted and summarily executed. Soon, the jury, judge, Sheriff and the attorneys are picking on her bones.”
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The morals of this old anecdote are two. One, as encapsulated in one of the lines of Apala musician, Ayinla Omowura’s track, is that, if you do not have a representative in a council where your matter will be decided, even if you are right, you would be adjudged guilty. The second moral is that, if the courthouse is filled with foxes and you are an ordinary, lonely goose, there will be no justice for you.
In the senate last week, Akpoti-Uduaghan was Sis Goose who looked around and saw that, beside the judge, Akpabio who is a fox, the prosecuting and defence attorneys were all foxes, too. Even the jury is comprised entirely of foxes. Though they appeared as unbiased umpire senators, they were flesh-starved foxes baying for blood of the hapless little Goose. And Sis Goose was summarily executed.
First, we must realize that, just like other Nigerian institutions, the power, glory, graft and corruption at the beck and call of Akpabio’s senate presidency is breathtakingly awesome and humongous. Don’t mind his suffocation of these agencies in his most times nauseating jokes, Akpabio has the power to literally turn anyone’s night into day. If you enter his senate as a pauper and find favour in his ego, you could upstage Mansa Musa, ninth Mansa of the Mali empire’s wealth. Owing to this largesse in his hands, as ants gravitate towards the pee of a diabetic, the senate president has the pleasure of a humongous number of solicited and unsolicited fawners and senatorial Oraisa (praise-singers) and hangers-on.
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NYSC Deploys 1,900 Corps Members To Bauchi State
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has deployed 1,900 corps members to Bauchi State for the 2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream II orientation exercise.
Mr Kufre Umoren, NYSC State Coordinator, told journalists on Tuesday in Bauchi, that registration would be conducted from Sept. 24 to Sept. 26, at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Wailo in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state.
He said the swearing-in ceremony of the corps members is billed for Sept. 26, and the orientation exercise would end on Oct. 14.
READ ALSO:NYSC Pays Arrears After Two-month Break
Umoren said each of the corps members would be allowed into the camp after being adequately certified to be genuine graduates.
He said discreet screening of the corps members would be conducted to guard against intrusion or impersonation.
“Registration dates have been announced to the corps members, and they are advised to adhere strictly to all camp rules and regulations.
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“Defaulters will be sanctioned in accordance with the scheme’s extant rules,” he said, warning the scheme frowned at late-night journeys and urged corps members to avoid it for their own safety.
While urging them to be punctual, diligent, and comply with dress code, Umoren warned that defaulting corps members would be sanctioned.
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Ife Not Origin Of Yoruba Race, Says Oluwo
The Oluwo of Iwo in Osun State, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has disputed the claim that Ile-Ife is the origin of the Yoruba race.
The royal father said the culture of the race is not in the ancient town of Ife, long noted as the origin of the Yoruba people.
Oluwo, who made this known in a video shared on his Facebook page on Tuesday, spoke in his palace while bestowing a chieftaincy title on one of his subjects.
Flanked by his Chiefs, Oluwo said Ife was not the origin of the Yoruba race, adding that people were living in the town before Oduduwa conquered the city and became its ruler.
He said the language spoken in ancient Ife was not the same as the common Yoruba language, restating his readiness to bring back the correct historical accounts of the Yoruba race.
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“Ife is not the origin of the Yoruba race. Those people don’t speak our language. Their language is different. They refer to God as Eledumare, and there is nothing like Eledumare in the Yoruba language. What we have is Olodumare.
“Ife people will always say Olofin, and if you ask them what the meaning is, they will tell you it means the owner of the palace, and what that means in Yoruba is ‘Alaafin’. Ile-Ife has no Yoruba culture.
“I am the ‘Arole Olodumare because I am here to tell you the true history. Iwo is where you can get the real history that was not even documented.
“Whatever I am telling you now, you must keep it because death can come anytime. I am not scared of death because it is inevitable,” Oluwo said in the Yoruba language.
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The origin of the word ‘Yoruba’ often leads to controversy. The most recent one being the face-off involving the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, over a Chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland, allegedly bestowed on Ibadan-based businessman, Chief Dotun Sanusi by Ooni.
The PUNCH reports in August that the Ooni had bestowed the title on Sanusi during the unveiling of 2geda, an indigenous social media and business networking platform, at Ilaji Hotel, Ibadan.
But in a statement signed by his media aide, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin declared that no traditional ruler other than him has the authority to confer a title covering the entire Yorubaland. He issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Ooni to revoke the title or “face the consequences.”
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Reacting to Alaafin’s ultimatum, the Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, said the monarch had directed him to ignore the Alaafin’s outburst and leave the matter “in the court of public opinion.”
“We can not dignify the ‘undignifyable’ with an official response. We leave the matter to be handled in the public court of opinion, as it is already being treated.
“Let’s rather focus on narratives that unite us rather than the ones capable of dividing us. No press release, please. 48 hours my foot!” he wrote on his Facebook page.
(PUNCH)
News
Court Remands Man Who Beat Wife In Viral Video
A 57-year-old sawmiller, Fatai Quadri, who was seen in a viral video assaulting his wife, 50-year-old Rukayat Quadri, was on Monday remanded at the Correctional Centre at Ijebu Ode till October 17 for further hearing into the suit instituted against him by the police before the Ijebu Ode Magistrate Court.
Quadri, according to documents made available to our correspondent on Tuesday during his arraignment, was charged with a count bordering on assault, domestic violence, and breach of peace, among others.
The charge sheet reads “That you Quadri Fatai Abiodun ‘m on the 15/09/2025 at about 0600hrs at No: 11, Bakare Street, Oke-Owa, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State in the Ijebu-Ode Magisterial District did wilfully and unlawfully assault Mrs Rukayat Quadri 50yrs your wife, by beating her with a stick and several fist blow all over her body, which caused her bodily injuries and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 355 of the criminal code, Vol.1, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you Quadri Fatai Abiodun “M’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully beat Mrs Rukayat Quadri 50yrs your wife and by so doing committed “Domestic Violence” an offence punishable under Section 21(1) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2017.
“That you Quadri Fatai Abiodun ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully assault, beat and caused injuries to Mrs Rukayat Quadri 50yrs your wife and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 4(1) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2017.
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“That you Quadri Fatai Abiodun ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did intentionally intimidated, injured and threatened to the life of Mrs Rukayat Quadri 50yrs your wife not to go on the land you built 10 Rooms and Parlour Self Contains with Other Flats or otherwise and thereby committed an offence Punishable under Section 86 of the Criminal Code Vol. 1, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you Quadri Fatai Abiodun ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did willfully and unlawfully conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause the breach of public peace by using a stick with several fist blows to beat and injured Mrs Rukayat Quadri 50yrs your wife and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 249(1) (d) of the Criminal Code Vol. 1, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006”
Magistrate P O Odunsi has, however, adjourned the matter till October 17 for further hearing into the bail application of the suspect.
The Ogun State Police Command had on Saturday confirmed arresting Fatai seen in a viral video violently assaulting his wife, Rukayat, at their residence in Illese-Ijebu on the 15th of September, 2025.
Quadri, who was seen inflicting fist blows on the victim, resulting in bodily harm, was said to have been promptly apprehended by operatives of the Igbeba Divisional Police Headquarters, Ijebu Ode.
READ ALSO:Police Detain Lagos NURTW Leader For Killing Resident
The spokesperson of the state police command, Omolola Odutola, disclosed this in a statement sent to journalists on Saturday.
Odutola said that “Preliminary investigation revealed that the assault stemmed from a marital dispute arising from allegations of infidelity.
“The investigation further indicated that the suspect had transferred ownership of a 10-room en-suite apartment, jointly built with his wife, to another woman, which provoked the violent attack.
“The victim is presently receiving medical treatment, while the suspect remains in custody and will be charged in court upon conclusion of the investigation”
The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, however, used the opportunity to reiterate the command’s zero tolerance for domestic violence and warned that anyone found culpable of such an act will face the full wrath of the law.
READ ALSO:
Speaking over the incident, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN described the incident as very reprehensible, saying that the government was unhappy with such criminal acts and that the suspect, who is already in police custody, would be taken to court on Monday.
Ogungbade explained that “the government is aware of the viral video and we condemn it in its totality. The suspect is in police custody already.
“The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has been very proactive concerning it.
“The matter is being transferred to the Gender Unit. He will be arraigned in Court on Monday”
The Attorney General said that the state government has always warned against all sorts of criminal acts, particularly gender-based violence and that this particular incident will be another opportunity to drive home the present administration’s posture of zero tolerance to such condemnable acts.
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The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, also said that she had already briefed one of the state officials to follow up on the incident, pledging that the government would ensure justice is served on the matter.
Adeleye said that “The government is not happy with such criminal acts, our position has always been zero tolerance to gender-based violence. Definitely, the suspect will account for his misdeeds, justice will be served, I assure the residents of the state.
“Already he has been picked up by the police and should be taken to court on Monday; the ministry officials will be there to lend our support and ensure that justice is served.”
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