News

OPINION: The Bile In Oshiomhole’s Heart

Published

1 year ago

September 6, 2024

Tunde Odesola

Former Governor of Edo State, Senator Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, was born on April 4, 1952. If baby Adams had come into the world three days earlier, he would have been born on April Fools’ Day. Adams is now 72 years old, long past 40, the popular age society set as the bar for fools to sink or swim. Oshiomhole is not a fool, he was only born on April 4, the same day and month all hell broke loose in 1968 when Martin Luther King Jr. was killed. April 4, unto us a baby is born.

Old age doesn’t always beget wisdom, though experience is its forte. This fact is lost on Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Nigeria’s National Assembly, and education policymakers, whose aversion to genius and scholarship informed the barring of under-18 students from accessing tertiary education.

Dressed in the robes of fake leaders, Nigeria’s blind visioners in Asso Rock and beyond bark, ‘Kill them before they grow’, at young admission seekers milling around the almighty gates of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, with Bob Marley’s song, “I Shot the Sheriff,” playing in the background.

Oshiomhole loves dancing. As a comrade in the trenches of the Nigeria Labour Congress, he must have danced to Fela Anikulapo’s Beasts of No Nation, in which the Abami Eda describes himself as Basketmouth. Basketmouth is the street slang for the big-mouthed. When Oshiomhole talks, baskets overflow. But a Yoruba proverb warns, òpò òrò ò ká’gbòn, aféfé ló ń gbe lo, a basket full of words is worthless. Whenever he feels strongly about an issue, the force of his oration appears compelling even if what he belches is just hot air, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Adam was the name of the first human created by God, so say the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran. Adam means ‘Son of the Red Earth’. Aliyu is one of the 99 names of Allah. It means ‘The Most High’ or The Exalted One’. As ‘the Son of the Red Earth’, Oshiomhole’s thoughts and actions are expected to be deep-rooted in the soil of wisdom. As ‘The Exalted One’, his words are expected to typify dignity.

But Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, while on a campaign trail in Edo State a few days ago, defiled his two names. Without regard to wisdom or civility, Oshiomhole threw decency to the dogs as he pronounced his former begotten son and incumbent Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his wife, Betsy, childless. A Muslim reportedly converted to Christianity by his late wife, Clara, Oshiomhole’s characteristic aggression is typical of converts.

When caught midair in the breaking light of dawn, witches become confused and they drop to the ground. They also confess. Oshiomhole said, “I was shock (sic) yesterday to see Mrs Obaseki, the First Lady, saying that our candidate has no wife; I’m sorry that she has to say that because here’s a woman who has no child. Between him (sic) and Obaseki, they have no child, they’re childless. They are even not ready to adopt. I mean, I don’t blame anybody shouldn’t (sic) have a child but people who have love for children, they go to motherless home(s) and adopt children, they have not adopted, they are both in their 60s.

“So, you married, I don’t know whether it’s a contract one, but whatever it is, but they have no child. Now, our candidate not only have (sic) children, he has invested in the education of those children, such that you watch them on live television, covered by your media stations where the first that spoke is a lawyer, the second one is a medical doctor, and they addressed the crowd in Edo-South, in Edo-Central, in Edo-North, and their mother was there.”

I can’t tell why witches are repetitive but I suspect the electoral whipping Obaseki gave Oshiomhole in the 2020 governorship election in Edo has created a hatred in Oshiomhole’s heart large enough to accommodate 10 wounded lions as he described Obaseki and his wife as childless four times in a one-minute video clip. Osho Baba, na wetin?

MORE FROM THE AUTHOUR: OPINION: Mike Ejeagha And The Power Of Music

The tirade quoted above was what Betsy Obaseki got for declaring at a rally that only the Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the Edo governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, was married. Though she didn’t specifically mention any candidate as being unmarried, the undertone of her message wasn’t lost on her audience. The Betsy innuendo was what Oshiomhole, a former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, couldn’t take, and he decided to run the errand meant for media aides and party roughnecks, all for his political son, Monday Okpebholo, the APC governorship candidate. What a great national leader Oshiomhole is!

Betsy could have done the more involving breaststroke swimming style in the sewage of Edo’s political bitterness but she didn’t, she chose the stylish backstroke, maybe for its steaze or womanishness. But Oshiomhole would drag anyone, male or female, without a child, to the bottom of the sewage for child-ish baptism because he’s the god of Edo who gives children.

According to the University of California San Francisco’s Memory and Ageing Center – Weill Institute of Neurosciences – there are three major areas of the brain responsible for speech and language. They are the Bocca’s area, Wernicke’s area and the Angular gyrus.

MORE FROM THE AUTHOR: OPINION: Does Sparing The Rod Spoil The Child?

In a research, “Speech and Language,” published on its website, the university says, “When someone has trouble understanding other people (receptive language) or explaining thoughts, ideas and feelings (expressive language), that is a language disorder.”

UCSF, a world-class citadel of knowledge, added, “When someone cannot produce speech sounds correctly or fluently or has voice problems, that is a speech disorder.”

In a society where pettiness is a virtue within the ruling class, Betsy’s preoccupation with marriage and Oshiomhole’s fixation with childlessness reflect the shallowness of the characters who populate Nigeria’s corridors of power.

The lack of roadmaps by Presidents Goodluck Jonathan, Muhamadu Buhari, Bola Tinubu, and governorship, legislative and local government council candidates standing election entrenches us firmly at the bottom of global development. The silence that greets misgovernance in Nigeria concretises our national doom.

At election times, the Nigerian electorate bickers over frivolities and expects candidates who had no manifestos to wave the magic wand after snatching and robbing like mafiosos.

In our electoral childishness, childlessness was a talking point in the Edo governorship election in 2020 when Oshiomhole was accused of not fathering a child with his Cape Verde wife, Iara. Oshiomhole, who has children with his late wife, Clara, could choose not to have children anymore. In Nigerian politics, the shoe is always on the wrong foot. The PDP threw the first stone in 2020, and now the APC is casting a rock.

It’s ironic that Oshiomhole who is kicking against Betsy’s remarks today, had in 2016, accused then-Senator Dino Melaye of not capable of ‘maintaining a decent matrimonial home’ after Melaye said on the floor of the Senate that there was the need to enact a law that would stop Nigerians marrying foreigners from paying dowries in dollars – in a veiled reference to Oshiomhole.

The former Edo governor thundered in a statement, “It’s an open secret that Senatoe Melaye cannot maintain a decent matrimonial home hence he could descend to this pedestrian level of using the hallowed chambers to categorise women as if they were pieces of items for purchase.”

In Africa, children are viewed as inheritances from God. It’s wrong to needle anyone with children or lack of them. When I was a child, I remember I was occasionally taken to the house of my father’s childhood friend, the late Mr Jacob Asha Afainiya, because his wife, the late Mrs Olajumoke Comfort Afainiya, who was my mom’s childhood friend, had not conceived, despite the two couples marrying about the same time.

The Afainiya couple got their firstborn, Seun, when my parents had their third, Florence, now deceased. I occasionally stayed with the Afainiya family, who lived a stone’s throw from us in Mushin, in the belief that my ‘head’ would call from heaven children for the Afainiya couple – ori omo lo ma n pe omo waye. That’s the African belief. It also shows the importance which Africans attach to children. And I enjoyed going to the Afainiyas because mummy Afainiya made okra soup like no other mother.

One day, in the presence of both couples, I told my mom to cook her okra like mummy Afainiya’s, and everyone present laughed. When I got home, I cried for my basket-mouthedness as my mom descended on me.

Nigeria, it’s high time we based our campaigns on developmental issues and stop running our mouths like torn baskets, please.

Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com

Facebook: @Tunde Odesola

X: @Tunde_Odesola

News

Atiku Slams Tinubu Over U-turn On Pardon For Convicts

Published

7 hours ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

The former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday berated President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s reversal of the presidential pardon list, describing the move as “an act of shame, not wisdom.”

In a statement signed by his aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku accused the administration of lacking foresight and moral consistency, following Tinubu’s decision to revoke the earlier pardon granted to Sanda and several other convicts.

“Once again, Nigerians have witnessed a government that doesn’t lead — it reacts,” Atiku said.

“President Bola Tinubu has ‘cancelled’ his own pardon for drug traffickers, kidnappers, and other hardened criminals — but only after Nigerians shouted loud enough to wake him from his moral slumber.

“Let’s be clear: this U-turn is not an act of wisdom, it’s an act of shame.”

He questioned the process that led to the initial inclusion of many convicts on the list, demanding transparency from the presidency.

“Who compiled the list of beneficiaries? What criteria justified freeing kidnappers and drug offenders? Where was the Attorney-General when this absurdity was cooked up? And why does this government only ‘discover its conscience’ after Nigerians express outrage?” Atiku asked.

Describing the pardon saga as “a national embarrassment,” he added that the presidency’s frequent reversals on policy decisions showed Nigeria was being “governed without foresight, without empathy, and without shame.”

“If the President truly means well, let him publish the list of all those who were meant to benefit from this scandal. Until then, this cancellation is nothing but damage control — too little, too late,” he said.

The remarks came amid widespread reactions trailing Tinubu’s revocation of the earlier pardon granted to Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for murdering her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.

While the Labour Party commended the president for bowing to public pressure, the New Nigerian Peoples Party faulted the administration’s inconsistency.

NNPP spokesperson, Ladipo Johnson, said, “It is disgraceful that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will announce pardons and then the presidency will say they want to vet and go over the things again.

“Given public opinion, it’s not a surprise that they have reversed it, but it just shows that the presidency needs to get its act together.”

However, Labour Party interim National Publicity Secretary, Tony Akeni, commended Tinubu’s decision to listen to public sentiment, saying, “What Tinubu has demonstrated is that he listened to the people of Nigeria. We commend him for that.”

He urged the president to extend such responsiveness to “issues that affect Nigerians,” including the nation’s debt profile and policies that “promote hunger and hardship.”

Tinubu’s reversal, announced through an official gazette by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, commuted Sanda’s death sentence to 12 years imprisonment, factoring in the six years and eight months already served.

The U-turn followed a wave of public outrage that trailed the initial pardon.

News

Edo Deputy Gov Raises Concern Over Documentation On Radisson Hotel

Published

8 hours ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, on Wednesday expressed worry over the clarity of documentation surrounding Radisson Hotel, Benin City,
project’s acquisition and the roles of previous vendors and consultants.

In a statement, his Chief Press Secretary, Chief Press Secretary, Mr Friday Aghedo said the deputy governor spoke when he led a government delegation on an inspection tour of the five-storey luxury hotel.

Idahosa, who expressed dismay over certain lapses observed during the visit, however, appealed for calm among stakeholders and residents, urging patience as the state awaits the outcome of the legislative probe.

The governor said that Governor Monday Okpebholo had forwarded relevant documents to the Edo State House of Assembly for investigation into the acquisition process.

“Once the House concludes its findings, we will act accordingly to ensure transparency and accountability,” he assured.

Frustrated by what he described as “vague answers” from contractors about the project’s completion timeline, Idahosa pressed for clarity on when the hotel would finally be
opened to the public.

“Edo people deserve to know when this investment will start yielding value,” he stated.

He, nonetheless, tasked workers at the construction site to ensure strict adherence to safety and environmental standards.

He said the warning became necessary in order to avoid casualties at the site of the flagship hospitality project expected to redefine the state’s tourism and entertainment landscape.

He also challenged the contractors to ensure the best standard and quality materials are used for the project.

He emphasized that the state government’s intention was not to witch-hunt the contractors but to ensure the project meets both Radisson’s global benchmarks and the Edo State Government’s quality standards.

He reaffirmed that government agencies would maintain close oversight to ensure full compliance with building, safety, and environmental regulations.

“We will not compromise on standards. Radisson Benin must meet the expectations of the brand and the people of Edo State.

“Our goal is simple, Edo State deserves the best,” Idahosa declared. “We want a facility that will attract visitors from around the world and make our state the hospitality hub of Nigeria,” he stated.

During the visit, the deputy governor conducted an on-the-spot SWOT analysis of the project, examining facilities such as the water reservoir, power plant, and sample rooms.

Also speaking during the inspection, Mr. Igabali Darlington Imoesili, Managing Director of the Edo State Development and Building Control Agency, flagged inconsistencies in the facility’s documentation, including conflicting figures on the number of rooms and deviations from approved plans.

“We have records indicating 170 rooms, the site engineer says 169, and the project manager says 178. These discrepancies raise serious concerns,” Imoesili noted.

He added that his office would demand all approved documents for verification.

The hotel’s resident architect, Olumide Taiwo, who conducted the team around the site, assured the delegation that the firm was working closely with the Radisson brand to maintain its global quality and safety standards.

News

Reviewed List Of Presidential Pardon Recipients

Published

9 hours ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved a revised list of convicts granted clemency under the Instrument of Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, 2025.

This is as the Presidency announced a review of the pardon list following widespread criticism.

The list, dated October 21, 2025 and personally signed by the President, contains 86 names of inmates across various correctional facilities nationwide, whose sentences were reduced or commuted under Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The document, sighted by PUNCH Online, titled “Reduced Terms of Imprisonment and Sentence, 2025,” shows that several inmates convicted for offences ranging from manslaughter, culpable homicide, drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, conspiracy, and unlawful mining were granted reduced sentences.

They include:

Homicide and Manslaughter Cases

•Yusuf Owolabi (36) – Convicted of manslaughter in 2015 and sentenced to life imprisonment at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri. Now to serve 15 years based on “educational improvement, remorsefulness and acquisition of vocational skills.”
•Ifeanyi Eze (33) – Life sentence for manslaughter (2021), now to serve 15 years.
•Maryam Sanda (37) – Convicted for culpable homicide (2020) and sentenced to death by hanging. Her sentence commuted to 12 years based on “compassionate grounds, the best interest of her children, good conduct and remorsefulness.”
•Markus Yusuf (41) – Culpable homicide (2023), 13-year sentence reduced to 8 years due to ill health.
•Alhaji Abubakar Tanko (61) – Culpable homicide (2018), 30-year term reduced to 20 years.

Drug and Narcotics Offences

•Patrick Mensah (40) – Drugs (2015), 17 years reduced to 13 years.
•Obi Edwin Chukwu (43), Tunde Balogun (32), Lima Pereira Erick Diego (27), Uchegbu Emeka Michael (37), Salawu Adebayo Samsudeen (46), and Napolo (61) were all convicted for drug trafficking between 2015–2017.

“Sentences of 15 years reduced to 12 years each based on “remorsefulness and vocational skill acquisition.”

Financial and Fraud-related Offences

•Mustapha Ahmed (46) – Criminal breach of trust; 7-year sentence cut to 5 years.
•Innocent Brown Idiong (60) – Possession of Indian hemp; 10-year term reduced to 6 years.
•Inibong Imayen Nuikidem (46) – Obtaining money by false pretence; 7 years cut to 5 years.
•Buka Adamu (40) – Advance fee fraud; 20 years reduced to 9 years.
•Ada Audu (72) – Fraud; 7-year mandatory imprisonment cut to 4 years.
•Chief Jonathan Alatoru (66), Umannah Ekatte (70), Utom Thompson Udoaka (60) – Granted reduced terms for age, remorsefulness and good conduct.

Firearms and Related Offences

•Abubakar Mamman (38) – Possession of AK-47 rifle (2020); 10-year sentence cut to 7 years.
•Muhammed Bello Musa (35) – Possession of firearms; 10 years reduced to 7 years.
•Nnamdi Anene (67) – Illegal dealing in firearms; life sentence commuted to 20 years.
•Alhaji Ibrahim Hameed (71) – Illegal property possession; 7 years reduced to 5 years.

Maritime and Conspiracy Offences

•Bright Agbedeyi (46), Babangida Saliu (35), Jude Saka Ebaragha (44), Frank Insort Abaka (46), Sluna Alolo (42), David Akinseye (39), Ahmed Toyin (46), Shobajo Saheed (57), Adamole Philip (52), and Mathew Masi (39) were all convicted for conspiracy to hijack fishing vessels in 2020. Their 12-year sentences were reduced to eight years with N1m fines waived “based on remorsefulness and impecuniosity.”

Unlawful Mining Offenders

A total of at least 45 inmates across the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Agodi, Oyo State, were convicted in January 2024 for unlawful mining.

Each was sentenced to three years, now reduced to two years, “based on remorsefulness, good conduct and a letter of undertaking dated April 22, 2025,” reportedly facilitated by Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis for their rehabilitation and empowerment after release.

The list includes:
Yusuf Alhassan, Abdullahi Isah, Zayanu Bello, Habeeb Suleman, Jubria Sahabi, Shefiu Umar, Seidu Abubakar, Haruna Abubakar, Rabiu Seidu, Macha Kuru, Zahradeen Aminu, Nazipi Musa, Abdullahi Musa, Habibu Safiu, Husseni Sani, Musa Lawali, Suleiman Lawale, Yusuf Iliyasu, Sabiyu Aliyu, Halliru Sani, Shittu Aliyu, Sanusi Aminu, Isaaka Adamu, Mamman Ibrahim, Shaibu Abdullahi, Sanusi Adamu, Sadi Musa, and Haruna Isah, among others.

Presidential Approval and Legal Backing

The document cites Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers the President to “grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offence in Nigeria a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions.”

It was formally titled: “S.I. No. 79 of 2025: Instrument of Presidential Prerogative of Mercy (Reduced Terms of Imprisonment and Sentence).”
(PUNCH)