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OPINION: The Humiliating Troika Of Obasanjo, Shettima And Bakare (2)

Published

2 years ago

October 6, 2023

The hand of nature is upon Iseyin, a land whose rivers, hills and sky drape a brocade of dignity around duty, diligence and dare to produce a historic town famed for farming, aso-òkè, dyeing, carving, pottery and drumming, encasing the memory of one of its earliest settlers in this immortal chant, Iseyin órò omo Ebedí!

Unraveling Iseyin! Iseyin means the rig where the palm kernel is mined. It’s the fabled three firestones called àrò méta that don’t spill the oil. Palm kernel is to Iseyin what cashew is to Okigwe, a town in Imo State. In Okigwe, cashew plantation owners encouraged students to freely pluck and eat cashew but you must drop the nuts. As a student, I kindly helped cashew farm owners eat their cashews regularly.

Baba Iyabo said respect should be put on age and position. Abeokuta, the homeplace of Obasanjo, is a 19th-century creation established in 1830 while Iseyin is an 18th-century phenomenon created in 1732. By age and historical position, Iseyin is superior to Abeokuta, the rocky place of refuge that shielded Egba forebears from enemy bullets.

Iyabo, the true daughter of her father, called OBJ ‘a liar, manipulator and two-faced hypocrite’. For now, I will stick with ‘hypocrite’, and locate Obasanjo’s hypocrisy in his own words, “The governor has a higher position than any oba when he’s in power. Even when I was president, I prostrated to kings, but when we are indoors, kings prostrate to me. Let’s uplift our culture.”

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This statement exposed the Iseyin ego trip of Obasanjo, the anti-corruption messiah, who, as President, spent trillions of naira on electricity while light remained elusive at the end of the tunnel called Nigeria.

I’ll borrow another noun – manipulator – from Aunty Iyabo, and use it as an adjective, manipulative. OBJ wasn’t perturbed about the obas not standing up to greet Governor Makinde. He was angered that the kings didn’t stand up to greet him, Obasanjo, the father of modern Nigeria.

He started his argument by first recognising the supremacy and incumbency of the governor, and he thereafter wangled himself into situational relevance despite not being situated in power himself, extolling his self-importance after barking at the kings.

“The governor has a higher position than any oba when he’s in power,” Obasanjo began sweetly, even when I was President, I prostrated to kings, but when we are indoors, kings prostrate to me. Let’s uplift our culture.” Págà! Àgbàlágbà o gbodò sorò bí ewe! An adult mustn’t trifle the Oro cult. What culture is Ebora Owu uplifting by saying in public that traditional rulers prostrate to him? Baba Gbenga, that sucks. Soothingly, however, Aunty Iyabo had rightly alluded to her father’s vainglory, warning, “Dear Daddy, you don’t own Nigeria.”

When he had the floor, the ex-President could’ve expressed his disagreement with the attitude of the monarchs in an omoluabi manner, cautioning: ‘owo die die ni ara n fe o’ or ‘ki kere labere n kere, kii se mimi fun adiye’. All the monarchs would’ve stood up to greet him and the governor, and also apologise. Probably, they would’ve revealed if it was exhaustion from the long wait for the governor’s entourage that got the better of them. But OBJ, owing to his khaki brashness, lost the opportunity to earn the apology of the rulers he enrobes in public but disrobes indoors.

FROM THE AUTHOR: OPINION: The Humiliating Troika Of Obasanjo, Shettima And Bakare (1)

Makinde, an Americana, didn’t seem to care whether some old men greeted him or not. Ajise bi Oyo la a ri… He appeared more focused on the job than on greetings. If he feels slighted by the kings’ action, he knows the strings to pull.

I pity the Council of Yoruba Obas headed by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye. The Iseyin situation is both a fart and salt in the mouth. In trying to spit out the fart, the salt may be lost. I commiserate.

Remember that banker-turned-politician, who turned up looking funny in a baggy suit, red tie and a pair of sneakers at last year’s Nigerian Bar Association conference in Abuja? He’s the Vice President today. His name is Kashim Shettima, an Excellency.

I had a smart classmate at Archbishop Aggey Memorial Secondary School, Mushin, Lagos. His first name was Hakeem. I’ll keep a lid on his surname, in case his children read this. We nicknamed him Slate because of the flatness of his occiput (back of the head), which the Yoruba call ògo.

Hakeem was tall, yet he wore small shirts and shorts. He didn’t know how to play football but he was always the first to get to the football field. Leave him with the ball and an empty net, Hakeem won’t score. Girls made jest of him but he thought he was Romeo. Oh, Hakeem! This is Isaac, your mate in classes 1, 2 and 3. I formed the Love Brothers group. Do you remember my nickname? Don’t say it o. The world must not hear it. I told my children about some of our escapades as Love Brothers, they laughed till tears streamed down their faces. I told them about how we emptied the various beers your foster mother kept in the fridge for sale, and how she dragged you by the ear to the school the next morning.

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Shettima is brilliant upstairs but clumsy in manner. He knows what is right but in trying to do the right thing, he missteps, sometimes. Shettima wants to speak with charm but lacks the Obama grace. He craves sartorial elegance but when his red tie winked underneath his suit, he became a butt of jokes.

A few days ago after Shettima hosted his classmates at the university, he said, “We’re the luckiest among Nigerians. We are not better than our next-door neighbour. Yesterday, I hosted my classmates from the University of Ibadan, the MSC class of 1991.

“The best-graduating student in my class was one Oladipo. Oladipo is languishing as a DGM in one mediocre bank. He was the best-graduating student, that goes to show that we’re here not because we’re the best of the best…”

I don’t think Shettima was trying to ridicule Oladipo because Oladipo dusted him in class. I think it was just a case of not knowing when to stop talking, a plane overshooting the runway. It’s what the Yoruba call alásojámù. Oga Shetty, it’s not everyone that has access to the public purse as politicians do. Equating Oladipo’s dignity in labour with languishing was a highhanded i-k-a. Calling his workplace mediocre shows why small banks won’t grow in the four years of your administration. What would Oladipo’s children, wife, friends and co-workers think about your loquacity? What lessons are you teaching the Nigerian youth when you rubbished academic excellence and extol materialism? Mr Oladipo deserves an apology, Mr VP.

The third and final horse in the tro-i-k-a of highhandedness was mounted by popular Lagos pastor, Tunde Bakare, who said the late Afrobeat singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba aka Mohbad, reaped the harvest of ‘smoking and associating with evil men’.

Speaking in Leicester, United Kingdom, where candlelight processions were held in memory of Mohbad, some days ago, Bakare said, “My wife and I listened to a tape last night on MohBad. How many of you know MohBad? The Nigerian artiste who died at 27? MohBad. When he was drinking and smoking and associating with evil men, he did not know that the harvest would come so soon and that he would soon be cut down at the prime of youth. I am not blaming him, I am just telling you. Is MohBad a good name? Moh Bad.”

Because I’m a child of God, I’ll not say Pastor Bakare is lying. But I’ve repeatedly read his above-quoted comment on Mobad’s lifestyle and his submission that Mobad deserved the end he got. One word fit and proper to describe Bakare’s comment on Mobad is sophistry. Saying that he wasn’t passing judgment on the singer was the father of all lies.

I’m not going to pass judgment on the blind presidential vision of Bakare which couldn’t land him in Aso Rock as he predicted, after spending N100m to purchase the All Progressives Congress presidential form. I won’t judge Bakare because I know that for everything there’s a season, a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to mourn, a time to rejoice, a time to talk, and a time to keep shut.

Concluded

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

News

Federal Government Issues Flood Alert In 11 States

Published

4 hours ago

September 14, 2025

Editor

The Federal Ministry of Environment, through the National Flood Early Warning Centre (FEWS CENTRE) has issued a warning in 11 states over possible heavy rainfall that may lead to flooding between 14th and 18th September, 2025.

In a flood prediction notice dated Sunday, September 14, 2025 and signed by the Director, Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department of the ministry, Usman Abdullahi Bokani, the federal government also advised some communities in the flood plain to evacuate.

Bokani identified the states and corresponding communities as Adamawa – Ganye, Natubi; Benue State – Abinsi, Agyo, Gogo, Ito, Makurdi, Udoma and Ukpiam; Nasarawa – Agima, Rukubi and Odogbo; and Taraba – Beli, Serti and Donga.

Others include Delta – Umugboma, Umukwata, Abraka, Aboh and Okpo-Krika; Niger – Rijau; Kebbi – Ribah; Kano – Gwarzo and Karaye; Katsina – Jibia; Sokoto – Makira; and Zamfara – Kaura Namoda, Shinkafi, Maradun, Gusau, Anka and Bungudu.

“Also, due to the rise in the water level of the River Gongola, River Benue, and Niger, communities on the flood plain of
River Gongola up to Numan, the flood plain of River Benue and River Niger up to Lokoja are advised to evacuate,” the advisory read.

The statement further urged relevant stakeholders to kindly take note as it welcomed feedback from relevant stakeholders and state government representatives on its platform.

News

IPI Raises Alarm Over Rising Media Repression In Nigeria

Published

4 hours ago

September 14, 2025

Editor

The International Press Institute (IPI), a global body committed to protecting press freedom and the free flow of information, has raised the alarm over the recent cases of media repression in Nigeria.

President, IPI Nigeria, Mr Musikilu Mojeed, raised the concern at a dinner organised by the institute, to honour one of its members and a retired Director, Digital Media, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Hajia Hadiza Hussaina Sani, in Abuja on Saturday.

LEADERSHIP reports that the dinner was organised to honour the media icon for her dedication and service, after clocking mandatory retirement age of 60 years.

It was also gathered that the identical twin sister of the celebrator, Hajia Ameena Hassana Sani, equally retired meritoriously from the services of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as a Director.

Speaking at the event, IPI president Mojeed, who is also the Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, cited the recent “disturbing” instances of banning of live political programme in Kano State and the arrest of a journalist in Ekiti State.

“Akwa Ibom State Government recently evicted Channels TV crew, a journalist and a cameraman, from the press centre inside Government House, Uyo.

“The repressive action was taken, over the publication of a video clip, where the governor, eventually confirmed he is defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“A journalist with FIJ, Sodiq Atanda, was recently arrested by the police in Ekiti State.

“A former “ThisDay” employee, Azuka Ogujiuba, was reportedly arrested and harassed by the Police for doing her job.

“Every single day you wake up, it is one form of harassment or the other against the media,” he said.

Mojeed called for continued advocacy to protect press freedom and promote independent journalism.

He stressed that efforts to protect journalists’ rights and promote independent journalism are crucial in Nigeria’s media landscape.

Mojeed said Sani’s retirement came at a critical time when the media sector in Nigeria is facing numerous challenges, including harassment, arrests, and censorship.

He noted Sani’s significant contributions to IPI Nigeria, including her role in organising its World Congress in Nigeria in 2018, as well as her subsequent active participation in various committees.

Mojeed appealed to the celebrator to continue advocating for press freedom and supporting the work of IPI Nigeria, emphasising that her expertise and experience are invaluable to the organisation.

The Director-General, VON, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, expressed gratitude to IPI Nigeria for recognising Sani’s contributions, stating that the gesture also reflected positively on the entire VON team.

He described Sani as a professional journalist who seamlessly transitioned from traditional journalism to modern digital practices, leading the digital department with innovation.

According to the DG, Sani’s leadership in the digital space kept VON at the forefront of public media institutions and global competitiveness.

He commended her experience, passion, and love for journalism, which he said, enabled her to excel in her role and serve as a role model for younger journalists.

The VON DG emphasised that, “journalism is a marathon, not a sprint”, and Sani’s long-standing career is a testament to her dedication and commitment to the profession.

Malam Garba Shehu, former spokesman to late President Muhammadu Buhari, described the retirement of Sani as a significant loss for the organisation but a potential gain for other sectors of the journalism profession.

Shehu praised her as “a strong and young professional with much to contribute to journalism.”

He highlighted her unique qualities, particularly her social responsibility, selflessness, and commitment to helping others to succeed.

According to him, Sani embodies the principles of servant leadership, a concept often touted by politicians but rarely exemplified.

“Her legacy as a role model for young journalists and a champion of socially responsible journalism will continue to inspire others in the field,” he said.

Abdulwaheed Odusile, former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), commended Sani’s dedication and expertise, which he said, have earned her recognition and respect in the industry..

On her part, Sani expressed gratitude to God and her family for their support throughout her 34 years career in public service.

While reflecting on the challenges and rewards of her time in service, she highlighted the importance of dedication, clear vision, and family support.

Sani emphasised the need for media professionals to adapt to new technologies and appreciate their impact on the industry and the society

She stressed that telling a good story starts with understanding oneself and one’s audience.

Despite retiring from active public service, she assured to remain active in the media space, pursuing research, teaching, writing, and lecturing.

“It has been a very difficult, challenging, interesting and rewarding 34 years in service.

“It’s not easy. You have new and great ideas, but some people don’t understand, so they find it a bit difficult to agree with you.

“But if you are consistent, if you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, and you are dedicated and resolute, the sky is not the limit.

“I have pulled out from active public service, but have not retired. My brain is still exceptionally active, and I plan to utilise it.

“I’ll be doing a lot of research work and writing, and I won’t get tired of seeing myself in the media space,” she stated.

News

FG Specifies TRCN, NTI’s Roles In Teaching Profession

Published

4 hours ago

September 14, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government has announced major clarifications on the roles and responsibilities of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI).

The clarifications, according to a statement on Sunday by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade was part of reforms to strengthen the teaching profession, streamline education delivery, and ensure high-quality learning for every Nigerian child.

Under the new framework, the NTI will return to its core mandate of in-service teacher training and continuous professional development at the foundational, basic, and post-basic levels, while the TRCN will focus exclusively on regulating the teaching profession and licensing qualified teachers nationwide.

Announcing the reform, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa said the move reflects the Ministry’s aggressive agenda to restructure its agencies in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope mandate towards providing the highest standard of education across the country.

Also, in line with this reform, the Federal Government has introduced new welfare terms and operational guidelines for both agencies covering teacher licensing and registration, professional development requirements, monitoring and compliance mechanisms, teacher welfare and benefits, as well as curriculum and professional practice standards.

“Going forward, no teacher will be allowed to stand before a Nigerian classroom without proper registration and licensing by TRCN. This ensures that every child is taught by competent, professional teachers who meet the highest standards,” Alausa said.

The Minister explained that both agencies now have new operational guidelines to enhance governance, oversight, and accountability.

Key provisions for TRCN include mandatory teacher registration and licensing, digital integration with the national Education Management Information System, and strict enforcement of ethics and discipline within the profession.

For its part, the NTI will serve as the national implementing body for distance-based teacher training programmes, while ensuring its courses align with approved standards and frameworks.

Alausa described the reform as “a big day for the Nigerian child,” emphasising that the restructuring will sustain ongoing progress in teacher quality and educational outcomes.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to embedding professionalism in teaching, expanding access to continuous professional development, and enforcing compliance across all levels of education.

“This reform is about results and sustainability. It is about building a future where Nigerian children are taught by the best, prepared for the best, and supported by the best. We are consolidating progress to ensure sustainability, capability, and accountability in our teaching workforce. It is Renewed Hope in action,” the statement said.