On behalf of millions of Yoruba people across the world, we, members and leaders of Pan Yoruba groups representing artisans, workers, students, community based groups, traders, professionals and Self-determination groups spread across Yoruba territories in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Itsekiri areas of Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara and Kogi States, we speak on Sharia, its implications on the over 2000 year old civilisation of Yoruba people.

We do not come as Christians, Muslims, Animists, Artiest or Traditional worshipers but as Yoruba created same way by Almighty God the creator of the universe bounded together by humanity seeking perpetuation of peace, love and progress of Yorubaland.

We recognise the right to debate the future of the children of Oduduwa and the right to free speech as exemplified in the constitution of Nigeria and in the timeless culture of Yorubaland;

Free expression, including the right to faith has been an integral part of Yoruba civilisation, dating back to close to 2000 years, a cherished heritage that we have defended and will continue to  defend with every pint of our blood;

That we have observed the current proposal, by a tiny group of people, backed by largely non-Yoruba domestic and international collaborators pushing for the introduction of Sharia in Yorubaland

ISLAM IN YORUBALAND

Islam is a religion of peace. Yoruba Muslims are proud of the place of Islam in sustainable development in Yorubaland.

Islam has made significant contributions to the economic, social and spiritual development of Oodua territories.

Through Islam, education, health and welfare has been promoted in Yorubaland;

Islam came to Yorubaland in the 14th century during the reign of Mansa Musa (1312-1337).

The first Mosque in Yorubaland was built at Oyo-Ile in 1550, followed by another Mosque in Iwo (1655), Iseyin, (1790), Lagos, (1774), Saki (1790) and Osogbo, (1889).

Prior the adventure of Islam in Yorubaland, according to a school of thought on Yoruba history, Oduduwa himself had left the Middle East, partly for religious freedom as early as the 9th century, choosing to settle in a territory known for tolerance and free spirit as directed by God, the creator of heaven and earth;

As far back as the 14th century, the Yoruba have been visiting Mecca for pilgrimage, millions of them settling in Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia and constitute a huge population in East and Northern Africa today;

SHARIA IN YORUBALAND AS GRAND ILLUSION

We state clearly that the introduction of Sharia cannot improve the economic, political, social and cultural deficit in Yorubaland;

That Yorubaland though seen as the most economically developed territory in West Africa, attained this feat not through theocracy but by the hardwork, committment, determination of our forefathers who were both Muslims, Christians and Traditional worshipers;

That the poverty, misery, lack of access to good health, increasing number of school drop outs, lack of access to economic and political powers by poor Yoruba people, are direct results of poor, visionless and irresponsible leadership which the introduction of Sharia cannot and will not curb;

That poverty, corruption, high mortality rate, terrorism, violence and unprecedented human misery characterise the 12 states where Sharia has been introduced in the North;

Zamfara state for instance has 74% poverty rate while 62% live in poverty; Katsina has 74.1% poverty rate. In fact, Sokoto, the headquarters of the Caliphate which also operates Sharia has the highest poverty rate in Nigeria at 79.9%. While the Sharia states have the poorest of the poor, the political leaders that introduced Sharia in these states are some of the richest in the world.

The Sharia states are currently theatres of war, strive, killings and kidnapping driven by crisis of faith while the Sharia states also have the highest rate of instability in Nigeria. This is the dream of the tiny clique that wishes to Talibanise Yoruba Nation; they often learn nothing from history, until their self-destruction is evident.

The hypocritical aspect of Sharia in these states is the bias implementation of the law whereby the rich continue to exploit the poor, steal billions of Naira and go scot free, while the poor and the impoverished who steal fowl have their hands chopped off;

That we observe a conscious and tailor-made plot to destabilise Yorubaland through organised sponsorship of divisive, retrogressive and dangerous proposals that will end up causing confusion, disunity and raise the spectre of intra-Yoruba conflict to the delight of our eternal foes;

We, the true representatives of Yoruba people hereby strongly oppose the introduction of Sharia in any part of Oduduwaland of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Delta, Kogi, Edo, Kwara and Ondo States;

That Sharia is not feasible and can never be acceptable to a multi-religious, muti-faith people like the Yoruba;

Sharia is only applicable in societies where Islam is the State religion or majority of the people profess Islam;

Though proponents of Sharia claim the law is for only Muslims, but the contradictions are self evident. The Yoruba are bound by blood, history, common fear and shared aspirations, not by religion;

How can any one in his right senses conceive Sharia law in a society where Muslim parents have Christian Children and Muslim husbands have Christian or even animist wives and vice versa? There are Yoruba Muslim parents whose children do not go to Mosque and Yoruba Christian parents whose children are Baba or Iyalawo;

This freedom of faith which has enriched Yoruba civilisation for centuries is what religious extremists, rabid and riotous fanatics and religious anarchists, sponsored by international terrorists are desperate to destroy, fortunately, to their own peril, at the fullness of time;

That introduction of Sharia in Yorubaland will never be accepted to our people. Having destabilised the North, the proponents want to destabilise the South West and uproot the very foundation of democracy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; The intrigue is political, sponsored by vested interests, aimed at polarising the political and electoral fortunes of Yoruba Nation who for many Years have largely defined a common political future;

That no great nation would wish to have different laws for its own people of the same history and the same heritage;

We, the true representatives of Yoruba people hereby strongly oppose any attempt, open or covert to introduce Sharia in any part of Oduduwaland of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Delta, Kogi, Edo, Kwara and Ondo States; We hereby warn religious bigots and extremists, including very naïve and shallow-minded political actors to desist from their evil plots or they will face the full wrath of Yoruba people.

Signed

Tajudeen Olowo- Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements, (AYDM)

Olu Sulaiman- O’odua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC for coalition members)

Hamzat  Alao Oriyomi South West Professional Forum, (SOWPROF)

Bashorun Kunle Adesokan Federation for Yoruba Consciousness and Culture, (FYCC)

Dr Kola Afolabi The Covenant Group, (CP)

Chief Kunle Oshodi Agbekoya (Solidarity)

Chief Jubril Ogundimu- O’odua Republican Front, (ORF)

Rasaq Oladosu – Coalition of Oodua Self Determination Groups, (COSEG)

Alhaji Adeyemi Taofik- Oodua Peoples Congress (Reformed)

Akin Oloniyi South West Vigilante Groups

Afiz Agunbiade Neighbourhood Anti-Terrorist Group-Registered with CAC)

Alhaja Medina Abioro- South West Women Congress, (SWWC)

Alhaji Tunde Abioye  United Self Determination Groups, (USEPO)

Wemi Oritsegbemi Itsekiri National Youth Congress, (INYC)

Rasaq Arogundade Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC-Reformed)

Shenge Rahman Oodua Muslim-Christian Dialogue Group, (OMC-DG)

Dr Victor Taiwo, Oodua Redemption Alliance, (ORA)

Chief Medaye Alatse and Mrs Tunbo Adekola, Union of West African Yoruba Communities, Ghana

Nassir Abdul Kalejaye – Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association, NATA-South West

Sanusi Abimbola Yoruba Artisan and Traders Association, (YATA-Registered in Nigeria)

Sina Akinyemi-Association of Nigerian Artisans and Technicians, (ASNAT)

Goke Otunla- Oodua Liberation Movement, (OLM)

Ade Ikuesan Motocycle-South West Operators Union of Nigeria, (MOUN)

Muftau Ajayi O’odua Hunters Union, (OHUN)

O’odua International Democratic Movement, (OIDEM)

South West Students Coalition, (SWSC)

South West Progressive Farmers Congress, (SWPFC)

Chief Ayo Abereoran Okun Peoples Front, (OPF)

Akinwale Kasali Lagos Progressives Development Front, (LPDF).

It all started with Kunle pretending to be thinking aloud.

"I wish we can all go back to the Garden of Eden."

1 was shocked. Though we call him Apostle but he is certainly not one of those Jesus Christ left to spread the gospel. And he hadn't had any major drink that morning, at least nothing stronger than a can of energy drink. So, where did the 'inspiration' come trom?

"Why would you of all people want to go back to the Garden of Eden, assuming it is possible to turn back the hands of the clock?”

Kunle had a wicked glint in his eyes and I needed no psychologist to tell me his thoughts were absolutely unholy. He proved me right.

"So we can all go about naked again."

He was leering and smacking his lips as if his naughty wish had already been granted. Walk about naked indeed! I told him to add the moon to his wish list while he was at it.

Somehow, the discussion drifted towards first wives. Most of my colleagues are married men and they all have all kinds of crazy ideas. For instance, Shola did not see why women are always fretting over their husbands' extra-marital affairs.

"There is no big deal about one little girl outside. I don't understand why you women won't let us be. Having a girlfriend does not translate to not loving one's wife any more. It's just a short-term refresher course. And anyway, why should a wife who has served faithfully and meritoriously not be retired? With full benefits too? I mean, if you have been married to the same woman for 25 or 30 years, she should offer to retire. It is only fair that she should be rewarded."

Kunle thinks all first wives deserve long service awards

"Long service award is standard practice and all good husbands should give it to their long suf-fering wives." That was Lanre. He knows all about standard best practice. He is the craziest and most creative man I have met yet. If movie producers know what his mind is capable of, they will abduct forever.

"We all know international labour laws frowns at casualisation and once you have employed a woman for 20 years, you can retire her with full benefits. The job is a pensionable one." Lanre has all kinds of tricky plots on his fertile mind.

Steve believes he is the only fair one, why retire a first wife when you can promote her?

"We should be able to have senior wife and senior senior wife. That would create a vacancy for a young wife. Just like you have junior clerks

and senior clerks in the ministries.” You see, Steve's logic has nothing to do with fairness and everything to do with installing a second wife.There

was also talk of sending a first

wife on vacation after working so hard. I love that part and I told them so. But they were pre-pared. Yes, a first wife can go on vacation but it has to be in her village with her parents. Can you beat that selfish angle? Why can't a woman choose where she wants to spend her holidays? Why does it have to be in her village and not in South of France or Barbados with a friend of her choice? My friends almost had a group cardiac arrest.

"What friend?" They all chorused.

See? They want to move on to the next girl while still holding on to the old one. Why must they get suspicious of the friend madam is spending her vacation with? Are they not retiring the first wife because she's old and spent? Why not leave her to enjoy her retirement and pension? Greedy old selfish blokes still want to supervise someone in retirement. Is that standard practice? You have no jurisdiction, no right over how a retired worker lives after she has taken her long service award. And anyway, where did men get this idea that it is their exclusive preserve to try new dishes? Wives also get bored with eating the same meal every day for two decades, you know. It won't hurt if a first wife also tries rice or eba after a 'lifetime' of only 'fufu'. Is someone aiming a slap at my face? Truth is bitter.

Selfish husbands don’t think we deserve to relax, it’s absolutely undemocratic to deny women what men are enjoying.

First wives are long suffering creatures, believe me. Most of the hanky panky husbands play are absorbed by them. They shrug off so many things that would put any man in a designer casket. Yet, they think wives know nothing. If only they know how much of their secrets is topic of girls' roundtable, they will be shocked to their bone marrows.But because smart housewives don't throw tantrums over every issue, husbands actually think their wives are deaf and dumb. Let them live on in their blissful igno rance.

We are more worried about the grand plot , the grand conspiracy against first wives. Maybe you have not noticed until now but the gang-up is real. They want to retire us or promote us into irrelevance. We are game if they are because it is a game two can play. They should just let us use the same set of rules. If it is okay to try variety, let all parties feel the spice. If first wives must go on vacation, let them decide where they want to go and who they want to go with. If they must retire first wives, let them leave them to enjoy their pension. That is standard practice. Abi?

Nigerian music executive, Tunji Balogun, better known as TeeBillz, has clarified his earlier remark about media personality, Toke Makinwa, in the wake of the marriage breakup of iconic singer, 2Baba and his wife, Annie Idibia.

Naija News reported that Toke, in a social media post, criticised the ‘African Queen’ hitmaker for publicly announcing his split from his wife, stating that he should be ashamed of himself.

Unfazed by the comment, TeeBillz, in a now-deleted Instagram post, told Toke to stay out of other people’s family matters. He noted that having a child for a man requires a level of forgiveness and love that she had never experienced.

However, in an interview with media personality, TeeBillz apologised to the 40-year-old television host, clarifying that he never intended to mock her for not having a child.

He reiterated that Toke does not know what 2Baba has been going through in the marriage, adding that a man who has children from different women does not have peace.

He said, “First of all, I’d like to publicly apologise to Toke Makinwa because I think my messages were misinterpreted, and at the end of the day, we’re all family. My question for Toke was, where was she a month, two months, and a year for Annie? I’m not happy seeing 2Baba and Annie the way they are, but that’s nonsense for Toke to have made such a statement.

“Does she know what 2Baba has been through since they got married? One thing I know is that a man who has children from different women will not have peace. I’m going through it, but all a man can do is try to be his best. What we should ask is the reason for his actions.”

He noted that Toke shaded him when he and Tiwa separated in 2018.

“She did the same thing to me when Tiwa and I divorced. Parenthood and marriage are things one doesn’t graduate from. I saw 2Baba, but all we can do is pray for him.”

[NaijaNews]

In the early days of Nollywood, there was a special group of actresses who printed their names on audiences’ minds not as heroines or damsels in distress but as the ultimate villains. These women skilfully portrayed cruel stepmothers, deceitful mothers-in-law, and terrible mothers, causing audiences to speak their names in wonder and horror. In this feature, Weekend Trust revisits the legendary roles of Patience Ozokwor, Franca Brown, Clarion Chukwura, and others who turned villainy into an art form.

Patience Ozokwor

Patience Ozokwor, also known as Mama G, is perhaps the most famous Nollywood actress associated with the evil stepmother and overbearing mother-in-law roles. She played a variety of villainous characters who often resorted to manipulation, emotional abuse, and outright cruelty to control family dynamics.

An example will be the role Patience played in the popular Nollywood film ‘Market seller’ where she manipulated her daughter Omotola Ekedinde into destroying the marriages of Bob Manuel Udokwu and Kanayo. O. Kanayo. In another old classic titled ‘Submission’, Patience Ozokwor played the role of an evil mother who was having an intimate affair with one of her daughter’s husbands and attempted to indulge in another affair with her other daughter’s (Stella Damasus) husband (Zack Orji).

Ozokwor’s portrayal of wickedness was so real that many couldn’t separate her from her roles; however, the actress refuted the claims, stating she was nothing like her on-screen persona. Still, for a generation, Mama G became synonymous with terror.

Sola Sobowale

Sola Sobowale is one of Nollywood’s fiercest females, known for her feisty and memorable performances. Sobowale’s charging presence and devoted delivery dominate every scene, whether she’s playing a troublesome mother-in-law, a ruthless businesswoman, or a tough-talking queen.

In Super Story: Oh Father, Oh Daughter (2001), she portrayed the wise and wicked Toyin Tomato, a mean husband snatcher and gold digger who was ruthless to the men in her path. In The Wedding Party (2016), she played the theatrical and overprotective mother-in-law who would do anything to influence her daughter’s wedding. However, it was in King of Boys (2018) that she sealed her status as Nollywood royalty. In an exceptional performance, she blended raw energy, emotion, and strength as the feared and merciless matriarch Eniola Salami.

With an ability to balance strength, cruelty, and vulnerability, Sola Sobowale is forever one of Nollywood’s most celebrated matriarchs.

Franca Brown

If Patience Ozokwor was fire, Franca Brown was ice. Her villains weren’t loud or dramatic. Instead, they were cold, calculating, and emotionally detached, making them even scarier. Unlike Patience, whose wickedness could be seen outrightly, Franca was best at hiding her negative thoughts till it was time to exert evil on those who crossed her parts.

An iconic role of Franca Brown is the one she portrayed in the Nollywood classic ‘The Only Solution’. In this epic drama, Franca Brown was able to convince her husband ‘Pete Edochie’ to use their first daughter for money rituals as she needed to keep up with her affluent lifestyle. As if that wasn’t enough, she let Edochie take a second wife, who will later be used to renew their cult vows.

In Tears and Sorrow (1996), she played a heartless stepmother who used emotional and physical abuse to suppress her stepdaughter’s potential. Brown’s portrayal of this character was so believable that many children dreaded having stepmothers in real life.

Clarion Chukwura

Clarion Chukwura is another of Nollywood’s most unforgettable matriarchs, known for playing bold and often fearsome characters. With her striking beauty and powerful presence, she brought elegance to even the most villainous roles.

One of her most iconic roles remains that in the African romance “True Love,” starring Omotola Ekehinde and Ramsey Nouah. Clarion proved to be a no-nonsense mother and frustrated Omotola after her son had chosen her to be his bride. That single portrayal instilled fear into women who were yet to be introduced to their future mothers-in-law as they wondered if they’d ever be met with such hostility.

Another renowned role was in the Nollywood film ‘Emergency Wedding’. After finding out that her partner ‘Tony Umez’ was only using her financial gains and was never going to leave his wife for her, she connived with a native doctor to make his wife ‘Genevieve Nnaji’ go mad.

One thing about Clarion’s performances was the depth she brought to her roles. Her character was never just evil; they appeared in stages with hidden motivations that made them real and relatable.

Liz Benson is a name that commands respect in Nollywood, not only for her talent but also for her ability to portray complex, multi-layered characters. Known for her elegance and charisma, Liz was a master of playing the sophisticated villain—women who smiled while scheming and broke hearts with a single glance.

In the Nollywood classic, Liz played a terrible friend and betrayal to Hilda Dokubo and also played the role of a horrific stepmother to Zack Orji. Her character was one who appeared trustworthy and naïve; however, as the plot unfolded, so did her evil plans.

In World Apart (2004), she portrayed a queen who wouldn’t let her son ‘Kenneth Okonkwo’ marry a maidservant ‘Ini Edo’.  She made it her mission to frustrate Ini, stating that she was too poor and not from a befitting social class to marry her son.

Liz Benson’s characters often radiated authority and control, making her villains both terrifying and memorable.

Eucharia Anunobi

When it comes to Nollywood villains, Eucharia Anunobi is an icon of class and power. Defined by her appealing beauty and captivating performance, she made being bad look terrific.

In Glamour Girls (1994), Eucharia played a high-society woman who used deceit and betrayal to advance. While her friend was being trafficked abroad, she engaged in an intimate affair with her partner, who stayed back in Nigeria. Another memorable performance came in the ‘August Meeting’, where she played a cunning woman who was running for president of her village women’s community and went as far as indulging in diabolical means to win the position.

Eucharia’s roles always stood out due to her ability to balance charm and cruelty, as she was always dressed her best to enact her wickedness. She could make audiences hate her character yet admire her grace and wit. Her portrayal of villainy was both compelling and scary, making her one of Nollywood’s most fearsome ladies.

Camilla Mberekpe

Camilla Mberekpe was one of those ladies who brought a unique edge to Nollywood’s golden era with her spine-chilling performances. Known for her roles in supernatural and spiritual films, she played characters that struck fear into the hearts of audiences.

Camilla starred as a queen mother in End of the Wicked (1999), a film about a demonic cult. Her terrifying performance and complete evil costume helped her become a household name. In Okija Shrine (2000), she played a vengeful spirit with a passion for revenge, fluidly transitioning between grief and rage.

Camilla’s ability to illustrate spiritual wickedness was unmatched, and her acting frequently made audiences question the occult powers around them. Camilla Mberekpe, whether as a tormentor or a victim of her own plots, is one of Nollywood’s most famous actors.

In every film, each of the women listed above played their villain characters so well that often times, they’d star alongside in movies where they plan and connive to rain evil and problems on those they disliked or crossed their paths.

In the Nollywood classic ‘Women Cult’, the group of women, including Patience Ozokwor, Franca Brown, and Clarion Chukwura, all came together to use their husbands for money rituals and enjoy the finer things of life.

Impact on culture

These women were Nollywood icons in the late ‘80s, ‘90s and early 2000s, and their depictions of evil stepmothers, cunning mothers-in-law, and other villainous roles helped to create anxiety and suspense in early Nollywood films. The combination of societal humour, dramatic character features, and powerful performances made these ladies both feared and loved.

These actresses influenced the Nollywood scene by expressing the complex nature of familial relationships as well as societal expectations of women. They also paved the way for future portrayals of more complicated female characters, showing that these “villainesses” were more than just characters to be feared; their roles left lasting legacies in Nollywood’s history.

[DailyTrust]

In a world where celebrity breakups often make headlines, some Nigerian stars continue to prove that true love can last.

As of January 31, 2025, several famous couples have kept their marriages strong despite the pressures of fame. These love stories show that commitment, respect, and support can stand the test of time.

Here are 11 Nigerian celebrity couples whose marriages continue to thrive in 2025:

1. Olamide and Adebukunmi Aisha

Popular rapper Olamide and longtime partner, Adebukunmi Aisha, have maintained a solid relationship. They have successfully balanced the demands of the entertainment industry with their personal lives.

2. Monalisa Chinda and Victor Tonye Coker

Actress Monalisa Chinda and husband, Victor Tonye Coker, have a loving marriage. They often express their love and support for each other in public, inspiring many fans.

3. Timi Dakolo and Busola Dakolo

Award-winning singer Timi Dakolo and his wife, Busola, have built a strong family life together. They frequently share heartwarming moments, showing their deep affection and commitment to each other.

4. Dare Art Alade and Deola Ayeni

Renowned musician Dare Art Alade and his wife, Deola Ayeni, have enjoyed a stable and loving marriage over the years. Their union is admired for its strength and mutual respect.

5. Peter Okoye and Lola Omotayo-Okoye

Peter Okoye, formerly of the music duo P-Square, and his wife, Lola Omotayo-Okoye, have remained strong despite the challenges of fame. Their relationship is known for its harmony and resilience.

6. Bovi and Kris Asimonye

Popular comedian Bovi and his wife, Kris Asimonye, share a marriage full of laughter and love. Kris often appears in Bovi’s comedy skits, showing their fun and playful dynamic. They prove that humor can strengthen a relationship.

7. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Captain Matthew Ekeinde

Actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and her husband, Captain Matthew Ekeinde, have been married since 1996. Their marriage is one of the longest in Nollywood, and they have raised four children while navigating the demands of fame.

8. Mercy Johnson and Prince Odianosen Okojie

Actress Mercy Johnson and her husband, Prince Odianosen Okojie, have built a loving home with their four children. Mercy frequently shares family moments, showing how they balance fame with parenting.

9. Adekunle Gold and Simi

Music stars Adekunle Gold and Simi turned their secret romance into a beautiful love story. Since their 2019 wedding, they have continued to grow together, making music and raising their daughter, Deja.

10. Banky W and Adesua Etomi-Wellington

Singer Banky W and actress Adesua Etomi have captured fans’ hearts with their fairytale love story. From their romantic wedding to becoming parents, their relationship is built on love, faith, and mutual support.

11. Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD) and Jumobi Adegbesan

Veteran Nollywood actor Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD) and his wife, Jumobi Adegbesan, have been together for over 20 years. RMD often praises his wife for her support, showing that mutual respect is key to their lasting marriage.

These couples continue to inspire fans with their love stories, proving that true love can endure even under the spotlight.

[TheNation]

Popular actor, Lateef Adedimeji, has built a reputation for his versatility, seamlessly transitioning between intense emotional roles, comedic characters, and action-packed performances. However, his journey to stardom was anything but accidental.

In an interview with Saturday Beats, the actor stated that his initial strategy involved being known for crying in movies.

He said, “When I set out to carve a niche for myself, I started with crying—I would cry like an idiot. If I was asked to cry for one minute, I would go for two. So, I was intentional. At one point, when people couldn’t remember my name, they would refer to me as “the guy who cries in movies. When I realised that was becoming too overwhelming, I switched things up by introducing my Igbo-Yoruba character. I was strategic at every stage.

“Then ‘Ayinla’ came, and people saw a musical side of me they hadn’t seen before. ‘Jagun Jagun’ followed, and they discovered my strength in action roles. At every turn, I made sure to reinvent myself strategically.”

Asked how he feels about ‘Lisabi’ being one of the movies that dominated Google Search in 2024, he said, “I am excited. The joy is that one does something and a lot of people accept what one has done. There is nothing has joyful as that.”

On the importance of filmmakers telling indigenous stories, he stated, “If we can embrace the heroes of other countries, what happens to our own heroes? There are people that fought for our own liberation, so why can’t we tell their stories and appreciate them as well?”

[Punch]

Mallam, the stormy petrel. Your political opponents always mischaracterise you. They think you are an integrity-challenged diminutive charlatan. They say you are a cunning opportunist who is so unscrupulous you can misuse religion for personal political gains while mouthing ‘global best practices’. Perhaps a venomous chameleon.

But despite your warts and gaffes and their enthusiastic animosity, I think you possess an intelligence that can be used positively for national planning. The only challenge, Mallam, is whether you can find sufficient selflessness to assume true and circumspect statesmanship. To live what you preach and have an underbelly that the public can scrutinise day and night. 

Mallam, many admire you. And that love is not accidental like your sojourn in the civil service. You have a meticulous brain. You are bold. You were ruthless in sanitising Abuja. You didn’t allow it to become Lekki. You once came to Lagos and spoke truth to power and warned us about godfatherism as Wike did. You didn’t seem envious of Tinubu’s political dynasty. You said godfatherism and the concomitant erosion of internal party democracy were ruinous.

You spoke out loud. But those who call you a slimy hypocrite point out that once you got the opportunity in Kaduna, you tried to install your own brand of righteous godfatherism. To all, you come across as a serious man. But sometimes, you act in ways that make people call you a blooming Pharisee. I don’t like people throwing these  innuendos, suggesting that you are short in many aspects:  integrity, temper, humility, etc

Shehu Sani was your senator. Once he started demanding accountability, he became your enemy. You literally retired him from politics. Many think you are intelligent but intolerant and vindictive. Your critics are many. They say you are a religious bigot who abdicated leadership, took sides, and worsened the ethnic conflict in Kaduna. I don’t believe them. Perhaps they have not forgotten the Mary Magdalene joke. Others now say when you tried to pull down Tinubu out of envy and failing, you shamelessly joined him.

They say Tinubu saw through your manipulative obsequiousness, which was why he teased you with a ministerial appointment before shamelessly messing you up. They say it was you, a religious chauvinist, who even taught Tinubu Muslim-Muslim pairing to upset a settled convention. They say they are happy that karma, the lousy bitch, has settled on you, using your godson to portray you as a gluttonous clown while the other man enjoys his Lagos like a lollipop.

Mallam, I don’t know if I should tell you this. I know you kneel for elder statesmen as a mark of respect. But your opponents say it’s fake self-serving humility contrived to fool these men whose political blessings you crave and the public. These fault finders are a menace. They say you grovel and bootlick to service your ambition, but you don’t kneel to speak to other poor old folks like your party chairman, Ganduje.  

Mallam, seriously, how did you choose that Uba Sani? Please don’t tell me a Governor’s Advisory Committee did. You are more honest than that. The other Sani might have been uncontrollable, but seeing how he prostrates before Tinubu and writes deodorising poetry for him, he might have been better than Uba. How could you, with your foresight, not have foreseen what we are seeing? I hope you didn’t treat him contemptuously as Wike did to Fubara, whom he treated worse than a houseboy. I hope your arrogance didn’t impinge on his scrotum.

He has left your reputation in tatters. The House of Assembly had the temerity to probe the loans you collected. You know, our people say any finger that goes into the anus must find shit. However, remain courageous. God will not allow them to shame you. But how could a brilliant man like you commit such a cheap mistake? Or were you misled by marabouts? Look at ordinary Yahaya Bello. How couldn’t you find your own Ododo?

This Uba Sani man was the same man for whom you deviated from civility and mobilised some clerics to help use religion to win the elections after it was declared inconclusive, not so? How ungrateful. You literally messed in your pants while pushing this man across the finish line in an election many believe the PDP indeed won. You soiled your integrity for him. You lost some claim to sanctimoniousness, too. Mallam, how couldn’t you find a simple Ododo? Anyway, no shaking. Let the EFCC and ICPC do their worst. Fortunately, they no longer have any balls. 

Mallam, you stole the show at that conference. You rattled Tinubu and the federal government big time. You hit the nail on the head. And you didn’t even mention how the president is yorubanizing the country. I know you are keeping that for later. You will tell your people how they voted for him and how he has pushed the North aside and fixed the Yoruba in all critical positions. Shettima can’t dare defend that. I know you will come to that one day and scatter the shaky Emilokan table.

I like how you reminded them that the APC you helped found has forgotten that it came to Change the country and kill corruption. In your words, the party has lost its soul and become unrecognisable. And that’s the hard truth. The APC came to the Nigerian street like a preacher but it’s now running a bar and brothel at one end of the street. It’s absolutely unrecognisable. Now, it casually frolics with corruption, and its government boldly awards multi-trillion naira contracts without due process. 

But Mallam, the reason many neutrals no longer take you as seriously as they used to do is that you saw the castration of the EFCC under Buhari. And you didn’t say a thing. You saw bandits overrun the country with Buhari as commander-in-chief. You saw them.  You might not have seen the coming of Tinubu but you did adjust your position swiftly to benefit from him. Then, you went to court to fight the currency thing. Before then, you were at Chatham House.

You saw the elections and justified all the shenanigans. You were there at the 2023 ministerial confirmation hearing, feeling blessed and oblivious to the ambush. Mallam, many neutrals think your earnestness at the recent conference was contrived. If  Tinubu and company hadn’t deemed you a security threat, you would have been in this bloated cabinet, which you now think is filled with junk. But I like that you didn’t storm out of the country to pursue the PhD. The opposition needs who can bark and bite. The opposition needs sanctimonious people who can pretend to be righteous. The opposition needs people who can match the wiles of religious fundamentalists of all hues. 

It’s good you spoke about the destruction of the opposition parties. You didn’t mince words. This disingenuous method of planting moles to undermine multi-party democracy didn’t start today. It has put many African democracies in a coma. It’s good you pointed out that it could lead to mass apathy. You gave them the figures. It’s not important whether you did it because you want to use this new coalition to return to political relevance. The selfish motives are not important. They already know you are a cunning man. The important thing is that the country needs a new virile opposition party. The existing opposition parties have been infected. A broad electable platform that can steer the country towards rectitude is badly needed 

To that extent, you and your Compatriots must seek repentance publicly. You might not name and number your sins and their consequences publicly. But you all must do it privately and collectively. After that, you must collectively declare a departure from the old ways. This country requires a new political culture, not a new set of selfish and Prebendal leaders. As you stood for power shift to the south, you must insist that your group chooses the most inspiring and electable leader. The country needs transformative leadership. The reformed opposition’s new leader must lead by personal examples and with an eye for big ideas. 

Mallam El Rufai, some have said Tinubu might offer you a juicy carrot. Others have said you are so arrogant you can’t appreciate your shortcomings. The coming months will tell. Many believe you are one of the smart few. Time will tell if you are now jockeying for yourself or your country.