“And now, ladies and gentlemen, please rise and give a standing ovation to welcome the re-inventor of our state, our far-sighted, God-ordained leader, the father of our civilisational aspirations, the father of infrastructural wonders, the most outstanding governor in the whole of Nigeria, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Nwamkpi State, Architect Doctor Sir Chikeson Tesibiayetesi Ibrahim, OFR, CFR, Knight of the Order of River Tiber….”

A choreographed session of applause follows while the governor “humbly” makes his way to the podium, bowing severally in a rehearsed show of meekness and at the same time acknowledging cheers from his hired thugs who have formed an invisible protective ring around the perimeter of the venue…
By the time the governor makes it to the microphone, the audience has been whipped up to a frenzy with the live band singing provocative political tunes, the type that can make political opponents jump off a cliff or, to quote their favourite refrain, “Hug a transformer!”

Ego Trip

The governor clears his throat and informs the gathering that he was going to be very brief because other state matters needed his attention. He speaks for 45 minutes. Half of the time, he is engaged in self-adulation although he gives the glory to God because, “He saw it fit to persuade me to leave a very lucrative private practice to come down here and serve my people as their executive governor…” Hear, hear… Applause.

He then invites the commissioner for works to come and explain the significance of the project he was about to commission. The commissioner is accompanied by the bespectacled contractor, a rotund hulk whose role is to agree with everything the commissioner says with an agama-lizard-type series of nods.

Time up for the climax: a young student presents a ribboned pair of scissors on a tray to His Excellency and he invites the traditional rulers, commissioners, honourable members of parliament and other dignitaries to join him in the Photo-Op: the commissioning of the 750-metre link road between Main Avenue and Broad Street.

“You mean all these people were invited just to witness the commissioning of a 750-metre road?” A bystander asked his neighbour.

“Yes, and what’s wrong with that?” replies the neighbour.

“It looks cheap to me. Shouldn’t the governor be busy with more important things?”

“What could be more important than dramatising the provision of the dividends of democracy?”

“I wish the governor was commissioning an expressway. But 750 metres ought to be beneath the dignity of a governor in a proper democracy.”

“That’s your problem. Some governors in some other places have been known to commission culverts for channelling waste water.”

“Chai! Standards have fallen! I can’t recall one instance of this kind of charade in the First Republic. Only landmark projects attracted such publicity, like the commissioning of WNTV/WNBS, the first TV station in Africa; or the first skyscraper in Western Region, the Cocoa House; or the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Highway etc”

Fallen Standards

As a chronicler, I am worried. I don’t know if it bothers you too, but I’m perturbed that we seem to be producing substandard humans in public office compared to their counterparts decades ago. Standards have fallen so badly, especially in relation to the quality, quantity and relevance of projects. Public expectation has also nosedived. People don’t seem to expect much from their political leaders anymore.

Perhaps we could trace the fall in standards of our political leaders to a fall in the quality of their education. Indeed, a researcher, Chinelo Ogoamaka Duze, had reached this conclusion earlier in her study, “Falling Standards of Education in Nigeria: An Empirical Evidence in Delta State of Nigeria”, and I’m only parroting her findings here:

“We believe that the falling standard in education in Nigeria could be linked also to the lost glories of traditional education which inculcates among other things the very important values of hard-work, diligence, integrity, and high productivity. When these are lacking in any production system, education inclusive, the results are often devastating leading especially to poor quality output and wastage which in themselves undermine capacity building and sustainable development. The tertiary level produces the much desired human capital that propels nations from backwardness to modernisation. But it has to be fed from the lower levels.

A “mal-nourished” primary level would breed a “kwashiokored” secondary level that culminates into a “masrasmused” tertiary level. A survey of the opinions of 5,507 stakeholders was therefore carried out to determine whether educational standards were actually falling in Nigeria and at what level it was most grievous. It was found that standards have fallen at all levels of education, with the tertiary level being most hit, followed by secondary, and least, primary level. Three major reasons found were poor funding of education, poor implementation of educational policies and programmes and poor attitude to school-work.

Televised Idiocy

I don’t want to make this discussion academic. In plain language, what I am saying is that we are producing a horde of unserious political leaders at various levels of government. They are unprepared for the leadership roles we thrust upon them. Their standards are low. Their horizon is short. They are never visionary but always transactional. You task them too much if you suggest that they should plan for future generations. For them, tomorrow ought to take care of itself.

It is vexatious that even when you try to avoid the provocation of watching a 419 commissioning on live television and you tune to another station, it is as if the politrician is ubiquitous because he’s waiting for you at the next station. You are condemned to watching him and listening to his savage lingo and demonstration of megalomania as he has bought prime time on four major national TV stations. Perhaps the National Broadcasting Commission or the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission ought to protect the helpless viewer from this broadcast terrorism of forced viewership.

It is bad enough that the system allows a political appointee to waste public funds advertising himself and commissioning a project broken into several stages in such a way that the various stages are commissioned separately and beamed live on prime time TV because all the major television stations had been “bought” by the minister or governor or CEO.

Looking back at the great men and women of the First Republic, it is inconceivable that many of those who call the shots today would have qualified to carry the office files of those gentlemen of yore. Where are the equivalents of the great Awo or Zik, Sardauna, Balewa, Okpara, Osadebey, Adelabu, Tarka,

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuit, Margaret Ekpo, Gambo Sawaba et al.
Compare how we have been carrying on in the last 10 years to India’s giant strides within the same period. In the past decade, Indian Railways has laid 31,000+ km of tracks, facilitating better connectivity and travel across the nation. The construction of 11,900 Road Over Bridges (ROB) and Road Under Bridges (RUB) has improved infrastructure and safety for passengers. Over 12,600 million tonnes (MT) of freight loading was achieved, while 44,000 route kilometres (rkm) were electrified, contributing to a greener and more sustainable railway network.

Yet, it is our peculiar brand of televised idiocy, our cash-and-carry “democracy” that we hope to pass on to the next generation? I can’t help asking why.

ALL over the world, musicians are reputed to have patented argots, slang and jargon that signposted global conversations. In the tiny Island of Jamaica, the unkempt, locked-hair, weed-smoking, reggae music singer, Peter Tosh pioneered the word ‘Rasta’ as prefix for devotees of a new religion that began to reign in the West Indies. That religion believed that His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, formerly Abyssinia, and the last Emperor of the Empire, was “King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah and Elect of God”. In a musical track titled “Rasta Shook Dem Up” released in 1966, Tosh patented the usage of the word for worshipers of Selassie named “Rastafari.” It was derived from Selassie’s pre-monarch name, “Ras Tafari Makonnen,” “Ras” having come from an Ethiopian Semitic word meaning “Duke” or “Prince”.

In the early 1980s, when Yoruba Awurebe music icon, Alhaji Dauda Adeeyo, alias Epo Akara, was accused of couriering Indian hemp to Abidjan, Cote d’voire, his traducers had an upper hand in spreading the news. He had to denounce it in a track he called O wa l’Abidjan. In it, he sang that he was engaged in legitimate sale of Ankara clothes which was a major trade in the French-speaking country. A new kind of cloth style became known as L’Abidjan in the Southwest of Nigeria then.

About two weeks ago, Yoruba Fuji icon, Wasiu Ayinde, unwittingly added to the lexicography of the Southwest. His mother, Animotu Sadia, had passed and among a beehive of people who flooded his Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State home for the burial were Islamic clerics. In Yorubaland, clerics at such occasions, whether Christian or Muslim, have come to be synonyms with scavenging for perks and food. Islamic clerics are the most notorious. I remember that while growing up, a very unflattering but predominant phrase that was bandied about was, “If an Alfa goes to an occasion, how to know that the event was fruitful and he ate to his fill was that the Alfa’s elbow would be soaked in oil” (B’Afa ba lo ode, t’ode ba dun, igbunwo laa ti mo, tori yio mu epo dede ni!).

An apparently clandestinely recorded video had Ayinde complaining that the flood of clerics to his house in the guise of condolences, was stomach-driven. This was not the novelty Ayinde pioneered. The lexicographic enrichment came from the musician’s usage of a barroom, society’s lowlife slang to describe the scavenging. He said the clerics had chosen his house, rather than his father’s house at Fidipote area of Ijebu-Ode, to “Ganusi.” Ganusi can be used either as a noun or verb and has literally shut down the social media in the various mutations it has suffered.

Many people have done a syntactic and lexical examination of “Ganusi” since then, many times without fruition. It is most probably a weave of two words “Ga enu” (prized open like a trap) and “si” (to) to arrive at a word which conveys the meaning of a deliberate ploy to fill the tummy. Such act of prizing open the mouth is deliberate, purposive and tendentious, while not being real as it is concealed. Ayinde was obviously communicating a tendency that is getting worse in society where everyone has become a scavenger of the other person.

Though uttered at the height of frustration with nectar-sucking propensity of virtually everyone in Nigeria today, an Islamic cleric who angrily replied the musician reminded him that Ayinde, being a beggar (alagbe) – as musicians are known from time immemorial – was equally a scavenger.

“Ganusi” has become a social commentary on how virtually everyone in Nigeria is scavenging for survival, either legitimately or illegitimately. Whether Ganusi is done by designer suites-wearing contractors in Abuja, babanriga, Isiagu or agbada, or by touts at motor-parks who demand to be given a piece of the pie who rudely demand, “Big man, let me also Ganusi your wealth” (Baba Alaye, e je ki n ganusi), it is a reflection of our country’s current economic meltdown, of the rapacity of greed for sweet nectar, or survival-of-the-fittest and elimination of the weakest in Nigeria today.

What is left when honour is lost? —Publilius Syrus

WHEN negative things continue to happen one after the other, be careful! The signs are ominous! A Yoruba first-class Oba was caught on camera, in broad daylight, stooping or cringing before the Emir of Ilorin of all persons! Recall the history of how the Fulani usurped Ilorin from the Yoruba and the Emir in question is a descendant of the usurpers, still holding tightly to their prize – though the Yoruba have neither forgotten nor forgiven, and history, being a very long rope with bends and knots, will revisit the treachery of both Afonja and Alimi at some point down the road. The excuse given by the Yoruba Oba in question was jejune, to say the least. “Jejune” is a term I first learnt from Femi Falana, SAN during our days at Great Ife. Another one was “lacuna”. Comrade FF, as we fondly call him, was fond of using those words in those days, just like my friend, Prof. Tope Ogunbodede, immediate past VC of OAU,  once alerted me that I, too, was fond of using the word “shenanigans”, and I have since consciously moved away from it! But I digress!

Kabiyesi must be told in plain language that he defecated on his own throne and desecrated the Yoruba traditional institution. In the traditional Yoruba setting of yore, he would have had no choice but to do the needful for, as the saying of our people goes, death is preferred to shame and disgrace. When you disgrace not only yourself but the traditional institution that you represent, what is left? For, as Publilius Syrus quoted above opines, nothing is left when honour is lost. If Kabiyesi failed to realise what to do, the Kingmakers of that era would ask him to open the calabash (a euphemism for him to quickly join his ancestors). But just like Professor Okot p’Bitek argued in his Songs of Lawino and Songs of Ochol, the Yoruba traditional institution, like many other African traditions and culture, has since fallen on bad times. Birds no longer chirp as birds… That is Number one.

Number Two: At first, I didn’t know what they were complaining about; I mean about Ayinde Wasiu aka KWAM 1. I am not a lover of Fuji. The only song or outing of his that ever fascinated me was where he appealed to people eager to take to the dance floor at an occasion: Ijo maa kan yin/Nwon o ti pe yin/Nwon maa pe yin/Ijo o ti kan yin. Quite poetic! Therefore, I wasn’t keen on finding out what was the matter with the musician – until I stumbled on the ko-ko of the matter, as they say!  The musician was on the phone to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who had called to commiserate with Wasiu on the death of his mother, and, suddenly, the musician began to record and put the president on the speaker for everyone to hear the president’s trademark voice. Wasiu gallivanted about the room, with a few other fellows there watching and listening. As if that was not bad enough, the episode became public consumption. Try that with some presidents, like Idi Amin Dada of Uganda, and see whether the culprit will not bake his eba on earth but travel to heaven to collect the ila a-se-po to eat it with!

In olden times, that was how it was even here! I will tell you a story. A very powerful chief in my town of Owo in Ondo State married a new wife and being his aghayo (the preferred), he insisted that she would be the one to help him scrub his back every morning as he had his bath. One fateful day, only the devil knew what entered into this woman as she performed her wife-ly duty; she said: En-hen; are you more than this? See how skinny you are! Yet, the whole community shivers at the mere mention of your name!” The chief responded: Don’t mind them! I am not more than this o!” As soon as he left the bathroom, he sent his men to go and bring him the heads of both the father and mother of the errant wife – which was promptly done. He then called the wife and said to her, “Because I enjoyed the way you helped me scrub my back a while ago, I decided to give you a special present” And he handed the grinning and thankful wife a covered calabash. She hurried into her room, with the other jealous wives in tow, to savor the special gift from Kabiyesi. When she opened the calabash, lo and behold, the heads of Daddy and Mummy stared at her. Back in the presence of Kabiyesi, he told her: Just a sample of how powerful this skinny little me is!

Hence the saying to this day in Yoruba land: Ori yeye ni m’Ogun, t’aise lo po” or the add-on from the juju musician, Orlando Owoh: Ori yeye ni m’Ogun t’aise yeye.  Oh yes, many innocent (but unfortunate) persons end up being sacrificed to the gods. In those days, it was usually the guilty, prisoners of war, strangers who strayed into town on forbidden days, and criminals that get sacrificed to appease the gods. It is not for fun that our people say Eni ba f’oju d’Oba, awowo a wo! He who disrespects an Oba will be grinded in the dust! Or “Eni ba f’oju ana w’oku, ebora a bo l’aso. Once a person changes mortality for immortality, he is no longer the ordinary person you used to play around with. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that Wasiu used to know and play around with is no longer the same as Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If he commands you to miss now, you will miss – except by God’s grace. What will happen thereafter is what I cannot say!

Number Three: When I heard that the Ooni of Ife led a team of illustrious Yoruba elders to Aare Afe Babalola to get the legal luminary to discontinue his legal action against Dele Farotimi over his book that the Aare said defamed him, and the Aare reportedly stepped down on the matter, I heaved a sigh of relief. It would have been disastrous had the Aare said ‘No”. Who then shall we send? Who will go for us (Isaiah 6: 8). That would have been a sad day for the Yoruba nation. Thank God, the Aare realised that what was at stake was far heavier than defamation or his prestige or the truculence of Farotimi and those edging him on, many of them non-Yoruba who saw in this another opportunity to continue their destroy-them mission against the Yoruba. I, therefore, reckoned that this larger picture motivated the Ooni to embark on the peace, nay, face-saving mission. Imagine the Aare and Farotimi tugging at each other in the witness box; like it happened decades back between Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Chief Rotimi Williams! Things were even better then because the Yoruba were not in the eye of the storm then – but now, they are.

I expected one of two responses from Farotimi: appreciation or disdain. When it turned out to be disdain, I was not surprised. Some people must have been disappointed by the turn of events. The Yoruba’s masquerades will no longer dance naked in the village square! Before then, however, politicians have made a quick profit from it; one such being the appointment of the same Farotimi as the Organising Secretary of a faction of Afenifere (the one in the corner of Labour Party’s Peter Obi). Another Afenifere faction quickly responded by saying that they were the authentic Afenifere. And my mind went straight to Professor PLO Lumumba when he said: In an argument between two dwarfs, what sense does it make for one dwarf to say he is taller than the other, seeing that, in any case, both of them still remain dwarfs?

Number Four: Afenifere’s problem is not about who is authentic or not but of what relevance, today, is the once flaming Yoruba leadership organisation in the affairs of the Yoruba? Sadly, neither of the factions has come to this realization. Human organizations, empires, and kingdoms rise and fall. They get to their apogee (greatest height possible) and stagnate for a while for a variety of reasons before beginning to wane, deteriorate, regress and eventually collapse, giving way to others to take its place. “His place let another take” (Psalm 109:8, Acts 1:20). Where are the erstwhile empires that ruled the world? Why is Donald Trump insistent on Make America Great Again? It is because America, having got to the pinnacle of its power, like the empires and great powers before it, has, in the recent past, been on its way down. Others are already on their way up the ladder to catch up with it, oust and eventually replace it. Such is the natural order of things. Afenifere, too, is on its way out! This truth may be bitter. And the reason is simple: Changing situations and circumstances, which the Afenifere leaders were not quick to take into cognizance. They acted too little, too late. They operated a closed-shop system like the Guilds of old; it worked when information could still be warehoused but not any more in this Digital Age and with this Gen Z generation. And they should have known that! The Yoruba themselves say the god that the elders worship, but which the children are not introduced to early, will soon expire. Afenifere has served its purpose. The older generations have paid their due and deserve a 21-gun salute. Now is the time for them to understand that Afenifere, having surpassed its apogee, is far past its usefulness. Struggling to still insist on its relevance in present circumstances is like flogging a dead horse. What will take the place of Afenifere is what we should all be concerned with – and not the contest between two dwarfs!

Number Five: After all efforts to worm his way back into the Tinubu fold fell flat on its face, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola took the plunge, bit the bullet and pulled his “Omoluabi” political group out of the ruling APC in Osun state. Some have questioned the appropriateness of the “Omoluabi” tag adopted by Aregbe and his group – but that is a topic for another day. Where are they heading – PDP? They are yet to categorically declare. So we keep our fingers crossed. But we cannot but link this issue with the rumblings in Lagos over the speakership of the House of Assembly, where the erstwhile speaker was booted out of office. What surprised many was Obasa’s audacity to make a stand and fight back. Many had thought he would be picked up by the EFCC and that would be it. But the politics of it is more complicated than many could fathom. Aregbesola used to fix Alimoso, one of the largest local governments bringing in the votes for the Tinubu political machine. Though he has fallen out of favour, Aregbe still has his die-hard loyalists in Alimosho. Note that the unimaginable happened and Tinubu lost that local government in the 2023 presidential election. Obasa is the new fixer in Alimosho and Agege. Party strategists reckon that the “coup” that eased Obasa out should have been left till after the 2027 elections. Such are the ways of politics!

LAST WORDS: The three-pronged attack seeking to unhing the southwest before 2027, if care is not taken, are religion; the influx of bandits and terrorists; and cultism-related activities and violence. To unseat the sitting president in 2027, his opponents must first make his home base the theatre of war, setting brother against brother, and sister against sister! The spade work has started!

The Obidient Movement outrightly rejects the baseless and revisionist claim by former Governor Bisi Akande that our movement was behind the historic EndSARS protests, allegedly orchestrated to stop Bola Ahmed Tinubu from becoming President. This false narrative is not only an insult to the memory of the young Nigerians who lost their lives in the fight against police brutality but also a desperate attempt to rewrite history and shift blame for the government's failures.

EndSARS was a decentralized, youth-led movement demanding an end to police brutality, extrajudicial killings, and systemic oppression in Nigeria. It was not about politics, nor was it about any single individual’s presidential ambition. Nigerians, especially young people, took to the streets in 2020 because they were tired of injustice, unchecked police violence, and a government that refused to listen to its people.

To suggest that the Obidient Movement a movement that emerged years later as a symbol of hope, accountability, and good governance was responsible for EndSARS is not only false but also a deliberate attempt to discredit our cause. We are a movement of patriotic Nigerians united by the desire for a better country, not agents of chaos as Akande and his allies would like to paint us.

Rather than engaging in revisionist propaganda, we urge Akande and his associates to focus on addressing the real issues facing Nigerians today economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, and bad governance. The people are suffering, and no amount of misinformation or historical distortion will change that reality.

We stand firm in our mission to restore integrity, transparency, and good governance in Nigeria. No amount of false accusations will deter us from advocating for a better future for our nation.

Signed,
Dr Tanko Yunusa
National Coordinator, Obidient Movement

The attention of the Leadership of the OBIDIENT MOVEMENT has been drawn to a media publication recently in circulation suggesting that the obidient movement has joined the Action Democratic Party (ADC)

For the purpose of clarity the obidient movement has not joined or associated it's self with any other political party or any coalition as at today.

From the video in circulation we only saw members from the Coalition of the protection of democracy (COPDEM) in a meeting with the National Leadership of ADC.

Please be informed that COPDEM is an organization which also serve as one of the support group and as such is not the obidient movement neither does it have any authority to negotiate with any political party on behalf of the obidient movement.

We want to reassure the general public that the obidient movement is dedicated and is working tirelessly with critical stakeholders and people of like minds who are desirous of seeing a new Nigeria through our principal his Excellency Mr Peter obi

We therefore consider all this propaganda as an attempt to undermine and derail the activities of the obidient movement which is solidly behind HE Mr Peter Obi.

Hon Chidiebere Darlington Anyanwu CHYDON
Personal Assistant on Media & publicity to Dr Tanko Yunusa the national coordinator obidient movement .

On our way to church, my wife asked if I planned to write anything after the Mass. I replied no, mentioning that I had written enough about the Church in the past week and needed a little break. Psychologically, if people constantly hear from one perspective, it might create unintended biases. However, she encouraged me to keep writing, especially to address those who aim for a knockout blow to Catholic Church; the reckless fringe determined to see its utter destruction.

During the sermon, Fr. Maximus Okonkwo was in his element. But how could this be perceived as being unfair to me? We shall revisit that later. As he began, I realized that starting well does not always mean ending well, but he managed to do both beautifully.

He introduced the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time as the Sunday of the Word of God, explaining its origin: “The Sunday of the Word of God, observed annually on the third Sunday of Ordinary Time, was established by Pope Francis in 2019 through the Apostolic Letter “Aperuit Illis”. The Pope purposely established that in 2019 during the 1600th anniversary of St. Jerome’s death. Jerome, who died in 420 AD, translated the Bible into Latin known as the Vulgate. The Church thereby wants to emphasize the importance of Scripture and the legacy of St. Jerome, his role in promoting the Word of God. It influenced the King James Version, translated 1,206 years after the Vulgate. I state this for some reasons. This day is devoted to honouring, reflecting on, and emphasizing the significance of Sacred Scripture in the lives of the Church and its faithful. He related this to 2008, when Pope Benedict XIV urged Catholics to renew their devotion to the Scriptures and integrate them more deeply into their lives.

Fr. Maximus skillfully connected this celebration to the readings of the day. He described the first reading, Nehemiah 8:2-10, as a moment when the Israelites, recently returned from exile, experienced a spiritual revival. They had suffered a decline in faith and neglect of God’s Word during their exile. This passage served as a reminder of the consequences of abandoning God’s Word and the blessings of rediscovering it. Fr. Maximus urged us to consistently read, meditate on, and apply Scripture to our lives, in order to cultivate a deeper relationship with God.

In the Gospel reading, Luke 1:1-21, we see Jesus in a synagogue in Nazareth, reading from the book of Isaiah. Fr. Maximus delved into the historical and religious context, explaining the distinction between temples and synagogues in ancient Israel. The temple only in Jerusalem was reserved for sacrificial worship, pilgrimage and festivals like Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Synagogues, scattered throughout Israel, were centres for prayer, Torah study, and teaching, but sacrifices were not performed there. To bring the message home, he correlated the Temple to the Cathedral in the diocese and the synagogues to other parishes scattered around the diocese. Fr. Maximus emphasized that Jesus’ act of reading from Scripture is a powerful reminder that engaging with God’s Word is central to our lives as Christians, especially as Catholics.

Fr. Maximus explained that Luke’s Gospel was addressed to Theophilus, a name that could be interpreted in three ways. However, he leaned toward the symbolic interpretation: “Theophilus represents all lovers of God who seek to know the truth about Christ.” He linked this idea to the Sunday of the Word of God, reminding us that we, too, can discover and know God through Scripture.

Fr. Maximus skillfully referenced other parts of Scripture to underscore the significance of the Word of God. He cited 1 Peter 1:24-25: “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the Word of the Lord abides forever” highlighting the temporary nature of worldly things compared to the eternal reliability of God’s Word. He also referenced John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”, using this verse to affirm the importance of venerating Scripture as the presence of God in another form. He warned us against treating the Bible as ordinary literature. Referencing Hebrews 4:12, he described the Word of God as a “two-edged sword,” living and active, able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Fr. Maximus emphasized that Scripture was divinely inspired, as stated in 2 Peter 1:21: “Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” He also cited 2 Timothy 3:16-17, which declares that all Scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. Scripture equips believers to atone their lives with God’s will. He pointed to the sanctuary to illustrate the central place of God’s Word in the Church’s life, explaining the two tables of the sanctuary: the table of the Eucharist and the table of the Word (the pulpit). He also referenced the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). He said the apostles, after Jesus had explained the Scriptures to them, said: “Mane Nobiscum, Domine” (stay with us, Lord). The joy of the Gospel made them long for Christ not to leave them, and Christ indeed stayed with them to the point of breaking the bread, whereupon they recognized Him. For Fr. Maximus, reading the Bible will make us long for Christ, and He will surely want to stay with us.

Fr. Maximus left us with these key lessons from the Sunday of the Word of God. The Word of God is central to the life of every Christian and must be read, meditated upon, and applied in daily living. Scripture is living, active, and transformative, capable of guiding believers toward righteousness. Engaging with the Bible helps us rediscover our faith, much like the Israelites in Nehemiah’s time. The use of Scripture to tackle heresies and refute errors also came to mind, as I remembered how Fr. Chineye Oluma used the Bible to teach the ignorant Damina about the real presence.

The sermon of today reminded us of so many things. Reading the Bible and spiritual books are good in Christian life. It was actually Luis de la Palma’s book, “The Life of Christ,” that helped in the spiritual transformation of St. Ignatius of Loyola. In his “Confessions,” St. Augustine of Hippo talked about how his conversion is linked to Romans 13:13-14. Before then, he embraced philosophy after reading Cicero’s “Hortensius.” St. Francis of Assisi had a profound conversion experience after hearing a sermon on Matthew 10:9-10. St. Teresa of Avila experienced conversion after reading the Bible and the works of Church fathers, especially St. Augustine.

Reflecting on the words of God reminds us that the Bible, as it exists today, is largely the work of inspired Catholic theologians. They endured numerous challenges to preserve the purity of the canon, including opposition from figures like Marcion of Sinope. Marcion’s heretical views threatened the integrity of the Christian Scriptures, prompting the Church to define and defend the canon more clearly.

Yet, despite the Church’s efforts to safeguard the Scriptures, some individuals continue to use the very Bible that the Church preserved to criticize and attack it. This paradox highlights the Church’s resilience and dedication to truth, even when faced with such unfairness.

Amidst all this, the question arises: would Fr. Maximus have delivered such a quality sermon had he not been thoroughly prepared? Hopefully, other churches have ensured that their congregations fully understand the significance of the Sunday of the Word of God. When the congregation is well-fed by the Word, their faith is strengthened to withstand many challenges posed by individuals like Damina and even my friend Mr. Ugo who seek to lead others astray.

As we near the end, remember I said I was determined not to write today. However, Fr. Maximus's compelling sermon changed my perspective, forcing me to write, which I see as fr. being unfair to me.

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]