"...i will rise up from the dead and haunt you..."- Professor Wole Soyinka alive and well at Black heritage at Freedom park.

"As to you media (pointing to the media playfully) if you misquote me i will rise up from the dead and haunt you for life!" And that was how the revered Professor Wole Soyinka rounded up his opening address to flag of this years Black Heritage festival with the theme 'Road to Sambisa'

In the event co sponsored by the Lagos state government,  Diamond bank PlC, Microsoft and Honeywell noodles, Professor Soyinka said the reasons why he wont back the continuation of the Jonathan led government are over 60 (pointing to the school kids in the audience) saying that Jonathan’s administration was initially in denial of the abducted Chibok girls and even after confirmation of their abduction failed to provide leadership to rescue the school girls.

He also said that the online media had been twisting his words in interviews he never granted to support this present government. He said "..for anyone to put words in my mouth that I will vote this present government is a travesty of intelligence"

He further said that the theme was chosen long before the election and says he looks forward to the kids teaching the adults how to imbibe a little bit of responsibility towards them.

More pics below

The indoor venue billed to host the event at Freedom Park turned out inadequate as the number of participants compared to last year had more than doubled. The event was moved to the open square so everyone could be seated.

Police patrol car deliberately overrun and kill commercial driver in Benin city

What is really happening in this country?! 
I was told a story by a credible eyewitness and a dear friend.

On the 3rd of february yesterday, at Owosheni junction by mission road not far from Fcmb in Benin, a commercial driver parked his bus and began loading passengers, a police van came along accosted him and told him to leave the spot but the driver refused.

His affront and refusal infuriated the policemen who forcibly removed his vehicle battery to render him immobile and in response to prevent the patrol team from leaving with his battery, the driver layed down on the ground in front of the police van thinking they will stop or not move.
Unfortunately,  the police simply drove over the man killing him instantly right in the presence of his wife and son!

The policemen on realising what they had done under the guise of helping the now lifeless man attempted to pick up the corpse which resulted in an attack on them by angry onlookers mostly motorpark touts.
One of the policemen had to release a volley of bullets to disperse the mob and make their escape!
Workers and customers at the bank had to run for cover on hearing gunshots, some cars too were vandalized. 

If you are in Benin and heard or witnessed this sad incident too kindly send pictures if you have to yomilawal1@gmail.com

May the soul of this man who was simply trying to provide for his family rest in peace!

Woman loses legs to Brt bus at Ikorodu - graphic pictures

The woman pictured below had her two legs mangled by a Brt bus which swerved to avoid hitting a danfo bus in front of Zenith bank at ikorodu lagos.

Ikorodu, mile12 and Ketu are notorious for traffic jams and selling of wares on pedestrian workways forcing pedestrians to walk on the road with policemen and Latsma officials in active collusion with these unpatriotic individuals.

Reports says she might become a double amputee.

She is a mother of two and irate urchins have vandalized the Brt bus. More later

Sec. John Kerry's wasted visit

John Kerry's wasted visit.

I think I'm getting old, if not I wouldnt have felt the surprise visit by John kerry was going to be meaningful.
I wont say I'm surprised though, he got appointed after senator Clinton couldnt stomach Obamas cloudy foreign policies and resigned. 
I expected him to call for the postponement of this election seeing that INEC is ill prepared and the tension way too much for a credible elections to hold.

The APC believe they have the numbers to win but are not taking into calculations how many of the people sympayhetic to them can vote. 3 weeks to the elections, there are still so many undecided voters. 

Aside that, the threat of war looms irrespective of the winner.
instead he came and in a condescending manner says the election holding will prevent violence?! Does that man actually have access to CIA security briefings or he came here to ensure Nigeria erupts in violence?

Does General Buhari have control over the street urchins and youths who unleashed mayhem in 2011 or does President Jonathan have control over the niger delta militants who few months ago barred him from stepping into the creeks?

So of what significance is the Abuja peace accord that cant be enforced? Or wasnt it after the accord the stonings and killings picked up pace?

The words of Sec. John Kerry were bereft of wisdom Or what do you make of the threat of denial of visas to any Nigerian deemed to have contributed to any unrest? And saying the US will keep sabotaging our fight against boko haram if there is post election violence! 

His visit here and his utterances were not in Nigerias best intetest.

What do you think?

President Jonathan captures Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara - Photo speak

The PDP campaign had huge crowd showings in Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara states. Massive crowd thronged the rally venue to show their support for the incumbent president who is in a tight race.

See pix below

Huge turnout in Sokoto 

Sokoto 

Sokoto all out in support of Mr President! 

Katsina Rally

Zamfara Rally

Zamfara Rally from another angle

President Jonathans campaign seems to have found a new drive as can be seen by the huge turnouts at his campaign rallies making the race for this 2015 presidential election even more interesting.  Lets see APCs showings in these same states!

Buhari triumphant entry to Kano State - photo speak

The APC campaign train moved to Kano State the seat of SLS the former CBN governor and now the Emir of Kano.
The crowd was so tumultuous that Rtd General Buhari couldn't make his way to the Emirs palace. 

See pix below

A street in Kano earlier today

Kano residents thronged the airport awaiting GMBs arrival

GMB arrives at Kano airport

The new bridge commissioned by GMB locked down by the throng

Aerial view of the same bridge

The Emirs palace

At the Kano stadium venue of the rally

With over 4 million permanent voters card up for votes in Kano who do you think will sweep up the peoples votes in Kano? PDPs rally there will tell! 


Pictures Courtesy SOLACE

UPDATE

Kano rally ends

NEXT STOP IS JIGAWA

President Jonathan visits Borno

The commander in chief of the federal republic of Nigeria visits Borno state.

Wait, is that a bullet proof vest under his babariga?

Why are wounded soldiers in combat fatigue on hospital beds?

Muhammad Ali back in hospital

Ali, who turns 73 on January 17th, was only released from hospital a week ago, where he was being treated for a urinary tract infection

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was in a US hospital last night after guests at his home failed to wake him up.

The sporting great was released from hospital just one week ago after he was treated for a urinary tract infection.

But he was been taken from his home in Scottsdale, Arizona, to hospital in the early hours of yesterday morning where he is thought to be in an intensive care unit. 

Read more http://www.mirror.co.uk

Another fire at Abibu Oki ware market

I just received an alert from tsaboin traffic that the Abibu Oki ware market is on fire causing traffic snarl on Marina

Will keep you updated

Much ado about GO...and 2015 by Opeyemi Oduwole

Much ado about GO...and 2015! 

If it is indeed true that Pastors Adeboye and Oyedepo were key figures in trying to broker peace between OBJ and GEJ, then I'm really sorry.... Cause I remember quite vividly during the fuel subsidy rallies when some human right activists appealed to both Adeboye and Oyedepo to please use their voices in joining the people's yearning the PR dept of both churches went on full blast that the GOs should not be dragged into politics despite the fact that it is same people suffering that forms their congregation. 
But now that elections are abound, I wonder what the defense will be - as response to this 'un-clandestine' meeting in Abeokuta earlier this week. As far as I'm concerned these GOs were, and have always, been involved in politics but only choose to look the other way when they are being called to stay on the side of the masses. Their silence during the fuel subsidy saga was loud enough to show the smart minds whose side they were. 
Love them or hate them, I give kudos to Oritsejafor and Tunde Bakare for (at least) not hiding their political affiliations. The only difference is that one is a fraud and the other is a nation builder - my personal opinion anyway and have no apologies for that. I leave you to decide which is which. 
Whilst the dogmatic tendencies will not let many be objective as to the roles of religious leaders in the society. Can I please remind all that names like Mother Theresa, Desmond Tutu, Rev Martin Luther King, St Francis of Assisi - and many more continues to be alive and will perhaps live forever, not because of their clerical activities but for staying in the right side of history. 
We will tell our children and grandchildren of our spiritual leaders that abandoned us when our stomach is empty, we will also tell them about those spiritual fathers who stayed silent in the face of mammoth corruption and those who walked shoulder to shoulder with us in the days of struggle. We shall relay the names of Tunde Bakare, Tony Rapu, Alhaji Abdulrahman Amodu and few others that weren't ashamed to be seen or speak for the common man 

Therefore the never-objective people may continue to defend the indefensible whilst the GOs continue to fly private jets to the detriment of the members of the society they are called to defend. I dare say their 15 minutes of fame will soon be over. Who remembers Jesu Oyingbo today? Who remembers Partick Anwuzia today? Where is Sha Mashad today? I say they are all in oblivionosphere!

Pa OBJ and his maradonic tendencies - pics

The first picture shows Pa OBJ at the wedding of President Jonathans adopted daughter on Saturday at Abuja.

By monday he was reported to have dodged the same president by playing james bond zapping through the other gate that leads to his house just before the presidential chopper landed.

Later that night I heard there was a clandestine meeting between the duo in the presence of two notable pastors.

On Tuesday see Pa OBJ milling with the APC Presidential team, hehehe! I thought IBB was the maradona abi Baba don snatch title ni?

President Jonathan looking presidential!

Caption this!

Dont kill in our names - Buhari, Jonathan and others photo op

Earlier today at a workshop on non violence held in Abuja.
Caption the pics!

Photo credits - SOLACE

Buhari lands at Calabar as Osibajo visits Osun

Still on the campaign trail, Buhari stormed Calabar after leaving Uyo. See pics below

His running mate Professor Osibajo was also in Osogbo earlier today. The town practically went agog in celebration. See pics below.

Prof with Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola the Osun State governor

Gov. Okorocha Donates state of the art campaign bus to Buhari/Osibajo ticket

Governor Rochas Okorocha donated a luxurious campaign bus to the Buhari cause. See the handing over and interior below.

What do you think?

Buhari continues onslaught pushes towards UYO

After the tumultuous welcome at Port Harcourt Rivers state, the APC change machine swept into UYO the Akwa Ibom state capital. See pics below

Sea of People welcome Buhari at Uyo

See his prior welcome at PortHarcourt here

Keep checking for more updates

Prof with Bishop Okonkwo

APC knowing they are timed constrained and wishing to touch base with everyone came up with a strategy to delegate some of the visits to the VP candidate,  talk of time management and delegation of responsibility and authority. Hopefully this continues if APC wins

Buhari storms Rivers State dares President Jonathan in South South!

APC took the fight for the control of AsoRock and Nigerias destiny to President Goodluck Jonathans backyard in Rivers State.

The turnout was massive, judge for yourselves.  Pictures courtesy of SOLACE (more on them later)

The Peoples General

Massive crowd welcome their own at Port Harcourt

Keep checking for updates. 

In the spirit of fairness if you have updates on the PDP GEJ campaign I will gladly post it. In all please get your PVC! 

APC campaign in high gears - Prof Osibajo commence regional visits

Check out pictures of the APC vice presidential candidate in Ikenne and Remo as part of the party's tour of all political regions in the country.

Above Professor Osibajo at Mama HID Awolowo's residence in Ikenne who also happens to be his inlaw.

His arrival at Ikenne

At Remo

APC is favoured in online polls to win the 2015 presidential elections in Nigeria