News
Nigeria in distress: Only The Mike Adenuga spirit can heal the land
If you wake me up today and put the question – who is the most patriotic businessman in Nigeria in recent history – the answer will pop-up out instantly – Mike Adenuga! I won’t even have enough time to wipe my drowsy eyes or clear my head out of the sleepiness. It is an answer that has lived in my sub-conscious for years.
Mike Adenuga, has done what I have never seen any other Nigerian do in my long years on earth. What he did with the coming of GLO is something that would make me trek from my village to Maiduguri, defying all dangers, including the dreaded good men of the night in solidarity – were he to contest anything in Nigeria, including the nation’s first job.
Don’t tell me it is a business model or his own means of survival. That Oga Adenuga introduced per second billing in Nigeria, years ago, is the reason you and me are not swimming in the pool of our own tears today.
Of course, I know that Nigerians are victims of short memory. They have forgotten what it was – they always do! And because history is no longer taught anywhere in Nigeria, our children will never know the truth.
But not me. I still remember and I even tell my children and those who have ears that it is because of Adenuga that you’re able to hear aloo – that sweet voice of your mother from as far as Sokoto, Okene, Ngwo or Ikot Ekpene!
Otherwise, just like the 090 – naught nine naught – remember it – telephony will still be a status symbol in Nigeria today – just like DSTV still is. Make no mistake about it.
Okay – join issues with me – call me names as usual – intellectual dwarf – economic imbecile – brain-dead social lilliput – I’ll accept it and still tell you for free that the fact that you’re not paying through your nose to make that call is because of this great Nigerian.
I’ll never shy away from attributing patriotism to him. Feel free to give it your own interpretation. But to me, it is just like yesterday when the debates were on. I continue to replay the pictures in my mind of those men in suit arguing on television on why it is impossible to operate per second billing. Tell them it is the model in Ghana, Benin Republic, Togo, et al – don’t forget they got GSM before Nigeria – they’ll give you all the reasons why our country is not on all fours.
Just like today when you see them telling you why you must sell your kini to buy a liter of fuel – regardless of our country’s peculiar circumstances – they introduce every argument in the world to remind you of all manner of difficulties against what even the poorest countries of the world were enjoying.
But Adenuga’s entrance changed the story. Of course, not without a fight. First, they tried to stop him. Even though it was his own show and it was his lot to swim or sink with it, they still didn’t want him to go his way for obvious reasons – he’ll spoil business. So, all manner of blackmail and roadblocks were mounted against him in their wicked, sinister bid. They even tried to use the NCC, the regulatory agency. But due to his resilience and resistance, he was able to withstand the tempest.
Initially, they continued their shylock model, but soon succumbed as they saw GLO practically glowing with Nigerians. Nobody told them that khaki nobi leather. Seeing the direction things were going, they soon caved in. Then, all the arguments disappeared. All the things they told us were not possible, became practicable before our eyes.
I guess that we’re buying fuel at N900 per litre today, is because Adenuga doesn’t own a refinery. Else, the price will still be at N200 or less. Don’t believe the men on suit on television who tell you that oil is an international commodity and must be sold at the same price as UK or US. Tell them it’s a lie. That’s the same thing they told us with GSM.
Surely, you’re paying through your nose for your DSTV bouquets today because there is no Adenuga n the business. Otherwise, every household could afford it as they do mobile phones today. In fact, when they tell you that you cannot enjoy Pay As You Watch in Nigeria as in other climes where pay=TV operates, stand up and walk away knowing you’re listening to lies and it is only happening because this is Nigeria.
You’ve heard that some of your brothers now pay as much as N500,000 for one-way domestic flight ticket. That is possible because Adenuga doesn’t have a commercial airline. Otherwise, you may still be paying as little as N30,000 for the same flight. O Yes! I know what you’re thinking. You need not tell me I’m talking nonsense. But I tell you, all the arguments you hear the airline operators make in the media are nothing but lies, couched in beautiful packages.
Were it not for Adenuga, you’ll still hear the same talk with our GSM today. Think the value of N25,000 in the year 2000 or 2001. You’ll be talking about N250,000 in today’s Nigeria if not more. That was the cost of the SIM card then – the same that you get for almost free now. Go ahead and sneer at me – snigger all you would. But I tell you today, the cheapest you’ll get that SIM card could be at that price or even more. Of course, they’ll justify it – those men in suit on television.
I know I’m a retard – a Mongolian idiot – Incapable of thinking – probably the reason why I believe it resembles something like pure robbery for me to buy fuel at more than N900 instead of N200 and the sellers will still be smiling to the bank. I know that you think I’m an imbecile for me to believe that I could watch premium programmes on DSTV on my legitimate income as a taxi driver or I could travel with N100,000 or less with my family of six on any of that local flight to my village for Christmas – I used to do it with half that price some few years ago – pre-APC times I mean – before everything come scatter with their change!
Had Adenuga been less patriotic, I’m sure they would have found a space for him in their thieving model of mobile telephony a la Nigeria. But he chose differently and today, you could sit in your room, cross-legged and hold conversations with your mother in the village – and even see her face through video calls without being a billionaire.
So, go ahead and mock me. But let me insist that all these are not possible in other areas because there is no Mike Adenuga – the most patriotic businessman in Nigeria in those businesses. So, they remain the exclusive preserves of the high and mighty. Now, if there is anything Nigerians enjoy, it is that exclusiveness. That is how that toy generator came by its name – I better pass my neighbour! Sad!
Again, mock me to your fill! Stick out your tongue! Clap your hands in jest! I agree. I accept your tag. Afterall that’s the way retards are wired! __ The Tiny Voice!
The Federal Government has begun the evacuation of its citizens from South Africa, presently home to rising xenophobic attacks against other Africans in the country, with the first batch expected Thursday evening.
Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who indicated this on Wednesday, said the evacuees would leave South Africa late Wednesday and touch down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday evening.
He said in a statement: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that the first batch of Nigerian nationals that will be evacuated from the Republic of South Africa due to Xenophobic attacks will depart the Oliver Thambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Wednesday night, and the expected time of arrival at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos is 5.00 am on Thursday morning.
“The evacuation operation will be undertaken by Air Peace Airlines. The Federal Government of Nigeria has fully funded the evacuation exercise; consequently, all affected Nigerians will be repatriated at no cost to them.”
Ebienfa assured Nigerians that the Federal Government, through relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), has put in place the necessary reception and support arrangements for the returnees.
“Upon arrival, the evacuees will undergo documentation and profiling procedures and will receive the appropriate assistance and support before being reunited with their families,” the ministry’s spokesperson added.
Tensions soared in South Africa after a citizen-led group opposed to irregular migration last month ordered all undocumented foreign nationals to leave by June 30.
Ghana and Mozambique have repatriated hundreds of their citizens; Malawi and Nigeria have announced they would do the same. Last week, Nigeria said it planned to repatriate more than 1,000 of its nationals from South Africa.
“Total figure not out yet,” Ebienfa said. “We are expecting over a 1,000 persons.”
In a statement, Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria said it had “negotiated waivers with host authorities” so that those with “immigration-related offences” would be allowed to leave on the eventual repatriation flights rather than be detained.
On Monday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said Nigeria may be considering retaliatory measures against South Africa following the hostility towards Nigerians and other black African migrants.
When asked whether Nigeria was considering retaliatory measures, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the option was under consideration.
“Well, that is a situation that we are considering. This is up to our legislature,” she said. “This is a decision that has to be taken at the highest level of government, but it’s not off the table.”
South Africa, until recently the continent’s most industrialised economy, has long attracted workers from across the region.
But saddled with an unemployment rate of over 30 percent, it has seen repeated spurts of xenophobic protests — including renewed violence in recent weeks.
The latest tensions have revived uncomfortable debates across Africa about xenophobia, migration and the gap between pan-African rhetoric and realities facing migration on the continent.
An ultimatum by one citizen-led group for illegal migrants to be expelled by June 30 has raised fears of violence after bouts of anti-immigrant unrest in the past that claimed dozens of lives.
Last month, Ghana repatriated some 300 people, the first batch of what authorities said was expected to be a total of about 800 Ghanaian nationals.
The South African government has said it is stepping up enforcement against undocumented immigrants but urged citizens not to take matters into their own hands.
There are more than three million foreigners living in South Africa, or 5.1 percent of the population, according to the statistics agency.
More than 63 percent come from countries in the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, announced the approval of the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats and ordered the immediate release of ₦10 billion as emergency intervention funding.
Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, who conveyed the development to the public, said the fund would strengthen the operational preparedness of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical national public health emergency response activities.
To be chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, the committee with membership drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and state representatives is also expected to get briefings on their plans to contain the disease.
Onanuga, stated that Tinubu also specifically directed all states hosting international airports and international border corridors, as well as relevant MDAs, to submit their plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for consideration and coordinated implementation.
Stating that the President’s move followed a stakeholder meeting convened under the CoS to review Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies against the possible importation of Ebola into the country., the statement informed that the Task Force would also intensify passenger screening at all international airports through enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control protocols.
Other measures would also include enhanced monitoring of passengers arriving through high-risk airline routes, including Air Uganda, Rwanda Air, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines; and the immediate activation of referral and isolation centres at the Lagos and Abuja international airports, with other airports to follow.
Other measures include the mandatory activation of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers originating from or transiting through designated high-risk countries, as well as the disinfection of departure halls, cargoes, baggage areas and airport facilities as precautionary environmental measures.
The President also directed the advisory group to consult with security, diplomatic and aviation bodies on regulating flights from affected and designated high-risk countries and mandated the task force to designate specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights to enable controlled screening and isolation procedures, and to consider adjusting flight schedules to minimise interaction between high-risk passengers and other travellers.
Justice Akintoye Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Tuesday ordered the remand of Paul Jibrin Oweleke in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged cybercrime offences linked to social media broadcasts that allegedly called for overthrow of President Bola Tinubu.
Specifically, Oweleke, in a two-count charge was accused of publishing posts on his online platform known as “Oweleke TV”, urging the Nigerian military to remove the President from office in a manner similar to takeovers in some West African countries, an act the agency said bordered on incitement and the use of a computer system to disseminate content considered prejudicial to national security and constitutional governance.
Oweleke’s broadcasts, the agency stressed, were capable of inciting public disorder and promoting disaffection against the government, which will undermine the country’s democracy.
Legal argument had ensued immediately after Oweleke, pleaded not guilty to the charges, with his lawyer kicking vehemently against the prayer of the agency that the court should order his remand pending the commencement of trial, on the ground that a bail application had already been filed and served on the prosecution.
But Aluko, who was persuaded to grant the prayer, went with the DSS, while adjourning the matter to June 16 for the hearing of the bail application, stating that Oweleke, would remain in the facility of the agency pending the outcome.
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