“nigerians need to know more about insurance”

• 2 Hrs With New Chartered Insurance Institute President
• Lady ISIOMA CHUKWUMA Talks About Her New Job

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Lady Isioma Chukwuma is a big personality in the Insurance industry. She has not only served on the Council of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CIIN) for years, she was recently elected President of that formidable institution made up of Insurance practitioners. She is also the MD/CEO of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation incorporated in July 1997 but started operations on 1st January 1978. So she wears two caps. But this lovely Asaba born professional is able and capable having spent about 25 years in the industry starting off with Nigeria Re being her first point of contact with Insurance. Since she came in she has diligently pursued her career and has risen through the ranks to the very top of her career. So enviable is her career that she has worked in virtually all the technical department of the corporation. She has a rich pedigree having been born in Asaba, in Oshimili South LG area of Delta State. She started schooling at our lady of Fatima Primary School, Surulere, Lagos and proceeded to Anglican Girls Grammar School, Asaba where she did her WASC Div. II). She then went to University of Ibadan, to study French. There, she bagged B.A (Hons) 2nd Class Upper Division in (1978). She later went to University of Lagos to do a Master in Public Admin. (MPA) in 1985. She is an Associate of Chartered Insurance Institute, London (1990).

She joined Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation as a Graduate Trainee on 2nd January 1980 and worked in virtually all the Technical departments of the corporation as follows: Marketing/Inward Department from (1980 to 1991), Accident Department from 1991 to 1994, Motor Department from 1994to 1996, and Client Services Department from 1996 to 1999. She also worked in the Property Department from 1999-2005 and Overseas Inward Department from 2005 to March 18th 2009 when she was promoted from Assistant General Manager to Acting Managing Director. Lady Chukwuma was confirmed Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer on the 17th of June 2009, a position she has held till date. Over the years, because she was found to be grow for instance, she has been saddled with a lot of professional responsibilities, Lady Isioma Chkwuma has been a Member of the Governing Council of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria since 1999 to date. She served as the Treasurer of the institute in the year 2013/2014. She is currently the Deputy President and Chairman, Governing Board of the College of Insurance and Financial Management. She was a past President of the Professional Insurance Ladies Association 2001-2003.  Past Chairman of the Offices Representatives Committee of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria.

She was the past Chairman of the MANDATORY CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (MCPD) Committee of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria. She was also a member of the membership and professional standards committee of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria. She was member of the Activities Committee of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria and  member of the Education Committee of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria. She has attended various courses, seminars and Conference both locally and internationally. She is an Executive Committee Member of the Federation of Afro-Asian Insurers and Reinsurers (FAIR). She is a very committed Christian and is the immediate past President of the Ladies Progressive Society of All Saint Anglican Church, Yaba. In April 2006, she and her husband were knighted into the Order of St. Christopher. Lady Isioma is happily married to Barrister (Sir) Sammy Chukwuma and her. Hobbies include playing computer games, crossword puzzles and watching television. Last Tuesday, at her 20th floor expansive office on Marina, Lagos, City People Publisher SEYE KEHINDE and ISAAC ABIMBADE grilled this formidable woman of substance on her plans for the Insurance industry, and she gave brilliant answers. 

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Congratulations on your new appointment as the President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria. How does it feel?

I feel honoured. I feel delighted, and I am grateful to God for the  privileged and the opportunity. There are so many professionals who qualify to be in this position that I have been counted worthy to occupy this position at this present position, I am highly honoured. I am happy to have gotten to this height at the peak of my career, so to speak.

At the time you took up this position, what went through your mind, in terms of what you had in mind to do for the association?

First and foremost continuous service. As you must have read, I have been in the council since 1999. So I have always has that commitment to put in my best forwards the service of industry in any capacity I find myself the Emerging as the President my aim was to come in and consolidate in what I have been doing in the past, which is continuous service and then most specifically now, as the President, to build upon what my predecessors have done in the past. If their were gaps they had created or if there were programmes they had commenced, but they were unable to finish in their tenure, my is to come in and fill in the gap, in other words, to be able to complete what they had started and bring it to perfect completion.

How do you see the insurance industry today? Is the industry where it should be?

Unfortunately, the industry is not where it should be today, if we are comparing it with other markets, particularly across Africa, in Kenya, South Africa, and other places where insurance penetration is deep. For Nigeria, the level in still very low, the awareness is still very, very low too and the performance is not where it ought to be because of the low awareness of Insurance within the populace. So my focus is to create that awareness. That will ensure and enhance the penetration of Insurance particularly into the Interland and to build Insurance into consciousness of the people, to the level that people will become aware.

Going by my programme, we are starting with the secondary school, creating awareness in the Secondary School. Its not a new venture so to say. It’s a combination of what has been happening in the past, so I am just going to continue in that vein to sensitize the younger ones particularly to catch them young, going to tertiary institutions, going to NYSC Camps to create that awareness for insurance, as a career and a way of life, to build it into the consciousness of people that they should be able to take up insurance.

When they hear about it, they can then tell their parents and send the messages, that way insurance penetration can be better.

That way our ultimate can finally be realized. So we can reach the common man with Insurance.

How can government be of help? How can government keep the insurance industry?

The government agencies can help a great deal. Right now, there are some compulsory insurance that you must do. First and foremost if the government can place that priority on insurance, as it were, and ensure that all government assets and properties are insured, at least you can imagine the amount of premium that will be generated from that sector and then from the government agencies like the Fire Service, the Road Safety, Quality Surveyors, Estate Valuers, if all of them can ensure that they take up the compulsory insurance that they should do, it will help. For instance, for buildings there are specifications that if a building is above particular level there must be compulsory insurance. So, if all those are complied with, I am sure it will increase our performance. It will boost our income generation in the industry.

So government can help us by ensuring compliance, enforcing compliance and making sure that people who ought to take up policies, take up their policies. Government on its own should also ensure that they themselves insure government assets and properties.

How has it been running Nigeria Re, this prestigious institution?

I will say its been quite challenging. But I thank God I have been able to handle it well. Its been 5 years now. Since 2009, I wouldn’t say it been all rosy. Its been quite challenging. To the glory of God I have been able to wade through our ups and downs. I will say we are stabilizing.  We are coming not of the stormy weather, the sky can only be our limit.

How different is Nigeria Re from other insurance companies? I know you do different things. Isn’t it?

Oh yes. The typical insurance companies are the primary underwriters. They deal with the populace. Nigeria Re is a re-insurer. They don’t deal with the common man. They deal with Insurance Companies. They provide cover. They provide capacity for insurance companies. So when the insurance companies go out there to meet the insured, so to say, they take up the risk, even risks that are beyond their capacity. They believe they have a reinsurance backing or support. So they are encouraged to take more risks in the believe that when they take excess capacity they will transfer the excess to the re-insurer, who is supposed to know provide cover for that excess. Re-Insurance companies on our own are expected to take our own cover as well. Re-insurance companies also take cover from other re-insurers. So, like you will come to realize, insurance is all about sharing of risks. So, insurance companies deal directly with the insured, Re-insurance companies deal with the insured, and Re-insurance companies called Retro cessionaries. That way, insurance is spread, the risk is spread. So that when there is a claim, its not too much on any one particular person, if you do your arithmetic very well.

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BOLU AKIN-OLUGBADE sets new agenda for BUHARI

• Reveals New Ideas To Improve The Economy

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Dr. (Prince) Boluwasanmi Akin-Olugbade is so many things rolled into one. Call him a lawyer, you will be right. He has Phd in Law from Cambridge. Call him an Oil player you will be correct. He plays big in Oil. Call him an industrialist and you won’t be wide off the mark. But one thing he does not hide is the fact that he is stupendously rich. His house in Ilupeju, Lagos, is lesson in Class, Opulence and Splendour. The massive gates at the entrance let any first time visitor know that you just do not have free entry. As you are, luckily, ushered in, what inescapably strikes you are the 3 intimidating units of Rolls Royces limousines  magnificently parked in the beautiful garage just by the back of the house but visible obvious enough to catch the attention of any first time visitor.  They are specially numbered ‘Bolu 2’, ‘Bolu 7’ and ‘Bolu 9’. You just cannot miss them. And when you finally enter the living room, the ambience tells you that you are not just in the house of a comfortable man, but a rich one. But Bolu is not all about wealth. He had his doctoral degree in Company Law at the Cambridge University and apart from that; he is the Aare Onakakanfo of Owu Kingdom, A Free Giver, Winner of The Most Outstanding Nigerian Philanthropist Award in 2011, and a lover of his fatherland. Bolu tells of his kids, the economy, the need for a socially acceptable deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry, why Nigeria must take her destiny into her own hands in the ownership of companies and expatriate quota and why he ensured that two of his three boys came back home from the USA so as not to marry Americans. Bolu, the man his friends call ‘Cash is King’, never allows for a dull moment. Kindly find out yourself… 

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Those who are in the same bracket with you in terms of economic wherewithal and income usually prefer to stay at Banana Island and Lekki, while others stay at the VGC. But here you are on the mainland in the midst of the people so to say. What informed that decision?

I have been living here since 1994 and there are various reasons why I stay here. One is that my office is just down the road and I have another office at home. In other words, I work from home and some of my staff come to the house. So I prefer to stay here, Another reason is that I travel a lot and as such, it is easier for me to get to the airport from here; either I am traveling abroad or I am traveling to Abuja or to Abeokuta. I have properties on the island as well. I also have an office at Gerard Road, Ikoyi. My sons live in Banana Island and Lekki Phase 1. The people here like me and I like them and the police boss around here knows me as I am part of the Police/Community Relations Committee. There is a Rapid Response Squad stationed at the entrance of my street here and I also have OPC security around the house. I am very safe and comfortable. The type of house I have here, if I have it in Ikoyi, it will cost more than a billion naira. I have furnished it to my taste and it is quite comfortable. In those days when we had the seat of the federal government here in Lagos, may be one had to be in Ikoyi or Victoria Island. But everything is in Abuja now. The people in Ilupeju know me and they call this place Aso Rock of Ilupeju. I am happy here and I have constant water.

(Cuts in) Government water?

No. I have my own borehole here. Here, the water is good. I went forty metres deep and it is pure, natural water. And the borehole has been there since day one.

How long has this house been standing?

I have been living here since January 1994. I refurbished the house about two years ago. I made it to look like Otunba Subomi Balogun’s house in Ikoyi because I went to his house and I liked what I saw and I made my house look like his.

When growing up, we used to hear about your father, Chief Babatunde Akin-Olugbade. He seemed to loom large even after death. How much influence did he have on you?

My father was my mentor and was a man I idolised. I wanted to be like him in every way and I have succeeded to some extent. He was a very nice man and treated everyone nicely and very generous. He was a successful business man and a lawyer and I am following in his footsteps. He was the Balogun of Owu and I am now the Aare Onakakanfo and a crown prince of Owu Kingdom because our family belongs to the Otileta Ruling House in Owu. He was a very nice man and a disciplinarian and he helped me a lot. I made my first one million naira when I was just 21 years old and that was more than a million dollars then.

When did he die?

My father died in 1987 at the age of 74. He and late Chief Awolowo were contemporaries. In fact, he became the Leader of Opposition after Awolowo’s imprisonment.

We always heard of Chief Akin-Olugbade. What were his first names?

His names were Olu Babatunde Akin-Olugbade.

Let us discuss politics and business now. You wrote an article recently in this Magazine and Nigerian Newspapers concerning the management of oil subsidy and how its removal should be handled.

I wrote an article on how to do a socially acceptable deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry. I felt that if they just deregulated, it would affect the poor people in Nigeria so I came up with a unique idea and which I gave to my friend, the Vice-President. We were classmates in school. I also gave it to the National Security Adviser, NSA, Major General Babagana Monguno.  But I decided to publish the Article so that the people could make their comments. Perhaps, the president had gotten hold of the document because he now made a statement that he could not just remove subsidy like that because it would affect the poor people more and which was the thrust of my article. In those days, we used to have two-star and four-star petrol. Now, abroad, you have unleaded petrol. The cars most poor Nigerians buy are cars that are over ten years old. These cars use leaded petrol; it is cars made in the last ten years that use unleaded petrol. Abroad, you do not get leaded petrol anymore; so most of these old cars are being shipped to Nigeria and that is why they are cheap. The petrol that we are making in Nigeria, because the refineries are quite old, you can add lead to them and make it a different colour from the imported unleaded petrol.

You can now sell them at the current price of N87 per litre so that the poor people who use those cars older than ten years and motorcycles and tricycles and buses can continue to buy at the current cost while the rich people would be using the unleaded petrol that we import and you can sell it at N150 per litre. Now, anyone that can afford a car that is less than ten years old, by Nigerian standard, is rich or comfortable and can afford to buy petrol at N150. The present subsidy is actually for the rich; not the poor. Let the rich pay the appropriate price while the poor people pay N87 per litre. The rich do not want to damage their cars as they were made for unleaded petrol and they would voluntarily pay 150 naira per litre So if this is done, the social aspect would have been taken care of and you don’t need increase in salaries and allowances which the president is afraid of. The problem, however, is this: will the petrol stations sell at the designated prices? That one requires policing by the DPR and the petrol stations should differentiate prices using the different colour between leaded petrol and unleaded one. If you go abroad, no one checks what is being sold to them because no one cheats. Therefore, the people of Nigeria themselves should know that there is no point cheating. The production cost of the one being made in Nigeria is quite low, so they can still afford to make profit from whatever they are selling.

The second suggestion I made was about the indigenization of employment. You see, the way Nigeria is going there is going to be a social revolution within the next ten years. You see many private universities springing up and graduates are coming out of these universities. The businesses that should provide employment for them are suffering and people are not being paid. You find out that there is no employment for the large number of graduates that we are producing. If you have poor people who do not have intellect, they can manage. They can decide to go to the farm. But graduates that come out and cannot get jobs become frustrated and we will soon have sophisticated and intellectual armed robbers/kidnappers and this will be very dangerous. We must, therefore, provide employment for these people. I believe the Immigration Service is sabotaging the efforts of government in this country because so many expatriates are being employed in positions that Nigerians could occupy. You do not do that in the USA. You cannot go there and say you want to work without a work permit. A work permit is issued here also but the law states that before such expatriate can work, you have to get a Nigerian as an understudy of that expatriate. The maximum period that expatriates can work in most cases is ten years and that Nigerian understudy takes over. Expatriates just come here and work and even expatriates that set up businesses here also employ expatriates like themselves. Educated Nigerians are not being employed and not being given the experience in terms of employment. The type of Indigenization Decree that made a lot of foreigners sell companies to Nigerians should be reviewed in terms of Indigenization of Employment. We can have two schedules. Schedule One, which should be bigger than the old Schedule in the Indigenisation Decree, should have companies under it that cannot employ expatriates. Then we should have Schedule Two, which are companies that can employ expatriates and this must be for technologically advanced companies and not just for example, any car dealership company. A foreigner can invest in companies under Schedule One, but he can only be the chairman and cannot take an executive position. So if he really wants to invest his money, let him invest in companies in Schedule Two which are the companies we need to develop Nigeria; not companies that any Tom, Dick or Harry can run.

These are lofty ideas. How do we get them implemented? How do we get them across to those that matter?

I have already sent it to the people in authority.

Have they responded?

Well, I just did this in the last couple of weeks.

What of the political buttons? You know that the expatriates understand our system and they always try to undermine it.

You see, that is why I am glad that we have someone like Buhari at the helm. At his age, I do not think he wants to do a second term. So, he wants to leave a legacy and do things right. I do not think he is the kind of person that will allow expatriates to frustrate what he wants to do to improve the lives of Nigerians. So the government has to do something and can send it to the National Assembly to debate it. I have included companies that I feel should be in Schedule One and those that should be in Two. They can now put more in the two schedules or remove some from One and take it to Two. It depends on what the government feels are the needs of the nation but I feel that there are so many companies right now that we must stop from employing expatriates. There can be a transition period of about one year to put things in place. You can try to do this expatriates quota thing but it will still be abused. The people in Immigration take bribes from these expatriates and allow them to do what they like. You see some expatriates come here and he does not even know anything. It is Nigerians under him that do the work. It is just ridiculous. I have made these proposals because, though I come from a privileged background, I have a social conscience. In fact, I was given the most outstanding Nigerian philanthropist of the year award in 2011.

Back to the subsidy thing. I think the kerosene subsidy removal should be done immediately because it is not benefitting anybody. It is just for those people who are getting it from the government at a low price and selling it to people at very high prices. I know companies that make about a million dollars a month from the kerosene allocated to them by NNPC. The poor people are not benefitting. It is the oil mafia that benefits and they are influencing the Nigeria Labour Congress. They get the NUPENG and PENGASSAN people to say you cannot do this or that. It is just a ridiculous situation. Nigeria is bleeding and what some people are interested in is how they are going to make their own money from her despite the bleeding.

There is also the idea of Nigeria saying it is the giant of Africa. Our bigness is just an illusion as we do not have the financial wherewithal to back up what we are claiming. We have so many leakages in the West African region and we need to restrict the free movement within ECOWAS. Nigeria should close all its land borders. Anyone who wants to go out of Nigeria or come in should go either by air or by sea. By going through air or sea, we would develop our waterways and our domestic airlines, and also block the leakages through the land borders.

But this is not our decision alone but that of ECOWAS Charter which we signed to.

You did not get me. Before you could enter England, it had to be either by air or by sea, before they did the Euro tunnel. When it was not there, England developed but now that it is open, the British economy is going down because so many Europeans are coming in. We are the dominant power in West Africa. The manufacturing that we are doing here is not only for us, but the west African region. So there are so many leakages and we are using our scarce foreign exchange to manufacture and these things are being taken out. This is not acceptable. If to say we get money back, it is better. But this is just a black economy. A lot of the petrol that we are importing with our scarce foreign exchange is being sold in West African countries. This is ridiculous. What is going through our land borders does not have statistics. So we are losing so much. If everything is done by sea or air, it is documented and we can curb it, but on land, it is not.

What are your business concerns? I mean what are you into? I know you trained as a lawyer but you are into business. What are you into? And people think you are super rich.

I am involved in a company that is into oil service. I am the chairman of one of the biggest logistics company in Nigeria and I am also involved in a telecommunications company, I am also involved in properties outside Nigeria and now I have started in Nigeria. Further, I have an investment company. I am also managing partner of the law firm O. B. Akin-Olugbade and Partners and I am the Group Managing Director of my father’s group of companies. But wealth is relative. May be because of my life style, people think I am richer  than I am but my contemporaries like Dangote, who is a year younger than I am, is fifty times richer than me. People call themselves billionaires today, but that is chicken feed. If you have $5 million today, you are a billionaire in naira. So the word billionaire is abused. What can you do with five million dollars in terms of wealth creation? I am not worth a billion dollars; I am not even near it. May be because I love Rolls Royce cars people think I am a dollar billionaire. No. I am just rich and comfortable. But the word billionaire is bastardised and abused. If you have a big house in Ikoyi, you are a billionaire even when you do not have cash. I believe in cash. I became a dollar cash millionaire at 21 and bought my first Rolls Royce at 25.

Most Nigerians, either directly or indirectly, made their money through government. How much of government patronage have you got?

I have not gotten a single contract from the federal government or any state government. I have always been in the private sector. I come from Ogun State and I have not gotten a single contract from the state since it’s creation in 1976. I partly live in Lagos and I have never done any contract for the state government here. Ironically, I did some crude oil business in Saudi Arabia in my younger days because one of my classmates when I was in school in Brighton, his father subsequently became the king in Saudi Arabia. So I was able to do 100,000 barrels a day of crude oil through a company that I introduced and was representing for many years. In Nigeria in the eighties and nineties, I was also through companies that I represented, into crude oil, petroleum products, military contracts, and police contracts. But I was very quiet with it.

Let us go to your family. How close are you to former President Obasanjo? Both of you are supposed to be family members.

Yes; we are. He is like a father to me. But I am not a sycophant and Baba likes sycophants. I lived with him for one year in London in the seventies and may be I would have been closer to him but I know that Baba respects you only when you keep your distance from him. If you are too close to him, you must be a yes man. Ironically, he does not respect such people. You might be going around with him but he would not respect you. Those who move around him as sycophants always end up falling out with him. I respect him and to me, Baba is the luckiest Nigerian, dead or alive.

Can you tell us about your immediate family? I mean your wife and kids.

I got married at 24 and my wife Ladunni, was 23 then. I have been married for over 34 years. We have a good marriage. I have three sons. The first is a lawyer and was based in Los Angeles. I had to convince him to come home and he is based in Nigeria now. My second son is an investment banker and he used to be an investment banker with Merryl Lynch in Los Angeles. Now he is the accounts officer with Reuters in Nigeria. I was afraid they would get married to American women and from my experience from Nigerians that got married to Americans, the marriage usually does not last. Those women just married them for their money. I had to convince my kids to come back home. I am tired of being chairman at so many weddings. I want my own kids to get married here too, so that I can become a grandfather. My last son started his own computer company in Los Angeles and he is doing well too.

The Aare Onakakanfo of Owu Kingdom is like the grand field marshal of the Owu army. What does the title require of you culturally, financially and spiritually?

My father was the first Aare Onakakanfo before becoming the Balogun and he combined both titles during his lifetime. In Owu, the Balogun is higher than Aare Onakakanfo while in Yoruba land, the reverse is the case. When I was to be installed, Obasanjo, who succeeded my father as Balogun, had to install me before taking me to the king to install me as Aare Onakakanfo. I perform whatever functions that is required of me but I am not really involved in the traditional functions. You know the Owu Kingdom is not only in Abeokuta; we have it in the six states all over Yorubaland. So when they first gave me the title, I refused but later postponed it for one year and I was made to write a letter of acceptance and I paid a fine for postponing the installation. That was how the title came about, but I do not get involved in traditional activities because I am a born-again Christian and the author of the book, The Spoken Words Of Jesus Christ, which has sold over two million copies on Amazon. In fact, my King is also a born again Christian and there are no traditional rites.

How rich are you?

I think I am worth about two hundred and fifty million dollars ($250 million) and half of that I hold in cash. Further, I do not owe any bank anywhere in the world. I have said this because most Nigerian billionaires are Debtor Naira Billionaires. In fact, Forbes Magazine only publishes the share value and not the liabilities of Nigerian Dollar Billionaires. In Nigeria, a company should be worth only ten times the annual dividend payment and a property should be worth only ten times the annual rental value. As far as I am concerned, the only billionaires in Nigeria are: Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, and Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija.

 

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“the story of my life @ 40 -Tuface”

• What He Told City People About His Success Story

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His real name is Innocent Ujah Idibia, but he is popularly known as 2face Idibia. He is without doubt one of the biggest and well loved Hip-Hop stars from this part of the world. He is a household name in the Nigeria music industry with many followers around the world. With several awards in his kitty he has done so well. The Otukpo, Benue-born singer started his music career in the late 90’s as a member of the rested group, PLANTASHUN BOIZ. After several hits with the group, he moved on to record his first solo album in 2005 and till date, African Queen, a track from his 2nd album remains one of the best songs ever recorded by any Artiste the world over. It even hit a platinum. African Queen positioned 2face as a force to reckon with and also gained international applause particularly when the song was used as a sound track in blockbuster American movie, Phat Girls. 2face definitely has made a fortune from his chosen career and part of what he has to show for it is a proposed estate in Lekki and two houses in Festac town, Lagos, properties in Abuja and Benue State,  luxury cars and shares worth millions.  At the height of his career, 2face suffered a setback as stories of him and his ‘Babies Mamas’ (Sumbo Ajaba, Pero Adeniyi and Annie Macaulay) graced the covers of many magazines. “That was the most challenging period of my career but I thank God that I have gotten over it and also learnt from it,” he told City People in a very comprehensive interview years back. He has since married  one of his baby mamas, Annie Macaulay. With a new management, 2face got his groove back as no show seem complete without him on the list of performing artistes. Another thing he has seriously worked on is his stagecraft. “It’s all about my music now and I am very optimistic I will blow peoples mind” he said. A few years back, the humble singer celebrated 10 years of his career during which he spoke to City People. Decked in a black T. shirt and Blue Jeans, he came to City People office to talk to us exclusively on his music, fame, and his many controversies. Read on. 

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How has it been achieving 10 years on stage?

Its not been easy to get to this stage in my career. The good times, the hard times, all in all, I just thank God for everything. I thank God for where I am right now. You know I am still growing, that is the way I look at it.

Why did you restrict the celebration in some places?

I did everything on my own. There is so much, in terms of plenty plenty publicity but you know, I did it in Benue and Abuja because I have a lot of fans in Abuja and definitely Benue is where I am from, so I went to celebrate with my people as well and I did one in Lagos, which was quite interesting, with just only three hundred guests, I also did one in Bayelsa, based on peace because I always preach one love, that one, the Bayelsa State Government supported. So all these places the noise was plenty, but it wasn’t like Star Mega Jam type of noise or a Kennis Music Easter Fiesta kind of noise.

You did the anniversary on your own, was it that you did not get anybody to sponsor the show or what?

I decided not to really invite many people. I just wanted it to be my own thing. I had support from one or two people and that was it. I had support from my State Government. I had support from Guinness and a couple of other people but apart from that, everything was done by me.

Something has changed about your stage performance; This days, we dont get to see some energy in your performance. What are you trying to make of that?

I have outgrown doing music just for the sake of it, just for the sake of record sales and all that. I want to do music now as music…you understand what I am saying? I want to do music for real, let me just say I am more matured with my music and not into doing all that CD performance, come to the stage and mime and leave, now I’m doing real music performing with a band you understand. That is how you get to feel me the way I am. Something different from what you hear on tape.

What has been happening to your label “Hypertek”?

“Hypertek” right now is concentrating mainly on 2Face. It is just like how the whole credit crunch affected my business, you understand, me self come downsize.

Now that you run your own record label, what’s your relationship with Kennis Music?

Kennis Music and me, we are still very close, If they need me, they invite me and vice-versa. But I dont have a contract with Kennis Music anymore. So it is more of friendship thing now.

As at when you started Hypertek, people didn’t really know what you were up to.

I was just starting it then and I was still with Kennis, Infact they were the ones that called me to start up my own thing and that was when I started Hypertek Entertainment, while I was still under the label, so immediately my contract expired, I started mine fully.

There was this gist everywhere that the money you realized from the album you dropped under your label is not worth it, compared to what you used to make from your previous albums under Kennis Music.

Yeah. That was very true, the album was not really successful compared to the previous ones. But it is just like, I am just experimenting, trying to learn one or two things on my own and I think at this point I know exactly what and what to put in place. I have done it and I have known and if I had not taken that bold step I wouldn’t have known nothing, but now I know a lot, so Hypertek has come to stay.

At a point in your career, there was a lull, its like everything was coming to an end as you sudddenly lost your sparkle. People said it was as a result of the many problems with your women. Were you depressed?

When all that was taking place, I wasnt really depressed. I would say it was a distraction, it was so distracting. So one thing that I sat down and thought of is especially  my baby mama issue and all that. Some of these stories were true, while some were false. But the truth was I got some ladies pregnant and it did not come out positively for me. And it was getting in a way of my mental state of mind, so it definitely affected me, so all through, I was like, God that gave me the strength to accept these responsibilities will surely give me the strength to come out of it and to move forward. And one thing about any career in life is always a hard time and there is always a good time, so I will say that was one of my hardest moment. About the music, the music was not just totally bad, it was just that Nigerians were not ready for the style that I came out with; I tried to do something different. Though Nigerians complained about the album, some people were like men, this is your best album so I am like what is going on. I have learnt a lot and somehow I am even happy that I did not hide anything, Once it happens, everybody hears, so people know exactly my story, exactly who I am.

Would you say it is the fame that got you into this controversial babies’ mamas issue?

I wouldn’t say it was the fame, the fame doesn’t have anything to do with the issue. I actually dated all these girls, they were my girl friends at one point in time. It wasnt like a one night stand. Let me say I was cheating, because I had a girl friend, we broke up, I started dating Pero and then while I was dating Pero, I met Sumbo again, something happened and they got pregnant the same time and there was nothing I could do about it, so they just have to have the baby. I accepted it and I never tried to shy away from that. That was how the first one happened, the second one was obviously because I didn’t even care anymore, I wan make them get brothers and sisters. After that, you know me and Annie have been together for long. Somehow it just happened and I said let it be. But one thing is, I am encouraging younger ones to do the same thing. I am laughing about it right now, I am accepting the responsibilities but it is not like I want other people to say, 2Face do am make meself do. I know what I faced.

How has the issue affected you?

It affected me in a lot of ways, there are people who never wanted to associate with me anymore. There are a whole lot of corporate deals that I would have gotten, but they wouldnt even think of me. Even if someone calls my name, they will be like… no, dont even go there.

How do you manage the controversies, in terms of when you see some stories about your babys mamas saying some sort of things?

They are adults and there is a limit to how I can handle it. But one thing that I know is most of the time, most of  these controversial stories, I read it and I am like come, why did you say something like this and what I hear is I didn’t say anything like that, then how come it is the paper and all that. Based on the fact that I have seen many write ups about me that is not true, because of that, I always give it a 50-50, because I have seen so many things that were not true about me, so I tend to take it like that. So there is nothing basically I can do about it than to pray to God to give me the wisdom to manage the controversies.

How have you been able to manage the controversy?

You know say ehn, na me predict oh. It is like my prediction for myself is coming to pass like my first album, I said in “Nfana Baga”, I was like, I know people would say something that will cut light and knife, I know some people would say I might never find a wife. Dat time I no know say all this things go happen and then I also said a song that “Some people them go dey worry, when they hear a story wey de becloud my glory, them go dey worry like say I promise them say I too holy, infact Okolo pass me dat Poli. Is not that was planning to do this kind of stuff, I mean to be controversial but somehow its happening. But when all these things are happening, I was like, look I didn’t steal from nobody and didn’t kill nobody, the only thing I did was to bring lives. Morally in the eyes of some people, it was done the right way. One thing I know in life is, especially the issue baby and all. If it happens, you know kill anybody you no commit crime, that how me I saw it, I have done it and I am taking the responsibility, I didn’t commit no crime, so that what gave me the strength to cope. Now if you get to see comedians saying 2Face the guy that single handedly increasing the population of Nigeria, meself I go just follow the guy laugh because it is funny to me. But I no look am as anything, I go just look am say true true, I don increase Nigeria population. Through me, extra five citizens have shown up.

There are so many flavour of music now, seeing all this new and young artiste dominating the music scene with their swagger and flavour, how would you determine which of these flavour you wish to infuse in your kind of music?

Let me not sound braggadocios, but you know most of the flavours today, they are all one part of my music. Most of these flavours came from most of the songs that I have done before. For me, I am someone who appreciate competition a lot. I am not someone who will be like this person don they steal my stuff Oh. But one thing about music, is that there is reigning music and there is evergreen music. I had my own style before, I have my own musical orientation, My music orientation is just do good music. I am not going to do music because say na this style they reign now. I am going to do music the way it comes to me. And one thing about music is that sometimes you cant even predict a lot.

Did you know that African Queen was going to be a hit?

I don’t think it was going to be as massive as it became but I knew it was a good song which I felt when I was recording. Sometime its promo and hype that makes songs popular. Sometimes its the music itself that makes it a hit. I just dey pray say make God give me MO’ HITS.

Now that artiste are bringing a lot of energy into music and it has become a trend now for stage performance, how do you intend to bring such energy into your live performance?

In terms of energy, how do I put it now Oh… there are some people wey be say there energy just day like, as he be, So for me, like I said earlier, I am not going to try and do like others, different people with different styles. What Jay Z is doing is different from Soulja Boy and the flavour Sasha brings is always different from Asha’s flavour. So for me, energy, na people wey dey craze dey craze and people wey they cool dey cool. For me, my fans understand my stage craft and they will definitely get along with me. But “I still dey craze small small”. I like to look at my music as the music for the old and the young ones.

Presently, you are doing more of collabos, featuring in some younger artistes’ songs. Is it that you are trying to help them hit the limelight, and one wonder how that affects your music?

Let me divide it into 2 ways. One way is this, it might become popular everywhere and it affects you negatively. E go be like over publicity. And then secondly, you might not do it wholeheartedly, because you will feel when you write a good song, if I want come write my own now, wetin I go write?

Do you mean you write some of these songs you feature in?

Yeah, some I write the whole song and some I write just my own part. So basically, what it entails is if I am down with you, I will do a collabo with you but if I dont feel you, I wont do any song with you.

Do you get paid for all those collabos?

No, I dont collect money, and I have never collected any money from anyone of them. Although people collects money, but I have never collected any money for any collabo, but we don start to dey collect now.

What is your relationship with other artistes?

I have cordial relationship with every artiste, I dont have any problem with anybody except na dem get problem with me.

I gathered you had a problem with Eedris Abdulkareem the day you were washing your new ride?

No be serious issue, na just joke.

How would you describe 2Face Idibia?

I will like to describe myself as a complete person, complete in the sense that I am not too holy, I am not too religious, I am not an extremist and I am not a crazy person, I am just like in the middle. I am a laid back person. I am a social person, very jovial person, I make friends easily, sometimes I fit enter club, begin dey shake everybody. And that is the way I have always been.

How do you react to your female admirers?

I have always tried to be myself, and African China don talk am if you love somebody walk up to am and tell am oh.

How do you draw inspirations to write your songs?

I will like to say its God’s gift. I will say it is creativity and I will just thank God for giving me the talent to be creative. And for me everything I see, the reality of life, sometimes its life experience and sometimes, it is just fiction.

Which of your album will you rate the best?

I cant really tell, but if I want to rate it. I will say my first album was an introduction of myself. My love for African Queens, I’m coming out straight This Time, Nobody Holy Pass, Catch the vibes and Get the feeling. It was just some kind of introductory songs. And my second album “Grass to Grace” is more of in this music, see wetin I see oh, that was why I had songs like “My Guy, Na your eyes go sharpen”. I was even talking to myself and it sounds like I was giving advice to other people. Then the third album was like doing music the way it should be done. So if I want to rate the best, I will pick the third one because I was more creative in it.

Let’s take you back to why Plantashun Boiz parted ways. Though it is not longer news, but is there anything specifically you have not said on why the group parted?

I was the one that decided to do a solo album and it was due to one thing. I am somebody that works more with instinct than my head. Immediately we did a second album, I want to do my solo stuff. So in 2003, I suggested it that let me do my solo album and still be part of Plantashun Boiz, that was the initial idea. But Black Face, we cant do Solo album and still do Plantashun Boiz, I asked them to, but they refused. But since my mind, my body and soul tells me to do a solo album, that was when I decided to do it.

What is your relationship now with other members of the defunct Plantashun Boiz, because you barely feature them in your album?

I featured Black Face in my first album. We have been very cool, they have been part of all my shows and we hang out together.

What do you think has been happening to Black Face music career, because it seems it is only you and Faze that are doing good?

I wouldnt say exactly what is wrong with his music. But one thing that I know is Black Face’s song is more of Freedom Fighter song, and many people are uncomfortable of playing such songs on air, corporate bodies no go want even invite somebody wey dey yab government. He comes out really strong at times; I have done political song as well but I try to do mine on a plain ground, but he does the kind of Fela political songs, so that is one of the thing that has really slowed him down.

What happened to the “PLAN B” album, because even bringing you guys together again, the album did not really blow?

The album was released prematurely. Everything was just in a rush. One thing about music is not about the person, no matter how the music is, if you dont put the right thing in place, it wont blow. If you think you can only arrange the talent side and you dont organize the business side of it. The music go just dey there. So that was what happened to that album.

Now that you just acquire a brand new Range Rover Sport and you still have so many other cars parked in your garage, can you just tell us the secret?

Well, I will just say I thank God say I no dey enter bus again. I get my own house wey be say I buy by myself. I am just growing sha, I never reach the place wey I want reach.

How many houses do you have?

Right now, I just have two in Festac Town.

What about the house you were planning to acquire in Lekki?

That one na plan no be house. I am planning to get a house there and we are still on it.

What is you relationship with Now Muzik?

Now Muzik, when I started my solo career, I approached Efe. I and Efe, we have known each other for a long time. I have known him since I came into Lagos. Then he used to work with Hip-Hop World. So when I started my solo stuff, I made him my manager. So my first 2 years as a solo artiste, Efe was my manager. Due to one or two competitions with my record label, because I have a clause on my contract with Kennis Music, which clashed with Now Muzik management. There are times whereby Now Muzik will want me to go for a show and Kennis will also want me for show, so it was contradicting each other, so i decided to be with Kennis Music till my contract expired and now I am back with Now Muzik.

How do you create time for your children?

Anytime that I am in Lagos, I definitely make sure I spend two to three days with them.

What are your challenges as a father?

Oh boy, then no dey tell person. Before now money dey for pocket, you go just go club dey pop champange, but now you go think of school fees and all that. It is not that it is not easy to raise a child.

What would you consider your gain and your pain as an artiste?

My gain is that I get peoples attention easily. For example, if someone who is not really recognized want to see Fashola, It will be very difficult, but in my own case, it wont be difficult, you understand what I mean, that is one of the gains of being famous. Also, so many good things come your way. In terms of pain, you tend to lack privacy and that is the major prize of fame.

There was this gist that Black Face wrote African Queen?

African Queen was written by both of us, and it was even me that wrote more. I dont know if some people were pushing him. When I did that song, I did something that Kennis still respect me for till today. I told him that, look this song is written by me and Black Face and any royalty that comes out from it will be shared equally between me and Black Face. For the fact that I wrote more of the lyrics, I still ensured that whatever came out was shared equally. We wrote that song long ago, even before Plantashun Boiz first album, and that song was mainly my flavour, my style of singing, he was even him that suggested that, that song you don forget am, so I went to the studio to do an extra verse on it. And everything has been cool, but I dont know where that came from, and it was even the same period when Faze was singing, “them be two later become three”. So I dont know where those talk was coming from, because my intention to go solo was made clear to them because people started feeling I was a betrayal. Before I went solo, I discussed it with Nelson Brown before I met Kennis, I even wanted to talk with Little Fish at that time, because I wanted to see the record label that can offer me a good deal.

A lot of people always say 2Face is very humble and generous, how come you are this generous?

I no dey generous like that again oh, school fees dey now. I dont just know, If I can, I will and if I cant, I pull out, that is just the way I am. So in terms of humility, that has always been my character, I try as much to be myself, I dont let the stardom to get into my head.

How much do you charge for shows?

You go ask my manager, there is no fixed prize. We dey do some for free sha.

What about the tatoo you are wearing?

“In God we trust”, that is what it means.

How true is the story that you are not responsible for Annie Macauly’s baby, that you are just trying to cover her up because of the long time relationship?

For my Ene, my daughter? Who talk that one? If you see the pickin self, you go know say na me make am, them no dey deny that kind pickin, no argument.

How would you describe yourself on stage?

I get carried away by the music and the crowd when I am on stage. Sometimes you will be like ‘shey, na 2Face dey craze so’. Outside stage I am just there, as you see me, na so I be.

How old are you?

I was born in 1975.

Which of the genes would you say you are more of, your father or your mother?

I look more like my Mum, although I still have some of my father’s features like my bald head.

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stylish phones for fashionable people

There is no doubt that Nigerians, some of the most fashionable people on this planet like to look good at all times. Since the revolution in the telecommunications industry about 13 years ago, mobile phones have become items that are carried everywhere by Nigerians, just like handbag and other accessories. Hence, manufacturers like Nokia once had a fashion collection and it was a big hit. Since then, mobile phone manufacturers have continued to make most of their products as fashionable as possible. City People’s KELECHI OKORIE writes on stylish phones for fashionable people and the  features that make them tick.

GALAXY ACE STYLE

Introduced into the market in the middle of this year, the Galaxy Ace Style sure has fashionable people in mind. However, one thing that stands this phone apart from other Samsung Galaxy phone is the beautiful stripes that run vertically from top to bottom at the back. This gives it an aesthetic feel. The phone runs on Android Kitkat and features Samsung TouchWiz user interface. It comes in cream white and dark greys and features a 4G LTE network.

SAMSUNG GALAXY ALPHA

Perhaps as a result of the Alpha on the name, this Android phone is regarded as a stylish phone for guys. This does not stop women from carrying it around however. The Samsung Galaxy Alpha is generally regarded by technology analysts as an updated version of the Galaxy S5 which was panned by analyst for poor design. Hence, Alpha has all those packed features in S5 inside a package with royalty in mind. Announced in August 2014, the metallic frame gives it the premium looks it desires. The stylish phone runs on Android KitKat and Exynos 5 Octa 5430.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 SPORT

This is another iteration of Samsung Galaxy S5 with a touch of class and style. Since it was introduced in June, this phone has won several awards for its form factor and design. The phone going by its name is packed with a lot of health features, including heart rate monitor. The Galaxy S5 Sport also comes in a beautiful protective shell which is dust and moisture resistant. The phone which is well liked by fitness buffs runs the Android KikKat operating systems and comes in electric blue and cherry red colours. It is specially made for fashionable sports people

NOKIA LUMIA

This includes all models of Nokia Lumia mobile phones which Microsoft is constantly churning out in the last few years and few months for that matter. The Nokia Lumia models can well be regarded as the most stylish phones Nokia has made since its L’amour fashion collection few years ago. With its aesthetic design and royal feel, the Lumia has a pride of place as some of the most fashionable brands around.

NOKIA 225

If you are a stylish person who does not like carrying bigger phones around, Nokia 225 is for you. Though this phone comes cheap, it has its own style and can well be used as an alternate phone when you do not want to carry those expensive phones to an occasion. Luckily, this phone comes in many fashionable and bright colours a possible. It also invokes memories of the Nokia L’amour collection.

SAMSUNG E530

This phone can as well be regarded as an evergreen. Samsung E530 introduced in the market more than five years ago is still a hit for women around the world. The design and form factor of this phone will sure give you an idea about why this is so. The Samsung E530 is like leather which gets better with age and women still go around asking for it when they see it with their friends. A lot of enthusiasts wonder why Samsung discontinued the product since the demand is still there. It comes in Lavender Pink, Valentine Pink, Chic White, Oasis Blue and Festival Orange.

LG G3

Though LG Phones are known more for mobile phones packed with features than style, the LG G3 can sure hold its own in terms of design. It comes with rounded corners and bezel finish, having buttons at the back that sets it apart from other manufacturers and models. The G3 also come with a feel of metallic glare as there is a film of metal at the back, further making it a niche product. The LG G3 comes in several fashionable colours and features Android KitKat user interface.

LG FLEX

Priding itself as an epitome of innovation, the LG Flex in the world’s first flexible smart phone and therefore, one of the most stylish mobile phones around. The whole chassis of this phone has the ability to flex and still function normally. The phone comes with a 4G LTE network capability.

The scratch resistant phone is packed with rich features and is enjoying a tremendous success and rave reviews in the market. With a 6-inch OLED screen, the curve makes for an immersive movie experience. It runs on Android 4.2.2 Operating system

HTC DESIRE 612

HTC makes beautiful phones and HTC Desire 612 is one of those aesthetic designs that stand out. The desire 612 has a glossy finish that gives it a touch of class. The round edges make it easy to hold and carry around. The phone which is 4G LTE capable also boasts of a pack of great features just like other HTC phones and runs on Android 4.4 Operating System.

HTC SENSATION XE

There is style in even the name of this phone and it is the first HTC phone that is enhanced with beats. The phone which runs on Android Ice Cream Sandwich Operating System features a lot of functions. The fantastic keyboard also adds to its ease of use. With a very slim chassis, the Sensation XE has been updated several times. The body material of the phone gives it a premium feel of royalty and makes for a very stylish model. The fact that there are only two physical buttons enhances the style of the Sensation XE

SONY XPERIA Z COMPACT

Packed with all the features of your Sony Xperia phones, Zperia Z Compact is the smaller version of Xperia Z3. The size by itself makes it more fashionable to carry around and Sony obviously designed and introduced this phone for that purpose. The smaller size of the phone makes for a better grip and it does not lag in aesthetic feel. The phone which is elegant in its own right, comes in several attractive colours, including red, silver and white.

APPLE iPHONE 6

The Apple mobile phone products are undoubtedly the flagship in stylish phones. Hence, iPhone 6 which is the latest product of Apple feature here. The iPhone 6 is a product which tech enthusiasts use as a baseline or yardstick for comparism with other products. The phone comes in Apple proprietary software and hardware and is as stylish as Apple products come. The shatter proof glass and oleophobic coating gives it a touch of class. The sleek case design comes in silver, gold and gray.

 

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Pictured: DJ Xclusive Marries His Sweetheart in Lagos

Nigerian celebrity disk jockey, Rotimi Alakija, popularly known by his stage name, DJ Xclusive, has today traditionally tied the knot with his longtime sweetheart, Tinuke Ogundero.

The photo was shared by his partner and friend, Banky W as he captioned it, “Congratulations #TinukeAndRotimi2015 #DjXclusive #AnythingCanHappen #itHasHappened #ItIsI #ItIsHim #ThisIsNotFootball .”

The lovely couple will have their white wedding on Saturday, October 3rd, 2015. We wish them  a happy married life!

See more photos below:

 

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MOBO AWARDS: Davido, Yemi Alade And Others To Battle For Best African Act

The MOBO Award show is one of the most anticipated events on the music calendar which showcases the best in British and international urban talent.

For this year’s awards, four of our very own – Davido, Wizkid, Patoranking and Yemi Alade have been nominated for the best African act.

Best African 

Fuse ODG
Davido
Wizkid
Patoranking
Moelogo
Yemi Alade
Aka
Mista Silva
Shatta Wale
Silvastone

Other categories are:

Best Male,Best Female,Best Album,Best Song,Best Video,Best Newcomer ,Best International Album,Best Grime,Best Hip-Hop,Best R’N’B/Soul Act,Best Reggae,Best Jazz,Best Gospel.

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“Why marijuana should be legalized”- Seun Kuti

Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti, commonly known as Seun Kuti, is a Nigerian musician, and the youngest son of legendary afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Seun Kuti has a contrary opinion about Marijuana, the Afrobeat singer holds the opinion that the law that bans the use of Marijuana was not well considered in light of the merits of the use of Marijuana. He believes the law is a transferred law from the colonial administration. In his words as quoted by The Nation, “There are doctors and scientists who believe that marijuana should be legalised. There are also lawyers, judges, and politicians who believe that the war on drugs is a false war. That is actually a war on the poor people all over the world, because poor people and rich people use drugs to be sane. But you will find that here, people are in jail more for drug use.” “We as Africans had no reason to ban marijuana. It was done out of the U.S. lobby, forcing our governments to ban the drug. I don’t think that the Nigerian government has ever carried out any independent research on marijuana. One of the biggest markets in the world for marijuana is Israel (which is a more religious country than Nigeria). But they understand the benefits… especially the economic benefits. So much wealth can be generated from it, but that is another issue entirely.”

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how Ijebu socialite, Saratu Ajuwon planned her burial

• 4 Months To Her Death
• Daughter Reveals Her Last Moment

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Popular Ijebu-Ode Socialite and business woman of great repute, Saratu Ajuwon, needs little introdution, she is one of the pioneer “aso-oke” sellers in Nigeria. Her trademark “Iya Sumoya Alaso-oke” is one of the most patronised Alaso-Oke back in the days. She was the one who made clothes for Late Bisoye Tejuoso, the Iyalode of Egbaland,Cash Madam,MKO Abiola,Oba Sikiru Adetona and others. She is known among the rich and famous in Nigeria, especially in the South-West. Her children have also been able to take the Aso-Oke business to the next level. Mrs Bisi Balogun and her elder sister,Mrs Toyin Ayanbadejo co-run De-root Aso-Oke on Allen Avenue in Ikeja.

This Ijebu business woman died few months ago but what amazes many is that Mama Sumoya planned her burial 4 months to her death. This was disclosed by Mama’s daughter, Bisi Balogun. Speaking to City People Magazine, Mrs Balogun revealed that even at 98 years, Mama Sumoya had a very retentive memory. “Mama was not sick at all. Even on that day she gave up the ghost, she was hale and hearty. My elder sister(refering to Mrs Ayanbadejo) was in Ijebu for a party, when she was leaving the house, Mama described the venue to her and told her how to get there. It was when she got there that Mama’s Nanny called that she doesn’t know what was wrong with Mama. Mama died even before my siser got back home. The Nanny later revealed to us that Mama was sweating profusely and she asked what was wrong but she asked her to use her white handkerchief to wipe her face which she did. The sweat was very much, then while the Nanny wanted to use the same handkerchief, she told her that she should take another one. My mum loves white a lot and all her face towels which we usually buy in packs  are white. She loves white a lot. It was while she was cleaning the face the third time that she gave up the ghost” she explained

When City People asked if the rumour making the rounds that Mama planned her burial 4 months to her death is true, she replied in the affirmative. Hear her: “Mama called us and said that if she dies, she wants everybody to be happy. She want guests to wear Soyon Aso-oke and we should not take Aso-ebi. We should also give out free Caps and Headgear to people. She said she doesn’t want us to tie Cow at the front of the house. That we should make sure people enjoy themselves. Funny enough, Mama was not sick or had any health challenges except the normal Arthritis that comes with age. So all of us who are Mama’s children decided to give her a befitting burial”

The burial of Mama Sumoya Alaso-oke was a 2-day event which kicked off on Friday 18th of September with Jumat Service at Ijebu-ode Central Mosque. Mama was eulogized for her role in Islam and how she is an epitome of beauty worth emulation. After the jumat service, many dignitaries who came from all walks of life besieged the open field at St Augustine Primary School,Taibot street in Ijebu-ode. Many of the guests were clad in baby pink lace while Toyin Ayanbadejo, Labisi Balogun and Bolaji Balogun who are Mama’s children dazzled in champagne gold Soyon Aso-oke which was stoned in Red. The Aso-oke was specially made for the event in Dubai. Though many of the guests didn’t expect anything less than a high standard seeing what their brand Deroot Aso-oke stood for. Mama, who always attend Shehu Robiu Baba Loworo” mosque every 3 weeks and this was why “Baba Loworo”sent top Alfas from the mosque.They prayed for the repose of Mama’s soul and her family.

On Saturday 19th of September, top politicians and socialites stormed the Ijebu-Ode Stadium where the grand reception held in Mama’s honour. A giant Marquee  housed the over 7000 guests of Mama’s 4 children. Though Alhaja Sumoya who is Mama’s  first daughter couldn’t make the event, however all her children and guests were cynosure of eyes at the event.

The giant Marquee decoration was exquisite as Otunba Atewologun of Ace Decoration transformed the venue with gold. The sitting arrangement of the gold chair was done in a way to make sure all the guests could view the bandstand.

At few minutes past 2pm, the event was declared open by popular “Faith Band” as they dished out different lyrics to the admiration of the large guests.

All the guests also honoured Mama’s children in their champagne gold dress which was estimated to be sold for N15,000. Among the guests sighted were Olori Iyabode Adetona(Oba Sikiru Adetona’s wife),Mrs Bisi Abiola,Mrs Ashafa, Mrs Kuburat Lai Muhammed, Mrs Sherifat Olugbode, Olori Risikat Adams, Ronke Alubankudi, Mrs Shola Folawiyo, Mrs Alake Sobo, Mrs Adewunmi Labisi, Mojisola Nelson, Mrs Ibiyemi Hussain, Hajia Bola Muse, Alhaja Ramota Onikijipa, Chief Mrs Risi Odumosu, Chief Mrs Rose Osipitan, Mrs Aduke Maina, Alhaja Ronke Adelana, Mrs Adewunmi Labisi,Alhaja Bolanle Baruwa, Alhaja Baseerah Sobajo, Funmi Adekunbi, Mrs Sola Ademosun, Mrs Karounwi Ayo, Alake Osun, Mrs Bakare, Alhaja Falilat Oki, Mrs Yinka Oni, Ademola Gamu,Yinka Oropo, Femi Amusan, Yemi Onadipe and many others. Mr Bayo Onanuga, the Giwa Bobakeye of Ijebuland and husband of Deputy Governor of Ogun State also made it.

 

 

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where are these Lagos big boys now?

• List Of Some Big Boys Who Are Off The Scene 

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Back in the days, these Lagos big boys were the toast of many. They were the ‘happening boys’ in town.  No social gathering or event was complete without them. They were tagged  “big spenders“ and this made them the toast of many musicians. So popular were they that many musicians waxed different albums to their credit and praised them to high heavens. They were able to rock the social scene for many decades until  they faded like the morning dew. For years now, nothing has been heard of them.

While some simply decided to play it cool on their social outings by allowing their business to take better part of their lives, others have been hit by economic downturn in the country.  The list isendless but below is a few of them who really rocked town and made a name!

Let us start with the Awesu brothers, Wale and Segun. These brothers need little or no introduction to many on the social radar. They are popular on the Lagos social scene even while they lived in the United Kingdom for a long time. Wale is the older brother while his younger one is Segun. When these 2 brothers were rocking Lagos social scene, they were the toast of many musicians. Segun was a heavy spender and this made him the toast of many musicians including celebrated Juju-gospel singer, Yinka Aiyefele. Wale was sighted at an event few weeks ago in Ilupeju when one of his nieces got married, he stepped out with his calm wife who is fondly called “Omo-Iya Onisiga“, the daughter of popular Lagos business woman who deals in tobacco. The Awesus have mellowed down on their social outings as Segun has not been sighted at any social gathering for sometime.

Not many are familiar with the name Muyiwa Bashorun as musicians made him so popular with his alias “Bill Gates of Africa“.  Many likened him to Bill Gates of  the United States not just because of his enormous wealth at that time but because of his spending prowess. Not much has been heard of him since 2008 when he was the   financial Lord of Isolo Kingdom.   He is the Borokini of Isolo.

Niyi Obodo is also one of the Lagos big boys who we hardly hear of these days. His real name is Niyi Aderinoye but many call him “Obodo“.  Until 13years ago, Niyi was the toast of many Fuji artists. This handsome dude used to spend money like confetti. He bade the social space good bye after his first wife, Tobi Thomas was assassinated a few years ago in Lagos. This Nigerian-born, New York based socialite stepped out again last year when he took a shot at marriage again in America. People thought this would mark the beginning of his come-back; instead he decided to stay cool after marrying his American based financial analyst wife.

You cannot forget Sati Ramon alias Omo Salawe. Dark skinned Island big boy, “Ibu-Owo Oko Monica“ was very close to Fuji Musician, K1 at that time.

Sati Ramoni is no longer one of the regular socialites we see  often not until we saw his posters few months ago when he announced his intention to join  the Federal House of Representatives seat in Lagos Island but lost the elections. He also has left the social space for the young ones.

These socialites bear almost same name and you might misjudge them for brothers. It is the story of the 2 ‘SAUBANAS‘. One is Wale Adeniyi Saubana and the other is Wale Saubana  Atanda Balogun. These Lagos Big Boys rocked the Lagos social scene at the same time. They were the toast  of KI de Ultimate who enjoyed from their magnanimity and deep pocket.

Once upon a time on the social scene, no party was complete until Goddy Anabor attended. No car was in vogue except you saw Gooddy Anabor cruise in it. Goddy Anabor has in the last 15 years been a household name. The billionaire, who had about 50, exotic cars at a time was the toast of Sir Shina Peters  and many other musicians at the time. He has reportedly fallen on bad time.

Edo born Lagos based socialite, Alumile Adedeji fondly called Ade Bendel will surely strike a chord. He was one of the happening guys at that time. No babe was seen as “happening” until you saw her hanging out with Ade Bendel. This party lord was the toast of many musicians at that time. He served  some time in detention but has since been released. Ade is presently living on borrowed times.

Many would not stop asking about the whereabouts of this Lagos big boy called Kayode Oduniyi aka Kay-Hanger . This big boy stormed Ikeja social scene after returning from London where he lived for many years. On his return, he established a world class cyber cafe called ‘Cyinder Cyber Cafe in Ikeja. Kay Hanger was a constant feature among musicians and big babes around Lagos. He had loads of money to throw around. Years on however, he has gone underground.

Haridot Promotion owned by Dotun Aderibigbe (a.k.a) Lobito was the toast of many boxers who wanted to make a name. Lobito is currently a shadow of his old self. He is often times hanging out in Surulere, his hood when life was on the fast lane.

Another Lagos big boy who has also gone off  the social scene is Jide Okunnu, who owns a top Fashion house in Idi-oro somewhere around Mushin called “Copperfield. He was not just popular for being a celebrity fashion designer who made clothes for the high and mighty back then, he was also a socialite and party freak to the core. KSA, Late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister waxed many albums to his credit. Nothing has been heard about the CopperField boss  for years now.

Segun Alawaye was the toast of musicians and several records of his spraying prowess abound. He was the life and soul of the Lagos social scene. Alongside other jet-set young men with a common love for Sir, Shina Peters, they were known as the Yuppies and made the term rooted in social lingua.As time went by  , Segun’s heat was no longer as hot, his social presence waned, so did his finances and he subsequently relocated to London. He has since vanished from the social scene with memories of his social trajectory coming alive only from the archives of Fuji musicians.

At the mention of “White house‘ 2 decades ago, one Lagos big boy whose name will come to mind is Ade-Odutayo‘. He was one of the great fans of Sir Shina Peters but nobody knows his whereabouts for years now.

Babatunde Onakoya who is refered to as  Debasco is one of the socialites with a clean slate. He is one of the respected Motor dealers of that time. He is also a close friend of Otunba Lanrewaju Shittu. The social firmament has missed the presence of this great socialite as he has since mellowed on his outing after he joined politics.  He is one of the supporters of Ogun State governor and politics seems to have taken a greater part of him. Until few years ago when he threw a classy 60th birthday, not much has been heard of him.

Ibadan-based socialite-turned-politician, Femi Abiodun Lekuti (a.k.a Danku Baba Imole) may be short but his spending prowess gave him height over his tall friends. This socialite  used to be the toast of many fuji artists way back. He showed interest in politics and contested for and lost the seat of Ibadan South-West 11  way back. He has since become a scarce commodity on the social scene.

Prince Bola Atobatele, the Executive Director of Judamic International Ltd used to be a regular socialite who enjoyed massive praise from many musicians until a few years ago. His beautiful wife, Princess Toyin Atobatele is a face to reckon with on the social scene.

Akindele (Ile Eru)  is one socialite that exude style and confidence everywhere he goes. The socialite who sits atop Nikadel Hotel located at Adeniji area of Lagos Island, ruled the Lagos Island social scene years back. Ile Eru had a run with the anti-Drugs Agency (NDLEA) years back and subsequently cooled  on his social activities on his return from jail.

Just like Akindele Ile Eru, Rilwan Aleshinloye, the owner of Alesh hotel has also been missing in action. Famed for his socialising prowess, Rilwan Aleshinloye was chairman of Iru/Victoria Island Local Government Development Area.

Alesh rarely attend social events these days and seemed to be concentrating more on his business.

Another Lagos big boy who has mellowed down on his social outing is Tunde Borokinni. This former husband of Tuface Idibia, baby Mama, Pero Adeniyi  was a big socialite way back. Investigations revealed that he now plays big in Oil and Gas.

-SADE COLE

 

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Boko Haram Has Poisoned Water Sources — Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army today raised alarm that the Boko Haram sect has now resorted to poisoning water sources as a new war strategy following severe defeats it has suffered in the hands of Nigerian troops.

The Army, in a statement by it’s deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Tukur Gusau, said the terrorists were now poisoning streams and wells in villages.  “Information reaching the Theatre Command, Operation Lafiya Dole indicates that Boko Haram terrorists have now resorted to poisoning water sources like wells and streams in areas they were dislodged by gallant troops or areas threatened by offensive operations,” Mr. Gusau, a colonel, said.

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Ijebu age grade groups (Regberegbe) celebrate @ 25

• At The 2015 Ojude Oba Festival In IJEBU-ODE

Last week, all Ijebu indigenes gathered for this years Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu-Ode. All the age grade groups came all dressed up resplendently to pay homage to the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona at the palace. The major age grade groups, also called Regbegbe’s are about 38 in number, made up of Male and Female groups.

The groups include the following: Egbe Mafowoku Okunrin those born between 1st January 1932-31st December, 1934. It is led by Giwa, Oba S.A. Sule. There is also Egbe Olugbadebo Okunrin made up of those born 1st Jan. 1935-31st Dec. 1937. There is also Giwa M.A. Odutayo is the head. Egbe Olugbadebo Obinrin (Women’s Wing) consist of 1st January 1935-31st Dec. 1937. There is also Egbe Olugbadebo Obinrin (Elite) 1st Jan 1935-31st Dec.1937. The leader is Mrs. B.A.M Okunsanya-Onabanjo, Egbe Bobabayo Okunrin those born between 1st Jan. 1938-31st Dec. 1940. The leader is Giwa Bosun Oke, Egbe Bobabayo Obinrin those born between 1st Jan. 1938-31st Dec. 1940. It is led by Otun Iyalode Alhaja Owodunni, Egbe Bobagbuyi Okunrin those born between 1st Jan 1941-31st Dec. 1943. It is led by Giwa (Chief) M.A. Oreagba, Egbe Bobagbuyi Obinrin those born between 1st Jan. 1941-31st Dec. 1943. It is led by Iyalode Bukky Ogun, Egbe Obaleke Okunrin those born between 1st Jan 1944-31st Dec. 1946. It is led by Giwa O. Surakat, Egbe Obaleke Obinrin those born between 1st Jan. 1944-31st Dec.1946. It is led by Otunba  Iyabo Abo Omotayo, Egbe Bobajolu Okunrin those born between 1st Jan. 1947-31st Dec. 1949. It is led by Giwa Wale Alli-Oke, Egbe Bobajolu Obinrin (Original)those born between 1st Jan 1947-31st Dec.1949. It is led by Iyalode (Princess) Oyinade Adetona, Egbe Bobajolu Obinrin (Basiri) those born between 1st Jan. 1947-31st Dec. 1949. It is led by Iyalode Yemi Balogun, Egbe Obafuwaji Okunrin those born between 1st Jan. 1950-31st Dec. 1952. It is led by Giwa Supo Mosuro, Egbe Obafuwaji Obinrin (The Great) those born between 1st Jan 1950-31st Dec. 1952. It is led by Iyalode Busura Ogunleye, Egbe Obafuwaji Obinrin (Adedoyin) those born between 1st Jan. 1950-31st Dec. 1952. It is led by Iyalode Oluwatoyin Ayanbadejo, Egbe Bobagbimo Okunrin those born between 1st Jan. 1953-31st Dec. 1955. It is led by Giwa Deji Osibogun, Egbe Bobagbimo Obinrin those born between 1st Jan. 1953-31st Dec. 1955. It is led by Iyalode Kike Odutayo, Egbe Bobakeye Okunrin those born between 1st Jan 1956-31st Dec. 1958. It is led by Giwa Abiodun Onanuga, Egbe Bobakeye Obinrin (Surakat) those born betwween1st Jan 1956-31st Dec. 1958. It is led by Iyalode Adebola Abimbola, Egbe Bobakeye Obinrin (Double T) those born between 1st Jan. 1956-31st Dec. 1958. It is led by Iyalode Toyin Idris Oluwole,  Egbe Bobagunte Okunrin (Akile Ijebu) those born between 1st Jan 1959-31st Dec. 1961. It is led by Giwa Sakiru A. Yusuf, Egbe Bobagunte Okunrin (Asiwaju) those born between 1st Jan 1959-31st Dec. 1961. It is led by Giwa Niyi Osoba, Egbe Bobagunte Obinrin (Akile Ijebu) those born between 1st Jan. 1959-31st Dec. 1961. It is led by Iyalode Korede Alatishe, Egbe Bobagunte Obinrin (Gold) those born between 1st Jan. 1959-31st Dec. 1961. It is led by Iyalode Toyin Aberuagba, Egbe Gbobaniyi Okunrin (Akile Ijebu) those born between 1st Jan. 1962-31st Dec. 1964. It is led by Giwa Tunde Ashiru Balogun, Egbe Gbobaniyi Okunrin (Asiwaju) those born between 1st Jan. 1962-31st Dec. 1964. It is led by Giwa Mufutau Oseni, Egbe Gbobaniyi Obinrin (Asiwaju) those born between 1st Jan. 1962-31st Dec. 1964. It is led by Iyalode (Princess) Adebukonla Osibanjo, Egbe Gbobaniyi Obinrin (Olori/Oloori) those born between 1st Jan. 1962-31st Dec. 1964. It is led by Iyalode Ayinba Yemisi Fasawe, Egbe Jagunmolu Okunrin (Akile Ijebu those born between 1st Jan. 1965-31st Dec. 1967. It is led by Giwa Kayode Abdul, Egbe Jagunmolu Okunrin (Asiwaju) those born between 1st Jan. 1965-31st Dec. 1967. It is led by Giwa Fatai Salami, Egbe Jagunmolu Okunrin (Fehintade) those born between 1st Jan. 1965-31st Dec. 1967. It is led by Giwa Adewale Abdul, Egbe Jagunmolu Obinrin (Akile Ijebu) Original those born between 1st Jan. 1965-31st Dec. 1967. It is led by Iyalode Risikat Akinsanya, Egbe Jagunmolu Obinrin (T2) those born between 1st Jan. 1965-31st Dec. 1967. It is led by Iyalode Toyin Sanni, Egbe Arobayo Okunrin (Akile Ijebu) those born between 1st Jan. 1968-31st Dec. 1970. It is led by Giwa Dare Muritala, Egbe Arobayo Okunrin (Akile Ijebu) those born between 1st Jan 1968-31st Dec. 1970. It is led by Iyalode Taiwo Odumosu.

In Ijebuland, the Ojude Oba was started by the Muslims during the reign of Oba Awujale Adesimbo Tunwase around 1888/1889. Oba Awujale Tunwase gave the Muslims the land for the first Yidi (Praying ground). Oba Tunwase also granted the Muslims land to build the first Mosque at an open space at Eti Ita Ale (night market). It was therefore possible that the first “Ojude Oba” took place around 1890 during the reign of Awujale Tunwase.

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why the IJEBUs celebrate Ojude Oba

Last week in Ijebu-Ode, the 2015 edition of the annual festival Ojude-Oba was held and the city throbbed with many celebrities who stormed Ijebu-Ode to celebrate. What really is this ‘Ojude Oba’ celebration all about?  City People can authoritatively reveal that it is an old culture of going to the Aafin (palace grounds) to pay courtesy visit to the Oba. For the Muslims it is a special annual visit on the 3rd day after the Id-el-Kabir, popularly know as Ileya festival, to thank the Oba for the gift of the Ram (Agbo) slaughtered at ‘Yidi’ (Muslim praying ground) on Id-el-Kabir day. In Ijebuland it is known as ‘A Dupe Uru” visit (a Thank You Visit). On this special annual visit, the Muslims call to thank the Oba, to pray for him, his family, the town and the whole of Ijebuland. By 1904 half of the population of Ijebu-Ode was already Muslim including Balogun Kuku and a vanguard of notables and new Muslim elites. The Ojude-Oba became more regular under the reign of Oba Awujale Adeleke Ogbagba (1895). Awujale Ogbagba, after much pleadings, allowed the Muslim leaders to use small umbrellas to Yidi and back, but not to “Ojude Oba” and never when passing in front of his “House” or “Palace”.

However, during the reign of Oba Awujale Adetona Fusigboye (1906) the Muslim community in Ijebu-Ode requested land to build a Central Mosque and Awujale Fusigboye, himself a Muslim, granted them land in Oyingbo. “Ojude Oba” festival continued to flourish in Ijebu-Ode. The Muslim communities in the suburbs followed the Ijebu-Ode examples and began to pay “Ojude Oba” visits to their Obas, after Ileya festival day. In its earlier years. “Ojude Oba” consisted in special prayers of thanksgiving to Allah, prayer for the Awujale and for peace and harmony in Ijebuland. There were merriment’s music, dancing as the participations departed from the palace to their various quarters and homes. The glamour and popularity of the ‘Ojude Oba’ affair took an exciting turn when horse-riding was introduced. Horse-riding was not part of the early celebration of “Ojude Oba” event. Horse riding accompanied with drumming, music, songs, dancing and parades came on board in the 20s, 30s and particularly from early 40s during the reigns Awujale Adenuga Folagbade (1925) Ogunnaike Fibiwoga (1929), Daniel Adesanya – Gbelegbuwa (1933-59).

The festival started off as the Odela festival a pagan event which was formerly celebrated by all sections of pagan groups, whereby the Ijebu-Ode community paid their homage to the Awujale annually. During this occasion, every pagan group viz: Worshipers of Sango, Egungun, Osun, Yemule, etc. would display their identities by dancing to the instrument of the drums and songs one after the other in front of the Awujale, the Olisa and other prominent Chiefs and people in the town. Chief Odueyunbo Kuku had once been a party to this festival when he was a pagan but since he turned a Muslim and a leader at that time-he could no more join in this annual pagan festival. For this reason he devised a way to replace the annual festival with another that would be in conformity with his new religion. He established “Ita Oba” (now called Ojude Oba) festival and fixed the day of its celebration on the 3rd day after the Eid-el-Kabir.

Chief Odueyungbo Kuku made the occasion an important and colourful one. He would dress gorgeously, mount a very beautiful horse, preceded by his elderly sons in the persons of Chief Gbadamosi Tayo Kuku, Chief Akadiri Sonmori Kuku, Ashiru Kuku (Baba Ajashe), Salami Owo-Golu Kuku, Sunmola Giwa Kuku (Baba Idi-Aba) and Adelaja Kuku all on horsebacks, his drummers and singers in pomp and pageantry and singers in pomp and pageantry with several dane gun booming. The occasion was better seen than described. The groups would be met at the palace performing their usual dances but when they see the unprecedented pomp and pageantry of the Muslim community led by Chief Kuku, they all disperse in confusion. This signaled the end of Odela pagan festival which has since given way to Muslim (community annual “Ita Oba” which is now being witnessed annually by all the Ijebu’s. They have been celebrating Ojude-Oba yearly for almost a century. It is a day for exchanging greetings among friends and felicitating with the Awujale on the 3rd day of the Eid-el-Kabir festival (Ileya) which is often celebrated by the Muslims. Though the festival is predominant among the Muslim folks, every Ijebu family has both Muslim and the Christian members in either the immediate family or the extended family, so when the celebration goes on, all section of Ijebus usually participate.

In adding colour to the occasion various age group (Regberegbe) usually converge at the residence of their Baba Egbe now called Giwa and would pay homage to the Awujale at the Afin along Awujale Street. Prominent Balogun families usually ride horses along major streets in Ijebu-Ode decorating their horses with ornaments, notable families include Otubu, Kuku, Odejayi, Adesoye & others. Ijebus come from far away places across the country and overseas to witness the unique event which they believe, equals the Brazilian carnival in Rio De Jenero. Throughout the celebration most major streets in Ijebu-Ode like Awujale, Olisa, Folagbade, Alapo, Idepo, Ijasi, are usually centres of activities and merry making. The Ojude-Oba festivities in the past attracted notable musicians like the legendary Yusuf Olatunji and His Sakara Band which in the 60’s made an elpee record for the evergreen Ojude Oba carnival in a song “Mo ri Nkan Ara Ni ‘Jebu-Ode Ojoketa Odun Ileya Won Nfi Esin Dara L’afin Oba” which literally means I saw wonders at Ijebu-Ode on the third day of Odun Ileya. Horse riders were performing wonders with their horsemanship displays.

Others musicians who had played at Ojude Oba include King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Ligali Mukaiba, Haruna Ishola, Shina Peters, Adewale Ayuba Wasiu Ayinde Marshal who is a son of the soil. The Ojude Oba carnival has been a source of economic and cultural benefits to Ijebu because once in a while it brings a happy re-union and benefits for the individual and corporate personalities. But the last 44 years, notably during the present reign of Oba Awujale Sikiru Kayode Adetona – Ogbagba II, have transformed the “Ojude-Oba” event into a carnival and celebration of unprecedented grandeur, excitement, pomp and pageantry. The event has become a landmark of Ijebu culture sweeping the religious aspect to a side show. It has become the “Ojude-Oba” of Nigeria and the Black Race. The Awujale have from time immemorial received certain Chiefs and Prince in processions to “Ojude-Oba”. These processions to “Ojude-Oba”. These processions include horse riders (the Chiefs and Princess). From the 30s their numbers and protocol have become formalised. Today there are more than 20 group (Chiefs and families) in horse-riders processions to “Ojude-Oba”. How are the horse-riders chosen and graded, and which families are so honoured? The horse riders or pageantries have evolved over the years. So are the families who participate in the processions and/or sponsor horse riders. Formalised protocols have also been introduced. The protocol arrangement for their entry into Awujale’s Palace is that the non-Balogun families horse riders will first come in to pay homage to the Awujale followed by the past Baloguns, the immediate past Balogun, the Otun Balogun and lastly the current Balogun of Ijebu-Ode.

The ‘Ojude-Oba’ celebration has become a unifying ceremony of Ijebu irrespective of their religious faiths. And this has been exploited to create avenues for enduring peaceful relationships in Ijebuland. The active involvement and participation of the Regberegbes in Ojude Oba carnivals has had tremendous impact as members of the Regberegbes belong to different religious. They elect their officers without rancour and work (and play) together as genuine brothers and sisters. Also all Obas in Ijebuland and vast majority of Otunbas and Chiefs both Christians and Muslims participate in “Ojude-Oba festival. Non-Muslim citizens also join the carnival either as members of the families of horse riders, or spectators or invited guests of the Regberegbes. The result is the most enduring and friendly relationship which now reigns in Ijebuland. The Regberegbes have existed and functioned in Ijebuland for more than 200 years. Regberegbe’s play very important social, cultural and economic functions for the survival of the Ijebu society. From ages past, they cleared foot-paths, constructed bridges and markets, cleared rivers for drinking water and navigation to transport logs to Lagos. They also provided much needed security for the towns and villages. Regberegbes are consulted by the Awujale in important issues concerning the peoples welfare, their religious and cultural affairs. Leaders of the age-groups were appointed to serve on important bodies and / or committees in the old Native Administration. During the reign of the present Awujale, Oba (Dr.) S.K. Adetona, Ogbagba II, the calibre of the leaders of the aged-groups, the motivation and encouragement by the Awujale himself have turned the “Regberegbes” into a formidable vanguard for development and advancement in Ijebuland.

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unveiling the super big boys who are single

They are big boys in their own right, their activities is mostly under the Klieghlights. Some are not too rich, some are rich while some are super-rich. However one thing common with all of them is that despite their marriageable age bracket, they have remained single for different reasons. Some of them adduce flimsy and the funniest of reasons to their ‘single’ status. While some of them have children out of wellock, some have tasted marriage in the past while some just have baby mamas. According to pundits, the craze for independence and the need for unhibited freedom is largely the reason  some prefer to remain single. This week, City People takes a look at some of these single guys we often talk about. Read on! 

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BANKY W

Bankole Wellington leads a front pack of these bachelors without borders although he has expressed his desire to settle down once he finds the right woman. At one point, he was romantically linked with fellow label mate, Niyiola but he debunked the tales at the time.

DON JAZZY

He’s the leader of the supreme Mavin dynasty and unarguably one of the best music producers to emerge from the African continent. The 33-year old music maker is still single and very possibly searching for his missing rib.

D’BANJ

DB Records boss, D’Banj is one of the most eligible bachelors in the Nigeria entertainment industry. Despite his romantic links with several pretty women in the past including Nollywood actress, Geneveive and the beautiful daughter of Borno Billionaire, Mohammed Indimi, the 35-year-old pop star still remains single with no altar-bound relationship at the moment.

JIM IYKE

Nollywood bad boy, Jim Iyke was largely expected to tie the knots with Ghanaian movie star, Nadia Buari, after displaying so much affection on social media. But their fans were heartbroken when Nadia gave birth recently and the lovely twins aren’t for Jim. This, for the moment, leaves Jim still single and searching.

JOHN MIKEL OBI

He plays as a midfielder for English club Chelsea and the Nigeria national team. Full name; John Michael Nchekwube Obinna, he was born in Jos in April 22, 1987. His present salary is 5.8 million US dollar. John Obi Mikel  has love children from 2 different women with one of them giving birth to a set of twins recently.

CLARENCE PETERS

He is one of Nigerian’s Best Music Video Directors. Clarence Abiodun Peters is the CEO of multimedia content creation company Capital Dreams Pictures. Born in Ibadan, Nigeria with the genes of legendary musician Sir Shina Peters and actress, Clarion Chukwurah, Clarence Peters a.k.a Capital is the most sought after director in the industry at the moment. He has already done jobs with the biggest musicians around. He is rich, hardworking and one of the eligible bachelors around.

UTI NWACHUKWU

Nigerian actor, TV presenter, model and MC best known as one of the 12 housemates on the third season of the reality television competition Big Brother Africa, in 2008. He was the third housemate to be evicted, on Sunday 5 October 2008. He made a return to Big Brother Africa in 2010 and emerged the winner of $200,000 prize money. He was born August 3rd 1982.

LADI DELANO

Founder and CEO, Bakrie Delano Africa, aged 31. The jet-setting Nigerian serial entrepreneur made his first millions as a liquor entrepreneur while living in China. In 2004, at age 22, he founded Solidarnosc Asia, a Chinese alcoholic beverage company that made Solid XS, a premium brand of vodka. Solid XS went on to achieve over 50% market share in China and was distributed across over 30 cities in China, and pulled in $20 million in annual revenue. Delano subsequently sold the company to a rival liquor company for over $15 million and ploughed his funds into his next venture-The Delano Reid Group, a real estate investment holding company focused on mainland China. Today, Delano is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bakrie Delano Africa (BDA) a $1 billion joint venture with the $15 billion (market cap) Bakrie Group of Indonesia. Bakrie Delano Africa serves as the investment partner of the Bakrie Group in Nigeria. The Indonesian conglomerate has provided over $900 million worth of funds to invest in Nigeria and Bakrie Delano Africa is responsible for identifying investment opportunities in mining, agriculture and oil & gas and executing them. The question is who will the lucky girl be?

JIDE ADENUGA

First son of Globacom Chairman, Otunba Mike Adenuga. He was born in February 1st 1982. He schooled in Ivy League Institutions abroad. He is a Director/Member of the Board of CONOIL Plc, one of the most formidable names in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum industry. He owns a company; 3 Inclusive Ltd, that is into the importation of South African wines. The very well-mannered young guy is one of the most eligible bachelors in town. His father, Dr Mike Adenuga, steers the affairs of Globacom, Equatorial Trust Bank and Conoil in addition to other money yielding investments at home and abroad.

OLISA ADIBUA

Olisa Adibua is one of the most respected and in demand radio and television executive producer and presenter on the African continent. Olisa is not only one of the biggest personalities but has also been at the cutting of African electronic media and entertainment since 1988 with more than 23 years experience in television, radio, film, and live events. The very popular OAP, despite being a ladies man, is yet to settle down.

AYODEJI ADEWUNMI

His name may not strike an immediate chord, but the eligible man is the founder of Jobberman; that top site that caters to job searches in the country. From the UN to Gold Man Sachs to MIT, he has working experience with them all. And by the way he is only 28 and has a background in medicine. So don’t worry, money won’t be an issue but the truth is that Adewunmi is still single.

DERENLE EDUN

Forget the ‘madness’. Denrele is single and successful and many girls are ready to be the lucky ones. The question however is when will Denrele settle down?

JOSEPH BENJAMIN

The popular actor was once married but currently separated.

TOLU OGUNLESI

Pharmacist turned journalist, Tolu is few of his ilk who have successfully crossed the sciences to arts barrier. With a ‘CNN award for journalists’ gathering dust on his shelf and countless socially witty columns on blogs and newspapers, Tolu is an ideal woman’s man but why he still remains single is only close to his chest.

MI ABAGA

This rap genius makes up for what he lacks in height in verbal dexterity. Listen to an MI track and you’re bound to be smitten by his poetic ability to turn random rap lyrics into masterpieces. With countless accolades locally and internationally on his sleeves, the aptly named Mr. Incredible is a single force to reckon within the rap game in Nigeria. However one award M.I. has been unable to tidy up is marriage to a lady of his choice.

BRYAN OKWARA

First ever Mr. Nigeria now turned super model and actor, Bryan is a ladies man in every sense of the word. He is however yet to tie up the nuptials to one of the  many of the girls around.

KALU IKEAGWU

Kalu Egbui Ikeagwu is a British-Nigerian actor and writer. Kalu was born in England but was relocated to Nigeria by his Dad at the age of 9 due to fears from his parents that he might abandon his Igbo roots. He had his primary education in England and Zambia before proceeding to University of Nigeria to get a degree in English.

Although some of his colleagues in the entertainment industry who are believed to be in same age bracket with this British-Nigerian actor, Kalu Ikeagwu already has kids but Kalu has stressed that despite that, he is not yet ready to get married until he finds a woman that suits his taste.

FLAVOUR

He is a successful highlife musician. This is one man women can’t seem to get enough of. The highly successful Igbo musician already fathers kids outside wedlock and doesn’t look like giving up his single toga for now.

Flavour hs children from 2 beauty Queens, Sandra Okagbue and Ebiere Banna.

TIMAYA

Timaya is one of the best when you talk of music in Nigeria. He has also earned a place on the list of eligible bachelors although he has a kid outside of wedlock.

IKECHUKWU

Popularly known as ‘Killz’ Ikechukwu is one hot rapper babes are crazy about and would give an arm and a leg to settle down with.

VICTOR MOSES

One of the footballers making Nigeria proud in Europe. You can’t take away the fact that the West Ham forward is one bachelor that’s desirable to women. This is because he has fame, money and eligible.

GABRIEL AFOLAYAN

He is also known with his stage name GFRESH. After warming the ladies with his wave-making track ‘Awelewa’, it’s safe to say he is an eligible bachelor.

NONSO DIOBI

This guy has been in the movie industry for long and he sure has a huge fan base in the female folks, many who keeps asking for more than a platonic relationship.

ALEX EKUBO

This guy gets a lot of attention from the ladies. His looks are appealing and they love him. The question is when will Alex get married?

FEMI JACOB

Nollywood big boy, Femi Jacobs is also unarguably one of the most eligible bachelors around right now.

UNLIMITED LA

Olalekan Buhari popular called Unlimited LA is a successful Video Director having directed some popular hit songs. Just like Clarence Peters, he is yet to settle down preferring instead to stick to his job right now.

IK OGBONNA

The talented actor has kids from 2 baby mamas through which he  fathered 2 kids. Last year, he started showing off his gorgeous girlfriend, Sonia Morales on instagram but the truth is that IK is yet to marry.

PASUMA

The Fuji music star is regarded by many as one of the best around.  However, Baba Wasilat as Pasuma is fondly called  does not live with any woman despite the fact that he has children from different women. He is today, one of Nigeria’s eligible bachelors.

TAYO FANIRAN

Nigerian model, Tayo Faniran who rose to limelight after representing Nigeria at the BBA has a son from his baby mama but yet to marry her or any of his numerous admirers.

MAY D

The popular musician is unmarried but welcomed a son which he christened Olamipoju from his baby mama.

9ICE

Perhaps no showbiz star headlines the single guys like hip hop star, 9ice, whose dalliance with 3 different women is well scripted. The Gongo -Aso crooner has 4 children from these women but has refused to marry any of them. He is still very much single.

OBAFEMI MARTINS

The soccer star has a rich pedigree in European football where he made a name for himself. Obagoal has children from different women but none of them have been able to tie him down as husband.

The post unveiling the super big boys who are single appeared first on citypeople.com.ng.

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