Ace comedian, Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Alibaba, has seen his 14-Year Old marriage to his Banker Wife, Mary Akpobome, nee Udoh Bassey, hit the rock on grounds of alleged infidelity.
It was gathered that the 55- Year Old Comedian has packed out of from their Victoria Garden City, Ajah, Lagos, over what his wife tagged multiple allegations of infidelity.
It was alleged that the Comedian’s wife caught him red-handed in the act. Though she wasn’t unaware of her husband’s reckless extra-marital affairs, however, she chose to look the other way hoping that respite would come sometime soon.
Alibaba was said to be having an affair with a London based woman, who bore him a Child, which became known to his wife, who was said to have hired a private investigator to unravel her husband’s promiscuity.
Before the last straw that broken the camel’s back, it was gathered that his wife, Mary, had confided in some of her associates that she knew what was playing out. However catching her husband red-handed with another woman was unbearable and unforgiveable.
Alibaba had since gone into hiding after moving out of their VGC apartment and had not spoken to the media to react to the said allegation.
Alibaba has, over the years, been one of the best and outstanding Comedians the nation has ever produced, paving way for the younger generation of Comedians.
The ace comedian turned- Nollywood Actor had dated the likes of Elsie Oluku, Patricia Leon, his wife of 14 Years, Mary, whom he eventually married in 2006.
All the said Women were older and wealthy women.
A humour merchant to the teeth, Alibaba, who tops the list of intelligent, analytic and pragmatic comedians in Nigeria is a graduate of Religious Studies & Philosophy from Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Edo State.
He was born in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria to the Royal family of Agbarha Otor, and his first marriage was to Patricia Leon, a former beauty queen which eventually crashed irretrievably with the later threatening to ruin his chances of marrying Mary in 2006.
He is the first son of several children, and spent his first Eight years in Warri. His father is a retired soldier who served in Lagos, Nigeria.
Time was when the Chinese Super League was the destination for football Superstars across Europe and the world.
Reason for this was the juicy deals and money splashed on international, talented and renowned players to help develope the once obscure league.
Chinese investors, including the Chinese Government, gave leverages for Groups and Organizations to delve into the money spinning football investment.
The Chinese Super League became the destination and a Mecca of sort for players.
The likes of Hulk, Fredy Guarin, Axel Witsel, Cedric Bakambu, Gael Kakuta, Obafemi Martins, Carlos Tevez, Oscar Santos, Marouane Felliani, Graziano Pelle to mention a few, all joined the Chinese League train, to make more money than they were earning in their European Club Side.
Just like former Arsenal Manager, Arsene Wenger predicted when interviewed whether he would join the bandwagon of Coaches like Rafael Benitez, Fabio Capello, Fabio Canavarro and the likes that have secured money spinning deals in China, he said: “It is easier to join the fray, but can the Chinese Super League sustain itself with the outrageous amount being splashed on players and the development of their Leagues?
This question asked by Wenger has been a major issue in the Asian Country, as the League has been halted, with Clind indebted and are unable to wages of players.
Last week, Sunday, 28th February, 2021, Chiinese football was thrown into disarray as the owners of reigning Chinese Super League champions, Jiangsu Suning Football Club, announced the club would cease operations with immediate effect.
A post on Jiangsu’s official WeChat account expressed hope of new backers or that a “company of insight” would be willing to consult on the team’s future.
The announcement stated all of owners Suning Group’s football clubs, including the hugely successful Jiangsu Suning Women, would “cease operations from today”.
The Nanjing-based retailer, one of China’s biggest and which also owns Italian Serie A club side, Inter Milan, earlier in February said it intended to focus on core businesses, leaving non-retail assets at risk.
These assets include Jiangsu Suning FC, which won the Chinese Super League title in November for the first time with a playoff win over eight-time champions Guangzhou Evergrande.
That victory was the pinnacle of a run by a once cashed-up club previously coached by ex-England manager Fabio Capello, and which in the summer of 2019 attempted to sign Gareth Bale, formerly the world’s most expensive player, from Real Madrid.
The squad that clinched the title and a place in this year’s Asian Champions League featured Brazilian winger Alex Teixeira, who chose to make a 50 million euro ($60.37m) switch to Jiangsu in 2016 over interest from Premier League side Liverpool.
When Teixeira refused to sign a new contract at the end of last season and with coach Cosmin Olaroiu reported to be unlikely to return to the club, questions started to be asked of Jiangsu’s financial future and the knock-on impact on football in China.
The Jiangsu announcement comes days after Chinese FA Cup winners Shandong Luneng Football Club, which has former Manchester United Football Club midfielder, Marouane Felliani in its fold, had their expulsion from the Asian Champions League confirmed by the Asian Football Confederation due to “overdue payables”.
Should Jiangsu fail to find new owners soon, their absence could cause further upheaval in the Asian Champions League ahead of the start of the continental competition in April.
Retailer Suning.com, also part of the Suning Group, said shareholders plan to sell 20% to 25% of the company to unnamed buyers, which might lead to a change in control as the Suning Group seeks to raise cash.
The Covid-19 Pandemic outbreak ravaging the world was a major setback for the League and sponsorship. May companies pulled out of the sponsorship deals with some Clubside, making them unable to pay wages and meet the Club’s needs and commitments.
It was also revealed that individual Chinese Super League clubs owe hundreds of millions of wages far more than the Chinese Football Association estimates.
The Chinese Football Association (including the professional league preparatory group and the Chinese Super League) on January 28, the eve of the submission of the “confirmation form” deadline, urgently distributed an average of 7 million last season dividends to 16 Chinese Super League clubs.
According to people familiar with the matter, distributing the “life-saving money” totaling more than 100 million yuan, first took a certain risk; secondly, when the league sponsor’s money was not in place, the Super League company poured out. In particular, the intention to “rescue the market” is very obvious.
The Chinese Football Association has found out, and the financial situation of clubs at all levels is generally not optimistic. Individual Chinese Super League clubs have reported that the salary arrears for the 2020 season is as high as hundreds of millions of yuan, far exceeding the estimation of the Chinese Football Association, and probably beyond the expectation of Chairman of the League, Chen Xuyuan.
This further explains why Shanghai Shenhua Football Club of China decided to let go off Nigerian international, Odion Jude Ighalo, who recently signed for Al Shabab Football Club in the Saudi Arabian League, after his loan deal with Manchester United Football Club ended.
A lot of players in the Chinese League are however leaving enmasse, with some joining the Japanese Football League, South Korean League, Qatari League, Saudi Arabia League, Kuwait League and other Asian Club Side.
Following renewed hostilities between two communities of Offa and Erinle in Kwara state, the state Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has imposed curfew.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, stated that the curfew will be in force between 6p.m. and 8 a.m. until further notice.
According to the statement, this followed the renewed hostilities between some groups of persons from the two communities on Thursday.
“The curfew takes immediate effect from 6p.m. today Thursday March 4, 2021.
“Security agencies have been deployed to enforce the curfew. While security forces on ground are to maintain the peace, military reinforcements from Sobi Barracks and the Mobile Police force from Ilorin have been deployed immediately.
“All residents are hereby directed to withdraw from the streets of Offa and Erinle and all contested areas immediately.
“Residents are to stay indoors until the curfew is reviewed.
The Governor urges residents of both communities and travellers crisscrossing the areas to comply with this directive to save lives and property.
“The Governor appeals to leaders on both sides to restrain and caution their people against provocative action, and to maintain peace.
“The security forces are urged to be very firm in dealing with the situation and in enforcing the curfew.”
Ondo state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has re echoed qualification for appointment into political offices during his second term, saying only people that are ready for genuine sacrifices will be engaged.
The financial position of the State may have compelled the Governor to make the statement.
The State has been owing backlog of salaries since last year due to paucity of funds.
Governor Akeredolu, while swearing in his Chief of Staff, Chief Olugbenga Ale, on Thursday in Akure, described the reappointment of the Chief of Staff as a confirmation of his dedication to duty and loyalty.
While promising that he would do away with distractions, the Governor stressed that people who will constitute a burden to the serious business of governance would also not be engaged.
He expressed his readiness to achieve more successes than those recorded in the first term.
“We are looking forward to state police. It will be soon. We have a lot of iron in fire that we must attend to. Only those who are ready for genuine sacrifices will be engaged by us.
“We have already achieved some level of success in this regard in our first term. We shall endeavour to build on this success in the next four years.
“There will be zero tolerance for indolence. Nobody will be permitted to misbehave under our watch. We intend to continue to promote the virtues of diligence and honesty.
“We will reward decency. Any established act of moral turpitude will be visited with the utmost severity in terms of sanction.
Chief Ale thanked the Governor for reappointing him, adding that he was ready for the sacrifice and challenges ahead.”
In another development, the Ondo State House of Assembly has received names of four Commissioner-nominees sent by Governor Akeredolu.
The nominees are: Mr Wale Akinterinwa, Mr Ojogo Donald, Sir Charles Titiloye and Engr.Aminu Raimi Olayiwola.
In a letter addressed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oleyelogun Bamidele and signed by the Chief of staff to the Governor, he requested members, on behalf of the Governor, to give their approval to the list in view of the urgent need to fast-track the instrumentality of governance.
Three of the nominees, Ojogo, Titiloye and Akinterinwa served as Commissioners during the first term, while Aminu was a Special Adviser.
The Godwin Emefiele-led Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has extended the discounted interest rate for its intervention facilities for another 12 months. The apex bank, however said the one year extension will be considered on case by case basis.
Recall that the apex bank, last year, granted a 12 months extension for all its intervention funds, citing the need to cushion the effects of the corona virus pandemic on the economy.
According to a circular titled ‘Re: Regulatory forbearance for the restructuring of credit facilities of other financial institutions impacted by COVID-19,’ and obtained by the magazine, the government bank said the action was taken to mitigate the impacts of the COVID 19 on the economy.
It reads, “The Central Bank of Nigeria reduced the interest rates on the CBN intervention facilities from nine per cent to five per cent per annum for one year effective March 1, 2020, as part of measures to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the Nigerian economy.
“Credit facilities, availed through participating banks and OFIs, were also granted a one-year moratorium on all principal payments with effect from March 1, 2020. Following the expiration of the above timelines, the CBN hereby approves as follows:
“The extension by another 12 months to February 28, 2022 of the discounted interest rate for the CBN intervention facilities.The role-over of the moratorium on the above facilities shall be considered on a case by case basis.”
I don’t know about you, but there are States in Nigeria, I constantly go to Goggle to know the names of their Governors.
It is not that I am uninterested in the States, it is just that their Governors neither have positive nor nuisance value. They are just there, answering “Their Excellencies, the Executive Governors of so and so States.”
The emphasis on Executive is mine. It is very important to them and their Aides. Addressing them as Governors is not enough. It is as if a Governor does not already have executive powers so, they need to re-emphasise it. Nigerians and titles.
Even some Local Government Chairmen now answer Executive Chairmen. Just like a number of Houses of Representatives and Assembly Members are no longer satisfied with answering “Honourable.” It is “The Rt. Honourable.”
But these are by the way. I was talking about States which Governors I constantly ask Goggle to tell me their names They are just there. Contributing nothing to National discourse. A number of them live in Abuja, and visit their states. They are visiting Governors.
But many of them are active. They talk. You hear their voices. You feel them. Even if they are just of nuisance value. You cannot miss them.
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State is one of the Governors one cannot miss.
Governor Bello Matawalle
He is one of Nigeria’s “Miracle Governors.” Of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a party which he once swore he would dump because of what he called the unbearable attitude of a South-south Governor, Matawalle was thoroughly defeated at the Governorship polls by the All Progressives Congress’s, APC, candidate. But 48 hours, (or was it 24 hours?) I forget now, to the swearing-in of the APC winner, the Supreme Court truncated it. He was kicked out, and Matawalle declared the winner, and sworn -in. He shares this miracle with the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri.
But in the North, along with Governors Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Matallawe has been in the news. And now, he has opened the pandora’s box.
The Governor has just revealed that high profile Nigerians were behind the abduction of the 317 female students of Jangebe Girls’ Secondary School, Zamfara. He said the high profile sponsors even went as far as offering the bandits money to abort the release of the girls.
And, because of the Zamfara abduction, we now know, according to the Federal Government, that Helicopters drop arms and food stuffs for bandits. Do they also drop for Boko Haram? Who knows?
Dr Obadiah Mailafia, remember him?, must be having a good laugh. When he made the allegation, months ago, that Helicopters were transporting arms to bandits across the country during the COVID-19 lockdown, many people, including yours truly, dismissed his claims. Doubting Thomases, we now know. The Federal Government gives that as the reason it declared Zamfara State a no-fly-zone on Tuesday. Now that we know, the Federal Government owes Nigerians a full disclosure of where the Helicopters come from. Do they emanate from within or outside the country? How do they enter our airspace, and drop arms undetected, How vulnerable is Nigeria?
I have not been to Zamfara State since Matallawe, but I was there twice as a Commissioner on the Police Service Commission, PSC.
I don’t know if the state has developed now. When I visited, aside from the beautiful natural environment, I didn’t see much development infrastructure-wise. Not even the Government House was good enough. Big houses. Expensive furniture. But dirty.
We were given Guest Houses within the Government House to stay. Two others and I, including former Lagos and Benue States Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, couldn’t stay. The bedrooms were unkept. The restrooms made me sick, as it did the two others. So, we opted for a not-too-big, very decent hotel.
The allegation, then, was that the Governor was, usually, away to Abuja, and was a visitor to the State. He apparently didn’t care much.
I may be wrong, but I will be surprised if the state has done any better under Matallawe. If not, it is likely not his fault. The man inherited a State under the stranglehold of bandits; a State reduced to one of the most dangerous states in Nigeria.
Since his inauguration, the Governor has not had a breather. He has been running after bandits. He was the first to begin a negotiation with them. He granted them amnesty just so they leave his state alone. They began to surrender their guns in exchange for amnesty and rehabilitation. His style became a model for other states under the burden of bandits. He even began to intervene, in those states each time bandits struck. On a couple of times, his help was acknowledged.
But criminals have large appetites. The more you try to feed them, the more insatiable their appetite is. They are like blackmailers. Once you start paying a blackmailer, you never stop.
The Governor’s agreement with bandits notwithstanding, they kept wreaking havoc on the state.
The criminal activities of the bandits got to a head this order day when they invaded Jengebe Girls’ Secondary, and abducted 317 students in one swoop. For about one week, they held them hostage, putting the country on edge, the state in disarray, and the Governor, confused and talkative.
It was during one of those talkative moments, when the Council of Traditional Rulers visited him to condole with him, that Matallawe told them they would be shocked to know those behind the abduction of the students. He said he knew them. While Nigerians tried to absorb that, he dropped a second secret.
During the visit of the Federal Government delegation to the State led by Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika to, also, condole with him, he disclosed that some people were giving the bandits money not to free the students.
The Governor says he knows the big people behind the abduction of the students but wouldn’t name and Shame them. He knows those who were offering the bandits money not to release the abducted girls, while their parents reeled in pains and trauma and sleepless nights, and our country, once again, reduced to International ridicule. But he wouldn’t name them,
The questions are: If Governor Matallawe knew all along, those behind the abduction of the girls,to the extent that he knew they were giving the bandits money so as not to release the girls, why would he not let on immediately? What is he hiding? Who is he protecting? Has he given their names to the Police, the DSS, or any other Security Agency? Did he give their names to them?
He is threatening to make their names public. What’s preventing him from doing that? It is the most natural thing to do. It is the right thing to do. Or, is he waiting for the bandits to carry out another abduction?
The President should hold Governor Zamfara State to his words. He should make the names of the high profile people behind the abduction public. He should name them, so we can shame them.
I really wonder why Matawalle and the other Governors of bandit – states were not invited to the Security Council meeting in Abuja on Tuesday. After disclosing that he knew the high profile sponsors, he should have been invited for debriefing. Instead, they took decisions behind him. Mr President declared Zamfara State a no-fly-zone, and banned every mining activity, So announced the cerebral National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno, Rtd.
The Governor felt slighted. No wonder he chuckled at the decisions, and dismissed Abuja as ignorant of the security situation in Zamfara State when Dr Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State Governor, and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, visited him. He made nonsense of the Council’s meeting and decisions.
Matawalle: “It seems the Security Council doesn’t understand the nature of the security problems in Zamfara state. But if they decided to take such action let them go ahead.
“I’m not afraid of anybody, and the problem of insecurity in the state predated my administration.
“Nigerians are waiting to see the outcome of the Security Council’s resolution to see if these bandits would be crushed. If the Federal Government fails to crush them after this resolution, then Nigerians will understand that they only sat and served themselves tea, nothing more.”
He has started an investigation into the abduction of students of Government Girls Secondary School, Jengebe, he quipped.
Investigation? I thought he already knew those behind the abduction. All he needs to do is hand the list over to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Finally, Mr President should listen to Governor Matawalle, and order a thorough investigation of his list. Mr President should put a stop to this nonsense. It is getting out of hand. Indeed, it is out of hand already. And remember: that was not Mr President’s promise in 2015. Whatever happened to that promise? And whatever happened to trust?
Former chairman of Diamond Bank Board of Directors Seyi Bickersteth is dead, according to a report by Nairametrics. The online medium, quoting multiple sources, said Bickersteth was found dead in his Ikoyi apartment, even though the cause of his death is yet to be determined.
The deceased resigned from the now defunct bank in 2018 to pave way for new investors to recapitalizes the bank.
Until his death, Bickersteth was a Regional Managing Partner and Chairman of Andersen Tax, Africa. According to his LinkedIn profile, he started his career at Arthur Andersen as a partner and rose through the echelons to his most recent position, in a career that spanned over forty years.
Bickersteth: Found Dead in His Ikoyi Home
He was an alumnus of the famous University of Ibadan and York University, Canada where he obtained a Bachelor`s and Masters’ degrees in Economics respectively. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria ,FCA and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, FCTI.
The ex- chairman of Diamond Bank will be remembered for his pioneering role as a team leader of Arthur Anderson team in the 1988 International Merchant Bank, IMB restructuring exercise. He served in various leadership positions and Boards in top firms like; KPMG, ARM and the defunct Diamond Bank.
Within two months, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has released 350,000 metric tonnes of maize into the Nigerian market, as part of the efforts to crash the prices and ease the scarcity of the commodity in the country.
In January, the apex bank released 300,000 metric tons and has now added 50,000 metric tons, even though analysts insist that the intervention will not serve much purpose.
“The current shortfall in the quantity of maize available in the market, that CBN is working on mitigating, is attributed to activities of banditry, drought in some parts of the country last year, activities of hoarders and middlemen as well as insecurity around the major maize producing belt of Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and part of Kano states,” the CBN said in a statement.
Over 11 million tons of maize is consumed annually in the country while barely 7 million tons are produced locally, leaving the shortfall to be imported. But the CBN has placed a ban on importation of maize to encourage local production, leading to scarcity. The 2020 corona virus pandemic lock down has made things worse because farmers could not plant for the better part of the season.
As the scarcity bites harder, some livestock producers had recently appealed to the federal government to intervene over the rising cost of maize which has also led to the increase in the prices of poultry products, including eggs and chickens. At least, over 50 per cent of national consumption is consumed in the livestock sector.
The CBN said the release was part of efforts to reduce the price of the commodity in the market, adding that the impact of its action is already being felt as the price of maize has crashed from N200, 000.00 per metric tonnes to about N180, 000.00 per metric tonnes.
More price reduction is expected in coming weeks as more of the products flood the markets, the government bank said.
The CBN gives the breakdown of the beneficiaries to include Premier Flour Mills, Crown – Olam, Grand Cereals, Animal Care, Amobyn and Hybrid Feeds. Others include Zartech, Wacot, Sayeed Farms, Pandagri Novum and Premium Farms as well as the South West, South-South, North West and North Central chapters of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, PAN.
According to the apex bank, the benefiting companies represent the major players in the poultry value chain in the country, noting that the 50,000 metric tonnes of Maize will minimize the activities of intermediaries (middlemen) in the Nigerian maize market.
To kick-start his second term, Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has named his kinsmen into strategic positions just as he dissolved some political appointees with immediate effect.
Akeredolu re-appointed his kinsman, Chief Olugbenga Ale, as Chief of Staff, and another Owo indigene, Richard Olabode, as Chief Press Secretary.
Mr Jimoh Dojumo, from Owo, a retired policeman who served as Chief Security Officer, (CSO) during first term, was also reappointed.
Apart from his kinsmen, Governor Akeredolu also favoured some non-indigenes as appointees during his second voyage.
New appointees include Bola Alabi, as the new Chief of Protocol. Alabi, a Legal Practitioner, served as Deputy Chief of Protocol in the first term of the Governor.
Mrs. Olufunke Bisi Aruna has been appointed as the Deputy Chief of Protocol.
Mr. Governor also approved that Mr. Kunle Adebayo and his two other committee members should continue to superintend over the affairs of the OSRC Media Group as Chairman and members of the committee.
Mr. Bayo Olafusi has equally been nominated as member of the Ondo State Judicial Service Commission. His name is being forwarded to the Ondo State House of Assembly for confirmation.
Other appointments approved by the Governor are:
Prince Olusegun Omojuwa – Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr. Doyin Odebowale, Senior Special Assistant, Special Duties and Strategy; Pastor Akin Olotu, Senior Special Assistant, Agriculture.
Other appointees from Owo include Dapo Aruwajoye, Senior Special Assistant, Broadcast Communications; and Leke Akeredolu, SA, Media.
Appointees are Mrs. Gilda Amata, Mr. Rowland Iheloghara, Stella Anyanwu, Mrs Elizabeth Akpan, and Alex Ukah, all Special Assistants.
Others are, Nguher Zaki, Odilii Peace, and Miss Ngozi Ugochi Igbo.
