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Afenifere: “Why We Don’t Trust FG, National Assembly”: Asks That President Quits |The Source

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By Akinwale Kasali

Pan Yoruba Group, Afenifere, has disclosed why it has made a U-turn on the clamour for the restructuring of the nation.

Though, the Group has shown its total support for the decision of Governors in the 17 Southern States in Nigeria to ban open grazing of livestock in the States they control, the Yoruba socio-political Group has said it cannot trust the National Assembly to champion its call for the restructuring of the country.

Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the foremost Yoruba Group, made this disclosure at the General Meeting of the group, held at his Ijebu-Ogbo home town, Ogun State.

His words, “We do not believe in the National Assembly which is a product of this fraudulent Constitution to amend the Constitution.

“It is immoral and illogical for a product of fraud to amend the fraud,” the group insisted.

However,  in a communique issued after the meeting, Afenifere backed the Southern Governors’ position on the ban of open grazing, and call for restructuring.

“Afenifere is in total support of the decision of Governors of the 17 states in Nigeria banning open grazing of livestock in any of the  States that they control, Afenifere felt that although the declaration by the Governors ought to have come long before now, given the atrocities that have arisen from open grazing, it is better late than never”.

It added that the Group is delighted to note that ‘restructuring’ as a workable recipe for stopping Nigeria from falling apart, is becoming more popular and winning converts on a daily basis.

“We are delighted because ‘restructuring’ is something we have been advocating for a long time.

Adebanjo also renewed its call for President Muhammadu Buhari’s resignation, saying he had no clue of Nigeria’s problems.

The Group noted that if Buhari failed to quit, he would “plunge the country into a crisis which nobody can foretell its end.”

At the meeting, Adebanjo was unveiled as the new leader of the group after a caucus meeting and a General Assembly.

Arising from the meeting, Adebanjo declared that Buhari had failed woefully and had no clue to the problems facing the country.

Flanked by the Deputy Leader, Oba Olaitan Alaago and the General Secretary, Chief Sola Ebiseni, the Afenifere leader maintained that the group was not clamouring for secession, but true federalism through the restructuring of the country.

He maintained that it was mischievous for the Presidency to accuse advocates of restructuring as secessionists and separatists.

Adebanjo said: “I assert Gen. Buhari has failed woefully, he has no clue to the problems facing Nigeria. He should go now before he plunges the country into a crisis the end of which nobody can foretell.

“Our resolve for the restructuring of the country back to federalism is unshakeable.

“We assert we are no secessionist. It is those who oppose restructuring that are enemies of a united Nigeria. That all opponents of restructuring give impetus to secessionists.

“The clamour for the return of the country to federalism is born out of the obnoxious provision in the constitution which has made economic and political progress impossible and this has been the main cause of instability in the country.”

OPINION: Mr. President, The Country Has Slipped Out Of Your Hands |The Source

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Tola Adeniyi

By Tola Adeniyi

Dear President Buhari,

It is with great pain but with deep concern as a fellow human-being and your age mate that I send you this private/public letter in the hope that you would be allowed to read it.

I am in pain because the country that Allah has placed on your laps to nurture and protect has virtually slipped out of your hand and is heading to ruins and destruction.

Every index that makes a country lay claim to development, survival, safety and security, unity and understanding, and justice and equity has taken a flight under your watch.

You probably are not aware that the country called Nigeria is already up in flames.

You may not be aware that you are being used by a clique of very powerful, egocentric and extremely wicked people for their selfish purposes and invidious agenda. And because position at the top of the pyramid is usually lonely, lonesome, and inaccessible, it has been very difficult for you to know and feel what is going on down-below.

Those who are guarding the pyramid have made it extremely difficult for well-meaning individuals to have access to you or avail you a second opinion on several issues of state and statecraft.

Tola Adeniyi
Tola Adeniyi

Worse still, you are afflicted with serious health challenges as evident in the video clips of your brief appearances. You know that you are not well and this is why you have had to be confined to hospital bed abroad for weeks and months on several occasions.

Some of your ailments may not even be clear to you.  But there is no big deal about being ill or having health challenges; most people, if not all, our age suffer one major health challenge or the other. It is only our reaction and management of these challenges that differ from one individual to the other.

You have , to put it bluntly,  been rendered a glorified but pitiable prisoner as a result of the aforementioned. Those who are using your office for their own selfish advantage have taken full possession of you and have unfortunately blinded you to the realities on ground.

Many atrocious and brutish atrocities are routinely committed in your name because they are fully aware that they would never be held accountable and that the buck stops at your table.

You have been literally handcuffed and manacled as a result of your situation and the only option open to you is to cry out to be released from the prison in which you are.

Your entire personal staff cannot help you because they are afraid of the superior officers/officials who are wielding the awesome powers of state hijacked from you. Even state Governors are often bullied in your name.

Your ministers and other career politicians will rather die in office than to have current position terminated because your office is their mainstay and breadwinner.

All the powers and privileges they currently enjoy and parade are at your behest. If for any reason you leave office today, they know their fish will be out of water.

And yet Nigeria is bleeding.

Nigerians are wallowing in unprecedented poverty, want, unemployment, crass nepotism, arrogant and condescending impunity, humongous corruption, humongous debt, alarming insecurity, worrisome absence of safety, confusion and hopelessness.

In the meantime, Nigerians everywhere are all crying out to you to rescue the ship of state whereas you yourself need to be rescued and rescued fast from the clique that holds you by the jugular.

My hope and prayer are that your bold, brilliant and beautiful wife will summon courage to read this letter to you. Or at least one or two of your children will let this letter reach you.

They certainly are aware of your health challenges. They know that several of the do-gooders who are allowed on rare occasions to see you for photo-ups hide the truth from the public. They must know too that those on such rare occasions who are allowed to see you say unpalatable things behind your back

In the name of Almighty Allah, the Most Benevolent, the Most merciful, let people of good conscience, led by your wife and children urgently release you from the world’s most guarded prison and take you back to Daura for needed rest and fresh air, or better still, take you to Germany or the UK for critical medical attention and total rest. That is all you need at this stage of your life Sir.

You have had a distinguished career as a soldier, officer, and Military Head of state. Allah has been most kind and generous to you. Please do not allow those who are embarking on ruinous path donate unenviable epitaph to you.

No nationality in this 21st century can subjugate about 300 other nationalities in Nigeria. The once-upon-a-time Great Britain is sliding to become ordinary England once Scotland and Wales regain their independence and Northern Ireland reunites with its southern kith and kin.

And Saudi Arabia, with all its petro-dollar and United States awesome firepower, has not been able to subjugate tiny Yemen

Let the message sink.

Ramadan Mubarak!

With esteemed personal regards.

Akogun Adeniyi is a renowned  Journalist, Columnist and Publisher

Dickson Visits IGP, Says Attacks On Police Personnel Devilish |The Source

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The immediate past Governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson, on Friday,  May 14, 2021, condemned, in very strong words, the recent attacks on Police personnel and Police facilities in parts of the country. 

In the past couple of months, they have been victims of violent attacks, which have resulted in the killing of many policemen and the torching of Police facilities, especially, in the South-east and South-south. 

The two Zones have become graveyards for Police personnel, to the extent that many of them no longer wear their uniforms.

As a step to curb it,  the NPF high command has banned the escort by Police, of any Politician or VIP to the South-east, so such Policemen don’t become targets.

Condemning the grave situation, Dickson, who started his early life as a Policeman, asked for an immediate cessation.

The former two-time Governor of Bayelsa State, and now,  the Senator representing Bayelsa West,  stated these when  the  Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP Usman Alkali Baba, received him at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

According to a release by Force Spokesperson, CP Frank Mba, the Senator said  he was at the Force Headquarters to solidarize with the IGP and the entire police family “on the account of the dastardly and criminal acts of terrorism, unprovoked and coordinated attacks on Police, murder of innocent police officers and malicious damage of security assets and other Government infrastructure in some parts of the country.”

Dickson, unequivocally, condemned the attacks and called for “a cessation of all such criminal acts.” 

He asserted that the Police is not the problem of the nation and should not be seen as the enemy of the people.    

The Senator, while congratulating the IGP on his appointment as the 21st indigenous Inspector General of Police, called for proper funding of the Police to enhance its operational efficiency. He commended Police men and women for doing their best in the face of daunting welfare and operational challenges.

The IGP, in his response, thanked the Senator for his visit. He assured him and the Nigerian people that “in spite of the numerous challenges the Nigeria Police is facing, it would remain committed and unwavering in its task of protecting lives and property.”

CNPP Says Senate President, Reps Speaker, Worst in History of Nigeria; Wants Past Confab Documents Dusted Now |The Source

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Chief Willy Ezugwu

Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has described “the current leadership of the National Assembly, particularly the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmed Lawan,  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as the worst performing Principal  Officers of the National Assembly in the history of Nigeria.”

While reacting to a recent call by legal luminary, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who faulted 17 southern governors’ demand for a constitutional conference and said the 415 Senators and Reps members are a waste of resources, the CNPP said “the national lawmakers have remained the worst disappointment to the Nigerian electorates.”

According to the umbrella  body of all registered Political Parties and Political Associations in Nigeria in a statement signed by the CNPP Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, “the Southern Governors’ ban on open grazing is the right way in the right direction but there has to be in place a domesticated legal framework for enforcement rather than a mere mouthed ban, which amounts to political statement.
“However, their call for a National  Confab is faulty as the recommendations from past National  dialogues are accumulating dusts and should be put to use by the National Assembly as there are no new issues in the country that have not been discussed at earlier national confabs.

“But, unfortunately, the current leadership of the National Assembly has remained the worst rubber stamp principal officers ever.
“We agree with Mike Ozekhome (SAN) who spoke in Anambra State on Thursday, as a keynote speaker at the 25th Law Week of the Awka branch of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), where he described the Southern Governors’ suggestion for another confab as unnecessary.
“Like the Human Rights Lawyer asked , what is wrong with previous confab resolutions and recommendations?

“Recommendation from the Obasanjo’s national dialogue, the PRONACO people’s confab by late Chief Anthony Enahoro, and the Jonathan’s 2014 confab all have recommendations, which addressed our current challenges, among others.

“If Nigeria had implemented the recommendations of the 2014 confab, there would have been a state police today and we would have had a part-time legislature, among others, that would have nipped in the bud current restiveness and agitations across the country, including the ongoing deafening insecurity.

“Since 2015, the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration has carried on as if all is well with the country and have continued to avoid burning issues of national interests, sacrificing the future of our youths on the alter of  party loyalty.

“Why have Nigerian political elites continued to postpone the doomsday?

“The gloomy future we failed to work against is now our current reality and insecurity has reached the highest level under the current APC led federal government.

“The earlier we wake up and confront our fears, the better to for us all”, the CNPP warned.

Ondo:Deji Of Akure Defies Govt, Spits Fire, Insists He Remains Paramount Ruler Of Akureland |The Source

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Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi

By Ayodele Oni

There is palpable tension in Akure the Ondo State capital, as the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, has called the bluff of the Ondo State Government.

The Government had, in letter to the Deji a couple of days ago, watered down his authority over some areas in Akureland

But he insists that he remains the  authority in .the  two Local Governments – Akure North and South.

A reaction from the Palace on Friday flayed the letter from the Ministry of Local  Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, describing the Permanent Secretary as ignorant of the existing law.

The statement, signed by the Chief Secretary to the Deji, Mr Michael Adeyeye, reads: “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to set the record straight.

“We received a letter from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs signed by its Permanent Secretary and dated 7/4/2021.

“He enumerated some communities where there are purported disputes over chieftaincy related issues and requested to investigate.

“The letter was written barely a month after the resumption of the permanent secretary who had little or no knowledge of an already existing judgment which had settled the case(s) upon which the letter was premised.

“Upon the receipt of the letter, the Deji through his counsel replied the Ministry to inform her of an existing court judgment in respect of the matter.

“It is imperative to state that the permanent secretary acted erroneously with the matter and it had since be settled.

“Equally, it is worthy to state that the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs was equally a co-defendant in the suit number AK/28/2017 filed at the Ondo State High Court by the Akure North Monarchs in which Judgment had been given wherein all the claims of the Obas of Akure North Local Government against the Deji were dismissed.

“It is laughable that those who are claimants in the case will claim ignorance of the judgment and still go ahead to misinform the Ministry on the status-quo.

“Interestingly, all the Communities enumerated in the said letter were rightly adjudged in favour of the Deji of Akure Kingdom to be under his control.

“The Communities include, but not limited to Eleyowo, Isinigbo, Ayetoro and many others. The extant position, therefore, remains that;

“From time immemorial, the entire Akure Land has been under the hegemony of the Deji of Akure. By virtue of his said position, the Deji was the paramount ruler over the entire Akure land as well as being the consenting authority over all minor Chiefs, Olus and Baales under him.

“That prior to the bifurcation of Akure Local Government, the Deji of Akure by virtue of his position is the prescribed authority, was empowered traditionally and in law to appoint and consent the appointment of minor chiefs within the land not minding the bifurcation of the old Local Government into Akure North and South.

“It is on record that soon after the Judgment of the High Court, the Akure North Monarchs apparently dissatisfied with the judgment decided to appeal the judgment which is pending before the Akure Judicial Division of the Court of Appeal.

“It is important to alert the public that the Monarchs had abandoned the case they instituted at the appeal court but rather chose to bamboozle the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs into taking an uninformed decision.

“Ironically, the Ministry is also a defendant in the case instituted by the Obas in Akure North which was dismissed.

“It is important to emphasize that he who wants equity must come with clean hands. We urge those who have pending cases to pursue them rather than resorting to self-help through peddling of falsehood.

“We urge the good people of Akure Kingdom both at home and in diaspora and the general public to disregard the content of the misleading story being circulated by some resentful individuals with perverse mind in its entirety.

“We equally appeal to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to enlighten the general public, the Obas in Akure North and those concerned of the errors contained in its said letter of 7/4/2021 and 19/4/2021.

“We wish to also appreciate the Ondo State Governor for his understanding and his unrelenting efforts at uniting all communities and forestalling any form of ill feelings that could trigger crises in all communities across the State.”

Herdsmen invade Lagos, take over Ancestral Lands |The Source

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By Uche Mbah

Reports indicate that herdsmen have now taken over some parts of  Lagos depriving villagers of their means of livelihood.

They have reportedly taken over ancestral land owned by the Ali Moibi Balogun family of Ele, generally known as Iganke Farmland. This is at Egiri town in Eredo Council Development LCDA.

The family claims  the herdsmen are already erecting permanent structures on their ancestral land which has been handed over to them through inheritance.

In a letter dated May 20, 2021, written through their lawyer,   Adeyemi Adegbite, they urged the State Governor, Babajide Sanwolu, to begin discrete inquiries into the case.

“We hereby urge Your Excellency to deploy your very good office to  intervene in this matter, cause a very discrete investigation to be conducted and esdure that our Society is not turned into a lawless one, where might is right and power can be hijacked by a few powerful individuals or groups of individuals to the detriment of the common and law abiding citizens” the petition said.

Lagos recently has been in the eyes of the storm since rumors of alleged pending attacks by both Yoruba militant groups and IPOB.

Nothing was said about herdsmen though the Government has proposed the banning of motorcycles (Okada) and Tricyles (Keke) to replace them with buses.

Most of the operators are from the North.

Insecurity: Gbajabiamila Says All Nigerians Guilty |The Source

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By Akinwale Kasali

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that all Nigerians should be held responsible for the unprecedented insecurity in the country.

He said the absence of unity, tolerance and peaceful coexistence led to the sorry state the nation finds itself  insecurity-wise.

Speaking at the Presidential Villa Abuja, Gbajabiamila said, “God even puts you through challenges so that you can come out of it stronger, no one should be exonerated from being culpable in whatever challenges Nigeria is facing”.

He noted that the Eid El Fitri celebration is a period of sacrifice, love and worship amid the challenges in the country.

All Nigerians, he added, should share in the blame of whatever travails are confronting the country, insisting that this was not the time for name calling, and urged Nigerians to be united.

“This is not the time for name calling or blaming one another. If truth be told, we all have equal share in the blame in whatever challenges we have. We all must come together. The same way we all have equal shares, we must all come together to make sure that we resolve whatever issues there are,” he said.

He, expressed optimism concerning Nigeria’s ability to overcome the present security challenges.

“Like I said earlier, the greatest nations have gone through even worse challenges than this and I believe that it’s that’s spirit of oneness, it is that spirit of togetherness, unity, and love that will get us through this.

“There are many things that people have said here and there. You never know where these things are coming from. Sometimes, God even puts you through challenges so that you can come out of it stronger, bigger, better bolder. And that’s what I believe is going to happen to Nigeria.”

Don’t Pit Yoruba Against Igbo, Ohaneze Warns |The Source

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Professor George Obiozor

By Uche Mbah

The Socio cultural Igbo group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has asked the Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwolu, to ignore the report which alleged a plot by Igbo Secessionist group, the Indigenous people Of Biafra, IPOB, to attack Lagos. Ohaneze insists the allegation is a ploy to put a political wedge between the Yoruba and the Igbo.

This allegation of a planned attack by IPOB was, for the records, first made by an Igbo man, Joe Igbokwe, an aide to Governor Sanwo-Olu.

The stong allegation against IPOB by Igbokwe which he recorded in Igbo language, came as a sort of advisory asking IPOB to keep off Lagos, and concentrate their alleged attacks on the South-east Zone, only.

Outraged by Mr Igbokwe’s unsubstantiated allegations, Ndigbo Lagos, the umbrella body of all Igbo Associations in Lagos, accused Igbokwe of deliberately inciting the Yoruba against the Igbo.

Meanwhile in Lagos, the Commissioner of Police had, during a security summit, insisted that IPOB and some Yoruba separatist groups are planning attacks in Lagos.

But the President General of Ohaneze Prof George Obiozor, has denied any such plans by IPOB.

The President General, who lived a greater part of his life in Lagos and rose to be the Director General of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, said the rumor was a ploy to pit the Yoruba against the Igbo.

“The dangerous rumor is aimed at causing division, crisis and conflict among us,” he said.

Obiozor made the statement when he led the group on a courtesy call on Lagos State

Governor, Babajide Sanwolu.

Obiozor said:

“The leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, in the company of Igbo Elders and Leaders in Lagos, are here to reassure you that Ndigbo are not violent, neither are we known for acts of violence anywhere we live.

“The dangerous insinuations, rumour, gossips and callous statements that Ndigbo in Lagos, or any part of Yoruba land, is contemplating violence in Lagos or any part of Yoruba land, are false.

“We state clearly that anywhere this dangerous rumor or statement is emanating from is aimed to cause division, crises and conflict among us.

“We believe this rumor is intended to distract the governor from providing good governance for all and cause disaffection between Ndigbo who live in Lagos and their host community which is the second home of several Ndigbo.

“The quick denial of this rumour by members of IPOB and Yoruba groups in Lagos and across the Southwest was a source of relief.”

In his response, Sanwolu assured the group that Igbos are a great people, and he would continue, through good governance, to protect all residents in the state.

Babcock University Makes History;Graduates 17 Church Administrators |The Source

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Backock University Church Administrators

By Akinwale Kasali

It sounds a little odd, but Babcock University has graduated the first set of students in Nigeria to read Church Administration as a Course of study. It has just graduated 17 of them.

In doing this, the University, founded by the Seventh Day Adventist, has confirmed that running a Church is big business as has been proved in Nigeria.

Nigeria not only boasts of more number of Churches than any other country, it has some of the biggest Pentecostal Churches in the world, whose founders rank as  some of the richest in the world.

Not only do they own private jets, they own Universities, Hospitals, financial institutions and hundreds of properties. They are, at once, businessmen, entrepreneurs  and investors.

The 17 pioneer graduates, many Nigerians say are, therefore, not likely to look for jobs. They either get employed by the existing Churches, or they found their own.

Lauding the University for what he sees as a feat, , the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tayo Ademola, said the graduands are the first fruits of the University in its collaboration with the Church Administration Society of Nigeria (CASON).

In his address at the Graduation ceremony held in Babcock’s Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State campus, Ademola said, “I wish to congratulate the graduands for sticking to the battle to the end. They are the first fruits of our relationship with CASON in their bid to foster greater professionalism in the administration of Churches in Nigeria.”

He further affirmed, “If there is a need for Church workers to get or receive more training, the time is now. The world is getting more sophisticated and so are the members of our different Churches.”

In his own remarks, CASON President, Pastor Seyi Oladimeji said, “By providence, our partnership with Babcock University was birthed in August 2017, followed by two years of intense preparation and today, we witness the graduation ceremony of the first set of University diplomates in Church Administration; a first in the history of the Church in Nigeria.”

Oladimeji concluded by saying, “The Church is a critical stakeholder in the building and development of a Nation; to give direction towards peace and progress. Therefore, the Nigerian Church must rise to the challenges of our country. Hence the need for the upscaled training of Church workers and stakeholders.”

The 17 diplomates, sourced by CASON, comprise of General Overseers, Pastors and Career-minded Church Administrators.

Already the second stream of candidates have been admitted for the 2021 Executive Diploma in Church Administration with registration ongoing, while the partners, CASON and Babcock Hope plan to institute an Executive MBA in Church Administration in future.

Fraud: Buhari’s Son-in-Law Declared Wanted

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By Tosin Olatokunbo

Gimba Kumo, a son-in-law to President Muhammadu Buhari has been declared wanted for fraud by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC. He’s wanted in alongside two other accomplices for allegedly misappropriating $65 million National Housing Funds.

Kumo, a former managing director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, had in 2016 married Fatima, the president’s daughter, in Daura, Katsina State.

The ICPC in its list of wanted persons declared Kumo wanted alongside Tarry Rufus and Bola Ogunsola over the alleged fraud.

In the notice signed by the Commission’s spokesperson Azuka Ogugua, the ICPC urged the public to provide information about the whereabouts of the wanted persons.

“The persons whose pictures appear above, Mr Tarry Rufus, Mr Gimba Yau Kumo and Mr. Bola Ogunsola, are hereby declared WANTED by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in connection with issues bordering on misappropriation of National Housing Funds and diversion of the sum of Sixty Five Million dollars ($65,000,000).

“Anyone who has useful information on their whereabouts should report to ICPC Headquarters Abuja, any of the ICPC State Offices or the nearest police station, or call ICPC toll-free lines: 0803-123-0280, 0803-123-0281, 0803-123-0282, 0705-699-0190, 0705-699-0191 and 0800-CALL-ICPC (0800-2255-4272) or send an email to [email protected],” the notice read.

Buhari's Inlaw Gimba Kumo
Kumo and Fatima At their Wedding Ceremony

Gimba who got married to the president’s daughter on October 28 was born on November 5, 1959 in Gombe, Gombe State. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1983 and a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Management, MBA from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi in 1999.

He is a member, Nigeria institute of Management (NIM), Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCITN), Fellow of the African Business School (ABS), Fellow of the Institute of Research & Leadership Technology (IRLT), Member of the Institute of Management Executive & Administration of Nigeria (MIMEA), Member of the Nigeria Institute of Certified Credit Administrators (AICCA).

He was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria on the 4th December, 2010. His tenure ended in August 2014.