Golden Era as Funke Kuti Turns 50
These are rainbow times for Funke Kuti, the ex-wife of Afrobeat singer, Femi Kuti. A few days ago, Funke clocked the golden year of 50 and was nearly overrun by a deluge of encomiums. Considering that she is as lovely as when she was half that age, one could argue that Funke stepped into the golden lane with Lady Fortune holding the lappets of her skirts.
When Femi clocked 50 a few years ago, the entire Kuti clan was roused into a frenzy. Drums talked and people sang. Now that it is the turn of his ex-wife, a similar arrangement shook the country a few days ago. She even got a celebratory ping from the prestigious New Afrika Shrine. Of course, her son, Made, was at the forefront of the celebrations. Consequently, folks could not help but think back to the glory of the past, a time when Funke was free of the burden of being society’s flower girl. Back then, she was only a happy dancer in Femi’s Positive Force Band.
Nearly every person who watched Femi’s band way back noticed how the then Funke St Matthew Daniel, a sensational dancer, brought Femi’s sagacious lyricism to life. It was not a surprise, therefore, when both Femi and Funke decided to take things up a notch and become man and wife. It was not a surprise when another singer, Made, emerged from their union. It was a surprise, however, when they went their separate ways.
In the years that have gone by, Femi and Funke have grown closer to the point where one might say that they are best friends again. As the boss of the independent event and artiste management, F. K. Management, there is almost always some business deal tying her together with her ex-husband’s Positive Force Band, especially after her son, Made joined the band. Even so, Femi and Funke have remained nothing but best friends, attending parties together and celebrating each other online and offline at every given opportunity.
50 years and counting, and Funke is no less a happy beauty than when she was 25. She remains, among other things, single, cheerful, surrounded by friends and relatives, and the darling of everyone that knows her.
Pastor Paul Adefarasin Becomes Most Influential Personality
“…I stand in the strength and the ability of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, who is Himself the Most Influential Personality in Heaven, on the Earth and beneath the Earth. He sometimes graciously allows us to receive His accolades and recognition, choosing to remain invisible and allowing us to be His visible vessels through which He impacts our world and the lives of mankind.”
These were some of the words spoken by Pastor Paul Adefarasin, Senior Pastor of The House On The Rock and Most Influential Personality according to Forbes Best of Africa Award.
A few days ago, some of the most notable characters of African origin, including Adefarasin, gathered at the Foreign Investment Network (FIN) Leadership and Philanthropy roundtable and received awards for the amazing things they have done in the past year. Among these were supreme business figures like Lesotho’s Sam Matekane, South Africa’s Wendy Ackerman and Nigeria’s Mahmood Ahmadu; tech personalities like Ghanaian Kwame Bediako and Nigeria’s Leo Stan Ekeh.
For those who have followed Adefarasin’s story, it would be difficult to find five or more ecclesiastics with a larger international sphere of influence. One might even say that the clergyman has transcended what is generally referred to as the dividing line of Church and State and begun to function as his Lord and Master did: as welcoming to aristocrats as he is to the multitude. Adefarasin has not shirked his original duties, which is to use everything at his disposal to bring all men to the truth.
What the Forbes Best of Africa Awards recognised in Adefarasin is giving to the needs of others. Pastor Adefarasin’s The Rock Foundation, for instance, has made significant contributions to the welfare of about 3,000 wrongfully imprisoned inmates, one of the few charity organisations with such a mandate. Not to mention his international ministry that continues to reform people for the better in more ways than the provision of nutrition and skill.
A blazing sun is Adefarasin, and as he noted in his virtual keynote address, this is not the achievement of a man working alone, but one that recognises the values imparted to him by others and the needs of humanity that drive his efforts.
Toyin Saraki: Champion for the Wellbeing of Women at 57
Some people make it their life’s work to see justice done, others take up the mantle of the ecclesiastic and go all out to reform the acts and attitudes of other people. Erelu Toyin Saraki is neither and both at the same time. She does not get into confrontational debates with those who have blemished humanity nor wear the uniform of crusaders. But she champions the wellbeing of women and children. As she clocks 57, one is reminded of how far she has come and is willing to go to see women freed from the chains of bias and discrimination and children happy and inspired to pursue their dreams.
The past few days have been nothing but remarkable in the household of the Sarakis of Kwara State, kinfolk of Senator Bukola Saraki, the former president of the Nigerian Senate. As the captivating matriarch of the house, Toyin, celebrated her 57th birthday, encomiums poured in from left and right and nearly upended her social media handles.
Beyond being the wife of one of the most powerful political figures of yesteryear, Toyin is notably known for her work as the defender of the innocent and protector of the weak. Most mini-biographies of hers introduce her as a global health advocate, health care philanthropist, and the Founder and President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa. In truth, all three titles are the same in purpose: to help women and children in unpleasant and distressing situations. And that is what Toyin has done for the past 20 years.
Someone else might have used her L.L.B degree in Law and L.L.M in International Economic Law to carve out wealth and fame from the boundless opportunities that these hallowed qualifications grant access to. Not Toyin. What she did was establish a foundation that has done nothing but see to the needs and welfare of women and children, so much so that she has become the number one advocate in the country for maternal, newborn and child health, gender-based discrimination and violence, improving education, socio-economic empowerment, and community livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa.
There is more to come—this much is obvious. And so it was no surprise that folks are, even now, wishing Toyin good health, sound mind, and heavenly wisdom to reach her goal and finish her life-saving objectives
Helen Prest-Ajayi
in the News
It is something of a cliché but that doesn’t lower its legitimacy: there is no smoke without fire and no fire without smoke. When Helen Prest-Ajayi fought tooth and nail for the rights to her husband’s remains and eventually won, those with a visionary disposition understood that the battle had yet to be concluded. Considering that the late Dr Tosin Ajayi was well-to-do, it was only a matter of time before the clash for properties and inheritance. That time came earlier than expected. Nevertheless, it seems as if Prest-Ajayi is coming on top as a Federal High Court in Lagos has declared her entitled to 50 per cent of the net assets of her late husband.
The news of the death of Ajayi, the Founder of First Foundation, came without any warning. However, upon his death, drama ensued regarding which wife was legitimate and which was not. Even though the man had lived a peaceful life, his death stirred up the proverbial hornet’s nest within his family. The main battle was fought between his first wife, Oluwayemisi (whom he had separated from for over 30 years) and Prest-Ajayi (with whom he had shared the last 25 years of his life). Eventually, Prest-Ajayi got the upper hand and Ajayi was buried with as much peace and harmony as both sides could muster. And so ended the drama. Or so it seemed.
More recently, the question of Dr Ajayi’s prime heir and legatee became a new source of contention. Oluwayemisi was never legally divorced from the deceased and has five children that bear his name. Prest-Ajayi, on the other hand, stayed with the deceased for over two decades and has a child for him. What was the court to do? Who gets the hand of favour and who does not?
Without question, the fact that the former beauty queen gets to keep 50 per cent of the late Ajayi’s wealth is telling: her place as his wife (even though the union was reportedly never solemnised) has been established. Even though Prest-Ajayi is well-to-do, the entitlement is proof that she did not love and accompany the deceased for 25 years for nothing.
Edward Akinlade in the Eye of the Storm
More and more trouble, it seems, is stewing for some of the notable characters of the Nigerian high society. This is especially the case when commercial banks are showing what others have called their true colours as they bear down the necks of these super business personalities. The CEO of Suru Homes Limited, Edward Akinlade, is the most recent example. His is a tango with Fidelity Bank as he allegedly sold off a property that he had already registered as the collateral for a loan with the bank.
The report of the collision of interests between the Suru Homes Limited CEO and Fidelity Bank emerged on social media when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dragged Akinlade to court, the Ikeja Special Offences Court, for that matter, for defaulting in his agreement with Fidelity Bank. With a ten-count charge stacked against Akinlade, the watchword in his case in the Lagos court is fraud.
According to the reports compiled from the court proceedings, Akinlade sold off the property way back in 2017 intending to defraud Fidelity since he sold it off without telling the management of the bank or sharing the proceeds with them. Moreover, the loan that Akinlade obtained from Fidelity amounts to about N1.7 billion, none of which he has paid back.
The reports further claimed that Fidelity and Akinlade have been playing cat and mouse since the bank made obvious attempts to secure the payment of the loan. Furthermore, Akinlade is alleged to have presented nine different cheques from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), each supposed to amount to N10 million. However, not even one of these cheques was accepted, meaning that Akinlade did not pay back N70 million as he intended and still owes the bank N1.7 billion.
Akinlade is not the only renowned Nigerian who has gotten in trouble with his bank over unpaid loans. Another individual, an intending gubernatorial aspirant, also had issues with his bank and even had his house blocked by agents of the bank. That case, at least, was resolved without the involvement of the EFCC. Not so with Edward Akinlade.
Without a doubt, there is more trouble on the horizon for the businessman, especially with the meticulous new cabinet of Fidelity officials in charge.
Allen Onyema: The New Pillar of Sports
Once in a while, there is a unifying factor that forces the citizens of a country to band together and accomplish the impossible. Sometimes, the motivation behind this unification takes the form of peril, other times it takes the form of a prize. The cherished Super Eagles are in for one of the easiest prizes of their lives, thanks to the cash carrot promised to them by Allen Onyema.
There has been quite a bit of pressure on Nigeria to perform for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar. For a team whose forebears used to dominate the world, hence the boundless prestige that follows the name, the present Super Eagles are likely spending as much time worrying about eventualities as they are about their opponents. Seeing through the facade of well-placed confidence, the renowned lawyer, entrepreneur and CEO of Air Peace decided to step in and inspire the team for a change.
According to Onyema, the Super Eagles have much to offer Nigeria in the coming match. For one, there is the momentum they need to build up. Secondly, this is an opportunity to unite the country even further by securing a win that would eventually become a beacon of hope against the battering efforts of internal and ethnic fractures. It is based on these reasons that Onyema swore the oath to hand the team the sum of N20 million upon their win.
This is not a new strategy; countless individuals have resorted to a similar gambit in Nigeria’s football history to get the Super Eagles to play better. However, this is the first from Onyema and also the first to truly see the big picture and therefore point the team in the right direction rather than aggressively urging them to victory.
Thus, Onyema has proved again that his genius insights extend beyond the courtroom and his boardroom. That’s a pillar of sports for you.
Inspiring Mileage: How Sanwo-Olu and Tokunbo Wahab Digitalise Education in Lagos
Lagos State is set to become the regional centre for efforts towards sustainable growth and development in the country. This is particularly based on the new and improved measures that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his cabinet have taken against illiteracy and mediocre methods of formal learning. The first phase of these measures, EkoDigital, has already started.
The fact is that there is no amount of encomium that would be too much for Sanwo-Olu, and his assistants, particularly Tokunbo Wahab, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Education. Now that the EkoDigital Initiative has hit the ground running, it is only a matter of time before Lagos becomes the Holy Land for pilgrimage for other states and governors interested in improving the access of their citizens to formal education.
Even those with a bone to pick with Governor Sanwo-Olu and his All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot but approve of the strides that the government has made to education and the educational sector. It has not only upgraded the mode of education for the many citizens of the state but also significantly improved access to it, especially for those who were originally out of school.
Based on the reports, the EkoDigital initiative, which might soon become the lasting legacy of Sanwo-Olu and Wahab, started to register youngsters in primary and secondary schools on September 10. Furthermore, preparations have been made to begin training young students and aspiring entrepreneurs on Wednesday, September 15.
So far, the EkoDigital initiative has been designed to address the needs of youngsters in primary and secondary schools, as well as young students and aspiring entrepreneurs. Thus, the programme is subdivided into two platforms: EKO Digital Foundation and EKO Digital Hybrid. In both cases, expert teachers will provide quality lectures and instructions on a variety of subjects, all of which can be accessed online.
One can only say that Wahab and his boss have more in mind for Lagosians than folks can imagine. They have started with education. There is more to come.
Babajide Agunbiade: Inside the World of the Latest Socialite
These are the best times for Dr Babajide Agunbiade, the renowned businessman and global leader in the design, manufacture, and sale of equipment and components used in oil and gas drilling. A few weeks ago, he bagged a prestigious chieftaincy title that raised his value among his peers and consequently set him perpetually in the limelight as the new socialite in town.
Oba (Dr) Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, Iku Baba Yeye, the Alaafin of Oyo, recently congregated some of the most notable personalities in Yorubaland for the celebration of two Oyo sons: Hon. Shina Abiola Peller and Agunbiade. Beyond this celebration, the Alaafin conferred on them the titles of Ayedero of Yorubaland (for Peller, implying that he will bring peace and prosperity to his people) and Atobaase of Yorubaland (for Agunbiade, implying that he is competent enough to be a king). Agunbiade’s title is more a prophetic declaration than anything, as recent events have shown.
Before the chieftaincy title, Agunbiade was most notable for his subsea engineering, thriving oil and gas business and multi-streamed investments. After, Agunbiade has become a name regularly spoken by the high and mighty and common people alike. One might say that the Alaafin’s conferment opened up the world of socialites to Agunbiade, a world of limitless possibilities, recognition, encomium and every other benefit that only a character at his level has access to.
It is no secret that Agunbiade is one of the sharpest tools in the oil and gas shed. The fact that he made a resounding name for himself in the sector, with over 20 years of successive achievements indicates his vision and wisdom. Even so, his being a Director of Houston-based National Oilwell Varco, the world’s largest oilfield equipment manufacturing company, speaks something of Agunbiade’s abilities.
And now, those abilities will be employed in the social scene to the admiration of all and sundry. Truly, the days are about to get sunnier with Agunbiade, the Atobaase of Yorubaland, gracing the limelight with his presence.
Between Adeleke and Oyetola, the Battle is Not Over
Nobody says that politics has to be sombre and serious or that political figures cannot have funny bones. This is not a question in Nigeria considering that it is even difficult to tell apart when politicians jest and when they are deadly serious. With the Dancing Senator, the lines are blurred even further.
These are evidently the best of times for Osun State gubernatorial aspirant, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke (alias Dancing Senator). After stewing for a whole tenure, the freedom to contest against his peers for the number one chair in his native state, Osun, has returned to his characteristic audacity. Recently, he challenged the incumbent Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, and ‘advised’ him to start packing his bags and making farewell notes.
“I am back and ready to kick start my campaign…”, said the ever-smiling senator. After this, he went on to implore the other aspirants under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take things a bit easy and ensure that their contest is marked by peace and fairness. This attitude of the Dancing Senator is nothing new to those who have followed him. What is new is the confidence that nothing will stop his march to the top seat this time, not Oyetola and definitely not a misplaced college degree.
While it is true that it was the allegation of his never having completed a tertiary institution that cut short his time as Osun State Governor in 2018, it was Oyetola that came out on top and therefore might be labelled as the figure that toppled Adeleke’s ambitions. In fact, during the elections that first saw Adeleke into gubernatorial office, Oyetola was his fiercest opponent. Moreover, using the momentum of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oyetola almost crushed Adeleke in some regions of the state. Therefore, their rivalry is not a new deal.
Consequently, folks are wondering which is in a better position to clinch the Osun State Chair come 2022: the tenacious Oyetola or the flexible Adeleke? Time will tell.
Gbenga Ashafa: Proving His Mettle in Federal Housing Authority
“Today is a historic day as we begin the process of having a Diaspora City within the Federal Capital Territory that Nigerians in the Diaspora wherever they are can be proud to own a home in their own country.” These were the words spoken by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman and CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) when she played a gracious host to Senator Gbenga Ashafa. The liaison of these brilliant characters signifies the amazing things to come for Nigeria and Nigerians.
It is no secret that Ashafa took control of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and began to revolutionise the agency. Beyond the celebration of some occasional project that would then be advertised as the pride of the FHA, Ashafa went all out to shift the gears. And now, the agency is really the joy and pride of the public construction/housing sector.
Based on the reports from the former Senator’s meeting with Hon. Dabiri-Erewa, FHA is pulling out all the stops to grant many benefits to the Nigerian people. For one, the project in view, the Diaspora Mega-City Housing Project, is expected to bring to existence over 17,000 housing units of different models. This addresses the direct goal of the agency. However, the project is also expected to create a conservative estimate of three million jobs.
Based on these opportunities for local and national growth and development, one can see the benefits of having a visionary like Senator Ashafa in office. Even now, it appears as if the Senator has spent three to four years in FHA rather than the 12 months he has spent there. Regardless, it is the fortune of Nigerians that Ashafa continues with as much momentum now as when he started. It can only get better.
