I named my dog “Buhari” because President Buhari is my Hero – Trader

The trader, Joe Fortemose Chinakwe, who was arrested in Sango-Ota, Ogun state, for naming his and inscribing “Buhari” on his dog has been released.

His release was facilitated by the intervention of both the Serkin Hausa and President-General of non-indigenes in the state.

Speaking to Vanguard after his release, Chinakwe, who is 30 years old, said that he named his dog “Buhari” because President Buhari has been his hero since he was military ruler over 30 years ago.

Narrating his ordeal, he said:

It is annoying because the complainant is from Niger Republic and I am sure he is one of those illegal aliens in this country.  He connived with one Police Sergeant from the Northern part of Nigeria called Musa, who works at Sango Police division to humiliate me.

Worse still, the Divisional Police Officer there, did not help matters as he refused to entertain any plea from me after I was arrested that Saturday night. He simply ordered his men to throw me into the cell.

I did not commit any offence. I named my beloved pet dog Buhari, who is my hero. My admiration for Buhari started far back when he was a military Head of State. It continued till date that he is a civilian President.

After reading his dogged fight against corruption, which is like a canker worm eating into the very existence of this country, I solely decided to rename my beloved dog which I called Buhari, after him. I did not know that I was committing an offence for admiring Buhari.

I was intimidated and thrown inside the cell with hardened criminals for about three days. While I was there, the complainant from Niger Republic and Sergeant Musa from the North kept on taunting me saying people from my part of the country are trouble makers and that after detaining me, they will throw me into prison where I will die unsung.

Even when my wife came with our baby on her back, they stopped her from giving me food.  One of my friends that came to see me was also maltreated.

While taking me to Eleweran the next day, they handcuffed and chained me together with that my friend. Fortunately, when we got to police headquarters, both the Commissioner of Police and other officers were angry with their colleagues at Sango-Ota.

They were wondering loudly why I was brought to the headquarters over such a minor case. It’s very unfortunate that I have to be so humiliated in my own country because of the antics of a foreigner in connivance with my brother from the North.

Actress Angela Okorie celebrates Birthday with Intimate Dinner & Grand Party

Nollywood actress Angela Okorie hosted her close friends in the entertainment industry to an intimate dinner last night as she celebrated her birthday.

The actress has been sharing new photos of herself all week leading up to her special day and last night for the dinner she went with a short black skirt and a pink sequin top as her birthday outfit.

EFCC Arrests former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa over Alleged N350m Campaign Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, re – arrested the former governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa in connection with alleged campaign scandal at the last presidential election.

Udenwa, who was the State Co-ordinator for The Presidential Campaign Organisation in Imo State was said to have collected the sum of N350m from the former senator representing Kaduna South and Director of Finance for the PDP presidential campaign organisation, Nenadi Usman.

The suspect, in his statement to the Commission admitted receiving the money via Diamond Bank account No. 0058805692 and 005950791 respectively on the 14th and 28th of January 2015 in three separate instalments.

He added that the money came from a company named Joint Trust Dimension Limited. This same company was charged alongside Nenadi Usman and the Media Director of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode before Federal High Court Lagos on a similar allegation.

Investigation however revealed that Achike Udenwa and one Viola Onwuliri, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and State Minister for Education, who was his deputy at the Presidential Campaign Organization were the two signatories to the Diamond Bank account that received the money.

Upon his arrest, Udenwa was immediately granted administrative bail by the commission with condition that he should be reporting to the commission at an appointed time. But while enjoying his administrative bail, Udenwa chose to deliberately skip reporting, thereby compelling the commission to revoke his administrative bail pending his arraignment soon.

Achike Udenwa was a governor of Imo State under the flagship of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 1999 and 2007 and became a minister of Commerce and Industry between 2008 and 2010.

Edo Governorship Election: My Missing Certificates Have been Found – Godwin Obaseki

The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the September 10 election in Edo State, Godwin Obaseki has said that the original copies of his academic credentials have been found.

Obaseki submitted photocopies of his credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), along with a sworn affidavit stating that he misplaced his certificates while moving his office from one place to another.

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had on Monday described as “flimsy” and “unconvincing”, his reasons for not submitting his original certificates to INEC.

Speaking at an interactive session organised by civil societies for governorship candidates in Benin, Obaseki said:

I have found them. The truth is that I have not had any reason to look for them in the last 25 years. I know that I kept them somewhere in a safe box and I had photocopies.

When I needed them for the exercise, I could not find them. So, I swore to an affidavit that I cannot find the originals.

I took the photocopies to the institutions that issued them and they certified the photocopies.

So when the whole controversy started raging, my cousin called me from New York and said, ‘But your originals are here. I said, ‘Please, send them to me now’.

Winning! Chiedozie Ibekwe emerges Winner of The 2016 7Up Harvard Business School Scholarship

Chiedozie Ibekwe has emerged the winner of the 2016 edition of the 7Up Harvard Business School MBA Scholarship.

Ibekwe, an electrical engineer, is the 6th recipient of the prestigious award, and an alumnus of King’s College Lagos, University of Lagos, and the University of Mississippi, USA, respectively.

He joins past winners such as  Misan Rewane (2011), Olujimi Williams (2012), Mayowa Kuyoro (2013), Shola Olaniyan (2014), and Bankole Rasheed Makanju (2015), who have benefited from the initiative since its inception in 2010.

L-R: BM, 7UP Bottling Company, Segun Ogunleye, Head of Marketing 7UP Bottling Company, Norden Thurston, MD, 7UP Bottling Company,  Sunil Sawhney, Winner 7up HBS Scholarship 2016 Chiedozie Ibekwe and General Manager, Yinka Adesina

Managing Director of Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, Sunil Sawhney said

“The mission of Harvard Business School is to educate leaders who make a difference in the world. As part of the many CSR initiatives of Seven-Up Company Plc, the 7Up Harvard Business School Scholarship was launched in 2010 to commemorate the 50th year anniversary of the company. Every year through the scholarship, a Nigerian resident in the country gets the opportunity of a top quality education from this prestigious school at no cost and with no bond to the company.The objective being that in the future they become leaders in different sectors of the Nigerian economy driving growth and development for a better society for all. I would like to congratulate Chidozie as the 6^th recipient of the scholarship”.

Explaining further, General Manager Human Capital, Seven Up Bottling Company Plc, Yinka Adesina said the 7Up Harvard Business School Scholarship is in tandem with the CSR Policy of the organisation, which is aimed at empowering people and creating a better society. Adesina further mentioned that Seven Up Bottling Company’s CSR initiatives are diversified touching areas such as community development, education, health, sports, arts and entertainment.

L-R: BM, 7UP Bottling Company, Segun Ogunleye, Head of Marketing 7UP Bottling Company, Norden Thurston, MD, 7UP Bottling Company,  Sunil Sawhney, Winner 7up HBS Scholarship 2016 Chiedozie Ibekwe and General Manager, Yinka Adesina

Managing Director of Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, Sunil Sawhney said

“The mission of Harvard Business School is to educate leaders who make a difference in the world. As part of the many CSR initiatives of Seven-Up Company Plc, the 7Up Harvard Business School Scholarship was launched in 2010 to commemorate the 50th year anniversary of the company. Every year through the scholarship, a Nigerian resident in the country gets the opportunity of a top quality education from this prestigious school at no cost and with no bond to the company.The objective being that in the future they become leaders in different sectors of the Nigerian economy driving growth and development for a better society for all. I would like to congratulate Chidozie as the 6^th recipient of the scholarship”.

Explaining further, General Manager Human Capital, Seven Up Bottling Company Plc, Yinka Adesina said the 7Up Harvard Business School Scholarship is in tandem with the CSR Policy of the organisation, which is aimed at empowering people and creating a better society. Adesina further mentioned that Seven Up Bottling Company’s CSR initiatives are diversified touching areas such as community development, education, health, sports, arts and entertainment.

L-R – Head of Marketing Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc,  Norden Thurston, Managing Director, Seven Up Bottling Company Plc, Sunil Sawhney, Winner 7up HBS Scholarship 2016 Chiedozie Ibekwe and General Manager , Yinka Adesina

Specifically, he listed some of the projects to include the Pepsi Football Academy, provision of social amenities such as boreholes to host communities, provision of books and laboratory equipment to secondary schools, award of scholarships to indigent students to post-primary and tertiary institutions and support for cancer and cholera awareness programmes.

Other initiatives include partnerships with Pan Atlantic University on Infrastructural build, support for LEAP Africa to train young Nigerians on leadership, Partnering with the Society for Performing Arts (SPAN), support for culture and tourism through sponsorship of the Calabar carnival, Copa Lagos, One Lagos Fiesta amongst many others as well as contribution to the landscaping of parks and other public places.

Chiedozie Ibekwe, the 2016 7Up HBS Scholar thanked Seven-Up Bottling Company for this unbelievable opportunity and stated that he is committed to fulfilling the vision of the scholarship to making a difference in Nigeria.