World Trade Center Abuja On Fire

Billionaire Arthur Eze Says Only God Can Make An Igbo Man President

Billionaire oil magnate, Prince Arthur Eze, has said it will take God for an Igbo man to become Nigeria’s President.

According to him, the Igbo people do not love another and are not united.

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, Eze advised the Ndigbo not to crave for a President of Igbo extraction but a President who would champion their interest irrespective of his tribe.

He spoke to journalists in Ukpo, Anambra State, on Sunday, during a church service.

He declared that he would support a good leader as Nigerian President irrespective of the person’s ethnic group.

Eze said, “For the Igbo to be President, they must love themselves. Do they love themselves? The North is very kind. If you go to northern Nigerian, you will see churches everywhere. There are churches in Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna, Abuja and others yet they say there is hatred. Do we (Igbo) love ourselves?

“Only God can make an Igbo man President. We shall pray to God to find an Igbo man who has character to help people. I would prefer someone who has conscience; somebody who will remember me. I don’t care where you come from.

“I went to the North, they didn’t know who I was. They gave me $12m for the construction of Kano TV in 1980. I didn’t have one naira then. It was the same thing in Katsina, Borno and Kaduna. Then, they put me in oil business. They didn’t care where I came from. Tell me any Igbo man who can do that?”

Source: Punch Newspaper

Edo Traditional Dancers Thrill Us At Ewusi Palace Sagamu During Kabiyesi's 10th Year Coronation Anniversary

To say my father's 10th year coronation anniversary celebrations in Makun, Sagamu, Ogun State in Nigeria back in February 2018 was a mini carnival would not be an exaggeration at all. It was  indeed a very colourful affair and a showcase of rich cultural and traditional heritage from not just his loyal subjects of Makun but indeed all parts of Nigeria.

As part of the celebrations, we invited the Edo cultural dancers from Benin to add their graceful steps to the occasion. Edo is part of the historic and powerful Benin Empire. The Kingdom of Benin's capital was Edo, now known as Benin city in Edo State. The Benin Kingdom was "one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the coastal hinterland of  West Africa. The dancers had arrived in Sagamu a day earlier from Benin city and they went through a brief rehearsal in the palace ground before retreating back to their hotel.

Fast forward to D day, my father kabiyesi Oyesola Akinsanya was escorted to his seat and exchanged greetings with his high chiefs and some of his subjects before relaxing in his seat for the performances by different cultural, traditional social groups which had come to honour him.

After a few performances, it was time for the colourful ladies from Edo to take centre stage. They wore lemon coloured wrappers and were adorned with beads- head, neck, hands and feet. We were treated to a medley of soulful Bini songs most of which were in praise of the celebrant.

One of the members who translated most of the songs said some of the songs took us back to the Ancient Benin empire. They sang bout the divinity and sacredness of their kings (Obas). They narrated their story through song- How they built an empire with slaves, trading in palm oil, textiles and ivory, their deep rooted culture and wealth, their bronze artefacts before all was destroyed by the British.

We were also thrilled to the rhythmic and melodious sounds of their drums and the women moved energetically all over the arena with such speed and elegance that ladies half of their age would have been in jealous.

The ladies were not done yet and in a grand finale of enormous proportions, they then sent the crowd in a frenzy when they started gyrating their backsides in synchronised fashion. Their movements timed to perfection with the speed of the drum beats. My father and his high chiefs burst into laughter and you could see the excitement on their faces and they proceeded to join the dancers on the arena, spraying them with wads of Naira notes in appreciation.

The ladies rounded up their performance with a rendition of  'Happy birthday' in their local dialect and walked off the arena to a rousing ovation by all those who were in attendance.

Kabiyesi been escorted to his seat by some of his security personnel

The dancers take up position

The Edo traditional performers thrilling the crowd

Kabiyesi Oyesola Akinsanya going to meet the dancers

My father appreciating the performance

The dancers pay homage

                                                           

The dancers start to move their backsides in unison like clockwork

My father and his chiefs join them in appreciation

The drummers from Edo

Subjects paying homage to their king

On the right is the high chief Aro of Makun Sagamu. He is also one of the kingmakers

The female dancers

Me (In white) with the performers

Don't Mess With Me

Party Time