UK-based Boxer Risks Deportation to Nigeria
Aboxing champion living in London is facing deportation to Nigeria, despite competing for England on six occasions, the UK-based Mail Online reports. Bilal Fawaz, 29, was detained at the Tinsley House immigration centre, after several failed applications for UK residency. Fawaz won the ABA light-middleweight championship about three years ago.
“I am a national champion - in 2014 I even boxed for England against Nigeria, the country they want to deport me to,” The Sun newspaper quoted him as saying. The boxer was brought to London by his uncle when he was 14. He says he is stateless as his parents are Lebanese migrants in Nigeria who also do not have Nigerian citizenship, according to Mail Online.
FORMER FCMB MD SEPARATES FROM WIFE, BANKE
To Ladi Balogun, love was the thorn that pricked his strides in the valley of marriage. He hurt and bled from sting. Since his celebrated marriage to Banke Alakija, crashed some years ago, he has put his heart under lock and key. Bliss deserted Ladi Balogun’s marriage in unexpected hours, like a crushed knight fleeing the gates of a fallen fortress. To the former Managing Director (MD) of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), the love that warmed the inner cockles of his heart soon
became the thorn that pierced his lungs while he inhaled the fragrance of passion. Thus his marriage to Banke crashed while they were busy doing other things.
The couple certainly fell out of love, forgetting that where there is no love, there is no ardour. They simply stopped tolerating each other. They could no longer bear to live as man and wife while their passion subsided and their home became a wretched cove of distrust and hatred.
Sources close to the estranged couple revealed that their marriage crashed due to irreconcilable differences.
Banke allegedly refused to play second fiddle to Ladi. She was not submissive and couldn’t fulfill the role of dutiful wife, friend, lover and confidant to her husband, according to Ladi’s apologists.
On the other hand, Banke’s friends argued that her mother-in-law (Ladi’s mother), had too much influence on him. They claimed her influence on her son contributed in no small measure to the short-lived marriage.
And contrary to belief that the marriage recently hit an iceberg, the couple allegedly separated from each other a long while ago but they succeeded in keeping it under wraps to avoid the noise and scandal that could result from undue media exposure. While no one is sure if they would ever reconcile and remarry, it is an open secret that the couple are happy without each other. Ladi, for instance, is having the time of his life. He allegedly hangs out more now. Whether Ladi and Banke will reunite, only time will tell.
VETERAN SOCIALITES, EYIMOFE AND DOROTHYATAKE, SOFTPEDAL
A single breaker may recede; but the tide eventually comes in, always. That is why change remains the world’s most revered phenomenon. When its wind blows, even the sturdiest of oaks bends to its gale; the forest tree that wouldn’t is soon uprooted by the fierceness of its mildest storm. But while every new change spells good tidings for some, for others, it brings the worst of life’s vicissitudes. Call it good or bad, positive or negative, the bottom-line is, it was some kind of change that has unraveled. That is the question some socialites are asking about the duo of Dr. Eyimofe Atake and his wife Dorothy. Eyimofe is a quiet man now. After a glorious stint, spanning several decades on the social circle, it seems that the irrepressible forces of nature have combined to make Eyimofe and Dorothy to slow their roll. How time changes! It seems just like yesterday that the couple made high society space their oyster, wining and dining and luxuriating in the finest things life dished their way. As members of Nigeria’s high society, they lived life to the hilt and being fashionable and stylish, the couple always ranked high in the pantheon of those expected at high octave events. In the days when they held sway, no party was
complete without them. The couple held the society scene spellbound, dictating its pulse at will and never letting up in the fashion department whenever it mattered. But as time went by, however, younger socialites started sprouting, giving them a good run for their fashion and socialising facility. They have not completely buckled down, but they choose the gigs they attend these days, leaving the jumping around for the young folks. Or have you seen them at any party lately?
INTRIGUES AS FINDINGS REVEAL REASON FOR EMPLOYEES’ REBELLION AGAINSTNTDC BOSS
Conflict is the immemorial refuge of incompetent, lazy and often belligerent workers. They find not only sanctuary in indolence but also a kind of superiority, soothing to their macerated egos as heroin appeases the lust of the unrepentant addicts. There is no gainsaying staff of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) aptly personify the proverbial indolent, corrupt worker. Ask Folorunsho Coker, incumbent Director-General (DG) of the tourism corporation. Few days after staff of the Federal establishment went to town, protesting and spreading unprintable rumours about their new DG, findings revealed the real reason for their animosity towards him.
A highly placed source in the establishment revealed that since Coker took over the reins of office at the establishment, he has been struggling with an uphill task to re-orientate and improve the lot of employees of the corporation.
Many of them are incompetent and highly incorrigible, according to the source.
Findings revealed that staff of the corporation are ridiculously too many, they are not computer literate and do not exhibit any attempt at developing their skills or improving their worth to the government agency.
Thus Coker’s emergence as the corporation’s new boss manifested as a rude shock to the workers who were used to the old ways of doing things. Another source, a mid-level manager within the agency also revealed that most of the corporation’s staff are very lazy and used to bullying past DGs hence their annoyance at the new DG’s refusal to bend and bow before them.
Since Coker’s assumption of office, he has blatantly refused to be bullied and dictated to by staff of the NTDC hence their decision to embark on protest and spread unjustifiable rumours against him.
The corporation staff are notable for perpetrating such antics against their former bosses but has failed to produce the desired result against their new boss who insists that they quit the shenanigans and exhibit the professionalism and ethics required of their offices.
It would be recalled that staff of the NTDC recently embarked on protest marches against the leadership of their new DG, Coker. They waited till he was away from office before embarking on the protest.
The Minister for Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, however, intervened and urged the workers to sheathe their swords and wait for Coker’s return in order to arrive at an amicable solution to the crisis.
JENNIFER ATIKU IS MISSING IN ACTION
Being the second wife of a former Vice President of Nigeria especially a well-heeled one with enviable political pedigree like Atiku Abubakar has multiple spin-offs. Jennifer, the Turaki of Adamawa’s second wife, knows this. And despite being an American citizen, Jennifer has a special place in the social fixture of Nigeria that seems unrivalled. Blessed with a finesse that seems uncommon on this side of the divide, and a bottomless purse that put her in confrontation with the American government sometime back, Jennifer was a serious contender for Titi, Atiku’s second wife for the slot of first lady. That was then. But instead of bothering herself with such inanities and vainglorious pursuit, the fairskinned woman concentrated on ensuring that her husband had a strong financial footing in the United States. Though her whirlwind emergence on the social scene was heralded by controversies, Jennifer could hardly be caught napping in the fashion department. Her lithe figure and shimmering skin added verve to her every ensemble. But for sometime now, not much is being heard about her. Jennifer is conspicuously missing and we can’t help but wonder what has happened to the apple of Atiku’s eyes, now that Atiku is ready to contest in the presidential election. Is she still smarting from the many scandals that have rocked her world in the past?
SADE KASSIM,YINKA OSOBU BACK AS FRIENDS
The social circuit presents the perfect formula for celebrity feuds to unravel right in the full glare of a gossip-obsessed world. Tinseltown pulsates with bullying, backstabbing, boyfriend or girlfriend grabbing, gossiping and what seems like plain cruelty at times. With all this nastiness, what should be kept private between friends, couples or co-workers often plays out for the entire world to see. And the details are usually too nasty to digest. Interestingly, a celebrated marriage between a cocker spaniel and a tabby cat couldn’t have generated greater
uproar than a public display of friendliness between Yinka Osobu and Sade Kazeem. The hitherto estranged duo gave a lot of people ample reasons to squint their eyes and furrow their brows when they discarded their celebrated togas as sworn enemies to be friends again. In the last couple of years, Yinka, Managing Director of CMC, a highbrow furniture company, and her former best friend, Sade, fell apart over allegations of husband snatching drama. It was a bitter quarrel that polarised members of the high society into the feuding camps. In spite of intervention from different quarters, Sade and Yinka refused to back down from their high horses, and instead opted to remain sworn enemies for life. Somehow, however, both seemed to have discovered a common ground as they are now good friends.
IT’S NOT TRUE...WOLE SOYINKA’S SON, TUNLEWA, DIDN’T MARRY OLDER WOMAN
Prof. Wole Soyinka has come out to debunk once again, and for the last time perhaps, repeated insinuations that his son, Tunlewa, is married to an older woman. Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka on Tuesday lamented that some people were trying to use him to start a tribal war in the country. Soyinka spoke at the Freedom Park on Lagos Island during the presentation of two books - ‘Between Defective Memory and the Public Lie’ and ‘Green Cards, Green Gods’ under Intervention six and seven series. Soyinka, who was reacting to the negative social media reportage of the wedding of his son, Tunlewa, and Nneka Ekechukwu said some people were trying to get at him by painting the wedding in bad light. According to Soyinka, his son and Nneka had become victims of other people’s viciousness, asking whether it was a crime now for people to get married, while taking a swipe at the social media. He said the reports on social media said his son, a 20-year old man wedded a 30-year old woman, which he said was purely a lie as his son is 27 years while Nneka is 26 years old. “In the so called social media, some people went and published the pictures in the wedding which took place in June. Nobody heard about it, I like to do things quietly, so very limited people received invitation. But why publish on your facebook such egregious lies saying my son was 20 years old and married a 30 year old woman? Soyinka said he knew well that his son, Tunlewa is 27 years while Nneka is 26 years. According to him, they had the right to marry, adding that there was an underlying reason behind such obnoxious report on social media. “When I say these things are not spontaneous, it is part of what I am talking about. You sat down and you concocted a story. You have a purpose. “What that purpose is, I know because it is not really those kids you are getting at, it is Wole Soyinka, it is not even the parents of the girl; the internet maggots who creep out from time to time to try and get into the world that they are still alive,” he lamented. Soyinka added that the social media concocted another lie that he refused to attend his son’s wedding in the first place and that he had to be persuaded to do so, a report he found very offensive. In his words: “They go further to say that Wole Soyinka refused to attend the wedding in the first place, that I had to be persuaded. I approved the wedding. I don’t understand this, nobody, not even my late parents would try to stop me from marrying anybody whom I wanted; so it is inconceivable that I will say to any of my children that I disapproved the person you want to marry, it is not possible, go and talk to any of them. So what right has anybody to sit down and said that I refused to attend and that I had to be persuaded eventually?”
BEHIND GOVERNOR YAHAYA BELLO’S ELYSIAN GATES... HOW HE THREW A HIGH OCTANE HOUSE-WARMING CEREMONY
Nobody forgets Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State’s mansion in a hurry. Behind the gates of the impressive manor, luxury saunters in a colourful garb. The interior depicts Bello’s dreams of bliss; you could be forgiven for mistaking it for the fabled Atlantis. The panes of quaint decor, embroidered fabric and devices ornaments the insides like the damasked wings of the pyralid.
Amid its enchanting premises, you could get lost, especially if you are a first time visitor. Recurrent callers at the mansion have been known to marvel and keel over in humility, in deference to its lavish treats.
Outside, the building is garlanded with arcs and flowers, and bunches of knot-grass. Bello’s manor is a testament of class. No doubt. However, he would be unable at acquire such luxury had he not taken the right steps in his pursuit and acquisition of money. Bello cultivated the money habit very early. He pursued and acquired money in markedly different tradition from the ways of his peers. While too many of his peers, gained from their wealth only the fear of losing it, he gained from his wealth, comfort, contentment and a deep sense of purpose. Yahaya has completed his state-of-the-art country home on Mahmoud Atta Street, GRA Okene. Dignitaries including Abdul Rahman Ado Ibrahim, Ohinoyi of Ebira land, joined the governor during the house-warming ceremony. When the house was under construction in August, some residents of the exclusive residential area complained that the governor converted the street entrance to his private gate. But Bello carried on with the project, while Kingsley Fanwo, spokesman of the governor, said his principal had made a better provision for the affected residents. As an aside, Kogi State workers and pensioners are still groaning under the burden of unpaid salaries running into months.