Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has said that he believed in the political philosophy of the first Federal Minister of Social Services and Natural Resources, Adegoke Adelabu popularly called ‘Penkelemesi’ , describing him as his political role model.Obasanjo said the political philosophy of the late politician was devoid of ethnic and tribal considerations, but focused on a united Nigeria.He stated this while receiving the family of the late Ibadan-born politician, who visited him on Saturday in Abeokuta, saying, majority of Nigerians are still struggling to reach the pinnacle Adelabu attained in politics.Obasanjo, who accepted the offer to be the patron of the posthumous centenary birthday celebration of the late politician, described the late Adelabu as a detribalised Nigerian.Some members of the Adelabu family, who were led by an Ibadan chief and a former broadcaster, Aare Tunde Alabi, said they were in Obasanjo’s house to seek his help in giving a befitting ceremony to the first African Manager of UAC Haberdashery, Lagos.According to Obasanjo, Adelabu was years ahead of his political contemporaries, adding that he advocated for United State of West Africa before his demise.He said, “Adelabu was not just a historic figure, he was a reality, he was a phenomenon, he was uniquely Yoruba, uniquely Nigerian, uniquely African and uniquely a member of human race.“What you are proposing to do, I believe Adelabu deserved it in every facet. Today, we are still struggling to reach the pinnacle or the pedestrial Adelabu reached in politics, of not being swayed by linguistic, ethnic, tribal, regional, sectional consideration but by what is best for Nigeria.“He was years ahead of his contemporary politicians. In his life time, he was talking of United State of West Africa, ECOWAS came up years after his demise. In his lifetime, he belonged to a political party that has its base outside the western region where he came from. He was not a tribal baron, but a national politician.“So, when you asked me to be the patron of Adelabu posthumous centenary birthday celebration, I have no reason to say no.”“I have no reasons to say ‘no’ because, I share what Adelabu stood for, I share Adelabu’s philosophy of a united Nigeria and believe, I share Adelabu’s view of politics beyond ethnicity, beyond tribe, beyond region and I believe that in our national life, we should extol the virtues like the one we saw in Adelabu, a man of the people, down to earth, absolutely down to earth and yet, a man who believed that his politics must be above ethnicity, must be above tribe, must be to unite the country while, of course, uplifting his own people.“On behalf of the family who asked me to accept this and having accepted this, I will do my utmost best to contribute to making that day you have chosen to celebrate the birthday a success and also to use it to remind those who may like to forget that there was, even before independent, men and Nigerians like Adelabu who believed in the unity of this country, who lived for it and indeed died for it.”Earlier, Aare Alabi who gave a brief bio data of the leader of opposition in Western House of Assembly between 1956 and 1958 pleaded to Obasanjo to ‘carry Adelabu to the world’
Monday 20 July 2015
Fist Combat at Assemblies of God Church Enugu
It was a show of shame, yesterday, in Enugu as two pastors and their loyalists engaged themselves in fisticuffs at Mount Street Parish of Assemblies of God Church, Nigeria.Consequently, police was compelled to lock up the church premises.Vanguard gathered that the church was turned into a battle field, yesterday morning, as two pastors and their supporters fought over who should take control of the parish.Crisis of factionalisation of the Assemblies of God Church had been lingering for more than three years as two persons, Professor Paul Emeka and Dr. Chidi Okoroafor, are each laying claims to the leadership of the church, a position known as General Superintendent, a matter that is currently before the Supreme Court.The drama started when one of the pastors, Rev. Nathaniel Udeze, came with letters of posting and other court documents as part of preparations to be installed as the new pastor at the parish.He was promptly resisted upon arrival with his team of supporters.Leading the opposition was current resident pastor of the parish, Reverend Amaechi Agbo, who along with his supporters, also vowed not to allow Pastor Udeze take over, accusing him of being an “intruder.”The incoming pastor Udeze, said to have been very furious, insisted that he had been officially posted there by the leadership of the church under Rev. Paul Emeka.He also insisted that Rev. Agbo had been transferred to another parish since May 2015.Howver, Rev Agbo disagreed, insisting that he was still in-charge of the parish as he was yet to be formally written by Rev. Okoroafor’s leadership of the church, which he recognised.Factional Sunday SchoolTrouble started as early as 7a.m., when supporters of both pastors arrived and started sharing different versions of Sunday school manual in preparation for the main service.When the factional pastors arrived, the situation broke down completely as the pastors started shoving each other and shortly afterwards, members of the two factions engaged in fisticuffs.Divisional Police Officer, Dennis Ayara, who later arrived the scene, made frantic efforts to bring the situation under control through negotiation, but to no avail.The police, therefore, cordoned off the church and put it under lock, while the leaders of the two factions were asked to report to the station.