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Her Wisdom or Lack of It? The Insolence Behind Arts Minister, Hannatu Musawa’s N197m Hermes Bag

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  • Pundits Flay Tinubu’s Minister for Flaunting Vulgar Acquisition Amid Economic Hardship
  • Lessons She Could Learn from Ex-Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke

A virtuous woman is never moved by fashion labels and flamboyance. For her, luxury scarcely lies in nametags and ornate markers but in the absence of vulgarity. But Hannatu Musawa does not know that. If she does, she doesn’t care.

Thus her inclination to brazenly carry and flaunt a Hermes bag valued at Î116,261.89 Euros (197,008,446.628) while on a diplomatic trip with President Bola Tinubu to Qatar.

There hasn’t been any more repellent sight, several pundits averred, since Nigerians were plummeted into economic depression following President Tinubu radical surgical economics.

Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy Hannatu Musawa (previously deputy spokesperson for Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign), does not understand perhaps how insensitive and vulgar it was to carelessly flaunt such a vulgar fashion item while many Nigerians are battling to survive the severity imposed on the country by her principal’s economic reforms.

Musawa ought to understand that only a self-centered, acquisitive woman would clad in the cloak of intransigence would carelessly flaunt such vulgar possession amid so much suffering and pain.

There is no gainsaying her action was at once deemed ugly and insensitive by diverse segments of netizens. Among other things, it brings back memories of the scandalous conduct of past female ministers, particularly former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

There is no gainsaying Alison-Madueke, among others, made news for the wrong reasons. She set the pace for vulgar acquisitiveness in Nigeria’s corridors of power.

About $40 million worth of expensive jewelry was recovered from her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).

The expensive jewelry comprising wristwatches, necklaces, bracelets, bangles, earrings and more were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities of the former Minister. Some of the recovered items were listed as 125 pieces of wedding gowns, 13 pieces of small gowns, 41 pieces of waist trainers, 73 pieces of hard flower, 11 pieces of suit, 11 pieces of invisible bra, 73 pieces of veils, 30 pieces of braziers, two pieces of standing fan, 17 pieces of magic skits, six packets of blankets, one table blanket and 64 pairs of shoes.

The EFCC was granted permission by the court to seize the jewelry from Allison-Madueke after establishing that her known and provable lawful income is far less than the value of the jewelry sought to be forfeited.

Alison-Madueke, 63, served as petroleum minister from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan and also acted as OPEC president from 2014 to 2015.
She was arrested in London in October 2015, a few months after leaving office, and has also been the subject of investigations in Nigeria and the United States.

The ex-petroleum minister has denied the corruption allegations even as assets worth millions of pounds relating to her alleged offences have been frozen as part of an ongoing probe by the UK security agency.

The NCA accused her of having benefited from at least £100,000 ($127,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets, and gifts from designer shops such as Cartier jewellery and Louis Vuitton goods, to mention a few.

The US Department of Justice also recovered illicit assets totalling $53.1 million linked to Alison-Madueke in March 2023. Nigeria’s EFCC claimed that about $153 million and more than 80 properties had been recovered from Alison-Madueke.

In August 2023, British police charged Alison-Madueke with bribery offences.

“We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts. These charges are a milestone in a thorough and complex international investigation,” said Andy Kelly, Head of the National Crime Agency’s (NCA) International Corruption Unit.

It would be really nice if Musawa could learn from the sad fate of

Allison-Madueke; the latter was equally known by her lust for expensive jewelry and bags.

Already, Nigerians are critical of her performance as she made the news recently for bungling a rare opportunity to put the country on the global map of culture and entertainment industry.

No thanks to Musawa, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (commonly known as The Recording Academy) held off its announcement of the creation of an African edition of the Grammy Awards and of several hubs throughout Africa. The announcement was initially supposed to happen after the 66th awards ceremony held in Los Angeles on February 4, but was cancelled after Nigeria’s sudden about-face.

Lagos is one of five cities selected by the prestigious American academy to be a regional hub, along with Johannesburg, Nairobi, Kigali and Abidjan (AI, 03/11/23). However, much to the Recording Academy’s dismay, Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Musawa left LA with the contract she was supposed to submit.

Pundits contend that she was ruffled by the fact that none of the five Nigerian artists nominated for a Grammy this year – Burna Boy, Davido, Asake, Olamide and Ayra Starr – won an award. But when contacted, the ministry explained this last-minute U-turn by the absence of Ugochi Akudo-Nwosu, the director of its Entertainment and Creative Services Department.

Notwithstanding, Nigerians, particularly entertainment stakeholders in the country, are hoping that Musawa would seize the opportunity of a few days reprieve granted the country by the Academy director, Harvey Mason Jr, and send the signed contract within a few days.

More Nigerians are calling on the minister to commit herself ardently to the serious task of governance and the development of the country’s entertainment, culture, and creative economies.

These are more noble and acceptable callings that require her devotion; and while she commits to the task, let her not forget to shun the lure of obsessive passion and lust for vulgar fashion items lest she ends up like Alison-Madueke and her ilk.

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Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo: Tinubu’s Minister With 3 Scandals

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President Bola Tinubu’s minister of the interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, is considered the star boy of the new administration, owing to his numerous achievements in his first six months in office. Some of his significant successes in six months included clearing heavy passport backlogs and implementing a new platform to renew passports from the comfort of one’s home, among others.

However, the minister, who was awarded “Public Service Person Of The Year 2023” by the Leadership newspaper and was recently rated as one of the 12 performing ministers of Tinubu by The Economic Confidential, has three major scandals in his record that many Nigerians may not be aware of two of them.

The scandals are listed below:

Betta Edu’s scandal: The minister of interior was recently accused of getting an award of N438.1 million contract by the suspended minister of humanitarian and poverty alleviation, Betta Edu, through a company, New Planet Project Limited, allegedly owned by him.

The company was accused of being paid N438.1 million for consultancy services by the ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation under the suspended Betta Edu.

New Planet Project Limited was one of the many firms Edu engaged and awarded the N3 billion National Social Register contract. In his reaction, the minister said he did not have the right to speak for the company because he was no longer part of its hierarchy. In an interview, Tunji-Ojo said: “I have no business with it. I am not involved in the day-to-day of the company. I do not pursue jobs for the company. I do not bid for the company. I do not run the company, I am not a signatory to the company’s account.”

NYSC certificate scandal: During his ministerial screening by the Senate, there were concerns about discrepancies in Tunji-Ojo’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate raised by Sadiq Umar, the senator representing Kwara North.

The senator asked why the nominee had his NYSC scheme at 37, and his discharge certificate had a suspicious date. However, Tunji-Ojo dismissed the lawmaker’s concerns, stating that qualified NYSC members could participate in the scheme anytime after graduating as long as they graduated before the age of 30. He said such was his case.

In the NYSC certificate, the minister claimed to have participated in the national service between November 2019 and November 2020. However, the senator’s concerns were that the nominee performed his NYSC at a time when he was already a member of the House of Representatives.

Below is the certificate: Controversies on Tunji-Ojo’s NYSC certificate Photo Credit: Premium Times Source: Twitter

NDDC: Before he was appointed the minister, Tunji-Ojo was a member of the House of Representatives, representing the people of Akoko North East/North West Federal Constituency of Ondo stat.

Many Nigerians did not know that the minister of interior was the infamous ex-chairman of the House of Representatives committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who clashed with the former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio. Akpabio had appeared before the committee over the alleged mismanagement of funds in the commission.

At the hearing, which was televised, the now Senate president accused Tunji-Ojo and other national assembly members of getting contract awards from the NDDC. Tunji-Ojo had denied the allegation and challenged Akpabio to make evidence available.

Tunji-Ojo was said to have requested another date to appear before the Code of Conduct Bureau for questioning.

The development was contrary to initial claims the minister shunned the bureau that had invited him for interrogation over the N438m contract scandal. A leaked memo showed that a firm linked to the minister was awarded the N438m contract for a consultancy fee by the suspended minister of humanitarian affairs, Betta Edu.

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She Hated It When I Helped Anyone Financially — Man Reveals Why He Ended A Relationship

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A Nigerian man ends his relationship with his girlfriend who disapproved of his financial assistance, deeming it a waste.

@HinduMustafa asked netizens what killed their feelings for someone they were deeply in love with.

The young man, @uncle_retired, shared the details of his unsavory relationship on his account.

A Nigerian man ends his relationship with his girlfriend because she did not approve of him assisting others financially, calling it a waste.

He reacted to a question posed by another user, @HinduMustafa, who asked netizens what killed their affections for someone they were deeply in love with.

The young man answered on his account, @uncle_retired, revealing the specifics of his shady relationship.

He added that anytime he helped someone, his fiancée disliked it and would prefer that he give her the money instead.

According to him, regardless of the situation of the person he assisted, she would call it a waste, citing other unnecessary things he could have done with the money.

He wrote;

“She hated it when I helped anyone financially. As long as I’m not giving her the money, I shouldn’t give anyone else. She would always point out something unnecessary that she could do with that money I just wasted as she termed it. For instance, I could give a family 20k to buy food and she will say “you just wasted that money on people that may be lying to you. The money I could have used for a spa day”

You guessed it, she was a “Zainab” too. WITCH”

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Report Reveals When Dangote Refinery Will Roll Out PMS Supply

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Dangote Refinery is set to supply Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)  popularly known as petrol to marketers next month, May 2024, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Nairametrics reported yesterday that the largest refinery in Africa began the distribution of diesel and aviation jet fuel to domestic marketers at 1,225/ltr, a development that might reduce the retail price of both products in the coming months.

According to Bloomberg report, the new mega-refinery will begin supply of PMS in the domestic market in May, significantly reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

The refinery, which began its operations in January, made its first export last month, shipping 65,000 metric tons of low-sulfur straight run fuel oil and approximately 60,000 tons of naphtha.

The facility is operating at an initial processing rate of 350,000 barrels per day, with plans to increase towards its maximum capacity.

According to Abubakar Maigandi, the leader of an industry organization, marketers have started transporting diesel from the refinery and will make payments in naira.

“We are still finalizing the details of the volumes that we are going to take from Dangote as an association and we also haven’t finalized on the price,” he said.

Earlier yesterday,  Dangote oil refinery began supplying the Nigerian domestic market with petroleum products such as diesel and aviation jet fuel on Tuesday,

Abubakar Maigandi, who heads the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, reported to Reuters that diesel’s cost was established at 1,225 naira per litre ($0.96) by domestic marketers after they concluded a collective purchase arrangement, and then they added their mark-up.

The association’s members control about 150,000 retail stations across Nigeria, Maigandi said.

Furthermore, Devakumar Edwin, an executive at Dangote Group, affirmed that the company has initiated the local distribution of diesel and jet fuel.

“We have substantial quantities. Products are being evacuated both by sea and road. Ships are lining up one after another to load diesel and aviation jet fuel.

“Ships load a minimum of 26 million litres, though we try to push for 37 million litres vessels, for ease of operations,” Edwin said.

The Dangote refinery, positioned on a peninsula near Lagos’s commercial centre, represents Africa’s largest refinery project, completed after many postponements and financed by Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual, with an investment of $20 billion.

The refinery, with a processing potential of 650,000 barrels per day, is poised to be the biggest in both Africa and Europe upon achieving full operational status, which is expected either this year or the following.

The Dangote refinery Is expected to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

Nigeria, despite being the most populous country in Africa and its top oil producer, ironically imports almost all of its fuel.

Primarily, this is attributed to the nation’s lack of sufficient refining infrastructure, a gap that the new refinery seeks to fill.

Dangote Refinery is set to supply Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)  popularly known as petrol to marketers next month, May 2024, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Nairametrics reported yesterday that the largest refinery in Africa began the distribution of diesel and aviation jet fuel to domestic marketers at 1,225/ltr, a development that might reduce the retail price of both products in the coming months.

According to Bloomberg report, the new mega-refinery will begin supply of PMS in the domestic market in May, significantly reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

The refinery, which began its operations in January, made its first export last month, shipping 65,000 metric tons of low-sulfur straight run fuel oil and approximately 60,000 tons of naphtha.

The facility is operating at an initial processing rate of 350,000 barrels per day, with plans to increase towards its maximum capacity.

According to Abubakar Maigandi, the leader of an industry organization, marketers have started transporting diesel from the refinery and will make payments in naira.

“We are still finalizing the details of the volumes that we are going to take from Dangote as an association and we also haven’t finalized on the price,” he said.

Earlier yesterday,  Dangote oil refinery began supplying the Nigerian domestic market with petroleum products such as diesel and aviation jet fuel on Tuesday,

Abubakar Maigandi, who heads the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, reported to Reuters that diesel’s cost was established at 1,225 naira per litre ($0.96) by domestic marketers after they concluded a collective purchase arrangement, and then they added their mark-up.

The association’s members control about 150,000 retail stations across Nigeria, Maigandi said.

Furthermore, Devakumar Edwin, an executive at Dangote Group, affirmed that the company has initiated the local distribution of diesel and jet fuel.

“We have substantial quantities. Products are being evacuated both by sea and road. Ships are lining up one after another to load diesel and aviation jet fuel.

“Ships load a minimum of 26 million litres, though we try to push for 37 million litres vessels, for ease of operations,” Edwin said.

The Dangote refinery, positioned on a peninsula near Lagos’s commercial centre, represents Africa’s largest refinery project, completed after many postponements and financed by Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual, with an investment of $20 billion.

The refinery, with a processing potential of 650,000 barrels per day, is poised to be the biggest in both Africa and Europe upon achieving full operational status, which is expected either this year or the following.

The Dangote refinery Is expected to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

Nigeria, despite being the most populous country in Africa and its top oil producer, ironically imports almost all of its fuel.

Primarily, this is attributed to the nation’s lack of sufficient refining infrastructure, a gap that the new refinery seeks to fill.

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