‘Wasteful Leadership Cannot Make Prudent Investments’ – Fela Durotoye

By Fela Durotoye

Since I got back into Nigeria yesterday, I have heard some preposterous arguments that the removal of the fuel subsidy will be justified by wise investments that will benefit all.

My response has been…How will a wasteful government suddenly realize the genius of prudence and making the right investment decisions simply because there is more money available from oil subsidy removal?

Will there be less graft and bribes involved in process of issuing the road contracts or power contracts?

Have we sought to honestly find every way we can plug wastage in our leaking economy before we ask a feeble populace to carry the burden of corruption and gross ineptitude of a gluttonous few?

Have the Presidency, the State & Local Governments and the Legislature discovered how to travel without a convoy of 20 cars to the airport?

Can the occupiers of these lofty positions act in honour as Barack Obama did in 2010 when he got every member of his cabinet to take a pay cut, starting with himself?

Within his first few days as British Prime Minister, David Cameron led the austerity cuts (upon his assumption) by cutting down his convoy to 2 cars and one outrider. The Members of Parliament in Britain are now only allowed 3rd class train tickets on official travel (as opposed to their traditional first class train ticket allowances). The Mayor of London now rides a bicycle to work.

Leadership by example!!!

How come our ‘leaders’ in government earn so much and still spend so much furnishing the same houses and offices they furnished with our money last year?

Do you furnish your office every year? Why should the President, Governor or Senate President?

Wasteful leadership cannot make prudent investments!!!!! Q.E.D

The change we need is not just policy. It’s in the quality of mind and persons at policy making positions.

That said, how will we effectively deliver sustainable desired-change?

History has taught us that governments increase fuel prices, the people fight, students riot, labour unions strike, and then after a couple of weeks, the government reduces the price but never to its original price…and everyone feels like a winner, but the poor know and experience the reality of the loss. Then we start the cycle all over again with another administration.

God bless everyone who has stood up against this unjust policy. I salute everyone who has risked their lives to Occupy Nigeria with the message that Enough is Enough.

Eedris Assaults Labelmate Jaywon

Seven years after the infamous airport altercation between Eedris Abdulkareem and G-Unit bodyguards, the troubled rapper has been involved in another major fight.
Multiple sources, including eye witnesses, have informed Nigerian Entertainment Today of a physical fight between two Kennis Music acts, rapper Eedris Abdulkareem and singer Jaywon.
Eedris and Jaywon amongst other artistes had attended and performed at a street carnival held in National Bank Estate, Satellite Town on Thursday, December 29, 2011.
Sources say after Jaywon’s performance, his excited fans had followed him to the bus which conveyed the acts to the show.
‘Eedris started insulting him. Jaywon didn’t want any drama, so he decided to get down from the bus so that things wouldn’t escalate’, an insider who would rather remain anonymous tells NET.
We’re told that didn’t stop Eedris from allegedly pouncing on the younger singer and raining blows on him as he stepped out of the bus. ‘Jaywon didn’t lift a hand and by the time Eedris was done, the poor boy had blood stains all over him‘, a source, who claims Jaywon was rushed to the hospital, told us last night.
Jaywon soon took to his Twitter account, saying ‘Funny how people that are supposed to be good role models turn out to be really ‘good’….#SMH’.
‘This iroko tree wasn’t planted by human so no evil shall befall me cuz am covered by the blood of the most high. #SMH’, he continued.
NET’s phone call to Jaywon was answered by the singer’s manager who confirmed that both acts were present at the carnival but says there was only a ‘misunderstanding’. ‘Jaywon is right now in Apapa for a show, he is fine’.
Those aware of the situation insist the unnamed manager is being economical with the truth.
Eedris is not new to brawls. On December 4, 2004, he was in a fight with G-Unit bodyguards aboard an ADC aircraft conveying the performing crew to Port Harcourt for the final leg of Star Megajam 2004. Eedris was occupying a business class seat reserved for 50 Cent.
The incident with 50 cent dented Eedris’ image, he became the media’s punching bag and poster child of irresponsibility. And his career suffered greatly for it.
Eedris did have something to say on his Twitter. ‘Don’t blv evrythn u read… Don’t blv rumours. Stay positive. 1luv’, @idris_Abdulkarm tweeted some hours ago.
‘I have no comments on that matter please’, label mate Capital F.E.M.I told NET in a phone conversation.
‘There was a misunderstanding but everything is under control’, KSB also spoke with NET.
Calls placed to Kennis Music boss Kenny Ogungbe didn’t go through and texts were not replied as at the time of this report.

Rick Ross Cancels Calabar Festival Performance

Rick Ross at Lil Wayne's album release party in August

Those who have been waiting for Rick Ross to make his high profile appearance at this year’s Cross River State ‘Calabar Christmas Festival’ will have their hopes dashed as it has been reported that the rapper has cancelled his trip.

Rick Ross, as announced earlier was supposed to perform at the festival on Wednesday, December 28, 2011. Already fellow Maimi-based singer Sean Kingston had performed at the festival on December 16 at the UJ Esuene Stadium.

Ross’ reps told hip hop news website Allhiphop.com that the Nigerian show has been cancelled due to ‘unfulfilled contractual obligations’.

The reps denied the Maybach Music Group (MMG) boss’ health was the reason behind the latest cancellation. Ross was forced to cancel several shows in October due to a pair of seizure attacks.

‘Rick was very excited to attend this event as it is the biggest festival in Nigeria and he is quite disappointed that he will not be performing’, a rep for Rick Ross said.

‘We aware of the situation and will put out an official statement later today. I can’t say anything for now’, Confidence Tawo, a member of the Events Management Department of the Cross River State Governor’s office told NET over the phone.

The Cross River State Calabar Christmas Festival which is one of Africa’s biggest carnival events kicked off on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 and has featured performances from Sean Kingston, Asa, Seun Kuti, Timaya and a host of other acts.

Diddy Ventures Into Tequilla Business

Entertainment mogul and three-time Grammy Award-winner Sean Combs, better known as Diddy is apparently about to extend his business ventures to include alcoholic beverage Tequila.
The Diddy Dirty Money front liner, whose foray into liquor branding began with popular premium vodka, Ciroc, in October 2007, is set to join hands with a ‘true tequila artist’ to promote the brand.
According to Diddy, ‘There isn’t one particular Tequilla that I love and I’ve been spending a lot of time in Mexico… So in the next year you will see me going toe to toe with John Paul (Jones Dejore) who owns Patron. I’ll be challenging him to make the best, smoothest and most authentic Tequilla in the world‘. The Patron Spirits Company sells more than 2 million cases of Tequila annually.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is reportedly the richest figure in entertainment with an estimated net worth of 500 million dollars according to Forbes latest rankings.

Mandela’s Grandson In Marital Controversies

The first wife of Nelson Mandela‘s grandson is on the move to have her husband’s wedding to a Swazi princess, Mbali Makhatini, annulled on the grounds that the pair is still legally married.
Mandla Mandela, 37, reportedly defied a court order recently placed on him barring him from entering into any protracted civil union while still legally married to Tando Mabunu Mandela, his first wife.
Tando has revealed that legal action is being taken on the controversial marriage which took place Saturday, December 24, 2011, at the Mveso Royal Palace in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
‘You must remember that both Mandela and his new wife Nodiyala are both in contempt of court, they ignored a court order… I am busy drafting the papers‘, declared Wesley Hayes, legal counsel representing Ms Mandela.
Mandla Mandela, who is a Member of South African parliament, also had his marriage to a woman from the Reunion Islands annulled on the same grounds. He has been at the centre of a lagging divorce case with Tando Mabunu Mandela, his first and only wife, since May 2009.
SOURCE

EME’s Skales Survives Ghastly Motor Accident

Skales says

Nigerian Entertainment Today has learnt that upcoming rapper Raoul John Njeng-Njeng better known as Skales recently survived a ghastly motor accident which has left one person reportedly dead.

The rapper who is signed to Banky W’s Empire Mates Entertainment (EME) was said to have been leaving Elegushi beach located at Lekki, Lagos where he partied at the DV8 Carnival and decided to hang on a friend’s SUV because the vehicle was already filled up.

Sources say Skales along with three other friends hung on the vehicle and rode towards the Lekki Express way when their vehicle bumped into a ditch and tumbled. The rapper escaped death, two others too but a popular custom T-shirt maker known as Syntillate was said to have ended up under the SUV which was lying on the floor upside down. While some sources say Syntillate (who is popularly known for his iRep T-shirts) is dead others suggest he is still in a coma.

Skales took to twitter hours ago to say, ‘Tank God 4 life….God is 2 merciful…he has neva failed!!! He saved ma life so ama giv him all d praise…so happy 2 see anoda day!!!’ @youngskales tweeted.

EME is yet to make an official statement but the label’s rep Osagie Osarenkhoe confirmed the news. ‘Yes he was in an accident but he’s doing fine, I haven’t seen him to get full details yet’, she assured NET.

Story developing.

University of Nigeria Nsukka Honours Chinua Achebe

Eminent African novelist and famed author of classic novel ‘Things Fall Apart‘, Chinua Achebe, is getting set to once again rub minds with the academia in the University of Nigeria Nsukka, as the International Conference and Chinua Achebe Annual Lectures holds in January 2012.

The Dean, Faculty of Arts of UNN, who expressed that the development is long overdue, stated that, ‘the non-establishment of such lectures and honour to professor Chinua Achebe by us till now is a huge oversight which has to be corrected with deep sense of apology’.

The lecture, which is titled ‘Emergent Issues in Humanities in Africa in the Third Millennium‘, forms part of events for the inaugural lecture for the emeritus Professor of English.

Chinua Achebe, popularly referred to as the ‘father of modern African writing’ recently made international headlines when in November he rejected the National Honour of CFR conferred on him by President Goodluck Jonathan, citing persisting unresolved political issues. It was the second time he was rejecting such national honour from the government of Nigeria.

kelly Handsome Involved in a car Accident on Christmas Eve

News came in yesterday that kelly handsome was involved in a car accident in Imo state on christmas Eve. we do not have much information on this but Thank God he Survived the accident with his crew. We wish him speedy recovery..