Beatrice Abebe Finds Her Groove Back
•Late Stella Obasanjo’s in-law returns to social scene
Life blossoms in the heart and ravishing eyes of Beatrice Abebe, like a phoenix rising from the ashes of its own demise, as you read. The widow of the maritime boss, late Henry Abebe, has finally resurfaced on the social scene after a long hiatus from the public arena. It would be recalled that Beatrice ended her intimate romance with fame and recoiled into a shell of solitude, while she grieved over the loss of her husband and soul mate. It would be recalled that the sister-in-law of late Nigerian first lady, Stella Obasanjo, once reigned supreme among notables in the country’s high society.
Beatrice’s fame knew no bounds and like a conspicuous gold fish, she was spotted at every high octane party or seen in the company of her late sister-in-law. However, fame began to slip from her grasp like a deflating balloon when Stella Obasanjo died thus whittling down her influence among her peer in the country’s high society.
As you read, the resilient socialite is making a gradual comeback to the social arena. She was recently spotted at an event looking cheery and undeniably attractive.
NOT IN MY NAME! INTRIGUES AS RIFT DEEPENS BETWEEN OONI OF IFE AND SENATOR IYIOLA OMISORE
Had he known, Senator Iyiola Omisore would have picked his battles wisely. But the former Deputy Governor of Osun State failed to heed the voice of caution when it mattered most thus like the hound that would get lost for ignoring the hunter’s call, Omisore set on the path of discord by antagonizing the incumbent Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, just before he mounted the throne. There’s been a raging feud fueled by anger and animosity between Ooni of Ife and Omisore, since the former ascended the throne as paramount ruler of Ile Ife kingdom.
Worried by the festering animosity between them, prominent chieftains of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by Soji Adagunodo, trooped to the Ooni’s palace to plead on behalf of Omisore who is currently fighting tooth and nail to extricate himself from the dragnet of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in respect of certain allegations of financial fraud. However, Omisore’s beef with the EFCC is unrelated to his spat with Ooni Adeyeye.
Findings revealed that the ex-deputy governor of Osun State incurred the wrath of the paramount ruler courtesy the role he played during the selection process and campaign by contenders for the throne. It was gathered that during the selection process of the Ooni of Ife, Omisore allegedly tried to install his own candidate; he desperately tried to ensure that his favoured candidate assumed the throne as the Ooni of Ife, but gods are not men and his candidate fell short of the requirements and expectations of the gods. Since the Ooni of Ife’s emergence to the throne, Omisore has not been to the palace to pay homage to the King, neither has he made any effort to congratulate the new Ooni of Ife.
ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY…FUNKE KUTI LAYS OFF MEN AND MARRIAGE
•WHY FORMER AFROBEAT QUEEN IS WARY OF LOVE
Funke Kuti dreads love as the lion dreads the gnat. The estranged wife of Afrobeat maestro, Femi Kuti, keeps a wide berth from romance and Cupid’s fated arrow even as you read. Thus with a breast plate that blocks off the barbed arrows of passion and untamable lust, she has chosen to lay off love and wedlock.
You could be forgiven for thinking the elegant, fair-complexioned former wife of Femi Kuti has embraced a life of celibacy. When her marriage crashed over allegations of infidelity after the birth of her son for Femi, the sassy dancer was heartbroken. But she struggled to put together the pieces of her life and moved on.
She dumped her skimpy attire as an Afrikan Shrine dancer and built a career for herself in the corporate world. Having given up on men, her son and her company, F.K Management, became her priorities. Funke joined the singles club again but contrary to the expectations of her friends and loved ones, she would not get involve in another affair nor would she get married to another man. Rather she has shown extreme restraint, preferring to live as a single mother. She has seized every opportunity to tell the world that she has no man in her life except her son.
THE SECRET JOY OF FORMER BANK CHIEFS
There is no gainsaying the comfort and sanity of the good old days. The proverbial epoch of wisdom and modesty rubs off positively on the memories and personae of former bank chiefs in the country, to their infectious delight. Many of them are thankful and ecstatic over their good fortune in quitting the cutthroat finance sector while the ovation was loudest and truly appreciative of their fiscal practice and professional ethics.
As you read, these retired finance gurus, most of whom presided as Managing Directors (MDs) and Chairmen of some of the country’s most solvent and now defunct banks remember the ‘good old days of the banking sector’ with warmth and an appreciative glow. They are happy that they left the banking industry before the onset of its current tumult. According to a former bank MD, this is not a time to be a bank MD. It’s crazy right now. That’s why so many bankers are looking spent and down. It’s a crazy period in the history of Nigeria. Gone are the days when they traversed the country’s financial landscape and held it by the jugular.
Their banks had crashed like a badly arranged pack of cards. The likes of Jide Rogers of Gulf Bank, Fidelis Tilijie of Fortune Bank, Marc Wabara of Hallmark Bank, Sola Adeoti of City Express, Chuka Mbonu of Assurance Bank, Mike Chukwu of Guardian Express, Joy Udensi of Citizens Bank, Bimbo Olashore of Lead Bank, Robert Mbonu, Okey Nwosu, Frank Atuche, Odunlami Kola-Daisi of Fountain Trust.
In their hey days, they rode the best of cars, lived large, dressed up to the nines. A very tiny fraction of them are quietly spending the money they acquired when they were the head honchos. Some of them who used to cavort in the midst of creme of the society and dine with the aristocrats now literally loll among the ragtag and bobtail.
