Vintage Maradona! Ibrahim Babangida’s Nine Lives

HIGHLIFE

•Endorses digital portrait of his life • Obi Emelonye to produce the epic

A weary thing is sickness and its pains. It almost snuffed out the life of Ibrahim Babangida and cast his family in the vicious grip of inconsolable grief. But thanks to providence, the former military president has bounced back to vitality. It could be recalled that news of his debilitating ailment hit the social space months back like an unconquerable ogre. Yes, Babangida is back in the country after a medical trip to Switzerland. Babangida, who arrived the Minna International Airport penultimate Saturday evening, left the country on December 18, 2016. However, are we going to call it a visual biography or money making venture as Obi Emelonye, award-winning Nollywood producer and director, has announced a new movie “Badamasi: Portrait of a General”, a work on former military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. The filmmaker announced the project last Tuesday in Lagos. He said “Badamasi”, which would be released later this year, would paint “intimate portrait’’ of IBB, the General that ruled Nigeria from 1985 to 1993”. Emelonye is popularly known for directing films like “Last Flight to Abuja”, “The Mirror Boy” and “Onye Ozi”.

AFTER THE STORM…INTRIGUES AS FEMI GBAJABIAMILA AND NNENA UKEJE BURY THE HATCHET
•HOW THEIR SUDDEN RECONCILIATION IS CAUSING TENSION IN THE LOWER CHAMBER
Few months ago, they lunged and tore at each other like heat-crazed feral cats, but as you read, the bitterness and angst that seized their souls and drove them apart have dissipated, without trace. Thus Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila and Nnenna Ukeje are wiser now. Having experienced the motions of the action and counteraction that ignites the reciprocal struggle of discordant powers, they have settled their beef and achieved harmony with the universe. Indeed, in politics, there is no permanent friend or enemy – only permanent interests.

The closeness of the House Leader, Gbajabiamila, and the Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Relations, Nnena Ukeje, these days, is generating increased attention on the floor of the House of Representatives. The two now work together, consult each other and are usually seen sitting together on the floor while proceedings are going on. Ironically, Gbajabiamila is an All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Lagos State, while Ukeje is a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party from Abia State.

Before now, they were known to be sworn enemies. Ukeje, according to the reports doing the rounds, was said to have once vowed never to be on talking terms with Gbajabiamila. Their quarrel dated back to events that happened before the June 9, 2015 speakership election, which was eventually won by Yakubu Dogara. Gbajabiamila was a contestant and was positioned to get the seat. However, Ukeje was a staunch supporter of Dogara.