Loud Whispers  With Joseph Edgar

Femi Otedola: A Windfall of Private Jets

Nigeria has not seen an activist like this before. Modern activists we know are figures like Sowore and Deji Adeyanju. Typical activists often have long necks with bulging Adam’s apples, wear scrawny clothes and worn-out shoes, and are seen trekking around shouting “solidarity forever” with sweat running down their armpits, presenting a pitiable sight.

But this particular activist is usually in white attires, nestled in luxury and careening all over the globe, licking Italian ice cream and basically just enjoying whatever goodies the world has to offer him after years of struggle and hard work.

Today, Mr. Otedola can be described as the singular most powerful force for good within the financial sector. His fight for corporate governance, transparency and the rest has seen him take on entrenched interests and defeat them roundly while still rushing to the bank with huge dividends for his effort.

His latest fight is in support of the government’s decision to tax the excess profits made by banks on the forex windfall. He says that the government is correct to impose the 70% taxation as proposed as this will ensure a more equitable share of wealth within the system. He did not stop at that but went ahead to state that banks spend billions of dollars yearly to operate private jets and frowned at the current situation where people become billionaires immediately after they emerge as bank executives.

The man is not liked within the system, I can tell you for free. But if you were a bank executive flying your side chicks all over the world and living the life on shareholders’ funds, would you like him? Won’t you want someone to throw Mama Sikira’s pepper water on his white brocades just as the oil cabals are trying to throw stinky water on his bosom friend, Aliko Dangote?

The man is regulating the system much more effectively than the so-called regulators are doing it and it is no wonder that market makers put their money where Otedola is invested in, I tell you. To make money on the markets, especially in fiscally responsible entities, most wealth advisers are asking their clients to invest in Otedola-invested entities, I tell you. Well done sir.

Asue Ighodalo and the Midget

During the week, I got a clip about Edo State’s upcoming election. Some people are wicked sha. Sorry, two people are wicked- the person who sent the video to me and the person who made the video.

The video was a weird comparison of the two leading candidates in the Edo gubernatorial elections: Asue Ighodalo of the PDP and Monday Okpebholo from the APC. The other person from the APC was the first to be showcased. He was speaking to a mammoth crowd and his engagement was pitiable and confusing. His diction, pronunciation and coverage of the issue were problematic. He spoke like an illiterate and carried himself like a drunken sailor. He could not even articulate a complete sentence without stumbling, due to his lack of clarity on the issues bedevilling Edo State, let alone propose viable solutions.

The video swiftly segued to Ighodalo who spoke like a sophisticated diplomat. Don’t get me wrong o, my issue is not about who spoke better English — although that one is there  — but who better understands the issues. Asue was poetic in motion as he went from infrastructural development to health, and then his pet issue security, before landing with the need for constrictive cohesion amongst everyone as a new chapter in Edo is being unfurled.

I know you people will say that because I like Asue, that is why I am writing these things. If you think I am lying, just reach me on WhatsApp and I will send the clip to you to judge this matter.

This Edo election is truly between Asue and the midget. Na me talk am.

Ayo and Isaac Fayose: Brothers at War

I do not think there is any love lost between these two. I really do not know the cause and am not interested in whatever has caused bad blood between them.

Ayo who is the former Governor of Ekiti State was quoted as saying that part of the problem in the country is the northerners’ penchant of having too many children as a result of polygamy.

Just as one was about to say, ‘What crap?’ Thankfully his brother Isaac, who seems to be a little bit more sensible these days, comes out with what we used to call “uppercut” in Shomolu. He said very clearly that every tribe marries and has many children. He added that the father who “born two of us, get 30 children and me, I be number 26.” In a lighter mode he added, “When light no dey, people go cuddle and when they cuddle, dem go kn..ck.”

My people, you may see this episode as of no consequence but if you consider the stature of Ayo and the fact that he decided to peddle such banal statements with his weight and reach and the possible consequence of such a statement on an already divided polity, you will begin to see the magnitude of the careless and now obviously so “stupid” statement.

People like Mr. Fayose continue to confuse the system for very selfish purposes. They make statements not minding the resultant effects on people, especially on inter-ethnic relations just for very selfish purposes. I thank God that this time around, his more sensible brother has come out very quickly to pour warm water on his cold fire.

I think we should all look for Mr. Fayose and stick out our tongues to him and pull our ears and shout that thing we used to shout on people who pilfer other people’s erasers in class so that he can feel shame if he has any virtue left in his soul. Na wa.

Ifeanyi  Ubah: Exit of a Stormy Petrel

The way we are losing people is becoming a little bit worrisome. From the famous Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu to Onyeka and now Ifeanyi who also was said to have slumped a few days before Onyeka collapsed.

Senator Ubah was indeed a colourful character who didn’t care what people thought and felt about him as long as he achieved whatever goal or mission he was after. The oil magnate made friends and also made many more enemies. Assassination attempts, court cases, issues with regulators in the oil industry, issues with the federal government, wahala in his state of origin and a very stormy foray into politics.  Just when it seemed that he had calmed down, he passed.

It was just about last month that it crossed my mind that this man has been quiet o. No wahala coming from his end, I mused. I made it a point to reach out to his media person who used to engage me only on issues that concerned him to ask after oga. I wanted to know if he was very ok since there has been no “fight” for some time.

Today, there will be no need for that enquiry as he has answered the ultimate call. He slumped in London reportedly two days after he arrived. A clip appeared on social media with his family singing words of glory of which people said it was him thanking God for a safe flight while others said it was shot at the cusp of his electoral victory.

Whatever the case may be, Ifeanyi has gone to rest and people should let him rest and stop circulating that video of wide “nostrils” eyes blazing with anger Cosmas Maduka shouting  “Any hole Ifeanyi enters, I will enter to collect my money…”

Ifeanyi has gone now to be with the Lord, like everyone will at some point and the best we can do is to pray for his soul. Sad.

ARM Pensions: An Uncomfortable Place to be

This is a CEO’s worse nightmare – a rape accusation on one of his brightest and most brilliant executives. During the week, a report was surreptitiously leaked to the media. The young single mother had reported that her drink was spiked and that the executive director had taken her to a hotel in Lekki and defiled her. The report was so descriptive, complete with names and phone numbers and very detailed that one cannot help but hang a stone on the accused’s neck and dump him in the deepest part of the Lagos Lagoon.

As expected, the media and our people went into overdrive in their quest for justice. Emotions take over and due process is thrown overboard.

But admirably, the firm ARM Pensions which I must say is part of a very elegant investment banking franchise with some of the best ethos and culture moved in very quickly by involving authorities, offering the victim the very best of medical attention and also issuing a calming press statement that has soothed nerves and strengthened people’s belief that they will ensure justice is served.

For me, the whole thing is fearsome. Not even sure what to believe or whose side to take beyond the fact that there must be a fair hearing. All sides must be given the same access to justice and there must be no “mago mago” in the process as we pursue the case to the letter.

All human rights must be preserved and constituted authorities must be allowed to do their jobs, and till a guilty plea has been pronounced by a competent court of law, let us all hold fire.

Rape is heinous, the very worst in savagery and must not be condoned by any sane human being. This is why this whole episode remains not only sad but sacrilegious. But in our anger, let us allow a transparent push towards justice. Thank you.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu: Well Done on Dangote

Let me congratulate President Bola Tinubu for finally instructing that crude be sold to all local refineries in naira using the Dangote Refinery as a first case. Why it was even sold in forex in the first instance, me I don’t know o.

But this policy in one fell swoop will push the Dangote Refinery off the brink of collapse and at the same time, impact our local currency’s strength in the markets. This is the kind of policy that President Tinubu is capable of taking if he is not falling off the back of a moving Land Rover or listening to such regulators like Farouk and that one at NNPC, Mele.

The general interest of Nigerians at all times must be paramount in all decisions taken at that level and this is one decision that impacts very positively on Nigerians, especially in its ability to keep that huge refinery with its many benefits to us running.

Thank you, Mr. President, you will live long for us. You will not fall again. Thank you very much.

Favour Ofili: I Know What Happened

Mr. Minister, kindly stop grandstanding and smell the coffee. We all know what happened with this reported issue of us not registering our great hope, Ofili for the 100m race. So, coming to the media to be saying “Ohhhh, heads will roll, people will suffer” is not shaking us.

If you are really serious, start with your head. You should resign because the buck stops at your table. Under your watch, such huge monumental shame was meted on Nigeria and you are still there wearing a suit and speaking English.

What happened is very easy. Someone has collected money and removed the woman’s name and put his town’s man’s name there who will now run the 100m and finish the next day when her mates have all boarded flights home with medals on their necks.

Mr. Minister, you see that I am not mentioning your name because I want to abuse you well so you don’t carry a lawsuit and chase me in our usual obtuse manner of leaving the issue and running after shadows.

If you don’t resign on this matter, then you are not an honourable man because if you were, you would sack those you can sack, reprimand those you cannot sack, call a world press conference and apologise to Nigerians and the world, and then step down.

Did you even see the viral clip by one Caucasian lady on the matter, she was wondering why Nigerians keep failing their athletes. She said, first it was basketball — mbok what happened with basketball o? I missed that one and now Ofili.

My brother, just go abeg and stop trying to pass the Hulk. Just go.

Alaba Owoyemi: The Oil Palm Revolution

A mini-Dangote is growing in Ekiti ooo.  Engineer Alaba, an international oil and gas executive who has worked in some of the most powerful global power conglomerates in the Middle East and America has just dropped a N5billion agro-based oil seedling project. This project is concentrating on the entire value chain of oil palm production, processing and distribution.

With a target of employing about 5,000 direct and indirect staff in the next five years, Bamisil Int Limited has started on good ground with over 100 Nigerians immediately employed and firm supply contracts with major conglomerates operating within and outside of the country.

At its opening, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, His Excellency Mr. Oyebanji led very prominent Nigerians including all first-class rulers in Ekiti to witness the historic occasion.

The firm is the second-highest employer of labour in Ekiti and also will be the second taxpayer after the famous Afe Babalola conglomerate.

This is especially remarkable when you compare this with the pullback of other players citing the harsh operating environment, then you will begin to appreciate the risk and fervour that Engineer  Owoyemi has put in this project.