Isaac Sekav Ahungwa who rode on a bicycle from Ibadan, Oyo State to Makurdi after completing his National Youth Service, has been offered automatic employment by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State. Ortom announced this Monday when he received Ahungwa at the state government house in Makurdi.
He described the young man as a determined son of the state whose example should be emulated by others.

Ortom said his decision to offer automatic employment to Ahungwa was to encourage other young people never to give up on their dreams no matter the challenges they face.

Speaking after receiving his offer of employment, Isaac Ahungwa said the life story of Governor Ortom inspired him to embark on the patriotic tour riding a bicycle from Ibadan to State.

Banker sent to prison for stealing

Kano State High Court presided by Honourable Justice Dije Abdu Aboki has convicted and sentenced one Aliyu Suleiman to 195 years imprisonment. The former banker was arraigned by the EFCC on September 30, 2014, for allegedly stealing over N21, 000,000 (Twenty one Million Naira only) from Albasu Microfinance Bank.

Upon his arraignment, the convict pleaded not guilty to all the count charge brought against him by the EFCC.

In her judgment on Wednesday, November 2, 2016, Justice Aboki sentenced the convict to serve two years on each of count one to forty four and fine of N300, 000 on each. Where the convict defaults the fine, he is to serve additional six months imprisonment on each count.

From count 45 to 74, the convict was sentenced to fine of N500, 000 or twelve months imprisonment on each count while on count 75 to 105, he is to pay fine of N200, 000 or twelve months imprisonment on each count with the exception of count 97 which appeared to be duplication.

The sentences were to run concurrently. The convict was also ordered to restitute the sum of N14, 815,000 (Fourteen Million, Eight Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Naira Only) to the Albasu Community or spend five more years in prison.

The convict was a former staff of Oceanic Bank who was engaged and entrusted by the Albasu Community to take charge of their Microfinance Bank. While in charge, the convict violated that trust and siphoned over N21, 000,000 (Twenty Million Naira) by forging signatures of the other signatories to the funds.

Pres. Buhari meets with Participants of Senior Executive Course 38, in Abuja. (Photos)

President Buhari Thursday held a meeting with Participants of the Senior Executive Course 38, 2016, of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, (NIPSS) Karu, in the State House, Abuja. More pictures after the cut...

12 year old boy charged for stabbing an 11 year old to death in South Africa

Bosel

An unidentified 12 year old, appeared in court Tuesday for stabbing another boy, 11 year old Granville Bosel to death. The 12 year old was later released into his mother’s care while investigation into the stabbing continued. The circumstances surrounding Bosel’s death is yet unknown.
The 11 year old who was a grade 5 pupil of Danie Ackerman Primary School and a talented cricket player from Nomzamo, was visiting his grandmother on Saturday, while his parents were in the Overberg for the weekend when the said incident happened.
A spokesperson from Western Cape Police confirmed that Granville Bosel died on the scene at a street in Sercor Park after the sad incident.

‘The victim, who sustained a stab wound to the chest, died on the scene due to the extent of his injuries.’

According to Times Live, a murder case which was opened was postponed to December 13 for further police investigation to be carried.

How Buhari can crash the Dollar/Naira disparity - Ifeanyi Ubah

Nnewi-born billionaire and Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, has offered the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration what he described as the solution to the biting recession, as well as crash the proliferating Dollar/Naira disparity in the foreign exchange market.

Speaking at the World Youth Gathering, Holy Ghost Adoration Ground, Uke in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ubah lamented, stating that there was nothing wrong with the Nigerian economy. 
Rather, he pointed out the country's lack of good economic managers as being responsible for the current economic plight.

Recall that last February, Ubah had vowed on national television that if consulted by President Buhari, he could use his technical know-how to stabilize the Naira to an exchange rate of N200=$1.

At the time, the Dollar/Naira disparity had skyrocketed that N400 was already exchanging for $1 in the Parallel market.

Insisting on his earlier stance of possessing the technical expertise on how the Dollar/Naira disparity can be crashed, Dr. Ubah pointed that "the only solution to Nigeria's economic problems is one - addressing the cancer that has persistently eaten up our Forex. According to him, the cancer responsible for the proliferating Dollar/Naira disparity can be eliminated if 10 modular refineries are set up. "The second cancer that is affecting us is the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)." Ubah stated.

The oil magnate stated at the Adoration Ground in Uke, "I said that I am going to bring down the dollars, I sought for consultations because in the past I have done so many things and at the end of the day, people took the glory. This is an issue that is very important to me. The Government must understand this. Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the World today said, 'it's not about academics, it's about being streetwise."

"Money-making is an art. There is nobody that can't make money. It depends on how you design the art of making money. Now, let me give you an example today and let me also proffer a solution to Nigeria's economic problems.

"The biggest Forex consumer in Nigeria today is the Petroleum Product Downstream sector, of which I am the leader. Petroleum products take over 75 per cent of the Forex that Nigeria generates. Therefore, if you want to attack the difference between the Naira and the Dollar, which no expert has been able to find a solution, what you need to do is to find an alternative, so that the demand for Forex needed for the importation of petroleum products will crash.

"If you do that, you have taken away 75 percent of that cancer that is taking away our dollars. And how do you do this? There's what is called top-up refineries. Some top-up refineries can cost us as little as $200million.

"If I am the Chief Economist of this country and I want to bring back the value of Naira as well as bring life back to the economy of Nigeria, what I need to do is to take up a $2 billion bond from our reserve. If I am able to take a bond of $2billion from our reserve, which is not money I am spending, but a bond, our money remains. I can take this $2billion and then share it among 10 companies. In those 10 companies, I will create Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) of 10 oil marketers to one company.

"If you bring 10 oil marketers to run one company and Government funds them for 10 years, it means that all of us will go there and we will bring the best of us to manage the company.

"Therefore, what we are going to do is create 10 companies along the whole water lines of Nigeria, and in six months time, we can now refine our crude oil here in Nigeria, instead of taking it abroad to refine. By so doing, we don't need to buy dollars anymore to import petroleum products. It means that we can now be refining our crude oil, using it to meet our own petroleum needs.

"Petroleum product is one of the biggest factor today in this country. Without fuel, nobody can drive to Uke today. If students go on strike, Government may show neglect. If doctors go on strike, Government may neglect. But once there is a strike over fuel, the Government will always run to see how it will stop the strike."

According to the Publisher of Authority Newspapers, "We must understand that fuel is a critical factor in Nigeria. Because it's a critical factor in Nigeria today, Government is so fragile towards challenging the petroleum industry.

"This is very important and whoever the Chief Economist of Nigeria is, he/she must take this as the only solution. There is no other solution.

"This solution is coming today at the Adoration Ground and this is the first time I am saying it. That is the secret that I said I needed them (government) to consult me. But today, if they can translate it, they will know that Holy Ghost of Adoration Ground has revealed it."

The President FC Ifeanyi Ubah said, "The only solution to Nigeria's economic problems is one - addressing the cancer that eats up our Forex and setting up 10 modular refineries can solve that problem. The second cancer that is affecting us is the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

"The duty of EFCC is to look into financial crimes. The duty of EFCC is to look into those that have taken so many waivers. So many people in Nigeria today are big men because they are enjoying government waivers. Majority of Nigeria's big men are lazy people. They always find a way to take waivers.

"The EFCC must come to terms with their duty and create a real economic crime desk. If the EFCC can look into every importer accessing dollars and what our dollars are being used for. If the EFCC can create an economic code that everybody that must use to access dollars making it mandatory that every bid should be made through the EFCC, if everybody is made to sign a guarantee that the government can look into whatever he/she has bid and monitor the use of the money, those that are milking Nigeria's dollars will run away.

"The EFCC must stop the pursuit of only past leaders. Not that they should not do their job by going after past leaders, but they need to look into the amount of Nigerians that are taking waivers, they need to look at the number of people accessing dollars for agricultural contents who divert the same dollars to Dubai and then bring the dollar back into the country to make money without doing anything.'

Aisha Buhari promises to tackle issues of forced and early marriage, rape, drug abuse among youths in the north

The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari has promised to work with relevant agencies to tackle issues of rape, forced and early marriage, continuing prevalence of HIV and drug abuse among youths in Northern Nigeria.
Mrs Buhari stated this when she received the wives of northern governors who paid her a courtesy visit at the State House, Abuja on Monday, October 31. The Northern Governors wives forum had earlier met to discuss these key challenges and ways of tackling them.


Mrs Aisha Buhari commended the northern governors wives forum for identifying these challenges and emphasized her readiness to work with them to make sure that societal ills in the country are addressed. She added that her effort in assisting the less privileged and vulnerable children in Nigeria wouldn't have been possible without their support. 

Also speaking, the wife of Kebbi State Governor Dr. Zainab Bagudu, said they came to felicitate with the president and the wife of the President on the recent release of some of the Chibok schoolgirls.

Dr Bagudu also said there was a big improvement of the security situation in Nigeria, especially in the north east. She therefore expressed the hope that their collaboration between the Governors wives and the wife of the President would continue to provide fruitful results that will benefit the country as a whole

Hospital report blames patient's fart for causing fire during surgery

An operating room snafu out of Japan became a viral topic because of what happened at the hospital: It seems a patient's fart ignited a fire that left her with serious burns during surgery. The incident took place at Tokyo Medical Center. A laser was being used on the cervix of a woman in her 30s when she farted, according to a newly released assessment of the April incident released by the hospital.
All equipment was operating normally, leading a panel to conclude that the woman's gas ignited the laser. The hospital report states:

“When the patient’s intestinal gas leaked into the space of the operation (room), it ignited with the irradiation of the laser, and the burning spread, eventually reaching the surgical drape and causing the fire”.  

The resulting fire from the fart burned much of the patient's body, but no further detail was provided about her condition.

The Washington Post explains that it's the methane and hydrogen in a person's gas that makes it potentially flammable, though "it’s difficult to overstate how minuscule the chance of that normal bodily function causing a problem truly is."

FACEBOOK HALLOWEEN

CEO of Facebook and his family dress for halloween. Look at them very cute

FG hails Nigerian doctor in USA for a successful surgical feat on an unborn baby in the mother's womb

Abuja, Oct. 31, 2016: The Federal Government of Nigeria has congratulated a US- based Nigerian Surgeon, Dr Oluyinka Olutoye on his recent feat in carrying out a successful operation on an unborn baby with tumour in her mother's womb.

2. Dr Oluyinka Olutoye and his surgeon partner Dr. Darrell Cass of Texas Children's Hospital, carried out an operation on a foetus at 23 weeks in US.

3. The baby, Lynlee Hope, who suffered from a tumour known as Sacrococcygeal Teratoma was removed from her mother's womb, operated on and returned back. She healed and continued to grow until she was born again at 36 weeks.

4. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated this in a statement to felicitate with Dr Olutoye on behalf of the President and people of Nigeria.

5. The statement stated that President Muhammadu Buhari received the news of Dr Olutoye's  unique feat with excitement and fulfillment and looking forward to meeting with him soonest.

6. The Senior Special Assistant to the President said that it is important to celebrate Dr Olutoye for the wonderful feat he performed in saving lives and projecting a good image for Nigeria.

7. Dabiri-Erewa therefore commended Nigerians in the Diaspora for their positive roles in enhancing the image of the country.

8. She said Nigerians in the Diaspora are a huge potential, playing greater role in all sectors, assuring that her office was working on having a database for all the Nigeria achievers.

9.  ``Nigerians are great people, making greater positive impacts in all fields of human endeavour in the Diaspora. Dr Olutoye's feat is one of such testimonies", the statement added.

10. To complement that, Dabiri-Erewa said that Nigeria is working on a National Diaspora Policy guideline geared towards regulating all engagements with all Nigerians in the Diaspora.

11. According to her, Nigerians in the Diaspora are of high importance to the growth and development of the country.

12. She appealed to other Nigerians in the Diaspora to emulate the positive image Dr Oluyinka Olutoye has given to Nigeria which earned him recognition.

13. Dabiri-Erewa reiterated the determination of President Muhammadu Buhari " to enhance the welfare of all Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, and unadulterated determination to continue to tackle insecurity, corruption and the economy."

 14.  Dr. Olutoye is Co-Director of the Texas Children's Fetal Center and fetal surgery team member, as well as a general pediatric surgeon in USA.

15. Olutoye received his medical degree from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in 1988 and his PhD in anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, in 1996.

16.  He completed his residency in general surgery at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals, Virginia Commonwealth University, and his fellowship in pediatric surgery at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pa.

 17.  Dr. Olutoye is a member of the International Fetal Medicine and Surgery Society and is a Fellow of the Surgical Section of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Surgeons; he is also a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons.

18. Dr. Olutoye has specialized clinical expertise in fetal and neonatal surgery, with specific interest in congenital diaphragmatic hernia and complex wounds.

19. His research interests include understanding the role of the fetal inflammatory response in scarless fetal wound healing, development of animal models of congenital anomalies, in utero correction of severe congenital malformations, and the study of endothelial-leukocyte and endothelial-tumor cell interactions with a goal to better understand the mechanisms of tumor metastasis.

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora

MAN TREKS FROM LAGOS TO ZARIA

A 26-year-old man, Tunde Agbaje, has reportedly trekked from the Ketu area of Lagos State to Zaria in Kaduna State.

According to a source, we learnt that Agbaje, who is the cousin of a former People’s Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje, went on the adventure to prove his love for a lady, Sharon Donald.

Our correspondent gathered that 26-year-old Donald is the daughter of a former governor of a state in the South-South and had recently travelled to New York, United States of America.

It was learnt that Agbaje and Donald had met in Ikoyi, Lagos State, and had been friends for the past six years, but she had turned down his marriage proposal several times.

Agbaje said he decided to trek to Zaria to prove his love for Donald, adding that he was on the road for 19 days.

The Lagos State indigene was reportedly received on Friday, October 21, by the Chief Security Officer of the Ahmadu Bello University, Col J.K. Tukur; and the protocol office of the Emir of Zaria.

He was later taken to a hospital where he was reportedly treated for the injuries he sustained during the trek, which was monitored by a GPS tracker.

Narrating how he met Donald, Agbaje said, “I was with my friends sometime in 2010 and while we were discussing about ladies, I said I wished God would just show me my wife anytime soon.

“About five minutes later, we were hungry and I went to get food on Awolowo Road. It was my first day at that eatery. I was waiting to be served when she walked in. Coincidentally, that day was also her first day there.  I observed that there was a love image at the back of the trousers she put on.

“She approached me and asked what she could buy and I advised her. We later exchanged contacts and became friends. That was how my love for her started growing. We met several times afterwards.”

Agbaje said some months later, he decided to open up on his feelings for Donald, but she turned him down.

He said he persisted, adding that when Donald didn’t bulge, he decided to do “what no man can do for her.”

“I chose to trek to Zaria because her parents dated for six years in ABU, Zaria, before they got married. I didn’t let my parents know and to ensure I was not disturbed, I changed my SIM card. I took a tracker along with me to monitor my movements. I never took a bus at any time. It was a tough task and I even collapsed some of the times. I took off from Ketu on October 2 and arrived in Zaria on Thursday, October 20, around 4.15pm.

“I have no regret for what I have done. I have proved my love for her, even though she didn’t reciprocate my feeling. I believe even if she gets married to another person, nobody will ever be able to do what I did for her,” Agbaje added.

Our correspondent was told that the CSO of ABU, Tukur, called Donald to ask if she was aware of Agbaje’s adventure, which she acknowledged.

She, however, didn’t state if she would accept his proposal.

The head of the protocol office of the Emir of Zaria, Mr. Abubakar Ladan, told our correspondent on the telephone that Agbaje was received at the palace. He added that the emir had stepped out when he arrived.

“I had a brief chat with him and after telling us his mission, we prayed for him and wished him the best,” he added.

When our correspondent contacted Donald, she said she knew Agbaje was embarking on the trek, adding that she warned him against it.

She said she had never had any relationship with him, describing him as a stalker.

She said, “Tunde (Agbaje) has been harassing and stalking me for the past six years and as far as I am concerned, this is just a new escapade in a series of his harassment.

“I met Tunde at a church when I was living in Lagos and we were both part of the youth ministry. He never had a friendship, let alone a relationship, with me. I was in a music group and some of the youths had my phone number, including him.

“He later found out where I lived and came to my house. My mum warned him to leave me alone, but he refused.   I changed my phone number and moved to the US, but I don’t know how he got my contact. I have stopped picking calls from Nigeria because of him.

 “He later called me and said he was going to trek to prove his love for me in a non-violent way and I told him not to do it because he could die. I said that not because I cared, but just for Christian charity. This guy is mentally unstable, because how can you still be stalking a woman who has turned you down for six years?”

Eagles need strong midfield against Algeria — Peters

Former  Flying Eagles  coach, James Peters, has said the Super Eagles need a strong  midfield to win the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier against Algeria in Uyo on November 12.

Peters, who praised the Eagles for beating Zambia 2-1 in their first World Cup qualifying match, believes  a  strong midfield  will help   Nigeria stop Algeria attackers from winning the game.

The former Super Falcons  coach said, “It is a good thing that the Eagles began with a victory against Zambia in their first match. It will take a lot of pressure off them  going into the second match against Algeria.”

“Beating Algeria at home will  help Nigeria to maintain their control of the  group. The match will be a very tough one and I believe that it can be won through a strong midfield.

“Our midfield against Zambia was quite good but they later gave in to pressure from the opponents. We cannot allow that to happen against Algeria because they have good midfielders who will be feeding their strikers well. A strong midfield will help the attackers score more goals.”

Peters added, “Our defenders were jittery against  Zambia  and that was  not a good sign for the team. Such a defence can concede more goals  against a strong team like Algeria.

“If the defence is  strengthened, the team’s aim of getting a win can be easily achieved.”

Militants refuse Buhari's meeting and attack pipeline

The Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate has attacked another crude oil delivery line at Effurun-Otor Ughelli South Council Area of Delta State to announce its rejection of Tuesday’s meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and some leaders of the region.

 The 32-inch pipeline, which is operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, was brought down by the militants at about 11.30pm on Saturday.

 Greenland Mandate said although it was desirous to negotiate with the Federal Government, it was not comfortable with some of the delegates in the Chief Edwin Clark-led Pan Niger Delta Forum.

 It had also threatened to attack oil facilities in the region if the Federal Government decided to go ahead with the proposed meeting because it did not trust members of the Clark committee.

A statement claiming responsibility for the attack by the militants’ spokesman, Aldo Agbalaja, said the war against oil facilities in the region would not end until the government engaged true representatives of the people in a genuine dialogue.

 According to the statement, “We are reiterating our unflinching belief that the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, being coordinated by E.K Clark, is a job and therefore can never get our support. Like we said before now, the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate is not opposed to a genuine dialogue between the Federal Government and the real representatives of the various ethnic groups of our region.”

  The militant group stated that it had commenced the collection of names from the ethnic nationalities whom they stressed would sincerely and equitably represent the people of the region in a genuine negotiation with the Federal Government.

Both the military and community sources confirmed the development to our correspondent when they were contacted on Sunday.

 Our security source said the military from the 23 Battalion in Agbarho-Otor were already scouting for those behind Saturday’s attack in Effurun-Otor.

But the spokesman for the Joint Task Force Codenamed Operation Delta Safe, Lt. Col. Olaolu  Daudu, when contacted at about 8.20pm on Sunday, could neither confirmed nor denied the attack but appealed to journalists to stop giving undue publicity to the activities of the militants.

Buhari never asked any judge to pervert poll judgment – Presidency

The Presidency, on Sunday, broke its silence on the allegations of inducement raised by two of the judges arrested recently, saying President Muhammadu Buhari would never authorise anybody to induce a judge to pervert the course of justice.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja.

That was the Presidency’s first official reaction to allegations by two of the embattled judges, who claimed that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, approached them allegedly on the instruction of the President to influence decisions on election cases.

A Justice of the Supreme Court, Sylvester Ngwuta, who was one of those arrested by the Department of State Services between October 7 and 8, had, in a letter dated October 18, 2016 and addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, alleged that Amaechi had impressed it upon him that the President was interested in the judgments of the Supreme Court on Ekiti and Rivers elections going in favour of the All Progressives Congress.

Another apex court Justice, John Okoro, had also claimed that Amaechi told him that the President and the APC mandated him to inform him (Okoro) that they must win the governorship election appeals in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia states at all cost.

But Shehu, in the statement, advised journalists and other Nigerians to stop linking Buhari to the travails of the judges.

“President Muhammadu Buhari would be the last person to authorise anybody to induce a judge to pervert the course of justice,” he said.

The presidential aide noted that despite his personal familiarity with some judges, the President never used that to seek favours from them in 2003, 2007 and 2011, when Buhari challenged the fairness of the presidential election results, from the lowest to the highest courts in the land.

I made you, 24 others billionaires – Obasanjo tells Alakija

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said on Saturday in Lagos that Africa’s richest woman by Forbes reckoning, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, was among the 25 billionaires he made during his tenure as President.
Obasanjo stated this at the 2016 Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum.
The former president was reacting to an allegation by Alakija, at the event, that the Obasanjo administration frustrated her effort when she ventured into oil business.
Alakija, who spoke before Obasanjo, alleged that his administration illegally took an oil block allocated to her company after her family had invested all its savings to strike oil in commercial quantity.

She said, “This oil block is in 5000 feet depth of water and was extremely difficult to explore.
“It took 15 years from the time that we were awarded the licence in 1993 till 2008 when we struck the first oil
“When this event happened, 60 per cent out of our 60 per cent equity in the business, was forcefully taken from us by the government of the day without due process.
“We had to fight back by going to court to seek redress and it took another 12 years for justice to be served in our favour.
“In all those years it was my trust in God, my perseverance and the support of my family that got me going.”
.
She used her experiences to charge the 2000 budding entrepreneurs at the event to be dogged, determined and not to give up in the face of challenges.
When Obasanjo spoke, the former president seized the opportunity to reply to the allegation by Alakija.
He said, “There is a saying in my part of the world that when a proverb touches you and you failed to reply, then you are a coward.”
Obasanjo explained that the action of the government then was in line with the Mining Act, which regulates oil prospection and exploration.
He said, “For you to come here and say that, for no cause whatsoever, you were denied what was rightfully yours, is not fair.
“I do not know you from Adam and there is no reason I would have denied you what rightfully belonged to you.
“So, you have struggled, and you have struck oil. God bless your heart.
“My delight is to be able to create Nigerian billionaire and I always say it that my aim, when I was in government was to create 50 Nigerian billionaires.
“Unfortunately I failed. I created only 25 and Madam, you are one of them.”
Obasanjo hailed the vision of Mr. Tony Elumelu for helping to build African young entrepreneurs with his resources.
He also urged the government to create conducive environment for people to move businesses into the country.
The former president urged government to relax its visa policy and company registration process to encourage investors.
He said the government should create certification centres in the country for easy exportation of agro processed products.
The President of Sierra Leone, Bai Koroma, noted that what transpired between Obasanjo and Alakija was part of the challenges and difficulties that leaders lived with in the discharge of their duties.
With limited resources competing for unlimited demands and expectations from the people, leaders were seen to be larger than life, he said.
Koroma also commended Elumelu for his project for African young entrepreneurs adding that his vision resonated with a new Africa development agenda.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said on Saturday in Lagos that Africa’s richest woman by Forbes reckoning, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, was among the 25 billionaires he made during his tenure as President.
Obasanjo stated this at the 2016 Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum.
The former president was reacting to an allegation by Alakija, at the event, that the Obasanjo administration frustrated her effort when she ventured into oil business.
Alakija, who spoke before Obasanjo, alleged that his administration illegally took an oil block allocated to her company after her family had invested all its savings to strike oil in commercial quantity.
She said, “This oil block is in 5000 feet depth of water and was extremely difficult to explore.
“It took 15 years from the time that we were awarded the licence in 1993 till 2008 when we struck the first oil
“When this event happened, 60 per cent out of our 60 per cent equity in the business, was forcefully taken from us by the government of the day without due process.
“We had to fight back by going to court to seek redress and it took another 12 years for justice to be served in our favour.
“In all those years it was my trust in God, my perseverance and the support of my family that got me going.”
.
She used her experiences to charge the 2000 budding entrepreneurs at the event to be dogged, determined and not to give up in the face of challenges.
When Obasanjo spoke, the former president seized the opportunity to reply to the allegation by Alakija.
He said, “There is a saying in my part of the world that when a proverb touches you and you failed to reply, then you are a coward.”
Obasanjo explained that the action of the government then was in line with the Mining Act, which regulates oil prospection and exploration.
He said, “For you to come here and say that, for no cause whatsoever, you were denied what was rightfully yours, is not fair.
“I do not know you from Adam and there is no reason I would have denied you what rightfully belonged to you.
“So, you have struggled, and you have struck oil. God bless your heart.
“My delight is to be able to create Nigerian billionaire and I always say it that my aim, when I was in government was to create 50 Nigerian billionaires.
“Unfortunately I failed. I created only 25 and Madam, you are one of them.”
Obasanjo hailed the vision of Mr. Tony Elumelu for helping to build African young entrepreneurs with his resources.
He also urged the government to create conducive environment for people to move businesses into the country.
The former president urged government to relax its visa policy and company registration process to encourage investors.
He said the government should create certification centres in the country for easy exportation of agro processed products.
The President of Sierra Leone, Bai Koroma, noted that what transpired between Obasanjo and Alakija was part of the challenges and difficulties that leaders lived with in the discharge of their duties.
With limited resources competing for unlimited demands and expectations from the people, leaders were seen to be larger than life, he said.
Koroma also commended Elumelu for his project for African young entrepreneurs adding that his vision resonated with a new Africa development agenda.

Barack Obama's brother slams him and Hillary Clinton on Twitter, says he will vote for Trump

US President, Barack Obama's brother Malik Obama announced that he has been verified on Twitter and took several digs at his half brother, Barack, he called him a liar and claimed that Barack mistreated his mother when she visited the White House. He also accused Hillary Clinton and her campaign of lying and deceiving the American people. Asking people to vote for Trump. Read his tweets after the cut...