Bola Sonola (The Genie) was born on 31st October in London. A proud Scorpio and an avid Arsenal fan, Genie started his foray into the radio broadcast industry when he was still in school at the University of Jos where he studied Mass Communication. He was influenced to go for an audition by his late friend, McArthur Fom, an actor in the then popular television soap “Behind The Clouds”, where he made a few cameo appearances. Genie got the job and became one of the pioneering radio hosts of the radio station and an instant hit with the listeners. After 2 years on the station he decided he wanted to return to London.

During his stay in London, he did a few stints at some community radio stations, and worked as a Foreign Correspondent for Rhythm FM in the Lekki area of Lagos. Afterwards he was homesick and he decided he wanted to come back to Nigeria. He joined Classic FM in May of 2009 and March 2010 joined Smooth 98.1 FM where he felt was home for him. He has interviewed some of the world’s famous stars like 112, Jennifer Lopez, Tyrese, Vesta Williams, Deborah Cox, Chaka Khan, Next, TQ, TLC, TOTAL, Faith Evans, and Queen Pen.

Genie, whose aim is to make Smooth 98.1 FM globally known and is making headway there, has also interviewed Donnell Jones, Teddy Riley and Blackstreet, Rena Scott, Femi Temowo, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Angela Johnson, Gerald Albright, Richard Bona, Mike Stern, and Pamela Williams on Smooth FM.

In an interview with City People’s General Editor WOLE ALAKIJA and his Showbiz Reporter DANIJI EMMANUEL, Genie spoke extensively on his journey into radio and all that surrounds his nick “The Genie” and his success as a recognized veteran broadcaster. Enjoy Excerpts.

For the sake of your fans, tell us a little about yourself

My name is Bola Sonola, I am from Abeokuta. I think my foray into broadcasting started when my late father used to record a lot of foreign radio programs on cassettes when he travels and play them in his car. He would be bumping his head to them like he was listening to a foreign radio station while he was driving in Lagos. I got my first taste of radio in 1989. Then I was in Jos and the late McArthur Fom. He said I had this fantastic voice and he believed I was going to be good for radio. He took to the program director of this new radio station that they wanted to start in Jos and when I got there, they had about 3000 presenters that were waiting to be auditioned. As they say, 13 is a lucky number, I happened to be the 13^th person chosen out of the 13 presenters needed. It was Radio Plateau 2 then, which is now called Peace FM.

How did you come about the name “The Genie”?

Then I was in the university and it was a part-time thing for me with the radio station. I remember when it was time to choose programs to be presented by the OAPs, I was in Abuja then and by the time I got to the radio station, programs had already started so I opened the door and peered inside and the program director was there and he said “look at him and how he is popping his head like a Genie out of a bottle. That’s how the name THE GENIE came to be for me. While at the station, my friend the Late McArthur Fom also lured me into acting in the then popular TV Soap, Behind the Clouds and it was fun for me. I made a few cameo appearances but I had to pull out because I couldn’t combine all 3, Schooling, Radio and Acting.

How were you able to follow the transition/ascension of radio over the decades?

When we started radio in Jos, it was about the number at the time. The station played more music and that was what people wanted to hear and the radio program director was also very good. But radio has changed from then to today, most of the so called On Air Personalities are more concerned about the glamour than the basics of presentation. They didn’t go through any basic training and always want their faces known. You’ll catch most of them on the Red Carpet or at events.

Did you go through any form of training?

I studied Mass Communication in Jos. My major was Film Production and I never thought I was going to be a Radio Presenter. Most of my friends who we graduated from school together are now into movie production. Steve Coker just made the movie 93 Days and he has been calling me to come back to movie.

How were you able to convey your career from Jos to Lagos?

What happened was, after the Nosa died, we spent some few nights together before I came to Lagos, and I remember him asking “What happens to Behind the Clouds after I die” and we kept telling him that death is not something you talk about like that. After his death, my joy for radio fizzled away and I came to Lagos in December 1989 and I said I was not going to go back to Radio. So I went into PR just for a bit and I joined Union Bank, after that I joined a production outfit. It was called Achaka films. I was with them for a few months and I then left for England in 1990.

People want to know how you got your accent

I was born and bred in England before coming back to Nigeria. After spending some years in Nigeria I decided to go back to England and there I spent 17 years in England where I was coming and going in-between the time.

Shuffling between Nigeria and London and making a mark in Smooth FM, what’s the big story?

What happened was, a good friend of mine, Joseph Akinyemi Johnson – JAJ brought me in and I started doing some shows, a Music show which was broadcasted Live and that was the year my daughter was born and the following year I said I had had enough and I went back to London. There I had a short stint with a community radio station in London, Climax FM 92.9, I then decided to work with London underground, I worked there for 12 years, I was the station manager before I left. The closest thing to radio there that I did was to Announce. That was how the feel to come back to radio started. I returned back to Nigeria in December 2007 and I decided to take some time off, that was what I told them at the office, 6 months off work. I finally made up my mind that I wasn’t going back to London and I told them at the office in 2008. At that time, I had almost exhausted all the money I brought with me and I started looking for work. I went to different stations, Cool FM, Eko FM, Radio Continental and they all were looking at me like “who are you”. I returned to Cool FM and met Chris Obosi and he said they were about to start a new station and that I should stay in touch. One day I was sitting in my room and a friend of mine called me and said he was listening to this new station and he thinks that is where I should be. So I called Chris and asked if they had started the new station and he said yes, gave me the address and told me to come. It was Classic FM. I went there everyday spending 12 hours from 10am to 10pm without been paid. So after about 2 months, they considered bringing me on board and asked how much I would like to be paid. After much deliberation, they came down on the fee and I started. So they asked what I was going to call my show and I told tem I am calling it the Reminisce. It’s a show that reminisce about the past and we would be playing old school songs from the past. And I would also be bringing old heads on the show to talk about their most memorable old school moments and songs. They asked who I would be bringing on the show first and I told them I would call Segun Arinze and Yinka Davies and they were skeptical that I should not call them because they felt they wouldn’t come on the show and I shouldn’t announce that I was bringing them on the show. As God would have it, I called Segun Arinze and Yinka Davies that I had started this new radio program and I would love for them to come on the show. I contacted them both just in case one doesn’t pull through, the other would. They both pulled through and I started the show and it was very lovely. They both knew each other and they made the show lively. I turned it into a Red Corner, Blue Corner Old school interactive program and the station started to take notice. They started to believe that if I could pull off such feat, that I definitely was somebody. The MD called me after a while and told me he had been listening to my Weekend shows and he would love to have me on the weekdays, and that was how I started working 7 days in a week before I requested that I get Thursday off.

How did you get to be in Smooth FM?

I was at Classic FM for a total of 7 Months and Smooth FM started their test transmission in November 2009 and I listened to them and I said this is good and I loved the way they sounded. They sounded classical and a friend of mine called again and dragged me into his car and said I should be in Smooth FM. When I got there, the guy in the radio looked at me and apparently they had been listening to me and loved my program. I was actually wearing a Classic FM T-Shirt. They took me on a tour and later introduced me to the Late Kirk Anthony and I had known Kirk from the past, we met once and had been talking. At the time Kirk was with Choice FM, London this was in March 1990, I heard him on radio and I loved his voice and I called him and asked him if he does Voice Over and he said no, so I went to see him and convinced him that his voice could make him some good money via Voice Over. He tried it and made a voice over for a Jamaican Rum Advert and that was how he started. After a while we lost contact. I met him in 1990 and I didn’t see him till 2010. When he met he introduced himself as Derik and said he worked with Choice FM and I was like wow! Because I knew a guy who works with Choice FM from way back who I advised to do voice overs and he did. Derik was shocked and asked if I was the one who advised him back then and I asked if he was Kirk and that was how we connected again and so on… He is now late, The Late Derik Kirk Anthony. I resigned with Classic FM and started with Smooth FM. That’s the big story.

Share with us your first radio experience on air with Smooth FM

My first show on Smooth FM was on a Friday, Kirk was doing the Drive Time show and he introduced me in via his show as a new addition to the Smooth Family and that was how I started. I started at 8’O Clock and after 30 Minutes I told them I had a guest on the show who we would be interviewing and people kept buzzing and praising me. At around Midnight when the show was about to end, the MD of the radio station walked in and told me since I started my show, his phone hadn’t stopped ringing. That was it for me.

Any plan to return to Film/Movie?

I do have plans going back to film. It has always been my first love. I have a script for the past 8 to 10 years which I have been sitting upon but I felt we didn’t have all the necessary things to shoot a good and standard movie. But with this new Nollywood, we have improved and I just might be a part of it pretty soon.

What’s the line between Presenters from the time of JAJ and new OAPS today?

I think a lot of the new OAPs don’t really know JAJ. JAJ started a very long time, 1979. I used to listen to him and a whole lot of other veterans back in the days. The likes of JAJ, Manny Omonomu, Patrick Oke and so on. This people were passionate and articulate about their job unlike some of the new OAPs today who are only concerned about the Glamour and Social Media of these days.

What’s your daily routine for a week?

I spend a lot of times in the studio. I am head of Director for music in the station and most times this keeps me in the station for a longer time. I live on the Mainland I shuttle between both the Mainland and the Island. I sometimes cover up for those on leave and most times I sleep in the station. It’s a big task but I love it.

The post Exclusive: Smooth 98.1 FM’s The Genie Speaks On His 27 Years Experience As A Broadcaster appeared first on CityPeople Magazine Nigeria | Nigerian Celerbrities | Entertainment | Stars.

When the news broke about a month ago that the Gbegande of Ososa, Alaiyeluwa Oba Dr. M.A. Alatishe will be 60 on October 1st, many didn’t believe the news. This is because this tall and ruggedly handsome Moscow trained Medical Doctor does not look an inch 60. Though the young doctor of yesteryears nicknamed PAMA then, has matured, by virtue of his role as a Royal Father, he is still his trendy self.

Last Saturday, he clocked 60 and had a birthday party to celebrate it in the sleepy Ijebu town of Ososa, a few minutes from Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, where he superintends.

Left to his royal majesty, he would not have celebrated his birthday but as the day drew near friends and family members mounted pressure on him to mark it. What made him yield was when a friend of his told him you will only turn 60 once, so why not celebrate.

He accepted. Before the party, he spoke to City People Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE about his new life at 60.

How do you feel at 60?                    

It is very, very significant, truly. At 60 you start to feel the pains of getting old. It is a period you can call half way for most people. For me it is more of trying to put a legacy down. Beyond being an Oba we need to put a legacy down for our youth. All my life I have always concentrated on the youth because I know of my own mentors who helped us, who supported us.

When I say this, I quickly remember people like Otunba Subomi Balogun, the founder of FCMB. When he was about this age, I was his personal physician in Ijebu. And I know how the man used to call me then to ask for my opinion, not necessarily medical opinion. And over those years I have been conditioned to think and act like that. So, when I became an Oba it was easy for me also. That is why I am always having youths around me and I impact on their lives, moreso at this time in the life of our country when things are a bit tough.

We constantly need to reassure them that things will get better. And that there is a lot of hope in this country. Join that with the role of being a traditional ruler than you can begin to understand the enormity of my responsibilities.

When you look back at the last 6 years of your reign, how do you see the experience?

It’s 6 years already but it just looks like 6 days ago. We thank God we have achieved a lot of things. Yet it still feels like it was just a few days ago that we came here. When you look at Ososa before 2010 and now we must give thanks to God for how we were able to change the mindset of our people.

When we came in we met a set of people suffering from what I call   Poverty of the mind syndrome and there was Anger all over the place. Our people were really annoyed not just with themselves but with their leaders. But we thank God all that is history now. We have taken care of all that anger. We have had so many conflict resolution sessions over the years. So far so good.

The mindset of our people has totally and significantly changed. Now, we love ourselves. Nobody is seriously looking to harm the other person. Most of the struggle for land has reduced significantly. Now, I can sleep with my two eyes closed. The sons and daughters of Ososa, all over the world are very happy with what we are doing, particularly over the projects, we have been able to do since I came in.

We now have a befitting palace. There was no palace before now, until I came. Now, we have built a very beautiful palace, to the glory of God and mankind. We also have this our annual dance, our annual Ojude-Oba that we do. We have all been doing things together, particularly with our Quarter Chiefs. I am very, very proud of our Quarter Chiefs. I have absolute loyalty and cooperation from all of them. We have 7 major Quarter Chiefs. That is why Ososa is called Ilu Oloshe Meje. There are other sub-quarters after this 7 quarters and everybody is working together.

What’s your typical day and week like? How do you kill boredom in Ososa?

There is no boredom. I have a lot to do. I combine a lot majorly because I am still a young person. So I do a little bit of business. My area of interest in Construction which I started when I was in government as a politician. Don’t forget that I was Council Chairman. At some point in my career, I developed interest in Construction. And by the special grace of God, I have an estate that is developing within the vicinity of Ososa here.

So on a regular basis, I go to the estate to make sure that the estate is developing the way we planned it. I see to the welfare of my clients and workers and occupants.

Apart from that, traditionally, I have to take a group of women on a 5 day basis. They go to the shrine to appease the gods and find out what is happening, if all is well. They do that every 5 days, come rain or sunshine. So, I have programmed that in my schedule such that by the time they go very early in the morning I xxx myself available.

Unless I travel abroad I am always there to receive them. They come they say their prayers, they commune with the gods and they tell me what the gods have said. And I have to cut accordingly.

Then, I also attend to ordinary palace issues, when people come in with their problems, majorly woman having issues with their husbands. Though, that has drastically reduced, we use to have cases like that almost on a daily basis but all that has reduced.

I am now looking into the development of infrastructure, like roads, markets, hospital, our health centres here has been upgraded. When I came in, we did the Doctor’s Quarters. We did Nurses Quarters. Presently I have a NYSC Doctor there that I pay a stipend to on daily basis so that the guy can be happy. The young guy also benefits from the experience of a senior colleague. Sometimes, I also go there to consult and advice him accordingly.

We also have a new market now. Our people came out to participate in it. Everybody came and got plots and they are building it. Pretty soon we would commission the market. Security situation has approved Ososa now can boast of factories.

Alhaji Adegunwa has brought Rite Food Industry here. It is a very big industry. A lot of our youths have been taken off the streets to work there. They are now gainfully employed. We have Tai Farm Industry that is into majorly cassava processing. They are also part and panel of the town. They are into cooperating, collaborating.  Recently, we rehabilitated the roads in Ososa because we had so many pot holes.

This we did in collaboration with Tai Farms. There are other small cottage industries. There are plam kernel industries by Sobaloju of Ososa. There is Apata Block industries. All kinds of things are going on. I am particularly happy with the young people because the young men are now gainful employed those of them who are into transport are doing very well. Those of them who are into farming are also doing very well. It has gotten to a stage now that people are even coming from Lagos to Ososa to farm, to seek for land for farming. So, all that is going on. So, 24 hours is basically not enough to do all that.

The post ‘Life In Ososa Has Become Better Than I Met It’- Ososa King, Oba Alatise appeared first on CityPeople Magazine Nigeria | Nigerian Celerbrities | Entertainment | Stars.

A visit to his house off Isa Kaita Road, Malali along GRA,  Kaduna shows no sign of affluence or of someone who lives big despite being a former Governor of the state “I am not a greedy person, I am living comfortably well according to my needs” he tells City People’s Kaduna Correspondent, Asabe Ndoma. A leading member of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) Balarabe Musa bears his mind on current national issues i.e Recession, calls for restructuring and governance, saying the government of President Buhari is “non focused and a self seeking administration” who are more interested in self servicing and personal approval than alleviating the suffering of all Nigerians, but will rather pay lip service to the plight of the people. At 80 and still going strong he said those calling for restructuring are  promoting self interest above public interest. 

He also disclosed that being a farmer has kept him very active while engaging in a healthy lifestyle. Read on!

What has kept you going?

Well, I am a farmer so I am always on the move, and then, I live comfortably,  so these are the most responsible factors for what you asked me.

You still live like a common man and not in a state of affluence?

Yes that is what I mean by comfort.

So now you don’t put yourself into unnecessary stress or pressure?

I avoid it, I can tell you what ever the pressure it takes me not up to 15minutes before I sleep. And I sleep at least 7hours daily, so you can see my state of mind.

Even with the hardship and recession, you are still at peace with yourself?

Of course.

Now that we are in recession, the economy is not doing well, and as a statesman, what advise will you give government?

That is the root cause of recession, recession implies that social economic & political system controlling development in the country and its political leadership are based first on self interest and secondly on public interest.  Perhaps the question to ask ourselves first of all is what is the root cause of the recession,

So what is the way forward?

The way forward is to change the social economic and political system controlling all development in the country and the political leadership produced by the system. As I said, most of  it are based on self interest first, public interest second or even incidental. Now I will give you history as justification for what I said, before 1970 the policy, the system in Nigerian Government was largely based on public interest first and enlighten self interest second and since 1982 during the Shagari tenure, the system was gradually systematically changed into the other side, that is self-interest first and public interest second or incidental. Shagari started it  the  hostility where government spent less on public service. And now it has led to a worse situation, a clear leading role of private-public leading role as opposed to leading role of the state and the economy to ensure peace, equality, justice, dignity of the human person and progressive development. And there is no doubt about this now. Today the Senate President who represents the other side of Government came openly and agrees with the president on the policy of the leading role of the oil sector in the economy.

Look at the suffering now in Nigeria, look at the recession and then you are calling on the parasitic private sector to take control of the economy of the country, what do you expect?

So what you are saying now is that this move by the Government is a very wrong move?

It a very wrong move, the Government has consistently been told this, since that initiative by leading role of the economy started particularly in 1982 when Shagari for the first time started this exploitative hostility measure.

You don’t seem to be in agreement with most of the policies of the present government?

Of course, am not in support.

Why sir?

Because if you can remember the President was elected by 15million Nigerians out of 70 million register voters. So he is somebody who emerged in a situation of apathy so you can say it is a minority Government. In a situation which demand for a strong leadership base on moral and constitutional authority. Now there is constitutional authority because he was elected no doubt about it but there was moral deficiency in the sense the quality of the voting was low 15million out of 70million so the President ought to be more careful than he is now.

But there are some areas that he should be commended like fighting corruption and insecurity?

Well take the case of Corruption and insecurity he made both of them the most important three policies of his government or when he was campaigning. But take the case of corruption, in what way has the anti-corruption war really affected the attitude of Nigerians towards corruption, not at all. No significant person has been probed prosecuted and effectively punished for corruption. And now you can easily say the government is led by people who do not have clean records as far as corruption is concerned except in the case of the president himself and so on.

Some people have said that his ministers are afraid to tell him the truth because they might be sacked?

He deliberately chose people who will always say yes sir, and according to our analyses right from  time, steps were taken to compose the Government that is to appoint the ministers and other chief executives but we saw this clearly coming up. We saw an attempt to go to a rally and choose ministers and other Chief Executives and I saw quite clearly out of those nominated after waiting for so long we didn’t see those that have the necessary qualification to be ministers. Buhari should have chosen people who are articulate, you don’t just bring in any body. It must be somebody who has a track record so that immediately he is mentioned, everybody will say oh yes he can make it. This was not the case except in case of four of the ministers. All the others were virtually unknown people  he wanted to give a chance to help.

What advise will you give Government so that the country can come out of recession?

First of all the recession is the rebirth of a lot of negative factors including the level of unity of government in the country and the first thing is to reconcile Nigeria so that the pursue for National Unity and development of the whole country comes first, any other thing second.

Secondly, deal decisively with this disenabling level of corruption, stealing and criminal waste of resources. Look before 1970 nobody could steal even a kobo and get away with it but what is the position

now, with this position how can you achieve any progress in the country.

Are you also suggesting we go back to Agriculture?

Of course, not just agriculture alone but let us have a balance industrial structure, we cant ignore oil because oil has kept us for so long so we can’t ignore it but we should diversity, it return to agriculture and create opportunities in other sectors of the economy like mineral.

Some people also say the government has no strong economic team, what do you think?

The Government has no economic team at all because the team is made of public officials what should be is that the people ought to be independent. For instance the private sector should play a reasonable role. Those patriotic Nigerians should be there, but at the moment now it is just a committee of Government officials it is not independent under the Vice-President. The economic team needs to be independent of the Government to tell the President the state of the economy that doesn’t stop the Government from having it’s own subcommittee.

So coming to Kaduna State, How would you rate El-Rufai’s Government?

NO, no, I do not comment on home matters I leave that for others in my party to do, we should concentrate on National affairs. Except where there is a critical situation.

Now some people have called on restructuring of Nigeria, what is your take on that?

Yes I support restructuring but you see, different people have different ideas about restructuring and some of the ideas are so negative, some of the ideas are based on ethnic sovereignty which means we have four hundred ethnic entities in Nigeria otherwise let us have four hundred sovereignties. This is negative, there are some who simply because of this problem of National understanding feel that the North decides everything in the affairs of the country and this North has to be stopped and the only way to do that is to split Nigeria using restructuring but there are restructuring which is necessary because Nigeria has developed over a period of one hundred years and it needs renewal.

Secondly, things are changing throughout the world and we should take advantage of changes in the world to change the structure. For example

our experience has shown us that we should go back to our regional arrangement we had before the military came. Before the military came Nigeria had five viable units, four regional governments and all the five were viable. We have less resources in the country. Sadly Nigeria is not an organized economy   but it is the richest in terms of what it have. So we can afford to create viable units inform of regions that can take care of themselves without the federal Government  they only need the federal government in two areas to lead in bringing about national unity, to lead in bringing about balanced economic development, in that way resources in terms of allocation for a moment is wrong and not good for national unity and balance economy with the Federal Government taking so much. Now what advise will you give, for curbing farmers’ herdsmen clashes? Well, a responsible government, the body language of the president alone can stop this.

Are you in support of steps taken by Government to stop Niger Delta aggression?

I think the measures relies too much on force, and it will not succeed because of two reasons. One, you are dealing with fellow Nigerians, you can’t destroy them without destroying Nigeria. Secondly, they have a case, they may be misusing it but they have a case, the first case is as a result of living in the area as a result of oil, their lives being destroyed in many ways and government should take note .

So you will suggest dialogue?

Yes, we have seen what dialogue have done in spite of his weakness, Umaru Ya’adua’s dialogue brought peace for everybody including the Niger Delta.  But now that the Federal Government has allowed the continuation of killing of the resources made available for the development of the area, its impunity.

Also promises were made to the people of the area as a result of the Umaru Ya’adua led dialogue and the government has not come out to say otherwise. So they have a case.

So what time do you make out to go to the farm and stay with family?

I am always on the farm. Every day after 10 o’clock am on the farm and return around 6pm but I have stopped it now because am getting old. Am now 80 years old so I can do what I used to do.

What kind of food do you enjoy most?

I like fura, and I take a lot of Vegetables, Fruits and Meat a lot.

So what will you want to be remembered for?

I have done what I ought to do, that’s all.

The post “At 80, I Still Go To Farm Daily At 10am” – At Home With Ex-Kaduna Governor, Balarabe Musa appeared first on CityPeople Magazine Nigeria | Nigerian Celerbrities | Entertainment | Stars.

• Reveals How He Set Up His Church 14 Yrs Ago

Talk of a man of God who is brilliant and deep in his reflections about life and Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe’s name will pop up anytime. This is because this young Minister of God decided to pull himself up as a young man from extreme poverty and with determination and focus, he single handedly built his ministry into the big church it is today.

He is a prophet by calling, and a seasoned and anointed teacher of the word. He is known for his undiluted and life applicable teaching and preaching of God’s words. He is the presiding shepherd of Celestial Church of Christ, Genesis Model Parish located at Alakuko area of Lagos. He is not only a prophet who believes in the potency of the word, he is a life coach who challenges people to succeed in every sphere of life. He has dynamic gifting to combine his calling as a prophet, coach and teacher. He has been a Cele pastor now for 14 years and he set up his Genesis Model Parish about 6 years ago to be different. He will always tell you that he belongs to the white garment church to add value to what he met. So, in his church he does a lot of things different, that is why his prophetic ministry has touched so many lives.

He readily tells anyone who cares to listen that having come from a humble background helped him grow up fast. Like he used to say, I have been through the University of Adversity and I grew up poor so I learnt a lot of hand lessons. Last week, City People Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE and ISAAC ABIMBADE spent 3 hours with this man of God, learning a lot about the story of his life and his church.

How did you discover your purpose?

The first thing that gave me grace to discover my purpose was when I gave my life to Christ, that was in 1999 because I was born into a Muslim family and my parents gave their life to Christ and before my late father went to be with the Lord, he was a Deacon and my mother is still a Deaconess in the Christ Apostolic Church. I discovered my purpose when I realised I came to the world for something and that is to add value to my generation. Two days are important in one’s life, the day you came into the world and the day you are discovered what you are called for. I believe God said go to the world be fruitful and multiply, and then I know how to be purpose driven and values driven. Purpose driven is when I know what God created me for. As a Prophet I need to add value to people and I need to see myself as a light of the world. So, I believe my coming to the world as a light, I need to discover danger, I need to determine people’s direction, as a Prophet and I need to lead myself before leading people.

How did you know pastoring is your calling? Did you see any sign or message?

The purpose of a Prophet is not to Pastor, if the purpose of the Prophet is to lead people, direct people, tell people the mind of God and Prophets are not trained, Prophets are born from the womb, Prophets are not made. What happened between God and Jeremiah? From the womb, God has made Jeremiah a Prophet, that is why some people have got that spirit, many of them are reading what I am saying now, some of them are Prophets because your mind will tell you this is going to happen and sometimes when you work towards it, it is going to happen but we have deep, deeper and deepest level of gifts. If God now want to make it a thing that would announce you to the world, He would give you extra ordinary gift that would be different from what others are seeing. When I started I never said I was going to be a shepherd, I never like Celestial Church and when I was in the church I used to play instrument for them, and there was a time I went trance for 7 days, fasting for 7 days, then I begin to reveal things to people what God is telling you about people, Nigeria. And when I started, God started showing me things and when I tell them it will become a reality. Sometimes, I am just going to say it and it will become a reality and people now started running after me, I was actually trying to go back to school so that I will become a Banker because I wasn’t opportuned to go to school. Even my secondary school, I failed, I had 3 passes. I was trying to gain admission to the University of Ife but there was no opportunity. I went to Universal College of Technology, hoping I was going to make my result but that didn’t happen. So I moved out of my Parents house to Ife because my entire mates gained admission and it became a thing of shame to me. I was in Alagbado then, we moved from Oshodi to Alagbado and we started living in this bush then. And I went there to Ife. I used to play for Gbenga Falope, I used to play instrument and nobody trained me all that, I just realised something like that would happen and I would know how to play this instrument, I will just watch it and I will start doing it. When I moved there, I started going to lecture theatre with them. I was actually had the passion of thing of becoming a Lawyer or becoming a Banker but trust me there was no money to send me to school. So I couldn’t go and as now believe in personal development because I have passion for learning. I believe when you learn, you earn, that is my mentality. Just when you are loaded, you will be needed. When I started the ministry as a Celestial and people now started rushing for prophesy, and I have never charge anybody.

We were on a plot of land and we had to move to another bigger plot of land, one acre of land that we are now, and the church is growing from one glory to another but I believe every prophet are made from the womb, that is when you now discover what you are created for, when you have passion for it, then you have result. When you have passion for it, a lot of people will insult you but your result will terminate your insults.

How did your parents take your transition from one level to another?

Because they brought us up in the way of the Lord. When I moved to Celestial Church, people started mocking my parents but my mum and my dad said since we serve one God and he is not bringing shame back to the family, he has been adding value to the family since he went there, Let’s leave him and see what God is going to do. But they told me I shouldn’t do anything on the contradictory with the will of God, that I should remember where I came from.

So, I believe so much in the fasting and prayers and that has been what has been bringing out results, like people looking for the fruit of the womb, a lot of people now start travelling. Being a youth, I love music, I love a lot of people around me. So, at times I will tell them let’s fast for 3 days, for 7 days, we fasted together and there will be result. I so much believe in the mental picture of my future that I am going to be great. Believing that my dad told me that any day you add anything to God, even as a Celestial, his God will disgrace me. So the fear has been there, I shouldn’t charge anybody that whatever if I believe in the kingdom the addition will follow. So when I started I used to sleep in the church, I used to sleep on the floor, people that I have assisted will just come and say you are not supposed to sleep on the floor, they would buy me mattress, you are not supposed to sit on the floor buy me chairs. I was living in a rented apartment before I moved to the bigger land we got.

I always have a mentality for expansion that you don’t limit yourself, you don’t allow people’s interruption to affect your destination, you don’t allow your foundation or where you are from or what others are going through to affect your destination.

I am a voracious reader, I got a lot of books I read, books written by Mike Murdock, Pastor Ashimolowo, I have read parable of dollars, and all that. That has given me that mentality to be optimistic that it’s not about church, it’s about choice because your choice determines where you go. If you want to be a failure it’s your choice, if you want to be successful it’s your choice. So I started building myself having the perception that I am going to be great in future. Can you imagine this my house, all these area I used to serve them as labourer, even this house then, the major owner of this house I have served him, I have given them cement then but when God did it for me, one of the people I used to serve said he would like to buy a house for me around here and lo and behold when they paid for the land, I remember it was a house I have served before, now I am the landlord. So, most of these Landlords around there that used to send me water, send me to help them pack things for their foundations, now we have time to do Landlord Association meeting together, that is why I believe there is no story God can’t change if you are connected to God and honest to God and your hands are cleaned.

When you set up Genesis Church, what were the things you had in mind and have you been able to achieve it?

It’s 14 years now but we moved to the big land now six years, I would say six years because all what I went through the former place, I met a lot of people who never believed in my vision, I met lots of people who are traditional in their mentality, that no, this is not how Celestial Church is supposed to be.

I used to go on television, I stopped going on television because I said I don’t want to believe its television that is bringing people to church. And I realised that when your vision is good, your vision will help you to show on television and discover that your popularity should not be more than your peculiarity. I started believing myself, building myself, studying. When you get to my room now, I don’t have altar, I don’t have anything, all I have is my library, and my bed and that is all.

I am not going to leave the church because people are condemning the church. So I believe in my vision that I am going to be great. I am going to be in church because I am supposed to be a plus and not suppose to be a cross.

We are over 3,000, close to 4,000 now and we do 2 services. Some believe it’s just Fuji or Juju, no! it’s teaching, studying all my mentors and I have been applying what I learn from them. We have youths in our church, we do marriage seminars, and we do conferences. What has really increased the church is miracle, I am not always about miracles but sometimes when God just want to elevate you He will do the unbelievable for people to endorse you. This year we have got 97 people who have been able to get American visa and there’s nothing I do, I just pray, touch their passports and just say go. I just believe maybe God is only using that to compensate my family because I was born without a silver spoon.

The trouble was much, the suffering was much. The house God has been able to use me to rebuild for my parents was a house nobody would ever see before and say good people are living in this house but thank God for today. It so painful I have lost my dad 3 months ago. I have faced so many challenges, confrontation, people assassinating my character, that where is he from. I tell everybody in the church to donate baby’s things and we share it for them, and people from the family will now come to join the church. I have children I have adopted, we give scholarship to people, then we do youth program and like this we do concert, we do business seminar, we have leadership school.

It’s been one level of glory to another but I have always been telling people that if you want a new level expect a new devil.

Can you break it down?

New level brings a new devil because sometimes you don’t pray against enemy, enemy would self push you. Problem would come to your life as one thing, problem would come for you to discover yourself. I mean, challenges will come for you to discover yourself, challenges will come for you to discover people, and challenges will come for you to discover God. If you don’t have a problem you won’t know who you are, you won’t know you can do what expect you cannot do, you won’t know you are up to the task because you still have some people who are problem solver. Problem would make you discover people around you. If you don’t have a problem you won’t know that the people you are trusting are not your friends, if I am lying ask Jesus and Judas, if I am lying ask Peter and Jesus, who denied Jesus when problem came. Problem would make you know your God, that I have nobody let me now get connected to my God. So, anytime you want a new level expect a new devil.

We have internal devil and external devil, sometime your wife might be your devil, that would make you discover who you are as a man. And what is the meaning of Man? Morning, Afternoon and Night (MAN).

While you were growing up did you feel unhappy that you didn’t have all what your mates had?

I didn’t feel bad about it because I was not able to see those who had, because where we lived in Oshodi, we were like 34 people living in a building and we use pit toilet. So, I have not seen people enjoying for me to know the difference of enjoyment. It’s from one level of poverty to another, one level of wretchedness to another. A room where we started from we had about 8 people because my father went to the village and bring all his brothers and my mother happened to be so accommodating.

My father used to assure me that tomorrow would be good. My brother is gospel artiste now and he works with OnTV. The language of my dad is let’s endure to enjoy. That time, if we eat rice in my family even till will move to Alagbado it would be on Christmas day, if we eat rice now it would be next Christmas. When I got to my room and I saw I had like 70 shoes and I started crying, somebody came and said why are you crying and I said I remember when I wore one shoe for 5 years, I remember when I wore one jean for 4 years.

I remember when my friend gained admission and now some of them are looking for how I can link them up with people that will help them. I remember a day when I was going to America I saw a cleaner at the Airport and said Dele is this you? I said yes! Because I remember there was a time he drove me out of his house in the night, that landlord was complaining and I left that house around 12 O’clock, I slept in one condemned car overnight but the day I was going to the US and he saw some people escorting me, I remember then he started crying, I gave him money. Thank God, he was a devil that pushed me. Today I have been able to affect people’s life because I never believe God is going to be so good to me like this.

I believe I have not started, I believe I have not got anything. Sometimes, some people give me car I use for revivals, some people have given me cars I have used for crusade. The first time I went to the UK was like a dream. I have been to America like almost every month, from one Pentecostal Church to another. Then I remember when I used to look at aeroplane, I say God when would this happen? The first achievement I appreciate most is when I sent my mother, my father to Jerusalem last year, there are so strong in Christ Apostolic Church that they don’t believe in anything of this world expect Jerusalem and when my father came from Jerusalem, he said he just came from Jerusalem of the world that he is going to the next Jerusalem, I never knew he was telling me he was going to die. But the gift of prophesy in me I gained it from my mum and dad because they are all seers, it runs in the family. You know what brought up the gift of fasting? There was no food for us to eat.

All we eat is cassava, so we just turn it to fasting and prayer and they warned us not to beg for food from anybody. So we were like that suffering but my father will tell you tomorrow are going to be good. I have written about 5 books now, my latest book now is turning your mess to message. Thank God for the spiritual foundation my parent gave me in the area of prayer and fasting.

I know you have done enough to help the young people, but what do you normally say to them when you see what they are going through?

There’s no time I refer to people and I don’t refer to Uncle Seye Kehinde, my wife knows about that because I borrow from him when I saw him pushing artistes and I asked some of those artistes that have you been giving him money and they say no I am happy doing what I am doing now because I remember when I was nobody. There was a time I was looking for a job as a gateman because there was no house for me to leave. I remember when I used to go Shina Peter’s party to go pack remnant and I would tell people I want to go give dogs that I have dogs and those remnant were the things we would cook. I have the right to tell the youth that they shouldn’t allow the foundation or what they are going through to affect where they are going to.

They should believe in dedication, devotion, determination and discipline. The biggest thing in life that can make you a disciple is discipline. Discipline yourself when you talk, discipline yourself when you work, discipline yourself when you speak and discipline yourself with who you move with. I study from 12am to 3am, I sleep and wake up around 5:30am because I know people coming behind in Christiandom and some Celestial Churches are just coming up, they really want to polish the image of the church. And I also believe that you need to be studious to be glorious. I study every day. I fast almost every day, we fast every Friday in the church, Friday, Saturday we fast to prepare for Sunday.

I want them to know that your foundation has nothing to do with the manifestation of God. Don’t allow people interruption to affect your destiny and I want them to be choosy, how? Choose who you live with, choose what you say with your mouth, and choose where you are. If you want to change in life change your location. If you have been moving with people that always affect your values, you move away from there. Change your perception.

Everybody says Cele cannot be great, Cele cannot go to Sheraton, Cele can’t do this even without wearing Sultana, and I have been able to change it.  Some people are in your life to help you, some people are in your life to hinder you, some people are in your life to hurt you.

Can you share with us some of the miracles you have had, especially those that have helped your ministry?

God has been faithful. There was a woman that has been carrying pregnancy all around for 2 years and then we started fasting and she was able to give birth and there is a woman in our church, she happens to be the Matron in our church, at 42, she conceived and she got the baby now, a boy and they call that boy Pastor. We celebrate/dedicate cars in our church and miracle of achievements. We have been able to calculate 97 American visas and so many miracles like that, about their life, businesses, about where they are coming from, prophesy with solution and that has what has connected me with some high and mighty in the society. And why it’s been helping me it’s because I have never charged anyone, when they give me an assignment I will say lets fast about it, have got 50 pastors working under me, we fast together.

But the best miracle I have in life is salvation, there are a lot of people from Pentecostal Churches that have joined our flock, we give them Sultana and some of those that are not wearing Sultana are more than those that are wearing Sultana but we allow everybody.

Right now people are dillussion about the current. What is your own message and what do you always tell them?

I want to tell everybody as a Christian and to Yoruba language that says “ta ba gun yan sine ewe ta ba sebe sinu epo epa eni to ma yo ma yo”. In the time of Buhari some people complain, some people enjoy, in the time of Babangida some people enjoyed, some people complained, in the time of Obasanjo some people enjoyed, some people complained. Sometime in leadership, some people will labour and some people would be favoured, what we just need to pray for is the grace of God to be successful. I am not just one of those that would condemn anybody, condemn President, and I am not always negative about my prophesy, why because even if you are told that you are going to die tell them you will not die but live to declare the word of God, so that there will be no spiritual manipulation, so that nobody would not tell them to go and bring money that this is what we do for you not to die. Nobody can save anybody except God, he only uses his prophets to change people’s lives but I am not always negative about my country. I have visited America severally and their language is God Bless America. I just want everybody to be hopeful that God is going to take control. It’s not about government, its about Godment and Godment is bigger than government, when you believe in Godment you posses your possession, when you believe in government you experience recession. Let us just endure, we will enjoy later.

The post How I Discovered My Purpose In Life 27 Yrs Ago – Genesis Church Pastor, Israel Oladele Ogundipe appeared first on CityPeople Magazine Nigeria | Nigerian Celerbrities | Entertainment | Stars.

Radio One 103.5 FM is from the stable of Radio Nigeria, Lagos Operations. Located at Broadcasting house Ikoyi Lagos has many interesting, educative and informative programmes and also News at its best. It is a All News, All Talk, All Sports Radio Station.

Radio One is arguably the oldest radio station in Nigeria, which is why it earned the slogan, “The first before the rest”. Over the years, the station has gone through a series of transitions: from being a legacy bequeathed by the British in its earliest affiliation with the BBC, to its elitist general interest English language beginnings and later becoming a Yoruba/English language station christened Choice FM on July 1, 2007.

The station was again re-christened Radio One on October 1, 2012. Despite this name change, the station continued to broadcast quality content and added a touch of Pidgin to spice up its contents.

The Showbiz Duo of City People Magazine, DANIJI EMMANUEL and GBOLAHAN ADETAYO, caught up with the award-winning Producer of the year Uche Obaseki who joined Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria in January 2001 and ever since spending 15 years and 10 Months on the job, she has excelled brilliantly as a producer over the years climing up the ladder to the Heads of Programs for Radio One, the rebranded Radio Nigeria.

The graduate of the University of Portharcourt where she studied Theatre Art revealed the journey so far, how she ended up in Radio Broadcasting and what more she has to offer. Enjoy Excerpt: 

Tell us about yourself and how you got into Radio?

My name is Uche Obaseki, I am a broadcaster. I have been on radio for 15 years. I love what I do. I came for a radio interview in 1999 and I forgot I was here. They also they forgot I came here till 2001 when they sent a letter to my village in Nweri, Imo State and I was wondering when I did the interview because I had forgotten. Incidentally that’s how I got here.  I graduated in 1998, Theatre acts and I thought I would be acting but I found myself in Radio. I started out as Producer 2.

What were you into before you got the job at Radio One?

I was working. I was one of the lucky ones when I left school. I left school in 1998, did my service in 1999 and by 2001 I was already working. I got my first job as a sales manager at Physical and Health. They were into fitness equipment and I was one of the sales personnel there. I worked with them for 6 months and later went on to “Phones For You”. “Phones For You” was the first company to engage in digital phones sales in Nigeria.

You double as a producer and a broadcaster, how were you able to achieve that?

Well, like I said I started as a producer but I started meeting announcers and presenters and fell in love with the idea of talking on radio and most times I usually run into the problem of who is going to voice my script so I decided start voicing some of my own script and that was how it started. It became a second major for me to start talking on radio and I learnt to build myself from there.

At the beginning, how was it like talking on radio?

It wasn’t easy. The only thing I had about Radio was in my 3rd year when we had an elective from Mass Communications department, radio Drama. I had no idea about radio as the only radio program we listened to then was the Radio news just because our parents were listening to it. The school wanted us to produce a radio drama and as the class rep then, I gave it my all. It was not until 2014 when I got an award as the Producer of the year that one of my classmate wrote on my wall that he saw the passion in me when we were in 3rd year and he knew I was going to get there.

Asides all other jobs that you could have been picked for, why did you decide to work in radio?

Well, in the initial stage I had my CVs in so many companies but my mom advised me to move into Radio because of the job security, the longevity in a federal establishment and it is something that you can finish and tell your children where you worked, Radio Nigeria.

Have you tried your hands in Theatre Art since you graduated?

Yes, I have shot movies. The good thing about acting is that you can play any role. It even helps you dab into any field or industry. I am fortunate to have married Don Pedro Obaseki who was a movie director for so many years. While we were young I have acted in two of his movies and I have produced many. I remember I was in a movie titled Brave Soldier with the likes of Bimbo Akintola, Empress Nnjama and so on.

Your 15 years in broadcasting, how has it been so far?

It’s been a beautiful journey. When I came to Radio Nigeria, I was still a novice. I was taken to Training school where I trained for 3 months and from there I advanced. The irony there is that by the time I produced my first set of program, my GM then gave a hand-written recommendation and I was so happy. That was what spurred me to do better and be where I am today. In 2008, one of my program was taken to the Network, Dateline Nigeria. When I started doing it, people tagged it a rubbish program but when he went to Abuja for a meeting and the program was chosen for the general Network, he was pleased and he praised me. I am the kind of person who has always written best while looking at nature and feeling free.

Challenges faced so far?

I wouldn’t say I have faced challenges, the only one I know of was when Radio Nigeria was taken off as a general radio network and rebranded to a all Lagos Talk radio. It wasn’t easy starting afresh from the scratch with a new station, we had to lay off all our old programs and start new ones.

How many programs have you produced over the years?

A lot, I can’t count. There are some programs that I have even forgotten. There are quite a number of them.

What sets your program out from the rest?

I have always stayed unique and myself. I have never started a program the way everyone does introducing the program and all. I have never been a conventional producer. I have remained a first generational producer over time.

Best day on the job?

Best day of on the job was when I was awarded Producer of the year, same year I was nominated for Nigerian Merit of the Year, producer of the year. Another good day subsequently was when 2 of our staff were nominated for the United Nation Award, it was like putting a crown on my head. It doesn’t stop there; I have had other awards too.

Asides Broadcasting and Theatre Art, what else do you do?

Mentoring and training young ones. I do other little business on the side and I am also writing. So pretty soon you would be reading from me.

The post Why I Have Stayed In FRCN For 15 Years – Radio One Head Of Programs, Uche Obaseki appeared first on CityPeople Magazine Nigeria | Nigerian Celerbrities | Entertainment | Stars.

Who says musicians don’t make good business men? That is a big lie because there are a few of them who have well and are still doing well in business.

Yinka Ayefele is one of them. Not many people know that this talented act sits atop a flourishing business empire. He owns a hotels in Ibadan called Downtown Hotel. He owns a radio station called Fresh FM which recently turned 1. He owns a music production company that produces jingles, voice overs and adverts. He owns a full fledge band and all these represents for him a multiple stream of income. So that keeps him busy and that makes him truly successful.

Recently, City People Publisher SEYE KEHINDE spent some time with him at his Ibadan radio station where he spoke about not only his life as a radio presenter.  “I started from Radio and I am back to Radio,” he told City People.  “I have evolved over time and I am today back to the profession I started with at FRCN Ibadan. “Now, he has his own radio station and he currently presents 2 popular programmes. 

Congrats on your radio station, Fresh FM. How has it been?

It has not been so easy. We just started, and we have to put a lot of things in place, to make it work the way it supposed to be. Our watch word here is Professionalism Nutured By Experience. So not just doing it the way they are doing it now. We want to do it the way it should be done.

But like you know it is always difficult to enforce change. It is difficult to change a lot of thing especially the OAP’s that are used to the modern day presentation. We need to put a lot of things in place to make sure they get it right.

What is the concept that you have for fresh FM?

It’s a simple one. I just want to change the face of broadcasting, not only in Oyo State but in Ibadan. I also want to make sure that I reach out to Nigerians in the diaspora.

I want to give them the content which they enjoyed when they were at home to let them feel what they use to feel when they were at home.

I also want to reach out to the immediate community, immediate listeners here at home in this area. I want to give them good programming that will be educative and entertaining.

What is the reach of Fresh FM?

NBC has rules. You can’t go beyond your city. They call stations like ours City based stations. They don’t expect us to go beyond Ibadan. So, our transmitter should not go beyond Ibadan or at most the environs. But internationally, I will tell you we have the largest listeners on the internet. We stream our life transmission as well. We have the highest listeners on-line as far as Nigerian radio is concerned.

In terms of content what stands Fresh FM out?

Our content is different from that of other stations. Its different from the usual of broadcasting, especially in Ibadan. We have Morning Belt called Freshly Pressed. We have Afternoon Belt called Mid Day Café then, we have Evening Belt called Road Drive. We have different OAP’s that handle cash segment. We have other programmes that are catchy, that you will want to listen too. It will make you stay glued to the station.

Can one say that your interest in setting up a radio station is because of your having worked in radio years back?

Its more of the reason for having a radio station. I have a passion for broadcasting. I was a broadcaster and I am still a broadcaster. I still present programmes on radio. I have my programmes on radio.

I do Lets Talk About It every Tuesday and I do Opeyemi on Sunday mornings. I still have my programmes on radio and I co-ordinate everything that goes on here.

I will say it because of my experience and my passion that I have for broadcasting.

How did you get into Broadcasting?

I joined FRCN Ibadan (National Station) in 1989 as a freelance Commercial Assistant then. In 1989-90 I started as their yearly father Xmas. Later I graduated to presenting request programmes on Sunday afternoons, later I began to present early morning chit-chat programmes. On Wednesdays.

That was how I joined FRCN Ibadan National Station and it was there I started my broadcast career.

At what point did you join OGBC?

That was after I left Radio Nigeria. After I left I started freelancing with different radio stations. I worked in OGBC, OSRC, BSES (Voice Of Ekiti) and other radio stations. I was doing different programmes. I had Ayefele on FM on Ekiti radio. Even after my accident I still presented my programme. They were different programmes.

Then, I do co-produce Iriri Aiye with the late Kola Olawuyi. I produce virtually all the jingles that go on his programme and the musical tunes he used on his program then.

Then I produce musical tunes for radio programmes as well, for news, for different programmes as well. That is what made me stand out then. I did jingles for products then.

At what point did you now go fully into music and left radio?

It was after the accident. I never knew music was eventually going to be my profession. I love broadcasting and that is why I have put a lot together to make sure that I show my love for broadcasting.

It was after my accident that I discovered the talent that I have in music. And then the acceptance after my 1st album Bitter Experience.

Although all along I have been  producing music. I had been a Guitarist I played for other musicians. I played for Wale Thompson, Toye Ajagun, Oga Micho Ade. I was like their guitarist then. I joined that with my broadcast job.

It was after my accident that I was trying to raise some funds and trying to put some things together to go for further treatment abroad that I saw the acceptance of the first album.

The acceptance emerged me to go more into the next level of music. It was later I discovered that I earned more money in music then broadcasting.

At a point, I concentrated more on music. That was when I formed my band, after my accident.

All along I have been a Church band leader. I was with the Assemblies of God Church, Message Of The Time band at NTC Road, Oke Ado here. I did one Cassette, album for them then titled NIGERIA Is For Jesus.

I will say that was my 1st album. That was in 1987. That was my 1st cassette. It was recorded by Here & There  then.

The post Yinka Ayefele’s Fresh FM Radio Is One! Reveals Why He Set Up The Radio Station appeared first on CityPeople Magazine Nigeria | Nigerian Celerbrities | Entertainment | Stars.

Billionaire businessman, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, is the front runner in the Ondo governorship race. Last week, INEC published his name as the PDP aspirant and this has made the race for governorship become very interesting. Before Jimoh came on the scene, the incumbent governor Mimiko had put down his own anointed candidate for governorship, Jegede, on the platform of PDP.  Jimoh belongs to the Ali Modu Sheriff camp, whilst Jegede belongs to the Senator Makarfi-led camp. Jimoh is battle ready for the race. Jimoh who recently returned back to Nigeria, has been away abroad for his 3rd masters degree. He had an LLM before now from Harvard, but he has since gone to Oxford and Cambridge to study for 2 different masters programme.

Recently, City People went after him to have him grant an interview. This is not his first time running for the governorship race. He made the first attempt to be Ondo governor 13 years ago on the platform of ANPP; although he made a great showing, he lost out then. Why is Jimoh running again? What are Jimoh’s plans? These and many others were the questions the Publisher of City People magazine, SEYE KEHINDE asked. Below are excerpts of the interview.

Why are you running for Ondo governorship, What does Jimoh Ibrahim want?

In Ondo, I have offered myself to serve as Governor. This won’t be the first time. Late Baba Adefarasin, late Dr. Agagu and myself ran the election. All of us were born in the same February. I didn’t win. So I accepted the result. I didn’t go to court. I think it was destined. I did it that time because I was in ANPP and I was able to make Buhari have 25% of the total vote cast for presidency in 2003. That was the only state in the Southwest with the highest vote for Buhari in 2003.

I was 35 years old then and I was very young. I have renewed my ambition this time around in PDP where I belong. So, I am running for the governorship.

Really, what is the attraction? What do you plan to achieve?

Nothing really. It is a matter of principle. I just feel I can’t be talking theory all the time, of Systems, Structure and Strategy without actually trying to implement it myself. Given the opportunity I want to actually implement a lot in Ondo. I want Ondo to have a strategy in place that can last the next 20 to 30 years. I want Ondo to have a structure that will be forever. I want Ondo to have a sustainable System in place. And I want the people of Ondo State to be able to tell you clearly what our System, Structure and Strategy are when you ask them.

That will be my joy. And then I want to make impactful development and some sectoral reform, may be one or two, before I leave. For me, it is not a do-or-die affair. It is just presenting myself for service in my home state, when I was born, where I think I can make impact in the life of the people. If it happens fine, if doesn’t happen it is ok. Maybe that will be the last time I will run. Whoever wins I will support. If I win they should also support me. That is it.

Are you saying Ondo State can be run differently from the way it is being run now?

Obviously so. Just like I think Nigeria can be run differently. Ondo State is an  offshoot of the federal government. It does not have Strategy, Systems and Structure. If you ask Mimiko now, the current Governor what is the strategy of his government, he does not know. He will tell you Abiye. Is Abiye a Strategy? He does not know what a strategy is all about. Ask him when you see him, Mr. Governor, Your Excellency, what is the strategy of the government. He will tell you I am doing Abiye. I am doing healthcare. My healthcare is supported by World Bank. Then if you want to create problem for him ask him about the Structure. He will tell you there is local government, area council, territorial I structure. These are the issues that have to be resolved before your move forward.

A system must voluntarily take away compulsory compliance with law. Government cannot pay the cost of ensuring compliance with Law. It is voluntary compliance that will reduce the monitoring of the police agencies. You won’t require much of police if people are voluntarily complying with the law.

How can you achieve that?

By creating a System that is based on Justice by having a Strategy that is just and equitable. And by creating a Structure that will transform and accommodate both your strategy and your system. Those are the issues. If you don’t do that, you cannot make any impact. It is like any other state in Nigeria. You cannot make any impact if you don’t resolve these three areas that I mentioned, because anything you want to talk about is based on all those ones.

Most of the governors can’t pay salaries in the states. How do you think that can be done?

One of the reasons governors can’t pay salaries is Corruption. In Ondo for instance, during Buhari administration, the government has collected N76 billion. If salaries is N4 billion, multiply that by 12. That is N48 billion, minus N76 billion, you are left with about N28 billion. So why is salaries not paid up to date? There are certain things happening there that they won’t tell you. It is either they are servicing debt more or they are doing development at the expense of people’s salaries. You can’t compromise salaries. If there is no salary you don’t have a system. This is what is really happening. You need a software which is the Staff and the Skill and the share value to anchor your hardware of the system and structure. So, if you violate the hardware there is no way you put software that will work. The software is the staff. The system and structure are the hardware, if you don’t pay the staff their salaries, in other words you corrupt software and you put it inside a hardware, what will happen? It will corrupt the hardware and the computer will pack up.

Do you believe Ondo State can generate enough without depending on the centre?

Yes. If I am the governor, Ondo State will have no business with Abuja revenue and we would not tax anybody. From the day I am sworn in we would eliminate Personal Income Tax. I will let it go. You can’t tax anybody.

How will you do that?

I cannot tell you that now because that is my strength. If I tell you now I will be letting the cat out of the bag and the opposition will copy me. Even this little Structure, System, and  Strategy argument I gave you how, the opposition will begin to copy it. When campaign starts though they can’t explain it. They won’t know I have been to Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard to study and learn.

You journalists should begin to ask questions about the capabilities of the aspirants and candidates who want to run the state. If people know you don’t have high capability why would people vote for you?

When you look at the quality of those who have come out so far what do you make of them?

Anybody is free to come out to contest if you are 35. It is a democracy. Everybody has the right to come out. They are all ok. It is for Ondo people to choose. I am not used to sitting down to criticize political opponents. I cannot say one of them is not brilliant. All of them are good. It is a constitutional right to contest once you have reached that age. All of them are fantastic gentlemen, who are distinguished in their various fields.

Whoever is voted in I will support. It is ok. But if I am voted in they should support me too. What will happen is that there will be 2 candidates in Ondo PDP for the election that cannot be compromised. The matter will go to Supreme Court at the end of the day. If one takes ticket from Ali Modu Sheriff, the other will take ticket from Makarfi. And we would continue to do battle until Supreme Court delivers judgment. Whoever Supreme Court picks is ok by me. I don’t have any objection. I am not a do or die aspirant. I only offer myself to serve. If at the end of the day people say they don’t want you why do you need to force yourself on them? To me, I believe capability is very important at the local government and state level. Mimiko came and dissolved a democratically elected structure at the local government level in Ondo. And he appointed care taker committees and the matter went to the Supreme Court, up till now Supreme Court has not ruled on it.

 And he has done 8 years. It is not the fault of the Supreme Court, only God knows how many cases the Supreme Court has before it.  But all we are saying is that we should try and get our structure and systems right, maybe that kind of case will not get to the Supreme Court.

The post Why I Have Become The Main Issue In Ondo Politics – PDP Flagbearer For Ondo Governorship, Jimoh Ibrahim appeared first on CityPeople Magazine Nigeria | Nigerian Celerbrities | Entertainment | Stars.

• The Group Is Called Egbe MAFOWOKU Ijebu (Egbe Oba)
• It Is The Oldest Age-Grade Group
• Members Are Born Between 1932 & 1934
• Giwa Of Egbe MAFOWOKU, Oba SHAFI SULE Recounts

HRM Oba S A O Sule is the Olu of Odosenlu Alaro, Ijebu. He is also the Giwa (President ) of Egbe Mafowoku Ijebu, and it is popularly called Egbe Oba because that is the group Awujale of Ijebu, Oba Sikiru Adetona belongs to.  Members are  those born between 1932 to 1934. The group is also the oldest age-grade group in Ijebu.

According to the Giwa, members of the group were more than fifty when the age-grade group started more than fifty years ago, but death has reduced the number of members to eleven, the existing members include, Alaiyeluwa Oba Dr Sikirulai Adetona, Otunba Gbuyi Osibogun, Otunba J A Adenugba, Chief Idowu Osifolunrin, Oba S A Sule (Giwa Egbe), Chief Olu Okuboyejo, Mr Fola Ajidagba, Ambassador Olu Adeniji, Omo Oba Sam A Ogundogba, Otunba Prof Olu Osoba and Chief Prof Biodun Soyannwo. In this interview  with our Ogun Correspondent, with BUNMI MUSTAPHA, Oba Shafi Sule opens up on how the age-grade group started many years ago.

As the Giwa of the oldest age-grade group in Ijebuland, how did Egbe Mafowoku start and what was the experience like?

Well the truth is that the regberegbe did not just start now, it has always been in Ijebu for many years, and people get involved and become a member, but my experience so far is that we have done a good job, it makes Ijebu prosper and makes us meet ourselves to talk, it used to be just Ojude Oba, but it is more than  Ojude Oba now, it is now a national outing, which both Christians and Muslims  partake, and we do everything the way our forefathers do, we are happy to do it and we will continue the tradition.

Among the age-grade group, we have same age grade members belonging to different groups, was it like that before when the age-grade group started?

No, it was not like that before, it was Awujale who agreed to that, that if people from the same group wants to separate, then let them go their way, they still do the same things, the more the merrier like Awujale will always say, and if they are doing the same thing, they will contribute their own quota and they will all come to the Ojude Oba to showcase themselves, it doesn’t matter.

How long have you been the Giwa of Egbe Mafowoku?

I don’t know, I can’t remember, but I have been the Giwa for many years now, but I can’t remember when and how long.

How many were you when the Egbe Mafowoku started?

We were more than 50 back then, but now we are what we are, many of us have died, but we don’t want to leave the group, until we have no more member living, we won’t stop coming, we will always come to Ojude Oba and do our own thing, you can see that we are very few here, and the next age-grade group is very few too, so as we grow older the number of members reduces because of death or incapability.

How close are the members of Mafowoku to the Awujale who is also a member?

We are very close to the Awujale. He is our friend. We don’t meet like this all the time, we meet like mates and best of friends and we talk, forget he is an Oba, we do the same thing together, although we give him the respect but we do things together too.

The post Unveiling The Members Of Awujale Age Grade Group appeared first on CityPeople Magazine Nigeria | Nigerian Celerbrities | Entertainment | Stars.

 From working a 9 to 5 in the competitive financial sector to risking everything to buy a bank and subsequently, transforming it into one of the leading and most respectable financial institutions in Nigeria, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede is a revered name in corporate Nigeria.

This month Forbes Africa, the leading business magazine and the number 1 monthly read publication amongst Africa’s affluent according to Ipsos, features this exceptional entrepreneur as he shares on his drive to keep building new industries that will eventually transform Africa into an advanced economy.

In the November issue, written by Forbes Africa correspondent Peace Hyde, the financial mogul reveals how he orchestrated the purchase of then distressed Access Bank and transformed it into one of the top tier banks in Nigeria and how he plans to impact the Nigerian capital market.

Check out the exclusive behind the scenes below and grab your copies of the November edition of Forbes Africa in stores now.

Interview by: Peace Hyde

Photography: Kelechi Amadi Obi

The post “Some Call It Arrogance, I Call It Confidence”, Aig-Imoukhuede Covers The November Edition Of Forbes Africa appeared first on CityPeople Magazine Nigeria | Nigerian Celerbrities | Entertainment | Stars.