KWARA OPC WARNS AGAINST THREATS TO GANI ADAMS

CHIEF GANI ADAMS IS A HIGHLY RESPECTED AND CONTROVERSIAL NIGERIAN TRIBAL LEADER

KWARA OPC WARNS AGAINST THREATS TO GANI

Kehinde Akinpelu Ilorin
The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in Kwara state has said that
 security agencies is to ensure the safety of the national president
of the organisation Dr, Otunba Gani Adams, saying recent alleged plans to
deal with Adams by some politicians was serious cause for concern.

In a statement signed by the Kwara state coordinator of the body,
Salam Maruff Olarewaju, the call became necessary following widespread
reports that some people have volunteered to work and remove Adams
from his position as leader of the OPC, a move the statement said
could precipitate crisis in the south-west region.

Olarewaju said members of the organisation had refused to give serious
attention to an earlier rumour to remove Adams early in May because
there was nothing to indicate a sinister motive against Adams but that
with the recent facts now available on the alleged plans, it was
necessary to warn those who might want to be used to desist.

Part of the statement reads: “It is no news that the south-west has
been enjoying peace, harmony and progress for some years now and
people see the zone as a crisis-free region but these elements of
destruction are about to turn it to the zone of crisis and anarchy if
they are not curbed.

“We will recall the first, second and third republics came to an end
in Nigeria because of crisis in the south-west. The same thing may
repeat itself if these elements are not checkmated.

“We are using this medium to alert the world, human rights watch
groups, the federal government and all security agencies in Nigeria
that if anything ungodly happens to the person of Otunba Gani Adams,
it will definitely lead to serious crisis that the government may not
be able to contain and it will turn the entire south-west to a
dangerous zone.”

GHANAIAN DRUG RINGS DEADLIER THAN NIGERIAN CARTELS

GHANAIAN DRUG RINGS DEADLIER THAN NIGERIAN CARTELS

BY ABDULMUMINI ADEKU.

APART FROM HUMAN BEINGS,IT IS NOW BEEN DISCLOSED AS AT PRESS TIME THAT ARIK AIRLINES ALSO HELP TO FERRY COCAINE ACROSS BORDER

Ghanaians have been described as more deft in the art of trafficking in hard drugs than their Nigerian counterparts .

In a check by Paedia Express Multimedia in Lagos,Nigeria,it was  discovered that an average Ghanaian drug dealer had an attribute of staying under cover thus undetected by law enforcement agents wherever they operate.

An impeccable source who was nearly recruited to join  an underground cell of a deadly Ghanaian drug ring in the United Kingdom over a decade ago  claimed that  narcotic officials find it difficult to track Ghanaians down because they do not go to parties or night clubs  to spend money crazily in the open for musicians like most Nigerian  successful drug peddlers do all over the world.

He revealed exclusively that the Ghanaian drug lord that wanted to recruit him in the United Kingdom about a decade ago  was just 21 years of age at the time.

According to him the drug lords  in Ghana actually learn the trade from grand masters in Nigeria who relocated there some years ago at the heat of the Nigerian anti-drugs crusade but eventually mastered the trade more than the people that trained them.

The source who lived in the United Kingdom for couple of years before returning back to Nigeria for reasons not known by this reporter ,painted a gory picture of the underground life in London saying that there was lot of drug businesses  going on in the cover of the darkness in major restaurants and night clubs owned by Africans in the United Kingdom.

He explained that usually those businesses  legitimate to the public as they were registered with government regulatory agencies but quickly added that the owners use this as a cover for their more lucrative  but deadly trade.

The source insisted that whether the issue was a break in,credit card fraud,deadly shoot out or knife stabbing incident,the British Police knew between Jamaicans ,Nigerians and Ghanaians who could eb responsible with strong accuracy even without investigating the matter.

This reporter was showed by yet another source of a suspected drug baron in a short movie recorded in his mobile phone as the latter sprayed American dollars and British Pounds Sterling at a party held by the drug lord at a location believed to be somewhere in Nigeria.

The source revealed that Nigerian drug peddlers because of their penchant for displaying their wealth easily  gives themselves a way to narcotic agents.

The practice of drug-peddling - the illegal selling of unlicensed medicines - has been taking place in Ghana for many years.

The government is vowing to put an end to it. But is enough action being taken?

Urgency

Although drug-peddling is illegal in Ghana, in reality this is only the case in the law books.

Drug-peddlers endear themselves to the populous though their eloquence, ubiquity, and use of lucid language - which is devoid of medical jargon.

Moreover, in Ghana, one in four people live outside a 15km radius of a doctor. This makes drug-peddlers a much more attractive option.

One who makes his living this way is Kwaku Adusei. He  was selling  home-made herbal medicines   as at 2007 and was an executive of the Drug-Peddlers' Association at the Circle Bus Station in Accra.

He believes that drug peddlers "compliment" the activity of the national health service. Although untrained in any medical profession, he speaks with the authority of a doctor.

His words:"Sexual weakness, rheumatism, abdominal pain, piles and jaundice" are caused by the accumulation of phlegm in the blood, he says.

Another peddler sells a "leopard lotion" which he claimed would address the pain of a broken leg.

And also on sale at the bus station are boxed medicines from pharmaceutical companies, although sometimes the instructions are in a foreign language.

Public denouncing

Dr Alex Dodoo, one of Ghana's leading pharmacologists, believes drug-peddling poses a "formidable threat" to the health of Ghanaians.

In his office, he shows  a liquid sold by a drug peddler which was suspected to have killed someone - and was now being investigated by the police.

He also says that drug-peddling is not being tackled with the "required urgency."

But Dr Gladys Ashitey, one of Ghana's deputy health ministers at a point , was  more positive.

"The government wants to drive drug peddlers out of business," she says.

However, she adds that "the onus lies with the public to denounce them."

And she asserts that the planned full implementation of a national health insurance scheme would help curtail the problem - as people would make greater use of state healthcare.

ASHMART BEGINS REVOLUTION IN RETAIL BUSINESS IN NIGERIA

ASHMART BEGINS REVOLUTION IN RETAIL BUSINESS IN NIGERIA

BY OLADUNNI KOSOKO,,ADEDAMOLA OWONIFARI  AND ABDULMUMINI ADEKU

ASHMART SUPERMARKET IS CHALLENGING THE TRADITIONAL ORDER IN THE RETAIL TRADE IN NIGERIA

Ashmart Supermarket Group founded by dashing business magnate,Mr Tony Ibikun Ashamu  is changing the way people do shopping in Nigeria with its recent expansion and relocation to a new corporate office.

Checks by the News Office Desk of Paedia Express Multimedia in Lagos,Nigeria shows that the retail chain has relocated its main shopping center and offices from the Alausa Business District in Ikeja ,Lagos,Nigeria to the busy Ojodu –Berger Highway not so far away from its old abode.

The business magnate while responding to questions albeit exclusively from this reporter during the recent commissioning of the company’s new offices said that he was elated that he had come a very long way within a very short little time.

He told Paedia Express Multimedia that he was excited at not just being a wholly Nigerian brand bringing something fresh and unique to the retail industry in Nigeria  but that he will use his brand to prove that Nigerians can do better than the foreign brands that currently wield influence in the trade on our shores.

He  revealed exclusively of the plans by the retail group to expand its frontiers beyond their present location ,insisting that they were set to replicate at least another 100 outlets in places like Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Benin City amongst others very soon.

In terms of counterpart funding for the project, the highly respected entrepreneur gave an inkling of the firm’s boardroom  directions when he said that funds for the projects were sources from investors, banks among other sources.

Mrs Yetunde Odejayi ,Director of Administration and Human Resources in the Office of the Deputy Governor of Lagos state who stood in for Mrs Idiat Adebule,Deputy Governor,Lagos state hailed Mr Ashamu on his new project.

She speaks:”I advice that you make your goods pocket friendly so as to allow for a great patronage,Ashmarts success story is one of the ways of creating wealth and employment for Nigerians “

“The state government will continue to provide an enabling environment for business to grow and our population of 17 million offers a great option for investors,we will provide for good security and strong infrastructural  basis “

Chief M.M.Akindele,a Representative of the Alaafin of Oyo at the event in his remarks after eulogizing the monarch in absentia in line with customs prayed for the growth and success of the retail firm to the admiration and applause of the audience.

Lagos Socialite ,Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi who was represented by his son,Sheriff  said that he was impressed with Ashmart the first time he visited it for shopping and this was added to the fact that the brand was been promoted by a group of highly dedicated Nigerian investors led by Mr Tony Ibukun Ashamu.

Chief Olumuyiwa Alade Ajibola,Agbakin of Ile-Ife in his speech at the event recalled that he met with Mr Ashamu for the first time when he visited his own son in Detroit, United States of America and the impression he had of him in the meeting has not failed till date.

He pleaded with the younger generation to copy the leadership examples been set by the likes of Mr Ashamu who decided to return back home from the United States to put something back into the Nigerian society.

Two young wives of the Alaafin of Oyo,His Royal Highness ,Oba Lamidi Adeyemi also graced the occasion .

In her speech, Olori Folashade Adeyemi said that the monarch was happy that Mr Ashamu was bringing progress to Nigeria and prayed for the sustenance of the business.

The Chief Executive Officer, Grand Wagon,Mr Abraham Oluwambe said that Ashmart Supermarket was an exceptional outfit as they do things differently and see things differently as well.

He insisted that he was sure that Mr Ashamu was heading somewhere because of the steps he has taken so far in ensuring that Ashmart was major force in the retail business in Nigeria and even beyond.

He pleaded with the market to support Mr Ashamu’s dreams so that the brand can compete with the biggest names in the trade.

He assured that the change in location will not affect his feelings towards the brand as they have never failed him before when he looks out for something to buy in the market.

Mrs Omolara  Ajibola said she liked Mr Ashamu because he was a brave and bold human being who was never afraid of taking initiatives in any of his pursuits.

Propagandist,Mr Olamide Noibi advised that Nigerians should ensure to start the culture of change that they clamor for through their homes.

He added that the owners of the retail firm can be encouraged by the consumers if they support the brand with impressive ratio of patronage on a daily basis.

TINUBU OWES P.M. NEWS,THE NEWS MAGAZINE OVER N100MILLION

P.M. NEWS NEWSPAPER'S PRINT EDITION IS NO LONGER IN THE NIGERIAN MARKET

TINUBU OWES P.M. NEWS,THE NEWS MAGAZINE OVER N100MILLION

BY ABDULMUMINI ADEKU.

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress[A.P.C]Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is strongly believed to be indebted to The Publisher of The News Magazine,Mr Bayo Onanuga to the tune of over a N100million.

Checks by the News Office Desk ,Paedia Express Multimedia in Nigeria shows that the politician has refused to pay because his attention was now glued to his own personal media assets rather than that of his friends.

Now as a result, the owners of The News Magazine and P.M.News Newspapers have not been able to tell their workers the entire story hence decided to actually downsize, reduce print run of its magazine some months ago and at the same time stopping the publication of the print edition of the P.M. News altogether.

An impeccable marketing source who handled a project on the problems been faced by the company told Paedia Express Multimedia as much exclusively  recently.

According to an onlne source ,P.M. News was  a daily newspaper published in Lagos, Nigeria by the Independent Communications Network Limited (ICNL). The company also publishes the weekly TheNEWS magazine and Tempo, a tabloid. Now rested^[1]
The News was founded in 1993 by Bayo Onanuga, Babafemi Ojudu and other former staff from the African Concord who had resigned in protest over a request by M.K.O. Abiola, the publisher, to apologise to President Ibrahim Babangida over a critical story about the military regime. Ojudu was the first Managing Editor.^[2] After harassment by the Ibrahim Babangida regime, there was a brief period of press freedom under General Sani Abacha during which P.M. News was launched in August 1994 as a breezy afternoon paper strongly oriented towards news but also covering fashions, sports and entertainment.^[1]
In the years that followed, P.M. News and TheNews were known for "guerrilla journalism".^[3] They were subject to constant interference by the authorities, arrests and closures.^[1] For example in August 1996 Amnesty International reported that Editor-in-chief Bayo Onanuga was thought to be held by the State Security Service at their Lagos headquarters, and may have been ill-treated in custody. Babafemi Ojudu had been released on 13 August 1996 and had required hospital treatment as a result of ill-treatment. The two men may have been arrested due to publishing articles critical to the government.^[4] Onanuga fled from Nigeria in 1997 after hiding from state security forces for months. He returned home to resume work at ICNL in 1998, after the sudden death of Abacha and the start of the transition to democracy.^[3]