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N68bn fraud: EFCC seizes 46 properties from Jonathan’s campaign director

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A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the temporary forfeiture of 46 properties allegedly belonging to Dr. Ngozi Olojeme, the Deputy Chairman, Finance Committee of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation in the 2015 election.

The court order, a copy of which was seen by our correspondent, showed that the properties were located in several locations in Abuja, Delta, Enugu and Bayelsa States.

The properties comprise 27 buildings, including a bank, office buildings and houses, at various stages of development and several pieces of undeveloped land.

Some of the properties include: a twin duplex office building – Plot R/151 (No. 30A) Kingsway Road, Old GRA, Enugu State; a parcel of land measuring 4833.241 sq. metres located at Uberi Bush along Mbiama Road, Akenta, Yenegoa, Bayelsa State; and a parcel of land located at Igbandaden Bush, Emeya 2 Town, Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa.

Others include: Properties located at 196, Melford Okilo Road, Amarata-Epie, Yenegoa, Bayelsa State (six units of one bedroom apartments, one unit of five bedroom bungalows, a block of six units of office space); a mansion at 24 Kainji Crescent, Maitama, Abuja and a bank building (former Intercontinental Bank) located at Plot No. 933 Cadastral Zone B01, Gudu District, Abuja

Olejeme, who was the Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, is wanted in a case of criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering.

The former chairman is alleged to have, along with Mr Umar Munir Abubakar, the former Managing Director of NSITF, mismanaged and diverted well over N69b in government funds into their personal accounts through the award of suspicious and bogus contracts to proxy companies.

The suspect, who served as the Chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund from 2009 to 2015, was in June declared wanted for allegedly diverting N69bn from the agency but turned herself in last Monday.

Olojeme is also the widow to Felix Obuah, the late Chief Security Officer to Jonathan, was said to have fled the country shortly after her sack by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

The suspect, who was also the convener of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme sub-committee on Public Works and Road Rehabilitation, finally reported at the EFCC on Monday after which she was detained.

The NSITF, which was headed by Olojeme, is a social insurance scheme designed to provide compensation to employees who suffer from occupational accidents or diseases in the line of duty. The organisation is funded by deducting 1 per cent from all government and private sector employees enrolled in the scheme.

However, according to documents made available to The PUNCH, Olojeme and some directors in the company allegedly diverted billions of naira including funds meant for the payment of allowances of its staff as well as compensation of contributors

Trouble started for Olojeme shortly after her sack by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

The EFCC subsequently received a petition alleging that over N50bn from the Employee Compensation Scheme fund paid by Ministries Department and Agencies and private companies as well as another N18bn being the contribution of the Federal Government as take-off grants to the NSITF were mismanaged and diverted into the personal accounts of Olojeme and Umar  Abubakar, the Managing Director of the NSITF.

The EFCC immediately set up a team of detectives to look into the allegation. The commission looked into the bank account of the NSITF and discovered suspicious transactions and diversion of funds.

Some funds were said to have been traced to accounts of some consultants and contractors who were mainly fronts of Olojeme and other directors in the NSITF.

 

Entertainment

GAC Motor Nigeria Pioneers Celebration of Funke Akindele’s Hallmark Movie ‘A Tribe called Judah’

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AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H

On the 7” of February 2024, the giants of Filmmaking in the Nigerian Entertainment Industry gathered at the world class GAC Motor G-Style Showroom to celebrate the monumental success of Funke Akindele’s latest film, “A Tribe called Judah.”

GAC Motor Nigeria, leading automobile brand partnered with Filmone, Nigeria’s biggest film distribution business for this exclusive event aptly titled “A Toast to Funke Akindele; with top Nollywood actors and Industry legends such as Sola Sobowale, lyabo Ojo, Yvonne Jegede, Bisola Ayieola, Enyinna Nwigwe, Timini Egbuson, Adduni Ade, others and the celebrant her self Funke Akindele In attendance.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of a brand new GAC GS4 Luxury SUV to Funke Akindele by GAC Motor in recognition of her outstanding success at the Box office for her highest grossing movie which generated a staggering 1.2 Billion Naira in revenue.

Speaking at the event, Jubril Arogundade the General Manager CIG Motors Nigeria franchise owners of GAC Motor in Nigeria said “we are celebrating an icon Funke Akindele tonight for her excellence and this moment here serves as a reflection for all of us at CIG Motors and reminds us of the power of an excellent spirit, which has been our key goal in running our business.

We have partnered with people and corporations to transcend relationships beyond just business to showcase the power of collaboration, art and creativity in bringing a people together for one common purpose.

This is part of the reason we are taking over the automobile industry in Nigeria, our Market share, our outstanding products and our partnerships and collaborations speak to our excellent spirit.”

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AFRIMA, PMAN, MPAN, RELPI, AMAMN, Others Hold 2nd Emergency Summit on The Nigerian Music Industry Monday, Feb 12

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AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H

in line with its commitment to finding further lasting solutions to critical challenges in the music industry, all is set as the All Africa Music Awards- AFRIMA Music Business Summit in partnership with the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Record Label Proprietors Initiative (RELPI), Association of Music Artist Managers of Nigeria (AMAMN) and Music Publishers Association of Nigeria (MPAN) holds the 2nd emergency summit of stakeholders on Monday, February 12, 2024.

The 2nd summit is geared towards refining and consolidating the policy recommendations by the designated 4-man legal team.

The summit, which focuses on the rebirth of the music, entertainment, arts, culture, and hospitality sector/industry in Nigeria commences at 6:00 PM (Nigerian time) and takes place virtually via Zoom.

According to the President of the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, Mike Dada, Nigerian Music industry stakeholders expected to be in attendance include musicians/artistes, record labels, A&R, producers, promoters, artiste’s managers, brands, songwriters, DJs & video vixens, video directors, equipment production and rental companies, publishing companies, streaming service companies, entertainment lawyers, royalty companies, choreographers/dancers, entertainment/music journalists and media, culture and music enthusiast, other supporting professionals: cameramen, editors, make-up, hairstylist, costumiers, among others.

Dada, who described the first emergency summit as very symbolic and fruitful, expressed optimism that the outcome of the meeting would soon manifest and would be appreciated by entertainment stakeholders not only in Nigeria but in other African countries and those in the diaspora.

PMAN President, Pretty Okafor said the music stakeholders meeting is necessary as it is aimed at encouraging continuous education and engagement of sectoral bodies on roles, responsibilities, obligations, and benefits to the internal and external players in the music industry.

“It is very necessary for all players within the music ecosystem, especially the artistes to join relevant organisations to further guarantee and protect them and their crafts,” Okafor stated.

Also, Chinedu Chukwuji, who leads Record Label Proprietors Initiative (RELPI)’s efforts in ensuring there’s a conducive environment for the recording industry in Nigeria to thrive said the Summit would further provide a collective voice for the Nigerian recording industry on issues of policy, protection and enforcement of the intellectual property rights of its members, and engagement with commercial music users, regulators, government, trade associations, etc. in furthering the interests of its members.

The first Emergency Meeting of the Nigerian Music Industry with the theme, ‘Identification of Internal and External Regulatory Mechanisms to Smoothen the Working Relationship among Various Stakeholders and Subgroups in the Music Industry’ was held on the 1st of October 2023.

Among far-reaching resolutions and action plans adopted at the Summit included participants agreeing that while legislation is the cornerstone upon which a successful and sustainable music industry is built, there is a need for well-crafted laws and regulations that can provide a stable framework for the industry, protect the rights of artistes, creators, record labels and promote investment, and foster a vibrant music ecosystem.

Participants also called for a legal framework that would institutionalize minimum entry requirements for players in the industry, including musicians and record labels to discourage quackery, mediocrity, and substandardization in the music ecosystem.

At the first Summit, over 70 industry players who were in attendance included veteran music producer and CEO Kennis Communications, Dr Kenny Ogungbe, AFRIMA President, Mike Dada, Sunny Neji, Pretty Okafor (PMAN President), Olumide Mustapha (Chairman, MPAN), Sijuade Adedokun, (President AMAMN), Chinedu Chukwuji, (National Coordinator, RELPI), Mayo Ayilaran, (DG/CEO, MCSN), foremost female drummer, Ara Olamuyiwa, Laolu Akins, Joel Ajayi, Yinka Obebe, Justin Ige, Kesse Jabari, Louis Udoh, Tayo Eleshin,  Precious Obeahon among others.

According to the organisers, the 2nd emergency summit of the stakeholders is strictly by invitation.

AFRIMA (All Africa Music Awards) is the Pinnacle of African Music globally.

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Breaking: Nollywood veteran Olofa Ina dies

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AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Popular Nollywood veteran Chief Adedeji Aderemi otherwise known as Olofa-Ina is dead, August24news.com has learned.

Actor, Saidi Balogun, confirmed his passing in a post shared on his Instagram account on Thursday, January 4.

He wrote: “Goodnight legend Chief Deji Akinremi (Olofa Ina) RIP.

Film producer and Chief Executive Officer of Best of Nollywood (BON) also confirmed his demise.

Aderemi who is the Sobaloju of Edeland, was 73.

Chief Aderemi is a renowned name in contemporary Yoruba theatre and film circle.

He is also famous for the rich Yoruba proverbs and idioms that punctuate his lines in various films and stage plays

He was born into the family of the late Chief AbdulSalam Aderemi and the late madam Aisha Aderemi of Jagun- Olukosi compound, Ede in Osun State on 15th May, 1950 during the reign of the late Oba John Adetoyese Laoye, the then Timi of Ede.

He had his primary education at St. Peters Anglican Primary School between 1957 and 1962 and then proceeded to Baptist Secondary Modern School, Ode-Omu from 1963 to 1965.

He later had his vocational training in carpentry and joinery at Olukorede Furniture Industry between 1965 and 1970.

Prior to 1980, he had earlier floated the Olofa Ina Theatre Group in 1972 with the likes of Erinfolamin, Dasofunjo, Gbolagade Akinpelu and the late Oyetunji of Esinnla compound, Ede.

He received his theatre training under the late Oyetunji.

The Olofa Ina Group recorded landmark achievements in the theatre industry by pioneering the staging of epical histories of the Yoruba warlords of the 18th and 19th centuries, including Basorun Ogunmola, Balogun Ibikunle, Ogedengbe Agbogungboro of Ilesha, Aare Kurunmi of Ijaye, Kakanfo Afonja and a host of others.

These productions were recorded by Nigerian Television (NTV) Ibadan in the 70s and were narrated by the late Dr. Babayemi then, of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan who later became the Oba Olufi of Gbongan, Osun state.

Olofa-Ina also recorded series of television productions among which are Odetedo, Lakaaye, Kogun Maja, and Ade Oba.

From all of us here at August24news.com Entertainment page we say continue to rest with thy lord Daddy.

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