London Lecture: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo pelted with eggs, tomatoes
By Rafiu Ajakaye Senior Reporter, Lagos

On Wednesday, African students kept their word in London, where they besieged the London School of Economics (LSE), and warned the world that former President Olusegun Obasanjo represents the ugly face of Africa and does not merit the honour of having him say anything on any subject on the continent.

Nigerian Students protesting against former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the London School of Economics (LSE), London … on Wednesday

“He was held hostage for hours, with protesters throwing eggs and raw tomatoes at him. He could not immediately leave the venue even after the lecture,” a source recounted from London.

Scores of protesters were injured as they engaged the police in a bid to enter the LSE building.

And Obasanjo was booed in the hall as he spoke on the unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where he mediates on behalf of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon.

He delivered a lecture on ‘Eastern DRC: What should the international community be doing?’ alongside David Leonard and James Putzel, both experts on the Congolese crisis.

The protest was at the instance of the Nigeria Liberty Forum (NLF), a coalition of Nigerians in the United Kingdom, and the Nigerian Students Union (NSU), backed by other African students.

The protesters arrived the LSE with anti-Obasanjo slogans and placards accusing him of heightening the tension in Nigeria’s Deep South, introducing anti-people economic reforms, haunting down political foes, corrupt deals, and wanting to manipulate the Constitution to stand for a third term.

They arrived the venue early enough to deny Obasanjo entry into the lecture hall. He was later smuggled in through the Students’ Union cafeteria.

“The NLF considers it a public duty to stop people like Obasanjo representing Africa anywhere, because he represents the same failed face of Africa. We cannot afford different versions of Mobutu, Idi Amin, Bokassa, Conteh, Marcias Nguema, and their ilk representing us,” NLF Co-ordinator, Kayode Ogundamisi, said in a statement.

“Obasanjo has the traits of the worst tyrants in Africa, but he seems to have the international community under his spell. They overlook his indiscretions and scandalous crimes, and shower him with credibility when he should be cooling his heels in jail or hiding away in one remote corner of the world, far, far from decent people!

“Not too curiously, the increasingly retrogressive authorities of the LSE have equally fallen under his spell. They have since revoked all accreditations given to press men for the event and have requested that the (NLF) pass whatever message it has through them to Obasanjo in an attempt to keep the public away. Well, it’s not going to happen, because the world must know who Obasanjo is.

“We can speak for ourselves in any public space and we can do so via a peaceful protest. Obasanjo is a monster, not a statesman, and no amount of lipstick or make-up will change him from who he is. We know him and every decent citizen of our world needs to know him for who he truly is as well.

“Indeed, Obasanjo’s well-known corrupt dealings are legion and it would be a bold-faced lie for those who parade him within the international community today as a worthy statesman to claim they have no idea. The series of revelations of the huge corrupt dealings that pervaded the comatose power sector throughout Obasanjo’s tenure has his imprints all over them.

“Today, they have inflicted him on the Congo – a man whose legacy of death, mayhem and spectacular failure has knocked Nigeria into comatose is being depended on to provide a pathway to peace in the Congo! Talk about a pie in the flaming sky!”

We thank God for the third week of the administration of our worthy Governor, His Excellency Dr Olusegun Mimiko. We know you shall do well and we support all your decisions so far and ratify them as the CORRECT THING(S) TO DO. No matter what some disgruntled elements may try to say, Dr Mimiko, you are taking the right steps and doing the right things and the sky is the limit for you and your administration.

Mimiko joooooooooo, gba sibe o jareeeeeeeeeeeee.

For a long time, PDP has shown in all areas that they are not interested in the welfare of the common man in Ondo State.
They did not and still do not care if the peace of the State is disturbed and they still think they can win, BUT THEY WILL FAIL. What PDP is doing in Ondo State is boomeranging on them, They are the reason why the people are retaliating. They are bringing in problems but they are the ones that will continue to suffer. They are not ashamed to try and pin the blame on Mimiko. Anyway, PDP has never taken on any blame or held themselves accountable to anything they have done or are doing. Why cant they look inward? Why do they want to continue digging their own grave deeper and deeper? In the book of Esther, Hamman kept on trying and trying and trying to kill the children of Israel, but who in the end ended up in the pit he dug? So let it be with PDP Ondo State.

Mimiko’s administration has the support of the people and the support of GOD. He will win anyday and anytime. PDP give up. PDP get lost and DP leave Ondo State alone. Shame on you for trying to SNEAK into the Ondo State Assembly House to “steal” the Maze which by right belongs to the Chief Exec of Ondo State and not the Speaker. PDP if we remember had an unholy alliance with MEND in the past. They seem not to care how low they stoop to cause problems in Ondo State. THE PEOPLE OF ONDO STATE WILL RESIST PDP TO THE LAST. It is now the people’s government, by the people, for the people, as led by the people’s choice – DR OLUSEGUN MIMIKO.

We pray for peace in Ondo State, and God will continue to answer our prayers. PDP SHOULD WHEN THEY GET WHAT THEY DESERVE, THEIR JUST DESSERTS, SHOULD LOOK INWARD AND BLAME THEMSELVES. They either give up and give peace a chance in Ondo State or bear the consequence. Havent we cried ENOUGH IS ENOUGH enough?

Peace my beloved, no fears, God is in control

Alleged plot by PDP lawmakers to impeach Mimiko foiled 10/3/2009

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

An alleged plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – dominated Ondo State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Olusegun Mimiko has been foiled.

The 15 PDP members of the House had allegedly hatched a plot to remove Mimiko and his deputy, Alhaji Alli Olanusi.

It was gathered that a secret meeting was held between the PDP lawmakers and PDP chieftains shortly after the thanksgiving service held in Iju –Odo, the hometown of the former Governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, on how to remove Mimiko.

During the meeting, it was learnt that how to illegally remove the mace, as a prelude to impeaching the governor and his deputy, was perfected.

The mace was allegedly concealed as resolved by one of the House principal officers.

There has been a lingering crisis in the Assembly over the dissolution of local governments by Mimiko.

Sources said the Speaker, Mr. Taofeeq Abdulsalaam, allegedly sent one of his aides to the Assembly complex yesterday for some items.

But the security guards turned the aide back.

They said the aide had no business being on the premises, yesterday being a public holiday, when the House was not in session.

This development propelled the PDP lawmakers to mobilise to the House in protest against the refusal of the security agents to allow the Speaker’s aide entry to the Assembly,

The House Minority Leader, Mr. Dayo Akinsoyinu, in company of other eight Labour Party (LP) and one Alliance for Democracy (AD) lawmakers, said at a news conference in Ondo town that the PDP legislators erred by going to the House when there was a public holiday.

According to him, the Assembly had adjourned on March 3 till today. The action of the PDP legislators was a breach of the House rule, he said.

Akinsoyinu defended the governor over the dissolution of the councils.

He said the controversial December 15, 2007 council elections were conducted illegally by the ousted Agagu administration, in spite of a court injunction restraining it from doing so.

He urged the PDP lawmakers to allow peace to reign.

Akinsoyinu urged them to support the Mimiko administration in its bid to transform the state