MKO Abiola, The Nigerian President That Never Was... part1

Even Time, the Great Destroyer, will have to try small before erasing MKO Abiola from the minds of Nigerians. MKO. Abiola. The Man. The Enigma. The Hero. Here is the gripping story ofMosudi, the child of poor Salawu who refused to bow before a crushingly violent Nigerian military, his former ally. A tiger of an ally.

MKO: Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (1937-1998).

★DEDICATION★

This piece is written in honour of and dedicated to all the unsung Nigerian protesters and innocent citizens who suffered terrible losses or lost their lives in the riots that engulfed our nation over the June 12 crisis. It is for these unknown legends that my pen is dancing.

INTRODUCTION

One thing that really got me interested in the late MKO Abiola was his smile. Dancing on his chubby cheeks, his smiles were so broad, so warm and so genuine. Inviting. He radiated happiness, joy and tranquility. They were just too charming to be faked. In the eyes of my mind, I can still feel the glowing warmth of his smiles beyond the grave and the cackle of his hearty laughter. But MKO was human like this writer and the Bashorun of Gbogbo Ibadanland, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland shed tears too.  He felt pain, he felt betrayal, he knew hurt. He was human. He came, he saw and died in battle.

BIRTH, EARLY DAYS AND BACKGROUND

THE EARLY DAYS: A young MKO Abiola. Photo credits: MKOAbiola.org

He was born on a Wednesday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the 24th of August in 1937. He stated that his parents were too poor to send him to school. His father, Alhaji Salawu Adelekan Alao Akanni Abiola was a small-time cocoa farmer while the mother, Alhaja Zeliat (Suliat) Wuraola Ayinke Abiola (nee Kassim) also tried to eke out a living from petty trading. He was the 23rd child of his father and he was named Kashimawo meaning 'Let us  wait and see' because they thought he would also die like his previous siblings. I guess infant mortality has been an issue in Nigeria for quite a long time. But when he turned 15 and did not die, his overjoyous father properly renamed him Moshood. MKO was the first child of the man to survive infancy.

EDUCATION AND SCHOOLING

Although he was from a background of poverty, MKO Abiola was so brilliant in school that he got scholarship grants. Before then, he would gather wood and sticks from the forest at dawn and sell before going to school. He was just nine years old then. He would later see himself to the secondary school with the funds he made from his band. From 1952 to 1954, he was a schoolboy musician (he would later invest in Decca because of his love for music). For primary education, he went to Nawar-ud-Deen School, Abeokuta (1944) and later, the Africa Central School, Abeokuta (1945-1950).

MKO Abiola attended the Baptist Boys High School (BBHS) in Abeokuta where he performed brilliantly where he later benefitted from the scholarship of the Nigerian Baptist Church from 1951-1956.  MKO Abiola later said that if not for the Baptist Church, he would have been a poor vulcanizer labouring under the sun somewhere in Abeokuta. Olusegun Obasanjo was also in the same school with him and while Abiola was the editor of the school magazine (The Trumpeter), Obasanjo was the deputy editor (you go fear open letter from deputy editor na...lol).

Later, MKO Abiola attended the University of Glasgow in Scotland from 1961 to 1963 on the scholarship given to him the defunct Western Region government to study accountancy at the university's Department of Management Accountancy. From 1963 to 1965, he attended the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. He later finished with the following qualifications: F.T.I.I., F.C.I.S, C.A., F. Inst.M., F.C.A., F.N.I.M.

During the 1962/1963 session, MKO won the 1st Prizes in Political Economy, Commercial Law and Management Accountancy. In 1964, he got a distinction in the F.T.II and in 1964, he bagged a distinction at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. That was not all, he also bagged the Queen Elizabeth Prize in the CIS in 1964.

MKO had joined the pan-Nigerian National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons at the age of 19 while still in high school.

EARLY CAREER, GOING INTO BUSINESS AND HOW HE MADE HIS MONEY

When MKO Abiola turned 15, he formed a music band singingagidigbo music with other young chaps (they called him the son of Salawu who goes about singing agidibo music) around and they would go round playing at events in return for food. Okay, he specifically played and was paid with 48 wraps of amala with stew and vegetable soup plus one naira and five kobo (ten and half shillings). His family would eagerly wait for the balls of amala to feed. He would later increase his charges to two naira, twenty kobo (two guineas). As the leader of the band, MKO pocketed half of the proceeds with which he supported his family.  And for the first time in his life, MKO Abiola was able to help those poorer than him. He had become a young philanthropist.

 In 1956, he started work with Barclays Plc on Bank Road, Ibadan, Oyo State as a bank clerk (December 1956-December 1958). He finally ended with ITT ( International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation) Corporation where he really hit it big. Abiola worked with ITT from 1969 to 1988. The following is an overview of his career after he worked with Barclays:

-Executive Officer (Accounts) and later the H.E.O. (Accounts) at the Western Region Finance Corporation from December 1958- February 1961.

-C.A Student, Glasgow, Scotland from  February 1961 – February 1966

- Senior Accountant, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and College of Medicine, April 1966 - June 1967.

-Divisional Controller, Pfizer Products Agricultural Division for West Africa.

-Controller, ITT Nigeria from August 1968 to June 1969.

-Managing Director, ITT Nigeria Limited from June 1969 to December 1969.

-Chairman and Chief Executive, ITT Nigeria Limited (assumed position in December 1970). He would later become the Vice President for ITT (Africa, Middle East and Europe).

-Founder, Chairman/Chief Executive, Radio Communications Nigeria Limited (assumed position in February 1974).

-Founder, Chairman/Chief Executive, Wonder Bakeries Limited (assumed position in January 1980).

-Founder, Publisher, Chairman/Chief Executive, Concord Press of Nigeria Limited (assumed position in March 1980).

-Chairman, Banuso Fisheries Nigeria Limited (assumed position in January 1983).

-Founder, Chairman/Chief Executive, Abiola Farms Limited (assumed position in February 1985).

-Founder, Chairman/Chief Executive, Concord Airlines Limited (assumed November 1987).

-Executive Vice- President of Alcatel International  (assumed position in 1988). 

HOW HE MADE IT BIG IN ITT

In the following sections, you will read how Abiola and Murtala Muhammed almost exchanged blows over money but after that saga, MKO got the money and excitedly, he went to report to his ITT office. On getting to the office, he met his white boss dead drunk. He then called on a photographer and they snapped the drunk dude. Abiola got the photograph and headed straight for the New York headquarters of ITT. On getting there, he flipped out the cheque of seven million naira, brandished it before their faces and told his superiors that unless the drunk guy in the picture was sacked and replaced with him, he would there and then tear the cheque into pieces.

Ehn! The eyes of his superiors lit up! Yeepa! We are talking of 3.5 million pounds here and they were not going to lose that because of one intoxicated mugu, not the money that they'd be trying to get for over three years. Sharp sharp, they recalled the white guy and MKO Abiola became the big boss. He had arrived.

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Real Stories Fake Names – Longitude

So last weekend I was all hyped up to go to Longitude with all the lads, weekend ticket was bought, massive bag of cans to sneak in and the sun was unbelievably hot. It had the makings of an amazing weekend! Friday and Saturday went great, it was the perfect level of drunk, aware enough to catch Kalkbrenner on Sat night which was immense, even had myself a decent looking bird.

Then it came to the Sunday, here’s where it all started to go wrong. most of us were fairly wrecked after 2 days of partying but my mate is such a big Kraftwerk fan and he was dying to see them, something about the 3D and the acid mixed together? I had a good few cans to get through so I sat myself in the sun and went to work, I wasn’t about to go and sit through fucking Japandroids was I?

A few cans turned into a lot and after a while I was getting the spinnies pretty bad so I went for a stumble to calm myself down, In the massive queue for the jacks I met this real nice bird called Jane*, actually no, I don’t even remember her name so that could be her real name for all I know? She was a little bit portly but I didn’t really mind and from what I recall she had an unbelievable accent, real nice northern one.

So we ended up chattin and before we knew it we were getting down to business in one of the portaloos, then all of a sudden this wave of I don’t know what came over me and I was really struggling to stay conscious, then… Bang!

I woke up in the medical tent with this absolutely massive farmer girl beside my holding my hand and a drip in my arm. Turns out I hit the deck with a serious bout of sunstroke taking Jane*, myself and the portaloo crashing to the ground, out of which I came spilling with Jane’s legs wrapped around mine and a whole load of blue toilet water. Would have been embarrassing if I was conscious. Oh yeh and the big bird beside me with the awful country accent…. Jane*, bit bigger then I thought!

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Choi, see boobs everywhr Cossy Orjiakor o! Parties bra-less at Halloween party. (pics)

I keep asking, does Cossy have nipples? How does she manage to hide them while showing off 70% of her boobs? She partied with friends at a Halloween party at Caliente night club last night...and put her massive boobs on display. 
Wait 1st!!! Since when Nigerians dey celebrate Halloween?? Chai we must just wan belong by all means necessary lmao!!! If dem tell us make we do our new yam festival now bois go dey squeeze face
Abeg make una njoy d pixs below jare

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Stimulation Is Key” 8 Ways To Drive Her Wild In Bed

Women can be tricky: there’s a lot of buttons to press, to be pressed in a certain order, at a certain time. We know this ourselves, and do we wish it was easier for us to cum. But we love a guy who doesn’t just wham, bam, thank you Ma’am. We’ll never come crawling back for more with that strategy. If you want to drive her f*cking crazy in the bedroom, well here’s 8 ways to do just that.

8. Foreplay, Foreplay, Foreplay

Jumping straight into sex isn’t a great as great for us as guys think. The more we are warmed up, the more passionate in bed we’ll be: so foreplay is an absolute essential for any girl. Kissing, biting, teasing and heavy pettingreally gets us going. We are way more likely to have a killer orgasm if we’ve been fired up before the main act. On the other side, you’ll find that if you fire us up, we tend to go sex kitten crazy in the bedroom. Tip: gently draw your finger up her spine as you kiss her, this will certainly ignite her fire.

7. Listen To Her Body

A good way to know if she’s enjoying herself is by her body language, obviously. But what you need to note is what really makes her hips grind, how much she forces her body in yours, and how intense her breathing is, and react to this appropriately. For instance, try something different if she’s just laying there, stiff and responsive. What’s important is to remain confident and full of passion. Nothing is a bigger turn-off than a guy who hasn’t a clue what he’s doing or has no faith in himself.

6. Man The Fuck Up

As much as I love being in the drivers seat, there’s nothing better (and most females will agree) than a guy picking you up and taking you into the bedroom. It’s just built into us that we’re attracted to a real manly man, someone who can take charge, show his dominance and isn’t afraid to fuck us up against the wall. This is a massive turn on for most women.

5. Learn To Give Killer Head

Giving unbelievable head is one of the greatest skills a man can learn. Most girls are kind of sensitive about their lady parts, so assure her you’re having a great time down there. I’m not going to go into it as there are plenty of places on the internet where you can learn all kind of tricks and tips about giving head. But on behalf of womankind don’t take advice from a porn video, please. We don’t cum as easy as you think.

4. Stimulation Is The Key

The clitoris, g-spot, nipples, the neck, her lips: yes here are those buttons I was referring to. Don’t be afraid to experiment with her, because unless she actually tells you, you’ll never know what really floats her boat. Also, as much as the sensation of sex can be absolutely mind-blowing, try rubbing her clitoris to get her to get her skipping with glee over the finish line.

3. Don’t Be Afraid To Get Rough

We are not glass, we do not break easily, so don’t worry about hurting us. The only time you’ll hurt us is if you shove yourself into us too quickly, or accidentally put us through a wardrobe in a rage of passion. But yes, more women than so love rough sex. It’s animalistic, it’s full of passion and it drives us wild. So don’t hesitant to get a little kinky with her either. Some of us may seem sweet and innocent, but we just need a little encouragement,

2. Know How To Prevent Yourself From Finishing First

We know that sometimes you can’t help it, but it is the biggest mood killer in the world when you cum too earlier. Even when she’s assuring you that it’s okay, and it’s fine, it’s not. Whether we show it or not, deep down inside us burns a hatred so hot for your inability to last longer than three minutes. So next time you feel that you’re going to cum, get the fuck out of there before it’s too late. Take a breather, give her some extra attention, think of your Grandmother, do what you need to.

1. Let Her Know That You’re Enjoying Yourself

How am I supposed to know you’re actually enjoying yourself if you don’t tell me? When guys are quiet it makes us worry; am I giving head ok? Is it because I look fat on top? Do I taste weird… down there? Sometimes we can’t help but insecure about our wobbly bits and lady parts. We feel 100% more comfortable if you just let us know, that we look hot, taste fantastic and enjoy what we’re doing. It gives the more insecure of us the confidence to let loose our inner sex goddess.

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We won’t support Jonathan in 2015 —Northern elders

As President Goodluck Jonathan declares his intention to run for second term in 2015, leaders of the North, under the auspices of the Northern Elders Forum, have expressed their decision to support any presidential candidate presented by the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 election.

They expressed their grievances with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party over the automatic ticket issued to President Goodluck Jonathan to seek a second term in the election. This, the elders said, had prevented aspirants from the North from contesting on the platform of the party.

The national leadership of the PDP, including the Board of Trustees, the National Executive Council and the National Working Committee, had unanimously adopted Jonathan as the consensus presidential candidate of the party.

In separate interviews with our correspondent on Friday, the Deputy Chairman of the NEF, Dr. Paul Unongo and spokesperson of the forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, stated that despite Jonathan’s power of incumbency and the deployment of state resources at his disposal, he would not win the election if the region voted against him.

He said, “Our position has not changed. We don’t mind him contesting, but we are not going to work for him to become president of this country again because we don’t believe that we have had any president that has been so divisive; that has heightened religious tendencies, hatred, ethnic militancy, high rate of impunity and a tremendous amount of insensitivity.

“The majority of northerners and the majority of Nigerians will decide for us and for the APC. We are not into party politics, but the APC has shown respect and deference to the North by allowing the North to produce its (presidential) candidate. But the PDP shut the door, saying there is nobody else but Jonathan; that he is the best for Nigeria. That is a lie.

“If not from the North, let somebody else come to contest; we will support him.”

The Second Republic Minister of Steel decried the abduction of over 200 Chibok schoolgirls by Boko Haram on April 14 and that they remain in captivity over six months after.

He said despite the claim by the Federal Government that it had reached a ceasefire deal with the sect and that the girls would be released, the insurgents had continued to launch attacks and kidnap more people.

Similarly, Abdullahi stated that the NEF would carry out its threat to frustrate Jonathan’s re-election bid, as the President had failed to secure the release of the Chibok girls before the end of October.

The Presidency had dismissed the ultimatum issued to Jonathan by the forum on August 11, 2014 to produce the Chibok girls or forget about his 2015 ambition.

Abdullahi said, “We did not even put ‘if.’ He should just forget about 2015. We cannot support him for 2015 for whatever reason. What we said would only confuse those who doubt; we have never doubted his failure. We have always believed that the man is incapable of running this country.”

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Before you walk down the aisle…

When a couple agree to walk down the aisle, there are some issues to consider. Take time to reflect on this checklist

Family ties

How your partner relates with the opposite sexes in his family could be a pointer to how he would relate with you. A lady who respects her father and brothers would definitely respect you as a husband. If your partner gets physical with his sisters, he may continue with you once you are married. Also, how do your intending in-laws behave towards you? How does your partner act around your family and friends? That could determine how successful your marriage will be.

Financial responsibility

Maturity or age is not the only requirements for marriage. One’s economic power also determines if a man is ready to marry or not. Financial instability is one of the major causes of broken marriages. It is safer to delay the marriage until both parties are financially stable. Also, how prudent is your partner? If you are extravagant, you may want to stay away from someone who is also extravagant, except if you have mutually decided to go bankrupt.

Temperament

People’s disposition towards issues should determine if you would marry them or not. Opposites attract. It is always advisable to marry someone who is not of the same temperament with you. That way, you would complement each other strongly. How does your partner handle issues? How effective can he/she control anger? Consider these.

Plans for future

It is always advisable to marry someone who has the same vision of the future with you. Take into consideration the vision your partner has for the future. Are they in line with yours? Do you want to have kids immediately after the wedding when your partner may not want any kids at all? Set short and long term goals and make sure they are in line with those of your partner.

Emotional maturity

Needless to say, you should get married to someone you are emotionally attached to. Not only should your partner be mature, also make sure he/she is emotionally able to handle whatever comes out of the union. Marriage is a life time affair, and for better or worse.

Motives

Surprisingly, the motive for wanting to get married may be different from that of your partner. You may be getting married because you love your partner, whereas your partner is only getting married out of desperation. Get to figure out if you are you getting married to each other for the same reasons.

Relationship history

Your partner may tell you that the past has been buried, but how he/she fared in that relationship might be a determining factor to the outcome or success of the union. Old habits do not die young and chances are that he/she would bring them into your union. Be sure to clear this air before you move on.

Background check

Before you propose to that lady or say yes to that man, carry out your background check to be certain that all the stories you were fed are true. Your intending spouse does not have to know about it and this should not stop you from building the trust either.

Medical fitness

Although medicine has clearly evolved and provided solution to most ailments, it is advisable to marry someone who is medically compatible with you. You may not have to spend too much money maintaining and sustaining yourselves health wise. Also, ascertaining your medical fitness gives you an idea of what to avoid or expect if you decide to go on with the marriage.

When you trust your spouse

You do not hide things from her. The wife on the other hand, should have faith in her husband. She should not be a nagging type. She should also be the proverbial virtuous woman and offer support where it is needed. The couple should be contented with what they have and not spend money because they see others doing so.

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Bleaching creams trigger kidney failure

What is kidney failure?

Kidney failure is when the kidney cannot perform its normal functions which include producing urine. At this stage, we say the kidney has failed. It also means it can no longer remove waste products from the body through urine. Someone with kidney failure is forced to retain waste products in the body.

What causes kidney failure?

There are many things that cause failure. However, some of the most common causes, in adults include hypertension – this is one of the major causes, it is called a silent killer. It damages the kidney, liver, heart and many other organs. It is one of the major causes of kidney failure. Another major case is diabetes; this is when there is too much sugar in the body. Then, too much fat. Too much fat prevents blood from flowing well, through blood vessels. This also damages the kidney. Infection, is another cause, taking over-the-counter drugs too causes kidney failure. Sometimes, even drugs prescribed in the hospital can cause kidney failure; a good example is gentamicin injection. This drug is easily available, but if not used properly can cause kidney disease. There are also drugs in bleaching creams that trigger kidney failure.

Who are the people susceptible to kidney failure?

There are two groups of people that are likely to have kidney failure; sickle cell and HIV positive persons. Over time, HIV persons are now living longer and a large percentage of them end up developing kidney disease.

Do children also have kidney problems?

Yes, they do.

What causes kidney failure in children?

The commonest cause of kidney failure in children is infection. When a child has urinary tract infection- this infection affects the kidney and the urinary tract. Some of these infections are silent in children and don’t show the symptoms we see in adults, so it’s easy to treat inappropriately. This infection then damages the kidney. Another thing that can causes, kidney failure in children is inappropriate use of drugs. We also have children that are born with abnormalities in their kidney, as they grow older, the abnormality manifests and eventually leads to kidney failure. There are also children who developed kidney disease after they were born. These children will include those with infection in the throat or skin. The kidney may overact to this infection and cause nephritic syndrome. Nephritic syndrome is one causes of kidney failure. Another thing is glomerulo nephrithis. This is when there is a swelling of the kidney following infections, toxins, drugs given to the child. This can lead to the child having kidney failure. These are the common causes of kidney failure in children.

Can people with acute kidney problem recover from it?

It all depends on the cause of acute kidney injury and the extent of acute kidney injury. It is difficult to tell how long they would take to recover. However, most people recover when are properly treated. But there are some people who, after they have recovered, may develop chronic kidney disease and end up with kidney failure in the long term. However, this is not the case for children, it has been observed that children recover better than adults.

What at the symptoms of kidney failure?

The commonest sign is swelling of the body because the person is unable pass out urine. The body ends up retaining water and other waste products which should have been passed out. Another symptom is the swelling of the face and feet. These symptoms get worse as the kidney degenerates. The person also feels tired and weak because of shortage of blood. The person may also experience headache, abdominal pain, difficulty in passing urine, however; the signs are different in victims.

How can kidney failure be prevented?

For adults, they must live a healthy lifestyle; they must develop this habit early. Hypertension, diabetes, excessive fat can be controlled by healthy living. They should eat a balanced diet on a daily basis, avoid too much protein, carbohydrate and eat little fat. We also need to drink a lot of water because the more we drink water, the more the kidney flushes out waste. We should also learn to take walks. Nigerians have become lazy; very few of us take walks. We should exercise on a daily basis. This should become a habit. We should also do regular health checks. These health checks are needed to detect diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Buying drugs off the counter should also be avoided while women too should avoid bleaching their skin. This is one of the causes for kidney failure. People should also know their HIV status. People with HIV may not be aware, and they will have the virus in their body 10 to 15 years. By the time they realise it, their kidney might have been damaged.

In children, we can prevent kidney failure, by undergoing frequent antenatal care for our pregnant mothers. Ultra sound is another useful way to detect if one’s child would have an abnormality with their kidney. We should also treat infections properly. Constantly check your child’s urine to ensure they don’t have any infection. Parents should also teach their girl-child how to clean themselves after toilet use. It should be done from the front to the back. These are just a few ways to prevent kidney failure in children.

However, early diagnosis is key. For example, an abnormality of the kidney system may make boys urinate in drips. If this happens, it means the affected child has an abnormality which can be fixed early, but if not corrected surgically, the kidney will be damaged and the child may have kidney failure. Prompt treatment of infection and not abusing drugs reduce the chances of a child developing kidney failure.

What is dialysis and what are the various types?

It is the process where waste products are removed from the body because the kidney can’t do so. There are two types; the first is chemo dialysis- waste products are removed through the blood. Blood is taken out of the person and passed through a machine that then removes waste products. After which the blood is put back into the person. This is more easily available in Nigeria. Another type is Peretoneal dialysis- fluid is inputted into the abdomen of the person and then the person carries this fluid for some time. During the process of carrying the fluid, waste products accumulate in the fluid and then the fluid is drained out and the cycle is repeated.

How long can one be on dialysis?

There are people who have been on dialysis for 10 years or longer. But dialysis is meant to be short.

How long will someone with chronic kidney failure continue with dialysis?

It depends on the cause and severity of kidney failure. However, dialysis is in stages. By the time the person reaches stage five, they will need a transplant.

What dietary change does someone who is undergoing treatment need to implement?

A good diet is important. The person needs very little salt, because their body now retains fluid. Then normal protein, not too much protein, very little oil is needed in the person’s diet. In addition, there is a substance in the body called potassium, if it is too much, it causes heart failure. Sources of potassium include apple, banana and potassium used in soups.

Is anaemia related to kidney disease?

Yes, there is a hormone produced by the kidney which is necessary to make red blood cells. But when there is kidney failure, it produces this hormone in little quantity and zero amount later on which causes anaemia.

How is kidney disease diagnosed?

There is a process, the doctor listens to the person and examines the person. There are screening tests for kidney disease. Among these is urine analysis.

 How can we keep the kidneys healthy?

Water is important; it makes the body produce urine fast unlike soft drinks. Regular check-ups, healthy lifestyle, and avoidance of drugs are all necessary ways to keep the kidneys healthy.

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