CHUKWUEMEKA OHANAEMERE aka ODUMEJE Bio, Life style and net Worth

Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere alias Odumeje is a controversial spiritual figure who is always in the news for weird, wrong reasons. His approach to the things of God, particularly on deliverance and healing sessions beg questions as to how he has remained unchecked despite the many inconvenient things he does. In an era where there are incessant questions into the affairs of African and Nigerian pastors, particularly on their ‘lust for tithes and offering’, according to Daddy Freeze. It remains to be seen whether or not the Christian body (CAN) or Nigerian authorities would beam their lights in the direction of Odumeje.

EARLY LIFE AND CAREER

Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere alias Odumeje ‘The Lion’ (born September 9) is an Anambra-based controversial and radical Nigerian pastor, prophet, founder and the president of Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry inc., a.k.a the Land of Freedom, situated in Onitsha, Anambra, South East, Nigeria. Emeka Odumeje has often been criticized and is always in the news for very wrong reasons, owing to his lifestyle, healing, and deliverance approach which majorly involves slamming or throwing people on empty chairs like WWE superstars would their opponents.

Ohanaemere is the 3rd in the family of six children. He was born into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Pius Ohanaemere of Orsu Ihete Ukwa, in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, South East of Nigeria. He is a passionate lover of music and football so much that he aspired to be either a musical or football legend. He proceeded to Providence Secondary School after his nursery and primary education at Nweje, in a town in Anambra. He had wanted to further his educational career but could not as a result of financial difficulty being faced by his mother who was a mere petty trader at Upper Iweka, Lagos park. Ohanaemere resorted to leather business, where he served as an apprentice.

While struggling to survive, his mother had a vision of his son becoming a great prophet of God, a course she relentlessly backed up with prayers and fasting, for the divine arrest of her son. Shortly after, Ohanaemere became a laughing stock among his peers after the story of his revelation got to them. In the year 2000, he quit the leather business, which he had been doing for evangelism and launched out into full ministerial work. Despite going into full ministerial work, he found life difficult as his mother remained his financial strength.

CONTROVERSIES

Since his emergence as a pastor, Emeka Odumeje has courted countless controversies and has shot up as one of the most controversial pastors in Nigeria. His odd miracle sessions involve him lifting members of his congregation and throwing them at empty chairs. He has since been dubbed as a ‘Smack Down Pastor’ by many who consider his moves synonymous to WWE Superstar, Brock Lesnar’s and John Cena’s. During his WWE sessions, he is often being referred to as the ‘heavyweight servant of the Most High‘. Besides being a WWE wannabe, Odumeje has been accused of staging miracles, one of which involves raising the dead in his church, an event that was captured on camera. The same applies to other miracle sessions he has conducted.

For a supposed man of God, Emeka Odumeje has been seen dancing to secular songs severally while spraying wads of Dollars. It is believed that the pastor is a close friend of Nollywood actor, Zubby Michael, as both have been seen dancing ‘Zanku’, a dance move invented by Nigerian musician, Zlatan. In another time, he was seen dancing to ‘One More Night’ by Peter Okoye, of the defunct P-Square group, now referred to as ‘Mr. P’, with wads of cash during his birthday during a church service on Sunday! In October 2019, Emeka Odumeje’s followers in Indonesia, numbering about 80 Nigerians were deported by the Indonesian government for publicly spraying the pastor on the altar while on a visit to Jakarta, the capital of the South East Asian country.

EMEKA ODUMEJE FAMILY

Pastor Odumeje is married and has four children with his wife; two boys and two girls.

EMEKA ODUMEJE NET WORTH

Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere aka Odumeje ‘The Lion’ estimated net worth is N200 million.

FACTS ABOUT BRAMHANANDAM KANNEGANTI

PERSONAL LIFE

Brahmanandam was born in Sattenapalli, Guntur District in Andhra Pradesh. Prior to films, he was a Telugu lecturer in Attili, a town in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Bramhanandam married Lakshmi and has two sons, Raja Gautam and Siddarth. He became a grandfather in 2017 with the birth of Raja Gautam's son. On 14 January 2019, Brahmanandam underwent a successful heart bypass surgery at Asian Heart Institute (AHI) in Mumbai. He is one of the highest paid actors in comic genre. He is called as comedy king of Tollywood. He has already grabbed many prestigious awards and honours for his excellent work in the industry. He also holds a Guinness World of Record for most screen credits. He had delivered more than thousands of movie till date. Born in a village in Guntur district, he pursued his master degree in Telugu and then started his career as a lecturer. He worked at Attili, which is a town in West Godavari district. He used to perform in the inter-college competition which helped him in developing his expression and comic abilities. Director Jandhyala Subramanya Sastry was the one who supported him and played a major role in his entry in the movie industry. He started his career in films with a movie 'Chantabbai' in 1986. He impressed his audience with his satire and physical comedy. After his first movie, he never looked back and went on delivering a number of successful movies.  

BRAMHANANDAM FAMILY

He was born to Kanneganti Lakshmi Narsamma and Kanneganti Nagalingachari. He married Lakshmi Kanneganti and the couple has 2 sons including Siddharth Kanneganti and Raja Gautam Kanneganti.

FACTS ABOUT BRAMHANANDAM

* Rekha is Brahmanandam’s Favorite actress.

* Amitabh Bachchan is his Favorite actor.

* His Favorite color is White.

Reading, Writing, and Painting are his Favorite hobbies.

* Sambhar, Kheer, and Medu Vada are his favorite food.

* He is one of the highest paid comedians in India.

* The comedian king holds a Guinness world record for most number of screen credit for a living actor.

* The comedy king of Tollywood likes to make sculptures in his free time.

* Brahmanandam is also known for his cooking skills.The Tollywood stars like Junior NTR and Ram Charan are a great fan of the food that he prepares.

* The actor doesn’t go out after 7 pm. He prefers to stay at home and spend time with his family.

* Before coming into Tollywood, Brahmanandam was a professor in a private college in Athili, West Godavari District.* Brahmanand is the only actor who has done 1000 movies in a career span of 28 years.

* The role of Pujari and Shastri has made him popular in the Tollywood cinema.

* His best works till date are Khan Dada From Money, Michael Jackson from Anaganaga O Raju, Brahmi From Pokiri, Aha Na Pellanta, Chari From Adhurs, Yamaleela, Sandade Sandadi, Babai Hotel or more.

* In 2009, he was honored with Padma Shri award for his contribution to Indian Cinema.

He charges 1 crore approx. per movie.

NET WORTH

He was estimated and valued at $50 million (#19,475,000,000.00)

Brahmanandam Controversies

The star is in the lights for few of the negative controversies after him; The High court ordered him to return the Padma Shri award for misusing the honorary title. The reason for the controversy was that they used the title ‘Padma Shri’ before their name to promote the movie ‘Denikaina Ready’ ( “Ready for Anything”, produced by Mohan Babu). He has attitude problem and doesn’t behave well with his junior co-stars. Tollywood actress Hema once said in an Interview, “ I have lost offers from directors and producers who roped me in their movies. Several directors told me that actor Brahmanandam didn’t want to act with me and asked to replace me with another actor”.

team MMG cast

TEAM MMG

*LOGISTICS*: OSENI ADEWUMI Alimah; Adeleye ADEOLUWA; Lawal IBITOYE; Akorede Victor SEGUN. 

*CINEMATOGRAPHY*: Tim SILVER

*PRODUCTION ASST MANAGER*: Adedapo TOLULOPE

*EDITORIAL BOARD:* Olayinka ABOSEDE; Ayomide (GOLD)

*PRODUCER*: Michael, O. Akande

*EXECUTIVE PRODUCER*: BATVAM CONSULTING GROUP (BCG)

BELLO MASABA BIDA, The man that controls 84 wives and 203 children and still living in PEACE. - MO Akande

Muhammadu Bello Abubahkar Masaba Bida also known as Mohammed Bello Abubakar (28 January 1924 – 28 January 2017) was born in Nigeria. Masaba is known for having stirred up controversy in his hometown Bida, Niger State due to his extensive polygamy, and for being outspoken, he was uncharged under Sharia law and sent to prison in 2008 for refusing to divorce 82 of his wives. Islam limits the number of wives a Muslim man can have to four, mandating they must be all treated equally. He married 120 wives, divorced 10, and fathered 203 children. At the time of his death in 2017, seven (7) out of his wives were believed to be pregnant.

Masaba was as a teacher and Imam. He lived in an entire apartment block with his family. Masaba claimed that he never pursued his wives, and that he was sought by them due to his reputation as a healer. Most of his wives were younger than 30 years of age, and a few younger than his elder children. In interviews with Al Jazeera English, his wives claimed that he was a good husband and father.

INTERPRETATION OF THE QURAN ON POLYGAMY 'S MARRIAGE

The Quran states that a man may marry up to four wives mandating they must be all treated equally. Noble Verse 4:3 of the Holy Quran “If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, Two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.” Masaba claimed that when the Quran set a law, it must also set a punishment for offenders, and no punishment was given for this offense. 

During a prison interview, Masaba told The Christian Science Monitor:

"If God permits me, I will marry more than 86 wives. A normal human being could not marry 86 – but I can only by the grace of God, I married 86 women and there is peace in the house – if there is peace, how can this be wrong?"

SURVIVAL OF THE HOUSEHOLD

No work

Mr. Bello Abubakar and his wives do not work and he has no visible means of supporting such a large family. He kept silence on how he makes enough money to pay for the huge cost of feeding and clothing so many people. Every mealtime they cook three 12kg bags of rice which all adds up to $915 (£457) every day. “It's all from God,” he says. Other residents of Bida, the village where he lives in the northern Nigerian state, say they do not know how he supports the family. According to one of his wives, Mr. Bello Abubakar sometimes asks his children to go and beg for 200 naira ($1.69, £0.87), which if they all did would bring in about #113,100 ($290). Most of his wives live in a squalid, unfinished house in Bida; others live in his house in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital. He refuses to allow any of his family or other devotees to take medicine and says he does not believe that malaria exists.

INTERROGATIONS AND TRIALS

After the death pronouncement on him by the Islamic group, Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Bida Emirate Council and an assembly of Islamic leaders invited Masaba for interrogation. Deliberations were given in Etsu Nupe's palace Bida and the Etsu Nupe of Bida, Alhaji Yahya Abubakar read out a verdict saying that Masaba should divorce 82 of the 86 wives within 48 hours or leave the entire Nupe Kingdom as his safety could not be guaranteed within the kingdom. At the expiration of the ultimatum, Masaba refused to divorce any of his wives and denied ever promising this.

In 2008 Bello was arrested by Islamic authorities and tried before a Sharia court. Before his trial at the Sharia court, Police in Niger State gave him a clean bill, as the state command declared that nothing incriminating was found in his house. The leader of the police team, that arrested the Islamic cleric in Bida before 27 September 2008, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr John Olayemi declared:

"We found nothing incriminating in his house. There was no knife, no pistol or skull in his house when we went to invite him to the headquarters for a chat." Olayemi explained that the command of arresting Masaba acted on an instrument of Upper Sharia Court. 

LIFE IN PRISON

In October 6, 2008, while in detention in Minna Prison, an Upper Sharia Court Judge in Minna, Alhaji Abdulmalik Imam, transferred Masaba's case to a Chief Magistrate's Court in Minna after admitting lacking jurisdiction. Masaba was still remanded in prison custody at the instance of the Sharia Court.

Thousands of protestors gathered to protest against his actions, and claimed that if he were released, they would not allow him to return to his home. His wives announced their outrage at his arrest. Due to his persistent refusal to divorce 82 of his wives during his trial, he was sentenced to death. The sentence was lifted in early September 2008. Masaba still faced eviction from his home. The case was reported globally and throughout Nigeria, angering many Nigerian Muslims.

Following the case, Masaba told the BBC:

"A man with ten wives would collapse and die, but my own power is given by Allah. That is why I have been able to control 86 of them," 

RELEASE

On 12 November 2008, a Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja ordered the release of Masaba from detention in Minna Prison with immediate effect. The trial high court judge, Justice G.O. Kolawole attached no condition to his release. The judge also ordered the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mike Okiro, to ensure the protection of Masaba's fundamental rights to life, liberty and privacy, as enshrined in the 1999 constitution of Nigeria, through the Niger State Commissioner of Police. Masaba returned to his hometown, Bida, on 13 November 2008.

In July 2011,'Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, the governor of Niger State said "though we have Sharia in place in the state, but we have no law to pin him down". Niger State government's effort to prosecute Masaba, were unsuccessful because of legal lacuna. The Speaker of Niger State House of Assembly, Barrister Adamu Usman, disclosed that various attempts to prosecute Masaba ran into hitches because there was no provision in the law of the state to effect his prosecution.

Barrister Adamu Usman said:

"As Attorney General then I personally appeared before Sharia court, Minna, as prosecutor to prosecute the man but later discovered that Sharia courts in Niger State cannot deal with the case. No provision made in Penal code C.P.C or Sharia administration of Justice law to deal with such cases."

APPEARANCE ON MEDIA

Masaba is frequently depicted by the media as "the man with 86 wives." Contrary to some media reports, that Masaba divorced 82 out of his 86 wives, he refused to divorce any of his wives. Recently Masaba has reappeared in articles concerning an alleged plot to disenfranchise his family. Members of his family were prevented by thugs from registering to vote. Nine members of the Masaba family were injured by thugs whenever they attempted to register to vote.

After a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ordered the release of Masaba from detention, he had 18 more children, having a total of 138 . Masaba came into limelight with another super polygamist, Ziona Chana of India in 2011. As of May 2011, Masaba had 89 wives and 133 children while India's Ziona Chana had 39 wives, 94 children and 33 grandchildren.

In June 2012, Masaba had an interview, he said:

"Large number of wives? I only have 97 wives. I am still going to marry more. I will keep marrying them for as long I am alive. Whoever is fighting me because of my wives or love life. Such an individual has missed it. Left for me, I would have married maybe two wives, but what I am doing is divine. It is an assignment and I will keep marrying till the end of time. I just want to advise those fighting against the number of my wives to stop because such people are waging war against God, their creator."

copied from  

TEAM MMG

The Historical Development of Erin Osun.

UP-FRONT

Erin-Osun, one of the two (2) major towns in Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State, has so much HONOUR. It is a land of brave warriors and believe so much in the tradition of “Justice and Equity”. This was evident in the town's “Oriki” Erin moje omo saaja- Not easily provoked and highly principled on issues. Omo elewe l'adogba -Abhors cheating and staunch believer in principle of equality Erin Osun is in the Central Senatorial District of State of Osun, sharing common boundaries with Ilobu, in Irepodun Local Government, Ifon-Osun in Orolu Local Government Aro, Iloba, Egbedi and Ido-Osun -all in all Egbedore Local Government Area. The major occupation of the citizen is farming.

THE BEGINNING

Erin-Osun was founded in the 18th Century on an open grassland by Oba Oyagbodun Ayoka who was a great warrior. During the war of hostilities led by Alimi the Jihadist which led to the fall of Offa in the early 18th Century, Oba Oyagbodun Ayoka went to Ajayi Osungbekun, the then Balogun of Ibadan who stationed a military camp in Ikirun to ward off the insurgence of the jihadist. Balogun Osungbekun gave Elerin Oba Oyagbodun Ayoka the present location formally called Erin-papa. The location was later changed to Erin-Osun as it is known today. Oba Oyagbodun Ayoka was a descendant of a renowned Hunter and Prince of lie Ife called Odumosa Apaayan who was involved in a chieftaincy tussle with Oranmiyan in Ile-Ife after the death of their father OBALUFON. Odumosa later fled from Ile-Ife to an unknown destination on Ifa oracle's advice. He was accompanied by host of supporters including his first son - Alawode Arebiope. He took along with him several valuable items which include Beaded crowns. For fear of being apprehended by his brother-Oranmiyan-a war like king in Ile-Ife then, and because of the valuable things they carried along with them, Odumosa Apaayan hastened up members of his team in the journey to move - “fast” “fast “ “fast“ which in Yoruba means E rin, E rin, E rin. This word which is a command to move fast, don't be sluggish, don't slow down, move forward became the acronym approved by the Ifa Oracle as a name for all settlements founded by Odumosa and his heirs. The settlements founded by this great warrior are:

Erinmo - where they stopped to make palm front houses.

Erin-Itadogun - A Junction where they rested after the 127th day of trekking from Ile-Ife

Erin-Oke - in the State of Osun

Erin-Odo - (Now Erin-Ijesa)

Elerinjare - in Kwara State

Erin-Ile - in Kwara State

Erin-Osun - in the State of Osun (but formerly called Erin-papa)

Erin Osun is a very big town in the State of Osun and shares close affinity with all other settlement that were founded by Odumosa most especially Erin-Ile in Kwara State till today. Culturally, Erin-Osun is a typical Yoruba town, conversant with and observing all the Yoruba | culture and traditions. An annual festival peculiar to the town, however is the OBALUFON named after their progenitor. Erin-Osun is divided into five (5) quarters: (i) Oke Erin (ii) Oke Ila (iii) Ehin Igbo (iv) Oke Afolu and (v) Oke-Ore. With time, other immigrants came to join and settle in the town. Today Erin-Osun is made up of several family compounds and community settlements. Many outsiders used Erin Osun as their tourist center during the festival of Obalufon. Some special places in Erin Òsun are: Aanu River, Akanbi River, the market square, the Elerin palace and others. They are places often visited by the White men. 

SMALLER CITIES IN THE VICINITY

These are smaller but yet relevant locations related to this place.

 Aro, Ido Oshun, Iloba, Egbedi, Egbedi, Ofatedo, Komini, Iseki, Ojo, Imofo, Okinni, Abule Iya Agba, Iseki Igbo, Aganna, Aba Bale, Lado, Ijagemo, Ilawe

 Aba Bale, Ikolo, Isangbe Oye, Magele

 Iwonso, Alate, Akinlade, Abudo, Ogunleye, Ede Station, Alarasan, and Adodo. 

The town has schools (both government and private), private institutions that's widely accepted globally, commercial Bank, markets, hospitals and different companies. As it stands, the town has produced many important dignitaries throughout the world. Erin Osun had the production of the following prominent people: 

The First Captain General of Nigerian Navy

The First managing director for Dangote Group PLC

Nigeria pilot

Staff member of World Bank, Switzerland

Staff member of Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja

World class politicians

Business mongers

Professors

Medical practitioners and many distinct people. 

Órikí Erin-Òsun

Ẹ̀rìn moje ọmọ saaja,

Ọmọ eléwé ladogba òróró maro,

Ẹ̀rìn wagunwagun

Ewá w’Ẹ̀rìn logun eniti yíò wá Ẹ̀rìn logun kowa àpò ide kolowa ọfà,

Bàbá kòníbon ajíperin nílé,

karo ń lè mọ wọn lójú ogun ẹni Ẹ̀rìn mọ jẹ́ ta l’ọfà tikoku titi ọjọ́ ale afori wowe lobisu Ẹ̀rìn mọ jẹ́ lọmọ

Igi kan igi kan toya dina l’Ẹ̀rìn,

Nipopo olowe koje ki ọmọ elẸ̀rìn,

oroko kòjé kí Ìwòfà elẸ̀rìn orodò,

Ènìyàn mélòó nani yio gegi oro naa,

Olowe wọn ní kí wọn wá,

Abuké méje,

Arọ méje,

Adití méje,

Abuké ngegi lọ apá kan ń dùn karara,

Apá kan ń dùn kororo,

kinni kan ndun winrinwinrin níkùn igi,

oro naa ja nipopo olowe arara ngegi lọ apá kan ń dùn karara, Apá kan ń dùn kororo,

kinni kan ndun winrinwinrin níkùn igi arara base dùn le lomori wogbo, Owadi elékẹta ototo adití tí kò gbó t’ayé tí kò gbó tọrùn sebi oun logegi ọ̀rọ̀ náà nipopo olowe,

kinni wọn ba nínú igi wọn ba osahin wọn ba ọkà bàbà ìbọn oje eku eyan tokanrin nílé tápà nílé ọmọ afowuro dáná kúlíkúlí….

Èdùmàrè jọ̀wọ́ jẹ́ kí ìlú Ẹ̀rìn Òsun pé oooo

THE BRIGHT FUTURE OF BODE THOMAS WAS CUT SHORT WITH HIS PRIDE AND ARROGANCE - M.O AKANDE

Bode Thomas was born to a wealthy trader, John Thomas in 1918. He attended C.M.S. Grammar School, a missionary school founded by Samuel Ajayi Crowther. He travelled to London to study Law with Remi Fani-Kayode and Chief FRA Williams. Bode Thomas, FRA William and Remi Fani Kayode founded the 1st indigenous law practice in Nigeria ‘Thomas, Williams and Kayode’. The law firm was in Jankara Street and it thrived. His huge frame earned him the appellation “bulldozer”.  The Oloye Thomas married Lucretia Shobola Odunsi. Among his children are Eniola and Dapo. He was chancellor of the African Church of Nigeria and was an editorial board member of the Daily Service. He was sometimes outspoken and this made him incur enemies.

He became a member of Regional House of Assembly in 1951. From there, he, Prest and Akintola were selected as members of the House of Representatives. Sir Adesoji Aderemi, Ooni of Ife also joined them in the Central Council of Ministers. But, Thomas was the leader; astute, workaholic, thoughtful and forward-looking. On the floor of the House, Thomas was a charismatic speaker. He was a lover of facts. He was a fire brand nationalist. He wanted self-rule and independence at a faster pace his colleagues from other zones could not comprehend.

During the debate on self-rule, his speech infuriated the legislators from the North. Thomas labelled them collaborators in the extension of British rule. He did not only speak; he acted. Thomas and the three AG parliamentarians consequently resigned from the Council of Ministers in protest over the elongation of colonialism. On that note, the MacPherson Constitution collapsed immediately. In the quest to preserve Lagos as part of the old West, Thomas was also at the forefront. In contrast, H.O. Davies was campaigning vigorously for the retention of Lagos as a symbol of national unity.

At the 1953 London Constitutional Conference held in August, AG vigorously campaigned for the preservation of Lagos as part and parcel of the region. Awo, the AG leader and Thomas, Deputy Leader of the party, were delegates to the conference. Whenever he set a positive goal for himself,every obstacle on the way must be uprooted.His successes in law practice, politics and government were hinged on his sheer resolve to triumph in the face of all odds.Bode Thomas was a founding member of ACTION GROUP which sprang up from EGBE OMO ODUDUWA.

He was the first Legal Adviser of the group.He was a senior at the bar to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Hezekiah Oladipo Davies, Justice GBA Coker, and Udo Udoma. Bode Thomas and Ahmadu Bello, Premier of the North, were also not the best of friends. I will give you reasons. Bode defended Ahmadu Bello before the colonial court over allegations of financial embezzlement of Native Authorities funds. Thomas won the case and Ahmadu Bello was freed. But, he was perplexed at the way the Sokoto prince fretted in the court room. Bode Thomas after winning Ahmadu Bello’s case insulted him. He called him names. He saw Bello as unlettered and uncultured. Bello’s unpleasant encounter with Thomas made him conclude that his more qualified educated rivals in the South were pompous and arrogant.

Many believed that Bello was reacting to that complex by refusing to come down to Lagos to serve as Prime Minister but allowed Tafawa Balewa.Thus, while Thomas was universally acknowledged as an accomplished lawyer, he was also perceived as arrogant and supercilious.Bode Thomas was hated by his peers from the North to the extent that Bello always preferred to communicate with Ladoke Akintola to Thomas. He had endowed Jankara Street, in the heart of Lagos, with visibility when he and his friends, the meticulous Rotimi Williams and the rascally, yet deep and witty Remi Fani-Kayode set up a chamber in partnership in 1950.

Thomas was ahead of them his peers. He was a Senior at the bar to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, his bossom friend, political soul mate and leader, Chief Hezekiah Oladipo Davies, Justice GBA Coker, and Udo Udoma, a former federal parliamentarian and jurist. But, a hot-tempered fellow, he was perceived in some circles as a bully, a successful, yet arrogant lawyer and a domineering figure. Some judges loathed his style of argument in the court. But, he was full of masterful logic.

Judges hated the way he comported himself in court. They saw him as brash and arrogant.T homas died in a controversial circumstance. It was a chain of events that led to his death. According to many accounts, there was a protracted feud between him & Alaafin Adeyemi II, father of the current Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi III.Both Alaafin Adeyemi and Thomas (Bode Thomas was Balogun of Oyo) were members of the Oyo Divisional Council. At a time, the respected ruler was chairman of the council.

Later, Thomas became the chairman when the Oba was still a member. Then his rudeness to the Alaafin led to his mysterious death. Thomas arrived at a meeting of the council, all the other councillors, except Oba Adeyemi, stood up to welcome him. He rudely told the king “WHY WERE YOU SITTING WHEN I WALKED IN? WHY CANT YOU SHOW ME RESPECT?” Bode was 34 years. The Alaafin was in his 60s.T he Alaafin felt very insulted. he told Bode “SHEY EMI ON GBO MO BAUN? EMI NI ONGBO BI AJA MO BAUN{ IS IT ME YOU ARE BARKING AT LIKE THAT? IS IT ME YOU ARE BARKING LIKE A DOG AT LIKE THAT? KEEP BARKING.”

That was on 22nd November 1953. It was reported that Bode Thomas got home and started barking. He barked and barked and barked all night. Then he died. He died on 23 November 1953. He was Balogun of Oyo. He died without fulfilling his many potentials. Bode’s friends went on to reach the peak of their careers. Fani-Kayode died in 1995. FRA Williams went on to be Nigeria’s greatest lawyer. Remi Fani-Kayode died in the early 90s after a successful spell in the Legal Practice and in politics.

So when next you hear about that Popular Street in Surulere called Bode Thomas Street, remember that genius whose arrogance cost him his life… at a very early age.

Lawrence Nomanyagbon Anini (THE LAW) life story

Lawrence Nomanyagbon Anini, was one of Nigeria’s most notorious armed robbers who held sway in the old Bendel State (Now Edo and Delta States). His reign in the 80s was so bloody that he was even discussed at the State Security Council meeting. Anini was executed on March 29, 1987, after his conviction by a Benin High Court for armed robbery. Anini was born in 1960 in a village about 20 miles from Benin City, present day Edo State. Dreadfully called ‘The Law’ or ‘Ovbigbo’, he migrated to Benin at an early age, learned to drive and became a skilled taxi driver.

He became known in Benin motor parks as a man who could control the varied competing interests among motor park touts and operators. He later delved into the criminal business in the city and soon became a driver and transporter for gangs, criminal godfathers and thieves. Later on, he decided to create his own gang which include, Monday Osunbor, Ofege, and others, and they started out as car hijackers, bus robbers and bank thieves. Gradually, he extended his criminal acts to other towns and cities far north and east of Benin.

The complicity of the police is believed to have triggered Anini’s reign of terror in 1986. In early 1986, two members of his gang were tried and prosecuted against an earlier under-the-table ‘agreement’ with the police to destroy evidence against the gang members. The incident, and Anini’s view of police betrayal, is believed to have spurred retaliatory actions by Anini. In August, 1986, a fatal bank robbery linked to Anini was reported in which a police officer and others were killed. That same month, two officers on duty were shot at a barricade while trying to stop Anini’s car. During a span of three months, he was known to have killed nine police officers.

In an operation in August of 1986, the Anini team struck at First Bank, Sabongida-Ora, where they carted away N2,000. But although the amount stolen was seen as chicken feed, they left the scene with a trail of blood. Many persons were killed. On September 6, same year, the Anini gang snatched a Peugeot 504 car from Albert Otoe, the driver of an Assistant Inspector General of Police, Christopher Omeben. In snatching the car, they killed the driver and went to hide his corpse somewhere.

It was not until three months later that the skeleton of the driver was spotted 16 kilometers away from Benin, along the Benin-Agbor highway. A day after this attack, Anini, operating in a Passat car believed to have been stolen, also effected the snatching of another Peugeot 504 car near the former FEDECO office, in Benin. Two days after, the Anini men killed two policemen in Orhiowon Local Government Area of the state. Still in that month, three different robbery attacks, all pointing to Anini’s involvement, took place.

A day after the operation, Anini, The Law, turned to a ‘Father Christmas’ as he strew wads of naira notes on the ground for free pick by market men and women at a village near Benin. Anini thus spear-headed a four-month reign of terror between August and December 1986. Anini also reportedly wrote numerous letters to media houses using political tones of Robin Hood-like words, to describe his criminal acts.

Worried by the seeming elusiveness of Anini and his gang members, the then military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, ordered a massive manhunt for the kingpin and his fellow robbers. The police thus went after them, combing every part of Bendel State where they were reportedly operating and living. The whole nation was gripped with fear of the robbers and their daredevil exploits.

However, police manhunt failed to stop their activities; the more they were hunted, the more intensified their activities became. Some of the locals in the area even began to tell stories of their invincibility and for a while, it felt like they were never going to be caught. However, at the conclusion of a meeting of the Armed Forces Ruling Council in October 1986, General Babangida turned to the Inspector-General of Police, Etim Inyang, and asked, ‘My friend, where is Anini?’

At about this time, Nigerian newspapers and journals were also publishing various reports and editorials on the ‘Anini Challenge’, the ‘Anini Saga’, the ‘Anini Factor’, ‘Lawrence Anini – the Man, the Myth’, ‘Anini, Jack the Ripper’, and ‘Lawrence Anini: A Robin Hood in Bendel’. The Guardian asked, emphatically, in one of its reports: ‘Will they ever find Anini, “The Law”?’.

HIS ARREST

Finally, it took the courage of Superintendent of Police, Kayode Uanreroro, to bring the Anini reign of terror to an end. On December 3, 1986, Uanreroro caught Anini at No 26, Oyemwosa Street, opposite Iguodala Primary School, Benin City, in company with six women.

Acting on a tip-off from the locals, the policeman went straight to the house where Anini was hiding and apprehended him with very little resistance. Uanreroro led a crack 10-man team to the house, knocked on the door of the room, and Anini himself, clad in underpants, opened the door. “Where is Anini,” the police officer quickly enquired.

Dazed as he was caught off guard and having no escape route, Anini all the same tried to be smart. “Oh, Anini is under the bed in the inner room”. As he said it, he made some moves to walk past Uanreroro and his team. In the process, he shoved and head-butted the police officer but it was an exercise in futility. Uanreroro promptly reached for his gun, stepped hard on Anini’s right toes and shot at his left ankle. Anini surged forward but the policemen took hold of him and put him in a sitting position.

They then pumped more bullets into his shot leg and almost severed the ankle from his entire leg. Already, anguished by the excruciating pains, the policemen asked him, “Are you Anini?” And he replied, “My brother, I won’t deceive you; I won’t tell you lie, I’m Anini.” While in the police net, Anini who had poor command of English and could only communicate in pidgin, made a whole lot of revelations.

He disclosed, for instance that Osunbor, who had been arrested earlier, was his deputy, saying that Osunbor actually shot and wounded the former police boss of the state, Akagbosu. Anini was shot in the leg, transferred to a military hospital, and had one of his legs amputated. When Anini’s hideout was searched, police recovered assorted charms, including the one he usually wore around his waist during “operations”.

It was instructive that after Anini was captured and dispossessed of his charms, the man who terrorised a whole state and who was supposed to be fearless suddenly became remorseful, making confessions. This was against public expectation of a daredevil hoodlum who would remain defiant to the very end. Shortly after the arrest of Anini and co, the dare-devil robbers began to squeal, revealing the roles played by key police officers and men, in the aiding and abetting of criminals in Bendel State and the entire country.

Anini particularly revealed that George Iyamu, who was the most senior police officer shielding the robbers, would reveal police secrets to them and then, give them logistic supports such as arms, to carry out robbery operations.

TRIAL AND EXECUTION: Due to amputation of his leg, Anini was confined to a wheelchair throughout his trial. He was sentenced to death by Justice James Omo-Agege and executed on March 29, 1987.

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