The “Innoson” affair, the Igbo and the orphans of the corporate world – Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK)

Such was his shock and anger at the turn of events that the real estate magnate and owner of the resplendent, opulent and stunningly beautiful ‘Amen Estate’ on the outskirts of Lekki in Lagos, Babatunde O. Gbadamosi, wrote the following: “I have studied the case. I am going to withdraw ALL my funds from Guaranty Trust Bank tomorrow morning”. The basis of his angst and consternation was the plight of the propietor of Innoson Motors at the hands of Guaranty Trust Bank, the EFCC and the Buhari administration. Babatunde’s disgust and repugnance at the way in which the bank and the EFCC behaved accurately reflects the mood and sentiment of millions of Nigerians on this matter.

Yet in my view the matter goes much further and deeper than just GTB and the EFCC.

They are simply willing puppets, tiny minions and minor players in a much bigger game and a much wider picture.

Permit me to cross the “t”s, dot the “i”s, consider the background and look at the facts.

In the last one year alone no less than three prominent Igbo businessmen have been arrested, humiliated and detained by the Buhari administration.

All three are major employers of labour who fared extreemly well under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan and whose companies have become household names.

The first is Cletus Ibeto of Ibeto Cement, a humble, charming, hard-working, low-profile and exceptionally profound and insightful man who I met when I was in detention last year.

The second is the ebullient, young and vocal Ifeanyi Uba of Capital Oil and Gas, who later joined politics and who was indeed a member of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation in 2015 where we worked closely together.

The third is Innocent Chukwuma, the owner of Innoson Motors whose company is the only one in Nigeria that produces cars, who I am told is an absolute gentleman and whom I have never met.

These three men are amongst the five biggest and most prominent Igbo businessmen in the country today. The remaining two are Arthur Eze of Atlas Oronto Petroleum International and Emeka Offor of Chrome Oil both of whom have done very well but that have also had their own fair share of persecution and travails over the years.

I made a point of doing the research in the cases of Chukwuma, Ibeto and Uba and why they were having issues with the EFCC and the SSS respectively and I came to the conclusion that not only had they done nothing wrong but they were being targetted simply because they were perceived as being “Jonathan men”, because they were deemed as being sympathetic to the PDP, because they were Igbo and finally simply out of envy from ruthless competitors.

Given that it came as no surprise to me when, just yesterday morning, I was informed that Chukwuma’s home was raided and tear-gassed by the EFCC and he was arrested and detained in what can only be described as brutal and questionable circumstances.

I was reliably informed that officers of the EFCC and the Nigerian Police not only injured many in his home but that they also slapped his wife.

Never mind that he was later reportedly offered bail after what can only be described as a gruelling and harrowing period of torment and trauma: the fact is that his home should never have been raided and he should never have been arrested, detained and subjected to this brutal affront and indecorious indignity in the first place.

Such was my concern for him and the way in which the security forces had behaved at his home that I was constrained to post the following on both my twitter handle and Facebook page on that same day. I asked,

“Why should anybody be surprised about the arrest of the owner of Innoson Motors? They did the same to Cletus Ibeto about a year ago.These people come from the “wrong” part of the country and they are providing a service and employment for Nigerians. They must be punished for it!”.

I went further by offering some gentle and wise counsel to an old and dear friend by also posting the following:

“I have known the MD of GTB, Segun Agbaje and his two older brothers, Femi and Jimi, for close to 40 years and I have immense respect and deep affection for them. I urge him not to expose himself to the shark infested waters of politics by allowing himself to be used by these barbarians to destroy Innoson. If he does he will regret it”.

Yet it does not stop there. The matter goes much deeper and further than just the travails of Innocent Chukwuma of Innoson Motors or indeed those of Cletus Ibeto and Ifeanyi Uba.

It goes to the very heart and foundation of the fundamental problem of what Nigeria has been turned into by those who believe that they own her.

It touches on the nationality question, the quest and struggle for equal rights and opportunities for the various ethnic naionalities that make up Nigeria and the unofficial and unannounced policy of the Buhari administration to treat southerners as slaves and to discredit, crush and malign any Igbo person who aspires to excellence and greatness and who is a source of pride and inspiration to their people.

To those that doubt this grave assertion I have one question to ask: can they, under ANY circumstances, imagine or envisage Aliko Dangote of the Dangote Group or Abdul Samad Rabiu of the BUA Group , both of whom are highly successful, extreemly wealthy and very well-known northern Muslim Hausa-Fulani businessmen, being treated in this way by ANY Nigerian government let alone one like Buhari’s that was established by the Fulani and solely for the interests of the Fulani? The answer to the question is a resounding “no”.

Yet for the southern businessman and particularly for the Igbo one the rules are very different and the treatment that they get from the government and its security agencies are a world apart.

As a matter of fact they are unfairly deemed and insidiously labelled as the “fatherless ones” and the “orphans of the corporate world” simply because they are on their own and they have no favour or protection from government.

It is clear that any Igbo man that has the temerity and the fortitude to shine and to rise up by dint of conviction, vision, passion and hard work must be humiliated, demonised and denigrated.

The story and the theme appears to be a never-ending one and it touches on all spheres of human endeavour in Nigeria. The policy, principle and practice is the same: as long as you are Igbo you are in trouble and in order to survive you must sing the praises of the Buhari administration, bow and grovel to the Fulani, accept your servitude and slavery with stoic ignomy and “bend the knee”.

In the field of the struggle for self-determination and the quest for the establishment of the independent and sovereign state of Biafra the powers that be did it to the great Nnamdi Kanu, to his IPOB and to MASSOB.

In the field of business they have done it to the Chukwumas, the Ubas and the Ibetos of this world.

In the field of partisan politics they have done it to countless Igbo elders and leaders who have refused to bow to the Fulani hegemony that the Buhari administration represents.

In the field of the Armed Forces, the Nigerian Police Force and the various security and intelligence agencies they have done it as countless Igbo career officers have either been denied promotion and operational command or they have been prematurely retired.

Yet all this pales before the fact that thousands of young Igbo men and women have been secretly slaughtered, have been subjected to mass murder and genocide and have been buried in mass graves by agents of the Buhari government and security forces over the last two years and six months.

I have written about this over and over again simply because I believe that an attack on the Igbo is an attack on the whole of the south and is indeed an attack on humanity and all right-thinking people.

It is also an attack on the Christian faith of which I am a member because virtually every single one of the 50 million Igbos in Nigeria are Christians whilst those that are waging this unofficial and undeclared war against them are predominantly Muslims.

That is why the meeting between the Igbo and the Yoruba leaders slated for January 11th in Enugu, under the auspices of Nzuko Umunna and which will be attended by the Obi of Onitsha, the Ooni of Ife, Afenifere, Ohanaeze and all the key Igbo and Yoruba leaders, intelligensia and politicians from all sides of the political divide is so crucial.

The Igbo and the Yoruba must set aside our differences, look at these matters, speak the bitter truth, come together and agree on how to move forward and protect our collective interest.

The Igbo and the Yoruba must set aside our differences, look at these matters, speak the bitter truth, come together and agree on how to move forward and protect our collective interest.

Whichever way it goes and whatever happens the matter shall come to an expected end because the God of Heaven will not sit by idly and allow this injustice and wickedness to go on for much longer.

I say this because the blood of the innocent cries to Him in heaven for vengeance and sooner or later He will hear their cry and both deliverance and judgement shall come.

In the meantime when I heard about the injustice that Innoson and his family had been subjected to I wrote the following words which came to my spirit and which burn in my soul right up until this very moment.

It is a heart-felt and powerful lamentation and it reflects the way virtually every right-thinking and sensitive southerner feels and thinks today about what is happening in Nigeria even though they may be too scared to voice it.

“O Igbo what have you done to the sons of Futa Jalon? Why do the heathans rant and rage? Why do the cow-loving aliens and foreign invaders seek to subjugate you and wipe you off the face of the earth?

In silent whispers they claim that they have cursed you, that you are not fit to rule or lead and that they hate you with a perfect hatred. Yet in 1966 you saw all this coming.

You warned us about what would happen and you tried to do something about it. Sadly we would not listen and we laughed you to scorn. You saw what we never saw. You knew what we never knew.

You suffered what we never suffered and you shed the tears that we never shed. 51 years later nothing has changed. They still kill you and rape your women. Only now they have widened the circle and it is no longer just you.

They have enslaved the rest of us as well. They kill us too and rape our women. Those of us from the South West, South South and the Middle Belt that joined forces with them to kill you and starve your children to death have now been turned into their slaves and serfs.

They kill us too and rape our women as well. They also take our land, shame our children and hate and denigrate our faith.

Yet we look on sheepishly and helplessly all in the name of keeping the peace and political correctness: we accept our pitiable plight and we suffer in silence.

The Bible asks, “what can flesh do to me?”, yet we ignore this divine injunction and holy scripture and bow our heads in trepidation and shame.

Our men have become women and we mask our accursed fear of death, destruction and incarceration and our inexplicable awe of our collective oppressors with a shameful and cowardly smile.

We readily accept every shame, every insult, every indignity and every act of savagery, brutality, barbarity and callousness that they inflict on us all for the sake of an illusionary, ephemeral, undefined and far-fetched concept known as “one Nigeria” which bears false and delusionary pretentions and claims of nationality and nationhood.

We even thank our collective oppressors and captors and we rejoice with them when they denigrate our faith and when they slaughter our children and our beloved in the fields and in the streets.

O Southern Nigeria: who has bewitched you? Cowardice is thy name.”

May God deliver us!

————-♦————-

♦ Fani–Kayode is a Nigerian politician, essayist, poet and lawyer. He was a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was with the opposition’s All Progressive Congress (APC) until June 2014 when he returned to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

2018 Michigan State University Scholarships is open to Sub-Saharan African residents and citizens

The MasterCard Foundation has partnered with Michigan State University to provide full tuition scholarships to undergraduate and master’s degree students from sub-Saharan Africa.

The mission of The MasterCard Foundation is to advance education and financial inclusion to catalyze prosperity in developing countries. The Scholars Program is a 10-year, US $500 million initiative that will enable 15,000 academically talented students from economically disadvantaged communities (mostly in sub-Saharan Africa) to attend secondary school and/or university.

Michigan State University (MSU) is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. MSU was founded in 1855 and became the nation’s first land-grant institution under the Morrill Act of 1862, serving as a model for future land-grant universities.

Scholarship Description:
• Applications close: February 1, 2018
• Course Level: Scholarships are available for pursuing Master programme at Michigan State University.
• Study Subject: Scholarships are awarded to study the subjects offered by the university.
• Scholarship Award: The MasterCard scholarship will cover full tuition for those accepted to the program.
• Number of Scholarships: Numbers are not available.
• Scholarship can be taken in the USA

Eligibility for the Scholarship:
• The program is open to residents and citizens of Sub-Saharan African countries. Students who are already enrolled in degree programs in Africa or elsewhere are not eligible for the program.

Eligible Countries:
• The program is open to residents and citizens of Sub-Saharan African countries.

College Admission Requirement

Entrance Requirement: Graduate: The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program at Michigan State University for master’s students is open to students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree at an African university and are residents or citizens of an African country.

Test Requirement: Undergraduate applicants must provide either WAEC/NECO Scratch Card information, official or certified copies of O and A level results, or any National High School Leaving Examination results.

Undergraduate: MSU currently does not waive English language requirements for any country in Africa, even if the primary language of students’ schooling is English. (See MSU’s English language proficiency requirements for more details.) International students must provide English language proficiency examination results to be considered for admission to MSU. Students only need to take one of the following exams to prove English language proficiency: SAT, ACT, IELTS and TOEFL The MasterCard Foundation Scholarship is not available to those who only qualify for provisional admission based on their TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Graduate: Each department has varying requirements for standardized testing. Please check with individual program and department to verify which tests and what scores you need for regular admission into the program.

Scholarship Award:

The MasterCard scholarship will cover full tuition for those accepted to the program.

How to Apply:

Complete this scholarship application and upload it electronically via online admissions account.

Undergraduate Application Form

Graduate Application Form

Scholarship Link

Security robots are being used to ward off San Francisco’s homeless population

Is it worse if a robot instead of a human is used to deter the homeless from setting up camp outside places of business?

One such bot cop recently took over the outside of the San Francisco SPCA, an animal advocacy and pet adoption clinic in the city’s Mission district, to deter homeless people from hanging out there — causing some people to get very upset.

Silicon Valley game developer and Congressional candidate Brianna Wu tweeted yesterday her dismay at the move, saying, “I’m sorry for being so frank but this absolutely disgusts me as someone that experienced homelessness.”

The homelessness issue in S.F. is thorny and complicated. One could get whiplash at seeing the excess of wealth and privilege juxtaposed with the dire circumstances just steps outside Twitter headquarters on Market Street.

However, the city’s homeless are also associated with higher rates of crime, violence and sometimes episodes of psychosis, leading to safety issues that many feel San Francisco has not had an adequate handle on.

The S.F. SPCA rolled out the use of a robot unit dubbed K9 from security startup Knightscope a month ago, citing these same safety concerns.

“Over the summer our shelter was broken into twice. The inside was vandalized and property and cash donations were stolen,” S.F. SPCA spokesperson Krista Maloney told TechCrunch. “Furthermore, many staff members and volunteers have filed complaints about damage to cars and harassment they experienced in our parking lot when leaving work after dark. We currently employ security guards, but we have a large campus and they can only be in one area at a time.

The K9 units are also cheaper than humans. One robot costs $6 an hour to use vs. paying a security guard the average $16 an hour.

“Unfortunately, in the last year we’ve been forced to spend a significant amount of money to ensure the security and safety of the people on our campus as well as the animals in our care,” Maloney said.

And, according to both the S.F. SPCA and Knightscope, crime dropped after deploying the bot.

However, the K9 unit was patrolling several areas around the shop, including the sidewalk where humans walk, drawing the ire of pedestrians and advocacy group Walk SF, which previously introduced a bill to ban food delivery robots throughout the city.

“We’re seeing more types of robots on sidewalks and want to see the city getting ahead of this,” said Cathy DeLuca, Walk SF policy and program director, who also mentioned S.F. district 7 supervisor Norman Yee would be introducing legislation around sidewalk use permits for robots in the beginning of 2018.

Last week the city ordered the S.F. SPCA to stop using these security robots altogether or face a fine of $1,000 per day for operating in a public right of way without a permit.

The S.F. SPCA says it has since removed the robot and is working through a permitting process. It has already seen “two acts of vandalism” since the robot’s removal.

But putting permits and public use of sidewalks aside, it seems the robot could do more than just discourage homeless camps. It could keep an eye on the surrounding area and report crimes, yes, but it could also possibly be used to alert police and social workers to areas where homelessness seems to have increased or look for anyone who may be facing violence or a psychotic episode and in need of intervention.

The Knightscope bots are equipped with four cameras able to read more than 300 license plates per minute. They can move about and keep tabs on an area, noting anyone on a list of those who shouldn’t be there.

Already the S.F. SPCA said it has experienced a drop in crime when using the bot cop. The same might be said if it had increased the use of human security guards but humans, as mentioned above, cost more. They also can’t monitor 24/7 or immediately upload what they see to the cloud.

Further, robots aren’t going away. While it isn’t clear what solution San Francisco’s city council will come up with to handle the increase of these types of bots on our sidewalks in the future, it’s inevitable we’re going to see more of them.

It’s an age-old human vs. machine argument. But machines usually win.

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch.

Omarosa shameful White House exit: How she was dragged away by Security

Former The Apprentice villain Omarosa Manigault Newman is moving on from her post as the Trump administration’s director of communications for the Office of the Public Liaison, but the circumstances under which she is leaving differ, depending upon whom you ask. According to a statement released by White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday morning, the president’s former reality show co-star resigned to pursue other opportunities. A White House official speaking to the Wall Street Journal, however, inferred that the adviser’s departure isn’t voluntary.

“Omarosa Manigault Newman resigned yesterday to pursue other opportunities,” Sanders said in a statement. “Her departure will not be effective until January 20, 2018. We wish her the best in future endeavors and are grateful for her service.”

According to a source in the administration, that gratitude took the form of Manigault Newman being physically removed from the building. From WSJ:

Ms. Manigault Newman’s departure was abrupt, according to a White House official, who said that Ms. Manigault Newman was “physically dragged and escorted off the campus” Tuesday evening.

Ms. Manigault Newman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

WSJ’s account appears to be bolstered by tweets from American Urban Radio Networks White House correspondent April Ryan, who reportedly feuded with Manigault Newman earlier this year when the former reality star took issue with Ryan’s coverage of the administration. Ryan contends that despite the official story that Manigault Newman voluntarily tendered a resignation letter, she was fired by Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly before “offering vulgarities and curse words as she was escorted out of the building and off campus.”

Rumors of Manigault Newman’s departure have dogged her for months amid reports that Kelly has been eager to push her out in his quest to impose order on a dysfunctional and chaotic White House.

UPDATE: Ryan provided more details on Manigault Newman’s firing on an American Urban Radio Networks broadcast.

“Apparently General Kelly gave Omarosa the notice that it was time for her to go last night,” Ryan said. “She was very upset and said that she wanted to speak to the president. According to sources, Kelly said that the president was already informed and he signed off. Kelly is also alleged to have said ‘This is not like going to the principal’s office.’”

Ryan reiterated her tweets regarding the former Apprentice star offering vulgarities before claiming that the ousted White House aide’s “assistant was let go as well.”

Ryan said that sources confirmed that she did not take the news of her dismissal well, walked over to the president’s residence, “and tried to get in.”

“General Kelly was called back to deal with this issue as Omarosa was trying to get into the residence to see the president,” Ryan continued. “The Secret Service stopped her and she was escorted off campus.”

During the argument with Kelly, sources alleged that Manigault Newman “claimed that she had brought the black vote to President Trump.”

“General Kelly says, ‘No, that is not true.’” Ryan said.

PBS Suspends ‘Tavis Smiley Show’ While It Investigates Host’s Alleged Misconduct

“Tavis Smiley” has aired nightly on various PBS stations since 2004, but the network only distributes the show and doesn’t finance its production or employ Smiley or his employees.

PBS has suspended airing of the late-night talk show “Tavis Smiley” while it investigates allegations of misconduct against Smiley, the show’s host. Variety first reported that PBS said the show has been suspended indefinitely, as of Wednesday. The network released this statement:

PBS engaged an outside law firm to conduct an investigation immediately after learning of troubling allegations regarding Mr. Smiley. This investigation included interviews with witnesses as well as with Mr. Smiley.

The inquiry uncovered multiple, credible allegations of conduct that is inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS, and the totality of this information led to today’s decision.

Investigators said that after interviewing 10 current and former employees of Smiley, they found credible allegations that the host had engaged in sexual relationships with multiple subordinates, according to Variety.

Some witnesses said they were concerned that employment status was linked to whether they had sex with Smiley.

The host was also accused of creating a verbally abusive and threatening environment that went above and beyond the typical high-pressure workplace.

“Tavis Smiley” has aired nightly on various PBS stations since 2004, but the network only distributes the show and doesn’t finance its production or employ Smiley or his employees.

Former producer Jacques Hyzagi critically described working for Smiley in a piece published earlier this year for Observer.com.

Hyzagi said Smiley’s “misogyny is always creeping around, barely camouflaged by Midwestern good manners,” and mentioned how the host referred to a woman he picked up in an Orlando airport as a “fuck buddy.”

He also said that Smiley considered himself bulletproof with PBS.

“I’m the only black on PBS,” Hyzagi quoted Smiley as saying. “They can’t touch me. They also know that I’m the only black talk show host in America, and they like to have this privilege.”

Deadline.com notes that Smiley signed an exclusive multi-year development and production pod deal with Warner Brothers TV to develop scripted TV series for broadcast and cable.

It’s unclear whether the allegations against Smiley will affect that deal.

HuffPost reached out to Smiley, who did not immediately respond.

Last month, PBS cut ties with another late night host, Charlie Rose, amid allegations that he sexually harassed and groped multiple women.

♦ Article originally published in HuffPost

“It snowed while we camped” – OLMC Catholic School Kids recount their “Camp Kappe” expedition

OLMC Catholic School Kids at the 2017 Camp “Camp Kappe” adventure

By Anthony Obi Ogbo | Guardian News, Houston, TX.

You may call them by their names: Jessica, Arabella, Sophia, Anthony, Joshua, Jaycen, Samuel, and Adam; but these kids are not kidding. Besides the passion and brilliance they demonstrate in their scholastic endeavors, there is one major activity that validates the academic citizenship of this 5th-grade community at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic School. It is the Camp Kappe” escapade.

This program is not a picnic. It is a four-day knowledge-based exploration camp – a combination of learning and amusement in a unique program-setting designed to offer school kids a new dimension to human existence. Camp Kappe is a youth retreat facility of the School of Environmental Education under the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic School (OLMC) on Whitefriars, Houston, Texas has for years adopted this annual journey as a trademark, introducing the kids to the real-world academic and spiritual sentiment as they progress in their prospective stages of maturity. For the 2017 session, these kids just made it back from the “Camp Kappe” trip which started Tuesday, November 5 and ended yesterday, Friday, November 8.

The camp program is loaded with excitement and educational engagements. Students had the opportunity to acquaint themselves with predictabilities of nature, as well as the use and protection of God-given resources. For instance, just in the four-day period, participants physically visited the Global Village; Barns; Hiking in the Wood site; Pond and Swamps; Playing Courts; Hills with Rocky Path, and Stations of the Cross. An enthusiastic participant told the Guardian News, “Not only that we had fun, but it also snowed while we camped,” referencing the unusual big and fluffy snowflakes that fell across parts of south Texas on Thursday, November 7.

The School of Environmental Education (S.E.E.) program of the Camp Kappe excels as a center and platform for youth retreats, campouts, and operates programs for spiritual development. Each year, the 5th grade class of OLMC attends this facility under the supervision of their teachers and chaperones to explore the realities of nature and spirituality. This year, the kids were accompanied by Mr. Stephen Crawford, a faculty employee; and Carmen Salazar a secretary at the school. The Camp Kappe program at the OLMC has indeed provoked positive outcomes in school’s academic prospectus. Excursion leader, Mr. Crawford who also led the 2016 trip said the program has over the years generated very encouraging responses from both school kids and parents.

The Camp Kappe Youth Retreat Facility is approximately one hour north of Houston in Plantersville, TX (Grimes County), and was founded in 1981. However, it was officially named Camp Kappe, in memory of Fr. T. W. Kappe, a priest who worked with young people of the Galveston-Houston diocese for more than 20 years before his death in 1976.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic School is a diverse learning entity with core mission of making Catholic education available to the populace. The philosophical relevance is faith-based – where the school collaborates with the parish and parents to advance their evangelical duty through cultivating the mind and developing the heart and spirit of pupils. For general information or enrollment, please contact the OLMC campus directly at 6703 Whitefriars, Houston, Texas 77087 or call 713-643-0676. To visit the School’s website, please click >>>

WHERE ARE AFRICAN SEXUAL-HARASSMENT VICTIMS IN AMERICA?

Could the Weinstein scandal embolden African women victims dwelling in dark closets?

I was in a deposition session the third week of September, battling a scrutiny of my editorial policies over coverage of an alleged Nigerian rape and sexual torture

victim. By the way, this is normal – and a part of the discovery process in ongoing litigation, allowing litigants to gather relevant information in preparation for trial.

Besides persevering moments of discomfort, listening to a horrific rape account, the most shocking moment was testimony from an identified witness of Igbo origin, shockingly a woman, who wrote as an “expert” account that “rape” does not exist in the Igbo culture. The victim is from the Igbo culture and had accused her employer who is not an Igbo, of months of sexual torture, under threats of deportation in shackles if she did not comply.

So in the era of social media and internet, our so-called expert, an Igbo woman wants America to know or believe that in Igboland, there is nothing like rape – even without the reasonable bearing that the defendant is not of Igbo origin.

I am not in the mood for story-telling, but briefly cited the above introduction to express how sad the Nigerian and indeed the African communities in America have exaggeratingly hinged on inexistent or fabricated stories of cultural values to perpetrate evil among themselves, their communities, and their heirs. But make no mistake, there are more rapes among Igbos, Nigerians, and other African cultures than anyone could imagine – in fact, as I write, rape is apparently being committed in the very Igbo village where our so-called “expert” hails. Disappointedly, most Africans who would stand up to blame rape victims are likely victims of horrific sexual torture hiding under the closet to appease their so-called “culture.” This is how bad this society has become.

America is having the “Sexual Harassment” discussion now, so I believe that this is also the time for Africans in America to start having their forums about rape, sexual harassment, and torture currently eating their communities up.

From the Media, Congress to Hollywood through workplaces, women are now trooping out from their hiding places to identify and confront their predators, and the entire country is on their side.

There are many victims out there hiding in pain because they want to protect their dignity. What dignity, if I may ask? It is a fact that in the African culture, rape and sexual harassment victims are isolated, and scorned into inconceivable desolation. In fact, families who would support them end up disowning them to protect the so called “family name.” What a shame!

After the beginning of October, when multiple women came forward to accuse Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood producer, of sexual misconduct, high-profile men in a variety of industries have resigned, been fired or experienced other fallout after accusations that have ranged from inappropriate text messages to rape.

Just last week, it was revealed that Representative Blake Farenthold, a Republican from Corpus Christi, used $84,000 in taxpayer funds to settle a sexual harassment claim, one of six settlements for workplace issues ranging from veteran status discrimination to age bias that was paid out by a secretive congressional office since 2013. Similar sexual harassment and indiscretion scandals had already ensnared Senator Al Franken, Democrat of Minnesota; Representative John Conyers Jr., Democrat of Michigan; and Representative Joe Barton, Republican of Texas. Just recently, two more lawmakers, Mr. Farenthold and Representative Ruben Kihuen, Democrat of Nevada have been pulled into the confraternity of alleged sexual harassment predators.

Without the doubt, the Weinstein scandal seemed to embolden more victims to come out, speak out, and confront their predators who are mainly top directors, government officials, political bigwigs, and celebrities.

So, what about victims of African descent?

There are many victims out there hiding in pain because they want to protect their dignity. What dignity, if I may ask? It is a fact that in the African culture, rape and sexual harassment victims are isolated, and scorned into inconceivable desolation. In fact, most family members who would support them end up disowning them to protect their so called “family name.” What a shame!

In my experience in the news media, it is my conviction that why sexual harassment, rape, and torture persist in African cultures in America is because perpetrators know that most of their victims would rather “commit suicide” than reveal their ordeal.

HOUSTON SEXUAL ASSAULT BOMBSHELL – DEFENDANT OLAGUNDOYE’S “KINGHAVEN” ATTORNEY QUITS? (Read More)

Definitely, African women victims of these terrible crimes could follow the footpath of their American counterparts, and come out from their hiding chambers; they could speak out and confront their predators with courage and tenacious composure; they could create discreet social media platforms, share their afflictions, and collectively get necessary help to expose their culprits, and further bring them to justice.

Last, they could also call me or just send me an email and share their ordeal. There is one major thing that I would do – tell them where to get the best help.

——————————–
■ Guardian Publisher/Editor , Anthony Obi Ogbo, PhD. is the author of “The Influence of Leadership,” and the Strategic Advisor for The Consumer Arts & Sciences Center of Excellence – Houston Community College, Central Campus.

HOUSTON SEXUAL ASSAULT BOMBSHELL – DEFENDANT OLAGUNDOYE’S “KINGHAVEN” ATTORNEY QUITS?

These developments may have changed the dynamics of the case and equally could have impacted Mr. Chukelu’s latest decision, it was gathered. **Inset:** Olushegun Olagundoye, owner or President of Kinghaven Counseling Group is being sued for $1,000,000.00 by a former employee for sexual assault and battery.

A proposed order for withdrawal of counsel for defendant Olushegun Olagundoye’s Kinghaven Group is awaiting Judge’s endorsement as of press time.

International Guardian – Houston, TX – Documents recovered from the Harris County District Clerk (Cause No.2016-33668 – EZENAGU, NKEOMA BRENDA vs. OLAGUNDOYE, OLUSHEGUN B -Court 151) reveal that a proposed order is awaiting court’s endorsement following a motion to grant a withdrawal of Mr. Patrick Chukelu as counsel to defendant Olushegun Olagundoye’s Kinghaven Counselling Group.

Olushegun Olagundoye, owner or President of Kinghaven Counseling Group is being sued for $1,000,000.00 by a former employee for sexual assault and battery – an allegation he is fighting with two attorneys. Mr. Patrick Chukelu is the counsel Kinghaven Counseling Group, whereas Sean Greenwood is standing in for Olushegun Olagundoye.

Mr. Chukelu has in his withdrawal motion opted to shield his reasons under a preserve of attorney-client privilege. However it is not clear if some latest developments in the case prompted Mr. Chukelu’s unanticipated withdrawal. For instance, International Guardian publisher, Dr. Anthony Obi Ogbo after his deposition, September by the defense, had expressed concerns in writing to all the attorneys of record, over what he called “breach of confidentiality, betrayal of trust, and unprecedented measures of two-facedness” by Attorney Chukelu in Olugundoye’s case.

See withdrawal motion >>

In a grievance memo recently filed, and now pending in the State Bar of Texas, titled ““violation of confidentiality of Information; engagements of Conflict of Interest; violation of Duties to Former/Present Client by Attorneys: Patrick Chukelu and defense-partner, Sean Greenwood,” Dr. Ogbo had cited an unethical collaboration between Mr. Greenwood and Mr. Chukelu over using confidential information about his news outfit acquired by Mr. Chukelu as his long-term attorney to benefit their ongoing defense partnership.

Similarly, attorney to the plaintiff, Ms. Anne Gbenjo in a motion to compel Kinghaven ‘s responses to plaintiff’s interrogatories, request for production of documents and for sanctions, cited Mr. Chukelu’s conflict in the case, questioning the legitimacy of his representation. See Motion to Compel >>>

These developments may have changed the dynamics of the case and equally could have impacted Mr. Chukelu’s latest decision, it was gathered.

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The legal brawl started around the middle of 2016 when Olushegun Olagundoye was sued for $1,000,000.00 by Ezenagu for sexual assault and battery. The petition shows three causes of action, namely; Assault Battery, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, and Violation of Texas Labor Code/Laws. In his responses, Olagundoye generally denies all of Plaintiff’s claims against him. According to the petition, shortly after Plaintiff commenced employment at Kinghaven, “Defendant Olagundoye, subjected her to horrendous and repetitive incidents of sexual assault and torture as he repeatedly ordered her to report to his office to perform sexual acts on the floor of his office. When Plaintiff rebuffed Olgundoye’s advances and expressed her concerns over the acts, Olagundoye told Plaintiff that there was nothing to worry about as he had a procedure done to his penis that makes him unable to impregnate a woman.” Read the entire story: Houston: Nigerian socialite sued for rape and battery >>>

Late last year, documents recovered from the Harris County District Clerk (Cause No. 2016-33668 – EZENAGU, NKEOMA BRENDA vs. OLAGUNDOYE, OLUSHEGUN B -Court 151) revealed a 56-page document titled “Plaintiff’s Medical Record and Recording Submitted by Defendants in Discovery” revealing as exhibits, both a bombshell recorded lengthy phone conversation involving Olagundoye and presumably one of a mistress, and a detailed medical record of his accuser. Click to see Publication: >>

Trial has been set for February 19, 2018. If the case has not been reached by the second Friday after this date, according to Court document, “the trial will be reset.”