Category: Interview

  • Real reason I abandoned 16-year priesthood to become native doctor – Ex-Catholic priest

    Real reason I abandoned 16-year priesthood to become native doctor – Ex-Catholic priest

    A Catholic priest of 16 years, Dr. Echezona Obiagbaosogu, who resigned and joined the traditional religion, shares with CHISOM OZ his decision to leave the priesthood

    Where are you from?

    I am Dr Echezona Augustine Obiagbaosogu. I hail from Isseke in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State. I will be 50 years old in a few months.

    Recently, a report went viral that you dropped the cassock for traditional religion and have also become a native doctor, which the Igbo call ‘Dibia’. Can you tell us the circumstances that led to your conversion after about 17 years of being a Catholic priest?

    Yes, I dropped the cassock, but I did not drop God, and for me, religion is one. Or rather, let us put it this way: religion can divide, but when you understand the worship of God from the perspective of your spirituality, you will know that you can worship God anywhere. Yes, I left the Catholic priesthood, but I still worship God, and I am a traditionalist.

    You can call me a hybrid Christian; I believe in the traditions and culture of our people. The media reported that I left the priesthood after 17 years to become a native doctor, but we need to clarify what a native doctor is. The truth is that I left the priesthood after 16 years. The issue of being a native doctor needs to be properly defined.

    Who is a native doctor? If a native doctor is what I understand it to be, then I am now a native doctor. If someone undergoes medical training, the person is called a medical doctor; then, someone who undergoes training in African and traditional religions can be called a native doctor. But you know, people always attach a negative connotation to everything about traditional religion, and that is wrong. It is wrong to say that native doctors are evil people.

    Why do you think people have the impression that native doctors are evil?

    This is part of the misconception that people like me want to spend their time, resources, and life to correct. Traditional religion is not bad; some people practicing it are bad because they are bad people in their own right, and not because the religion is bad. By the way, researchers have categorized native doctors into three categories – ‘dibia afa’, ‘dibia aja’, ‘dibia ogwu’, but it is far more than that.

    However, people think that traditional religious practices tend to negatively influence practitioners.

    It is not true. The religion of our forefathers does not tend to corrupt any practitioner. It is not the religion that negatively influences or corrupts practitioners; it is the person you associate with. Possibly, it is when you have had an association with a bad native doctor that you get corrupted.

    Essentially, the African religion that I know does not corrupt anybody, just as Christianity does not corrupt anybody. But you can meet a bad pastor, or a bad man or woman of God, those who always harp on tithes to hoodwink people, and those who commit all kinds of things on their altars, shortchanging people and taking advantage of their vulnerability.

    However, when another pastor comes in and trains under such a person, what do you expect? Of course, the person picks up that idea. So, it is about the person in the shrine or the altar and not the shrine or altar that corrupts.

    Many believe that your dropping the cassock might have been influenced by discoveries through reading, travels, or dreams. Which of these influenced your conversion?

    All of them did. Life is a process. The only thing constant in life is change itself. Change happens to everybody. If a person tunes themselves to the way of change, then that person will be able to identify what shapes their destiny. Sometimes people run away from change, but people can become so fixed and stagnant that they don’t give room for any change.

    Yes, everyone is a product of their environment; the environment could be bad, or it could be good. I trained as a Catholic priest, and it was a wonderful experience. My years in the seminary before I became a priest were wonderful, and if I look back and remember my formation and my experience as a priest, I feel pride, and I don’t regret any of the encounters I had.

    In the same way, I don’t regret anything I have done today, and I will not regret anything I do tomorrow. So, at the moment, I am proud of whatever decision I have made for myself today.

    Everyone is a product of their environment, whether it is in travel, studies, dreams, or encounters. I am strong in my decision because I commune with God, and I had a personal encounter with Him. A lot of factors were responsible for my conversion, including travels, experiences, studies, and revelations with God, and all these factors played a role in this process.

    In your new role as a traditionalist or native doctor, how do you intend to impact society compared to your former role as a priest?

    My role has not changed. Nothing has changed in me; possibly only the nomenclature has changed. As far as I know, my motto has always been ‘For the good of humanity’. It is just the mode or platform that has changed. Formerly, I was doing it in the Christian way, now, I am a traditionalist. What is the essence of the mode or platform that will be counterproductive to your destiny and encounter with God?

    Religion divides; we should be talking about our spirituality; our relationship with God is the essential thing. The only difference is that this is being done through different platforms. I remain who I am, and even though I find myself in traditional religion, the only thing that has changed is the gown or the cassock, as you may choose to call it. Beyond the change of cassock, nothing has changed; it is the same person. My service is to humanity, and not to human persons.

    A lot of people think that, unlike in the past, today’s native doctors have introduced the practice or worship of ‘okeite’ (related to a deity for money-rituals), which has become widespread among youths in Igboland, thereby fuelling the get-rich-quick syndrome. What is your opinion about this, and how do you think religious institutions can tackle this issue?

    Generally, morality has declined in this part of the world. Even here in the university, you see things among the youth that are bizarre, and you begin to ask yourself, ‘How did we get to this stage?’ It is not just about ‘okeite’. Generally, morality has declined among our youths, both male and female. If you ask me, I will say there is a culture of quick money, miracle money that crept into Igbo society.

    It didn’t begin with ‘okeite’; it didn’t begin today. It has been there for decades. And how did it come in? It came in because a certain form of religion crept into our society. I keep telling people that the two problems we have created for ourselves are the advent of Pentecostalism. I don’t mean Pentecostal churches, but that brand that admits miracle money, and you can see it in how they use it to bamboozle people, trying to capture their emotions and mental states to hoodwink them to do their bidding.

    Before you left the priesthood, was there any doctrine you detested in the Christian faith that made you suddenly abandon it?

    I did not have any issue with doctrine. My motivation is personal, and as a matter of principle, it has nothing to do with doctrine. I have absolutely nothing against any doctrine because for me, whether it is in traditional religion or Christianity, doctrine plays a role; doctrine is about the creation of ideas and narratives that will mold you towards an end.

    The end is the worship of God. Christianity molds and fashions its doctrine to be in sync with the path they are mapping out for the end in view, which is a better worship of God and a better relationship with God. Don’t forget also that traditional religion has its doctrine; it may not be written. Every religion has its doctrine. Some are written, and some are not written.

    Will you want to be involved in voodoo or magic to make you influential?

    What is magic? Native doctors don’t do magic. Magic is a universal phenomenon. Anybody can do magic – Christians can do magic; traditionalists can do magic. Magic is science; researchers have come to believe that science is that activity that was once magic.

    Like what traditional rainmakers are doing, people say they are magicians, and they ask how someone can make rain fall from the sky. That is a layman’s understanding, but people like me have studied it and I can tell you it is pure science. What the white man has done is to codify it, and it now has a scientific formula, but magic is the in-thing for ancient religions. Every religion practices magic.

    So, would you say you have found fulfillment in your newfound religion, and how did your family, who are Christians, receive the news of your conversion from a reverend father to a native doctor and a rainmaker?

    I have said that I don’t regret crossing over, and whatever I have done is the decision I have taken. In this part of the world, it is not so easy for people to take this bold step. The white man does it because they understand that life is a continuum, but in this part of the world, because of our brand of religion, such a decision seems to taste sour.

    Nobody will jump at that option when presented, but I can tell you in all honesty that my family is my greatest support in this movement of leaving the priesthood because they understood me. I don’t know how. For me, it is still a miracle. There were things they were discovering. I can tell you that my family members have been my greatest support.

    Some were not too quick to say yes, but over time, they said, ‘If that is what you want, so be it.’ There was no objection from anywhere, and even if there was, it was my life, and I don’t owe anybody any explanation. I was the one who chose to go into the priesthood, and when I felt it was no longer what I should do, I had to make it clear that it was time to leave.

    How long did it take before you made that decision?

    It took a very long time before I made that decision. When I told my family members all the processes I had gone through before the very day I made the decision known to them, they approved it and said if that was what I had decided, they would respect my decision.

    Did you officially inform the church that you were leaving, and what was their reaction?

    Yes, I did. I was not obliged to inform the Catholic Church, but I wrote to my bishop officially, telling him the reasons I did not think I would be able to perform any longer as a priest and that I wanted to take my gentle bow.

    What about your congregants, some of whom may see you as a role model? How did they feel or react?

    Life is about me; I am the one living my life. Some people look at me as their role model, and I feel for such people. There are really quite a number of them, and I really feel their concern. But this is about my personal decision and self-preservation, and it is in everybody.

    There were reports that you were married while being a priest. How true is that?

    I can tell you in all honesty that the report is not true. I did not have any wife as a priest; I did not have any children as a priest.

    Are you married now, and when did you marry?

    Yes, I am. I got married when I left the priesthood.

    When exactly did you leave the priesthood, and how has the experience been?

    I left in 2022. When it comes to the relationship with God, you cannot time God. So, asking me how long I have been in traditional religion is like asking me when I began to worship God. It means timing God, and you cannot time God.

    Traditional worshippers have appealed to the government for their public holidays, just as Christians and Muslims enjoy their public holidays. Do you agree with them?

    They have not formed a quorum; when they do, I am sure the government will listen to them.

    As a lecturer in African Traditional Religion at the University of Awka, how do you feel about African sciences not being recognized?

    It is the truth, and that was part of the reason I went into this research. Our practices and research are being lost because we are not documenting them for posterity. I have always challenged my students to look deeper into African values and given them assignments to encourage them to explore African reality because no one else will do it for us. If we wait for the white man to do it, it will not happen. I can boldly tell you that African culture, esoteric practices, spirituality, and magic are all good.

  • 2027: Ganduje, Matawalle can’t speak for the North – PDP

    2027: Ganduje, Matawalle can’t speak for the North – PDP

    ABUJA – The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ibrahim Abdullahi, has criticized the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, over their claims that northerners will re-elect President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

    In a telephone interview with Saturday Vanguard, Abdullahi dismissed their statements, insisting that neither Ganduje nor Matawalle has the authority to speak for the North.

    According to him, northerners have suffered immensely under APC’s governance and will not repeat the mistake of voting for a party that has exposed them to unprecedented poverty and hardship.

    He said:

    “The APC National Chairman and the Minister of State for Defence are not in a position to speak for the North.

    “First of all, Ganduje does not command the respect of northerners. Not even in Kano, where he hails from. He is simply an opportunist trying to justify his position in the APC.

    “There are 19 states in the North, and Ganduje has never enjoyed national or regional acceptability to warrant speaking for the region.

    “If you aggregate the majority view of northerners, you will realize that his claims are false and misleading.”

    Abdullahi further argued that the North has suffered the most under APC rule, first under former President Muhammadu Buhari and now under President Tinubu, whom he claimed has lost the confidence of the region.

    “There is no such position as the North supporting APC or Tinubu. The country has been mismanaged under him, and the North is feeling the impact the most.

    “Of the alleged 8 million votes Tinubu secured in the 2023 election, 5.6 million came from the North. Meanwhile, the entire South – including the South-West, South-South, and South-East – only gave him a little over 2 million votes.

    “Now, the same North that voted for him is the one suffering the most. So where exactly does he expect to get the votes to win in 2027?”

    Dismissing Ganduje and Matawalle’s remarks as political propaganda, Abdullahi urged them to focus on justifying their positions in government rather than making baseless claims.

    “The North is speaking loudly and clearly. Forget these bootlickers who have sold their souls to the devil. They do not represent the North, and nobody is taking them seriously.

    “Let them justify the mandate given to them by this evil contraption called APC.”

  • Bauchi to shut schools for five weeks over Ramadan

    Bauchi to shut schools for five weeks over Ramadan

    The Bauchi State government, through the Ministry of Education, has announced the closure of all schools in the state in preparation for the 2025 Ramadan fast for five weeks.

    The announcement is contained in the approved school calendar for the 2024-2025 academic session in the state.

    Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Friday, Mr Jalaludeen Maina, the Information Officer, Ministry of Education, said the holiday had already been incorporated in the calendar long before now.

    He explained that the closure would take effect from March 1 to April 5.

    Maina said the closure affected all the institutions of learning which includes all public and private primary, Junior and secondary schools, as well as higher institutions of learning in the state.

    “Yes, we are closing all our schools and this is included in our 2024-2025 approved calendar for the academic session that our students are not going to do the Ramadan fasting while in school.

    “The five-week holiday is for Ramadan fasting and immediately after the fasting, they will resume and continue with their academics,” he said.

    Meanwhile, some parents in the state have lamented that the development would adversely impacted on their children’s educational progress.

    Mrs Sunita Joseph, who expressed frustration at the development, emphasised that the period was too long.

    “Why would Ramadan break be too long like this? The children may have even started forgetting what they had learned before the break,” she said.

    Ismail Raji, called on the state government to reconsider the decision, adding that it could further encourage out of school children syndrome.

    Mohammed Isa, who frowned at the development, reminded the state government that the state was one of the states with the highest number of out-of-school children.

    He said that the government should be coming with projects and programmes that would encourage parents to send their wards to schools. (NAN)

  • Akpabio frustrates me because I refused to sleep with him — Senator Natasha

    Akpabio frustrates me because I refused to sleep with him — Senator Natasha

    Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, has accused the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment on a live television programme.

    Natasha and Akpabio have been in the news since last week following her refusal to move to a new seat the Senate President allocated to her.

    Telling her side of the story on Arise TV on Friday, February 28, 2025, the lawmaker said her trouble in the senate started because she refused to sleep with Akpabio.

    Detail later….

  • We’re not ashamed of copying what works in other climes – TINUBU

    We’re not ashamed of copying what works in other climes – TINUBU

    President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in Abuja told an Airtel delegation led by its chairman, Sunil Bharti Mittal, that his administration is prepared to learn and not ashamed of copying what is working in other climes.

    The president also said the telecoms sector’s regulatory framework and operations would be reviewed to reflect global best practices, with a greater focus on protecting infrastructure.

    President Tinubu spoke at a meeting with an Airtel delegation led by Chairman Mittal at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The president, in a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, was quoted as saying, “I am grateful for your openness, readiness, and confidence, which moved us very close to the prime minister of India. When he was here, we discussed things at length.

    “The entire ecosystem will be further examined, and if there is anything we can copy from India, we are ready to do so. We are prepared to learn. We are not ashamed of copying what is working in other climes.

    “It is for the good of all of us, and Nigeria is so critically important that we must give attention to those revolutionary intentions that can make business work. I am pro-business, and I will continue to be that. I can give you that assurance,” he said.

    The president noted that the tax reforms will create a more favourable climate for investors.

    “We will find a way to work with tax administrators to ensure that whatever we have to do, we will encourage growth and opportunities. We are ready to do that.”

    The Minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, thanked the President for consistently supporting the telecoms sector’s growth.

    Tijani said the approval by the president for the protection of fibre optic and undersea cables as critical national assets would further stimulate growth in the industry, assuring that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) has started implementing and enforcing the law.

    The Chairman of Airtel commended the President for the two-pronged economic reforms that had transformed the economy for future growth.

    “When you took office, you made some promises. Given the country’s situation, I was unsure how deep and far you could take your commitments.

    “I am indeed reminded of 1991, when India was in a similar situation, and we were practically on our knees, having pledged 500,000 tons of gold to the Bank of England, and our vessel in Tokyo had been put up for sale.

    “During that time, the prime minister and his team took similar reforms to what you are taking now in Nigeria, and India has never seen better times after that.

    “The duties went down, the rupee was floated, and it depreciated significantly. Relicensing happened, and it was the dawn of a new world in India. We just moved forward,” he said.

    Mittal said the reforms turned India into one of the largest economies in the world.

    “I feel that what you have done here is unprecedented in a challenging time. Only people of resolve and steel can endure this huge pressure, floating the naira, which moved from N450 to about N1900 and is now coming back to N1400 to N1500.

    “It has been a remarkable achievement celebrated by the entire world. This was much required, and you delivered on your promises,” the Airtel chairman told President Tinubu.

    He also commended the removal of the petrol subsidy.

    “The second one was the removal of the subsidy, which was a very tough decision for any politician. It was unpopular and difficult, but you held your position, knowing fully that not doing it would not help the country.

    “You have taken a long-term position. It is my belief and hope that you have created a legacy for yourself. Your first term as president will mark a watershed in the development of your country.

    “This will be a turning point, and I would like to commend you for having held a firm position and taken the country forward,” he added.

    Mittal said more Nigerians should be encouraged to invest in the country, particularly those with huge financial portfolios abroad.

    “I have been speaking to people in Nigeria, friends and business people, and they are all now feeling calm, and when they start to get back, they will move very fast. I have experienced this in India,” he stated.

  • My chances ‘re bright — Okonkwo

    My chances ‘re bright — Okonkwo

    ABUJA: Founder and President of the Nigeria-Russia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo has lamented the growing wave of insecurity in Anambra State, saying it has crippled businesses in the state.

    Okonkwo, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress APC is vying for the party’s ticket ahead of the November 8 governorship election.

    Lamenting that the state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo is incapable of tackling insecurity, Okonkwo accused the governor of trying to undermine him, saying Soludo has become jittery since he indicated interest to fly the APC flag.

    Okonkwo spoke on Wednesday in Abuja when the Anambra Coalition for Progressive Change presented him the APC Governorship Nomination and Expression of Interest forms which they had purchased for him.

    “The issue of security, the issue of almost zero economic activities, that these people will never let me go on this journey by myself.

    “There is no more night life in Anambra. 6pm everywhere is shut down. Nightlife contributes 50 per cent to the economy.

    “Since he (Soludo) has been calling the people to jettison the so-called sit-at-home, nobody has listened to him. The louder his call,the further the people go away.

    “We are aware of all the moves being made in Abuja here, huge amounts of money being thrown around just to ensure that I do not get the ticket of the party because he is very much afraid, not only to meet me in the campaigns, but of even squaring up with me on the election day”, he alleged.

    Earlier, leader of the Anambra Coalition for Progressive Change, Chief Cyril Ndubuisi Ezeani said Soludo established the Agunechemba Security Corps as a strategy to win the 2025 governorship election.

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    Wondering why Soludo had to wait till the eve of the election before attempting to tackle insecurity, Ezeani described the move as a political gimmick to confuse the public.

    He said: “Pick up the newspapers, you listen to the news, you go to social media, what you see about Anambra is kidnapping, killing and all sorts of insecurity.

    “The average Anambra man is a hard working person. We build our roads, we provide our water, we build our schools. So what do we need? We simply need security, security for our businesses to flourish, for people to come from far and near to buy in Onitsha and Nnewi. That is the primary thing that every Anambra State person needs, and that is not being provided.

    “In fact, it was just a few days ago that he woke up from his slumber and started Agunechemba security corps and all that. And I know it was just because he realised that the election is coming up.

    “After all, what stopped a professor who has stayed for nearly three years from tackling  insecurity? He just woke up yesterday to say he is doing security! I can assure you that what he’s doing is not going to last. He is just trying to confuse the people of the state. As soon as he gets his ticket back, or he wins the election by any means, he will go back to where he is and leave us stranded.

    “So that is the principal thing that made us believe that he is not going to do anything. He is not the kind of person we want, he is not providing the kind of services that we want in Anambra State.”

    He said Okonkwo who is the founder and Chairman of United Airlines, will tackle insecurity and ensure that businesses flourish in the state.

  • ‘Canada can go to hell’ – Ribadu, Defence Chief slam visa denial

    ‘Canada can go to hell’ – Ribadu, Defence Chief slam visa denial

    The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has condemned the Canadian government for its decision to deny visas to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa, and other senior military officials.

    Read Also: Woman denied UK asylum 8 times succeeds after joining IPOB

    The officials were due to attend an event in Canada honouring war veterans, but only a portion of the delegation was granted visas, leading to strong reactions from Nigerian authorities.

    Ribadu and Musa spoke on Thursday at the inaugural annual lecture of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) in Abuja.

    The event, attended by security experts and government officials, focused on national security challenges and international cooperation.

    Addressing the visa denial, Ribadu expressed frustration, describing it as disrespectful, while Musa emphasised the need for Nigeria to assert itself on the global stage and not be taken for granted.

    Musa recounted the experience, noting that he and his team had been invited to the veterans’ event but faced an unexpected setback when some members of the delegation were denied entry. He described the situation as disappointing but saw it as a reminder for Nigeria to strengthen its independence and resilience.

    He stated, “Every disappointment is a blessing. Yesterday, I was meant to be in Canada for an event to honour our veterans, those who were injured during battles, and we were supposed to be there.

    “We were invited with our team. Half of us have gone, and half have been denied. It’s very disappointing.

    “It’s a clear reminder that the country must stand on its own, stand strong as a nation, and should no longer be taken for granted.”

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    Ribadu, in his remarks, reinforced the importance of making Nigeria self-sufficient, citing the incident as further motivation to work towards national progress.

    He commended Musa for his leadership in tackling security challenges, stressing the need for continued collaboration among security agencies.

    The NSA said, “Thank you for having the courage to say Canada denied you visas. They can go to hell.

    “Even though it’s painful and disrespectful, we are peaceful and strong, and I agree with you that it is time to fix our country.

    “Yet, this is another reason we must work hard to make Nigeria thrive. I commend you for providing purposeful leadership in the fight against insecurity.”

    The visa denial raises questions about Canada’s stance on Nigerian military officials and its broader diplomatic relationship with Nigeria. While the specific reasons for the refusal remain unclear, the incident has highlighted the bureaucratic and political hurdles Nigerian officials face in international engagements.

  • I have never questioned size of my boobs – Diva Gbemmy

    I have never questioned size of my boobs – Diva Gbemmy

    An Instagram sensation known as Diva Gbemmy has said that she never questioned the size of her boobs, saying she had always known they are a gift from God. In a post on her Instagram page, Gbemisola with the moniker “Diva Gbemmy” preaches a bit about self-confidence and loving one’s body to live a fulfilled life.

    She writes, ” Loving my body has always come naturally – it was love at first sight. It has always made sense to me and I have never questioned why my boobs are bigger while others are smaller. When puberty hit and I noticed my features were more pronounced than my peers; it only made me happier. Even now, whenever I see myself in the mirror, I can’t help but say, Damn Oluwa Seun o. I have never felt shy or insecure about it.”

    She adds, ” That’s why whenever I get DMs from other fuller bust women asking for confidence tips, I find it hard to answer. I have never struggled with low self-esteem due to societal pressures or negative body image. But if there’s one thing I always say, it’s this: Don’t try to fit in when you were born to stand out.”

  • I don’t know if Rwandan soldiers are in DR Congo – Kagame

    I don’t know if Rwandan soldiers are in DR Congo – Kagame

    Rwandan President Paul Kagame has told CNN he doesn’t know if his country’s troops are in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, although he is the Commander-in-Chief.

    Read Also: Rwandan-backed group declares ceasefire in DRC’s war-torn east

    Recall that fighting between the M23 armed group and Congolese soldiers has killed more than 900 people and injured thousands in recent days.

    Much of the international community believes that Rwanda backs the M23 rebels, who claimed to have captured the city of Goma in eastern Congo last week.

    UN experts believe that an estimated 3,000 – 4,000 Rwandan soldiers are supervising and supporting M23 fighters in the east of the DRC, outnumbering the rebel group’s forces in the country.

    In an exclusive interview with CNN on Monday, Kagame was asked if there were any Rwandan troops inside the DRC.

    “I don’t know,” Kagame said.

    “There are many things I don’t know. But if you want to ask me, is there a problem in Congo that concerns Rwanda? And that Rwanda would do anything to protect itself? I’d say 100%,” he continued.

    At least 900 bodies have been recovered from the streets of Goma since violence erupted, according to the United Nations’ latest figures.

    “As of 31 January, at least 900 bodies have been recovered from the streets,” said the United Nations Office

    for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in a report Monday, citing the World Health Organization.

    Like Putin…

    CNN’s Larry Madowo told Kagame that comparisons have been made between him and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who backed local separatist forces to try and invade Donbas, an eastern region of Ukraine, in 2014.

    “There will be so many stories,” Kagame said of the comparison, adding that he can’t “stop people from saying whatever they want to say.”

    “I may be called anything – what can I do about it?” he asked.

    “We have to do what we have to do… we have to make sure we survive any storm that blows across our country.”

    Kagame called the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, FDLR, one of the largest foreign armed groups operating in the DRC, an “existential threat” to Rwanda.

    He alleged that the group was fully integrated into the Congolese armed forces, suggesting that other governments in the region also support the rebel group.

  • I’m friend to Amaechi, not on Wike’s side – Peterside

    I’m friend to Amaechi, not on Wike’s side – Peterside

    Rivers-based politician Dakuku Peterside has publicly clarified his political stance, affirming that he does not align with the camp of former Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

    Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Peterside, a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), stated that his loyalty remains with Wike’s predecessor and former political mentor, Rotimi Amaechi.

    “I am a friend to Rotimi Amaechi,” Peterside said, making his position clear.

    He further emphasised his political independence from both Wike and the current Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

    “I am not on the side of Nyesom Wike,” he stated, adding that he is also not politically aligned with Governor Fubara.

    Despite this, Peterside expressed a willingness to offer guidance to the state’s leadership when needed.