18

Jun

2009

Dr. Ogunade’s Stories Are Simply Incredible PDF Print E-mail
By Okey Ukaga

Folks: 

Let us NOT kid ourselves. Dr. Ogunade’s stories and claims are simply incredible. 

To be credible, one needs to be sure of the facts (not guess, or think or believe; but know for a fact) and use same with concrete evidence (not hearsay or spurious stories) to appropriately inform your target audience. 

First, it is pertinent to note that Dr. Ogunade did not claim to know in fact or for sure who delivered the bomb that killed Dele Giwa. Instead, he offered what is at best an honest but unsubstantiated opinion or at worst a malicious and false accusation based onincredible stories as follows: 

“Saharareporters: Do you know who delivered the bomb that killed Dele Giwa? 

Ogunade: I believe that Buba Marwa did it. Some Mamman Vatsa boys told the full story in New York during a visit to my college to lobby our college to accept to train Nigerian military officers.” 

This is not only reckless, but also very unfair to all concerned (especially Dele Giwa’s family and friends who need to know the facts and not endure more incredible rumors, Marwa whose image may have been wrongly tarnished, and Ogunde himself whose credibility is now questionable). 

Second, Dr. Ogunade claims to have a copy of Vatsa’s tape. But instead of making a copy available to back his claim, he is asking the military to release that to the Nigerian public as follows:

“Saharareporters: Do you still have a copy?

Ogunade: Yes, but you know I left Nigeria hurriedly after the death of Dele Giwa. I left [the tape] with my aged mother, who did not know the value then. I won’t say more, let the military release that tape to the Nigerian public.” 

If he is telling the truth (when he says YES to the above question), is it not easier for Dr. Ogunade to release the tape to prove his point than to rely on the military to prove his point? I am not an apologist for the military or any Nigeria government or official for that matter. Never have been and never will be. Yet, as an objective observer who is very interested in sustainable development of Nigeria/Africa, I cannot help but wonder why Dr. Ogunade is unwilling or unable to do even the minimum to make his claims a bit credible since he is raising very serious and potentially explosive issues. If he can prove that the truth is on his side all well-meaning Nigerians should support him. But so far he has produced zero evidence to back up his bogus claims. 

Third, Dr. Ogunade claimed that he has met Marwa. That Marwa came to his college to “sign a $30 million contract with the college so that members of the Nigerian military could attend a “Peace and Conflict Resolution program” and then be awarded a masters degree upon completion of the program. Marwa side counter that Marwa “has NEVER met Ogunade or John Muyiwa Amodu of City University, New York; neither did he sign any such contract with the University. City University, New York, still exists.”  They further noted that “these facts can easily be verified” and challenged Ogunde to produce the papers, if any contract was signed. Here again, one would expect Dr. Ogunade to respond to the challenge and produce copy of the contract or relevant paperwork to prove that he is telling the truth. One can accuse anybody of anything. I can accuse you the reader of stealing $1 million from XYZ bank or killing ABC. If you did not do that, how can you prove your innocence. It is difficult to prove the negative. Hence, to be taken serious by objective observers, one needs to assure at least a minimal level of credibility including evidence to support such allegations. 

Finally, Dr. Ogunade makes the mother of all claims, which is that he helped set the stage for Obama to become the President of United States of America. Hear him:

Saharareporters: What else did you do? 

 

Ogunade: We helped start the Obama phenomenon in Chicago. Saharareporters: How? Ogunade: We fought and exposed Carol Mosley-Braun who was Abacha’s agent in the US Senate. She was removed from the US Senate because she took $5 million from Abacha to help cover his tracks in the US. We exposed her, which was how it became possible for the brilliant Obama to become the US president today. We set the stage for it. 

This is the kind of over-reach that undermines credibility. By the way, I do not recall Carol Mosley-Braun being removed from the US Senate because she took $5 million from Abacha to help cover his tracks in the US. As I remember it, she lost her re-election bid due to a variety of reasons of which the Abacha issue is at best one of many factors. Even then, she was not immediately replaced by Obama. And more importantly, Obama’s rise has everything to do with who he (Obama) is and the choices and efforts he (Obama) made over time and nothing to do with Carol Mosley-Braun and/or Dr. Ogunade. It is a big stretch from saying you fought Carol Mosley-Braun to claiming that made it possible for the Obama to become the US president today. Give me a break! 

In conclusion, based on what we know (or do not know yet) this Nigerian/American observer finds Dr. Ogunade’s stories and claims simply incredible. I am surprised that they are presented as serious news at all. Is this a sign that the next political season in Nigeria is already here and a foretaste of what to come? I hope not. 

Respectfully, 

Okey Ukaga



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RobotRobot is offline

 # 1 | 18.06.2009 08:22

Folks:
Let us NOT kid ourselves. Dr. Ogunade’s stories and claims are simply incredible.
To be credible, one needs to be sure of the facts (not guess, or think or believe; but know for a fact)and use same with concrete evidence (not hearsay or spurious stories) to appropriately inform your target audience.
First, it is pertinent to note that Dr. Ogunade did not claim to know in fact or for sure who delivered the bomb that killed Dele Giwa.Instead, he offered what is at best an honest butunsubstantiated opinionor at worst a malicious andfalse accusationbased onincredible storiesas follows:

“Saharareporters: Do you know who delivered the bomb that killed Dele Giwa?
Ogunade: I believe that Buba Marwa did it. Some Mamman Vatsa boys told the full story in New Yor...Read the full article.

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edojiedoji is offline

 # 2 | 18.06.2009 11:16


=Robot;364584>

“Saharareporters: Do you know who delivered the bomb that killed Dele Giwa?

Ogunade: I believe that Buba Marwa did it. Some Mamman Vatsa boys told the full story in New York during a visit to my college to lobby our college to accept to train Nigerian military officers.”

This is not only reckless, but also very unfair to all concerned (especially Dele Giwa’s family and friends who need to know the facts and not endure more incredible rumors, Marwa whose image may have been wrongly tarnished, and Ogunde himself whose credibility is now questionable).




It is settled law that he who asserts must prove. ... The Latin maxim semper necessitas probandi incumbit ei qui agit, the best translation of which seems to be: "the necessity of proof always lies with the person who lays charges."

Thus Inasmuch as I believe Dr Ogunnade should not simply be waived away, the above legal dictum tells him to come clean and do more to prove his claim

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One NigeriaOne Nigeria is offline

 # 3 | 18.06.2009 12:40

Dr. Ogunade’s malicious hatchet-job confirms the saying, “no good deed shall go unpunished.” Ogunade’s comments are not just repugnantly vile, but utterly reckless and offensive. They are offensive to Ambassador Marwa’s family; the good people of Nigeria, whom Marwa continues to serve with distinction; and yes, the Giwa family.

Marwa literally pulled himself up by-his-boot-straps to earn several college degrees, including a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard University, and an unimpeachable public service record. Ogunade should know better than attempt to lend legitimacy to hear say.

If Ogunade’s hatchet-job is meant to preempt Marwa from seeking new ways to serve his country, then for Nigeria’s sake, Ogunade should consider his diabolical attempt a failure. As what Nigeria needs more than ever are public servants, such as Marwa, with academic training in public service, and demonstrated record of accomplishments. Ogunade, your 10-seconds of lime-light is over; now go bow your head in shame and notoriety.

Sincerely,
FELIX OBI (One Nigeria)

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ajis15ajis15 is offline

 # 4 | 18.06.2009 13:04

Yes, Dr. Ogunade may not be credible. Since the military did not tell us who delivered the bomb, we are left with information from people close to the military, and who have their ears close enough to get information. We all know that Dele Giwa was not killed by a civilian. As long as the military did not provide evidence to exonerate themselves from the dastardly act we are left with other evidence: hear say. Dr. Ogunade convinced me that IBB and his boys killed Dele Giwa because of what DG knows about Gloria Okon, that much we suspect before, and was corroborated by Dr. Ogunade.

We should not spend too much time hiding behind the rule of law to defend those that have set our country back for years. He may not be credible in the face of law, I believe everything Dr. Ogunade said. I did not believe Marwa made his money through hard work, and I did not believe he borrowed money from the bank to set up an airline. It was all money stolen from us. IBB, Marwa and others belong in jail.

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DapxinDapxin is offline

 # 5 | 18.06.2009 13:18

Be wary. Very very afraid when legalities start to rule, in / around the cr00ks of Nigeria.

That was how the current dead-man of a crook so labelled president, tricked many of us into ruse-of-law whilst his consitutional law 101 Andooaka juggles the world committing the worst of judicial irresponsibility.

I will expect Dr! /when?/ Marwa to sue Ogunade for character /has he got some?/ defamation or whatever 9ija law says. Sebi he is even a powerful ambassador at the moment ?

Not gonna worry cos some random prof accussed some clearly dubious soja of accessory to murder.

out.

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EnyiEnyi is offline

 # 6 | 18.06.2009 14:16

Dr. Ogunade does not have to prove anything to us via the news media. His proof should be tendered before a competent court of law. The available options are
1). The Nigerian security services should have a discussion with him, carry out necessary investigations and either clear or prosecute Marwa.
2) Marwa on his own should sue Ogunade and seek punitive damages if he considers the statements false.
I consider the second option more important than the first because the allegations have seriously tarnished Marwa's reputation. This will afford him the opportunity to present his side of the story under oath and be subjected to cross-examination.
Reactions to Dr. Ogunade's interview have been mainly speculative as none of the writers is privy to the facts of the case. Speculations, irrespective of their brilliance and logic, can not determine the veracity of the allegations.

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ariteniariteni is offline

 # 7 | 18.06.2009 19:10

The writer has given an excellent rebuttal. Superior in quality to the Embassy's Press Secretary's own. We should now be convinced beyond reasonable doubts that Professor Ogunade's Stories are indeed simply incredible. My only concern is that the story originates from a believable source - SAHARAREPORTERS.

This writer has succeeeded in proving that Nigerians are indeed rumour mongers. But there's more work for the writer. Another Patriotic Nigerian Dr David Egbejunmi David intending to write an article about James Ibori also observed as follows in: HOW ABOUT THAT? JAMES IBORI FOR VICE PRESIDENT!


Back in August 2006 during the heady days of Ribadu’s EFCC, Buba Marwa, the former Military Governor of Lagos State wrote a handwritten statement admitting that he indeed launder millions of Dollars for the late Sani Abacha and himself - some audaciously through the accounts used by the Nigerian Consulate and Embassy in New York and Washington respectively. Marwa was then the Military Attaché and Defence Adviser in both places. Then as Governor of Lagos, Marwa was creaming off a healthy percentage in bribe money from a private consulting firm that was collecting tax and other internally generated revenue on behalf of the Lagos State government. After Abacha bought the farm, Marwa used his share of the laundered monies, some of Abacha’s “lost” loot and the Lagos top-up to start an airline – Albarka Airlines. When asked where he got the capital to start an airline business soon after leaving the army, Marwa ludicrously claimed that they were proceeds from the two books he wrote. But hey, this is Nigeria where it has become fashionable for people to just talk anyhow. Lately however, he’s been belatedly talking about additional loans from some banks.

Marwa should have stopped there but he didn’t. He then fancied himself in Aso Rock as President. Before you can say “ole,” he had rolled out the drums and started campaigning for President. His campaign was dubbed: “Marwa Mission 2007 Movement.” That didn’t go down well with a certain Olusegun Obasanjo. Obasanjo had a quiet word in Ribadu’s ear and Marwa was picked up. He hasn’t been a guest in one of the EFCC cells long at all before Marwa wrote his statement. To be doubly sure, Marwa also wrote a separate letter to Obasanjo dated 18 August 2006 which he captioned “Letter of Profound Apology And Remorse.” Satisfied, Obasanjo ordered his release and told him to go back home and sin no more.

So where is Marwa today? He is Yar’Adua’s Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa.

You see, initially in November 2007, when Yar’Adua forwarded Marwa’s name to the Senate for confirmation, the Senate’s Committee on Foreign Affairs excluded him from the list of Ambassadorial nominees for alleged adverse security reports by the State Security Services (SSS). But by September 2008, Yar’Adua went ahead anyway and posted Marwa to South Africa as Nigeria’s Ambassador after a paroxysmal Ahmadu Ali resigned from that post."


Perhaps another article might be waranted to make the project turn-key and effectively, fully and finally put a stop to ALL callous rumours about The Hon Ambassador's activities as a Member of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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oipoip is offline

 # 8 | 19.06.2009 09:02

Well, what is written by my 'dear friend' Dr. Ogunade is an attempt to throw some light at the way politics is being played in this country I guess:one that is founded on cheap blackmail and baseless acussations and this trend disheartening and heartbreaking as well. This piece of write-up is not only flawed by want of evidence and misleading but also permeated by some political undertone of harmful inclination.
However, if our nacent democracy will ever thrive, live upto what obtains in developed countries and offer us the good of democracy, then it has to be coducted on a clean pedestal, one free of personality assasinations and cheap blackmail of this sort.
I therefore urge all well meaning Nigerians, to stand against such ideologies as this with all their strength and might so that the labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain.

Oono (Nigeria).

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Zanubia WolfZanubia Wolf is offline

 # 9 | 19.06.2009 19:36

For Sahara reporters to even publish the non-sense Stories by Dr. Ogunade’s is very sad and sahara reporters is fast loosing all credibility!!!

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amufuamufu is offline

 # 10 | 29.06.2009 17:30

DR OGUNADE’S HYPOTHESISE THINKING IS AN INSULT ON OUR COLLECTIVE MEMORIES
It is unfortunate that the likes of Dr Ogunade constitute a serious international embarrassment to the Nigerian civil society due to failure on the part of governance in crime investigation. Dr Ogunade from all indications might be suffering from serious disease of amnesia and needed help. If not, then a case of adult delinquency common with naughty characters.
The consequence of ignoring the prankster Doctor could be injurious to posterity if allowed to erroneously rewrite history which insults on the collective memories of Nigerians who lived and still living when the events took place. The effect on his targeted persona is obvious, to discredit and rubbish his amiable personality and unequal accomplishments.
No doubt that the likes of Dr Ogunade outrival in slander and character assassination of their imaginable enemies owing to government’s actions or inactions in the Case of high profile murders in Nigeria. His no doubt a victim of miss-governance. It is only in Nigeria that citizens ask questions and never get answers from their government. The Big Question “Who Killed Dele Giwa” by The Newswatch magazine about 22years ago still remained a big puzzle till date which security operative in Nigeria have failed to resolve. Therefore, when supposedly learned people like Dr Ogunade start saying ‘I think’, then know that further mischief is about to be carried out on an innocent person(s) and their integrity.
Thinking is no doubt a biological right of every human, but when we think erroneously aloud such thinking curses colossal damage to society.
For instance, like Dr Ogunade I can “think’ that Abacha killed Pa Afred Riwanu, Abdulsami killed Abiola, Obasanjo killed Bola Ige, Peter Odili killed Harry Marshal, and so on. This is speculative thinking and may be right or wrong depending on my ability to prove with convincing evidences. As it is always said ‘he who assert must prove’. The burden of prove is in the dome of Dr Ogunade, let him make public the alleged tapes and documents, anything less is a wicked brooding of falsehood with iniquitous intention to smear and assassinate the character of his prey and to attract attention.
But for the purpose of healing Dr Ogunade and his likes of amnesia on the Dele Giwa gruesome murder, we must rely on the researched and well articulated information published by the Newswatch Magazine. A Magazine co-founded by Dele Giwa himself, to rationally appraise the thoughts and proposition of Dr Ogunade as relates to his target, the amiable Dr Buba Marwa. We must refer to some documented and published account by the Magazine of the events before, during and after the murder of the American-trained journalist Dele Giwa.
In the December 18th, 2000 edition of the Newswatch Magazine the paper published a 14 –paragraph petition chronicling the events leading to the gruesome murder of Dele Giwa and asking for an objective review of the murder case by the Oputa Commission of Enquiry. Nowhere was the name Buba Marwa mentioned
1. Petition’s Paragraph one
“At about 11.40am on Sunday, October 19, 1986 Dele Giwa,39.the Editor-in-chief and chief executive of Newswatch was having breakfast with Kayade Soyinka, the Magazine’s London Bureau Chief, in his study at his one-storey house at 25, Talabi Street, Ikeja when his 19-year-old son, Billy walked in with a parcel in a light-brown envelope.”
2. Petition’s Paragraph two
“On top it was written from the office of the C-in-C (commander-in-Chief) and the typed address was to “Chief Dele Giwa” although Giwa was not a Chief. Also written on it was that nobody except the Addressee should open it .Billy told his father that it was brought in by Musa Zibo, the security Guard. Giwa looked at the parcel and smiled. Billy went out of the study into the sitting room where Fumi Giwa’s wife was watching television. Giwa suspended the meal and said to Soyinka: “this must be from the president.”He was not surprised for he had received letters from President Ibrahim Babangida before. He showed the parcel to Soyinka. Giwa placed the parcel on his lap, and tried to open it with his right hand. There was an explosion. The house shook and smoke filled the room. Soyinka, who was in blue pyjamas with white stripes like Giwa’s, was throw to the floor. Giwa was a mish-mash of flesh and bones. His upper body suffered severe burns, from his waist to his feet, totally mangled as if he had been run over by a trailer.”
3. Petition’s Paragraph 7
“…..and on the day Giwa died, he (Akilu) had talked to him for about 10 minutes. He (Akilu) said he obtained the residential address from his wife……..”
4. Petition’s Paragraph 12
“Akilu told Fumi that he wanted to inform Giwa that he should expect a message from the ADC, based on this he got a thorough description of how to get to Giwa’s house”.
5. Petition’s Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14 of the Newswatch petition to Oputa Commission outlined six weighty questions pleading for answers. The likes of Dr Ogunade should therefore focus their thinking on those questions and not on innocent and unconnected character like Buba Marwa. Nowhere was Buba Marwa mentioned.
Dr Ogunade when interviewed by Sahara Reporters side and I quote “I think Buba Marwa delivered the parcel bomb”
What did the Doctor crave to realize by this malicious statement? Simple!, that Buba Marwa a former officer of the Nigeria Army was an accompli in the death of Dele Giwa. Now I want the Doctor to objectively follow me to evaluate the following assumed scenario.
Let us think that Dr Ogunade acting for his superior as an office messenger was the one sent as the deliverer on the motorcycle that delivered the parcel bomb to Musa the Security guard and Musa gave it to Billy, Giwa’s son who delivered it to Giwa. I think Dr Ogunade will accept responsibility for the content of the sealed parcel by his boss marked “to be opened by the addressee only’. Am also convinced that Doctor Ogunade again if acting as an “erudite judge “on the matter will sentence Musa for delivering the parcel bomb that killed the man he was suppose to guard and will hold Billy responsible for negligent delivery of the parcel that lead to the death of his father and for ignorantly participating in the delivery of the parcel bomb that killed his father.
I am certain, someday, Doctor Ogunade will also hold DHL or NIPOST answerable for any slur mails he will receive.
If the Doctor is a Christian which am not too sure he is, he will be familiar with the bible story of king David and Bathsheba as recorded in 2 Samuel 11 14-17 it reads “ 14.So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab ( Uriah’s Commanding officer) and gave it to Uriah to deliver. 15. The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 16 So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. 17 And Uriah was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers”.
Again I am sure that our “Learned” Doc. If a Christian priest will hold Uriah responsible for delivering his own death letter bomb to his commander thereby committing the crime of suicide as a loyal army officer. Not God, Uriah was never held responsible for his own death but King David.
So let our Doctor prove that Buba Marwa was aware of the content of the parcel while delivering it assuming Marwa was the deliverer of the death parcel as he wants his audience to believe.
Musa and Billy are still alive and we were never told the messengers of the parcel bomb masked themselves either. Marwa is a unique persona with a unique physic and no one of the dramatis personae ever gaze at him since he becomes a public figure with Doctor Ogunade’s proposition.
I am not sure if the “scholarly” Doctor ever come across the publication of the Tell magazine of October,23rd ,1993 an authoritative journal in Nigeria on Dele Giwa’s murder were the then Federal Government even close its ears to the confession of one Edmund Kechukwu Onyema specifically claimed in an interview that he participated in the killing of Giwa. The said Onyema said he was a former operative with DMI and worked with Akilu for the murderous act, adding that he was dismissed on account of the deal. He told Tell Magazine and I quote “I was dismissed because on October19th, 1986, we carried out an operation. After the killing, the director of DMI, Colonel Halilu Akilu, Advised that we should leave the army and that we would all be settled and our identity Changed. When I refused to leave the army, I was dismissed.”
Newswatch magazine again published in its December,18th ,2000 edition that it had also made available to government, a hand-written confessional statement from an anonymous fellow who claimed to have been a police officer who was unknowingly made an accessory to the murder of Giwa. The letter to Newswatch was dated November 3rd, 1986.
“The source pointed at two police officers from the police station in Ilupeju named Rasaki and Lasisi respectively as those who know the Dele Giwa’s killers. He said he joined Lasis, in his car on a mission which turned out to be an enquiry to make sure the bomb was delivered. He said he sat in the car and read Sunday papers at a distance while Lasis did the espionage. But when the car later pulled out, he confessed noticing “a rider (motorcyclist) in our front……” reported Newswatch Magazine dated December,3rd2000. Nowhere was Buba Marwa mentioned or questioned by any security officer
The defunct Thisweek Magazine, September11, 1989 in an interview asked Col Akilu whether the army tried him. Akilu said:”No. why? They don’t believe Gani. How can they try me, for what? I gave the military my own version of the story and they were convinced.” Again nowhere was Buba Marwa mentioned or questioned by any security officer or press reporter
November,9,1999 Newswatch Magazine reported that Akilu was held under house arrest in Kano and ditto for Togun in Lagos in connection with Dele Giwa’s murder and top military officers of the Abacha regime who were implicated in human right abuses. Nowhere was Buba Marwa mentioned or questioned by any security officer.
No were in the Oputa Commission’s sittings did any one mention the name of Buba Marwa neither the security, nor the civil society group or legal counsels.
For anyone to connect Buba Marwa with Dele Giwa’s murder at this height of his endeavor is green with envy and wickedness, affront, uncouth and slanderous.
Dr Ogunade please do a refute and seek forgiveness. Marwa is a man disposed to forgiveness with a generous spirit of accommodating all views and credo. A man that is military in outlook but civil in temperament. I will in all sincerity invite the Doctor to seek for Marwa’s pardon with an unreserved apology. I assure the Doctor that Buba Marwa in his characteristic civility and generosity will give him that stress-free smile of acknowledgment.
AJ .Udah
 

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