The Agagus are human too .......by Lai Labode

The Agagus are human too .......by Lai Labode 

I came across a Facebook post by one Adebisi Yejide Akingbade , the unfortunate post described the late Chief Agagu as "a man who did nothing" and ascribed the tragedy that befell the Agagu family as deserving . What a shame ! 

While Adebisi Yejide Akingbade and all those who hailed her post have a right to free speech , there needs to be some caution and a higher level of responsibility the way those views are expressed . 

The Agagus are an ordinary family who have blood running through their veins too . How could we at a time of such tragedy make such nasty , insensitive , bitter and sinister statements ? 

Chief Agagu left a wife and children who loved him as much as we all love our parents and family members . We cannot afford to become so bloodless in the name of compulsive criticisms .

I don't know who this Adebisi Yejide Akingbade but I genuinely hope those who know her could pass this message to her , no man , no matter how good , brilliant or loved can satisfy everyone . The right to be unsatisfied does not have to come with such bitterness and unsavory expressions . Bitterness never won a trophy ! 

Remember ; 

1. It is very Nigerian for us all to show compassion and stand in prayers with the Agagus in their time of grief . 

2. It is very Nigerian for us to thank God for miraculously saving the life of Chief Agagus only son . 

3. It is very Nigerian for us to stand firmly in prayers and heartfelt condolence with all those who died in the plane crash . 

4. It is very Nigerian to pray for the soul of Chief to rest in peace with his creator . 

5. It is very Nigerian to pray that such tragedy does not befall any of us including those who have made or reposted the unfortunate comments . 

"Life is held together only by a spider's web." LL , 2013 

May all those who have died and Chief Agagu rest in peace . Amen 

Lai Labode , 4th October 2013 

PDP Youth Circuit Commend President Jonathan for Sacking Minister of Youth

The PDP Youth Circuit observes with delight the sack of Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, the Hon. Minister of Youth Development by President Goodluck Jonathan from the Federal Executive Council. We wish to commend the President for taking this bold step towards repositioning the Youth Ministry on the path of focusing more on youth oriented programmes and projects.

We noticed with dismay the below average performance of the Minister since he took over from former Youth Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi in this very strategic ministry considering the fact that Nigerian youths have never suffered such neglect as witnessed during his tenure.

While we do not completely blame the Minister for the many woes of the Nigerian youths, which include, unemployment, lack of adequate educational facilities, lack of credit or loans to start up new business, thuggery and extremism, we commend the President’s proactivity in relieving Alhaji Abdulkadir of his responsibility in the Youth Ministry.

It is our desire to bring to the notice of the President the fact that the Transformation Agenda would become nothing but a tantalizing mirage if we do not prioritise government investment in the youth sector.

We therefore wish to implore the President to seize this opportunity to reform the Ministry and reposition it to focus principally on issues and programmes that directly affect the lives of the Nigerian youth. To this end, we call for the immediate appointment of a very competent, innovative, young and youth-friendly Minister of Youth Development. In doing this, Mr. President would have succeeded in conveying his great commitment to the Nigerian youth..

God bless the PDPYC!
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Signed
Hon. Paschal Metuh
Deputy National Publicity Secretary
PDP Youth Circuit

Press Statement. Re: Attack on PDP Youth Circuit Member.

Press Statement

Re: Attack on PDP Youth Circuit Member
…..We condemn the assault.
……It was not our chairman.

Our attention has been drawn to the report making the rounds in the media about an incident in which a member of the PDP Youth Circuit was attacked and assaulted. After proper investigations by our leadership, it was deemed necessary that we make the following clarifications known to the public:

1- The PDP Youth Circuit member that was criminally assaulted by the management and staff of Cubana in Abuja is Barrister Anthony Ehilobo our National Programs Officer and not our National Chairman, Lai Labode as being erroneously reported by some media establishments and news sites.

2- The attack on Anthony Ehilobo is purely a personal matter and he wishes to treat it as such.

3- The PDPYC is aware of the matter and totally condemns the assault on one of its members.

4- We are aware that the victim of the assault, Anthony Ehilobo has reported the matter at the Maitama Police Station and that he has initiated legal proceedings against Cubana.

5- Barister Ehilobo has our support and we hope that he gets justice as soon as possible.


National Publicity Secretary:

Sola Oyekanmi

Jonathan leads Obasanjo, FG officials on condolence visit to Fashola

Forty eight hours after sending a condolence message to Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, over the death of his father, President Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday, visited the Governor at the State House, Marina, to personally sympathize with him.

80 year-old Pa Ademola Fashola, died Monday after a brief illness.
On Jonathan’s entourage were former President ,Olusegun Obasanjo, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, Ministers of Petroleum, Information, Sports and Chairman of National Sports Commission, NSC, Diezani Alison-Madueke, Labaran Maku, and Bolaji Abdullahi respectively as well as Senator Ben Obi, Presidential Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs.
Chief Imam of Abuja, Central Mosque, Alhaji Musa Muhammed, who was also on the team led the prayer session.

In his address, President Jonathan, while mourning the death of Pa Fashola, said “I know that this is the period that we need his presence, most especially, as a parent that will assist one in handling a number of responsibilities. That was why I told my Chief of Staff that we must pay a visit to the Governor, his wife and the entire family.

“It is a sad event for you (Fashola) to have lost your father at this point. But we must also thank God for the life that he had lived. We were indeed happy that your father though had left us at a very painful moment, he also lived a fulfilled life.
“He lived to maturity. Most especially, he had been able to replace himself tenfold before departing. You (Fashola) and your siblings are still with us. So many people didn’t have the opportunity of replacing themselves before they departing this world.”

Speaking, Fashola thanked Jonathan and his entourage for finding time to visit him.
He extolled the virtue of his late father, saying he was a great man who influenced him in so many ways.
Meanwhile, former Deputy-Governor of the state, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan, has also commiserated with the Governor over the death of his father.

Sosan, who was Fashola’s Deputy between 2007-2011 said “Even though he gave up at the age of 80, his demise is painful as we have lost a true, honest, steadfast, committed and highly dependable elder statesman whose contributions to the growth of modern Lagos through strong support and advice, is legendary.
“Pa Fashola, even at that age was a man no one would want to lose, especially at a time like this.
“I therefore, on behalf of myself and my family send our condolences to Governor Babtunde Raji Fashola on this great loss, while we pray that the Almighty Allah would give both the immediate and extended families and Lagosians the fortitude to bear the loss.”

She urged the Lagos helmsman “who I was privileged to work with in life to, please, take solace in the fact that Papa had lived a fulfilled life and should not allow his demise to demoralize him from delivering democratic dividends to the people of the state.”
On his part, Balogun said, “Pa Fashola was a great man who spoke the truth at all times, with fear of God as his watchword.”

Similarly, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Don Etiebet, in a condolence message, said: “May the soul of Pa Ademola Fashola rest in perfect peace and while we mourn the loss of the pillar of strength and the foundation of achievements and focus of His Excellency, we pray that Almighty God will give him the grace to withstand the irreparable loss with fortitude.

PDP Youth Circuit Congratulates APC Youths on Party Registration......Warns them against Un-Democratic Tendencies.

Breaking News!

PDP Youth Circuit Congratulates APC Youths on Party Registration......Warns them against Un-Democratic Tendencies.


The Chairman of PDP Youth Circuit and recently appointed Chairman of the Steering Committee of all PDP Affiliated Youth Groups, Mr Lai Labode has sent a heart warming congratulatory message to the APC Youths.

Mr Lai Labode while congratulating the APC youths, described the new as necessary opposition that will bring the best out of the emerging new PDP.


Mr Lai Labode stressed that the PDP Youth Circuit has never been in doubt nor lived in any illusions about the need for a vibrant opposition if we were to get the best of our democracy.


Lai Labode who had just been appointed as the Chairman of the Coalition of PDP Affiliated Youth Groups assured Nigerians youths that PDP will remain the party to beat for a long time to come. He however warned the APC not to inherit the un-democratic tendencies of the ACN and CPC, where selection of candidates was the order of the day rather than proper primaries. He stated that Nigerians would not forgive such and that the APC will naturally pay for it at any polls just like it happened in the recent Ondo state governor ship elections.
When asked how PDP intended to approach the serious challenge APC apparently poses to the dominance of the ruling party, he said he could not speak officially of the party's position but assured that the ruling party will always be up to the task of keeping Nigeria one and will ensure that Nigeria is not turned to the private enterprise of anyone.

Lai Labode said that the Coalition of PDP Affiliated Youth Groups will register 10 million new members for the party and open a new page in Nigeria's history of youth participation in politics. .. Sola Oyekanmi, National Publicity Second, PDP Youth Circuit.

The PDP-YC expresses its shock & outrage at the savage & brutal murder of 29 secondary school students in Yobe State

The PDP-YC expresses its shock & outrage at the savage & brutal murder of 29 secondary school students in Yobe State.

We totally condemn this act and are disturbed that some enemies of our nation who have sought to make the everyday lives of Nigerians as difficult & insecure as possible and are attempting to further destroy our collective future by murdering our future leaders in cold blood.

We offer our condolences to the families of the slain children. Our thoughts & prayers are with you at this very painful time.

At this point, it is necessary to restate our faith & our commitment to the ideals of our nation- national growth & development, peaceful inter-tribal & inter-religious coexistence & relations, patriotism, dedication to duty, and selfless pursuit of a cause greater than each individual.

We state categorically to our enemies, cowards who would attack & kill defenceless children in their sleep; make no mistake about it, you may break our bodies & spill our blood, but you will never break our spirits. In the fullness of time, justice will surely find you.


Long live the PDP Youth Circuit
Long live the PDP
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria

US Envoy visits Lagos PDP

US Envoy visits Lagos PDP

The United States  Consul General, Lagos,  Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins, has urged the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to intensify effort towards making a stronger impact in future elections.
He made the remarks Wednesday when he paid a courtesy visit to the Lagos office of the PDP where he was received by the state chairman, Mr Tunji Shelle and members of the Central Working Committee.
In his interaction with the party leaders, he  spoke on the need to make democracy work by developing new attitudes that can also help the democratic process in Nigeria while noting the benefits of good governance in the development of the state and Nigeria as a whole.
“I like to know what you are offering as democratic agenda in development. Democracy is thriving in Lagos and your party could win in future elections”, he stated.
Responding, the state chairman, Tunji  Shelle, thanked the envoy for the visit and explained the challenges of winning elections in the state to include primordial sentiments bothering on what the PDP represented to the people as against the ruling party which, he said, were based on false perceptions and deceit by the political elite to sustain themselves in power.

Vanguard News.