Nigerian man with 97 wives debunks death rumours says he is hale, hearty and will keep carrying out his 'divine assignment'

92-year-old Nigerian polygamist Bello Abubakar, who has 97 wives has debunked rumours that he died after a brief illness, saying he is still very much alive and plans on carrying on his 'divine calling'...taking more wives

The former teacher and Muslim preacher resident in Bida, Niger state, has outlived the majority of his 185 children, and told reporters the latest rumour of his death was the work of his detractors.

"My dear, I am very much alive, hale and hearty," he told Vanguard newspaper. "At least, you can hear me speak and certainly, a dead person cannot speak. "The rumour is baseless and can best be described as the work of my detractors because they envy what God has done and what He is still doing for me. What I am doing is divine. It is an assignment and I will keep doing it till the end. I am seated outside of my house and I am speaking with you live in Bida without any problem with my health. What I am doing is divine. It is an assignment and I will keep doing it till the end."

Mr Bello had married a total of 107 women in his time, and divorced 10. He shot to international fame in August 2008, back when he had 86 wives, when he gave interviews to journalists and film crews explaining his unusual living situation and that “God has asked me to do it”.

But Mr Bello said his own interpretation was that the Koran does not place a limit and it is up to what your own power, your own endowment and ability allows. That non-standard pronouncement saw him arrested later in 2008 at the request of the local Shariah Court, with the emir in Bida accusing him of “creating tension” by speaking to journalists. The court released him in November 2008 on the condition that he divorce 82 of his 86 wives. He did not comply.

The cleric was rumoured to have died in June 2012. After the reports of his death surfaced, he gave an indepth interview The Nation in which he proclaimed he was not finished marrying yet.

"My large number of wives? I only have 97 wives," he said. "I am still going to marry more. I will keep marrying them for as long I am alive.  Left for me, I would have married maybe two wives, but what I am doing is divine. I just want to advise those fighting against the number of my wives to stop because such people are waging war against God, their creator."

NIGERIAN PEACE CORPS AND BUHAR'S DAUGHTER SIGNS AN MOU ON BEHALF OF CHIBOK GIRLS

President Buhari's daughter Hadiza Buhari -Bello and Nigerian Peace Corps sign MOU on Chibok girls endowment fund

Hadiza Buhari-Bello, Chairperson of Africa Support and Empowerment Initiative (AFRISEI) and The Nigerian Peace Corps (PCN) has on Monday, October 17th, inaugurated a 'Chibok Girls Endowment Fund' to cater for the welfare of the 21 schoolgirls released by Boko Haram last week.

The official inauguration held at the Nigeria Peace Corps Headquarters in Abuja was represented by its National Commandant Amb. (Dr) Dickson Akoh. Also present is the Registrar Medical Lab Science Council of Nigeria, Dr. Tosan Erahbor

Speaking at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Chibok Girls Endowment Fund, Dr. Akoh revealed that the corps has already donated the sum of N3, 500, 000 into the account, which was set up in collaboration with the Africa Support and Empowerment Initiative.

"We are therefore of the view that the release of these girls should elicit the passion and humanitarian concerns of all public-spirited Nigerians and charitable organisations to the general welfare and basic needs of the released girls", Akoh added.

In her remark, Hadiza Buhari Bello commended the Nigerian Peace Corps and other Stakeholders for the initiative which she said would help to rehabilitate the released Chibok Girls.

"With the support of our stakeholder, Peace Corps of Nigeria; the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria has also pledged to support as our partner to carry out free medical tests on Hepatitis B &C, HIV and sugar level on the girls."

Posted by Linda Ikeji at 10/18/2016 03:27:00 PM

STRONG MEN SNAPS SCARY CROCODILES AT CLOSE RANGE

Daring wildlife biologist Forrest Galante and cameraman Mark Romanov risked their lives to film crocodiles underwater and adopted an unusual strategy of mimicking a large adult crocodile by wearing a special scaly wetsuit. See photos below;

FORMER GOVERNOR OF ANAMBRA STATE SHOW CASES HIS SIMPLICITY

Nigerian Man "Shocked" After Seeing Ex Governor Peter Obi On A Train In The UK. Photo

A Nigerian man has narrated his encounter with former governor of Anambra state, Mr Peter Obi, on a train in the United Kingdom. The man revealed how awed he was by the politician's simplicity.

Read what was shared on Facebook by Apga Alaigbo

We do not know each other, but I follow you closely on Facebook. I am from Anambra though I live in the UK. I have heard so much about our former Governor, Mr. Peter Obi.

We became more interested in him after the platform speech. Even in my work place, Nigerians there debated the speech. We agreed that if indeed all he said were reflection of his life, that we have at last discovered a NIgerian fit to be entrusted with national leadership. Though some of us swore that that was how he lived, some of us, including me, were are a bit skeptical.

Today, this morning, as I was in a train going to work, he entered and at first stand when all seats were occupied. He later sat down. Out of curiosity of meeting a Nigerian of his status scrambling for train, I got his pictures.

There is nothing wrong with entering train like every other person. In the UK and others climes, former high government officers join public transport and are happy. In fact this is one of the reasons they strive to lead well, because what they provided would be what they will enjoy.

In the UK, what former Governors and others do is to cruise around city in limousines.

After the snapping, I went to meet Mr. Obi who told me that he would stop at Green Park and that he was going for Commonwealth meeting at Marlborough House.

It was happy I met and engaged him.

GOVERNOR AYO FAYOSE DISGRACES ACCESS BANK OFFICIALS

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State today forces Access Bank to shut down its operations in the state. Mr. Fayose's extraordinary action came after bank officials prevented the girlfriend of former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, from drawing funds from the flagged account.

SaharaReporters learned that Mr. Fani-Kayode's girlfriend arrived in Ekiti and attempted to withdraw funds from an account linked to slush provided by detained former National Security Adviser, Dasuki. The account is part of the subject of the former Aviation minister's ongoing prosecution for fraud at a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Saharareporters learned that security officials concluded that an account opened at Access Bank by one "Sonia  Chikwendu Precious," with account number 0024425113, was linked to money laundering. The account was flagged after security and anti-corruption agents determined that it was one of the several accounts into which another former minister, Esther Usman Nenadi, paid illicit funds.

When Fani-Kayode's girlfriend arrived at Access Bank in Ekiti to withdraw funds, bank officials contacted agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC had earlier instructed the bank to alert security agents whenever anybody showed up to carry out transactions the account.

Our correspondent learned that Ms. Precious was with her eight-month-old baby at the time of her arrest. Our source said EFCC officials in Lagos asked the Divisional Police Officer in charge of a police station near the Ajilosun branch of the bank in Ado Ekiti to release her on bail as EFCC agents in Lagos were unable to get to Ekiti on time to take a statement from the nursing mother.

Our source said the DPO contacted Governor Fayose instead of going to the bank who then rushed to the bank to free Mr. Fani-Kayode's girlfriend. After freeing her from the bank, Mr. Fayose then marched back to the bank premises to close down the bank, swearing that the bank would never operate in Ekiti during the remainder of his tenure as governor.

 Several months ago, Mr. Fayose also humiliated Zenith Bank officials in the state, demanding that one of the bank managers go on his knees to apologize for exposing his laundering of slush funds provided for gubernatorial campaign purposes by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014.

In an apparent effort to gain public sympathy and whitewash Mr. Fayose's action as well as the attempt by Mr. Fani-Kayode's girlfriend to withdraw funds from a flagged, both the governor and the former Aviation minister issued statements claiming that the EFCC detained Fani-Kayode's mistress along with an 8-month old baby.

EFCC sources told SaharaReporters that Ms. Precious Chikwendu was used as a front to open two fake bank accounts at Diamond Bank and 15 bank accounts at Guaranty Trust Bank to launder funds for Mr. Fani-Kayode during a time the ex-minister waxed strong as the chief propagandist for Mr. Jonathan's re-election bid in 2015.

Mr. Fani-Kayode is currently on trial for multi-billion naira money laundering before a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Precious Chikwendu, a key player in the former minister's money laundering operations, had used the Zenith bank account linked to Fani -Kayode to apply for her BVN. Security agents said BVN checks showed that the woman had been employed by Mr. Fani-Kayode to execute several fraudulent transactions.

In 2015, Mr. Fani-Kayode purchased a Range Rover Sports SUV for the mother of his baby. An EFCC source said the car was a likely appreciation for the woman's role in laundering funds for him.

Boko haram kills Nigerian soldiers in the north east

"We Killed 20 Soldiers", Boko Haram Boasts After Fierce Attack In Borno

Boko Haram on Monday claimed it killed 20 soldiers in northeastern Nigeria, in violence marring the celebrations following the release of some of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls. The group, using the name Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), said in a statement that it “stormed a joint position of the armies of Nigeria and Niger” in the town of Ghashghar in northeast Borno State.

It claimed it killed 20 soldiers and wounded dozens of others in “fierce clashes” that erupted during the attack on Sunday, highlighting the threat the group still poses in the region.

A community leader in the Ghashghar area confirmed the raid, saying soldiers were taken by surprise when Boko Haram militants fired rocket-propelled grenades.

“I was called by two of my contacts … informing of an attack late yesterday on the joint military personnel from Nigeria and Niger stationed in Asaka village, around 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Ghashghar,” a community leader from the area said.

“According to them, Boko Haram launched an attack with heavy guns and rocket-propelled grenades on the soldiers. The attackers came in eight vehicles,” said the leader, who asked to remain anonymous fearing reprisal from the military.

“The soldiers suffered huge casualties because they were taken off-guard. They never anticipated such an attack,” he said, adding that the jihadists stole six military vehicles and weapons.

Boko Haram has been waging a seven-year uprising against the Nigerian state, claiming more than 20,000 lives with the insurgency spilling over the west African nation’s borders into neighbouring states.

ISWAP is a faction of Boko Haram, whose leader Abu Musab al-Barnawi was appointed by the Islamic State jihadist group in August.

Boko Haram’s longtime chief Abubakar Shekau still claims he is in charge, however, as rival factions vie for control.

To be a homosexual is honourable, a gift from God, God makes no mistakes-Pastor Jide Macaulay

Nigeria's openly gay pastor, Jide Macaulay, a gay Theologian and the Founder and Project Director of House Of Rainbow, took to his page to write about how honourable it is to be homosexual. Read what he wrote after the cut...

"To be a homosexual is honourable, a gift from God. It is who I am. God makes no mistakes. Knowing the truth as a gay christian is liberating and gives me the most joy of my freedom.

I have paid the price for lying to be heterosexual. Pretending to be who you are will only harm you. EVERYONE was hurt, my father, mother, wife, son, my siblings, in-laws, friends and relatives etc.
I was FORCED to lie. I justified these lies with religion, culture, tradition and law.

I lied to myself for all of my adolescence, I lied to my family and friends. Because I didn't know any better.

I lied to my ex-wife because I was afraid of telling the truth.

I lied in my prayers asking God to cure me of homosexuality instead of helping me to come to terms.
My religious belief and dogma nearly killed me. I wrongly married a woman and badly hurt everyone.
I suffered emotional and psychological breakdown and through it all I survived. - Reverend Jide Macaulay"