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FFK, The Drug Addled Thug In Designer Wears —- Daily Trust Fires Back [MUST READ]

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Femi Fani-Kayode, (more popularly known as FFK by the initials of his name) the designer wearing son of Chief Remilekun Fani-Kayode, (Fanny power) Deputy Premier of the Western Region in the first republic is the perfect example of a pig still being a pig even with lipstick on.

Yes, he is on record to have attended the high-brow English public school Harrow and followed that up with a law degree from the prestigious University of London and a masters from the world-famous Cambridge University.

But if the idea was to mould him in character and training in the best traditions of an English gentleman having attended these institutions of British upper crust society, it has proven to be a waste of expensive English public school education.

His bohemian lifestyle while in the United Kingdom included an addiction to drugs for which he had to seek spiritual and physical rehabilitation in Ghana. But till today he has not been totally cured of that habit which leads him to fits of boorishness, irascibility and thuggish behaviour unbecoming of the status he occupies in Nigerian public life.

Though he likes all too often to take pride in and show off his English public education as a badge of honour, unfortunately, FFK does not live up to the genteel and hallowed requirement of an Oxbridger in all he does. In the public space which he courts and hugs for recognition and relevance, he is always expected to exhibit his base, yobbish, uncouth manners of an alley cat at persons who are his betters in all parameters of life.

Last week, FFK was at his yobbish worst during a press briefing in Calabar where in response to a question from a Daily Trust reporter Eyo Charles as to who was financing the trips he (FFK) had been embarking on round the country, he let rip at the poor reporter. Suddenly FFK who takes it as a licence to hurl volleys of invectives at just about anyone in Nigerian public life had his thin skin exposed. Like a boxer with a glassy jaw, which the gentlest of jabs was all that was needed to shatter his thinly covered veneer of respectability was ruthlessly exposed.

In those few minutes of a foul-mouthed rant at the reporter for asking the question, FFK sunk lower than the lowliest he had ever been in the public estimation of him. He never had any reputation of worth anyways. But it exposed him as a brittle minded fellow who can give but cannot take and confirmed that he is just a windbag and a wanker, worse than the people he all too often vilifies mostly without rhyme or reason.

With his latest oafish behaviour, it is about time FFK met his comeuppance. His verbal assault at the reporter should be seen as an attack at the very profession that provides him with the necessary oxygen and limelight to remain relevant in the Nigerian public space. If he did to a lawyer in the legal profession he belongs what he did to the journalist in Calabar he would have faced immediate sanctions. (Ask Governor El Rufai)

Suffice it to say he is not even reckoned within the legal profession. Even the so-called “charge and bail’’ lawyers one sees often hanging around courtrooms are likely to have better records of achievement in the profession than him.

He is also not a political figure of note in his native Ile-Ife or Osun State even though he tries to present himself as one. He certainly will not win any political contest there. And in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of which he is a member, he is avoided like the plague for his impulsive, self-opinionated, gaffe-prone statements which often put the party in a bad light, and which necessitate painstaking damage control measures to mend.

The lout has neither a sense of shame nor gratitude. In 1966 General Yakubu Gowon then as Army Chief saved his father from imminent death by mutinous soldiers when he ordered then Lt Paul Tarfa of the Guards Brigade to rescue and keep him under the protective custody of loyal troops. Had General Gowon not intervened the senior Kayode would have almost certainly been dispatched to meet his maker on that occasion by the mutineers. FFK was a toddler then, and only God knows what would have become of him in later life. Yet even General Gowon had not been spared of this loony’s ingrained bad manners. He once issued a scathing, abusive retort to a statement the former military head of state made on the civil war.

That FFK has been indulged in the public space despite all the known and documented instances of his indecorous behaviours is attributable to two factors; he is the scion of an illustrious public figure in Nigeria who literarily was born and fed with a silver spoon, and also because of the fawning, uncritical indulgence of our media which tends to accord undue relevance to persons who went to the type of schools FFK attended abroad.

FFK is fannying around in his family’s shadow and in the inferiority complex of our media who believe that Nigerians who attended Ivy League institutions in America and Oxbridge in the United Kingdom possess uncommon wisdom. It is what makes otherwise vacuous and spastic individuals of his ilk to bask in the public space with a dubious sense of entitlement, advertising their self-importance in the full knowledge that the Nigerian media will indulge them uncritically.

In the aftermath of his intemperate and disgraceful outburst in Calabar, having temporarily returned to his senses and realised that he had gone beyond even the unduly generous allowance the media has given him, he attempted to climb down from his high horse. But it was done in a derisory manner which further reinforces the utter contempt FFK holds journalists and the journalism profession which ironically is the only profession that provides him with a platform to be relevant in Nigeria.

If the journalism profession in Nigeria has any modicum of honour at all it must put this designer wearing, a drug-addled thug in his place as an example to all who dare to treat it with levity.

 

Credit: Daily Trust

BIG STORY

Lagos State Government To Concession Red And Blue Line Rails For Sustainability, Loan Repayment

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The Lagos State Government has announced plans to concession the operations of the Red and Blue Line rail systems to the private sector in order to ensure their sustainability and repay loans taken for the rail projects.

This announcement was made by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, during a recent TVC News interview, where he discussed the measures being implemented to ensure the continued viability of the state’s rail systems.

Osiyemi explained that the concessioning process would involve transferring the operations of the rail systems to private sector players for a defined period. This approach is intended to ensure the continued operation and effective management of the rail projects.

“The ultimate game is for all our rail systems we’ve done—that is, the Red Line and Blue Line—there is going to be some concessionairing with the private sector for a period of time to ensure sustainability and continuity,” he stated.

He added, “The concessioning would help pay back the loans taken for the rail projects.”

The commissioner emphasized that the concessioning strategy aims to ensure efficient operations and long-term financial sustainability, in line with the state’s vision for a world-class transportation network.

  • More Insight

Osiyemi further highlighted the substantial financial and technical challenges involved in operating rail systems, describing them as capital-intensive projects that require significant resources and specialized expertise.

To tackle these challenges and build local capacity, he noted that the Lagos State Government has enlisted foreign partners to temporarily manage the operations of the trains.

These partners are expected to not only ensure smooth operations during their tenure but also transfer critical skills to Nigerian personnel. The plan includes a structured training program lasting one to two years, after which the management of the rail systems will be fully handed over to local operators.

“What we have done is we have consulted foreign partners who, of course, would run these trains for a particular period of time and train our people—that is, transfer of skills.”

“They will train our people for one to two years, then hand over for our own management,” Osiyemi explained.

  • Things You Should Know

The Lagos State Government, under its Lagos Strategic Transport Master Plan, has set out an ambitious vision to develop a network of rail systems across the state.

Currently, only the first phases of the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems have been completed, with passenger services already in operation.

The Blue Line is a 27km electric rail line designed for sustainable operations. Its first phase, covering 13km from Lagos Marina to Mile 2, was completed in 2023 and began commercial operations in September, carrying over 2 million passengers to date.

The Red Line, spanning 37km from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo in Lagos, operates on diesel. Its first phase, a 27km stretch, includes eight strategically located stations: Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, and Oyingbo.

The construction of the second phases of both the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems is being managed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which also oversees the operation of the trains.

Beyond the Red and Blue Lines, the state has plans for additional rail systems, including the 68km Green Line (Lekki Free Trade Zone to Marina), the 85.7km Purple Line (Redemption Camp to Ojo), the 48km Orange Line (Ikeja CBD to Agbowa), and the Yellow Line, all aimed at enhancing the state’s transportation network.

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BIG STORY

Lagos Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab Condoles With Families Of Epe Accident Victims

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Condolence Message from the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab.

I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred in our community, Epe, claiming the lives of two promising young adults, a dedicated tricycle driver, and leaving several other people injured. This heartbreaking accident has left our hearts heavy, as we mourn the loss of these young souls who were full of hope and dreams, and an industrious individual who worked tirelessly for his livelihood.

As a member of this community, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends affected by this terrible loss. I can only imagine the pain you must feel, and I want you to know that you are not alone in this moment of grief.

Let us honor the memories of these individuals by advocating for safety and awareness on our roads. As we move forward, may we find comfort in community and strength in one another. May their souls rest in peace, and may their families find solace and healing in the days to come.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

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BIG STORY

JUST IN: Monday Okpebholo Sworn In As Edo State Governor

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Monday Okpebholo, a serving senator, has been sworn in as the governor of Edo State.

Okpebholo took his oath of office at about 1pm on Tuesday during the inauguration ceremony in Benin, the state capital.

As the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okpebholo won the September 21 off-cycle governorship election in the state.

He polled 291,667 votes to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came second with 247,274 votes.

Olumide Akpata, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), came third with 22,763 votes.

Dennis Idahosa was also sworn in as the deputy governor of Edo.

Dignitaries, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, chair of the governors’ forum; Philip Shaibu, reinstated deputy governor of Edo; and other governors from the party, were present as Okpebholo took the oath of office.

The new governor later rode in an open-top van around the stadium, acknowledging cheers from supporters.

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