The same applies to seasoned broadcaster, Sulaiman Adebayo Adegbenro, aka Consoligbadun, who has also been feeding home with details of the spiritual trip, which is one of the pillars of Islam.

The pilgrimage is not Pasuma’s first but he has been particularly excited about it, posting pictures from Saudi Arabia.

Many Nigerian entertainers, especially Yorubas, have observed the pilgrimage – right from the old eras of the likes of Haruna Ishola, Ayinla Omowura, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Dauda Akanmu Epo Akara, Tatalo Alamu, Amuda Agboluaje, Kollington Ayinla and Salawa Abeni.
Younger acts like Abass Akande Obesere, Saheed Osupa and actress Kabirah Kafidipe have also been to Hajj.

For the musicians, the journey produces experiences they spiritedly sing about.

Staying the whole day at Arafat is one of the high points of the Hajj operations after starting with spending of a night at Muna on Thursday.

As the News Agency of Nigeria also reports, standing on the Arafat is an essential part of the Hajj because it is a site where all supplications by pilgrims are automatically accepted by Allah.

ALASO READ: Some people said I was a noisemaker when I started singing in 1984 – Pasuma

Pilgrims are expected to use the day for prayers for themselves, families, friends, the Muslim community as well as their countries.

The Hill of Arafat is also known as Jabal ar-Rahmah, meaning Mountain of Mercy.

On the ninth day of hajj, pilgrims leave Mina for Mount Arafat where they stand in contemplative vigil and pray and recite the Quran.

It is here that Prophet Muhammad gave his last sermon to the Muslims who had accompanied him for the Hajj towards the end of his life.

A pilgrim’s Hajj is considered invalid if they do not spend the afternoon on Mount Arafat.

The hajj, usually one of the world’s largest annual religious activities, is prescribed for all Muslims to perform at least once in a life time.

This year no fewer than 42,000 Nigerian pilgrims from states and private tour operators are participating in the religious exercise.

This is based on what happened on Friday when two members of a political family-turned opponents, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Professor Yemi Osinbajo, met in the same Lagos they once coinjoned.

They met eyeballs to eyeballs and even shook hands with which they used to eat together in Alausa Secretariat.

It was at a meeting called by leaders of the All Progressives Congress in the South-West, led by Chief Bisi Akande.

The duo did not have to say much to each other, but a lot was likely to have coursed through their minds.

Many have dubbed Osinbajo a ‘ betrayer’ as they argue that, apart from the fact that Tinubu made him a commissioner, he (Tinubu) is the one who nominated him for his current position.

The latter point has, however, been contested by the Osinbajo group.

Besides, a lot of people also believe that the question of betrayal does not come up as everyone is free to express his vision and passion and explore opportunities.

In the poem, ‘Stanley Meets Mutesa’, a white political intruder, Stanley, and native town leader, Mutesa, have to meet, in a canoe of anxiety and uncertainty.

ALSO READ: Osinbajo will be president – Alake of Egbaland

Tinubu is my 1st choice, my 2nd choice and my 3rd choice –…

Eventually when they meet, all the king can say is. ‘Mtu Mweupe Karibu’, meaning, ‘Welcome, white man, with the poem ending thus:

“The gate of polished reed closes behind them
And the West is let in.”

It is ironic that ‘West’ is a major player in the poem, as the Friday meeting was about South-West stalwarts.
Meanwhile, Akande has said that the South-West presidential aspirants of the party , governors and other leaders are united ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting with presidential aspirants from the zone on Friday night in Lagos, Akande, however, urged party stalwarts and aspirants “to talk to themselves and the public with absolute decorum”.

According to the former governor of Osun, the South west APC leaders are united and will work to ensure that the 2023 presidency comes to the South-west.

“We are united as we will ensure that the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will come to the South-West.

“We had a fruitful discussion.

“We also resolved that everybody should maintain absolute decorum because we are united,” Akande said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that the big-wigs of the ruling party met at the Lagos House in Marina.

The meeting was convened by Akande and Chief Olusegun Osoba, a former Ogun governor.

Others at the meeting included a former Governor of Lagos State, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila.

The governors of Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti Messes Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Gboyega Oyetola, Dapo Abiodun, Rotimi Akeredolu and Kayode Fayemi were also present.

Fayemi and Amosun are also aspirants.

Also there were the Ministers of Works and Housing, Trade and Industry and Investment, and Interior, Messrs Babatunde Fashola, Adeniyi Adebayo and Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola respectively.

Other APC leaders at the meeting were Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun; Chief Iyiola Omisore, the APC National Secretary; Otunba Moses Adeyemo, former Deputy Governor of Oyo State and Chief Pius Akinyelure, former National Vice Chairman of APC, South-West Zone among others.

NAN recalls that APC had announced May 30 to June 1 as dates for its presidential primaries.

In doing so, concern should be shown for the fate of highlife, his bosom music, which he prosecuted for some 61 years. It is one brand that has continued to witness the death of its leading singers, although many of the departed enjoyed the grace of longevity. Among such were Sir Victor Uwaifo, Pa Chris Ajilo, Sir Victor Olaiya, Tunde Osofisan, and those who had left far earlier – Osita Osadebe, Oliver de Coque, Bobby Benson, Adeolu Akinsanya etc. When leading vanguards of an art so get reaped by death, the survival question surely hangs on its pantheon.

For highlife, however, the old form might pass away, there is hope that it will continue to be. The reason is that it has been recreating itself through younger artistes who either specialise in it or occasionally produce songs in the highlife mould. These are apart from party artistes who freely mix it with juju, fuji, hip hop and other grnres.

Another artiste who has done wonderfully for highlife is Flavour. While an Olamide will go in and out of the arena, Flavour has, like Adekunle Gold, largely endured in the game. The success he too has recorded shows the endless potential in it, as a versatile music that has a date with the future. It is also important to note that the power of highlife, like that of afro beat, to produce success is manifest in Favour’s life too. His remaking of ‘Ashawo’, many will agree, is what actually made him.

Close followers of the music of Beautiful Nubia, Edaoto, Segun Ajayi AJ Sequential, Goke Bajowa and Seun Olota, among others, can easily locate highlife influence in them too. That is why it is not surprising that they enjoyed a fluid relationship with the old and departed musicians, with legends often joining them at their concerts. Ajilo and Orlando Julius were particularly intimate allies of Nubia, and Edaoto also savoured such cross-generational bonding.

An indefatigable composer and trumpeter, Orlando Julius bequeathed to humanity great sounds and songs that include ‘Jagua Nana’ and ‘A Dara’. He enjoyed the great company of his love, now widow, Latoya Aduke, who was also a singer and dancer in his band.

Announcing his death on Thursday, Evergreen Music Managing Director, Bimbo Esho, had noted in a statement:
“We shall miss one of Nigeria’s fathers of Afro/Highlife Music , a gentleman and a fine Saxophonist.
“May daddy Orlando Julius soul journey well . To the entire Ekemode family may God give you the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss.”

The reason is that two strikers in the English club will be playing against each other, in a game that promises to be sensational and dramatic.

These are Salah and Mane, two of Africa’s very best respectively playing for their countries Egypt and Senegal.

While Mane had inspired Senegal to stop Burkina Faso (3-1) on Wednesday, Salah’s Pharaohs stopped the hosts, Cameroon, via a penalty shootout that ended in their 3-1 favour on Thursday.

When the final match will thus come alive, it will be like Liverpool against Liverpool, which also means that whichever side the pendulum falls, Liverpool will still be a winner.

Ironically, their manager, Jurgen Klopp, found it difficult to part with the players for the continental engagement.

He actually attracted biting criticism to himself when he talked down on the competition.

One would thus hope he realise what it would have meant if his boys were not available.

Wishing Liverpool – sorry, Senegal or Egypt – the best of luck.

Its record-dreadful ploy:
To bring our Island’s Victory to its very base
But with sheer ingenuity of the human brain,
We teased the mermaid with a deal
Clipped the effrontery of the roaring waves.
Strengthening the centre of our trusted excellence,
A city has risen from the sparkling waves!
Carved like Onabrakpeya’s ornament,

Lawned like an Eden recovered,
It teases the eyes with pretty towers
At the Atlantic City,
Lagos renews its itself,
Paradise cruises home
Dubai misses a breath
London stands stunned
As the world receive the full complement of a Newer York.

Among other functions they perform, commas are useful when we want to separate items on a list, while they are also strategic in separating a main clause from the subordinate.

LISTING ITEMS: She bought a pair of shoes, a towel, two beautiful cups and a big bag.
SEPARATING CLAUSES: Because he came late, the meeting started behind schedule.

Below, however, are three critical areas a lot of people mishandle commas. You need to convince me you are not one of them!

Misplacing Commas in Direct Speech
Many indiscriminately place commas in direct speech. They, for instance, either wrongly put it after the quotation mark or they don’t put it at all. Note that when the quoted item comes first in the clause, the comma comes before the second quotation mark:

WRONG: “I won’t come tomorrow”, the woman said.
WRONG: “I won’t come tomorrow” the woman said.
CORRECT: “I won’t come tomorrow,” the woman said.

ALSO READ: How you mispronounce Access Bank, Zenith Bank, First Bank

Leaving out the Second Comma in Apposition
Apposition is a grammatical construction in which two elements are placed side by side in such a way that one identifies the other. Both elements are usually noun phrases. Some may find the term, ‘apposition’, too ‘big’ or strange but we all use the concept in speech and writing. In English, we often separate the appositive (the phrase involved) with commas. The problem here, however, is that two commas are required – but a lot of people do not bother to include the second:

WRONG: The Managing Director, Mr Oluwole Glory has just left.
CORRECT: The Managing Director, Mr Oluwole Glory, has just left.
WRONG: Dr Afam Ojigi who is the first Nigerian to teach at Karine University, has written many books.
CORRECT: Dr Afam Ojigi, who is the first Nigerian to teach at Karine University, has written many books.

Leaving out Commas in Vocatives
The vocative voice explains a situation you first call someone before addressing them. You address the person directly, but you first call the name or title. This is also a common phenomenon but the name or title should be separated from the message with a comma. Unfortunately, again, many leave out the punctuation mark:

WRONG: Ben let’s meet later.
CORRECT: Ben, let’s meet later.
WRONG: Sir can I go now?
CORRECT: Sir, can I go now?

I stayed in the varsity for so long
I bagged an Elderstudentsmanship with a record break
I rocked the campus like a mystery plague
I got a bachelor of arts in a science course

They say I have no certificate
But online and offline, I rock customised Lamborghinis plus oversight jeeps
Those who decorate their garages with doctoral crests
Are writing my biography in a stunning haste

I am the elephant with a single arm:
I uproot a palm tree with super awe
If the elephant had two arms
It would bring the Pluto to its arrogant knees

ALSO READ: Lasisi releases main EKUN IYAWO VIDEO, reissues book on the bride’s poetry
They say I have no certificate
As if a certificate is akpu and afam soup
That makes the visitor to Ibom to tarry long
As if a certificate is amala and gbegiri

That makes Ibadan a dangerous place for a greedy mouth
When did a degree become the sumptuous tuwo masara
When did it acquire the power of fura da nono
Delicacy kings of the Northern belt?

They say I have no certificate
But Dejo is mad, Dejo is mad
Dejo eats pounded yam with the arm of a goat
Dejo is crazy, Dejo is mad

Dejo eats amala with the thigh of a ram
They say I have no certificate
Yet I never conducted any medical test
Before I diagnosed menopause on the Senate floor

The hen pecks at corn; it strikes at beans with dispatch ease
Yet it keeps lamenting the absence of teeth:
The goat with a dental heritage
Has it ever eaten stones with its certificated teeth?

If the farmer refuses to promise me choice yam
I can cause the rain to hide in the sky
If the king wants to prove unduly stubborn
I cause the budget to hang in the air

They say I have no certificate
And I appropriate billions with casual bliss;
Knowing that SANs are eager to plead my cause
I pad in billions with jumbo swag

When they ask for my payslip
I slip a pittance into the stupid air
When they ask me for the total pay
I spin a myth like a master tortoise

They say I have no certificate
They say I don’t have certificate
Shame I know I do not have
But I flaunt my shamelessness with national pride.

The reason is that the tips are a pill he himself has tested and found potent.

He confused many people some years back when he decided to seek a greener musical adventure to the United States.

He was already doing well in his fatherland; yet, he chose to jet out.

Many were scared on behalf of his destiny, based on how many of the country’s reigning artistes who sojourned out amid stardom found things too difficult.

Such people, for instance, recollect that Lagbaja left and things have not been the same since, while Adewale Ayuba also had to almost restart after returning to Nigeria.

But Wizkid got it right in spite of all fears – even if D’Banj could not hide his anxiety for him initially.

Based on the rate at which he (Wizkid) is moving, he has turned the country’s super music export in recent years.

After conquering several fronts at home, he has gone ahead to rule covetous brands like the Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards, BET and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) prize.

Good enough, he has an opportunity to talk about the pill that worked for him.

According to him, one of such is that he was painstaking in the business decisions he took.

While recently unveiling his deal with Tommy Hilfiger, he noted: “It is amazing you said that about the business part of things because I would like to point out, that I think that was one of the most amazing things that I ever did for myself was learning the business side of my music, you know and I was very careful in deals I went into, I was very thorough with my deals, I was very thorough with what I wanted and business was very important.”

ALSO READ: Pasuma hungers for Wizkid

One of the other contracts that worked for him is the one he struck with Sony in 2017.

Hear what Sony Music International president of Northern & Eastern Europe and Africa Adam Granite said then: “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome WizKid to the Sony Music family. This is an incredibly important signing as we look to make Africa a major source of repertoire for the world. Wiz is a key ambassador for this movement and we look forward to helping him conquer the globe.”

For Wizkid, therefore, the story is that of a star at home, superstar abroad.

It is a lot of money in a nation swimming in debts, while taking more and yearning for more and more. It is also so in a nation bedevilled with social ills that include insecurity, collapse of infrastructure, falling educational, health and other services.

It is thus not surprising that the declaration by INEC is generating dust. Apart from the fact that people have the usual fear of possible diversion and mismanagement, one could be tempted to ponder whether or not Nigerian elections are worth the hassles they unleash on people. Are people really benefitting from the elections? Are the politicians being elected truly delivering dividends?

It is so bad that, after spending so much money, it is wrong and devilish officers that get elected or declared elected in many cases. You spend so much money to elect Presidents who hardly perform above average, and many governors, lawmakers and others who are unable to provide true leadership and even mess up the treasuries in many cases.

No wonder, in school debates, when civilian governments and the military are being compared, one of the points for the latter is that civilian government is too expensive. Based on the INEC’s request, it is very expensive indeed – especially in Nigeria where elections also harbour the character of expensive jokes.

INEC made the demand when it presented its budget to the National Assembly on Monday in Abuja.

Its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the presentation to the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

The committee had invited INEC to present the budget so as to include it in the 2022 budget billed for passage by both chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

According to INEC Chairman, the N305 billion is different from the N40 billion yearly budget of the electoral body.

The News Agency of Nigeria noted that while N100 billion had been released to the Commission out of the total projected expenditure, it would not be enough for adequate preparation towards 2023.

“The Commission made a submission through the Executive being part of the Executive body.

“We made a submission for N305 billion for the 2023 general elections in a very comprehensive 22-page document with 260 budget lines.

“In submitting the Executive proposal to the National Assembly, N140 million was made available to INEC as a one-line item in the budget.

“As usual, we broke it down and submitted same to the committee that oversights INEC in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“The N140 billion was broken into two; we take it that N40 billion is our regular budget as an agency of government and N100 billion is the first tranche of the 2022 budget.

“We have gone ahead to make provisions accordingly.

“The N40 billion annual budgets include expenditures for particularly off-season elections.

“It may interest the committee to know that we have eight bye-elections pending; three federal constituencies and five state constituencies.

“In fact, the last vacancy occurred only last Wednesday following the death of a member representing Jiwa West in Kaduna State,’’ he said.

In making a case for additional releases from the N205 billion balance, Prof. Yakubu listed activities that must be conducted ahead of the 2023 general elections.

“What we have done is to look at the activities that we have to conduct before the general elections.

“There are activities that must be concluded. If you are going to replace some of the critical facilities like ballot boxes and voting cubicles, these things must be done before the elections.

“Party primaries must be conducted and concluded before the elections and names of candidates submitted, registration of voter’s would have to be concluded before the elections.

“Printing of Permanent Voters Cards would have to be concluded before the elections and some of the critical election technology must be concluded and procured before the elections,’’ Yakubu said.

In his remarks, committee chairman, Sen. Jibrin Barau (APC-Kano North) said that the required appropriation would be made for the electoral body in the 2022 budget.

Barau assured that the report of the committee on the 2022 budget proposals would be laid in plenary at both chambers on Tuesday, considered and passed. (

These are some of the words that capture the beauty of Bode Sowande’s play, Mammy Water’s Wedding, showing in Lagos from December 18, as produced by acclaimed Thespian Family Theatre, founded by Ayo Jaiyesinmi.

In the play, Young Akinla drowns while trying to rescue others, but is saved by Tarrela, the mermaid queen. He wakes up in a world below the sea. Both fall in love, and vow to get married on earth, but Tarrela must be born as an earthling for this to happen.

Tarella is later born as Okuntoro, to a rich businessman, Adagunodo, whose trade is waste dumping into the sea causing environmental pollution and upsetting the natural harmony between earth and water. Adagunodo suddenly becomes blind.

What caused this? Will he regain his sight? Will Akinla ever find Tarella? Will there be a healing in the bond between the earth and the sea? You need to watch this play and the venue to be is the KÖNÀ Hub, on 1 Ebun- Olu Adegboruwa Lane, Freedom Way, Lekki 1 at 7pm. It will show on December 18, 27 and 28.

This exciting performance by THESPIAN Family Theatre & Productions is laced with intrigues, music and dance and runs for 90 minutes. It is a brilliant tale of “green balance” and a social advocacy for environmental protection.

Thespian Family Theatre founder and producer of the play, Ayo Jaiyesinmi, explains that apart from the fact that it is very entertaining, it creates awareness on the need to be friendly with the environment. Indeed, she says, she is partnering the Go Forte Foundation, which is the brain behind the Make Over Lagos Day, committed to saving the nature from human excesses and folly.

“As we pondered what community conversation we should paint visual pictures about, Arc Gbenga Onabanjo, Founder, Go Forte Foundation, shared his pet project, MOLD – Make Over Lagos Day. His passion for the environment and structures were contagious! So, we’ve done a bit of digging into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Goals are 17 interlinked global ones, designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all,” Jaiyesinmi says.

The SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by the year 2030.

“That’s it! We decided to stage Bode Sowande’s Mammy Water’s Wedding, an awesome play that enmeshes conversations on environmental issues, culture and entertainment. This is an absolutely awesome work of fiction,” she adds.

Mammy Water’s Wedding!
Regular Tickets: Regular seats with popcorn & drink 5k
VIP Tickets: VIP Seats with option of small chops, asun, peppered or gizzards and palm wine/ cocktails 10k
Premium Tickets- Front Seat sitting, Foodtray/ palm wine/ cocktails & Take Away 25k
Showing on 18, 19, 25, 27 & 28 December 2021 at the KÖNÁ Hub.
at 7pm.