House where Dele Giwa was bombed now hospital

It is an irony of fate that the same building where Dele Giwa, the founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch Magazine, was bombed to death 23years old now houses a hospital, reports Sunday Oguntola.

Time was 11.40am. It was a sunny Sunday that October 19, 1986. 1980s Nigeria’s most outspoken journalist, Dele Giwa, was at home having breakfast. Rather than eat on the dinning table, he chose his study, ostensibly to also spend the few minutes reading. On hand was Kayode Soyinka, the then London Bureau chief of the magazine. Giwa’s 19-year-old son, Billy walked in with a parcel in a light brown envelope given to Musa Zibo, the security guard by a 504 car without registration number, which zoomed off after delivery. The parcel had a seal of the Nigerian Coat of Arms with the inscription "From the office of the C—in-C" on one side on the top. Dele Giwa’s name was typewritten on the parcel with an instruction "nobody except the addressee should open it".

Having received similar letters from the presidency, Giwa hurriedly placed the parcel on his lap, after remarking "this must be from Mr. President". No sooner had Giwa opened the parcel that a loud explosion occurred. Within seconds, Dele Giwa’s stomach and thigh had been scattered into pieces. The bombed journalist was rushed to First Foundation Medical centre, Ikeja where he was pronounced dead. The then military government of General Ibrahim Babangida was widely speculated as the brain behind the dastardly act that marked the first assassination via letter bomb in Nigeria. The assassination took place at Dele Giwa’s private residence on 25 Talabi Street, Ikeja.

Last Wednesday, our correspondent went in search of what has become of the building where the assassination took place. Talabi Street, off Adeniyi Jones in Ikeja, is by all means an exclusive estate. No doubt about it that residents must be rich and powerful. A metal bar close to the main gate ensures entry and departure are monitored as well as curtailed. Had this been there 24 years old, maybe the merchants of death that delivered the deadly parcel would have been arrested. After the heavy downpours in the early part of the day, every where was silent as our correspondent exchanged greetings with the two soldiers on guard and made for the estate.

Parents walked in and out of a private school to pick their wards after closing hours immediately after the main gate. Other than them, the estate was deserted. Since the building is situated on house no 25, there was no doubt one had a little way to go. Walking into the sharp bend, it became obvious one was only a few houses away. Keeping an eagle eye on the houses and their numbers, one walked slowly to avoid passing by the targeted building with no notice. Suddenly, house no 23 came into view. Beside it is house no 24 with an unpainted gate, the only one on the street. Where then is House no 25? For the first time in almost five minutes, two persons were seen seated and chatting by the roadside.

With house no 25 missing, it became wise to ask the two middle-aged persons for description. One is in military uniform, meaning he is a security guard. Another is in mufti but also looks every inch a security guard. After exchange of pleasantries and calculated friendly moves, the atmosphere was now suitable to ask for house 25. "25? I don’t know where that is. Why not check further?" the uniformed guy replied. Could it be that the building has been evacuated? It’s been 23 long years. But then, there is no vacant space, confirming the suspicion of evacuation. The house must be somewhere. Why not lead these men into one’s real mission so that they could at least help out?

Forcing a smile, our correspondent asked, "do you know the house where Dele Giwa was bombed on this street? The question finally came intended to be as harmless and as non-threatening as possible. With a trained soldier on the other side, such weighty question, harmlessly as it was meant to sound, was bound to attract curiosity. After few minutes of explanations, the uniformed man pointed, "that is the building". The one-storey building sits on a plot of land. The fresh white paint leaves one in no doubt it has undergone recent renovation. It was hard to know it if it is still residential or not. The frontage has no signpost to indicate otherwise. But then, the design convinces one it has to be used for commercial purpose. If it is now commercial, how come there is no security guard or a signpost around?

To ascertain the true state of things, one approached the building. The sophisticated main door opened and showed an exquisite reception. Before one could take in the beauty of the reception, a unformed, private security guard surfaced. Concerned on how to beat the man to see the right persons, two ladies thankfully showed up. One of them who said she is Gloria finally let out the cat. "We run an hospital here," she stated on what takes place in the building. How come there are no patients, nurses or human movements? "We just moved here. We have our headquarters elsewhere and we are just working here skeletally," she added.

Perhaps sensing she was letting out too much, she suddenly became cold, saying "I cannot tell you any more. You will have to go to our headquarters to get whatever you need". The note of finality in her voice left one in no doubt a brick wall had been created. So, why not proceed to the headquarters of Mother and Child Hospitals on Adeniyi Jones Ikeja for further reactions? Meanwhile, it would be nice to gauge residents of the estate on how it feels to live on the street where unprecedented assassination took place. Being working hours, one had to contend with passers-by and security guards. A guard who said he is Sule simply shrugged and said, "that one no be my wahala". Pressed further, he suddenly switched over to Standard English, "it is nothing really. Thank God, I did not witness it so it does not affect me".

Rose, who was taking her boss’ son home from school, did not know Dele Giwa was assassinated on the street until that afternoon. "Is that so? Eh, I no know at all. That is interesting then". Now that she knows, how would she react to the knowledge? "I go pretend I no hear you. I no want anything to disturb me". With no human beings on sight for further reactions, it was time to visit the headquarters of Mother and Child Hospitals. Sandwiched among other commercial buildings, the hospital was a beehive of activities when our correspondent arrived. Quick introductions earned one a waiting seat for the Medical Director, Dr Olarenwaju.

Told that "a certain Mr. Sunday from The Nation Newspapers is waiting to see you sir" as he emerged from the consulting room, the averagely-built doctor retorted, "Oh, that is interesting. I am also Sunday". Hope of having an extended conversation evaporated when he courteously disclosed that he was going to attend a naming ceremony. "I am a pastor and the father’s business comes first," he informed. But the distance between the reception and the parking lot can be utilised for few comments. He wasn’t indisposed to this, as long as it did not keep him any minute. So, is he aware the building where his hospital’s extension sits was where Dele Giwa was murdered?

After a long thought, he said, "I got to know that recently after I had bought the building". How then does that make him feel? "Well, it is unfortunate; I mean the incident but there is nothing one can do now. The place should have been an historical centre". As if reading one’s mind, he went on, "but that is not the first building where murders had taken place. I mean people die everywhere. People die in houses and people still live there. People die in hospitals and you still save some in that same place. You won’t because of that abandon the building or hospital. So, it is really nothing". But the gracious Dr Olarenwaju had more information about the building before he made for the owner’s seat of his chauffeured-jeep, "I bought it from a company, I think ACA, an accountant firm owned by foreigners. They moved to the Island and were not interested in working around here again. We have been renovating for over a year now".

It is certainly an irony that the same building where Dele Giwa was bombed to death is now a hospital that will save many lives. In other places, maybe it would have been turned to a monument. But Dele Giwa is likely to be satisfied in death that on that same address where he was murdered gruesomely by suspected state agents at 39, has become a place where several lives would be saved from untimely deaths.

How Soludo’s CBN got N750m bribe

Fresh facts have emerged how the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN under its former governor, Professor Charles Soludo in 2006 received N750million as graft in the polymer note contract which runs into several billions of naira.

It became clearer yesterday that the controversial N750million bribery scandal, trailing the award of the polymer banknote contracts, actually took place in 2006, when Soludo was the CBN boss.

There had been allegations of shady deals between some CBN officials and Securency International Pty of Australian Reports indicated that the Australian Federal Police (AFP) is already probing alleged N750million offered by Securency to win the contract.

President Umaru Yar'Adua had in company with the new CBN governor, Sanusi launched the new N5, N10 and N50 polymer notes on September 30 at the Presidential Villa.

The circulation of the new bank notes coincided with Nigeria’s 49th Independence Anniversary day celebration.

Investigation by The Nation, however, revealed that although the contract for the printing of N5, N10, N50 notes were awarded in April this year, the bribery scandal involving Securency was perpetrated in 2006.

A reliable source, who knew about the contracts, spoke with our correspondent in confidence last night.
He said: “If you are talking of any bribery, it must have been perpetrated during the initial award of contract for the supply of polymer substrates to Securency in 2006 for the N20 banknote.

“The same template used for the N20 banknote was also applied to N5, N10, and N50 without any fresh bid. It is curious that the CBN officials chose to adopt the same template in November 2008 without fresh bid. The contracts for the printing of 1.915billion of N5, N10, and N50 notes were only awarded in April this year.

“So, the approach adopted by the CBN was suggestive of a conspiracy or an understanding. The bribery scandal predated the award of the contracts in April this year.

"I don’t think the decision to print N5, N10, and N50 notes in polymer was the key thing. The bribery must have been done in 2006. The terms of the deal were only extended to the contracts for N5, N10, and N50 notes.

"To show you that a cabal was at work, not every party was involved in the evaluation process.

"It was a sealed deal because the CBN dictates who prints abroad, what substrates to print on as well as the quantity. The CBN even decides the companies that will clear and do the freight."

A document obtained by The Nation also showed the CBN tender results for banknotes in 2006 where Securency bid for N20 polymer note at Euro 73.475 per 1000 notes including freight charge.

But it was learnt that the cost was later reduced to Euro 59.88 by the CBN when the N20 polymer contract was awarded in 2006.

Others involved in the bid were Global Securency ( Australia ); Gieesecke and Devrient (G &D) of Germany ; De La Rue (the UK ); FC Oberther ( France ) and Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC).

According to findings, the bid was opened on March 27, 2006 and finally concluded by April 4, 2006.

A March 16, 2006 letter from the Director of Currency and Banking Operations of the CBN had invited the five firms for the bid.

After the bid, G&D and NSPMC were awarded contract for the printing of the notes. But Global Securency won the bid for the production of polymer substrates.

On the CBN relationship with Securency, the source added: "There is a memo to show that the apex bank was already in discussion with the Australian firm since 2004.

"So, Securency has been in the system in the last five years. To have their way through, the government was deceived to believe that polymer substrate is cheaper.

"The truth is that polymer substrate is about 1.7 times more than the cost of paper. A survey had also confirmed that polymer lasts four times more than paper note."

Nigeria joins UN Security Council (The Nation)

Nigeria ranked among five nations elected yesterday to the prestigious United Nations (UN) Security Council for a two-year tenure, beginning from January 1, next year.

The other countries are Brazil, Gabon, Bosnia and Lebanon.

The election as non-permanent members of the UN’s most powerful organ falls quite short of Nigeria’s crusade for permanent membership under a restructured system of the world body. It nonetheless enhances the country’s relevance in global affairs, and locates her under more intense global scrutiny.

The permanent members under the current system are the five veto-wielding world powers namely the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.

Agency reports said yesterday that unlike most previous Security Council elections, there were no contested seats this year. As a result, the five countries nominated by regional groups won an easy victory on first ballot in the voting by the 192-member General Assembly.

Even then, Nigeria led the way with 186 votes, according to the results announced by Assembly President Ali Treki. Gabon got 184 votes; Bosnia, 183; Brazil, 182 and Lebanon, 180 votes.

Treki’s announcement of the results reportedly elicited a burst of applause from diplomats at the world body.