Professor expelled from his new country years after renouncing Nigerian citizenship

 

Edwin Ijeoma, a professor of public sector economics at the University of Fort Hare, has been left stateless after his South African citizenship was revoked, Times Live reported.

Professor Ijeoma who used to be a Nigerian had reportedly renounced his Nigerian citizenship after arriving in South Africa in 1998 to study.

The academic's South African citizenship was revoked by the country’s ministry of home affairs after he was founding guilty of fraudulently relying on a bigamous marriage to a South African woman to obtain citizenship by naturalization.

 Ijeoma, however, divorced his South African wife in 2007.

Professor Edwin Ijeoma's. Photo credits: Twitter/@cbngov_akin1, Times Live

The professor's alleged citizenship fraud was exposed when he was joined in South Africa by a Nigerian woman named Anne Tomo.

The woman inadvertently exposed Ijeoma by attaching a copy of her 1993 marriage to the professor in Nigeria in her application for permanent residence in South Africa.  

Bigamy committed

Following the development, the ministry of home affairs accused Professor Ijeoma of marrying the South African woman solely to acquire citizenship.

The ministry further stated that Ijeoma had lied on two previous occasions to South African immigration authorities.

The academic had reportedly listed Anne Ijeoma as his sister, not wife when asked to indicate his immediate family member who is still living in Nigeria.

Court finds Professor Ijeoma guilty

In protest, Ijeoma filed a suit against the home affairs ministry before the Bhisho high court.

The court, however, restated the ministry position as it found Ijeoma guilty of falsifying his marital status, thereby making his South African citizenship null and void.

The academic had claimed that as an African man, he believed he was entitled to marry more than one wife.The court noted that Professor Ijeoma had presented conflicting reasons for his bigamous marriage.

He also argued that he presented himself as single because he was not aware that South Africa recognised customary marriages.

According to the court, Ijeoma concealed his marriage in Nigeria from officials on three occasions: when he applied for permanent residence, when he got married to the South African woman and when he applied for citizenship.

Defending himself again, Professor Ijeoma claimed that he obtained a permanent residence permit because of his “good and sound character”, not through his marriage to the South African woman.

The court, however, countered his argument, saying it was stated clearly that he got the permanent residence permit because of the marriage.

Councilor appoints 18 aides, gives reasons as Nigerian graduate turns to akara frying business , hopes to succeed

There was a mild drama in Kano when a councillor in the state, Muslihu Yusuf Ali, did the unusual by appointing 18 persons who would work with him in carrying out his responsibilities.

Councillor, representing Guringawa Ward of Kumbotso local government area, inaugurated the 18 aides at the local government secretariat on Thursday, March 11, with the help of the vice-chairman of the council, Shamsu Abdullahi.

Speaking after the inauguration, Ali said it had always been his dream to bring changes if he had the opportunity, to carry everyone along and work for the development of his people.

Ali said, as a leader, there was a need for him to appoint even more than 18 aides so that they would assist him and report what the people needed at the grassroots.

A Kano state councilor has appointed 18 aides to help carry out his responsibilities. Credit: Daily Trust.

He added that the nature of the responsibilities they had as leaders that were close to the masses called for the appointments, hoping that it would bring positive change in his ward from which others across the country would emulate.

He explained that:

“This is one of my plans and I have been praying for it. If you look carefully, the system of representation from the National Assembly down to the state assemblies, lawmakers are not given the opportunity to appoint enough aides that will support them in their work – and they are those that are closer to the masses."

Ali who is the chief whip of the council, said the encouragement he got from the chairman of the council motivated him to go ahead with the appointments, adding that the work he was willing to do called for more aides that would assist him.

He added that a councilor is a servant of the people and he is in politics not because of money, but to bring positive development.On the ways he will source money to pay the aides, the councilor said politics was not always about money, but the development of people and their community.

Ali said he served as an aide to a governor and other political leaders and did not get paid because it was a voluntary service that provided faster development.

Meanwhile. Salihu Tanko Yakasai, a former special adviser on media to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state, described his sack as an "honourable exit".

It was reported that Governor Ganduje had sacked Yakasai for making a statement termed critical to the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. 

In a related story. Justice Emmanuel Onehi, a Nigerian  graduate went  into akara (beans cake) frying business  after he could not get a job with his certificate.

He revealed that he could never be discouraged from what he is doing, saying that he learned how to cook at home.In an interview with BBC News Pidgin, the man said that being the firstborn of seven children, he knew he had to make ends meet the hard way to look after his siblings.

The man said he is determined to succeed in his akara frying business. Photo source: bbcnespidgin

The akara seller said he realised that the business is what puts food on his family's table.

With a voice laced with strong determination, the man said that he one day hopes to stop using firewood and switch to gas as soon as he gets funds.

He added that his business would one day grow to the level that CEOs who refused him employment would come and buy his snack.

Ex-police commissioner’s wife murdered in Benue

 

Unknown gunmen have reportedly killed Eunice Aghanya, the wife of a retired commissioner of police, Ibezimako Aghanya, in her home in Makurdi.

Aghanya had served as the commissioner of police in Benue before he was transferred to Kogi where he retired several years ago.

 Aghanya was killed on Friday, March 12, at her residence off David Mark Bye-Pass in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.

Unknown gunmen have killed the wife of an ex-police commissioner in Benue. Photo source: @nigeria1sth

The deceased was believed to have been trailed home by her assailants as she reportedly returned to her house at about 4pm with her car parked outside of the gate.

A witness was quoted to have said:It was gathered that the late woman lived alone in Benue while her husband resides in Lagos.

“It was when the younger Aghanya got there that he had to break the door to enter the house because he saw her car parked outside. On getting inside, he met Mama Aghanya in the pool of her blood already dead. She was macheted on the head severally by her attackers.”

The ugly incident has been confirmed by the spokesperson of the Benue state police command, DSP Catherine Anene.

Anene added that the investigation into the murder is in progress.