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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL 8, 2017
SPY GLASS
Tongues Wag About Dabota Lawson
Over the years, Dabota Lawson, a former model, has reportedly been involved in one controversy or another. Not a few have forgotten the controversy surrounding her marriage to her erstwhile husband, Prince Sunny Aku. Initially, she denied any crash in her marriage but later went full throttle to paint her marriage to Aku as the greatest mistake of her life. Thereafter, she disappeared from the social scene. Having recoiled into her world, there are insinuations that the ex-beauty queen is either broke or still busy licking her wounds. Strangely, her husband, the boss of luxury brand, Novena Majesty Furniture, maintained his cool and remained focused on his business, even in the face of provocations. It will be recalled that the ex-model was reportedly kicked out of her home for alleged unfaithfulness to her husband in August, 2015. At the height of the alleged infidelity, she reacted, saying her haters were at work. She went further to put up a video of herself and her hubby, cuddling at a public function. However, shortly after this, she reportedly deleted all photos of her home, leaving only photos of her cosmetic line on her Instagram handle, a situation that has further confirmed the crashed marriage. Dabota and Aku got married in December 2014 in a celebrated wedding that was attended by top personalities in the country.
Rahama Indimi’s Happy Moment
It is no longer news that Rahama Indimi, daughter of Borno State-born oil mogul, Mohammed Indimi, has finally left her husband, Mohammed Babangida, son of a former military President, Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida. The separation had been rather messy, as the public was fed with some unpleasant news about their marital life. However, it seems the mother of four has finally put this ugly drama behind her as she has since moved on. Spy glass gathered that she did not betray any modicum of frustration or emotional disturbance when she celebrated her 40th birthday with close friends and family members recently. She was said to have been flashing a winsome smile from one seat to the
with Bayo Adeoye ....08054680651 other and exchanging banters with some of the guests at the occasion. At the outset of the crisis in the 12-year-old marriage between Rahama and Mohammed, a development that made her move out of the Babangidas’ palatial Hill Top mansion in Minna, Niger State then, only the couple’s families and close friends knew about it. Sadly, it was later made public by Rahama herself when she took to the social media and announced the crash of her marriage last year. There were accusations and counteraccusations leading to a legal battle. Eventually, a court granted Mohammed Babangida the custody of the children. But efforts by court officials, accompanied by the policemen to execute the court order, were allegedly met with resistance from Rahama and her sister. She also allegedly used the social media to wage war against her exhusband, accusing him of wanting to use his influence as a son of a former military president to unjustly maltreat her.
Folly Coker Soars Higher
For obvious reasons, the recent appointment of Folorunsho Folarin Coker as the Director General of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC, came as a surprise of sorts to many. Until the news of his new position broke, Folly Coker, as he is fondly called, had maintained a low profile, after he was removed as Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State. His removal had come as a rude shock to many owing to the fact that he is said to be one of the most loyal aides of former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu. While he took the development with absolute resignation to the will of the Almighty God, the story trended for a long time in the media. However, in the midst of it all, he moved on and re-strategised his numerous businesses. The handsome and amiable man later travelled abroad, where he spent time with his family. When he finally returned home, he chose Abuja over Lagos to launch himself back to the society. Now, mother luck has smiled on him, as he is among those who were recently appointed into federal government agencies. The Lagos big boy has done so well for himself in all ramifications. Little wonder he commands enormous respect among politicians, government officials as well as captains of industry. Though many claim that he rode to prominence on the crest of the popularity of his father, Chief Folarin Coker, fondly called Baba Eto of Lagos, it is believed that he shot to greater fame when he worked as Deputy Chief of
Staff to Tinubu. In the twilight of the Babatunde Raji Fashola-led administration, he was appointed Special Adviser on Central Business District, taking over from Derin Disu, a Lagos society woman and daughter of Chief Braithwaite. Before then, he had been Managing Director of Lagos State Number Plate Production Authority.
Akeredolu’s Lesson in Steadfastness By Providence, respected lawyer and politician, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, is the incumbent Governor of Ondo State. No doubt, it was a keenly contested election between Akeredolu, a candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and candidates of the other political parties. In the build-up to the election, he did not see any reason to entomb his living dream. Indeed, some reportedly tagged him an incorrigible dreamer who refused to be bothered about the enormity of the odds against him. Everywhere he went to during the campaign, he was armed with his pragmatic manifesto, pleading with his people to give him a chance to serve them. Even when it was obvious that some powerful elements in the state , including the then incumbent governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko, and even within his political party, allegedly posed a threat to his political ambition, he held on to his dream with uncommon steadfastness. Luckily, he eventually had the last laugh. He had lost the bid to clinch the number one job in the state in 2013. But the experience only toughened him when he offered himself to serve his people again. While he was neck-deep in the campaign, he still maintained his cool, even in the face of needless lies and abuses hurled at him. He refused to join issues with his other political opponents. Today, Akeredolu is already showing evidence of a brilliant mind who knows what to do when fate offers him a rare opportunity in life.
Honour for Babatope Agbeyo
Chairman of Cornfield Group, Dr. Babatope Agbeyo, must be over the moon now. It all started in January when the Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State conferred on him an honorary doctorate alongside the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja11. While his family and fans were still revelling in that joy, a high-powered team from the State of Georgia arrived Lagos last Monday to deliver a resolution by both the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives to recognise and commend him for his dedication to public service and support for
people around the world and Georgia, in particular. Spyglass gathered that the team was led by 86-year-old Mrs. Naomi Ruth Barber King, widow of American rights activist, A.D King. She was accompanied by Representative Sharon Beasley-Teague of District 65, Georgia House of Representatives, and Dr Babs Onabanjo, President of A.D King Foundation. They were hosted at the Nigerian Corporate headquarters of Agbeyo’s Cornfield Group. King, who was visiting Africa for the first time, was full of praises for Agbeyo, whom she described as a beacon of light for other entrepreneurs on the continent. In his response, the Usi-Ekiti, Ekiti State-born businessman, who holds a master’s degree in Media and Communications from Birmingham City University, United Kingdom, thanked the visiting team, the A.D. King Foundation and the Georgia for the recognition and honour. He assured the delegation that Cornfield Group would remain proud ambassadors of the A.D King Foundation. Agbeyo’s company is a holding company for Media Concepts International Limited, Botosoft Technologies Limited and FOAM Studio Nigeria Limited).
Folasade Folivi Shames Critics
When Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, appointed Folasade Folivi, as the Managing Director, Lagos State Building Investment Company, LBIC, in December 2015, not a few kicked against the development. However, she has since proven that she is actually prepared, mentally and physically, for the job. Upon her appointment, she hit the ground running with a series of policies that have since positioned the company well. Strangely, in spite of her widely acknowledged professionalism, she has, at various times, been in the news for the wrong reasons. But she is unruffled, even in the face of the alleged sponsored negative reports about her. Today, the highly respected chartered accountant has many achievements to show for her efforts in the past two years, a development that has put her in the good books of stakeholders.