Australian Muslim groups condemn Sydney cafe siege

More than 40 Australian Muslim groups on Monday jointly condemned a siege at a Sydney cafe in which hostages were taken by an armed man and an Islamic flag displayed.
“We reject any attempt to take the innocent life of any human being or to instil fear and terror into their hearts,” they said in a statement.
The black flag shown at a window in the Lindt cafe was one commonly used by jihadist groups bearing the shahada, or profession of faith in Islam. It said: “There is no God but Allah; Mohammed is his messenger.”
The Muslim groups said the inscription “is not representative of a political statement, but reaffirms a testimony of faith that has been misappropriated by misguided individuals that represent no-one but themselves”.
“Any such despicable act only serves to play into the agendas of those who seek to destroy the goodwill of the people of Australia and to further damage and ridicule the religion of Islam and Australian Muslims throughout this country,” it added.
“Our immediate thoughts go to the hostages and their loved ones.
“We pray for their safety and hope this matter is resolved quickly and peacefully.”
Religious leaders across Australia on Monday called on their followers to unite and pray for a peaceful end to the Sydney siege.
Mosques, synagogues and churches across the country welcomed worshippers on Monday night, in what their leaders said was a show of community solidarity.
“In times of great adversity it is imperative that we remain calm, united and stand together,” Lebanese Muslim Association president Samier Dandan said.

Gunman holding hostages in Sydney cafe demands ISIS flag

A gunman holding hostages in a Sydney cafe is said to be demanding an ISIS flag and a phone call with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
The reported demands emerged after five hostages managed to flee the building, leaving an unknown number of people still trapped inside.
The gunman’s requests were made through hostages who contacted several media organizations, CNN affiliate Sky News Australia reported. Police said they were aware of the reports but declined to confirm what demands had been made.
Amid the crisis, hundreds of police officers, some of them armed with sniper rifles, shut down a usually bustling area in Australia’s most populous city.
Chilling images from local media showed people, believed to be hostages, with their hands pressed against the glass of the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney’s central business district.
Footage showed them holding up a black flag with Arabic writing on it that reads: “There is no God but God and Mohammed is the prophet of God.” That flag was different from the one used by the terrorist group ISIS.
‘Profoundly shocking’
After hours of tension and uncertainty, three people were seen running out of the cafe and into a group of police officers.
“They are now out of the building and they are now with police,” said New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn, declining to give details about whether they escaped or were let go. She said police negotiators are in touch with a hostage taker.
After the first group’s dash to safety, video from CNN affiliate Seven Network showed two women rushing out of the cafe and along the street to the waiting police officers.
One of the network’s correspondents, Chris Reason, was allowed to return to the broadcaster’s evacuated offices near the cafe. He said he could see the gunman pacing past the windows, describing him as unshaven, wearing a white shirt and black cap and carrying a shotgun.

Ex-militant, Tompolo, buys six warships

A former Niger Delta militant, Mr. Government Ekpemupolo, alia Tompolo, has bought seven decommissioned Norwegian battleships, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

Reports by a Norwegian newspaper, Dagbladet, said that the fast-speed Hauk-class guided missile boats had been re-armed with new weaponry.

The report also revealed that Ekpemupolo’s most recent purchase is a KNM Horten, a fast-attack craft now used in fighting piracy in Nigeria’s waterways.

It was learnt that in spite of his alleged history of violence, Tompolo, now controls the Global West Vessel Service, a privately owned contractor for maritime security for the Nigerian Maritime Safety Agency.

Buying arms from Norway requires an export license from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ships were reportedly sold first to CAS Global, a British security company that has such a license, after which Ekpemupolo reportedly bought the ships from the British company.

Dagblade reported that the seven Norwegian ships are now part of the company’s maritime fleet patrolling under a contract for the Federal Government.

Police arrest 13-yr-old girl with explosive vest

The police in Kano State have arrested a 13-year-old girl with a suicide vest packed with explosives in Kano.

The unnamed girl was reportedly arrested hours after an attack by two female suicide bombers on Thursday at the Kantin Kwari textile market in Kano.

According to a source quoted by the AFP, the girl turned up at a clinic on the outskirts of Kano hours after the previous bombings seeking medical attention but suspicious medical officials alerted security agents.

“The people there called the attention of security personnel who found explosives primed for a suicide attack on her,” an anonymous security source told AFP.

Our correspondent contacted the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, for confirmation but he said report about the arrest of the girl had not reached him.

When the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aderele Shinaba, was contacted, he neither deny nor confirm the development.

“We will give the public information on this at the appropriate time. But at the moment, I cannot tell you what has happened for security reasons,” he said.

However, the National Emergency Management Agency, had stated that death toll in Thursday’s bomb blast had increased to 32.

The North Central Zonal Coordinator of the agency, Mr. Abdulsalam Mohammed, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday that all the corpses had been deposited at the mortuary.

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VP slot: APC considers Buhari’s list of three

The All Progressives Congress is considering the list of three nominees by its presidential candidate for the 2015 elections, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) The party is to select one of the three names as the running mate of the general.

A high ranking member of the party, who confided in Saturday PUNCH in Abuja on Friday, said the presidential candidate has been under pressure by power blocks within the party long before he emerged.

The party member pleaded for anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media on the matter.

He said the candidate and the party were both aware of the enormity of the task ahead and were determined not to leave anything to chance.

The source said the candidate had already given notice to the party that he would submit three names of party loyalists he would like to work with. The source said, “In choosing the three names, he will consider three things: Religious balancing, votes or what we call electoral value and he will also consider the personality of the individual.

“The governors elected on APC platform are insisting that it must come from among them, but Buhari had told them that he agrees but that the names he would submit to the party would contain at least the name of one of them but that the party would ultimately decide. “Those in the South-East want one of their own. Their argument is that doing so will strengthen the party in the region.”

The source noted that the allure of block votes from the South-West is tilting the scales in favour of the geo-political zone which has been a strong base of opposition politics.

This throws up the possibility of a candidate coming from the Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu’s political camp.

A member of the Buhari camp said the General would have loved to work with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, but “a muslim/ muslim ticket will be a hard sell considering the situation in the country today.”

However, Prof. Yemi Osibajo appears the most likely choice because of his untainted public record and intellectual depth. Apart from being a member of Tinubu’s inner circle, Osibajo is a Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God and a close associate of the church’s General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye. Many Christians are likely to support this choice. Hailing from Ikene, the hometown of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo , is also seen as an added advantage. The three geo-political zones in the South namely: South-South, South-East and South-West were also said to be showing interest in the vice-presidential slot.

But that the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the party would meet and take a decision on the matter.

He dismissed comments on the social media that the party had picked a running mate.

“We haven’t even met,” Mohammed said.

The party also denied a report that it had picked the Rivers States Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, as Buhari’s running mate.

Mohammed told one of our correspondents on the telephone on Friday that picking a vice-presidential candidate would require wide consultation, but said the party would announce the person next week.

“What you are reading now is the handiwork of mischief makers. No one had been picked as Buhari’s running mate but we will pick and announce next week,” he said.

A jungle in the city: Story of a 500-room house where tenants live as prisoners

Covered in a stream of sweat as he made for the narrow entrance leading outside the block, Okoli Nwabueze (not real name), cursed and grumbled angrily. He was deep in slumber by the time the fan in his room stopped rolling that afternoon and so couldn’t make it out on time to enjoy cool, ‘precious’ breeze. Lacking proper ventilation, electricity supply was the only means to keep the temperature within the room normal. Last year, when he paid N140, 000 as rent and related charges for 12 months to move into Agboye ‘Estate’, a gigantic structure with over 500 rooms stretching on about four plots of land on Oduntan Street, Ketu, Lagos, this was not what he expected. The situation leaves him deeply frustrated.

“The heat inside my room is crazy,” he said, nodding his head in complete dejection. “There is no ventilation and so whenever there’s power outage the place becomes very hot. This was not what I expected when I paid for the house last year. I never knew I was moving into a prison yard. I can’t use generator or other household appliances even after paying so much as rent. This is really crazy,” he fumed.

Lamentations all the way

Okoli is not the only one burning with rage in this vast and hugely populated building – the poor and extreme conditions of living is getting other tenants deeply concerned, too. Apart from paying N6, 000 as monthly charges for a single room – not more than twice the size of the space inside a commercial bus in Lagos – occupants who agreed to speak with our correspondent after they were assured their identities would be protected for fear of being victimised by the owner of the house, Onamo Agboye, said they are forbidden from using power generators, electric kettles, air conditioners or even host important social gatherings like naming ceremonies or birthdays within the facility. They were assured of constant electricity supply when moving in but they soon found out that the big generator set stationed at a section of the compound is not meant to service their interest but the comfort of the landlord alone. To make matters worse, the only entrance leading in and out of the compound closes at 11:00pm daily. Once the clock ticks, nobody goes in or out anymore, they revealed. In case of an emergency, chaos is inevitable.

“There was this day I was coming from FESTAC and I encountered traffic around Maryland, I didn’t get to Ketu until about 11:30pm. The security men at the gate of the house did not allow me to go in. I explained to them that I was new and that I didn’t know about the time of the closure but they refused to listen to my plea. I slept inside the church opposite the house that day,” Lanre Adamolekun, another tenant told Saturday PUNCH.

The regimented nature of the building – like a Nazi facility – has left devastating consequences on some occasions. Injuries and heartbreaks have come in different forms.

“My wife almost died from pains after falling into labour around 2:30am. The security men did not open the gate for us until two hours later because they said their boss would be mad at them for opening the gate at such hour of the night. They saw her condition, that she was dying but they refused to consider her pains. By the time we got to the hospital, she had become too weak to push by herself. She had to give birth through a caesarean section . That was the moment I decided that the house was not a place to live,” Anthony Onyekwere told our correspondent in a telephone conversation during the week. He has since relocated his family to the Agric area of Ikorodu, a fast rising town within the metropolis.

Chilling discoveries

From afar, the massive building looks like a ship sailing on the Atlantic with different national flags flying at the top with scores of bulbs arranged at strategic spots.

During a visit to the house during the week, our correspondent observed that the sanitary conditions were in poor state, while hygiene was also a big issue. In most of the blocks which are constructed only inches away from each other thus making free flow of air almost impossible, at least 12 rooms shared a single toilet and bathroom. On the average, two persons occupy each room, bringing the number of users of a single toilet to 24. An official who works at the building confirmed to our correspondent who posed as a potential tenant that there were presently 370 tenants in the house. Meaning that on the average, there are 740 adults living in the compound. This is aside children and visitors who make frequent stopovers to their loved ones. Unhygienic as this sounds, it is a situation that has existed for a long time and shows no signs of improving soon.

Behind the compound is a vast swamp of stagnant sewage and dirt – the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and other deadly insects that combine to inflict maximum horror on the occupants. The section is also home to snakes, scorpions and other dangerous crawling animals. Together, they make life for many of Agboye’s low-income earning occupants hellish.

“We are slaves to malaria and typhoid in this place,” Yemisi Adebambo, said. “Ask people around especially parents with children and let them tell you how much they spend on malaria and typhoid in a month. The mosquitoes here are the deadliest I have seen in my life, no thanks to the swamp at the back of the building; that is their breeding home. Even if you have mosquito nets in your room, you must buy malaria medicine in a month, you can’t escape it. If you are not even careful, you will meet snake or scorpion inside your room. We have killed many of them in our block this year. Ask anybody, they will confirm what I am saying,” the young mother of four told our correspondent.

A new notice pasted on strategic points within the facility which our correspondent stumbled upon, now also forbids tenants from accommodating a visitor of any kind beyond seven days without the approval of the landlord. According to the notice, such persons would be classified under the illegal tenant category of the management’s laws. Others in this category include: persons living in the room of a relation or friend who has travelled even if their rent was yet to expire; those sharing a room without the approval of the landlord, and also persons squatting in a room with a sitting tenant. Those under this category who wish to escape the wrath of the management are urged to obtain a regularisation form at N5, 000 and return with four passport photographs to have their status changed. Defaulters, however, risk urgent ejection and other severe consequences, according to the strong-worded notice.

The landlord of the house, who described himself to Saturday PUNCH as a philanthropist, said he established the place to help the masses and that if Nigerians were like him, the country would have been a better place to live in.

“I am a philanthropist; I do this to help the people. If others were like me, Nigeria would have become a better place. I cannot say much for now but come back in two days’ time (Wednesday, November 12, 2014) when I will give you three hours to interview me. Your paper will sell so well,” he said.

But what our correspondent found at Agboye ‘estate’ is far from what you see in an environment established by a philanthropist. Tenants are ejected without prior notice while monthly rent is increased at will without proper consultations with the occupants. Tenants cook by the entrance of their rooms as there are no kitchens while the passageway in most of the eight blocks in the premises are enveloped in darkness day and night except of course if there is electricity supply to light up the bulbs. In the alternative, occupants light candles to illuminate the place.

The monthly rent for a single room in this highly populated building – N6, 000 – is one of the most expensive in mainland Lagos, higher than in places like Yaba, Palmgrove and even Ikeja, the state capital. In addition to the high rent, tenants pay additional N2, 000 for electricity and other utility bills. New tenants who come on their own are made to pay a certain amount to a woman who acts as in-house agent. Without ‘settling’ her, your tenancy documents won’t be signed. But for those coming through an agent outside the place, they could pay as much as N140, 000 – about N34, 000 higher than the usual amount. In additional, a new tenant is made to perform a mandatory ritual – present a specified number of malt drinks and a bottle of wine to the management of the ‘estate.’

Disturbing as it sounds, the travails of many Agboye ‘estate’ residents, a school housing several professional institutes now converted to blocks of residential apartments, is only a fraction of the accommodation challenges many Lagos residents now face. Confronted with outrageous rents and all sorts of living conditions by house owners, many of the city’s low-income earning families and individuals are forced to accept cheap alternatives that offer no succour in the real sense. Rather, their troubles have been compounded in many of these places, with their rights grossly abused by greedy house owners who ‘lord’ over their lives in every form.

A ticking time bomb

A medical expert, Professor Oladapo Ashiru, told Saturday PUNCH that living in a crowded house like Agboye, poses severe health risk to the occupants. He said except government addresses the factors pushing people to live in such environment critically, the consequences could be harmful to the society at the end.

“If you live in a crowded house where ventilation is poor and a lot of people have to share a single toilet and bathroom, there is a high possibility of infection because oxygen sharing capacity is greatly reduced. There would be poor hygiene in the environment and stress on the bladder as a result of people waiting for each other to use the toilet.

“In such a place, there will be prevalence of malaria, diarrhoea. People in such a place would be visiting hospitals regularly because of the risk they are exposed to.

“The solution I think is for people to spread out to other parts of Lagos. There is too much concentration of people inside the city but if people spread out to other parts, the pressure would be reduced on existing infrastructure.

“Also, government should invest in water transportation so that people can easily move around the state. If this is done, people can live in rural areas where there are still large expanse of land and work in the city without crowding the city itself. The government must also develop proper housing estates in rural areas as well to further address this problem,” he said.

Former Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, Ayobami Makanju, a professor of psychology, told our correspondent that occupants of highly populated houses like Agboye risk having their egos dented. The situation, he said, could lead to deviancy and all sorts of psychological problems if not handled properly.

“Living in houses where there are so many occupants is a big problem for the individual’s psychological development. Every human needs their personal space and once you are denied this, it affects you in every way. It affects reproduction, blood pressure and the physiognomy in general.

“The problem also leads to stress because people are forced to stay on the queue to take their baths and also use the toilet. In the process, some are forced to take their bath in the open at odd hours.

“But the danger of it all is that it affects your ego and psyche. If you live in a place where the condition is not different from what you have in a prison yard, then you could start developing negative behaviour and begin to exhibit gangsterism traits. Places like this are the breeding ground for all sorts of deviant behaviour, especially when you see people who live normal lives and in conducive environments,” he said.

A civil engineer, Akin Ogunbanwo, told our correspondent that if the pressure becomes unbearable on the structure of a crowded house like Agboye ‘Estate’, it could lead to catastrophic consequences.

“In case the foundation is not properly piled and regular checks and maintenance work not done to strenghten the pillars, deckings and walls, a house with this type of pressure cannot escape disaster. It is a matter of time before it collapses completely,” he said.

A disaster of such magnitude in this crammed and highly populated building is best imagined.

An entrance into one of the blocks in the ‘estate’

Gory statistics

According to statistics, the gap between demand and supply in accommodation is massive, fuelling indiscriminate rent increase by many landlords in most parts of the country especially in big cities like Lagos. This has also led to the emergence of many slum settlements in recent years with families and individuals living in crowded rooms, thereby exposing them to all sorts of diseases.

The menace of the house agents who demand excess rent and all kinds of charges from potential tenants is another dimension to the problem. Though the Lagos State government in 2011 promulgated a tenancy law, restricting new tenants from paying beyond one year’s rent and six months for existing tenants, it is still business as usual in terms of the demands made by agents who serve as middlemen between tenants and house owners, Saturday PUNCH discovered.

Commissioner for Housing, Bosun Jeje, said that for the tenancy law to be effective, residents must also play their role by reporting any errant agent to the law enforcement agents.

“It’s a law and it’s in place. If you pay, you are also a culprit. It is when residents report such acts to us that we can make the law effective. Residents can report to the office of the Public Defender or Ministry of Housing and we will take it up.

“More so, residents should also note that in the law, if you pay for two years contrary to what is stipulated, you will also face the wrath of law. Residents have a part to play; report the person.

“On our part, we are embarking on massive constructions to address the housing needs of Lagosians. Lagos State is a mega city, the third in the world, and housing is always a major problem associated with a mega city; but we are addressing it. That is why we started construction in the senatorial districts and five divisions of the state. We are trying as much as possible to provide enough accommodation,” he said.

The 2006 population census puts the population of Lagos at 17.55 million while the United Nations projects that the city would become the world’s third most populous with 24.6 million inhabitants by 2015. But experts believe that that figure is well over 25 million today with dozens of individuals trooping into Lagos on a daily basis in search of a new life.

According to a 2010 study by the Lagos State Ministry of Housing, over 91 per cent of the total population lives in the metropolis with a population density of about 20, 000 persons per square kilometre in the built-up areas of the metropolis. The occupancy ratio is 8 – 10 persons per room with 72.5 per cent of households occupying one-room apartment.

While the growth of the population in the metropolitan Lagos has assumed a geometrical proportion, the provision of urban infrastructure and housing to meet this demand is, not at commensurate level. This has resulted in acute shortage of housing to the teeming population with Lagos alone accounting for about five million deficit representing 31 per cent of the estimated national housing deficit of 18 million.

The problem of inadequate housing for the citizens in Lagos is further aggravated by the inadequate budget for housing by the government. In 2000 for example, N667m representing 4.05 per cent of N16bn budget was earmarked for housing while N776m representing 1.42 per cent was budgeted in 2005. Four years ago, out of the N224.6bn total budget for the year, only N6bn representing 2.7 per cent was earmarked for housing. This was revealed in a 2010 report by the Lagos State Ministry of Housing. Even though the state government earmarked N50.537 b for housing and community amenities in the 2014 budget, much hasn’t changed in the accomodation challenge, forcing all sorts of structures – many unfit for human habitation – to spring forth across the metropolis.

Defeating the monster

Real estate developer, Mr. Segun Ogunshile, says the simple way out of the housing challenges in big Nigerian cities like Lagos is for government and the private sector to provide more affordable shelter for the middle and lower classes in the society.

“Most players in the real estate industry are into the top end of the market, building three-bedroom and four-bedroom apartments. Most of those buildings are in highbrow areas like Lekki, Ikoyi, Ikeja and other posh parts of the city. The truth is that this is not what most people in cities like Lagos actually need or can comfortably afford.

“There are hundreds of people who need shelter in Lagos but they can’t just afford those big houses springing forth here and there. The houses are too expensive. So, that’s the mismatch.

“But if the real estate sector can change focus a bit and build houses that people can afford, accommodation problem will be solved,” he said.

The last few years has witnessed an explosion in the real estate and construction sector across Nigeria. In Lagos and other big cities for example, plots of lands that sold for reasonable amounts in the past, now go for more than five times that price, forcing rents to skyrocket. The trend has also provided a platform for quacks pretending to bridge the gap.

But President, Building Collapse Prevention Guild, Mr. Kunle Awobodu, say sub-standard building materials must not find a place in the real and construction sector if the problem must be curbed.

“It is not practicable to test materials being used on several sites in the country. However, the most reasonable approach is to tackle quality problem from the source, that is, the manufacturers’ end,” he said.

In spite of the Lagos State government’s mega city drive, slums and squatter settlements are still a prominent feature across most parts of the metropolis. Like Agboye ‘estate’, schools now serve as makeshift residential quarters while motor parks and abandoned buildings are used for similar purposes. At the Bar Beach in Victoria Island, a posh section of Lagos for example, dozens of homeless families and individuals sleep in the open, enduring harsh weather conditions during day and night.

How I ‘toasted’ my wife –Chinedu Ikedezie, aka Aki

Chinedu Ikedezie aka Aki, hit the limelight after he starred in Aki Na Ukwa in 2001. Ever since, the pint-sized actor has continued to grow from strength to strength. In this chat with TS Weekend, the entertainer bares his mind on his career, marriage and dreams and of course, the relationship between him and his twin, Osita Iheme.
Excerpts:

Once upon a time you were nobody, did you ever believe that you could be this big?
To start with I be somebody o, at least, I have parents who gave birth to me (laughter).  As a little boy like every other kid around me I had dreams. We all had it at the back of our minds that when we grew up we wanted to be this or that. It is only a fool that will dream of being a pick pocket or an armed robber. What I am saying in essence is that when I was much younger, I had the dream that someday I would make it. To God be the glory, I just knew that there was something peculiar about me; my life has been exceptional I must confess. Let me tell you something about my birth. My mum put to bed at exactly 12 am on the dot the day I was born; as soon as it was 12 am I popped out! One peculiar thing about my mum is that she goes to the labour room with her wristwatch and once she gives birth she records the time. And God has so blessed her she delivered like the Hebrew women; she never had complications. I came into the world at exactly 12 am on the dot on the 12 day of the 12 month of the year so that means there is something unique about me (laughter). Growing up as a tot my parents wondered how I would end up because they couldn’t even dictate to me. You know, parents have a way of knowing what their kids would be in the future. They would be like this one is going to be a medical doctor and that one is going to be an engineer. In my case, they couldn’t tell where I was headed because I seemed to have a knack for everything; that’s the making behind my life and who I am today.

Let’s look at your family background. How many were you in the family?
We were many like any other African family. I am the first son and second child. I am not from a polygamous home. I used to have four brothers but I lost one in 2009. I also have a sister; the first child of the family.

Considering your size, did your parents ever believe that you could amount to anything? That you could take the family name across the world?
It was always known that there was something mysterious about me; I have to be honest with you.

How did you get into Nollywood?
That was in my first year at IMT in 1998. Before then I was in the Debating & Dramatic Society. However, before I got into school I had acted in one or two movies so when I got into IMT, I approached those already in the know. I was like guys, I want to be like you; I want to be part of this world. I had watched both foreign and local films and seen people doing extra ordinary things and so I said to myself ‘Chinedu, one day it would be your turn to do same.’

Who were you looking up to then?
I used to admire the late Gary Colman. I thought he was a small boy like me. I used to watch Different Strokes back then and I was keeping my hair like him. Each time I looked at him I felt I was seeing myself; there was this resemblance. He inspired me a great deal and I took a cue from him. I was like, if Gary Coleman could do this then I could do it. And then I found out that he was a man and I was like wow! Late Gary Coleman was my mentor. Locally Kenneth Okonkwo is my role model; the way he interpreted his role in Living in Bondage was fabulous.

Didn’t you experience any discrimination on account of your size?
No, my IQ made up for whatever I was lacking. My first role was that of a seven year-old boy and I delivered and the director and producers were like wow!

How did you meet your friend, Pawpaw, Osita Iheme?
I started acting in 1998. He came into the industry three years later in 2001. I was in school then and we had a job so he had this opportunity to shoot in Enugu. He had just started acting then.  We met in the hotel lobby where we were lodged. We talked and I discovered he was a very shy fellow. Before then Amayo Uzor had been telling me that ‘Chinedu, just hang on, there is boy I have seen that looks just like you and guess what, he is in the industry and I am working on a script for the both of you.’ After our meeting, they called us and gave us scripts; that was the first time I did pure comedy. The movie was entitled Aki Na Ukwa.

Lately unlike in the past, you guys no longer hang out together like you used to. What is happening?
We started doing movies in September 2001 and until 2008 or 2009, we were paired together. I don’t think there is anything bad if we do separate jobs now. I was there three years before him and even when we were pairing, we also did our own personal stuff where we were featured separately. Somebody could come and say I want Aki for this job or I want Pawpaw; we were free to do whatever we wanted.

But are you guys still good friends?
Yes of course, we even run an NGO and a company together, Aki & Pawpaw Child Care Foundation and Aki & Pawpaw Entertainment. Even as I am talking to you, we are travelling together soon. We have a show and we just finished a job together. We have shows like five times together every year. However, people should know that we also have our individual dreams.

What is the secret to your success?
God first and I try to be myself. I try to research and learn that which I don’t know.

We understand that several times you have been mobbed overseas by fans. Can you share your experience with us?
(Laughter)  There was a day in America when Osita and I went to an eatery disguised. I had my hood on and Osita also had his so we were covered up. As we were living we ran into a bunch of American kids. How these kids got to know we were the ones still baffles me! Before we knew it they were screaming Aki and Pawpaw! Aki and Pawpaw! Even deep inside the Caribbean we are mobbed! Even white Americans are excited whenever they see us; it is crazy!

How much were you paid for your first movie?
Very interesting, you won’t believe it. I was paid N500 (laughter). I did not do that movie for the money. I used the N500 to buy a ring boiler. I was not discouraged. The title of the movie was Evil Men Part 1.

Since you came into acting, has there been any moment you felt like quitting?
No, not at all.

What has been your most challenging movie till date? 
My most challenging to date was playing the role of a seven year-old boy. I had to go back and change my attitude, my character and my entire being to play a seven year-old; it was very challenging.

Tell us about the craziest things female fans have done to you?
I like them and they like me. Yes, they are my friends. I know they love me and so they will not kill me. At worst, they will kiss me and go. I am not dating any of my female fans.

How do you react when they kiss you?
I react in such a way that they feel happy and I go my way. A lot of times they are like ‘we love you, could we have your autograph and I sign.’

Where do you sign?
Where ever they make available. I just sign and I go (laughter).

A while ago you got married? How did you meet your wife?
Just the way every other man meets his wife.

Who made the first move?
I did. Does it really matter?

How did you pop the question?
God will not forgive you if you know you love a girl and she loves you and you know you can make a family. So, what stops you from telling her you love her? What stops you from telling her ‘common baby, let’s do this.’ I just told her baby, lets do this and the rest is history.

Three years after, how many kids do you have now?
In Africa we don’t count kids (laughter).

You have also gone into movie production; tell us about the business man in you?
I do anything that maximises profit.

How did you feel when you got the MFR?
I loved it! It was just fantastic even though there was no money attached to it, I was overwhelmed.

Chinedu, are you giving back?
In my own little way, yes. Like I told you earlier, we have the Aki & Pawpaw Foundation. There was a time we wanted to do something with one very big organisations and somebody said artistes use their NGOs to scam the public. It was an obvious reference to artistes that use the name foundation or charity to rip people off! Most of the time, we use our funds for everything we do; 99 per cent of our initiatives are self-sponsored. We don’t like making noise. When that day comes when we will need help, we will reach out to people.

What has been your happiest moment in Nollywood?
Whenever I wake up and I have a script or a call to come for a shoot and I see my friends and the industry growing every day.

What has been your saddest moment?
When I see the way people are pirating our movies I become very sad because it is very ugly. It is sad that someone somewhere is feeding on your intellectual property and there is very little you can do about it; monkey de work and baboon de chop.

What are your dreams?
To be a great film maker; a renowned actor and director.

You are a product of sheer determination to succeed against the odds, what message do you have for Nigerian youths?
They should make hay while the sun shines. Use what is available and make it desirable. If you don’t have money to go to school, go and learn a trade. Today I have my brothers in the east who had minimum education but are married and are millionaires and giving back to society because they invested their time well. You don’t say because you are handicapped you can’t work. As long as your hands can move, get a computer and start learning how to make money online. Even if you don’t have legs and hands, you could still be useful. And if you are fit, look for something positive to do. I believe in the law of karma. Where are all those that did 418 back in the day? Some have lost everything because it must bounce back; that is the law of karma. Do something positive. Look at me, I chose this career because I knew what I had inside of me. If I had gone looking for conventional job, people would have made jest of me and thank God I chose this profession because it is paying off. It pays my bills, gave me a beautiful wife and it has given me an opportunity to dine and wine with presidents. I have travelled all over the world. The baseline is find something and get busy, don’t wait for government. In America there is a simple slogan which says ‘don’t think of what America can do for you but what you can do for America.’ The question is, what can you do for Nigeria? Don’t wait for government to give you a job, give yourself a job and government will ask you for a favour.

How do you relax?
If I don’t travel I relax with my wife. We go swimming and I love PS 3 to bits! I have everything that makes me happy in my home. I love travelling a lot. Looking forward to visiting The Great Wall of China; one of the Seven Wonders of The World. I love relaxing in an environment where you see nature staring at you and you are connecting with it.

Now that you are married, are your female fans still coming after you?
Did you call them my fans? They love what I do and they are still coming (laughter).