NARRATIVE: On Thursday 7th of March, this year – Adelabu Penkelemes visited the University of Ibadan for a political rally in which he visited eight halls of residence late in the evening at around the hours of 1900 and 2200. The halls involved include Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall, Great Independence Hall, Ahmadu Bello Hall, Queen Idia Hall, Kenneth Mellamby Hall, Lord Tedder Hall, Ransome Kuti Hall, and New Hall (PG Hall) who were all promised a relatively meagre sum of #250, 000.
Owing to the time of the phenomena, the money promised was not paid that night. However, rumours from credible sources revealed the promised money had been given to the respective Hall Chairmen.
In a twist of what eventually prompted the investigation, it was revealed by close and credible sources that Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall distributed its own share of the money with #60, 000 going to the Council of Elders and shared by the D – blockites. It is while trying to verify the claim that it was revealed that Bello Hall Chair as well as Ransome Kuti and Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall Chairmen all claimed the total amount they were given was just #150, 000 as against the promised #250, 000. On the contrary, sources close to AG Bamidele Emmanuel revealed #180, 000 – the eye-opener to discrepancy in the proposed figures given. The argument for this is that those who helped to facilitate the money had deducted certain shares of theirs from the money and there was nothing they could do about it.
This, called for the searching eyes of the pen…
INVESTIGATION: having gotten the claims with reports having the same story in Lord Tedder Hall about the money received, the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan decided to take up the story and beam its searchlight on the truth where it is caged in darkness. It is worthy of note that the crux of this story is on “how much was collected?” then, “what was the money used for?”
GENESIS
According to a highly credible source who preferred anonymity, the Hall Chairs in question met that night and reached a conclusion he wasn’t aware of as he wasn’t a part of the meeting. The outcome of the meeting was a visit to Base 1 Hotel where they went to get the money the next morning (a Friday). At Base 1, the source revealed that they were met with Adelabu Penkelemes’ men who gave them the money. The source further revealed that the Hall Chairs were given the money completely. He is quoted to have said: “The Hall Chairpersons were surprised by the fact that they were given the money completely. They never expected it because the men have the power to deduct part of the money and give them half. It was as a result of this magnanimity that the Hall Chairs decided to show their form of gratitude by giving the main person in charge some money… they gave him about 30k to 40k each. I’m not sure of the exact amount.” He further revealed that they gave Ogbeni Toheeb Arogundade – a former SRC (Student’s Representative Council) speaker ten thousand naira each as a show of gratitude too for his crucial role to ensure they were given the money. He went one more step ahead by revealing that the Hall Chairmen all agreed to cut some for themselves steady which he said is around #50, 000 each.
From his statement, two things could be affirmatively deduced and ascertained:
a. The sum promised was given to them in full.
b. It was willingly that they decided to part with not more than #50, 000 each.
Of course, as you rightly would – it would be disappointing if all reported and analyzed is premised on the statement of just one man. To corroborate the story, investigative efforts were made to find out ‘the man’ involved in helping to facilitate the money whom the above source said was shown gratitude and doubles as the man who inferably was alleged by sources from the Hall Chairs to have removed part as a normal stuff. The results from all angle point at Akintunde Yusuf, a one-time FIBSU president – 2016 graduate of Adult Education who works directly with Adelabu.
In a phone conversation with Akintunde Yusuf, he said:
“…. Now on the issue of that money… I was even in Zik hall yesterday (during the alumni reunion). I now talked to one of them that, see, I heard this I heard this. That one now told me now that pe, see, Oga, there is nothing of such (the breaking of the money). Number one from my own side, we handed over that #250, 000 to them completely. Yes, so the process they now took… you know, you know, when it comes to student stuff of a thing, you know we use some kind of erm, one game or the other like that. Maybe, they have some cabal at school. I’m just (breaks), I’m not giving you an official stuff about how they go about the money. It’s just based on my own experience in the Students’ Union stuff of a thing as well. So, that’s all. That’s all I can say and I don’t know how they…and that’s all.” When asked if he personally gave them the #250, 000 by hand himself, he replied: “It’s not me, we are a team.”
UCJ UI: And you are very certain that the #250, 000 naira was given to them completely?
Akintunde Yusuf: Yes, very sure.
UCJ UI: (not exactly verbatim) But according to the Hall Chairs, some of whom were sampled, it was those that gave them the money that took #100k out of it…
Akintunde Yusuf: No! That’s a lie.
UCJ UI: (not exactly verbatim) According to what we were able to gather, the Hall Chairs decided to appreciate your kind gestures for not taking a dime out of the money…
Akintunde Yusuf: I don’t know anything about that…. Even, it was on open ground that we brought the money out to give to them… it was in an open space.
Still in a bid to establish the sole truth since Mr. Akintunde Yusuf had denied giving the Hall Chairs anything less than #250, 000; we dug around, toiled the soil, snooped and found out Ishola Yusuf who was also another member of the “team” that facilitated and gave the money to the Hall Chairs. In a telephone conversation with him as well, he revealed thus:
“Well, it was true Oloye (chief) came to UI. He promised them #250k each like you said. The following day, they were called to come and have the cash. They were given the money in cash. Not in cheque or in bank draft. I personally was there. Akintunde was there and 8 of them came. 7 boys, 1 girl (from Idia) and they all collected #250, 000 each. It was only one guy that his note did not reach 100. The guy from Post Graduate College – Abubakar Hall. There was an … when it was being counted, one bale isn’t complete. It was ninety-nine (99). It was an error from the bank. The last guy to pick his own #250, 000 is the one incomplete. It was #249, 000. You understand student whatever now, tin nba gba iru e, kii npe dele (if I should collect the sum, it won’t be complete when I get home – school)…. Won nlo perspe fun yin niyen (they were deceiving you).”
UCJ UI: we pushed it to him as well that it was alleged they were the ones who reduced the money…
Ishola Yusuf: Normally (3ce) we said they should give some people some money. But we didn’t mandate it for them or that we deducted it ourselves. We have some guys in school who are APC guys in UI (whom he couldn’t mentioned their names). They’ve been running around for APC in UI.
In summary, and to be fair with you, we gave them the whole package. So, maybe they now settled some guys… but they all departed here with their #250, 000 untouched.
UCJ UI: Do you know the specified amount used to settle them?
Ishola Yusuf: I don’t know. Wahalahi, miomo (swearing – I don’t know). It might not be up to #100, 000.
Immediately after the call, the earlier informant was reached who maintained his stance that they were the ones that got back about #30k too as he had overheard from the Hall Chairs who couldn’t cover their tracks well enough. When asked of key APC elements in UI who could have been in the position to get shares. After a hard thought, he couldn’t come up with any strong enough except Arogundade Toheeb whom he already alleged he overheard one of the Hall Chairs in the male hostels telling his friend that they had to contribute #10k each for. Sources further claimed he was present at Base 1 where and when the money was given to the Hall Chairs.
Arogundade Toheeb when called firmly and assertively denies being a recipient of any such money. To him, he said;
“It was none of my own business. They went to collect money and I never lobbied for any money from anyone. You get where I’m coming from? So, the only source that will tell you I collected money is only the Hall Chairpersons. Then, I will come out to clear myself. I am, wasn’t there. They went to collect the money, I wasn’t there…. Akintunde Yusuf is the one working directly with Adelabu, I’m not working directly with Adelabu. You get where I’m coming from. I didn’t follow them to the place they collected the money. The only part I came was when they came to UI, he declare the money. When they went to collect the money I know nothing about. You get where I’m coming from…. They called me in UI as part of UI structure and when they left, they submitted the money to them. I don’t know when they collected the money, I don’t know how they did it. So, I’m out of this.”
ANALYSIS: From what was gathered from Akintunde Yusuf and Ishola Yusuf, a few assertions could be made, and projections postulated.
Firstly, the emphasis in the in the tone of their message especially when affirming the Hall Chairs were given #250k completely cannot be mistaken. It was imperial and can’t be compared in any way to the tone and authority in their voice when quizzed about if they were recipients of money too courtesy of the magnanimity of the Hall Chairs. Thus, while it could be maintained with strong emphasis from all indications that #250, 000 was given to ‘all’, the missing #100, 000 can be explained in either of the three below:
One – the Hall Chairs having received the whole money decided to show their gratitude by giving some amounts not more than #50, 000; then pocketed #50, 000 for their own stress and wahala.
Two – having received the whole money, and as advised, they gave some insignificant share to some unknown elements within the University. However, what made this unacceptable is the fact that APC top elements within the citadel who were reached were not too in the know. Besides that, having agreed to confirm the names if gotten right, they denied practically all known names and further ones which begs the question of who the forces are (if not they, themselves)
Third and last – it is apt and safe to say that having collected the money, they gave none to neither the people who facilitated this money nor some elements suggested to them. So, it could be the case then that Mr. Ishola Yusuf having denied their being ‘recipients’ of any form of ‘thank you’ money decided to try and exonerate the Hall Chairs by trying to make us believe the possibility of the Hall Chairs giving some unknown elements of APC UI certain amounts.
Dear readers, you be the judge here.
PLEASE NOTE: As earlier stated, the investigation of this case does not end here, it has only confirmed how much was truly collected. Where the missing #100, 000 is/are is still subject to investigation. Meanwhile, in collaboration with Akinpelu Yusuf, how the #150, 000 allegedly collected was spent will be released as soon as possible.
Worthy of addition perhaps is the fact that a petition in effect to the ‘sharing’ of the money is finding its way to the appropriate authorities for prompt and effective action.
So, if you have further information on how the money collected was shared and spent, kindly reach out to either of:
MI SPY: 08130116100 (via call or sms)
Akinpelu Yusuf: 09032788612 (via call, sms or whatsapp)
You should be rest assured that your anonymity is fully guaranteed.
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