Presidency absents from burial rite of Pa Odiase, composer of national anthem

No official from the presidency officially attended the burial rite of Pa Ben Elide Odiase, the late deputy commissioner of police (rtd), who composed the national anthem and was awarded a member of the order of Niger by the federal government.

 However, Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar has said that the Police in particular and Nigeria in general has lost an icon in the person of Odiase, who died at the age of 79.

He made the remark during the commendation service held Friday morning during the commendation service at Police College in Ikeja, Lagos which was graced by both serving and retired police officers as well as rank and file.

Orits Wiliki, Reggae Superstar and the Chairman Nigeria Music Copyright Association, an association which the late Police officer was a member during his life time lambasted the federal government dismal treatment of the funeral rites of a man who not only make Nigeria and Nigerians proud with his selfless service to mankind but who used his God given talent to compose the National Anthem we all savor with reminisces today.

“It is indeed sad that the government in Nigeria has always failed to address the issue of honoring those who made great impact on our life as Pa Odiase did. What would one say, of the near absence of government presence (Local, State and Federal) at a great occasion like this,” he lamented.

Tinubu is a dictator - Presidency

The presidency has described The National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a dictator and impostor without respect for the tenets of democracy. The presidency was reacting to an earlier statement by Tinubu which blamed the crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly on President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Ahmed Gulak enjoined Tinubu to first cast out the beam out of his own eye before attending to the crisis in the People’s Democratic Party.

He also accused Tinubu of imposing members of his immediate family on members of his political party (ACN) and Lagosians.

His words:

“We (The Presidency)have already said that Mr. President has no hand in what is happening in Rivers State. Tinubu should face the crises facing him, the issue of appointing his daughter as Iya Oloja of Lagos while she is not a trader or a market woman. These are issues that Nigerians should know. Tinubu should tell Nigerians why he has to replace Senator... with his wife as a senator.

These are people who are dictators; these are people who are breaching democracy and democratic principles. These are people who break the laws; these are people who are not transparent.

Tinubu is such a fraud. He should explain to Nigerians how his daughter was nominated or made Iya Oloja of Lagos while she is not a trader or a market woman

These are issues he should tell Nigerians and not to drag the name of Mr. President into the mud."