The Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on Thursday arraigned a man,  Oni Samuel before a Magistrates court, sitting in Akure, the state capital for allegedly defrauding a woman Blessing Olaitan of a sum of N120,000.

Samuel was earlier arrested by the men of the state command of the NSCDC  for allegedly committing the offence last week.

During the proceeding, Olaitan told the court that she was a professional sex worker, saying the defendant allegedly collected a sum of N80,000 cash from her after having sex with her on a fateful night, explaining that the defendant promised to transfer the cash to her together with another N15,000 her ‘professional fee’.

Olaitan said she later discovered that what she got from the defendant was fake transfer.

The defendant was arraigned before the court on two-count bothering on conspiracy and stealing.

The charge sheet read, “That you, Oni Samuel “M”, and others at large on 1st day of March 2023 at Alagbaka, Akure within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire with yourselves to commit a criminal offence, to with (sic) stole a sum One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira of Mrs. Blessing Olaitan thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 37, Vol 1 Laws of Ondo State, 2006.

“That you, Oni Samuel on 1st day of March 2023 at Alagbaka, Akure within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did steal a sum of One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira of Mrs. Blessing Olaitan thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 37, Vol 1 Laws of Ondo State, 2006.”

Samuel however pleaded not guilty to the charges. The defence counsel, Barrister E.O Nifemi urged the court to grant the defendant bail but the NSCDC prosecutor, Mr David Ebriku opposed the bail application, praying the court to remand the defendant. If the defendant was granted bail, he could jump bail which could be a risk to the society.

Ruling on the matter the magistrate, Tope Aladejana, granted the defendant bail with a sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till April 17, 2023 for hearing.

                                     I

“On this fateful afternoon in 1972, at about 1.30pm while killing time in a lecture room on the first floor of the science building [at the University of Nigeria], studying and waiting to do last XI lunch, three girls walked into the lecture hall. The chatting and giggling caught my attention and I looked up from my Physiology book. “

“My eyes fell on one of the girls and something snapped in me and I said to myself ‘this is your wife’. I had never seen her before that moment and had no idea who she was. I watched them drop their books to ‘colonise’ seats for their afternoon lectures. Again this was the practice on campus those post-civil war years. Due to the paucity of facilities and infrastructure, lecture halls were shared between various disciplines and there were not enough seats for all the students, so to be sure of a good seat upfront serious students had to go in advance of the lectures and secure seats with their books.”

                                        II

“The three girls took no notice of the young man who was gazing at one of them. They left the hall having secured seats for whatever lecture it was they were programmed for. I immediately walked up to where they had placed their books and opened the one placed by this unknown angel that had me transfixed at first sight. I saw her names—Mary Nzenwa—Faculty of Law, instantly internalised the information and went back to my seat. I could not concentrate anymore on what I was studying before the entrance of the three girls. I closed my book happily and was consumed with thoughts of this little angel Mary that my heart told me shall be my wife, ever after. I silently watched Mary for the next three and half years without her knowing or even suspecting. The Enugu campus [of the University of Nigeria] was a relatively small place and it was easy to shadow anyone of interest.”

                                   III

“I monitored Mary, I gathered all basic necessary information about her, but made no moves whatsoever to approach her. Like all things of destiny one fateful evening an old CKC friend Papp Alumona who was a law student on campus requested my company for a birthday party of one of his colleagues in their faculty – I obliged. It turned out that Alumona had in his company, his girlfriend and her roommate who turned out to be my dream girl Mary’.  You can imagine the internal excitement I felt at this unforeseen, unplanned and fortuitous coincidence.  Mary and I met for the first time and got introduced to each other.“

                               IV

“We clicked. The bug I had harboured for three and half years also caught her that night. Our chemistry jived, we bonded. Nature, time, and opportunity met at destiny’s door. We both fell instantly in LOVE, and got married 18 months after. We have remained in love ever since . . . Mary was then in her final year as a law student. She graduated from the faculty of law, and proceeded to the [Nigerian] Law school in Lagos [in the] 1976/77 [session] while I was in my final year in medicine. We graduated about the same time, me from medicine and she from the law school. I commenced my internship at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UB.T.H.) in July 1977 while she was posted to Ministry of Justice Abeokuta, Ogun State for her NYSC programme. By 26 August 1977 we got married at Oredo Local Government council Registry Benin, Edo State after one month as a house officer and Mary’s one month as NYSC member.”

                                V

“Our wedding was very unique in its simplicity. At the registry there were just four of us (Mary, myself, Agnes—Mary’s immediate younger sister and Humphrey Ukpabi, my house officer colleague). When we got back to the house officers’ quarters, I just called my colleagues to join us in our one-room apartment for a reception. Our wedding mass was at St. Paul’s Cathedral Parish, Benin City; present were Prof. & Mrs. Linus Ajabor, Mrs. Faith Ene and the Reverend Father (an Irish priest). In all, the total cost of all the ceremonies including cost of our wedding dresses and suit, rings etc was N280.00. My salary as a house officer was

N400.00 per month and Mary’s NYSC monthly allowance was N170.00.”

Dr Peter Odili [Governor of Rivers State, 1999-2007] & Hon. Justice Mary Ukaego Odili [retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, 2011-2022].

SOURCE:— Peter O. Odili, ‘Conscience and History—My Story’ (2013) pp. 39-42

16th January 1984 – Michael Jackson won for the first time in the history of the American Music Awards 8 of the desirable trophies.

The accolades began with his sweep of the 11th annual American Music Awards on Monday night, January 16th, winning a total of eight awards, including a special merit award. Michael received a record-breaking ten nominations for the American Music Awards. THRILLER was nominated for Best Pop Album, and Best Soul Album. Billie Jean was nominated for Best Pop Single and Best Soul Single. Beat It and Billie Jean were both nominated for Best Pop Video and Best Soul Video. And finally, Michael was nominated for Best Pop Male Vocalist and Best Soul Male Vocalist.

Michael attended the award ceremony accompanied by Webster star Emmanuel Lewis and his date for the evening was Brooke Shields. He was dressed for the occasion in a red Sergeant Pepper-style military style jacket covered with red sequins, cropped tuxedo pants, black aviator glasses, with a single black sequin glove; an appropriate uniform for what, considering the scope of his popularity, equated to the showbiz variant of a coronation.

Michael approached the podium 8 times that night to accept awards, a new record. THRILLER was named Best Pop Album and Best Soul Album. Billie Jean won as Best Pop Single, and Beat It was named Best Pop Video and Best Soul Video. Michael took top honors as Best Pop Male Vocalist and Best Soul Male Vocalist.

For his first, which is the AMA for Favorite Pop Single – Beat It, he says the following: “I don’t what I [fans screaming] … would – I’m very thankful and I’m very honored for this award. I don’t wanna make a long speech, I’m just – thank you very much. Bye. [smiles]”

His second award that night is for Favorite Soul Album – Thriller, for which he states: “Thank you very much. I’m deeply moved again to – to win this award. I’d like to thank Quincy Jones who’s a wonderful producer, and my mother and father who are in the audience – which I love very much – who brought me into the world. And I also thank the American public. Thank you.”

For Favorite Pop Album – Thriller, he has this to say: “[…] Again I – I’d like to thank everybody… thank you [smiles]. I’m – I’m deeply moved by accepting this award. And it was so much fun doing the album, ‘Thriller’. And I’d like to thank again Quincy Jones, and Bruce Swedien who’s the greatest engineer in the world. And, also, Rod Temperton and James Ingram for writing ‘PYT’ with Quincy Jones – thank you. And again, my mother and father who… taught me so much. And again I’d like to thank the disc-jokeys who played the record, ‘cause if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be here, so.. And I also would like to thank the public. Thank you very much.”

In addition to these awards Michael was honored for his lifetime career achievements as the year’s recipient of the Award of Merit. The Award of Merit was presented to Michael by Diana Ross and by the previous year’s winner, Kenny Rogers. Barry Manilow also took part in the tribute, singing Ben and a medley of Jackson 5ive hits. The presentation featured video taped messages from Michael’s closest friends, including Liza Minnelli, Katherine Hepburn, and Jane Fonda, who had this to say:

Michael, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve studied your tapes, trying to figure out what it is you do. I’ve decided you are a miracle. You have so much talent, the more you give of it, the more you seem to have. I’m so proud of you… and so proud to be your friend.

Winning the award at age 25, Michael is the youngest performer to ever receive the Award of Merit.

On receiving the special American Music Award Of Merit from singer/actress and long-time friend, Diana Ross, he declares: “Thank you. Thank you very much. I’m so deeply touched and deeply honored to receive this wonderful – Gosh, wonderful award… I thank you, American public; I thank Berry Gordy of Motown, who has been such an important part of my career and life. I thank again my mother and father who brought me into the world – Joseph Jackson and Katherine Jackson. I thank all my brothers – Tito, Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy, who I started with… and still am with. I thank Susanne de Passe who has been such an important influence in my life and has taught me so much. Thank you, Susanne. Quincy Jones is a wonderful person, not only is he an incredible producer, he is a wonderful man, he is such a family person, and I love him and we have made history together and I’m thankful. I thank one of my favorite people in the whole entire world, Miss Diana Ross and… she’s been such a special friend to me and taught me so many incredible, important things… and I’m so honored that she came here… I just hope I didn’t leave anybody out, I just – boy, the American public and I thank all the disc-jokeys and everybody, I love you so much and thank you.”

On winning the Favorite Soul Video award for Beat It: “This is wonderful. [To La Toya] Come here.. This is my sis.. oh, Bob Giraldi! [laughs] [who joins him on stage]. This is my sister, La Toya, I’m so honored she’s here, I didn’t know she was gonna bring this award. Working on ‘Beat It’ was a great experience. I had so much fun doing it, and this is my director, Bob Giraldi, whom I chose to be… I’ve put all my heart and my soul in my work and I’m so happy and honored that I won this wonderful award. Thank you.”, declares Jackson, more excited with each new award.

For Favorite Pop Video – Beat It, he is joined again on stage by director Bob Giraldi. “Again, I’d like to thank everybody. I’m so moved and so honored again… Thank you very much. I love you all. And one more – thank you, Michael Peters, you’re a wonderful person. Thank you.”, says Jackson.

On winning the American Music Award for Favorite Soul Male, the entertainer declares: “Again, I’m deeply moved and I really appreciate it, and the girls in the balcony, I love you, you’re wonderful. [laughs mildly] An important – an important chemistry in writing a song is inspiration and I’m holding one of inspirations – Emmanuel Lewis [best known for playing the title character in ‘Webster’].”.

For his last award that night, the Favorite Pop Male AMA, he smilingly concludes: “Thank you very much. It’s nothing more I can say, I love you all. Good-bye.”

Source: FB/Michael Jackson Fans Only