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I have been through the university
of life - Bode George • ‘I will work for PDP
to win Lagos State’
Written by Adewale Ajayi, Lagos Sunday, 27
February 2011(
Culled from Sunday Tribune)
FORMER Deputy National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party
, and former Chairman of Nigeria Ports Authority Chief Olabode
George , who was released from Kirikiri prison on Saturday,
after serving a two year jail term for fraud has described his
experience in prison as going through the university of life.
George who was speaking at a thanksgiving service organized for
him at Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, said though, he bears
no malice against anybody, but his experience was like going
through the university of life and has graduated from it.
“Today is a day of celebration , all these people sustained me
with the help of Almighty God, and I want to say thank you to so
many Nigerians, who have been part of the support, I will share
all these experience swith you guys (referring to journalists
latter on , but for now, I want to get briefed on what has been
happening in Nigeria, when you are there you are totally blank.
“You don’t know what is happening in Nigeria, I want to thank
you guys, thank everybody with no malice to nobody, we will make
our country an envy to all nations, I have just graduated from
the university of life,” he said.
Earlier in his sermon, Venerable Tayo Aduloju urged Chief George
to try to live a righteous lifeand dedicate himself to the
service of God. He frowned at the amoral practice of politics
and scolded the country’s political actors over the shoddy
manner the domestic economy of Nigeria was being runned,
stressing that Nigeria “has huge resources , and there is
nothing to show for it”.
Drawing inference from Proverbs 15:27, Aduloju warned the
country’s public officers to shun greed, thuggery and violence.
The verse read thus: “He that is greedy of gain, trouble his own
house; but he that hates gifts shall live”. He said greed for
power and money “will always bring you trouble. Shun thuggery.
Shun violence. Shun greed. Shun rigging and whatever that can
cause trouble.
“We are in God’s presence. It is one of the few things we have
lost in this country. We must learn to do things right. People
have said a lot of things about this special thanksgiving
Service for Chief Olabode George. Some have said Bode cannot
change. Some said Bode will bring stolen monies to the church.
“Some have said Bode will bring politicians to the church, and
it will portray the church in bad light. Some of them are Bode’s
party chieftains. Some of them are Bode’s family members. Some
of them followed Bode to this church. But they do not like him.
They are only following him to achieve their goals. They only
want to use him because he has used people before. He will still
use people.
“We are here to prepare people for heaven the only way you can
benefit from this service is to give your life to God. This is
the only way you can be blessed and gain eternal rest. People
may deny you but Jesus Christ will never. So, this is not the
time to take revenge. If you do, it means you do not appreciate
God who did not allow you to die in prison.
“If you are involved in any shady deal; if you are found
anywhere where elections are rigged and partake in any form of
manipulation, it means you have not learnt anything from your
experience. Real power belongs to God. It does not belong to
PDP. It does not belong to any president. Why are you here
today? Is it to justify yourself that you did not do it? You
must be grateful to God.
“As from today, you are expected to represent Christ. You are an
ambassador of Christ. Never again will the name of God be soiled
through you. Politicians must allow him to settle down. You must
prepare for Heaven day in, day out. Let people know that you are
now a changed person,” the priest said.
The service which was attended by scores of loyalists of Chief
George from the PDP, who trooped out enmasse to welcome him back
home in a grand reception and elaborate thanksgiving service .
A large number of his friends, loyalists and family members had
arrived at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison at about 6 a.m. to
receive Chief Olabode George who was convicted of criminal
charges bordering on abuse use of public offices, financial
misappropriation and contract inflation among others.
George left the prison yard at about 11 a.m. in a black Toyota
Land Cruiser (Sports Utility Vehicle) in a long entourage
comprising patrol vehicles conveying a good number of riot
police officers and several commercial vehicles hired by a crop
of the party women who stormed the prison in uniform.
The auditorium of the church was full to its capacity and was
attended by chieftains of the party including former president,
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga
Daniel; Oyo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja;
Minister for Defence, Mr. Adetokunbo Kayode; Minister for
Environment, Mr. John Odey; Lagos PDP gubernatorial candidate,
Dr. Adegboyega Dosunmu and his running mate, Mrs. Olayinka
Eniafe-Olatunji; Ogun State PDP gubernatorial candidate, General
Adetunji Olurin; former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayo Fayose,
among other leaders of the party from both the state and
national levels.
It will be recalled that the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) had on August 8, 2008 arraigned George and the
others on a 163-count charge bordering on abuse of office in the
award of over N100 billion contract .
George and five others who were convicted by Justice Olubunmi
Oyewole of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja and jailed for two years
alongside others on a seven-count charge of abuse of office and
six months each on another 27-count charge of disobedience to
constituted authority. All the terms ran concurrently.
A committee of friends put together a church service for his
home coming at the Cathedral Church of Christ in Marina.
Thousands of party loyalists of Chief Olabode George , on
Saturday gathered and his Ikoyi resident to welcome the former
Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA who gained freedom
after spending almost two years at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
Addressing journalists at his residence, George said, “Nigerians
made me comfortable by coming to visit me at the prison everyday
and they have made me to reposition my mind. I will reposition
my mind and serve my party normally.
“Now there is a job at hand for us to do and now is the time for
us to win Lagos State with this kind of loyalty we have seen.
President Goodluck Jonathan will be around on Tuesday, we have
to cause Tsunami in Lagos so that other parties will jilter.”
Also speaking at the occasion, secretary of the PDP in Lagos,
Mr. Tunji Shelle, noted that the large crowd that came to
welcome George were core party loyalists who believed in his
leadership qualities.
He stressed that with the return of George, the party’s
activities in the state would pick up in full swing.
His views were also echoed by the party’s senatorial candidate
for Lagos West district, Mr. Adegoke Salvador, who said George
suffered for the sake of the party, adding that members of the
party were happy Chief George came out of the prison alive.
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