A jolting reminder of why I don't read the Sun. I mean, even if the reporter can't write properly, don't they have an editor????? Gone are the days when one could give a child a Nigerian Newspaper to improve their English!
How Ogbulafor, Rimi, diplomats, others were shut out of Yar’Adua’s event
…for coming late
By ANDY ELEWERE
Monday, March 16, 2009
•Ogbulafor
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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What started like a joke in the eyes of men who matter in the country became a cruel reality that later worked against them in a disgraceful manner. Penultimate Saturday, In the usual Nigerian way of not keeping to time, they drove casually in their posh cars to the Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua Centre, venue of the 10th anniversary of the late politician and brother to President Yar’ Adua, Alhaji Shehu Yar’Adua, but only to be turned back by stern looking security personnel.
Reason: they came after the president had arrived the venue. Obviously the unpleasant bug of “African Time” had caught up with them. According to one of the security officials, “it is against protocol to allow anyone, no matter who you are into a venue after the Commander-In-Chief is already seated.”
The latecomers included the Peoples Democratic Party executive led by the National Chairman, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mrs. Denrele Ogunsanya, Former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, Former Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi.
Others are Globacom chief, Otunba Mike Adenuga, and Chief Rochas Okoracha among others.
Daily Sun gathered that President Umaru Yar’Adua who they (the latecomers) thought would observe the regular Nigerian ‘African time’
came right on scheduled at about 10a.m when the event was meant to start.
Immediately after the President was admitted in, the gate of the center was shut and the keys taken away by one of the several security personnel. At about 10.10a.m many of the guests had only started pulling over in their exotic cars. Obviously not aware of the caveat at the gate they flaunted and displayed affluent attires, brocades, and other expensive accessories while exchanging greetings at the park beside the center.
First to arrive was Mrs. Derele. Radiantly and glowingly dressed, she got to the gate of the venue at exactly 10.15a.m, yet was barred from entering. At first, it all seemed like a joke to her when the security men stood their grounds against her request.
“Sorry Ma, you are late, so you are not permit to come in until the end of the show,” one of the security men said.
But not exactly sure of how serious the security man was,
in a laden-tone she noted,
“Gentlemen, you can do this, I have come all the way from Lagos because of this event.” One of her aide, in a close chat with one of the security men, asked, “Don’t you know her, she is the Secretary to Lagos State Government. In fact she is here to represent Lagos State.” However, all the persuasions fell on deaf ears.
While
Mrs. Derele was
yet to unbundled the shock of her refusal as she stood helplessly at the gate, another guest,
the French Ambassador’s arrived.A smiling French man immediately showed the security men behind the gate his invitation card hoping that with this he could get the entry visa. “Could you let me in? This is my Invitation card, I have been officially invited for this programme,” The ambassador asked
in a tone that commands right. But again, and this time with all seriousness, the unfriendly security men turned him down.
By now, the incident was already gathering momentum.
Crowd of people had
gathered to catch a glimpse of the showpiece. Each time a new guest arrived, he or she was
welcomed with boisterous shout.
One of the onlookers, whose name was simply given as Ahmed said, “Waoh! It is hard to believe that all these people would be deprived of entering this event. This Life is very unpredictable.”
Another onlooker who chose to be anonymous said, “Honestly, this is a welcome development. I think President Yar’Adua is trying to make a statement with this incident. It’s a good image for our country.”
Meanwhile,
few minutes after, around 10.45a.m,
the gate was now littered with several dignitaries including the European Envoy, Kastina State House of Assembly Speaker, Spanish Ambassador among others.
They were all caught up in the web.
A white lady attached to the E.U Envoy, Mrs. Caroline lamented, “I didn’t know it would be like this. We thought if we came earlier, we might have to wait for the event to start.
“Well I don’t know what to say, it’s a good thing if the same thing would be applicable next time, so guests would change their attitudes.”
And by 11.00a.m it was like a reception for respectable ladies and gentlemen as the entire entrance to the gate was filled with local and international guests who could not gain entrance.
At about 11.10a.m, a loud noise sudden thundered from the crowd.
It was a signal for the arrival of the Peoples Democratic Party’s executive members led by Ogbulafor. At this point many had thought since the President’s Party chairmen had arrived, the gate would be opened.
But to this dismay of all, the entire executive was equally refused entry. And at this point it was obvious that
the security men meant every bit of their actions and would not act others no matter who was involved.
Having waited for about an hour and without any sign that the gate would be opened,
the guests in a rather very quiet manner gradually took their left.
However, by quarter after one, when the event was over and the president was set to go, the gate of ‘Heaven’ was eventually opened.
Although dignitaries including immediate past President, Rt. Gen. Olusegun Obasonjo, former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar made it into the venue, but many believed this year’s edition of the event was marked in a low key.
According to a delegate who spoke in confidence with the Sun, “Not up to quarter of the invitees made it into the hall.”
Bullet-ridden article 
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