Diezani: Life As A Cancer Patient

What you're approximately to examine might be the maximum anticipated tale of the year birthed in the long awaited authoritative investigative newspaper of the future. This pregnant saga fell into labour remaining week within the pre-natal wing of Pendulum ward  and it has now given birth to a massive bouncing infant christened, The Boss.

this is an apt metaphor for the melodramatic scoop that is the quilt of the primary edition of what I agree with may be a catalyst for unbiased investigative reporting in Nigeria. The Boss had long been conceptualised as a  leadership newspaper to occupy the void created through loss of proper and credible investigative journalism in some conventional and on line media. The unique plan turned into to launch in December or early January. however the Diezani-Alison Madueke story modified all that. It changed into too compelling to restrict to the Pendulum column on my own.  And right here we are with what guarantees to be an thrilling addition to the media panorama in Nigeria and past presenting an spell binding cowl story on the way to run and run.

After that effervescent advent of the assembly among this reporter and the embattled former Minister of Petroleum assets, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, posted in Thisday, anybody asked for info of the stumble upon. a few unbelieving Thomases even counseled the story become pure fiction, or at the very nice “faction” to borrow Kole Omotoso’s word. They wondered why a greater comprehensive interview could not be published, garnished with clear crispy photographs of Madame Diezani.

It became obvious many had study the story in a rush and did not assimilate the cautiously worded tale of a lady in deep pain and soreness for type of reasons. Of path there had been insinuations that it became a public members of the family stunt however mercifully maximum readers thought it was a nicely-balanced tale. It even went viral.

At any charge, folks that took their time would have observed that I had to settle for one of these gripping monologue because it become truely not possible to extract extra statistics from a cancer affected person who had spent her day along with her clinical group in a private London hospital. Our protagonist had additionally possibly taken the chance of meeting this reporter so as to test if he became going to play the vital antagonist or do his activity professionally and dispassionately.

That assembly glaringly impacted on her selection to open up finally,  days after Episode One. A name came through on Friday, November 6, 2015, from a female aide of Mrs. Alison-Madueke to request for a assembly tomorrow at 2.30pm at a region yet to be determined.

The appointment turned into right away accepted. Later in the nighttime, this ubiquitous aide made yet another call moving the appointment ahead by a few hours to 11am the equal Saturday. My response once more turned into sure. The pot that would consume pepper need to endure some warmness, says a Yoruba proverb. The Diezani tale turned into worth all the sacrifice within the international. In different climes, reporters would have shown greater than cursory interest in chasing that super special chat. Her copyrighted photo might have fetched a few million dollars, in all likelihood. anyway…

A text message flew into my cellphone very early Saturday morning. It contained the deal with and complete postcode of a new venue specific from the only of  days in advance. now not to worry. My spouse offered to chauffeur me once more however with out her sister this time around. even as on our way, the woman aide known as to ask if we had been going to make the eleven o’clock time pronto or arrive past due. I spoke back we would arrive in advance as opposed to later. i would soon recognize the import of her query. Madame Diezani become apparently on her way and i was expected to be with no trouble seated previous to her arrival. possibly, so i might not understand how and from what route she had come.  there was no signal this time of any overbearing or annoying safety man.  Mrs. Alison-Madueke had laughingly brushed off as humorous my James Bond creativeness of Thursday, in any occasion. for the reason that meeting turned into purported to be strictly one-on-one, my spouse needed to wait within the car at the same time as i used to be away. The venue turned out to be a famous eating place close to Regent’s Park, famous for its breakfast.

i was a bit amazed and upset at the choice of vicinity. i used to be hoping she was going to present me get entry to to her now well-known condominium which became stated to had been sold at a maximum surprising amount, or the new multi-billion greenback domestic that become rumoured to have triggered the alarm leading to her arrest, claims she would dismiss as memories via moonlight.

I called the mobile wide variety I had been given as I approached the doorway of the eating place and her lady aide emerged from the bowel of the restaurant to lead me to a fairly secluded nook wherein a table have been reserved. i used to be seated dealing with the entrance and hoping I may want to capture her glimpse on every occasion she arrives.

After awaiting approximately 20 minutes or so, I heard a few footsteps and the once most powerful lady in Nigeria surfaced. She seemed slightly higher than at our closing meeting for which i used to be glad. I sprang to my feet as we exchanged pleasantries. I mentioned to her that she seemed higher and she or he stated she’d  been resting and gaining power in guidance for the radiotherapy periods anticipated to last five agonising weeks.

She ordered for full English breakfast at the same time as I settled best for a cup of cappuccino. but whilst the meal arrived, she didn’t devour it due to the fact she had misplaced urge for food for meals commonly and was more on fluids but had was hoping this would go back if she saw the food.

She then requested for American coffee, water and sparkling lime instead. She additionally ordered for tea sooner or later. maximum of the time we spent talking, she coughed intermittently into a napkin and dabbed her mouth with it however she became virtually determined to pour out her obviously heavy coronary heart no matter the discomfort I could be aware she became suffering to endure.

let me reiterate for the sake of people who overlooked the first part of this tale that our  meetings took place on Thursday, November 5 and Saturday, November 7, 2015 at unique places. the first was in a personal apartment even as the second one became on this eating place. unlike the primary which lasted less than half an hour, we were able to spend extra time together this time. certainly, we were at it for a total of just over 4 hours, and i consider she spoke from the coronary heart, I consider, but the reader is continually the decide.

There were several off-the-report interludes. extra than something, we were both cautious not to speak about in element matters which may effect at the instances and legal troubles now bedevilling her.

I did not anticipate in any other case. Mrs Alison-Madueke is a clever and smart female and had lately benefited from being counseled through attorneys each inside the united kingdom and Nigeria in connection with her arrest inside the uk and the hunt of her Abuja home.

Getting and persuading her to speak in element approximately a whole lot of troubles turned into consequently very tough. There were different motives. First, changed into her apparent paranoia of the Nigerian press. She’s been bruised, battered and blistered, particularly in print and on social media. She’s been scandalised, summarily attempted and precipitously convicted by means of the media, in keeping with her. She did now not count on each person to lend her an ear or pay attention to her now muffled voice.

On pinnacle of her problems, she’s having a walking battle with the most dreaded shape of most cancers of the chest and she or he’s needed to go through surgical procedures to do away with the lumps and later a few chunky tissue. The remedies have not been that a hit and it’s been a ding-dong affair for this once ebullient and stylish girl.

We had to deliver assurances of not sensationalising her story if granted access. Of path it has never been our practice to do so and as a consequence, this become now not a trouble.  We promised not to decorate her memories in any manner or screen off-the-file discussions which had been really non-public and confidential and had nothing to do with her travails. there has been a strict proviso that no shape of recording would be allowed and we had to undertake the novelistic fashion. The result of that covenant is what you’re studying nowadays.

We should be aware that we had been quite restrained and encumbered through strings of activities as well as current litigation and other feasible future trends. We couldn't get as a whole lot revelations as we expected but the little we managed to get supplied sufficient insight right into a woman who had achieved so much and loved good sized accolades earlier than the unhappy turn of occasions. Had she remained in Shell, wherein she have become the first and simplest lady Director, and avoided the murky water of Nigerian politics, maybe she would have savoured the klieg-lighting forever.

We knew it turned into going to be very hard getting pix in her gift no longer too genial or glamorous condition. That become almost difficult on our first assembly as she was simply returning from her hospital rounds and appeared completely exhausted. We however succeeded in getting a few pix this time some of which we're revealing for the first time nowadays.

The Diezani Alison-Madueke tale is a traditional examine within the intrigues of strength-play. slightly months in the past, she was at the top of the temple as Minister of considered one of the most important oil-generating nations on the earth. She changed into elected the President of the powerful organization of Petroleum Exporting nations (OPEC). And the world turned into at her toes. The cancer difficulty had crept in, like a thief within the night, however become being dealt with and managed by using the satisfactory medical doctors to be had in England. there has been that optimism that all will be nicely on the quit of the day till the entirety that could pass incorrect started out going incorrect, like in Murphy’s regulation.

Madame Diezani confirmed that she and the government she served loyally and passionately never notion for one second that the Nigerian fashionable elections may want to flip out the way it did or that they could go through the crushing and devastating defeat that they did. the primary and main casualty would be the girl who managed the future of Nigerians as Petroleum resources Minister. under her care, a whopping $20 billion became presupposed to have actually vamoosed into skinny air. until this day, nobody has come ahead to authenticate the veracity or in any other case of such thoughts-boggling claims. rather we’ve acquired conflicting figures on the supposed infractions.

that is a story like no other and it cannot be advised like any other. it's miles a story from the first rate toll road of power and the fast lane of bewilderment. nothing is sweeter than power and money, in no unique order, as long as you've got each you're inside the rarefied organization of countrywide choice-makers. And nothing is sadder than having each and falling from grace to grass or from repute to infamy. Mrs Alison-Madueke had the arena now not simply at her toes but firmly in her palm. She could apparently flip a licensed pauper right into a certificated billionaire within the twinkle of an eye fixed. In quick, she ought to make and unmake. Diezani become the subject of many fables. And this is the crux of the matter. Her closeness to President Goodluck Jonathan and the affect she wielded on him became in no way a hidden be counted. This lent credence to the mystical electricity over the Nigerian economic system that it became claimed she possessed.  I fired my first shot from that course and it turned into as though she predicted it.

“Is it authentic that a sister of yours has a child or kids for President Jonathan?” I asked. “that is absolutely unfaithful as I don’t have such a sister or relative!”, she stated.  She wondered how humans should fabricate such blatant lies.

Diezani-696x451I quickly followed with what I regarded as an upper-cut: “It changed into said that you and the former First girl, Dame persistence Jonathan have been in permanent warfare; why become it so?” She answered that their courting changed into cordial sufficient and she gave the previous First lady the respect she have to deliver the wife of her boss. She went further to say: “What people don’t recognise is that we’ve been own family friends for lengthy. My mum, Mrs Beatrice Agama, has constantly played the function of a godmother within the Niger Delta and all of the militants love and admire her. I come from a royal privileged heritage and lacked not anything.” She stated she became not ignorant of certain insinuations approximately an intimate relationship with the previous President but she never troubled her head about them because some human beings had made up their minds to unfold the ones unpleasant stories about her. “in case you are in the corridor of strength, you must assume anything, such as mud and even bricks being thrown at you.”

Now look forward to the subsequent shot!  “You’ve been connected to such a lot of younger men who made a lot money from you and later absconded or became towards you… What became between you and Chris Aire, Kola Aluko, Jide Omokore, Tonye Cole, Dapo Abiodun, Wale Tinubu, Igho Sanomi and others?”, I queried her.

Madame Diezani’s reaction changed into calm and unruffled: “I vehemently deny any intimacy or liaison with any of these gentlemen.” She cited that she is fortuitously married like maximum of them are fortuitously married and asserted that she isn't the Scarlet woman that human beings paint her to be. She sees the ones rumours as insults on finished women who cannot be seen in sensitive positions without going for walks riotous with a few guys. She said it was crucial to install context how she met most of them:

“i used to be the Chairman of the Nigerian content improvement & monitoring Board and i did my job to the best of my ability and intentions. My boss and i were determined to empower Nigerians, in particular the younger ones, who had the brains and guts to dare.” She talked about that her firm belief and desire to empower Nigerians stemmed from the way that she and her dad and mom and siblings had been unceremoniously dumped out of Shell Camp in which her father labored and lived at the same time as she became younger.

The memory became reputedly annoying as I could notice her wiping her eyes with every other napkin.  She stated: “I take into account that day vividly.  It turned into virtually one of the worst days of my life.  We have been now not even allowed to complete consuming before they hurriedly packed our belongings, threw them into vans and drove us into an unsure, unknown destiny.”  She persevered: “i used to be determined that what my father fought for, which was to make sure that Nigerians had a extra say inside the scheme of factors in Shell and for that reason within the petroleum enterprise, would be championed and achieved via me in government”.

She noted that during every government, a few people should land the massive jobs which every human being would really like to have. She stated: “I chose to empower commonly Nigerians and took the electricity faraway from foreigners who used to dominate the arena. That was why we pushed for the Nigerian content material invoice, which mercifully we got thru. so that you cannot count on a few forces no longer to hate me however i used to be greatly surprised that Nigerians themselves have been equipped to crucify me totally on rumours and no longer verifiable information. maximum leaders earlier than me have suffered a comparable fate, so I take a few consolation from that revel in.”

She brought that humans seem to overlook that she is luckily married to Rear Admiral Alison-Madueke and could now not do some thing to jeopardise her marriage or smear herself inside the eyes of her husband, children and own family. She additionally stated that some of those guys had been unknown to her till she have become a Minister and that even though, in some cases, they later loved a cordial relationship together with her, it was no greater than the sort of relationship she loved with different successful Nigerian businessmen who reputable and in demand her for the manner she was bringing Nigerians to the leading edge of the enterprise: “it is unlucky that matters didn’t work flawlessly all the time as anticipated and as a frontrunner I take the blame for those imperfections, but I’m simply now not a demon as being portrayed. I have no doubt that I served my nation well, the cause my colleagues at OPEC supported me no matter the opposition from my very own human beings. I nevertheless hold that stage of dating with my former colleagues notwithstanding now not being in government.”

I then requested, why is she so debatable? “Controversy has not anything to do together with your qualifications or overall performance. As a be counted of reality, people often hate you for understanding so much and for being efficient and confident which they mistake for arrogance. We had to confront so many challenges, consisting of oil theft and trendy insecurity however we did very well even supposing we did now not prevail a hundred percent. I must say that a number of our personal people introduced responsibly at the same time as a few of them breached the religion and wasted the possibilities surpassed to them with the aid of my boss, President Jonathan. regrettably, no one ever remembers the things that went right but everybody recollects and tends to emphasise the matters that went wrong…”

We quickly moved the dialogue to the various allegations of economic impropriety under her tenure, specially the alleged disappearance of $20billion and different wasteful spending permitted via her.  She discovered that she could not go into any actual details due to the criminal investigations in Nigeria and England as well as the civil case right here.  however she instructed me she could try to provide preferred details about these topics because it changed into essential to shed a few mild on her personal involvement from the vantage factor of a person clearly in government who believes these items really can not happen.

She changed into visibly angry on the point out of the $20billion: “If there is one problem I ought to pursue in this global it is the most important lie of this cash.

How can $20billion disappear just like that? wherein did it disappear to? Is it viable that such an amount might not be traceable? this is greater painful coming from someone I considered a terrific pal who have to appreciate the gravity of such allegation. I undertaking everyone to come ahead with facts showing that I stole government or public money. I’ve by no means stolen Nigeria’s cash…

“as a substitute, I worked difficult to halt the rampant enterprise of spherical-tripping. when I introduced in Reginald Stanley to smooth up the area, I asked for a listing of the defaulters. There have been about ninety two of them and i made positive we sanctioned them. you may consider the hazard to my existence however i used to be equipped to shield the economic interests of my united states of america. In fact, we have been able to reduce the oil subsidy by using approximately 1/2. no one has applauded our attempt.

“There have been folks that said the then Governor of valuable financial institution have to had been indignant at me due to the manner the Presidency dealt with him. In all honesty, he was being blocked from seeing the President by a number of Oga’s people (presidential aides) but it had not anything to do with me. i was the one who even told Oga about the improvement and Oga said he might meet him in London on certainly one of his journeys. unfortunately my boss fell ill and turned into rushed to King Edward hospital and the meeting was aborted.

“Sanusi and i had been friends. there was no way i would have carried out whatever horrific to him. He even got here to my house to inform me about his hobby in heading the African improvement bank and we mentioned for about  hours. I promised to help him and i spoke to Oga about it. We have been together at the Reconciliation Committee that seemed into the accounts of NNPC. yes, there had been gaps however no longer on the alarming scale being circulated. Markafi (former Governor of Kaduna state) did a thorough activity. you understand he's a very sound accountant.”

What about the allegations that she owns desire homes everywhere?  “it is so sad that anybody should say such approximately me. allow me say some thing to you. I stay with my husband within the equal house we’ve lived given that we married in 1999. Ask every person who is aware of us. Our house in Abuja changed into sold in 2007 by using my husband and as an architect and lover of indoors décor I did it up to our very own flavor. It isn't always over the pinnacle due to the fact i have exact taste and appreciate bargains. I keep in normal shops like B & Q to do up all of the locations where I stay. absolutely everyone who tells you i've houses everywhere have to feel free to put up them. That became how they stated i bought an costly belongings in Vienna. I went to courtroom and that i received the case. I in no way saw the house earlier than besides in photograph. The house I live in London is rented. As a female i like to appearance suitable. a number of my attire and jewelleries are frequently dumped on me by way of those I purchase from and i pay them when i will”

She went on to explain that truly all of the transactions in recognize of which allegations of corruption are being levelled against her went thru due method and that the organization managing Director of NNPC become actively involved in ensuring that the pleasant worldwide practices have been maintained. She added that her involvement in the conclusion of these transactions turned into limited and that some of the contracts were accomplished earlier than she became Minister of Petroleum resources.  In some other instances she only were given details after the contracts have been concluded when approached via some businessmen who complained about the terms. She generally admonished them to forego the contracts in the event that they felt they were no longer profitable and are trying to find other ventures inside the enterprise.

She reiterated that she could not speak in element because she is presently going through expenses and criminal investigations in England. however she emphasized that her boss neither discriminated in opposition to nor favoured all and sundry. She claimed some of individuals who benefited the maximum were even in opposition and referred to how a famend competition chief and vocal critic of the authorities on the time met her on approximately three activities to talk about his hobbies inside the enterprise of oil. “My boss didn’t need Nigerians to go through because of politics; so we agreed to provide certain support to a agency we knew was owned with the aid of the competition as soon as we had been satisfied they controlled the marketplace considerably and have what it takes to deliver the goods national. We have been that tolerant…”

This interview changed into conducted via Dele Momodu and primary published inside the BOSS, his new on line e-book. it's miles reproduced right here along with his  consent

supply: vanguard