The playboy who got away with $242m – using ‘black magic’

16 February 2018

Image captionPhoto: Miami Herald

One day in August 1995 a man called Foutanga Babani Sissoko walked into the head office of the Dubai Islamic Bank and asked for a loan to buy a car. The manager agreed, and Sissoko invited him home for dinner. It was the prelude, writes the BBC's Brigitte Scheffer, to one of the most audacious confidence tricks of all time.

Over dinner, Sissoko made a startling claim. He told the bank manager, Mohammed Ayoub, that he had magic powers. With these powers, he could take a sum of money and double it. He invited his Emirati friend to come again, and to bring some cash.

Black magic is condemned by Islam as blasphemous. Even so, there's still a widespread belief in it, and Ayoub was taken in by the colourful and mysterious businessman from a remote village in Mali.

When he arrived at Sissoko's house the next time, carrying his money, a man burst out of a room saying a spirit - a djinn - had just attacked him. He warned Ayoub not to anger the djinn, for fear his money would not be doubled. So Ayoub left his cash in the magic room, and waited.

He said he saw lights and smoke. He heard the voices of spirits. Then there was silence.

The money had indeed doubled.

Ayoub was delighted - and the heist could begin.

"He believed it was Black Magic - that Mr Sissoko could double the money," says Alan Fine, a Miami attorney the bank later asked to investigate the crime.

"So he would send money to Mr Sissoko - the bank's money - and he expected it to come back in double the amount."

Between 1995 and 1998, Ayoub made 183 transfers into Sissoko's accounts around the world. Sissoko was also running up big credit card bills - in the millions according to Fine - which Ayoub would settle on his behalf.

In 1998 I was living in Dubai, and I heard rumours that the bank was in trouble. When a newspaper reported that the bank was having cashflow problems, crowds of people gathered outside, waiting to withdraw their money.

The Dubai authorities downplayed the crisis. They called it "a little difficulty that did not lead to any financial losses either in the bank's investments or depositors' accounts".

But this wasn't true.

"The people who owned the bank took a huge, huge hit. It was not covered by insurance," says Fine. "The bank was saved because the government stepped in to help. But they gave up a lot of their equity in the bank for that to happen."

And where was Foutanga Babani Sissoko? By this time, he was far away.

One of the beauties of his scheme was that he did not need to be in Dubai to keep receiving the money.

Media captionHow did the "black magic" trick work?

In November 1995, only weeks after putting on the magic display for Mohammed Ayoub, Sissoko visited another bank in New York, and did much more than open an account.

"He walked into Citibank one day, no appointment, met a teller and he ended up marrying her," says Alan Fine. "And there's reason to believe she made his relationship with Citibank more comfortable, and he ended up opening an account there through which, from memory, I'm just going to say more than $100m was wire transferred into the United States."

In fact, according to a case brought by the Dubai Islamic Bank against Citibank, more than $151m "was debited by Citibank from DIB's correspondent account without proper authorisation". The case was later dropped.

Find out more

You can watch The Voodoo Bank Heist on BBC World News on Sat 17 Feb 2018

at 09:10, 20:10 and 02:10 GMT or click here for local times

Sissoko paid his new wife more than half a million dollars for her help.

"I don't know under what legal regime he married her but he called her a wife and she believed she was a wife," says Fine.

"She understood that there were many other wives. Some from Africa, some from Miami, some from New York."

Image captionPhoto: Miami Herald

With the bank's money rolling in, Sissoko could fulfil his dream of opening an airline for West Africa. He bought a used Hawker-Siddeley 125 and a pair of old Boeing 727s. This was the birth of Air Dabia, named after his village in Mali.

But in July 1996, Sissoko made a serious mistake as he tried to buy two Huey helicopters dating from the Vietnam War, for reasons that remain unclear.

"His explanation of why he wanted them was emergency air ambulance. But the helicopters he was looking at were pretty big helicopters, they were not the kind that you see running back and forth to hospitals and trauma centres in the United States, they were much bigger than that," says Fine.

Because they could be refitted as gunships, the helicopters needed a special export licence. Sissoko's men tried to speed things up by offering a $30,000 bribe to a customs officer. Instead, they got themselves arrested. And Interpol issued a warrant for Sissoko's arrest too. He was caught in Geneva, where he'd gone to open another bank account.

Tom Spencer, a Miami lawyer who was asked to represent Sissoko, vividly remembers going to meet him in Geneva's Champ-Dollon prison.

"I talked with the prison warden, who asked me whether or not Sissoko was going to go to the United States," Spencer says.

"I said, 'Well, you know, we'll see.' And he said, 'Well, please delay it as long as possible.' And I said, 'Well why?' And he said, 'Because he's flying in fantastic meals from Paris every night, for us.' And that was my first bizarre encounter with Baba Sissoko."

Image captionThe Miami court where Sissoko stood trial (now closed)

Sissoko was quickly extradited to the US, where he started to mobilise influential supporters.

The readiness of diplomats to vouch for Sissoko shocked the judge presiding over his bail hearing. And Tom Spencer was stunned when a former US senator, Birch Bayh, announced he was joining Sissoko's defence team.

"Well, you have to ask yourself, why would anyone get involved for a foreign national who has no apparent value to the United States?" says Fine. "I don't know the answer to the question. But it's an interesting one to pose."

The US government wanted Sissoko held in custody, but he was bailed for $20m (£14.5m) - a Florida record at the time.

Then he went on a spending spree.

His defence team was rewarded with Mercedes or Jaguar cars. But that was just the start.

Sissoko spent half a million dollars in one jewellery store alone, Fine recalls, and hundreds of thousands in others. In one men's clothing store he spent more than $150,000.

"He would come in and buy two three four cars at the same time, come back another week and buy two three four cars at the same time. It was just, the money was like wind," says car dealer Ronil Dufrene.

He calculates that he sold Sissoko between 30 and 35 cars in total.

Sissoko became a Miami celebrity. He already had several wives, but that didn't stop him marrying more - and housing them in some of the 23 apartments he rented in the city.

"'Playboy' is the right word to describe him. Because he is very elegant. And handsome. And he dresses with great style. He blew a lot of money in Miami," says Sissoko's cousin, Makan Mousa.

Sissoko was also giving away large sums to good causes. His trial was approaching, and he knew the value of good publicity. In one case witnessed by his cousin, he gave £300,000 ($413,000) to a high-school band that needed money to travel to New York for a Thanksgiving Day parade.

Image copyrightBBC SPORTImage captionSissoko donated a large sum of money to a high school band in Miami (Photo: Miami Herald)

Another of his defence lawyers, Prof H T Smith, remembers that on Thursdays he would drive around giving money to homeless people.

"I was thinking, is this some modern day Robin Hood? Why would you steal money and give it away? It doesn't make any sense," he says.

"The [Miami] Herald did a story just after he left, and I think - I don't want to exaggerate but I think they said they could chronicle like $14m he gave away. He was only here 10 months. That's over a million dollars a month."

Alan Fine took a slightly more cynical view.

"So much of what he did was for image and to perpetuate a belief that he was a very powerful man and fabulously wealthy. He would give away money, but… to my knowledge it was never done in a way that he didn't get publicity for it."

Despite this PR drive, when Sissoko's case came to court he disregarded his lawyers' advice and pleaded guilty.

Maybe he calculated that this would provoke fewer questions about his finances.

The sentence was 43 days in prison and a $250,000 fine - paid, of course, by the Dubai Islamic Bank, though without its knowledge.

After serving only half this sentence, he was given early release in return for a $1m payment to a homeless shelter. The rest he was meant to serve under house arrest in Mali.

Instead he returned home to a hero's welcome.

Image captionPhoto: Miami Herald

It was around this time that the Dubai Islamic Bank's auditors began to notice that something was wrong. Ayoub was getting nervous, and Sissoko had stopped answering his calls.

Finally he confessed to a colleague, who asked how much was missing. Too ashamed to say, Ayoub wrote it on a scrap of paper - 890 million dirhams, the equivalent of $242m (£175m).

He was found guilty of fraud and given three years in jail. It's rumoured he was also forced to undergo an exorcism, to cure him of his belief in black magic.

Sissoko has never faced justice. In his absence, a Dubai court sentenced him to three years for fraud and practising magic. Interpol issued an arrest warrant and he remains a wanted man.

I found transcripts from other trials at which Sissoko failed to appear, including one in Paris. His lawyer claimed he was a scapegoat for Ayoub's actions and the bank's money had gone elsewhere, but the court didn't swallow it and convicted him of money-laundering.

Image captionSissoko was a member of Parliament for 12 years

For 12 years, between 2002 and 2014, Sissoko was a member of parliament in Mali, which gave him immunity from prosecution. For the last four years, no longer an MP, he has been protected by the fact that Mali has no extradition treaty with any other country.

The Dubai Islamic Bank, nonetheless, is still pursuing him through the courts.

I flew to Mali's capital, Bamako, to find people who might tell me about Sissoko.

I tracked down his seamstress, who remembered him fondly.

"The last time I saw him, two or three years ago, I made him a suitcase of clothes. If he didn't give out presents, he wasn't happy. It's his style. He loves to give things to people," she said.

I also found his driver, Lukali Ibrahim.

"The good thing about him is that when things are going well you can expect a lot of presents from him. He likes to help people with their problems," he said. "The bad thing, I can tell you a few. This is someone who always gives people hope but instead of telling you the truth, he's just leading you on."

In the market I found a goldsmith who had only praise for a client who would call and ask him to make presents for his friends.

I also heard that he could be found living near his native village, Dabia, which had given its name to Sissoko's short-lived airline, near Mali's border with Guinea and Senegal.

After a long drive I found a house that fitted the description I'd been given.

Image captionSissoko's home in Mali

Suddenly, surrounded by armed guards, there he was. Babani Sissoko, in person, now perhaps 70 years old.

He agreed to an interview. The atmosphere was edgy and slightly surreal. He began by telling me about his entry into the world.

"My name is Sissoko Foutanga Dit Babani. You know, the day I was born all the villages round here burned down. The villagers went round shouting, 'Marietto has had a boy.' The fire leapt and leapt. There used to be a lot of bush around."

He then talked about his efforts to rebuild the village, which began in 1985, and about the money he made. At one point he had been worth $400m, he said.

Image captionSissoko says he was once worth $400m - but that he is poor now

Eventually, I asked about the $242m he had received from the Dubai Islamic Bank.

"Madame, this $242m, this is a slightly crazy story. The gentlemen from the bank should explain how they lost all that money. I mean the $242m. Listen, how could that money have left the bank the way it did? That's the problem. It's not this man alone [Ayoub] who authorises the transfers. When the bank transfers money it's not just one person who does it. Several people have to do it."

I pointed out to him that Mohammed Ayoub had claimed at his trial that Sissoko had put him under a spell.

"The gentleman you're talking about, I've seen him and met him," he said.

But the heist, he denied.

"The only contact I had with him was when I went to buy a car. The bank bought it for me and I repaid the loan. It was a Japanese car."

Had he controlled people by means of black magic?

"Madame, if a person had that kind of power, why would he work? If you have that kind of power you can stay where you are and rob all the banks of the world. In the United States, France, Germany, everywhere. Even here in Africa. You could rob all the banks you want."

I asked him if he was still rich.

His answer was blunt.

"No I'm not rich any longer. I'm poor."

Defying Interpol, Sissoko has spent a remarkable 20 years on the run, even if he has squandered all his money and can never leave Mali.

He has never spent a day in jail for the black magic bank heist.

How l found out I’m not the the father of my 4 children after 22 years of marriage

He’s a 52 year old civil engineer. And his wife, a pharmacist, 50, both raised four children – 21, 19, 16 and 13.

The couple met in 1993, and married in 1995. And raised their four children to the best of their abilities with all the resources at their disposal… Until October 2017.

That’s when he discovered that all four are not his biological children! After DNA tests at HumGene Ltd in Lagos proved that he’s not in anyway related to the children that meant the world to him.

Here’s the distraught father’s narration of how his world collapsed…

This is my story:

On the 20th of September 2017, my 3rd child who happens to be a female was critically ill in the hospital and the doctor informed us that she needs an urgent blood transfusion.

My wife and I were in the hospital and we both decided to have our blood tested in other to know who has the same blood group with our daughter. But to our surprise when the result came out, we were informed that none of us has the same blood group with our daughter. We had to find a way out as soon as possible.

Fortunately for us, our first son came and he happened to be a match. I was innocent about the whole thing because I didn’t know the implication of a child not matching either of the parent’s blood group. After the whole thing was taken care of, the doctor called me in privately to ask if I was the real father of my own daughter. At first, I was furious but I calmed down and answered him by saying, “Of course, why would you be asking me such question?”

He went ahead to explain how a child can have either the mother’s or father’s blood group. I was confused and I asked him what he was trying to tell me. And he said it’s either I’m not the father of the child or my wife is not the mother because one of us is supposed to match. But since none is a match there is a problem. I didn’t take it seriously because it was sounding odd to me. When I informed my wife about it, her answer was, “Don’t mind that stupid doctor.”

After 3 days, our daughter was discharged from the hospital. My mind was no longer at rest because I didn’t know what to do. I went back to the doctor and asked for advice on what I should do. He told me that if I wanted to be sure of everything, I should have a paternity test done on my daughter. When he mentioned that to me, I almost collapsed because I know what that means. It was too much for me to handle. But I had to be a man and face whatever is about to happen. I asked him if I should do the same thing for the remaining 3. He told me that will be a good idea if I can afford it.

I decided to take the bold step even though it was not easy. I asked him if he has an idea of where I can carry out the test here in Lagos and the cost. He advised me of 2 places and their prices. Coincidentally, a friend of mine told me that he saw an advert on Facebook about a company known as HumGene Limited,  that they offer the cheapest DNA Paternity test in Nigeria. I quickly called the number they put on the advert and I spoke with the CEO of the company just to confirm if it’s actually true. She was nice and helpful and booked an appointment for me to come in with my 4 children in order to take samples from us. I asked her how accurate the result can be, and she said 99.99% if am the father and 0% if am not the father.

When we all arrived at her office, she told me to come in alone. She asked me for my story and if I was ready for this because the result could be either way and especially 4 children involved, the eldest is 21 years old. At first, I was scared and she asked me if I wanted to take time to think about it before making the decision. I was surprised and asked her if she doesn’t want money. She smiled and answered me by saying: “ Sir, it’s not just all about the money, I think of my clients’ psychological well being first.”

I had to be a man and I told her I was ready. I asked her when the result will be ready and she said 5 working days because she is yet to start the analysis in Nigeria. So, for now, she sends the samples to her partner company in Canada.

The waiting period seemed like a hundred years to me. When the results came in, she called me to come in for them. I was scared but at the same time, I wanted to know the truth. When I got to her office, counselling began even before giving me the results, I just knew the worst has happened but I didn’t expect it to be all my children that I have laboured for all my life, giving them the best in life. But unfortunately for me when I opened the results all the 4 children were not mine. 3 sons and 1 daughter. I couldn’t hold it as a man, I broke down in tears.

At first, I taught I was dreaming and waiting to wake up from sleep. The trauma was too much for me.

When I got home, I called my wife to the bedroom immediately and gave her the results. She denied everything. I wanted to believe her to make myself happy. I went ahead to call the CEO of HumGene Limited to ask her if she was sure about the result. I spoke with her with an angry tone, but she was calm and told me she is very sure and referred me to other places I can try doing another test. She informed me that although the prices are higher.

I didn’t know what to do and I went to the doctor that advised me to go for the paternity test. When he saw the results, he told me this can’t be a mistake because DNA does not lie and that the 22 loci region is the highest in the Paternity test. I felt more convinced and went back home. I told my wife that if she does not tell me the truth I will go ahead to our church pastor and show them the result. After hearing me say that, she broke down into tears and confession started.

She had all my supposed to be children for the same man. That was why our son had same blood group with the sister. She has refused to tell me the man and the reason why she did what she did.

We are yet to tell the children and our family members. I’m in great shock and don’t know where to start from.

The CEO of HumGene Limited has been of great help taking her time to counsel me anytime I needed that. I need advise. Please, what should I do? Men out there you need to be vigilant.

Here is a short interview with the civil engineer…

Were you always travelling when the children were conceived?

I was travelling a lot, but the maximum time I spend out of the house is 2 weeks. I do not keep track of when my wife gets pregnant.

Do you know the father of your ‘children’?

No, my wife is holding on to that.

Can you have babies?

I have never doubted that. So, I didn’t have any reason to check if I’m medically okay to have children.But I do not feel any abnormality in himself. I will go for a test to check, but I’m not in the right state of mind now.

What do you do? And your wife?

I’m a Civil Engineer, my wife is a pharmacist.

Why are you still living with her?

I am no longer living in the house now, I’m staying in the hotel.

When were the tests done?

Samples were submitted on the 3rd of October 2017 and results received on the 10th of October 2017.

What did you tell the children when the tests were done?

We told them they were going for a general checkup for genetic testing since HumGene Limited offers the services for that.

What kind of samples were taken?

Buccal Swabs.

Were the children not curious?

Not at all. We didn’t give them any reason to be curious.

Who have you told about the result?

Only my wife and the Doctor that suggested the test.

What’s your wife saying?

Just crying as usual and refused to tell me the reason behind her actions, I moved out the next day because I don’t want to be in the same house with her. The more I see her, the angrier I get, and I don’t want it to lead to something I will regret.

Are you not scared for your life?

I’m not, but this question is now making me think if I should be scared, I can’t think straight right now.

What do you want to do now?

To be honest with you, I’m yet to come to a decision. It’s very difficult. I have worked so hard to give the children the best anyone can imagine giving to their children.

How much did the tests cost?

For myself and one child, it was ₦60,000.00 and an extra child was ₦40,000. In total, I paid ₦180,000 for myself and the 4 children.

Blood group: Husband (A), wife (AB), first child (O+), second (B+), third (O+), fourth (B+)

SHINA PETERS VS JIM OVIA

In 1990, Shina Peters built a house with N20 million naira; the same year Jim Ovia started Zenith Bank with the same amount.

Today, you and I don't have a room in Shina's house but I have an account in Jim's bank and probably you do too.

Shina's house was built in Iju Lagos and remains there till date.
Jim's bank started in a corner and now has over 500 branches in Nigeria, and many international branches.

Millions upon millions transact business in Jim's bank daily.
Shina's house is becoming dilapidated...in 2015, he SPENT more money to renovate the house and bought a Nissan Pathfinder with N10 million...additional liability, while in the same 2015, Jim's bank MADE a profit of N105.7 billion.

Zenith bank employs hundreds of thousands, and feeds their families.

This is the difference between Assets and Liability. If you buy a car for N20 million today, in 20 years time, you will be ashamed to drive it. On the other hand, if you invest that same amount in a lucrative business or in an asset, It may be worth billions in 20 years. ( Jim Ovia is now worth $980 million dollars, with the official dollar rate of N320, that means he is worth N313 BILLION NAIRA because of an investment of N20 million).

Spend the little money you have today wisely. Some people driving expensive cars today, are not aware that they are driving their future and the future of their children. Some people carrying iphone7 today, may not be aware that they are carrying their future.

When you are young, don't spend money. Invest it.
Every penny in your hand is like a seed, you can decide to eat it, or sow it. When you sow it, it will bear much more seeds later in future.👍

Remember.....
If what u have now @d moment is not up to what u can call a *harvest* then itz a seed;  *sow* it.

Stay focused. Good morning all & have a wonderful weekend.

6 Key Steps to Take Before Buying a House or Land Property in Nigeria

There are a great number of things to look out for and keep in mind when buying a new home or land property especially in a place like Lagos Nigeria. The following 6 steps are crucial and will serve as guideline while you make that investment property in Nigeria.

1. Understand the Nature of the Property
Investors want to get the best value for their money. And this often translates to the best return on their investment. With this in mind, you want to evaluate the potential growth in investment in a particular area before you throw your hard earned money at it. Growth range is between 5%-30%. Why get less when you can get more? Choose your investment location wisely.

2. Research Who is Selling
Always keep the following questions in mind: "Who is the owner of the property?" "Who is selling the property? Is it the owner, the owner's wife, son, daughter, or someone else?" "Whose name appears in the documents? Is it the current owner or the previous owner?" "What liabilities currently exist on the property?"
*and if it’s Real Estate Company you want to patronise, feel free to ask: ‘’ when where they incorporated? What achievement/s have they made since inception? Is there any visible and successful project I can reference? Do they have strong legal backings?

3. Verify the True Owner
Before you buy a plot of land or a completed building, be sure to conduct what is called a "search" on the property. You can do it yourself or contract a registered realtor to do the search. This is the process of verifying from the state government if the property in question is within government acquired properties or not and whether there are any pending litigation or other issues on the property. The bureau of lands of Lagos state is responsible for all land related matters in Lagos state. It also has office in Government secretariat Alausa Ikeja Lagos Nigeria.

4. Make Payment and Collate the Right Documentation
Pay the property amount to the property owner, then collect the
(a) purchase receipt
(b) the contract of sales
(c) the building plan
(d) originals of other relevant documents in possession of the previous owner

5. File the Documentation for Your New Purchase with the State Government
It's important to do this step because it legally makes you the new owner in the eyes of the law. If the property already has a C of O (certificate of Occupancy), you’ve got Governor's consent for it which is great. If it does not, then you start processing your C of O as soon as possible.

6. Appoint an Estate Consultant/Realtor to Help Manage  Property
You safeguard your investment when you do this especially if you live outside Lagos Nigeria or overseas. Folks who have invested big time in Lagos Nigeria real estate have found that it has been one of the wisest decisions they made in their lifetime.

*Do you have a question? Feel free to ask here…
Contact: Tony Obijeih
Call/WhatsApp me: +234 (0) 802 222 8610,
Call: +234 (0) 802 223 7773
Hotline; +234 (0) 802 222 8610

Britain Combs Through Unexplained Wealth in the UK. (See number 4 on the list.)

Today, Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) come in to force. They are a new investigative power designed to help law enforcement act on corrupt assets. This is something that Transparency International has been advocating for since 2014.

They are particularly useful where there is no realistic prospect of cooperation or conviction in the country of origin, but there are sufficient grounds for suspicion that an asset has been acquired with the proceeds of corruption. Based on open source information, we have pulled together five cases where we believe law enforcement should consider using UWOs in forming a case for civil recovery proceedings against potentially illicit wealth.

1. KENWOOD GATE, HAMPSTEAD LANE, LONDON

Suspected owner: First family of Azerbaijan
Estimated Value: £18 million

In 2015, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) uncovered an £18 million mansion on Hampstead Lane, North London, belonging to the First family of Azerbaijan. According to Land Registry documents the mansion is owned by Beckforth Services Limited – an Isle of Man company. Official company documents from 2000 state that Beckforth was controlled by Ilham Aliyev, the country’s current President, and his wife Mehriban, who is his now Vice President. In 2012 the registered shareholder was recorded as Leyla Aliyeva, Ilham and Mehriban’s eldest daughter. Since then it has been

3 Categories of People You Cannot Do Without

There are three categories of people you cannot do without as we are growing older,your family, people in your place of worship and childhood friends which include your Old School mates.
Friends take it or live it at 60 & above loneliness kills because the  Children you are working hard for now will go their way to raise their own immediate family and pursue their own destiny just as we did now. At that time is people in this 3- Categories that take away loneliness and keep your company.
Pls out of your busy Schedule, set time out to say hi to your real Old age cure against loneliness. In the 3- Categories the only one that knows you better and can relate with you down to heart are your childhood friends. So why are you feeling too big or inferior to come along. Is not possible we cannot all be at the same level. Some will be very rich,moderate and some poor that is the beauty and misery of life. Some will be so educated while some will still be Secondary school certificate. If you are up bring others that are willing up and if you are down,never bring those that are up, down with your mouth or attitude.
At close to 50years and above,you have 10 to 15years  active working life,so melo  lo Ku ti a be kiri saying I am this I am that. Ejo flow into other people life and let then flow into your life.
Respect friendship and value relationship. Eniyan laso mi, 🎼 eniyan bo ni Lara ju aso lo,eniyan bo ni Lara ju aso lo(2ce).O ma ju aso lo.🎼 Eniyan sa laso temi.

Rich or Poor you can exhibit pride, so ore GBE Agbara sile  ko live simple ki alagbara to GBA.

SEKOU TOURÉ

When Sekou Toure triggers the abandonment of France.
Three thousand Frenchmen left the country, taking all their possessions and destroying all that could not be moved: schools, nurseries, buildings of the public administration were destroyed, cars, books, medicines, instruments of the research institute, the tractors were crushed and sabotaged; horses, cows on farms were killed, and stored foods were burned or poisoned.

The aim of this scandalous act was obviously to send a clear message to all the other colonies about the consequences of France's rejection.

The fact is that little by little, the fear seized the African elites, and after these events no other country ever found the courage to follow the example of Sékou Touré, whose slogan was "We prefer freedom in poverty to opulence in slavery ".

For the newly independent countries it was necessary to find compromises with France. Sylvanus Olympio, the first president of the Republic of Togo, a small country in West Africa, found a solution likely to calm the French:

Not wanting to continue to undergo French domination, he refused to sign the colonial pact proposed by De Gaule, but agreed in return to pay an annual debt to France for the so-called benefits obtained during the French colonization.

These were the only conditions for France not to destroy the country before leaving. However, the amount estimated by France was so large that the reimbursement of the so-called "colonial debt" was close to 40% of the country's budget in 1963.

Consequently, the financial situation of just independent Togo was very unstable, and in order to get out of this situation, Olympio decided to leave the monetary system set up by colonial France the FCFA (franc of the French colonies of Africa), and created the currency of the country.

On January 13, 1963, three days after he began printing the new bills, a squad of soldiers (supported by France) seized and killed the first elected president of independent Africa: Olympio was executed by an ex French legionnaire, the sergeant of the army Etienne Gnassingbe who, at the same time, received a bonus of 612 dollars from the local French embassy for the success of his mission.

Olympio's dream was to build an independent and autonomous country. But the idea did not correspond to the French wishes.

On June 30, 1962, Modibo Keita, the first president of the Republic of Mali, also decided to withdraw from the CFAF monetary system (imposed on 12 newly independent African countries).

Indeed, for the Malian president, who leaned more towards a socialist economy, it was clear that the colonization that was lasting with this pact with France, became a trap, a burden for the development of the country.

On November 19, 1968, like Olympio, Keita will be the victim of a coup led by another former French legionary of foreign affairs, Lieutenant Moussa Traoré.

In fact, during this turbulent period when Africa was struggling to free itself from the yoke of European colonization, France will repeatedly use mercenaries formerly affiliated with the foreign legion to carry out fist operations against the newly elected presidents:

On 1 January 1966, Jean-Bedel Bokassa, a former French legionnaire, waged a coup against David Dacko, the first president of the Central African Republic.
On January 3, 1966, Maurice Yaméogo, the first president of the Republic of Upper Volta, today called Burkina Faso, was the victim of a blow by Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana, a former French legionnaire who fought with French troops in Indonesia and Algeria against these countries independence
On 26 October 1972 Mathieu Kérékou, who was a security guard to President Hubert Maga, the first president of the Republic of Benin, carried out a coup against the president, after having attended the French military schools from 1968 to 1970.
In fact, over the last 50 years, a total of 67 coups have occurred in 26 countries in Africa, 16 of which are former French colonies, which means that 61% of coups d'etat in Africa were initiated in former French colonies.

In March 2008, former French President Jacques Chirac said:

"Without Africa, France will slide down into the rank of twenty-third power [of the world]"

The predecessor of Jacques Chirac François Mitterrand had already prophesized in 1957 that: "Without Africa, France will have no history in the 21st century"

At the very moment when I am writing this article, 14 African countries are obliged by France, through the colonial pact, to put 85% of their reserves in the central bank of France under the control of the French Ministry of Finance. So far, in 2014, Togo and about 13 other African countries still have to pay the colonial debt to France. African leaders who refuse are killed or victims of coup d'etat. Those who obey are supported and rewarded by France with a sumptuous lifestyle, while their populations endure misery and despair.

Such an evil system is denounced by the European Union, but France is not ready to do without this colonial system which offers it a cash of about 500 billion dollars from Africa, and by year.

We often accuse African leaders of corruption and serve the interests of Western nations, but there is a clear explanation for this behavior. They behave this way because they are afraid of being killed or being the victim of a coup. They want to ally themselves with a powerful nation to save themselves in case of aggression or difficulties. But, unlike friendly protection, the protection of the West is often offered in exchange for giving up serving their own people or the interests of nations.

African leaders would work in the interest of their people if they were not constantly harassed and intimidated by the colonial countries.

In 1958, scared of the consequences of his choice of independence from France, Léopold Sédar Senghor said: "The choice of the Senegalese people is independence, they want it to take place only in friendship with France. France, not in dispute. "

France has therefore accepted an "independence on paper" for its colonies, but has signed in parallel "cooperation agreements", specifying the nature of their relations with France, especially the ties to the currency (the Franc), the French education system, military agreements and trade preferences.

Here are the 11 main components of the continuation of the colonization pact since the 1950s:

1. The colonial debt for the benefits of French colonization

The newly "independent" countries have to pay for the infrastructure built by France in the country during colonization.

I still have to find the details on the amounts, the assessment of colonial benefits and the payment terms imposed on African countries, but we are working on it (helping us with information).

2. Automatic confiscation of national reserves

African countries must deposit their national currency reserves in France at the central bank.

France has held national reserves of fourteen African countries since 1961: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Guinea Equatorial Republic and Gabon.

The monetary policy governing such a diversified grouping of countries is simple because it is managed by the French Treasury, without referring to central tax authorities such as UEMOA or CEMAC. Under the terms of the agreement put in place by the central bank of the CFA, each Central Bank of each African country is obliged to keep at least 65% of its foreign exchange reserves in an "account of operations" held in the country. French Treasury, and another 20% to cover financial liabilities.

CFA central banks also impose a ceiling on credit granted to each member country at the equivalent of 20% of the country's public revenue over the previous year. Even if the BEAC and the BCEAO have an overdraft facility with the French Treasury, overdraft facilities are subject to the consent of the French Treasury. The last word is that of the French Treasury which has invested foreign reserves of African countries in its own name on the Paris Stock Exchange.

In short, more than 80% of the foreign exchange reserves of these African countries are deposited in the "accounts of operations" controlled by the French Treasury. The two CFA banks are African by name, but do not have their own monetary policy. The countries themselves do not know, are not informed, up to how much the foreign exchange reserve held by the French Treasury belongs to them as a group or individually.

The gains from the investment of these French Treasury funds are supposed to be added to the foreign exchange reserve, but there is no accounting transmitted to banks or countries, nor the details of these changes. "Only a small group of senior French Treasury officials know the amounts in the" trading accounts "where these funds are invested; if there is a profit on these investments, they are prohibited from disclosing this information to the CFA banks or the central banks of the African states. "Writes Dr. Gary K. Busch

It is estimated that France manages nearly 500 billion African silver in its cash, and does nothing to shed some light on this dark side of the old empire.

The purpose remains: African countries do not have access to this money.

France allows them access to only 15% of their money a year. If they need more, African countries must borrow, at commercial rates, the 65% of their money held in the French Treasury.

To make things more tragic, France imposes a ceiling on the amount of money that countries can borrow from the reserve. The ceiling is set at 20% of their public revenue from the previous year. If countries need to borrow more than 20% of their own money, France has a veto.

Former French President Jacques Chirac recently spoke about African countries' money in banks in France. Here is a video that talks about the French operating system.

3. Right of priority over any natural or raw resource discovered in the country

France has priority in the purchase of all the natural resources of the land of its former colonies. It is only in case of refusal that African countries are allowed to seek other partners.

4. Priority to French interests and companies in public contracts and public buildings

In awarding public contracts, French companies must be considered in the first place, and only after the foreign markets are considered. The fact that African countries could obtain a better financial offer elsewhere is not taken into account.

As a result, in most ex-French colonies, all the largest companies and economic players are in the hands of French expatriates. In Côte d'Ivoire, for example, French companies own and control all the major public services - water, electricity, telephone, transport, ports and the big banks. Ditto in trade, construction and agriculture.

In the end, as I wrote in a previous article, Africans now live on a continent owned by Europeans!

5. Exclusive right to provide military equipment and train military officers of the countries

Thanks to a sophisticated system of scholarships, grants, and the "defense agreements" attached to the colonial pact, Africans must send their senior training officers to France or to French military infrastructures.

The situation on the continent is such that France has trained and fed hundreds, even thousands of traitors. They are dormant as long as they are not needed, and activated when needed for a coup d'etat or for other purposes!

6. Right for France to pre-deploy troops and intervene militarily in the country to defend its interests

Under the name "Defense Agreements" attached to the colonial pact. France has the right to intervene militarily in African countries, and also to station troops permanently in military bases and installations, entirely managed by the French.

French military bases in Africa
When President Laurent Gbagbo of Côte d'Ivoire attempted to end the French exploitation of the country, France organized a coup d'etat. During the long process of driving Gbagbo out of power, French tanks, combat helicopters and special forces directly intervened in the conflict, shot civilians and killed many of them.

To add insult to insult, France estimates that the French business community lost several million dollars during the rush to leave Abidjan in 2006 (where the French army massacred 65 unarmed civilians and wounded 1200 others.)

After the success of the coup by France, and the transfer of power to Alassane Ouattara, France asked the Ouattara government to pay compensation to the French business community for losses during the civil war.

In fact, the Ouattara government paid them twice what they said they lost when they left.

7. Obligation to make French the official language of the country and the language for education

Yes sir. You must speak French, the language of Molière! The French language and an organization of the diffusion of the culture was created. Called "Francophonie" which gathers with several branches and affiliated organizations all controlled by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs.

As demonstrated in this article, if French is the only language you speak, you would have access to less than 4% of the knowledge of humanity and ideas. It's very limiting.

8. Obligation to use the money of colonial France the FCFA

This is the real cash cow for France, such an evil system, is denounced by the European Union, but France is not ready to do without this colonial system that offers him a cash of about 500 billion dollars from Africa, by year.
During the introduction of the euro currency in Europe, other European countries have discovered the French operating system. Many, especially the Nordic countries, were appalled and suggested France to get rid of the system, but without success.

9. Obligation to send the annual balance and reserve report to France

Without the report, no money. Be that as it may, the secretariat of the ex-colonies' central banks, and the secretariat of the bi-annual meeting of finance ministers of the ex-colonies are insured by France's central bank / Treasury.

10. Renunciation to enter a military alliance with any other country, unless authorized by France

African countries in general are those with the fewest inter-state military alliances. Most countries only have military alliances with their ex-colonizers! (funny, but you can not do better!).

In cases where they wish another alliance, France keeps them well to do so.

11. Obligation to ally with France in a situation of war or global crisis

More than a million African soldiers fought for the defeat of Nazism and fascism during the Second World War.

Their contribution is often ignored or understated, but when you think that it took only 6 weeks for Germany to defeat France in 1940, France knows that Africans could be useful to keep the "Greatness of France" at home. 'to come up.

There is something almost psychopathic about France's relationship with Africa.

First of all, France is seriously addicted to the looting and exploitation of Africa since the time of slavery. Then there is the complete lack of creativity and imagination of the French elite to think beyond the past and the tradition.

Finally, France has two institutions that are completely frozen in the past, inhabited by paranoid and psychopathic "senior officials" who spread the fear of the apocalypse if France was to be changed, and whose ideological reference comes still romanticism of the 19th century. They are: the Minister of Finance and the Budget of France and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France.

These two institutions are not only a threat to Africa, but to the French themselves.

It is up to us to liberate Africa, without asking permission, because I still can not understand for example how 450 French soldiers in Côte d'Ivoire could control a population of 20 million people?

The first reaction of people when they learn about the existence of French colonial tax is often a question: "Until when?"

As a historical comparison, France charged Haiti the modern equivalent of $ 21 billion from 1804 to 1947 (nearly a century and a half) for the losses caused to French slave traders following the abolition slavery and the liberation of Haitian slaves.

African countries have been paying the colonial tax for the last 50 years! How long do Africans have to wait to put an end to this great organized theft and slavery organized for several centuries?

MBIM.

Ba Sama Translation from The French Version. It has not been easy..to translate till the end.

The World We Live In

*When a man has a good car it attracts more ladies to him. When a lady has a good car it repels guys runaway from her. This is the world we live in*.
  
*A teenage boy impregnates his teenage girlfriend. The girl drops out of school, the boy continues his education. This is the world we live in*.

*A guy catches his girlfriend with another guy, he fights his girlfriend. A lady catches her guy with another lady, she fights the other lady. This is the world we live in*.

*The older a man becomes, the higher the number of ladies available for him. The older a lady becomes the fewer the number of guys available for her. This is the world we live in*.

*A 76 year old man can still marry a 26 year old lady. A 36 year old lady is tagged too old to get married. This is the world we live in*.

*A man divorces his wife today and the next day he is dating other ladies. Six months later he is married. While the divorced woman is labeled a divorcee and remains single six years later. This is the world we live*.

*A man looses his wife to death and remarries a year after, he did the right thing, he's being praised and congratulated for moving on, after all life is for the living*
*A woman looses her husband to death and remarries after 4yrs, "aaah! so early? Are u sure she wasn't sleeping with that man even when her husband was alive? That was why she killed her husband. This is the world we are in*.

*A married man is caught in bed with another woman, his wife is asked to forgive him and move on. A married woman is caught in bed with another man, the husband asks her to leave his house. This is the world we live in*.

*A man gets transferred by his company to another state, the entire family relocates with him. The woman gets transferred to another state, she goes alone or resigns from the job. This is the world we live in*.
*If a man rises to be the CEO of the company, he got there by hard work and determination. If a woman rises to be the CEO of the company, even if the staff are only women, she is suspected to get there by sleeping with the Board members. This is the world we live in*.

*THIS IS THE WORLD WE LIVE IN*_ *WHOEVER WROTE THIS SHOULD BE GIVEN AN AWARD*.

Eucharia Anunobi Returns To Set With RMD After Her Son's Death (Photos)

As You Know some part of Last year was complete tragedy for Nollywood top actress Eucharia Anunobi after she lost her only son to Sickle Cell, The actress Mourned him for months even after his Burial..

But this year she seems to be on brighter side, she just starred on her first movie since the sad incident.. She even shared the photos on her page..
Good to Have her back.

On set with her is RMD, Alex Ekubo and others.

IT’S DONE: Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang completes £56m club-record move to Arsenal

Aubameyang will sign a three-year deal at the Emirates after making it clear he wanted to leave Borussia Dortmund in a £56m deal.

The 28-year-old was identified by Gunners boss Arsene Wenger as his first-choice replacement for Alexis Sanchez who has joined Manchester United.

The Gabonese striker left Germany