Story & Photo by Niyi Tabiti
Chief Reporter
Ade Alumile, the Nigerian born international 419 kingpin a.k.a Ade Bendel declared that old things have indeed passed away in his life.He declared that his ambition is now to ensure that more people are led to Christ Jesus.
Ade Bendel, who finished his jail terms in December 2007, disclosed that Nigerian artistes from movie and music industry would be supporting his first major crusade slated for March 24th at Eleko Beach in Lagos.
A lot of people who were at Terra Kulture,venue of the press conference he addressed this afternoon were moved to tears as Ade Bendel shared testimony of how he accepted to change his ways and move closer to God.
Dapo Oyebanjo, the award winning entertainer popularly known as D’Banj was one of those moved to tears. He shook his head anytime Ade Bendel reel out testimonies that led him to Christ. He told
http://www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com/ after the press conference that he was touched by the way Ade Bendel gave testimonies of his past and his readiness to move away totally from it. “I am ready to support his new cause wholeheartedly” he said.
“There was a day in prison, I met two youth between the ages of 18 and 20.They hailed me as Baba Ade Bendel.They told me I was their hero. When I asked what brought them into prison custody, they told me that they were into 419 (swindling people of their hard earned money).They also said that very soon they hope to be like me”
"That day, I broke down in tears. How can I be a hero destroying lives. A hero sending people that you dupe of their money to untimely death. I told God that if you give me the opportunity, I will serve you for the rest of my life” he said.
He also disclosed that immediately he was released,he made contact with the man whom he swindled through his lawyers."The man came all the way from abroad.I told him I have done restitution.We hugged and I promised to pay him back what I took from him and I fufilled it.I thank God for the prison experience and meeting Jesus, if not I may have been dead by now"he said.
Tagged ‘Turning Point with Ade Bendel and Friends' the event is the brain child of YINOX Foundation, a non-governmental foundation he founded to support the anti-graft war embarked upon by the government. The effort is geared at making Nigerian youth make the best of their talent rather than tarnish Nigeria’s image through advance fee fraud.
Top Nigerian entertainers such as Sammy Okposo,Francis Duru, Daddy Showkey,Mike Aremu,D’banj,Basket Mouth,Jeddi,9ice,Dekunle Fuji,Desmond Elliot and several others have already signify their interest in the show. The likes of Segun Arinze, Kingsley Ogoro, Koffi, Ikechukwu, Dare Art Alade, Sammy Okposo and Dan Foster were at the press briefing this afternoon.www.niyitabiti.blogspot.com also gathered that the Actors Guild of Nigeria will also be supporting the event.
Ade Bendel disclosed that effort is being made to collaborate with Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on a number of campaigns to prevent people from investing their valuable time into crime.
Before now, Ade Bendel lived his lifeon the fast lane.Musicians particularly from the Juju and Fuji genre benefited enourmously from his loot.They sang his praises at every party in town.He was so flamboyant that he was among those always in possesion of the state of the art cars just released into the market.
Now, the story has changed and Ade Bendel appears ready for the change that would change lives.
Picture-D'banj (left) and Ade Alumile (Ade Bendel) in Victoria Island,Lagos, this afternoon (5 March 2008)
These are some of the pictures from the burial of late Otunba TOS Benson in Ikorodu last week.Most of TOS Benson's children are celebrities in the own right.The list is endless but some of them include Tiwa Benson,the milliner,Bimbo Cardoso, Soga Benson and several others.
