President Jonathan’s Lavish Gold-plated iPhones For Daughter’s Wedding Guests Spark Controversy

By Saharareporters, New York

A Twitter picture of a set of gold-plated iPhones lavishly customized by a UK-based jewelry designer for President Goodluck Jonathan as gifts for his adopted daughter’s wedding have enraged Nigerian citizens who question the unconscionable use of public funds.

While the presidency has denied the phones, however, the designer has confirmed them, claiming they are merely his own gifts.

Some commentators have also questioned the illegal and reckless use of the national emblem on the phones, giving that the wedding, which began last weekend, was a private event. 

Before the commencement of the wedding, the wife of governor of Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State had sent out a text message asking participants to shell out N550, 000 each to buy textile prints known as “Aso Ebi’.

There were many takers of that offer, as well-connected Nigerians seemed to be falling over each other to demonstrate their loyalty to Mr. Jonathan. 

SaharaReporters’s sources also noted that the Ministry of Women Affairs was also asked to seek the support of friendly state governors and federal officials for the wedding event.

The biggest controversy of the wedding however emerged from a photo of the gold-plated iPhones, which was designed by a UK-based jewelry magnate, Michael A—malivelihoodluxury.com—which uses the Twitter handle @malivelihood.  It would be recalled that a similar set of phones allegedly ordered by the presidency last year from a company for Nigeria’s centenary celebration was officially denied.

When SaharaReporters received photos of the gold plated iPhones, we posted it our timeline on Facebook, but a source at the presidency claimed that it “photoshopped.”

Since we lacked independent confirmation, we therefore issued a retraction as a sign of good faith.

A few minutes after our Facebook apology, we reached out to designer Michael A, as a cursory look at his Twitter timeline showed he had been deleting recent updates.

When Michael A responded to SaharaReporters’ email, he admitted making 10 gold-plated iPhones for President Jonathan’s daughter.

He however claimed the phones were a gift that hadn’t even reached the beneficiaries yet because they were too busy.

He did not say if he granted himself the permission to use Nigeria’s national emblem.